Saigon Secret Street Food Tour

Written on Thursday, September 10, 2020 by Emma Whiting Travel

We decided to make the most of our flight via Ho Chi Minh with a day stopover in the bustling city. We organised two half day tours to make the most of our time, with airport transfers and hotel room day use to freshen up before finishing our journey. After collection from the airport we met our two guides who would be taking us on our morning Saigon Secret Street Food Tour. Exhilaratingly, we would be getting around via vespa, knowing better than to attempt driving them ourselves, our guides were both our drivers and trained tourism experts of their home city. Our guide’s driving skills were exceptional as we weaved around busy streets surrounded by hundreds of other vespas at every red light. Our first stop was Ba Chieu Market. Our guides took us to one of the market’s fresh juice stalls for an iced juice of sour fruits and coconut water, it was like nothing I’ve tried before and so delicious. The market was full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, many of which are specific to Vietnam. We tried vegetable pancakes, fresh cane sugar juice, and a common student snack of dry rice noodles broken up with herbs and spices which they describe as their version of crisps. Our last stop was one of the best pho spots in the city. The restaurant was expecting us and had a table setup where our guides helped us choose fresh ingredients to add to the steaming hot soup base. We were so full by the end you definitely don’t need lunch after this morning tour. It was an amazing way to try local delicacies we never would’ve been able to find or order on our own. Our guide’s love of the city and expert vespa skills made it such a fun morning in Ho Chi Minh.