This won’t be your usual travel blog about Saigon. I’ve already visited the city, done the main touristy things, and this time I was mostly here for the vibe.

No packed itinerary, no rushing from one sight to another. Just two weeks of living my life, exploring a little, getting some “work” done and, apparently, spending a lot of time in cafés.

There was also a fair amount of rain. Because visiting Saigon in September and October apparently means accepting that the sky will open up on a daily basis.

And sometimes, the streets too.

2 Weeks in Saigon: Rain, Cafés and a Bit of Organised Chaos

First things first: be careful where you stay

If there’s one thing I learned during these two weeks, it’s that you really want to pay attention to the location of your accommodation during rainy season.

Parts of Saigon are prone to flooding, and when I say flooding, I don’t mean a few puddles you can splash through while trying to keep your shoes dry.

I learned this the hard way when I found myself stranded outside my Airbnb, staring at a street that had turned into a river of dirty water.

Knee-deep dirty water, to be precise.

Getting back inside was going to be a problem.

The solution was both hilarious and slightly concerning. The owner came to pick me up on a scooter, and, naturally, it started pouring with rain. We drove all the way around the neighbourhood to approach my street from the other side, where the water was only calf-deep.

I arrived back at my Airbnb absolutely soaked.

Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure whether to laugh about the whole thing or question every decision that led me there.

Following that little adventure, I decided to move to another Airbnb. Once is a funny travel story. Twice is just poor planning.

Luckily, the new neighbourhood stayed dry. It was also much more local, which I really enjoyed, and I could finally see the sky from my room instead of staring at the walls of a building towering over me.

A small but significant improvement to my quality of life.

So, if you're visiting Saigon during the rainy season, check your accommodation's location carefully and, if possible, look into whether the area tends to flood. It might not be the most exciting part of planning a trip, but neither is figuring out how to cross a flooded street to get home.

So, what did I actually do for two weeks?

Since this wasn't my first visit, I'd already ticked off the main sights. This time, I could just exist in the city without feeling like I needed to see something new every day.

Which, as it turns out, mostly meant cafés, shopping centres and working on my laptop.

Very glamorous travel content, I know.

Trying the new metro

I finally got to try Saigon's new metro, and I was pleasantly surprised.

It reminded me a lot of the Bangkok metro: modern, clean, on time and absolutely blasting the air conditioning.

Basically, everything you want from public transport when you're living in a hot, humid city.

No complaints from me. If anything, I was happy to have another way to get around without having to rely on a Grab every time I wanted to go somewhere.

Café hopping became a personality trait

If you've read my previous Vietnam posts, you'll know that café hopping has been a recurring theme of this trip.

At this point, I'm not even sure I can call it a hobby. It might just be my default activity when I've already seen the sights and don't feel like doing anything particularly adventurous.

But there are worse ways to spend your time.

I found some lovely places to sit, read and work, and the café breaks were surprisingly productive. Turns out that changing your surroundings can do wonders for your motivation, even if all you've done is move your laptop from your bedroom to a table with prettier decor.

My favourite spots this time were Soo Cafe and Omomo Cafe.

Soo Cafe overlooks Ben Thanh Market but is, for the most part, a quiet little book café. The drinks were nothing to write home about, but the atmosphere more than made up for it.

There were plenty of books, comfortable places to sit and, most importantly, a peaceful environment where I could actually concentrate.

I got so comfortable that I completely lost track of time. When I finally closed my book and checked the clock, I'd been sitting there reading for over two hours.

Now, if that's not a good review of a café, I don't know what is.

Omomo Cafe was another favourite, especially when I wanted to get some writing done. Comfortable seating, good drinks and pretty decor, all the ingredients for a productive afternoon.

I managed to get quite a bit of writing done there, which was exactly what I needed.

If you're looking for something a little more local, I'd also recommend checking out Overthinker's Cafe. It's a quiet spot that works well for a little laptop session when you need to get out of your room but don't necessarily want to spend the afternoon surrounded by people.

