A restless metropolis and the slow green delta of floating markets.
The south of Vietnam is two countries in one: a restless, neon-lit metropolis, and the slow green delta of rivers and floating markets, a few hours away by road or boat.
Top attractions
Saigon is the restless capital of the south. The Old Quarter is its anchor, and the city's most famous landmarks — Ben Thanh market, the Central Post Office and the War Remnants Museum — are all within a short walk of each other. The street food is as famous as anywhere in the country: banh mi, pho, goi cuon, and a glass of ca phe sua da on a plastic stool.
The Mekong delta is a water world: a maze of canals, floating markets and coconut and banana orchards that stretch to the horizon. Cai Rang, in the city of Can Tho, is the most famous floating market, and the smallest bays, the longest canals, and the quiet homestays are where the delta really lives.
Cu Chi, a few hours from the city, adds a third act: a network of underground passages used during the war, now presented as a museum that shows how the tunnels were dug and used.
Must-visit spots
In Saigon, Ben Thanh market, the Old Quarter and the War Remnants Museum are the three stops that every visitor makes. The Central Post Office, on a corner of the Old Quarter, is the most photographed, and the city's night cafés are the best place to watch the traffic go by.
In the delta, Cai Rang is the anchor, and the coconut orchards and fruit plantations around Long An and Can Tho are the most rewarding. A boat trip to a small orchard for a lunch under the trees is the classic half-day.
Cu Chi is a full day: the tunnels, the museum, and a boat ride through the small canals that connect the tunnels to the main river.
Signature experiences
A morning at Cai Rang, before the city wakes, is the signature delta moment: a boat among boats, a stall of fresh fruit, and the sound of the river.
A tunnel walk in Cu Chi is the most physical and the most personal stop in the south. The tunnels are narrow and dark, but the story at the end of each one is worth it.
A cooking class in a village on the way to the delta, with a family who cook the local dishes, is the most hands-on way to understand the food of the south.
And in Saigon, the signature moment is a banh mi from the street and a glass of ca phe sua da on a plastic stool.
Things to do
Eat the city. Saigon's street food is the single best introduction to the south of Vietnam, and the best meals are the ones you find on the street. A long walk through the Old Quarter, stopping at each café, is the classic way to understand the city.
Cruise a canal. From Cai Rang to the Long An orchards, the river is the best way to move, and the best thing to do is to sit on the deck of a small boat and let the water take you.