Travel Advice (Ho Chi Minh City)

Hello all, I'm hoping for some travel advice. My boyfriend and I will be visiting Ho Chi Minh in a few weeks and looking for some advice on where to go and what to see. I would love to see the 'real Vietnam', but may be hard to pull off as a tourist when you aren't familiar with the city. Does anyone have any tips or pointers on how to really experience the culture? I would much prefer to spend my time with the locals (navigating any language barriers) than on a bus with tourists. Any pointers would be appreciated!
Meagan