Western guests share their experiences staying in old apartments in Ho Chi Minh City

American reporters advise foreign tourists to rent old apartments instead of hotels if they want to learn about the lives of people in Ho Chi Minh City.

In September, Joshua Zukas, a writer for Insider, went to Ho Chi Minh City and this trip was "different from the previous times". Having specialized in writing articles about Vietnam tourism for the past 10 years, Joshua said that Ho Chi Minh City is one of the destinations he visits most often, having experienced almost all the luxury hotels in the city. The trip in September was an opportunity for Joshua to "do something different", exploring a corner of Ho Chi Minh City in old apartment buildings.

Joshua spent three days at the 47-57 Nguyen Thai Binh apartment building in District 1. The building was built in the 1960s and is close to Ben Thanh Market and the Fine Arts Museum. Most of the apartments are occupied by locals, while a few are rented out short-term.

View from the apartment in the old apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City where Joshua stayed for 3 days. — View from the apartment Joshua stayed in for 3 days.

Joshua said there is a parking lot at the foot of the building, many residents living in the apartment take advantage of the ground floor to do business, from restaurants to grocery stores, jewelry. He was impressed by a shop selling paintings, statues, and "unique" interior decorations.

The building has only one elevator serving about 450 apartments, and residents often have to wait in line. The elevator stops operating between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Joshua chooses to walk instead of waiting for the elevator. His rented room has a mezzanine and a small balcony overlooking the street.

"It seems that the neighbors really enjoy interacting with tourists. The landlord told me that people often talk to foreigners to learn English. Everyone is generous because tourists bring them income," Joshua said.

However, there are also some introverted and difficult residents. They show their displeasure with noisy guests, some even come to the room to "knock on the door and ask to keep quiet".

During his stay, Joshua enjoyed a local breakfast at the food stalls in the apartment building. "The best dish is the beef noodle soup sold on the second floor, only served on Sundays," said the American tourist.

After breakfast, Joshua drinks a glass of iced coffee with milk bought from a street vendor just down the hall from his apartment building. He says the coffee in Vietnam is “quite strong,” keeping him alert all day. Locals often drink coffee in the morning.

Iced milk coffee an American customer bought from a street vendor in the lobby of an old apartment building. — Iced milk coffee an American customer bought from a street stall in the lobby of an old apartment building.

Joshua was impressed by the corridors in the apartment building. He quoted Mel Schenck, author of "Modern Southern Vietnamese Architecture", who wrote that in the 1960s, when air conditioning was not yet popular, the building corridors were designed to draw in natural wind. That's why walking in the old apartment building corridors at night, Joshua felt "a cool breeze". Standing in the building's corridor, he saw the golden dome of the Al Rahim Mosque and the modern Bitexco building.

"Some locals joke that Bitexco Tower looks like Tony Stark 's Stark Tower. Others compare the building to a loaf of bread wrapped in newspaper," Joshua said.

Joshua commented that the apartment building at 47-57 Nguyen Thai Binh is "not as comfortable, convenient and clean" as a 3-4 star hotel in the city. But it offers a space to connect with local people, giving visitors a different, more intimate perspective on daily life in a multicultural city.

The American male tourist also shared his experiences of eating and playing in old apartment buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. Joshua mentioned the apartment building at 42 Nguyen Hue, District 1, which often appears in reviews about tourism in Ho Chi Minh City. There are many cafes, bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops here.

Joshua suggests that visitors looking for a less crowded place than the 42 Nguyen Hue apartment building can visit the building at 14 Ton That Dam Street, District 1. There are many cafes and bars "hidden" in the apartments. This old apartment building also has artistic tattoo parlors, a colorful "underground world " in the middle of the bustling city. "Visitors can visit the Summer Experiment bar to enjoy cocktails in an old space, overlooking the modern city or enjoy roasted coffee at Manki," Joshua said.

Joshua said he planned to return to Ho Chi Minh City to continue exploring the city's idyllic corners. "I was tired of boring hotel breakfast buffets and scripted conversations with receptionists. Street food and spontaneous meetings with neighbors in the apartment building inspired me to visit Ho Chi Minh City," Joshua said.

Bich Phuong (According to Insider )

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