7 Top Attractions in Ho Chi Minh City

Sal’s Travelogue #2 – Saigon Green

Last week, our writer shared with us about the start of his adventure – a month of backpacking through South East Asia on a limited budget, US$700! Here he goes to share about reaching his first destination, meeting new friends and exploring new sights!

So there I was, at the Go2 bar in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) by myself – with nothing but a pack of smokes and a bottle of the very popular Saigon Green to keep me company. After polishing off two of these, the loneliness kicked in and I found myself muttering: “I hope this trip isn’t a mistake.”

As if in response to my comment, three cute girls entered the bar, and we occasionally make eye contact. The minute the table next to theirs cleared up, I moved over and motioned for the waitress to come over, so I could order my new friends a round of Saigon Greens. Before she could take down my order, however – the girls were already waving at me to come and join them.

“You look really lonely!” said the one on my right. And that I was.

It was my first time in Vietnam, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of reminiscence – Saigon reminded me a lot of Bangkok. Upon arrival, I got on board the local bus service 152 heading towards the Pham Ngu Lao district – a district well known for hosting endless streams of travelers.

What I observed along the journey confirmed my suspicion that this city wasn’t very different compared to the Thai capital – streets bustling with traffic and hordes of its inhabitants caught up in a never-ending rush to make the most out of the workday.

My first excursion found me going on a motorcycle cruise around town, to see the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants museum. Typical tourist spots, I thought – with straightforward visits that could only leave a vague impression of all that the Vietnamese have endured during their darkest years. Hiring a guide might have provided a bit more insight – but then again, I had my budget to watch, and I was not about to part so easily with my funds; especially not on my first day.

Unfortunately, what I thought would be a good start to the day only lasted three hours, and my lack of sleep from the night before prompted me to take an afternoon nap before heading to the Go2 bar.

Agnes, Cecilie and Stina, from Norway. Truthfully, it didn’t matter so much where they were from – I’m just glad I finally had people to talk to. Drinks and chatter arrived effortlessly, and in no time at all, they invited me to join them on their DIY tour of the Mekong Delta. It didn’t take a lot to convince me, since I was alone and had nothing planned.

The next morning, we got on the mini bus for a three hour ride heading south towards the township of Ben Tre. We had some trouble locating our guesthouse, the Thao Nhi – none of the locals knew about it. By some stroke of luck, the owner himself rode by on his bike and quickly rounded up a posse of three other riders to fetch us to his very welcoming establishment, which was a good seven kilometers away from the town center.

After checking in, we immediately took up the owner’s offer to tour the Delta for no more than US$15 per person. That sounded a little steep in the beginning, but by the end of it we realized we definitely got our money’s worth.

I’ve always been told that if I ever got to Vietnam, the Mekong Delta would be something I would have to see. Truth be told, I never understood what the big deal was, until now. As we cruised along the river and its smaller canals, it seemed somewhat polite that the boatman would cut the motor every now and then, to allow us to fully take in the serenity offered by this well-known river. With the occasional passing boat, makeshift jetties and floating fishing houses flanking both banks on the river, there was no way either of us could resist the urge to whip out our cameras and enter a photo-taking frenzy.

This was how we spent the day: a private boat for the four of us, a tour of the various coconut-based riverside industries and a trek through lush orchards and bee farms, ending with a firefly catching session in the evening. Value for money indeed.

We were keen on keeping our stay in Ben Tre as short as possible, but not without touring the town on bicycles on our own. The girls truly enjoyed the riverside marketplace, located at the heart of town – but for me, it hardly differed from the wet markets of any Singaporean neighborhood. The exercise was good though, and nothing beats a good song coming on as you cruise the streets with locals smiling and waving as you go by.

As the evening crept up on this quiet haven away from the hustle and bustle of Saigon, we pondered about the next leg of our trip. By five thirty, we were already on a local bus headed straight for Saigon. Tomorrow, the girls would be off towards the North of Vietnam, and I would be by myself once more. My next destination? Phnom Penh, Cambodia – a city I have been longing to revisit. I’ve spent less than US$40 for an amazing three days at Saigon and Ben Tre, and decided that I could not ask for a more solid prelude to my first solo experience.

Exploring Ho Chi Minh City

A recent trip to Saigon gave our contributor, Michelle Lee, the chance to explore Vietnamese hospitality in four short days. After an eventful three days of touring, she shares her experiences exploring Ho Chi Minh in the final day!

French Connection

At last, it’s time to finally explore Ho Chi Minh City itself. Saigon’s history dons the cityscape with many of the older buildings exhibiting French influences – tall steeples towering into the skies, fancy arches with intricate carvings and lengthy windows of sheer grandeur.

