Avoid the tourist district to discover a nicer side to Vietnam’s biggest city.
Nestled behind Tay Son Nhat Airport is a surprisingly chilled out pocket that makes a pleasant – and much less brash – alternative to Saigon’s District One.
Getting there from the airport
The leafy residential streets of Tan Binh are only around ten minutes’ walk from the airport. It’s a residential area, but also a stopever hub for business travellers and airline staff.
There are plenty of quality places to stay and eat, with hotels and rental apartments are clustered around Lam Son and Cuu Long street.
The vibe here is restrained yet local and genuine. What’s more the hotel staff were amongst the friendliest and most efficient I’ve met in Vietnam.
Grabbing accomodation in this part of Saigon is a fine option if you are transiting between flights, or even between plane and bus.
Tan Binh has a few things to do if you need to fill in time during a stop over but don’t want to go into the city centre.
There are some rather nice things to do, made all the nicer simply by being well off the tourist trail.
Here’s my map of Saigon’s airport district, which includes a short walking tour, along with the places mentioned in my guide below.
Guide to Saigon’s airport district
Getting there from the airport
Tan Binh’s accommodation is very close to the airport, only about five minutes’ walk or cycle.
However, if you’re new to Vietnam or arriving off a long flight, it is probably a better idea to jump in a taxi or Grab. Even with a bicycle (six-seater taxis are readily available outside the airport).
It’s a shame, especially if you’re on a budget, but the traffic and intersections are particularly difficult just outside the airport. There is just no provision for pedestrians, and at least two busy roads to cross.
I would recommend downloading and using Grab as it gives you a fair, fixed predetermined price with a clear destination. In other words, no need to worry about scams or rip offs.
Things to do
Swimming pool
Tan Binh District has a terrific Olympic size swimming pool – my pick of things to do in Tan Binh.
Almost deserted on a weekday – though a handful of expats and locals come here on their lunch break – the huge, bright blue pool is an oasis of calm in crazy-busy Saigon.
Surrounded by trees, it’s the perfect spot to while away a couple of hours, especially if you’re keen to knock off a few laps.
This is a local facility, so don’t expect pristine, but the water is clean, the changing rooms aren’t bad at all and the whole experience is very pleasant.
Pool practicalities
Not just one, but two canteens (cafeterias) are located here, so it’s easy to grab a snack or lunch. There are lockers you can use for free but you’ll need to bring your own padlock. Alternatively, the ticket lady is happy to watch out for your stuff.
The pool is in a different section of Tan Binh to the hotels, so you’ll need some kind of transport to get there. My Grab bike trip took around 10 minutes and cost 20K.
To fit in with their ticket sessions, it is best to time your visit between 10am and 2pm. Entry: 20K
Foot massage and Spa
Ha Phuong Professional Foot Massage is at 22B Lam Son, and recommended.
Foot massage in Vietnam is about far more than someone rubbing your feet, so I was curious about what to expect, and on this occasion wasn’t disappointed.
I was taken upstairs to an airconditioned upstairs room and given some cute orange pyjamas to change into, along with a cool ice drink. After a scalp massage, there was massage, and towels and scrubs for each leg and foot. Very relaxing, and perfect after a flight.
One hour: 180K VND ($11AUD or €7).
SPA Hoan My at 25/10 Cuu Long 2 is also recommended. It’s just across the road from the Green Ruby Hotel, and has the usual hair and nail treatments, with an English menu and adorable staff.
Pho Quang Pagoda
This is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s major pagodas, with peaceful gardens and some beautiful architecture. It’s a busy working pagoda and in the late afternoon a place to see Buddhist practice in action.
Stadium
Not exactly a classical tourist sight, this is one to file away under ‘quirky and local’. Anyway, I reckon its worth a look if you are visiting the pagoda, and a cool place to take photos.
The path around the stadium is a weird mixture of food vendors and nurseries, with sprawling mini pot plant jungles.
Circumnavigate the building until you find the entry point.
The stadium itself is a huge, soviet-style structure, with tier upon tier of faded red seats that look like they haven’t seen a crowd for quite some time. Portraits of Ho Chi Minh peer down from above.
Climb up the stairs and you’ll feel a nice breeze in the late afternoon, as kids go about their sports lessons, and runners make their way around a cracked and disintegrating track.
Walking tour
The map for a self-guided walking tour. This takes you down pleasant Lam Son Street, and around the back of the new Sky Centre – a posh apartment complex.
You’ll need to take on the challenge of crossing one busy road before walking down Huynh Lan Khanh, home to some interesting Buddhist vegetarian restaurants and the Phu Quang pagoda.
From there you can head down to the stadium and – though its a matter of making it across the road – to the fascinating hive of activity that is Hoang Van Thu park.
Cafes
There are a dizzying number of cafes in this neighbourhood. Caffeine – and the chatting and socialising that comes with it – is clearly a big deal in Saigon. I met a couple of English teachers on my travels who said their students all nominated ‘meeting friends in cafes’ their number one hobby.
