A week in Saigon-1/19- 1/25/2025

Day 7- Walking around Saigon-1/25/2025

On our last day in Ho Chi Minh City, we decided to slow things down and enjoy a quiet morning before the end of the trip.

 We started the day at Pho Vietnam, which at the time of our visit was listed in the Michelin Guide for 2023 and 2024.

The restaurant had a modern and busy atmosphere, and one of the first things we noticed was the huge kitchen behind glass windows where customers could watch the cooks preparing bowls of pho nonstop behind the counter.

Chefs working behind the counter.

Hoa ordered their famous beef pho served in a steaming stone bowl.

The broth was brought out is hot steaming stone bowl and the noodle and sliced beef were served separately on a plate.  Here Hoa is putting the noodles and the sliced of beef inside the broth.

I had a regular pho with brisket, and an assortment of meat.

After hearing so much about the restaurant, we came in with high expectations. Unfortunately, the experience did not quite live up to the hype for us. The broth was decent but nothing especially memorable, and the service felt very minimal and impersonal. It was one of those moments while traveling where a place can look impressive and still leave you a little disappointed after all the anticipation.

People sitting outside next to curb to enjoy a cold drink.

We passed by Notre Dame and it was under construction.

Then we stopped by Nhà Văn Hóa Thanh Niên Thành Pho Ho Chí Minh which had been completely transformed for Tet celebrations.

Even from the outside, the entrance was impossible to miss, bright red decorations covered the entire structure, with arches of red blossoms and golden yellow flowers framing the walkway. The area was full of people stopping to take photos, adding to the festive energy in the middle of the city. It felt like all of Ho Chi Minh City had gathered there to celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year.

Inside was also full of people dressing up in traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai to take pictures.

Inside, the celebration continued beneath a canopy of bright yellow blossoms stretching across the entire courtyard. The scene felt almost magical,  rows of golden flowers created tunnels of color, while visitors dressed in traditional áo dài walked slowly through the displays taking photos and enjoying the festive atmosphere.

The atmosphere was joyful and vibrant, with families, photographers, and visitors wandering through the exhibits.

 Large ceramic jars lined the pathways, adding a traditional Vietnamese touch to the decorations.

 It was a beautiful reminder of how important Tet is in Vietnam, and walking through the displays on our final day in Saigon made the city feel especially warm and alive.

A vendor making colorful handcrafted figurines made from twisted dough or sugar paste, a traditional Vietnamese folk art often seen during Tet festivals and cultural celebrations.

The figures look like dragons and other symbolic animals, carefully shaped by hand with bright strands of colored material wrapped and twisted together. These kinds of decorative crafts are popular during Lunar New Year because dragons symbolize luck, prosperity, and strength in Vietnamese culture.

There are also a lot of area specially decorated for people to take pictures.

We are now heading to the back.

Toward the back of the complex, there was a beautiful red brick house that looked almost like a movie set prepared for the holiday. As we walked closer, we realized people were getting ready for professional photo shoots.

Actors, models, and families dressed in colorful traditional áo dài were preparing in front of mirrors and cameras while photographers adjusted lighting and poses around the courtyard.

The entire area felt carefully staged to capture the spirit of Tet with elegant outfits, bright flowers, and traditional Vietnamese architecture all coming together in one place.

The M.C. with the dancers in the background.

Watching the photo sessions unfold gave the celebration an even more special feeling, almost as if the city itself was preparing for its New Year portrait.

We are now leaving the area.

This the back door with a canopy of yellow blossoms (the front was covered in red blossoms).

There are also lots of vendors along the street selling decorations for Tet.

Shopping mall along the way...

Along the way, we passed by Diamond plaza and again, the city is fully decorated and there are a lot of prop for people to take pictures.

A street vendor selling a variety of sticky rice.

This is one my favorite snacks.

We bought banh com with freshly grated coconut.  It always fun to eat street food once in a while.

NEXT... Day 7-Dinner Hum Restaurant