Many of these architectures are found within walking distance in the city. Dominating the city’s skyline is the notable Notre Dame Cathedral built in 1883, a popular site amongst visitors and wedding couples for photo shoots. Just across the street is the Ho Chi Minh main post office known for its impressive interior. High ceiling and Baroque art decorate the walls, a sight seemingly more apt in France than Vietnam.

Take a walk further down to the heart of the commercial hub is the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Building situated at the end of Nguyen Hue Street. The People’s Committee Building, dwarfed by taller buildings around it exudes a rich Renaissance flavour and unveils an even more stunning sight at night when the building is beautifully floodlit. At any time of the day, the premise is always filled with crowds snapping photos with the iconic “Uncle Ho” (a statue of Mr Ho Chi Minh himself) sitting at the front of the building.

Chinatown in Saigon

With a few hours left, I’ve decided to make the most out of Saigon. After some recommendation from the locals, I took their most commonly used public transport – the motorbike “taxi”, which cost only VND$1 for a ride, out of the city centre to Antong Plaza located at Chinatown.

You can find an array of local dried goods from shrimps to scallops, coffee beans to mushrooms, bird nests to abalones! A haven for homemakers looking for cheap and quality ingredients to whip a sumptuous meal. The stall holders are able to pack and seal the goods for you, solving the problem in regards to airport regulations when tourists want to bring local products back home. Fabuleux!

[caption id="attachment_849" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Motorbikes are the locals choice of transport. Photo credit – lynt."][/caption]

On the streets, motorbikes swamp the roads. “Ninjas” are a common sight as riders cover themselves from head-to-toe to protect themselves from the sun and the dusty air.

Traffic lights often fail to serve its purpose and tourists find it almost impossible to cross the roads. After a few days in Saigon, I begin to comprehend the art of beating the traffic – you’ve got to simply take a deep breath, and cross as calmly and nonchalantly, believing that the vehicles will give way. And they will! It sure takes guts to do so, but practice makes perfect.

Mobile food stalls spring up anywhere and everywhere selling handy snacks such as roasted sweet potatoes, fried cuttlefish, and pancakes. You can easily get them at less than VND$5 each, and they are tastier than they look, a perfect goodbye to a packed 4 four days of touring Saigon.

And that is the end of Michelle’s four days of adventure throughout Saigon. Hope you had fun along the ride!Part I: Pho for the President | Part II: War and Peace | Part III: Floating Market and Elephant Ears

Floating Market and Elephant Ears

A recent trip to Saigon gave our contributor, Michelle Lee, the chance to explore Vietnamese hospitality in four short days. After trying out original Vietnamese noodle (Pho), and visiting the war remnants in Vietnam, she heads toward the Mekong Delta to experience the colorful floating market.

Cai Be Floating Market

I got up early the next day to join the Mekong Delta day tour, starting with a 4 hours bus ride towards the Cai Be Floating market. This market is both popular with the tourist and important for the locals. We boarded a bum-boat and entered the buoyant floating market, a very picturesque and uniquely Vietnamese experience.

Hundreds of boats filled with various produces are anchored along the banks of the river every day! Meat, vegetables, fruits and all sorts of goods are hanging on the boats, hung on poles that the locals call “cay beo”. Hundreds of such poles point sky wards.

After the colorful local market, the guide took us to several home factories where villagers made peanut and caramel sweets, coconut candy, rice crisps and rice paper for a living. We ended the inland tour with a trek through lush orchard and bee farms before heading back towards the boat to embark on a 40 minutes cruise heading towards smaller islands around the delta.

Other than the colorful floating market, the Mekong Delta is also famed for its beautiful landscape and picturesque greeneries. As we observe the typical Mekong Delta rural life, it’s easy to see how that fame came about. These charming canals and small islands are like no other, and one can easily immerse yourself in nature as you explore the area.

[caption id="attachment_787" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Mekong Collage. Photo credit - Berties world, mckaysavage, phobus."][/caption]

Elephant Ear Fish, a Mekong Specialty

We finally arrived at Binh Hoa Phuoc village, the green pearl of Vinh Long town at around noon, feeling hot and hungry. There we lunched on special local fare – elephant ear fish! This fifteen-inch fish shaped like a bass was standing straight up in wooden holders. It has been deep fried to crisp perfection, and its shaped like an elephant ear, thus the name.

The white flaky fish meat were rolled into rice papers mixed with fresh mint, cilantro, basil and dipped into the bowl of fish sauce. This mixture of chilis, fresh herbs and soft fish made for a tasty lunch indeed! As we indulged ourselves on this unique delicacy, traditional Mekong music and dance performance were held for our enjoyment.

