Last week I blogged about two travel destinations which offer visitors a bloody good cup of coffee. Sticking with this theme, today we travel to Southeast Asia to spotlight the wonderful delights of coffee culture in Vietnam.
In case you missed it, my first destination guide for coffee lovers is live here and covers my highlights and recommendations for coffee in Costa Rica and Jamaica.
Coffee culture in Vietnam
In October 2017, I jetted off to explore Vietnam with a backpack in tow. There’s so much I loved above this trip but when I look back, the one thing that particularly evokes my time there has to be the coffee.
Kicking off in the capital Hanoi, I ordered my first Ca Phe Su Da of the trip (coffee served with sweetened condensed milk, something I first experienced in
Jamaica) and was hooked from day one. Vietnamese coffee is an indulgent treat. The teasing aroma and sight of your coffee brewing and slowly dripping through a phin
– a delicate metal filter
– makes each sip all the more enjoyable.
I can’t say I had a single bad coffee during my travels from north to south of the country but I particularly enjoyed spending time in the charming town of Hoi An where it’s lantern filled streets were packed full of welcoming cafes. A favourite was
Hoi An Roastery which serves delicious coffee brewed from beans harvested in the rich fields of Da Lat.
Heading south to bustling Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) where crossing roads is an experience in itself, our days were spent sightseeing and shopping in the famous Ben Thanh market. Full of souvenirs, clothes and produce, I remembered to buy myself a phin filter and some freshly ground coffee to bring home. The market is an Alladin’s cave of goodies – the perfect place to buy tea, instant coffee and coffee beans – whole or freshly ground before your very eyes.
In need of an afternoon caffeine fix, some googling led us to
Saigon Roastery. This little gem was a lovely surprise, hidden away in a shabby looking building full of winding staircases and small restaurants, cafes and independent shops. Saigon Roastery is a speciality coffee house which offers high quality arabica coffee. Once inside, grab a seat with a street view and take in the hustle and bustle below.
For those interested, this useful guide to Saigon coffee houses includes a comprehensive background on coffee production in Vietnam.
Hearing great things about the country and its coffee, Colombia is high on my travel list so let’s hope for a third installment of this series!
Tell me, where does your favourite coffee come from? And if coffee isn’t your thing, how do you like to spend your downtime when travelling?
by 
A Thoughtful Edit 
Omg this is our kind of post! We’d love to visit every country for their coffee and my oh my, I’ve heard good things about Vietnamese coffee, so jel!Jessica & James | http://www.foodandbaker.co.uk / http://www.foodandbakertravels.co.uk
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Now I really wanna try some Vietnamese coffee, it sounds fabulous! This was a really interesting read, I’m looking forward to find out what you thought of Colombian coffee next. Great post, thanks for sharing 😘 xxBexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
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Ah glad to hear it! Vietnamese coffee is such an indulgent treat, I hope you guys get to try it soon 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by, Bexa! Oh my, it really is delicious – I absolutely encourage you to try Vietnamese coffee at some point 🙂 X
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