{Saigon Streets} Bui Vien

Bui Vien Street, District 3

Pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide to Vietnam and it describes Bui Ven (and the surrounding streets of Pham Ngu Lau and De Tham) in District 1 as a "backpacker gehtto".

Today we discovered that this area isn't just for backpackers, it's perfect for the more "mature" tourist in search of a bargain as well as us resident expats after larger sized clothes and international fashion brands.

Our first stop was SSUZI swimwear at 127 Bui Vien. I have enough trouble finding swimwear in Australia and my experience, so far, in Vietnam has been worse. I had read about this store on Bui Vien - a local designer that makes western style bikinis and summer dresses - and happily I wasn't disappointed! They have small sizes perfect for the Vietnamese (and for those of us who need a bit of help in the bust department!) as well as larger sizes for foreigners. The material may not be the same thickness and quality of the $80 Billabong bikinis we buy back home, but walking out of the store with my $11 bikini I was pretty chuffed. Can always go back for another if it falls apart!

On our way to the Circle K convenience store to buy water we discovered Devil at 137 Bui Vien, a funky fashion store with streetwear, boardies, t-shirts (in sizes to fit the large foreigners!) but best of all they stocked Havaianas and Crocs - so I was in shoe shopping heaven! In the 18 months since we left Australia Wally has chewed through both my havaianas (as well as the thongs I bought from Accesorize in Hanoi) so I was excited by this find. Havaianas for US$18 a pair and Croc thongs for US$40.

Our other favourite was a shop called U.Best House at 51 Bui Vien. This place is a treasure trove for foreigners, kind of like an army disposal store, with everything from flashlights and binoculars, to funky mens and womens casual clothing and bags. It even stocked a good range of calvin klein underwear. Whatever you could possibly think you might want when travelling, this shop has it crammed in somewhere! We even found a range of cycling gear. Completely random but well worth a visit. The staff are friendly and speak English.

Amongst all of the shops aimed at tourists are cafes, restaurants and bars covering a broad range of international cuisines. This street also houses two restaurants on our highly recommended list from expat friends - Coriander, a thai restaurant at 185 Bui Vien and Mumtaz, an indian restaurant across the road at 226 Bui Vien.

At the top end of Bui Vien (off Nguyen Thai Hoc), turn right at the first street you come to and you'll be on 28 Bui Vien - a strip of budget hotels, cafes, restaurants and sports bar aimed at the backpacker market.

28 Bui Vien

We finished off our morning with lunch at the recently opened Boston Sport Bar at 28/4 Bui Vien - a bar that claims to serve "real" North American food with pizza, pasta and BBQ ribs on the menu. The food is cheap and the pizzas are good.

This area is the only experience we've had in Saigon that comes close to Hanoi's Old Quarter - a touristy, bustling area of commerce, with women in conical hats pushing fruit carts and friendly cyclo drivers pestering you at every turn. But unlike the narrow streets in the north where you're constantly in danger of being hit by a motorbike, Bui Vien offers a bit more space for a casual stroll.

Bui Vien's fruit lady!