Early Riser Walk: Grandma Noodles, Cafe, Exotic Fruits & History

Earn OneKeyCash when you sign in and book an activity

Early Riser Walk: Grandma Noodles, Cafe, Exotic Fruits & History

By Spring Saigon Tours

Free cancellation available

See tickets

Features

Free cancellation available
3h
Mobile voucher
Instant confirmation

Overview

You’ll have to wake up early for this tour… but it’s worth it.

I’ll take you on a 3-hour walk I designed to capture the real Saigon, the one that’s alive and breathing only in the early morning.

We’ll kick things off with my favourite local breakfast: a hearty bowl of noodles and dumplings, or slow-cooked beef stew… all from a home made by a lovely grandma.

Next, we'll dive into the colourful chaos of the wet market (spoiler: it's not that wet), sampling juicy, exotic fruits at their freshest.

Then it’s off to an 86-year-old coffee house, where the aunties will show you the old-school way of brewing coffee and tea. We’ll sip bold Vietnamese brews that'll charge you up for the day ahead.

But that’s just the beginning.

Ask me anything, or just walk in peace and snap some photos.. introverts are more than welcome.

So, I’ll share stories, secrets, and hidden corners you won't find on Google, and make sure you leave a little more relaxed.

What could go wrong? :)

Activity location

The Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument
- Corner of Cach Mang Thang Tam & Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street
- 70000, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Meeting/Redemption Point

The Venerable Thich Quảng Đức Monument
- 185 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám
- Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Check availability

Early Riser Walk: Grandma Noodles, Cafe, Exotic Fruits & History

3h
Opening hours: Sun 12:00 am-11:59 pm

Travellers

Price details

AU$55.87 x 1 AdultAU$55.87

Total

What's included, what's not

Everything is included. You only need to book a taxi back home.

Know before you book

Public transport options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Activity itinerary

The Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument

Heavy spot. Small, quiet, easy to miss — but once you know the storey, it hits deep.

Võ Văn Tần

Grandma noodles and dumplings: We stepping into her living room that just happens to be a tiny restaurant. We sit down, she brings out these handmade dumplings and that slow-cooked beef stew... soft, rich, smells like home. Everything feels personal, like she’s cooking just for us. Simple, cosy, nothing fancy, but you walk out full and kind of happy inside.

Vuon Chuoi Market

15m
Admission ticket included

Fruit chaos in the best possible way. No polished stalls, no influencer corner, just old-school Sài Gòn market vibes: scooters squeezing past papayas, aunties yelling giá, and tiny stools randomly appearing like boss fights. You wanna taste Việt Nam? This is where you start. The fruits here aren’t all pretty... but they smack. Mangos so ripe they melt in your hand, chôm chôm with that juicy crunch, and longans that hit like sweets. You’ll find weird ones too: like măng cụt, trái vú sữa, or mấy loại trái mà bạn không biết tên nhưng cô bán sẽ bảo “ăn thử đi con.” What I love most? ... Vendors are friendly but straight-up.. no fluff, just real fruit talk. “This batch ngon hơn hôm qua,” “ăn với muối ớt nè,” or “đừng mua chỗ kia, chua lắm.” If you go in the morning, the light hits everything just right: fruit sparkling, people smiling, and life doing its thing. It’s loud, sticky, colourful, a little messy… aka, perfect.

Ban Co Market

Okay let’s go deeper... that place is pure Saigon area energy. It’s not a tourist market, it’s a real life market. Like, aunties gossiping while slicing rau muống, someone yelling about missing change, and bánh cuốn steaming in the corner. The layout? Absolute chaos. Tiny alleys, motorbikes trying to squeeze through stalls, but that’s part of the charm. You’ll find everything from fresh herbs to knock-off Crocs to OG street eats like phá lấu, bún bò, and chè đủ kiểu. My favourite part? You don’t feel like a guest there... you feel like you just walked into someone’s everyday life. It’s noisy, warm, a little gritty, but full of soul. Go without a plan and just let it pull you in.

Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings

This whole block is like a living archive of old-school Saigon. No filters, no gentrification, just straight-up life happening in layers. You walk in and it’s like the noise softens: not quiet, just… lived-in. The architecture’s classic: French-inspired bones, concrete walls, long narrow staircases, open walkways where people sit, chill, gossip, nap, water plants, grill meat... sometimes all at once. You’ll hear radios playing cải lương, smell something frying three floors below, and see someone carrying a gas tank up the stairs like it’s no big deal. What I love most is that it feels real. Not curated for tourists, not shiny: just people living how they’ve always lived, with balconies full of plants and tangled electric wires like urban vines. And the views from the top floors? Golden-hour Saigon through laundry lines. Beautiful in the messiest, most human way.

Thế Giới Tàu Hũ

15m
Admission ticket included

This spot is Sài Gòn dessert magic in the most lowkey setup. A couple plastic stools, one big pot of steaming tàu hũ, and vibes for days. The hot ginger syrup? Sweet, spicy, smells like your grandma’s kitchen in winter.. except it’s 30°C outside and you’re sweating through your shirt. The tofu’s silky smooth, melts in your mouth like edible clouds. Sometimes they top it with đậu phộng or nước cốt dừa and you’re just sitting there like: “Why is this so simple yet so good??” It’s not fancy, but that’s the point. You go, you sit, you slurp, you feel better about everything. Honestly, one of those “if you know, you know” kind of spots that locals keep in their back pocket.

Cheo Leo Cafe

15m
Admission ticket included

This place isn’t just a café, it’s history in a cup. Been around since 1938. Same family, same recipe, same vibe. You walk down this tiny alley off Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, and suddenly you’re in a different timeline. They make cà phê vợt: which is basically coffee brewed through a cloth sock in a little metal pot over an open flame. No fancy machines, no milk foam hearts. Just bold, slightly bitter, earthy coffee that somehow tastes like Sài Gòn itself. The stools are tiny, the space is tight, and the walls are full of family photos, old fans, and the smell of decades. You’ll hear conversations in every direction: politics, football, someone’s grandkid getting married, someone else just watching the street. And the best part? It’s quiet without being silent. Calm without being staged. You don’t feel like a customer... you feel like a neighbour who just dropped by for coffee. It’s the kind of place you go once and immediately want to protect.

Location

Activity location

The Venerable Thich Quang Duc Monument
- Corner of Cach Mang Thang Tam & Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street
- 70000, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Meeting/Redemption Point

The Venerable Thich Quảng Đức Monument
- 185 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám
- Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Best Deals on Things to Do

Experience the wonders of the world up close with great deals on things to do near and far. Expedia offers one-of-a-kind activities that allow you to explore Ho Chi Minh City your way. Whether you love nature, culture, food or a bit of adventure, we have the perfect activity for you.

Top experiences in Ho Chi Minh City

With so many activities in Ho Chi Minh City, planning the perfect day out may seem like a daunting task. Expedia is here to take the hassle out of finding the best attractions, tours and activities in Ho Chi Minh City. Families, couples and business travellers can all find the perfect activity in Ho Chi Minh City to create life-long memories with the help of Expedia.