HCM City has announced a list of its top 100 attractions following a poll of visiting tourists in a campaign that lasted more than three months.

The 100 Excitements were short-listed from 150 candidates in 10 categories – places of cultural an historical interest, shopping venues, entertainment clubs, local dishes, cultural events, specialties, coffee shops, restaurants, boutique hotels, and city tour programmes.

The top two landmarks are markets – An Dong in District 5 and Ben Thanh in District 1.

They are followed by Can Tho District’s Eco Park, ‘China Town’ in District 5, the Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnamese History and War Remnants Museums, the Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Winners in the dishes category are banh cuon (wrapped steam rice pancake with meat), banh mi thit (Saigon-style sandwich), banh xeo (yellow pancake with shrimps and pork), ca kho to (braised fish in clay pot), canh chua ca loc (sour fish soup), cha gio (fried spring roll), com tam (boiled broken rice), goi cuon (fresh spring rolls), and goi ngo sen tom thit (lotus salad with shrimp and pork).

Ao dai (women’s traditional dress), cashew nuts, coffee, conical hats, dragon fruit, embroidered works, the Me Kong Delta’s Hoa Loc mango and Lo Ren star apple, laquerware, and tea top the list of tourists’ most desired souvenirs.

The most popular shopping venues include Ben Thanh Market, Diamond Plaza, Dong Khoi Street, Khai Silk shops, Tay Son Laquerware, Miss Ao Dai, Parkson, Saigon Co-op Mart, Saigon Square, and Tax Mall.