Saigon
SOUTHERN CITY OF
BOLD CONTRASTS
Get the scoop on this splashy southern city
From hip shopping to craft cocktail sipping, and fusion restaurants to retro-chic coffeehouses, Saigon sparks something special for everyone. Including you all here at one of the best hotels in Saigon.
Eat + Drink
Cafés + Bars
Saigon’s coffee and craft beer scene crackles with tip-top tipples. Sip a latte in retro-chic interiors at Okkio Caffe, or enjoy a farm-to-cup pourover from one of many La Viet locations (our favorite is at 16 Bà Huyện Thanh, District 3). One of Saigon’s first specialty coffee bars – The Workshop – is a treat. Baristas show off their skills at the central bar counter of this District 1 original.
Looking for something stronger? Summer Experiment from the team at Layla’s has introduced a garden craft cocktail concept. Or sip Yakuza-inspired cocktails at Irusu. Too gangster? Don’t worry, the Cathedral’s next-door.
When you’re ready to click the ‘chill’ button, Bam Bam’s Bali-inspired interiors are just what you need. House, techno, cocktails. Clink.
Street Food
RESTAURANTS
SHOPPING
SHOPPING STREETS
In high-end Dong Khoi (formerly Rue Catinat), classic concept store-cafés like L’Usine greet cool newcomers like Godmother Bake and Brunch. Equally upmarket, Nguyen Trai boasts designer staples alongside trendy Vietnamese brands like Ananas footwear. Step into the sidestreets for cocktail therapy at Gin House and other swanky bars.
Xuan Thuy in Thao Dien neighborhood (District 2) is a laid-back expat enclave with hipster coffee shops, craft beer bars and chocolatiers on the sidelines. Bui Vien Walking Street has two modes: daytime = cool souvenir shops and café culture; nighttime = streetside bars packed with tourists and locals. Pedestrians only after dark. Quá chất!
HANDICRAFTS
Leaving the city without an elegant silk pouch, a buzzworthy bit of jewelry or a scarf with flair is not allowed! Find what you need – and lots that you never knew you needed – in the city’s artisan shops.
Tombo is a local legend, carefully curating souvenirs since 1998. Stop in for handicrafts, homewares and more. Hidden down an alley in District 2, TuHu Ceramics is perfect for inexpensive + cool gifts.
For something a bit more high-end, Hanoia is Vietnam’s leading haute-lacquer house. Their contemporary lacquerware is one-of-a-kind. Better make room in your suitcase.
LOCAL MARKETS
Architecture
Art + Design
From openings to studio visits, a fresh and exciting art + design scene awaits in Saigon. Next to Wink Hotel Saigon Centre, Galerie Quynh nurtures local artists with an experimental mindset. Craig Thomas also features local artists, but with an edgy, fine-arts emphasis.
For performance arts, The Factory Contemporary Arts Center stages cleverly curated shows together (and often simultaneously) in one cavernous venue. Dinner and drinks are a short walk away at MAD House or The Deck.
SEE + DO
LOCAL LIFE
Peek between vintage houses to find women peeling fantastical fruits, friends engaged in cheerful chatter over steaming nâu nóng and more.
Charter a gondola ride on the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal. Drift through District 3’s famous canalways, twisting past groups of locals exercising and packed oc restaurants. This is one of Saigon’s most surprising excursions, and it’s a great way to soak up the local atmosphere.
For local life as it’s really lived, visit Saigon’s parks. Tao Dan Park – with its seasonal markets, evening exercisers and synchronized aerobics – is a good place to start.
After sunset, it’s time to turn up the action. Head to Vinh Khanh Street for a mix of roadside karaoke, buskers + seafood barbecue. Quẩy lên nào!
STAY
Feeling inspired? Come chatter, sip and stay
with us at Wink. See Vietnam with fresh eyes.
Wink Hotel Saigon Centre
Centrally located. Districtly prime. Wink Hotel Saigon Centre shares the neighborhood with new beer pubs, fusion restaurants, boutique shops and hip coffeehouses. Downtown District 1 is right outside. And we’re steps away from District 3, voted one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world.
Wink Hotel Danang Centre
Sync into this beach city transcending traditions, at Wink Hotel Danang Centre. From a fiery bridge that spans the Han River, to My Khe Beach and the Marble Mountains, to sumptuous Vietnamese street food and steaming, freshly-caught seafood. Slurp. Ready to explore? Let's đu đưa.
Wink Hotel Danang Riverside
Our destination hotel & suites. Explore three floors of bars, restaurants and entertainment below. Or venture up to our designer Hai Pool + Bar. On one side of Wink Hotel Danang Riverside is hip My Khe Beach with its bearch bars + food trucks + sumptous seafood restaurants. On the other side, the energy of downtown Danang wher you can find Wink Hotel Danang Centre. Dine in.
LETTY
CHRIS DO- @winkhotels
