Ho Chi Minh City has been named among best budget-friendly hotspots in the world, according to a list released by New Idea, a long-running Australian weekly magazine published by Pacific Magazines and aimed at women.

A photo of Ho Chi Minh City, VIetnam.

Holiday website Wotif recently examined the best upcoming summer deals at more than 300 destinations and found that Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam was one of the top destinations to book airfares in advance. Not only that, once you’re there it’s super inexpensive.

“Think hearty pho soups for less than AU$5 (US$3.5), and bargains galore at the huge Ben Thanh Market. Visit the extraordinary War Remnants Museum and finish the day at a rooftop bar with a bottle of beer for just over AU$1 (US$0.7),” New Idea wrote.

Arizona in the US tops the list, followed by Buenos Aires in Argentina, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Hong Kong (China).

Earlier, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam has been ranked fourth among 2019’s coolest city break destinations, according to a list released by Refinery29, a leading global media company focused on young women.

“Culture trip calls this Vietnamese metropolis a truly affordable city with a buzzing cultural scene to match,” Refinery29 wrote.

There are plenty of hidden alleyways and public art displays to explore, so make sure you try “ca phe da” (iced coffee), a traditional Vietnamese iced coffee drink that provides an energizing caffeine and sugar hit, Refinery29 advises.

The number of foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City in the first quarter of 2019 is estimated at 2.25 million, equal to 27% of this year's target and making up half the foreign arrivals in Vietnam in the period, VnExpress reported, citing the municipal Department of Tourism.

Hanoitimes