This is Part 2 of my 2-day Saigon trip. Part 1 covered how we got in, where we stayed, and all the food. This one covers shopping, the old buildings, and everything else we got up to.
Shopping — what to know
We shortlisted shops based on Instagram recommendations from influencers who had recently been to Saigon.
A reality check first. Walking under the scorching Saigon heat is a challenge. The pavements don’t help — they exist, but bikes are parked along them, so half the time you are walking on the road. It is what it is. Welcome to Vietnam.
Tran Quang Dieu street
This whole stretch is small boutique fashion shops. We checked out Ruby’s and a few others.
My wife’s verdict on the street — the clothes here are Platinum Mall standard. Average price per garment is about SGD 10–20.
Cocobebe
Mentioned a lot on Instagram. A bit out of the way from the main shopping street, so grab a taxi (about 5 minutes). Mostly basics wear.
Garmentory
If you only have one place to shop in Saigon, I would strongly recommend Garmentory (also known as 11 Garmentory). I actually found something for myself. Mostly streetwear, good selection, multiple brands, and the quality is decent.
Rue Miche
We took a Grab here on the way back to the hotel. There’s some overlap with Garmentory. If you are staying around District 1 and don’t want to go far, Rue Miche works — but the selection is smaller.
The rundown building at 26 Lý Tự Trọng
This is the one that surprised me the most. The exterior is really old — wrought-iron gates, paintings lining both sides of the entrance hallway, a “Khu Phố Văn Hóa” (Cultural Quarter) sign above the door.
Once you walk in, the building opens up. The corridors are dim and worn — neon signs for boutiques like LIBÉ and ohmytshirt glow at the end of narrow hallways.
Go up the staircase and the building reveals its age. French colonial wrought-iron railings spiralling up several floors.
On the way up, I spotted a Vietnamese artist at his stall, painting a street scene mid-stroke. This is the kind of thing you stumble upon here.
It’s like Far East Plaza on steroids. Even if you have nothing to buy, come here for the photos and the atmosphere.
Address: 26 Lý Tự Trọng, District 1, HCMC
The second old building (near A Taste of Saigon)
After our last lunch we noticed a lot of youngsters, locals and foreigners alike, heading up the old buildings nearby. We followed them.
To our surprise there was another old building — different from the one at 26 Lý Tự Trọng — where the 2nd and 3rd floors have been converted into small boutique retail shops.
It reminded me of the pre-war shophouses in Tiong Bahru, where ground-floor residential units have been turned into cafes. If you’re familiar with Yong Siak Street, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Some of the shops are still occupied by the original residents, which gives the place a unique and retro vibe.
A lot of the clothing overlaps with what we already saw at the other shops — quality is still standard, around SGD 10–30 per piece. There are also some handicraft shops.
Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s a pretty cool place to hang around. After that you can go for coffee across the road.
New Playground
The main shopping spot we came for. It’s a basement filled with local designer brands.
We were in and out in under 15 minutes — nothing caught our eye at first glance.
That said, there’s a an extension of New Playground sits inside Vincom Mall that is more polished — individual brand units like HOWS, CECI CELA and TATICHU with proper shopfronts.
The setting is more pleasant — reminded me of Terminal 21.
Book Street (bonus)
On the walk back to the hotel, we passed by Book Street. Short pedestrian stretch right next to Notre Dame Cathedral, with stalls selling all kinds of books.
Other stops worth a mention
Dop Cafe Stationery (and the Saigon night scene)
A hole-in-the-wall cafe we walked past. It’s a cafe earlier in the day, but after a certain hour it turns into a chill-out spot with a DJ spinning music.
This is actually a common thing in Saigon. A lot of the cafes and small shops along these streets convert into open-air hangout spots at night. Youngsters pack the pavements on tiny plastic stools, the music goes on, and the whole street comes alive.
Pretty cool if you’re up for it. Cheap drinks, good music, outdoor seating in the warm night air. Interesting place to just sit, watch, and maybe meet some people.
Häagen-Dazs (near hotel)
In Singapore we are down to one Häagen-Dazs outlet near Orchard Road, and it’s just a small kiosk with outdoor seating. The Saigon one still has a proper air-con area plus outdoor seating. They serve proper sundaes when you sit down.
MiuMiu Spa
We had time to spare and decided to try the massage place near our hotel. They have several outlets, two within 5 minutes’ walk from us.
We went for the 90-minute leg massage. Total: 1.1 million dong for two.
The place is clean and pleasant. They even provide lockers for your bags. One thing different from Bangkok — when they quoted us the 1.1 million, they also told us that 300,000 dong of that is the masseuse’s tip. The tip is already built into the price. Fixed pricing for that.
After the massage, they served complimentary tea, a sorbet palate cleanser and a bowl of dried fruit snacks. Nice touch.
The massage itself was good. Strong, hit all the right spots. Highly recommend if you are staying nearby.
Address: 04 Chu Mạnh Trinh, District 1, HCMC
My overall thoughts
My last visit to Saigon was about 15 years ago. Things have changed a lot. Where the roundabout used to be mostly motorbikes — maybe 20 to every one car — the ratio is now a lot more balanced. A lot more cars. You can see the country is doing well.
If you are into what I’d call vibrant, systematic chaos, then Saigon is an interesting place to visit. If the whole point of your holiday is to relax, this may not be your go-to. You probably want to check out the outskirts, or try Hanoi or Da Nang instead.
Food-wise I didn’t have a bad meal. But if I compare Vietnam to Bangkok, Thailand has a lot more variety. Maybe I haven’t explored enough, but the food in Saigon doesn’t deviate too much — pho, baguette, dry vermicelli. In Thailand I can get a lot more varied items.
The malls are nothing to shout about. Coming from Singapore, the international brands are the same ones I can find at home. I did not check the prices closely but I doubt the savings are significant.
Food: 4/5 — plenty of variety from cheap eats to Michelin. Anan Saigon and 4P’s were the standouts. NUC was the only mild miss.
Shopping: 3.5/5 — Garmentory saved it. Most other spots felt like Platinum Mall. The building at 26 Lý Tự Trọng is worth visiting even if you don’t buy anything.
Hotel Indigo Saigon: 4/5 — good location, comfortable room, complimentary refills are a nice touch.
Will I return? Yes. Two days is too short. Next time I would stay 4 days, hit the spots I missed, and go a little further out of District 1. I hope if you are going for a short two- or three-day getaway, the places I’ve been to can serve as a good starting point.
Missed Part 1? Catch up on where we ate over the two days. If you enjoy a slower-paced trip, my 12-day Aomori & Hokkaido self-drive series is a different mood altogether.
