Ho Chi Minh, Mui Ne, Dalat: A Foodie’s Dream Itinerary in Vietnam
Introduction
This is my first time going to Vietnam.
I am going as a group of four to explore Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne and Da Lat.
We went from 22 Jan 23 to 30 Jan 23. It was during the Tết Nguyên Đán (TET) Festival when the Vietnamese celebrated the arrival of spring.
Therefore, we had already expected some shops to be closed.
We had to pay an extra 10-30% service fee when patronising some stalls that remained open.
Table of Content
Cost breakdown (in SGD) per person
- Flights: $400
- Accommodation: $190 (7 nights)
- Pre-booked Activities: $260
- Transportation: $100 (Grab (South East Asia’s Popular Ride Hailing App) + Sleeper bus)
- Expenses: $550
Accommodation
- Ho Chi Minh: Sunrise Central Hotel (4 nights)
- Sleeper bus: 1 night
- Da Lat: Dalat Paradise Hotel (3 Nights)
Day 1 (Ho Chi Minh)
Lunch at Pho Hai Trieu – We got their famous Chicken Pho and Chicken Floss Sticky Rice! The soup was so flavourful yet light at the same time.
Walking around Nguyen Hue Street – Many shops along the street and street food around, very lively as everyone is in a festive mood.
Cafe hopping at the Cafe Apartments – We chose Saigon Oi Cafe for our cafe stop and tried 3 different coffees and 2 cakes. The coffees were aromatic and smooth, but the cakes were just alright.
Supper at Nha Hang Phuong Cua – We had hotpot since it was one of the few stalls open late at night and had limited choices.
Day 2 (Ho Chi Minh)
We joined a full-day tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong River on our second day.
Cu Chi Tunnels, we had a Vietnamese lunch and then went on a river boat along the Mekong River.
Coconut Island – Witness the making of coconut candy.
We tried 5 different tropical fruits and honey tea.
We even got to take pictures with a live snake!/se
Dinner at Hu Tieu Nam Vang Thanh Dat LNV – We tried Nu Tieu Nam Vang, which is Vietnamese Prawn and Pork Clear Soup. We tried both the dried and soup version. They were so savoury, so delicious!
Post-dinner meal at Pizza 4Ps – Fantastic pizza and drinks at this modern restaurant with a wood-fired pizza oven.
Day 3 (Ho Chi Minh – Mui Ne – Ho Chi Minh)
On Day 3, we joined a day tour to Mui Ne, famous for its sand dunes!
We had a six-hour car ride there, where we then had lunch before changing to a jeep.
We visited the Fairy Stream, Mui Ne Fishing Village, White Sand Dunes and Red Sand Dunes throughout the day.
We did not manage to sand-board as we were not dressed suitably. The wind at the dunes was so strong that the fine sand kept blowing onto us. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the trip and caught an amazing sunset there.
Late dinner at Pho Ha – Tried their Chicken Pho and Chicken with Glutinous rice. It was very light and savoury, but I still preferred Pho Hai Trieu.
Day 4 (Ho Chi Minh)
Breakfast at Banh Mi Chao Tan Dinh – Tried their Banh Mi Chao, and it was so good, the baguette was slightly different from the normal baguette but the combination is still perfect.
Visited Tanh Dinh Church – Beautiful Pink Church, perfect for Instagram shots.
Cafe hopping at 43 Factory Coffee Roaster– Interesting industrial workshop-style cafe with many coffee bean types. The “milk-based” came off a bit too milky, and it just did not hit the spot. If you are a coffee lover, you should still give this place a try!
Lunch at Bun Thit Nuong Chi Tuyen – A roadside stall serving only one dish, which is Vietnamese rice vermicelli served with grilled pork, mixed herbs, spring roll and nuoc mam fish sauce.
Dinner at Com Tam De Tham – We chanced upon this street stall selling Com Tam and decided to give this a try. It was so satisfying that it was my favorite meal in Ho Chi Minh.
Post-dinner activity – Bui Vien Walking Street. How can we miss this place? It is lively, vibrant and perfect for some drinks and partying. The street can be quite crowded with motorcycles and pedestrians in the same lane. The bars are quite pricey, but the ambience is 100%.
Day 5 (Ho Chi Minh – Da Lat)
Breakfast at Banh Can Banh Xeo Co Trang – located in the lobby of a semi-detached house. Both the owners and we were awkward as we were the first customers and they had not set up yet but we were quickly greeted by the friendly owners. We tried the Banh Can and Banh Xeo, and they were so delightful!
Cafe hopping at Little Egg Hanoi Coffee – First time drinking Egg coffee, and it went down so smoothly. It is thick, smooth and creamy at the same time. But the outlet we went to was very humid and hot.
Shopping in Saigon
Lunch at Bun Bo Hue 24h – a roadside stall serving only one dish again. The place was not the cleanest, but that bowl of noodle soup was so rich, flavourful and packed with ingredients.
AO show – Arguably the best show I have watched when I travel. It was a mixture of acrobatics and storytelling, and the performance was so engaging there wasn’t a moment I felt bored.
Dinner at Ngon Restaurant – A famous tourist restaurant with a beautiful interior. The food was not the best, but we agreed to have a meal at a comfortable restaurant for our last meal in Saigon.
