Where’s the party? At the Chill Skybar, on the rooftop of the AB Tower. Locals and visitors enjoy finger food, cocktails or good wines in the open air and inside, with a spectacular view of Saigon, live and recorded music and a disco.
Best eatery loved by the locals? All day locals frequent Pho Hoa Pasteur in District 3, opened 50 years ago, serving Vietnam’s signature dish of rice noodles with pork, beef or chicken in a salty broth, our famous fish sauce and delicious fresh herbs.
Saigon | Tran Nhu Hai shares his hot tips
The Reverie Saigon, Vietnam
Perfectly located on the working Saigon River, with spectacular views – in central District 1, near to many important sights – The Reverie Saigon is rated Saigon’s top luxury hotel on TripAdvisor. Opulent, quirky and creative, with
sumptuous fabrics, Italian baroque furniture and marble floors, it begs to be explored.
Image: Gillian McLaren
Where’s the party? At the Chill Skybar, on the rooftop of the AB Tower. Locals and visitors enjoy finger food, cocktails or good wines in the open air and inside, with a spectacular view of Saigon, live and recorded music and a disco.
Best eatery loved by the locals? All day locals frequent Pho Hoa Pasteur in District 3, opened 50 years ago, serving Vietnam’s signature dish of rice noodles with pork, beef or chicken in a salty broth, our famous fish sauce and delicious fresh herbs.
A new high end restaurant where you have to eat? Ly Club Vietnamese restaurant in District 3.
An outdoor activity that is worth doing? Join the multitudes of locals on their motorbikes. Take a vintage Vespa night tour, into fascinating side streets, to try local food. Visit the famous Cu Chi Tunnels to see how the Vietcong lived and fought during the American War, as it is called in Vietnam.
Image: Gillian McLaren
An unmissible piece of architecture? A legacy of French colonialist time is the architecture of Notre Dame de Saigon Cathedral, the Central Post Office and the Opera House, all found in Dong Khoi street, walking distance from The Reverie Saigon.
A celebration you shouldn’t miss? During autumn, Moon Festival – the five days of Lunar New Year, known in Vietnam as Tet. You will see traditional lion dances, bright lanterns and decorations and have lots of fun!
Local music that you should definitely listen to? Saxophonist Tran Manh Tuan blends contemporary jazz with a Vietnamese touch at Sax n Art Jazz club, District 1. Amateur Vietnamese musicians perform at Woodstock Bar, District 3.
Local, organic food markets or farmer’s markets that you should visit? Ben Thanh market sells almost everything including clothes, silk, lacquered products, bowls, woven crafts. Flower market at Ho Thi Ky street has exquisite roses and orchids from the highland city of Da Lat. Chinese market sells good quality goods at reasonable prices.
Image: Gillian McLaren
Where’s the best local spa? The Reverie Saigon Spa is very beautiful and our therapists are among the best. L’Apothiquaire has locations in District 1 and 3, which are top-class.
What is on at the Theatre? A O Show is a must-see performance at the Saigon Opera House, with heart-stopping acrobatic feats and wonderfully choreographed snapshots of rural and urban life.
You can’t come to Saigon without visiting... The Independence Palace, which was the site of the colonial administrator’s palace, then was rebuilt as the presidential palace in the 1960s. It evokes the tumult of the 1960s and 1970s and may give an understanding of the American War. thereveriesaigon.com
Image: Gillian McLaren
Image: Gillian McLaren