Visitors at the Central Post Office in HCM City
The travel guide suggests starting the day like a local by observing morning life in the parks. Tao Dan Park and the sidewalks around Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office are popular spots where walkers, runners, dance groups, exercise clubs, and badminton players gather.
Visitors can then gain insight into Vietnam’s history at the War Remnants Museum, where photographs and artifacts tell the painful realities of the war, including atrocities such as the My Lai massacre and prison camps on Phu Quoc and Con Dao.
Experiencing a different perspective of the city by taking a water taxi along the Saigon River offers a unique way to see HCM City from the water.
The fourth best thing to do in HCM City is to sample street food in general, and snails in particular in Vinh Hoi, Khanh Hoi and Xom Chieu wards.
Taking in the sights, scents and tastes of Ho Thi Ky Flower Market is among interesting things in HCM City. Strolling past storefronts with flowers pouring out onto the streets provides sensory bliss and a vivid introduction to the nation’s botanical industry, Lonely Planet writes.
Other activities in the top 10 include checking out Vietnamese modernist architecture, flying kites and sampling local snacks in Thu Thiem, shopping for local creativity, checking in with Japanese community in HCM City, and taking in a show at the Opera House.
