20 reasons to visit Ho Chi Minh City

A visit to Ho Chi Minh City is an encounter with exotic food, French colonial architecture and memories of war, writes Guy Wilkinson.

1 Cheap eats

Ho Chi Minh City (also still called Saigon) is famous for its pho (traditional Vietnamese noodle soup) and pork rolls. Often the best places are shops and stalls named after family members, such as “Aunty” or “Chi” (meaning sister) followed by a number representing their order in the family and, finally, their name. Though many chains, such as Pho24 and Pho 2000, do big business these days, you can’t beat family-run outfits for the real deal.

2 Late-night pedicure/spa

Manicure and pedicure shops are everywhere, particularly around the Pham Ngu Lao area, and most are open late into the night. Happily, some will even serve you a glass of wine or offer a massage, and a basic treatment will probably cost you less than half what it would back home (expect to pay about $6 for a set).