Apparently, my ideal Vietnam itinerary is just finding increasingly good places to sit down.

Hiding from the heat in shopping centres

I also found myself at Saigon Centre and Vincom Centre surprisingly often.

Not because I was shopping. I didn't even buy anything.

I was mostly there because it was hot outside, and shopping centres are an excellent place to escape the afternoon heat.

They're also a good way to pass some time when the weather isn't cooperating.

The only thing I felt was missing from those shopping centres was a decent bookshop. 

I did enjoy browsing the shops, though. There are some interesting options for clothing and souvenirs if you're looking to bring something home.

I skipped the shopping part myself, mostly because I didn't have the luggage space. My suitcase was not about to magically expand just because I happened to be surrounded by things I could buy.

A tragedy, really.

What to do in Saigon in the evening if you're not into partying ?

One place I really enjoyed visiting in the evening was Landmark 81.

The illuminated park around the buildings is lovely at night, and it's a great place to see a different side of Saigon. Locals come here to exercise, skate, relax and spend time together, which makes it feel like more than just another shopping and entertainment complex.

There are also plenty of food options in the shopping centre, including an ice rink if you're in the mood for something a little different. You can find even more places to eat in the surrounding area.

And if you're feeling adventurous, you can head up the viewing tower for a panoramic view of the city.

I skipped that part this time, but the park alone was worth the visit.

Another place I did visit was the Saigon Skydeck at Bitexco Financial Tower (which I kept mentally referring to as the Power Tower, for reasons I can't explain).

I went on a rainy day and wasn't expecting much from the view. Surprisingly, it was still pretty clear, and I really enjoyed seeing Saigon from the 49th floor.

The 360-degree view gives you a completely different perspective of the city, and because it was so quiet when I visited during the day, I could take my time looking around without having to navigate a crowd of people trying to get the perfect photo.

I'd imagine it could be worth visiting at night too, when the city lights are on. But even on a grey, rainy day, I thought it was a nice way to spend some time.

A lot of work, actually

As much as I've talked about cafés and shopping centres, I haven't exactly spent these two weeks on holiday.

I'm still quite behind on my projects, and I've had plenty of work to get through. So, alongside my café adventures, I've spent a fair amount of time working from my room, trying to get things moving again.

It's one of the less glamorous parts of this lifestyle that doesn't always make it into travel posts.

Sometimes, being somewhere new doesn't mean spending every day exploring. Sometimes, you still have a laptop that seems to demand your attention no matter which country you're in.

At least I had some lovely cafés to escape to when I needed a change of scenery.

And a shopping centre with air conditioning when I needed a break from the heat.

Priorities.

Would I come back to Saigon?

Absolutely.

I know that might sound strange when I've spent most of this post talking about cafés, shopping centres and flooded streets rather than temples, museums or famous landmarks.

But that's precisely the point.

I'd already seen the main tourist attractions on my first visit, so I didn't feel the need to repeat them just to fill my days. This time, I could experience the city at a different pace and enjoy it for what it is.

Saigon has a certain charm that I find difficult to explain. It's busy, loud, chaotic and, at times, completely overwhelming. But there's also something about the organised chaos that makes the city interesting to be in.

You can spend the morning working in a quiet café, wander around a shopping centre in the afternoon to escape the heat, and head out in the evening to watch the city come alive.

Of course, the rain and flooding weren't exactly highlights of my stay. And I wouldn't say there's an endless list of things to do once you've covered the main sights.

But I still enjoyed being there.

Not every trip needs to be about ticking off landmarks or discovering something spectacular every single day. Sometimes, it's enough to find a neighbourhood you like, a café where you can happily lose two hours, and a little routine that makes a city feel familiar.

Just make sure your street isn't underwater.

That's one lesson I won't be forgetting anytime soon.