Saigon weekend: craft cocktails and Chinatown tours

Vietnamese National Day feast

Caravelle Saigon invites guests to celebrate Vietnamese National Day with a variety of dining options this weekend. The hotel offers a festive buffet brunch, a buffet dinner featuring crabs from the southernmost province of Ca Mau, and a romantic five-course dinner with wine and vodka.

A poster for Vietnamese National Day celebration. Photo courtesy of Caravelle Saigon

The buffet brunch costs VND 1,490,000 ($60) per person, including soft drinks, tea, and coffee. It's available only on Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m.

At the same time, the seafood dinner also features Ca Mau crabs and includes soft drinks, tea, and coffee. You can enjoy it from Friday to Sunday, between 5:45 p.m. and 10 p.m.

For couples seeking an intimate dining experience, the romantic dinners feature a five-course menu with paired wine and exclusive caramel vodka. Priced at VND1,590,000 ($65) per person, these dinners are available from Friday to Sunday, starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 10 p.m.

The culinary event is set to take place at Caravelle Saigon, situated at 19-23 Lam Son Square, District 1.

Seafood buffet dinner

Saigon Café, a restaurant at Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, invites guests to celebrate Vietnam National Day with a seafood buffet featuring a variety of premium dishes.

The buffet, which is exclusively available on Saturday, showcases grilled abalone, scallops with XO sauce, lobsters with Malaysian-style butter sauce, and other seafood delicacies.

The buffet also offers a range of Western and Eastern specialties, such as Mongolian-style grilled lamb, salmon sashimi on dry ice, roasted pigeon, roasted duck, fried wontons, and more.

Guests will also have a chance to participate in a lucky draw with attractive prizes, including a seafood buffet dinner voucher for two people at Saigon Café, an endless dim sum lunch voucher for two at Li Bai, a couple of bottles of red and white wine, and a chocolate truffle cake.

Cocktail guest-shift night

The Blinders, a cocktail bar in District 1, invites guests to "The Independence Day" guest-shift event in partnership with Bushmills Irish Whiskey, renowned for its rich legacy and smoothness.

Taking place on Saturday, the event features a talented mixologist using Bushmills Single Malt Irish Whiskey to create lasting cocktails that define the evening's atmosphere.

A poster for the "Independence Day" event at The Blinders Cocktalk Bar. Photo courtesy of The Blinders Cocktail Bar

The event will not have a fixed menu or a surcharge, and will also offer a lucky deal of 92% off and 29% off the total bill for some guests who visit the bar on that day.

The event will start from 9 p.m. to midnight., at The Blinders Cocktail Bar, located at 165/58 Nguyen Thai Binh Street, District 1.

Tales of Cho Lon

Cho Lon is the largest Chinatown in Vietnam and one of the oldest in the world. It is home to a diverse and vibrant Chinese community, with a rich history and culture that spans centuries.

To celebrate and share this heritage, a local tour operator has launched a new cultural tour called "Tales of Cho Lon," which offers an insightful narrative of the Chinese diaspora in southern Vietnam.

A poster for "Tales of Cho Lon" tours. Photo courtesy of Echoing Trip / Travelearn

The tour delves into diverse Chinese dialect groups, highlighting architectural distinctions, religious practices, cuisine, and more. Conversations with guides enrich understanding of customs, traditions, and cultural conservation.

Scheduled from Sunday at 8 a.m., the tour costs VND900,000 ($37) per person (groups of two or more) and can be registered through this link.

It includes guided programs, street-food tasting, and coffee. Transport, insurance, and tips are not included. Children below five years old are complimentary, with a limit of one FOC per paying customer.

Tales of Saigon

Miss Thu Restaurant, an establishment that serves Vietnamese cuisine with a modern twist, has prepared a set menu called "Tales of Saigon'' for National Day.

The menu features a three-course culinary journey that features beef tenderloin salad, grilled sea bass & turmeric served with XO sauce, and tamarind mousse paired with seasonal berries ice cream & pineapple gel.

The set menu is available from Saturday to Monday, from noon to 2:30 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The price is VND450,000 ($18) per person.

The event will take place at Miss Thu Restaurant, located on the 24th floor of Fusion Original Saigon Centre, at 65 Le Loi Street, District 1.