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Bearing witness to French colonisation and historic events of the Vietnam War. Today, it is the country's largest city and a vibrant metropolis for business and leisure.
Definitely worth a week or two if traveling through Vietnam or in the region. Otherwise, not quite enough to justify a month-long stay.
I visited Ho Chi Minh in 2018 on a south to north trip of Vietnam and the hectic, chaotic atmosphere was always somewhere I'd wanted to return to for a longer stint.
Having just finished a month in Bangkok, it was the obvious next stop.
Whilst not the haven for Airbnbs which Bangkok is, there's still a lot of great value options on the market. I stayed in the Millennium Masteri apartment building which whilst having a few failings, was a reasonable base for a month.
Certain buildings (including Millennium) technically do not allow short term rentals and may restrict your access to certain communal areas if you are not a permanent resident.
It's worth checking Google Maps for insights into specific apartment buildings which you may not be privy to on Airbnb.
If you plan on working from a cafe, Ho Chi Minh possesses one of the best selections of work-friendly cafes I can recall visiting with many open late into the night.
All across the city there are coffee shops with dedicated working areas where you would have no problems working from for a morning or afternoon. Internet speeds are generally rapid.
In terms of dedicated coworking spaces, there's not a great variety of destinations open late into the evening. The local branch of The Hive had really cramped desks with no spaces for calls and the Circo chain felt overly corporate and not suited to short term use.
I was delighted to find Workflow which I'd recommend for anyone looking for an ambient but professional environment to work from. I've written about it more depth further down.
An excellent value destination with options for every budget. A high quality Airbnb in a modern apartment complex should cost you under £800 for a month. A meal from a street food vendor can be as low as 40,000 VND (£1.30) with international cuisine costing significantly more, but still good value by western standards.
More expensive options for eating and drinking out can be found, with higher end cocktail bars not far off what you would pay in western Europe.
Transport via Taxi or Motorbike is very inexpensive, with most trips across the city generally costing no more than 60,000 VND (£2).
Ho Chi Minh City is a whirlwind of energy and noise from the moment you set foot out of the airport until you leave. Even just embarking on your daily commute, you feel like you’re experiencing something, even if it’s just attempting to cross 14 roads.
The city is energetic, fun, and offers plenty to discover in terms of food and drink for a one-month stay.
Based in Indochina time, during the winter months, Vietnam is 6 hours ahead of Central European, dropping to 5 during the summer.
While this is a significant time difference, adapting your daily schedule can make it manageable, especially if you have some flexibility with your working hours.
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There was no single district which particularly captivated me in the city, so if only visiting for a brief period I would aim to be within walking distance to the core of District 1.
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Finding the perfect workspace in Ho Chi Minh City took two full mornings of trial and error visits, made even more challenging by the scorching 36-degree heat.
Everywhere either closed early in the evening, had overly corporate interiors, or was exceptionally cramped. Workflow was the ninth place I visited
Upon entering, the building offers two distinct work areas. The first floor features an ambient cafe ideal for casual work, while the second floor provides a quieter, perfectly air-conditioned office space.
It’s an ideal place to be positioned if you are working late evenings - the dedicated desk area boasts tall ceilings and bright lightning with the constant flow of people meaning you’re unlikely to feel isolated working late into the evening.
For anyone working more casually, or just passing through for a couple of days, the common areas are more than sufficient for light work.
Unlimited membership for the dedicated working space is £110 for the month, which additionally gets you a discounted rate on quality food and coffee from the cafe. On top, the staff are exceptionally kind, respectful, and welcoming. I would gladly return there if I ever visit Ho Chi Minh in the future.
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One of the most striking buildings in the city, this historical building of the Vietnam War era, provides self guided tours of government offices, war rooms & artefacts.
Worth setting aside a couple of hours before, with entrance to all areas of the site costing 65,000VND (£2).
The heat throughout March was intense from start to finish. Day time temperatures frequently rose to 36 degrees and rarely dropped below 25 in the evenings. Whilst there would be cloudy spells each day, there was not one instance of rain throughout. I understood this to be somewhat typical from the dry season (December to April) before the monsoon season brings with it routine wet weather.
Do you really need a full month in Ho Chi Minh? In all honesty, probably not. Unless you are explicitly looking for searing heat and Banh Mi, it would probably work best as part of a wider itinerary of the country with a week or two being sufficient.
There didn't appear to be anywhere near as much as a distinct remote work community in the city, especially when compared to neighbouring Bangkok. Whilst there were a few expats occasionally in Workflow, it was definitely not as a notable presence.
The city is a popular backpacking destination, attracting people from all over the world, with French, Germans and Australians over indexing in comparison to other cities. The areas around Bến Nghé being particularly dense with holidaymakers.
I had nothing but positive interactions with Vietnamese people who I met throughout the month. There appeared to be a strong hustling, working culture with long work days and weekend working common throughout young professionals in the city.
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