Saigon Uncovered: 7 Best Areas to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City skyline from a coffee shop rooftop in Binh Thanh District, showing the Landmark 81 skyscraper and the City Garden apartment complex
I’m an American expat living in Vietnam. Before living in Phu Nhuan District, I lived in three other districts in Ho Chi Minh City: District 8, which is ...
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How to Rent an Apartment in Ho Chi Minh City (An Expat’s Guide)

The Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal, viewed from my apartment in Phu Nhuan District in Ho Chi Minh City
While living in Vietnam, I’ve rented nearly a dozen apartments. I have lived in several parts of Da Nang and four different districts in Ho Chi Minh City. ...
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The 7 Places I Buy Gym Supplements in Ho Chi Minh City

A shaker cup, protein powder and other gym supplements found in Ho Chi Minh City
My first gym in Da Nang in 2018 was a small, open-air gym with no windows, just a small waist-high gate guarding the rusty equipment. I think I ...
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9 Best Places to Eat Ramen in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)

Japanese ramen, eggs, pork, and seaweed paper from Daiichi Ramen in Japan Town, Ho Chi Minh City.
Having been in Southeast Asia since 2018, I am embarrassed to say that it wasn’t until the spring of 2023 that I first tried ramen. Real ramen, that is. ...
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Should You Say Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City?

Ho Chi Minh Statue with People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in the background
When I started traveling abroad by coming to Vietnam in 2018, I also wondered if I should be saying Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, I ...
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8 Best Pizza Places in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)

BBQ Chicken Pizza from Pizza & Bia in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Article Featured Image.
Buongiorno! Somewhere in the land of amore, where the sun-drenched vineyards meet the cobblestone streets, doughy delight was just flung into the air, composing a symphony of flour ...
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How to Get Around Ho Chi Minh City for First-Time Visitors

Parking on Le Cong Kieu Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, showing my orange Yamaha motorbike and the street lined with old French achitecture
I have lived in four different districts in Ho Chi Minh City (Thao Dien in District 2, District 7, District 8, and Phu Nhuan) and have traveled throughout ...
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8 Best Supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)

Wide shot showing stacks of products, the ceiling, and staff workers inside of Mega Market in An Phu
I’ve moved between cities many times in Vietnam and always need a new smoothie blender. I have purchased the same lime green Sunhouse blender at least seven times ...
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11 Best Gyms in Ho Chi Minh City: Day Passes, Costs & Locations

Inside the first floor of Gym One in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, showing a very clean gym, with workout machines and equipment and people exercising.
I was a personal trainer at LA Fitness and Retro Fitness (both popular chains in the US) in college, and I’ve been working out for close to 20 ...
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