You’ve discovered Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’s greatest banh mi, greatest pho and greatest egg espresso, so now what?
So that you’ve been performing some analysis on what to do in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis and it’s turned up loads of information on the place you could find the very best banh mi, the very best pho and the very best egg espresso (it’s a Hanoi factor by the best way).
Nevertheless it’s both not your factor otherwise you’re on the lookout for one thing just a little totally different from the norm.
Nicely, in the event you name pro-wrestling, worshipping whales and eating in a war-era financial institution vault just a little totally different, then this checklist would possibly simply be for you.
Attend a pro-wrestling “struggle evening”
Vietnam’s better-known for extra high-brow cultural occasions for vacationers, just like the Teh Dar Present on the Opera Home or excursions on the again of motorbikes pushed by younger girls in ao dai – Vietnam’s nationwide gown – and no, that doesn’t make this checklist!
However pro-wrestling? No manner.
Someplace within the again blocks of District 7, an outer southern suburb of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, you could find pro-wrestling occasions held all year long in a hangar-like construction on the lot of an area movie studio.
It’s darkish, it’s gritty, and it’s sweaty, however better of all, it’s extremely entertaining.
Native stars with names like Rocky Huynh, Sid Nguyen, Venomshank, and The British Horror (amongst others) throw themselves at one another within the ring and out of it, all of the whereas urged on by greater than 300 of their adoring (and equally as sweaty) followers sitting ringside in what’s a pulsating show of guts and stupidity within the identify of leisure.
Tickets to bouts are extremely sought-after with tickets promoting out rapidly after launch.
If you happen to’re planning on being on the town on Might 4 (2024), get on-line now and safe a ticket for an evening of enjoyable hardly ever skilled by travellers to Vietnam that additionally offers a chance to combine with the locals.
However bear in mind – what occurs on struggle evening…
Go to a whale temple
This one will take you out of city on a day journey, however it’s nonetheless technically in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis regardless that it’s round 50km south of town.
Can Gio is considered one of 24 districts that make up Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, however it’s the one one that may lay declare to having a UNESCO listed mangrove forest.
How the mangrove forest got here into being after the battle is a narrative in itself for one more time, however it’s the somewhat uncommon whale temple within the district’s largest city that makes this attraction fascinating.
Within the small seaside fishing village of Can Thanh there’s a whale temple that the fisherfolk of the native space usually come to go to and pray at for good luck and protected passage throughout the fishing season.
Inside this temple is the intact skeleton of a small whale that washed ashore again within the Nineteen Seventies.
Fishing communities alongside the southern shoreline of Vietnam worship whales.
Lengthy story brief, legend says {that a} Nguyen Dynasty-era emperor bought caught in a storm whereas out crusing someday and was saved by a whale.
Since then, they’ve been revered.
Throughout mid-autumn annually round September, the folks of Can Thanh maintain a pageant within the whale’s honour with a avenue parade and festivities after a flotilla of native fishing boats decked out in vibrant paint, flags and banners have returned from paying their respects to the whales – each actual and legendary – offshore within the East Sea.
Dine in a war-era financial institution vault beneath town
It doesn’t sound overly romantic I do know, however you must admit this one’s intriguing.
The Nguyen Thai Binh neighbourhood is among the oldest and most historic neighbourhoods within the metropolis and it’s additionally what you would possibly name the “prime finish of city” owing to it lengthy being the monetary centre of the interior metropolis.
There are banks throughout right here, together with the imposing constructing of the State Financial institution of Vietnam constructed in 1928 on the positioning the place Indochina’s first piastre observe was issued manner again in 1891.
Which brings us to The Au My Wine Cellar proper throughout the road from one of many previous State Financial institution buildings.
In actual fact, The Au My Wine Cellar occupies one of many State Financial institution’s previous financial institution vaults from the time earlier than Vietnam’s reunification in 1975.
From the entrance entrance, visitors descend two flights of stairs after which proceed into a brief tunnel that acts as a cramped (however spacious sufficient) eating space.
The tunnel additionally results in three financial institution vaults (there are 4 in whole) that may seat roughly 20 folks inside.
If you happen to’re liable to feeling claustrophobic, then this institution won’t be for you.
And in the event you’re questioning simply how “protected” (wink wink) issues are – particularly on condition that Saigon is alleged to be sinking – the partitions have been constructed with metre-thick concrete and bolstered with metal.
For eating with a distinction and what some might name “funding eating” this one is on the cash!
Gorge your self on dumplings in Chinatown
For no matter cause, this avenue in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’s “Chinatown” district doesn’t acquire a lot consideration on journey pages and YouTube.
Maybe it’s as a result of you must enterprise off the standard well-beaten vacationer path out of town centre to search out it.
Ha Ton Quyen Avenue is solely devoted to sui cao that are dumplings which can be extremely laborious to cease your self from gorging on!
Right here you may get them fried or steamed, in noodle soup or with dry noodles.
Thien Thien might be the very best recognized joint alongside this strip, however you could possibly most likely nearly go wherever alongside right here and discover a winner.
Tour town’s solely gin distillery
That is one other one which’s a day journey exterior town centre, however it’s nonetheless technically in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis.
Cu Chi is among the 24 districts that make up town and it’s well-known for the war-era tunnels and taking pictures vary round 50km away.
However now, it’s house to Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’s first and solely gin distillery known as Girl Trieu Gin.
And the cool factor about it’s the crew at Girl Trieu are in a position to organise visits to their distillery by appointment, so in the event you’d wish to test it out, get in touch with them straight.
The journey consists of a ship journey alongside the Saigon River to and from the distillery (with drinks onboard after all) which provides you an important perception into life on the river that you simply won’t in any other case expertise, together with a enjoyable tour of the distillery with loads of tastings.
Click on on the picture under to direct you to the total checklist of particulars
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