Pham Ngu Lao Backpacker Area
Backpackers flock here for the hawker food stalls, the affordable cafes and hotels, cheap merchandise and handy bus connections.
Phạm Ngu Lao is nicknamed "khu Tay ba lo" by the locals, meaning “backpackers’ area”. After arriving fresh off the plane, head here first to eat western snacks in a cafe or Vietnamese food at the market, drink cheap beer, get some sleep, and hop on a bus to see the rest of Vietnam. Better still, the area’s many tour operators will whizz you around the country, while you make new friends during a coach tour or Mekong Delta cruise.