Before entering the underground Ben Thanh Station to board the metro, visitors can have breakfast near Ben Thanh Market. Here are some popular foods and eateries to try: Thanh Mai stall’s bun moc (pork ball noodle soup) at 14 Truong Dinh Street, Ms. Anh's Hue-style steamed rice cake near the market’s west gate, Ms. Lien stall’s bun rieu (crab meatball noodle soup) at 163 Le Thanh Ton, grilled banana dessert at 10 Phan Boi Chau Street, and southern-style hu tieu noodle soup at 254 Le Thanh Ton Street.
Ben Thanh Station: the starting point
Begin your metro adventure at Ben Thanh Station, where you can buy tickets. The station’s skylight area, featuring a lotus-shaped dome crafted from glass and honeycomb aluminum, is an architectural marvel. With its open design and sophisticated color palette, it is a perfect spot for photos.
Hop on the train, and in less than a minute you will arrive at Saigon Opera House Station.
After disembarking, explore iconic landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office (550 meters from the station), Nguyen Hue pedestrian square and the City Hall (around 300 meters from the station).
Nguyen Hue, which runs from the City Hall to Ton Duc Thang Street along the Saigon River, is lined with luxury hotels, restaurants and skyscrapers.
Some popular places near the pedestrian square for food and drinks are Michelin-starred restaurant Anan Saigon, ANH TUKK Modern Thai Cuisine, Downtown Steakhouse, The Letter Coffee, Partea - English Tearoom, and Boo Coffee.
A highlight of the area once featured on National Geographic is an old nine-story apartment building called the Café Apartment right on Nguyen Hue Street.
For long a popular meeting spot for young people and foreigners in the city, it also has beauty salons, fashion boutiques and accessories stores.
The Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Vietnam, is now lit up with LED lights running 500 km to celebrate Christmas and New Year, making it popular with visitors at night.
Ba Son Station’s cultural gems
At Ba Son Station, visitors are within easy reach of Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (500 meters away). Built in 1864, it is one of the oldest zoos in the world, and has over 1,300 animals and 2,500 trees.
Ton Duc Thang Museum and Geological Museum of Vietnam are both 550 meters from the station.
Don’t miss the History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City designed by French architect Delaval. The museum blends European and local architectural styles and features an octagonal tower inspired by the Chinese ba gua symbol, representing harmony between eight natural elements and yin-yang.
Nature and luxury at Tan Cang Station
From Ba Son Station, board the metro to Tan Cang Station in Binh Thanh District near the Van Thanh Tourist Area and Thanh Da-Binh Quoi, a lush green oasis in the city.
Not far from the station is Landmark 81, Vietnam’s tallest building at 461.5 meters and known for its luxury restaurants, coffee shops and boutique hotels.
For breathtaking views visit Blank Sky Lounge on the 75th-76th floors where you can enjoy pastries, coffee, tea, cocktails, and mocktails while watching the sunset over the Saigon River.
Also explore high-end dining options such as Oriental Pearl Restaurant (66th floor), known for its pho noodle soup with wagyu beef, Miwaku Premium (80th floor) serving Japanese fusion cuisine and Tenku Restaurant (67th floor) with traditional Japanese food.
Thao Dien Station: expat hub
Thao Dien is a vibrant neighborhood that houses HCMC’s expat community and offers a mix of food courts, entertainment complexes, high-end restaurants, coffee shops, malls, and spas.
From Thao Dien Station, visitors only need to walk a couple of hundred meters to reach bustling Quoc Huong Street. For lunch, consider dining options such as Happy Veggie – Vegan Food, Machida Shoten Japanese ramen, Domino's Pizza, Myeong Dong Quan Korean cuisine, Ba Dat broken rice, Bep Vo Kitchen and Dau Homemade.
In the neighborhood, you will also find Moc Huong Spa Thao Dien on Xuan Thuy Street, designed in Indochina style.
For garden enthusiasts, the Urban Garden Center offers premium garden products, outdoor decor and furniture.
A highlight of Thao Dien is Alley No. 28, a three-hectare space established in 2018 and surrounded by lush greenery.
This vibrant place houses over 20 coffee shops, restaurants, art studios, fashion and cosmetics stores, spas, and yoga studios. The prices at the coffee shops start at VND45,000 (US$1.78), vegetarian dishes cost VND60,000 or more, and spa treatments range from VND600,000 to VND2 million.
In the evening explore the Thao Dien Night Market situated between Xuan Thuy, Quoc Huong and Nguyen Van Huong streets. It features street food and fashion items, making it the perfect spot to experience the lively atmosphere of the neighborhood.
From An Phu Station, visitors can head to Vincom Mega Mall, open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., for shopping and entertainment.
For a more serene experience, visit a nearby Buddhist pagoda located 1.2 kilometers from the station.
Final stations
Golf enthusiasts can disembark at Rach Chiec Station and walk around 700 meters to reach Rach Chiec Golf Course, a five-hectare facility perfect for honing your swing.
The final station of the metro line is located near Suoi Tien Park in Thu Duc City, several historical sites and unique pagodas.
The Buu Long pagoda, built in 1942, underwent a major restoration in 2007. Its architecture now carries influences from India and Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, Thailand and Laos.
One interesting feature of Buu Long is that, as a Theravada Buddhist pagoda, it does not allow visitors to burn incense or candles.
Only the Buddha is worshiped here, unlike most other Vietnamese pagodas where many deities, including those from other countries, are worshipped.
Located on the banks of the Dong Nai River and surrounded by a thick, shady grove, the pagoda is a tranquil getaway from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.
Not far from Suoi Tien Station is the Vietnam Ao Dai Museum. The museum, surrounded by greenery, displays artifacts related to the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese long dress).
Tips for using HCMC’s first metro line
Free rides: The metro is free for all passengers for 30 days, from Dec. 22 to Jan. 20.
Operating hours: For the first six months, trains will run daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., with trips every 8-12 minutes. After six months, operating hours will extend to 11:30 p.m., with trains running at intervals of 5, 10 or 15 minutes depending on demand.
Banned items: Do not bring weapons, explosives and other prohibited substances are into the stations or on the trains. Bulky goods and animals are not allowed on board.
Smoking is strictly prohibited in stations and on trains. Eating is not allowed on board.
Access to the train area is strictly forbidden.
A train arrives at Thao Dien station in HCMC's Thu Duc City on Dec. 23 2024. Photo by Hoang Phong
Hoang Phong