Around Saigon’s airport district, you can pretty much take your pick depending on the vibe you are after: traditional, hipster or modern.
Looking around, I’m not surprised. Vietnamese people like to linger over their coffee, letting the ice melt slowly into their “Café den da” (black coffee with ice) or “café sua da” (coffee with condensed milk).
Hot coffee (café nong) is less common in the hot and steamy southern climate, though more common further north.
Where to go for coffee near Saigon airport
Cafe Hem: 23 Cuu Long P2 My favourite haunt The cool, spacious interior always seemed around five degrees cooler than anywhere else.
Coffee roastery: The delicious smells wafting down Cuu Long street emanate from this new coffee-roasting business. Pop inside and the family will be more than happy to show you their equipment, or make you an Italian-syle espresso (warning: the coffee is good but very strong).
Nika Coffee and Restaurant: A local institution, with a lovely garden courtyard, fast wifi and comfortable sofas at the back.
The coffee here ain’t cheap, but is also of a higher quality than what you’ll find elsewhere. This is also the best place to come if you want to hang out for an extended period of time – the garden is a true oasis and set well back from the street.
1989 Kafe. 7 Cuu Long P. New hipster joint with greenery-covered walls.
Chidori: Newly opened in 2019. An interesting Japanese concept, branded as ‘coffee in bed’, the café offers a place to rest, work or relax, and could be a good option if you are need somewhere to rest between flights.
For those who don’t see coffee as compatible with nap time, Chidori is also a tea house.
Accommodation
Most hotels are located around Lam Son or Cuu Long 2 Streets, Cuu Long 2 being the quieter of the two.
I stayed at the Green Ruby Hotel, and couldn’t recommend it more highly. The staff were delightful and the room was small but very pleasant, with good views, and – a rarity in Vietnam – fluffy pillows. Standard rooms go for 400K; solo travellers may be able to bargain this down a little.
The Golden View Hotel next door is OK if you can score a front room, but otherwise this is one to avoid – the rooms at the back are musty and claustrophobic.
At the mid-range level, New Space Hotel has a sparkling lobby and good reviews online, with rooms going for 750K.
Backpackers might want to check out the dorms at the modern and trendy S.Phuot Hostel on Lam Son Street.
Eating
Tan Binh district had some of the best Vietnamese food I found anywhere in the country
One reason for that is variety. Alongside classic southern dishes you’ll find dozens of northern With this being a hub for northern business travellers, you’ll find Hanoi dishes everywhere.
For me that is a good thing given that southern Vietnamese food tends to be on the sweet side for my tastebuds.
Breakfast/all day
Café Hem and Café Nika (listed above or see map) also serve breakfast.
Pho: Quan Pho Hung
For great pho (Beef or chicken rice noodle soup) go no further than the corner of Lam Son and Cuu Long. I came back three days in a row for breakfast for the pho bo tai (rare beef fillet slices), made even better by dipping in pieces of crispy fried bread. These are placed in baskets on the table; at the end of the meal you pay for how many you ate.
Baguettes: Banh Mi 79
Head to the other side of the Lam Son/Cuu Long corner for a stall selling delicious filled rolls (banh my). Take one with you to a nearby coffee shop: Vietnam is very relaxed about taking in outside food.
Lunch
Com Tam Mien Tay: 72 Cuu Long St
An excellent ‘common rice’ eatery can be found at the end of Cuu Long Street, which lays out a wide variety of pre-cooked dishes that you can make a selection from. Most locals would choose 2-3 dishes and expect to pay between 30 and 50K.
It’s a super busy place, which is a good thing, because high turnover guarantees the freshness of the food. Common rice replicates the kind of ‘everyday’ food locals eat at home, so it’s a good way to experience truly Vietnamese food – also to make sure you get a good serve of vegetables.
Also check out the newer and more modern ‘Family Rice’ just next door – this has a similar setup, only with fixed prices.
Dinner, drinks and icecream
Luna Café has a genial atmosphere and cozy décor. Run by an artistic couple, it’s a sound choice for an evening meal and a beer. They also have a freezer full of very tasty icereams, good for a casual or sit-down dessert.
A cluster of noodle soup stalls can be found just opposite Luna.
Quan Com Nieu, 27 Lam Son, has an excellent range of dishes in a more traditional restaurant setting.
Getting around
From Tan Binh, Saigon’s District 1 and main sights are a short trip into the centre.
As with getting out of the airport, a Grab bike or car (use the app to select to select your vehicle of choice) is the easiest way into the centre. That said, the local city buses are pretty good too. Walk 5 minutes to Truong Son Street and catch bus 109 into town.
One of the reasons I like this neighbourhood so much is that the immediate cluster of streets around are tree-lined and relatively walkable. I found it rather nice to while away some time wandering about and picking out a place for coffee.
I say relatively – this is still Saigon, so watch your toes – there are still plenty of motorbikes whizzing around.