Finally, we end the day tour with a relaxing walk around this small village, through the bonsai garden, before heading back towards Saigon.

Next, in the final part of this four part story, Michelle explores the sights in Ho Chi Minh City itself. Check back in the coming week! Part I: Pho for the President | Part II: War and Peace

War and Peace in Saigon

A recent trip to Saigon gave our contributor, Michelle Lee, the chance to explore Vietnamese hospitality in four short days. After trying out original Vietnamese noodle (Pho), she went off to experience the attractions in the city. In this second part of the four-part story, she visited a contrast of experience, that of war remnants from the Vietnam war, and of the uniquely Vietnamese religion of Cao Dai.

The easiest way to get to great sightseeing and historical sites located at the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, is to book a tour with the local tour agency. There is an assortment of half-day to two-day tours offering different tour packages. With so much to explore, I took a day-tour to visit the Cu Chi tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple, reserving the Mekong Delta expedition for the next day.

The Cu Chi tunnels are glorious remnants left behind from the Vietnam War, used by the Vietnamese in defeating the Americans. It runs 600 km long and 0.5m to 1m wide, just enough space for a person to walk bending over.

We took a 100m “trial” walk in the tunnel, through amazingly small enclaves and secret entrances. By the end of it, everyone was silently cursing under their breath as our thighs ache from constant squatting. There are also various display life-size bombs, craters created by the bombings and merciless booby traps.

After the gruesome displays of violence, we wanted to have a change of scenery. We headed to the town of Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Temple – a stark contrast to our previous destination. The Cao Dai religion embraces beliefs and teachings from Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity as one. Known as the Religion of Many Spirits, this relatively new religion (established in 1926) claims up to 6 million following in Vietnam, its place of origin.

Their colorful ceremony is interesting to observe. An orchestra of musicians and a choir of youths led the congregation in prayer. The music, a combination of western Christianity and Vietnamese melodies, is both very exotic and incredibly spiritual. Monks and nuns donned in different colored robes fill the hall of the temple, symbolizing their spiritual allegiance within Caodaism: yellow for Buddhism and virtue, blue for Taoism and pacifism, or red for Confucianism and authority.

Next, in the third part of this four part story, Michelle sets off towards the Mekong Delta day tour and explored the floating markets. Check back in the coming week! Part I: Pho for the President

Pho for the President

A recent trip to Saigon gave our contributor, Michelle Lee, the chance to explore Vietnamese hospitality in four short days. In the first part of this four-part story, she enjoyed a hearty meal of Vietnamese beef noodle (or Pho) fit for the President, more specifically, former US President Bill Clinton. After which, she explored the mazy Ben Thanh Market as well as its crowded night market and enjoyed some unique Vietnamese snacks.

Day 1: Pho for the President

Delicious Vietnamese gourmet are available in any part of the world, but nothing beats having the real thing at the place it originated from. From way-back before I touched down in Vietnam, the thoughts of tasty thinly sliced beef tenderloins served with rice noodles in a flavorful broth (known locally as Pho) has got me drooling in anticipation.

The city is filled with a myriad of Pho restaurants. With help from the locals, they are whittled down to only a handful best. I settled for Pho 2000, a restaurant right at the heart of town renown for playing host to former US president Bill Clinton.

The evidences are proudly hung on walls of the shop. Numerous pictures of the former US President in varying stage of blissful contentment in savoring the meal. Indeed, the local spices conjure a unique and tasty Pho Ngan (beef noodle soup), definitely one worth writing home about!

Mazy and Crowded

Next, I hop across the street to the ever-crowded and mazy Ben Thanh market, the largest retail market in the city with over 1,000 stalls selling local handicrafts, silk cloth, handbags, lacquer-ware souvenirs and decent imitations of branded wear.

You’ll find yourself getting lost in the world of Vietnamese art and craftsmanship as most of the products are handmade, with design details impossible for machines to match up to. For the entire afternoon, I found myself mastering the art of haggling and experiencing the Vietnamese culture handsomely.

In the evening, the market closes but the Night Market begins, just outside the gates of Ben Thanh Market. Hundreds of stalls springs up along the two minor side streets along the main building. This is a great place to try some local snacks, like the banh xeo (a pancake filled with beansprouts, shrimp and port), and banh can (an egg flour savoury).

Next, in the second part of this four part story, Michelle explores the war remnants at the Chu Chi Tunnels and the unique Vietnamese-established religion of Cao Dai.