Ho Chi Minh City ranks among world's top 10 coffee destinations

The city’s second-place ranking reflects a distinctive combination of its unique Robusta beans with a new specialty café scene.

A cup of specialty pour-over or traditional sweet iced coffee is US$2 on average, which is highly affordable for international tourists.

“The contrast here is what makes exploring so fun: you can sip a strong brew sitting on a tiny plastic stool at a sidewalk stall, then walk two blocks to a quiet, air-conditioned third-wave roastery,” according to Holafly, a company that provides mobile internet connectivity services to tourists and international travelers.

Colombia’s Coffee Triangle takes the top spot as this region delivers the ultimate balance of accessible farm tours, rich heritage, and incredible value.

As the botanical birthplace of Arabica beans, Ethiopia claims third place.

Addis Ababa offers the best pure value on the entire index, with a perfect affordability score and single-origin cups averaging just $1.2.

Other best coffee destinations are Australia’s Melbourne, Italy’s Rome, Brazil’s Minas Gerais, Guatemala’s Antigua, Cuba’s Havana, Rwanda’s Kigali and Yemen’s Sana’a and Haraz.

The Holafly Coffee Travel Index evaluated 18 globally recognized coffee regions across five categories, including origin heritage, café density, coffee tourism infrastructure, specialty affordability, and global demand.

Ho Chi Minh City’s distinctive coffee culture

Coffee culture is one of the defining features of Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to the energetic character of a metropolis known for its fast pace and dynamic lifestyle.

For anyone who has lived in or visited the city, it is difficult to miss how deeply coffee is woven into everyday life.

Coffee is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds, from older generations to young residents and office workers.

A cup of coffee can mark the beginning of the day, provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and passions, or simply serve as an excuse to meet friends.

Cafés are often crowded in the early morning, while office workers rushing through the city can still be seen carrying a cup of coffee in hand.

Coffee is enjoyed at virtually any hour.

Some people sip it alongside a morning newspaper, while others linger over a strong cup in the evening as they talk with friends.

The city’s coffee culture is expressed not only in its social rituals but also in its distinctive brewing methods and ways of enjoying the drink.

Among the most popular choices is ca phe sua da (iced coffee mixed with sweet condensed milk).

The combination of strong coffee, sweet condensed milk and ice creates a rich, refreshing drink whose distinctive flavor has become synonymous with Vietnamese coffee culture.

Among typical brewing styles is ca phe vot, or net-filter coffee, which has attracted crowds of young residents in the city.

Despite modern coffee shops popping up across Ho Chi Minh City, net-filter coffee still holds a place in the hearts of many who desire the nostalgic vibes of old Saigon.

Net-filter coffee takes its name because the coffee is brewed with the old-fashioned filtration method using a spoon-shaped net filter which resembles the instrument used to catch fish at aquatic stores.

From around 6:30 am to 8:00 am, traditional coffee stalls serving this style can become particularly lively.

Amid the traffic, crowded streets and constant movement of the modern metropolis, these traditional coffee stalls offer an entirely different atmosphere.

They evoke a slower, more nostalgic Ho Chi Minh City, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the familiar brewing method and everyday conversations preserve a distinctive part of the city’s cultural heritage.

Another form of coffee culture in the city is ca phe bet, which literally means drinking coffee while sitting on the ground.

Staying out for ca phe bet from night until dawn has become a familiar activity among young people in the southern city.

Ca phe bet at night is particularly notable as part of the city’s youthful nightlife.