Post-dinner drink at East West Brewing Co – Variety of draft beers available, and the three beers we got were so smooth. We wished we had come earlier for more drinks and food instead.
Overnight sleeper bus to Dalat – For S$32 we got a space on this sleeper bus where we had our individual capsules for us to sleep in. They also provide water, charging ports, bolster, reclining mats, and a mini TV.
Day 6 (Da Lat)
Breakfast at Banh Mi Xiu Mai Be Linh – a local eatery serving baguettes with meatball soup and warm soy milk. It was so comforting to have this meal on a chilly morning.
Explore Domaine de Marie – A striking pastel pink church in a serene park
Coffee break at Viva House – I couldn’t miss having coffee in Vietnam! Enjoy views from the top of the hill.
Lunch at Nem Nuong Ba Hung – Vietnamese grilled pork sausage, wrapped with vegetables and pork rind in a rice paper.
Strolling along Xuan Hong Lake – Enjoy the relaxing views of Xuan Hong Lake.
Enjoy Vietnamese pizza at Banh Trang Nuong Di Dinh – A famous place where there is always a long queue. Crispy, eggy and delicious!
Immersed ourselves at Da Lat Night Market – Da Lat most famous Night market. With many stalls selling strawberries, Vietnamese pizza, sweet potato and corn. We had to be one of the few eating Vietnamese pizza along the steps!
Get lost at the Maze Bar/100 Roofs Bar – Get a drink and get lost again at this Maze Bar! They are not the best drinks, but they are definitely worth the experience!
Late dinner at Lau Ga La E – Craving hotpot, and we decided to try Da Lat style hotpot. Very refreshing and savoury with the huge amount of basil leaves!
Day 7 (Da Lat)
Today, we booked an 8 hr chartered car service via Klook.
Breakfast at Cabin in the Woods – My top 3 cafes in Da Lat! Huge cafe with scenic views from the mountains. Many fluffy dogs were roaming around too! The chocolate latte was so rich and luscious!
Fun at Dalat Alpine Coaster – Top activity not to miss in Da Lat. Definitely worth the 1hr queue even though we went during opening hours. The alpine coaster takes you down to Datanla Falls and allows you to enjoy it before taking the ride back up. We managed to catch people canyoning!
Lunch at Ca Nuong Com Lam Ga Nuong Tay Bac – We had charcoal grilled chicken with bamboo rice, super fragrant, though quite pricey for the portion.
Explore Clay Tunnel – Instagrammable park with many sculptures around to take pictures. Come here early before the crowd, or you would not have nice pictures!
Visit the Truc Lam Monastery & Tuyen Lam Lake – The Monastery was beautiful but quite crowded.
Cafe hopping at Quan Cua Thoi Thanh Xuan – My Top 3 Cafes in Dalat! This cafe is operated by deaf/mute so they use sign language here. The cafe offers a variety of coffee-based drinks and some light pastries. The most fascinating thing? Pay as you wish! Can I just say the coffee is one of the best I have drank and I just had to pay for the value! They have a retail store that sells essential oil, cookies, tea and coffee.
Dinner at Banh Canh Ca Loc An – Noodle soup with fish, so comforting and clean tasting!
Day 8 (Da Lat)
Woke up early at 3.30 am to join a cloud-hunting tour booked through Klook. We catched the sunrise and get mesmerized by the clouds in Da Lat. It is quite crowded despite being so early and secluded. We manage to take some Instagrammable shots there too.
The tour took us to a persimmon farm afterwards and let us sample some dried persimmons before taking us to the Chika farm to enjoy our time with some animals.
Pre-lunch snack at Quan Oc Goc 33 – Having some stuffed snails for a snack before having our lunch. It was so sweet, juicy and succulent.
Lunch at Banh Beo Ba Huong – Steamed flour cakes served with minced meat, fried pork rind and some soy sauce. The flavour is quite familiar and reminded me of Dimsum.
Enjoy some time at Lang Biang Hill – We paid extra for a jeep to fetch us up and down (30 min stay at the peak). It was a magnificent view with many photo stands and activities like pony/horse riding and interacting with birds.
Take note: Grab displayed an ‘unavailable’ status in the area. If you are lucky, there are taxis waiting around. Alternatively, you can negotiate and pay the Grab driver to wait for you.
Cafe hopping at Mirk – My Top3 Cafe in Da Lat! The Mirk Sua Da is Vietnamese white coffee served with vanilla iced cream. This was so creamy with a bittersweet taste, and the coffee flavour was so pronounced. The ambience was so zen! The passionfruit cheesecake was also delightful.
Cafe hopping at The Station View Coffee – a Korean-style cafe which was beautifully designed. We got two drinks to enjoy and relax at the cafe. They were not the best drinks, but they were still good enough.
Day 9 (Da Lat – Singapore)
Breakfast at Banh Uot Long Ga Trang – This dish is steamed rice flour rolls served with chicken and gizzards with fish sauce. It was light and delicious, perfect for breakfast!
Chocolate drinks at The Choco – To end our trip on a sweet note, we decided to get some chocolate drinks from the cafe specialising in chocolate.
Read more at:
Best cafes in Da Lat — Coming soon!
Full day tour from Saigon to Mui Ne — Coming soon!
4 days itinerary in Ho Chi Minh — Coming soon!
3 days itinerary in Da Lat – Vietnam’s Hidden Gem — Coming soon!