Vietnam Travel Diary Day 2: Celebrating Independence Day at Nguyen Hue Walking Street & Finding Indian Food
After an exhausting first day in Vietnam, our Day 2 in Ho Chi Minh City started with an early breakfast at our hotel.
The complimentary breakfast buffet had a very strict timing: it was open from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM. If we missed the 9:00 AM closing time, breakfast would be over, so we made sure to wake up early.
After breakfast, we returned to our room and went back to sleep for a few hours.We were still tired from the previous day's journey and needed some rest.
By around 4:00–5:00 PM, we finally got ready and headed out to explore one of the most famous attractions in Ho Chi Minh City — Nguyen Hue Walking Street.
Planning your own Vietnam trip? You can also read our Vietnam Airport Guide for Indian Travellers for practical information about arrival, immigration, SIM/eSIM, currency and airport transfers.
1. Visiting Ho Chi Minh Statue & Nguyen Hue Walking Street
As soon as we reached Nguyen Hue Walking Street, one of the first things we noticed was the famous Ho Chi Minh Statue
The area was spacious, open and full of life. We walked around, took photographs and enjoyed the atmosphere of central Ho Chi Minh City.
But there was something special about this particular evening that we had not planned for.
We discovered that September 2 is Vietnam's National Day, and the city was already in a festive mood.
There were decorations, crowds, performances and celebrations happening around us. What started as a simple evening visit to Nguyen Hue Walking Street turned into one of the memorable experiences of our Vietnam family trip.
2. Vietnam National Day Celebrations & Local Culture
The Vietnam National Day celebrations at Nguyen Hue Walking Street were completely different from an ordinary evening in the city.
A large stage had been arranged for cultural performances, and many local people had gathered to enjoy the program.
People were also enjoying street food and sitting on small plastic chairs and tables. The whole area felt lively and festive.
Amazing Dance & Acrobatic Performances
The stage performances were one of the highlights of our evening.
The artists performed energetic dance routines along with impressive acrobatic acts. Some of the performances were so unusual that they reminded us of the kind of acts we normally see on television reality shows.
One particular performance involved one artist balancing another performer using their teeth. We had never seen anything like it in person, and the crowd was equally excited.
The combination of music, lights, dance, acrobatics and the huge crowd created an unforgettable atmosphere.
For us, experiencing Vietnam National Day in Ho Chi Minh City was completely unexpected because we had not specifically planned our itinerary around the celebration.
3. A Fun Shopping Moment: Bubble Shooter Toy for Our Son
While walking around the area, our 9-year-old son spotted a Bubble Shooter toy at a nearby street stall.
Of course, he immediately wanted it! 😄
We bought the toy for 210,000 VND (Vietnamese Dong).
It was a small purchase, but our son was extremely happy. These little moments are often what make a family holiday memorable.
4. Searching for Indian Food in Ho Chi Minh City
After spending several hours walking around, we eventually became hungry.
Instead of trying more Vietnamese food that evening, we decided to look for Indian food in Ho Chi Minh City because we were craving familiar flavours.
After searching for a while, we found an Indian restaurant called Indian House.
The food was delicious and comforting, but we found the prices quite high compared with what we would normally pay for similar food in India.
What We Ordered
Some of the main items we ordered included:
- Butter Chicken: 269,000 VND
- Dal Makhani: 169,000 VND
- Chicken Rice: 269,000 VND
- Roti/Chapati: 37,000 VND per piece
- Water Bottle: 20,000 VND
Our Final Restaurant Bill 😱
When the final bill arrived, we were genuinely surprised.
Our family's total restaurant bill came to 3,290,000 VND, which was approximately ₹12,000–₹12,500 INR based on the exchange rate at that time.
For us, spending more than ₹12,000 on a single dinner on our second day in Vietnam was a big surprise.
Finding Indian food abroad was certainly comforting, but this experience also taught us something useful: Indian restaurants in popular areas of Ho Chi Minh City can be considerably more expensive than eating local Vietnamese food.
If you are travelling to Vietnam on a budget, it is always a good idea to check the menu and prices before ordering.
Planning your Vietnam budget? Read our detailed Vietnam Trip Cost Guide to understand the approximate cost of a 5, 7 or 10-day Vietnam trip.
5. Using an Indian Visa Debit Card at an ATM in Vietnam
After dinner, we realized that we were running low on Vietnamese Dong.
That made us a little anxious because we still needed local cash for our trip.
Fortunately, we found an ATM nearby.
We were carrying an Indian Visa Gold Debit Card, and we were not completely sure whether it would work in Vietnam. We decided to try it.
The process was quite simple:
- We inserted our Visa Gold Debit Card into the ATM.
- We selected English as the language.
- We entered our ATM PIN.
- Instead of choosing one of the preset withdrawal amounts, we selected “Other.”
- We entered 2,000,000 VND as the withdrawal amount.
- The transaction was successfully processed.
- The ATM dispensed 2,000,000 VND in cash.
There were additional transaction/ATM charges associated with the withdrawal, so the final cost was higher than simply converting the withdrawn Vietnamese Dong into Indian Rupees.
For us, the biggest relief was seeing our Indian debit card work successfully in Vietnam.
Our Experience Using an Indian Debit Card in Vietnam
If you are travelling from India to Vietnam, I would recommend checking with your bank before leaving India to make sure your card is enabled for:
- International transactions
- International ATM withdrawals
- International POS payments
Also, don't depend on only one payment method. We found it much more comfortable to have both cash and an international card available.
Useful before your Vietnam trip: You can also read our Vietnamese Dong & Currency Guide to understand Vietnam's currency and practical money tips.
Important: ATM availability, withdrawal limits and fees can vary depending on the bank,ATM operator and card issuer. Always check the charges shown on the ATM screen before confirming a transaction.
6. Ending Our Second Day in Ho Chi Minh City
After getting the cash, we felt much more relaxed.
We continued walking around Nguyen Hue Walking Street, enjoyed the Vietnam National Day atmosphere, watched the performances and took more photographs.
Eventually, we returned to our hotel late at night.
Our second day in Vietnam had started quietly with breakfast and much-needed rest, but ended with Vietnam National Day celebrations, cultural performances, street food, a fun purchase for our son, an unexpectedly expensive Indian dinner and our first successful ATM withdrawal in Vietnam.
It was a completely different experience from our first day.
And that is exactly what we wanted from this trip — not just to visit famous places, but to experience Vietnam as a family and share what we actually saw, spent and experienced.
What We Learned on Day 2
Our second day in Ho Chi Minh City taught us several practical lessons:
- Check your hotel's breakfast timings carefully.
- September 2 is Vietnam's National Day, so celebrations can make popular city areas especially lively.
- Indian food can be relatively expensive compared with local food.
- Check restaurant prices before ordering.
- Make sure your Indian bank card is enabled for international use before travelling.
- Keep both cash and cards as payment options.
- Keep some flexibility in your itinerary because unexpected experiences can become the best memories of your trip.
Final Thoughts
Our Day 2 Vietnam travel experience was a mixture of rest, sightseeing, local culture, food, shopping and a few surprises.
From standing near the Ho Chi Minh Statue and watching Vietnam National Day celebrations at Nguyen Hue Walking Street to searching for Indian food and successfully withdrawing Vietnamese Dong using our Indian debit card, every part of the evening gave us something new to remember.
This is a real family travel diary based on our own experience in Ho Chi Minh City, including the prices and situations we personally encountered.
Prices, restaurant charges, exchange rates and ATM fees can change, so consider these figures as our experience at the time of our trip rather than fixed current prices.
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