Sometimes you need to “venture a little further afield,” advises Modern Traveller. District 2 is a “quick, 15-minute Uber ride from Saigon’s downtown,” and with “a growing collection of hip bistros, cool kitchens and enticing restaurants to be found along its suburban streets, it’s a journey worth making.” With its “pretty flowery villas and modern luxury apartments,” District 2 may “seem more suited to a weekend retreat, but shoppers may find themselves surprised at the bubbling shopping scene in the An Phu and Thao Dien wards.” Largely recognised as an “expat-friendly residential enclave,” it has seen “a steady trickling of contemporary boutiques offering quality wares aimed at a savvy, international crowd.”