Story & photos by Charmaine Cunanan
To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when I booked a flight to Ho Chí Minh City, impulsively.
I wanted to go out of the country to celebrate my birthday, but I had no idea where to go. Since I haven’t been there, Vietnam proved to be the best option that time. Everything was in a rush: booking the hotel, planning the itinerary, applying leave from work. I had thought it’s going to be hectic and expected it would go to the list of worst vacation ever. To my surprise and relief, it’s one of the most memorable trips I had.
Day one
I always prefer a chill itinerary. I don’t like cramming everything in a day and get so exhausted, just so I could boast the different places I’ve gone through, in a hurry, on my social-media account. I always like taking my time when I visit tourists spots especially the historical ones. I am lucky I was with people with the same mindset, so I wasn’t forced to jump from one place to another.
Since we landed at around three in the morning, we slept in until lunchtime. We ate at Di Mai Restaurant, a Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of the city that serves traditional Vietnamese cuisine. What’s amazing in this place, aside from its exquisite food, is its unique interior that is reminiscent of old Saigon streets.
After filling our tummies with good food, we roam around the busy streets to have a feel of the city. Even under the scorching heat of the summer sun, we walked to Nguyên Huê street promenade, in the middle of District 1, that led to the iconic City Hall and statue of President Ho Chí Minh on one end, and the Saigon riverbank on the other. As a country that was once a French colony, buildings with French architecture abound the area, such as the Saigon Opera House and various high-end hotels and shopping malls.
I’m quite a sucker for history, so it is always a must to visit a museum or two. A few minute walk from Nguyên Huê Street, there’s the Ho Chí Minh City Museum, once a governor’s palace until it was converted to a museum of Vietnam’s early history and struggles during the war. It’s a good prerequisite before our Saigon city tour the following day.
Capping off the first day, we went contemporary and visited The New Playground, an underground shopping mall designed by young locals where the cool kids go. The place has a hip vibe where you can find shops by Vietnamese designers carrying authentic local urban wear. It kind of reminded me of the Common Ground in Seoul.
Day two
We’ve availed a full day city tour and started off visiting famous city landmarks, including the Reunification Palace, which served as the president’s official residence in the past. Next is the famous Notre Dame Cathedral that was built during the French occupation in the 1860s. Right beside it is the Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum where photo exhibitions relating to the Vietnam War can be found, and the first Indochina War, involving the French colonialists.
After having lunch at pool side restaurant, we took a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Cu Chi Tunnels. It is a subterranean village in the middle of the woods built by the Viet Cong soldiers that served as hiding spots during Vietnam-American War. It was amazing to find out how soldiers survived underground, and all the traps and weapons used during the war. Not all the tunnels are accessible to tourists but you can crawl through the ones available.
Day three
Our third day, we explored the modern sights of the city. First stop is BenThành Market. It’s similar to Thailand’s Chatuchak Market, only BenThành is relatively smaller. Here you can buy local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art, and other souvenirs. However, since it is a famous tourist spot, most of the goods are quite pricey. For small keepsakes, Bùi Vien Walking Street has similar stores with cheaper prices. Shop late in the afternoon to avoid the night time crowd as it is a party central for backpackers and tourists. Think Khao San Road in Bangkok, but louder and rowdier. When we were there, there’s a street party hosted by Heineken and literally everyone was there. It’s crazy.
If you want to catch the sunset, go up to The Saigon Skydeck at the 49th floor of Bitexco Financial tower, and enjoy the 360-degree view of the city and its surrounding landscapes. The loft bar and restaurant let you dine with city view as your background.
If you’re a beer drinker, head over to The World of Heineken at the 60th floor. Get to know the world-famous beer brand through the interactive tour of its history. Moreover, you can enjoy two bottles of beer during tour and bring home a customized one with your name on it as a souvenir.
Day four
On our last day, we went on another group tour and headed to the Mekong Delta. Three hours from Ho Chí Minh City, it’s a town with a vast maze of rivers, swamps and rice paddies. We travel by boats in the area so we didn’t pass up on the chance on cruising in one.
We went to AnKhánhin, the beautiful green province of Ben Tre, where they serve pineapples and aromatic honey tea while Vietnamese folk music is being performed by the locals. After that, we hopped on a small boat to cruise along the river and admired the stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages. We stopped by a coconut candy factory to rest a bit before cruising the Mekong River for our lunch date at the Tortoise Islet. Our tour ended at My Tho where we saw the giant Buddha statue at the Vinh Tràng Temple.
Ho Chí Minh City is undergoing improvements to its transport system. The city only has buses and taxis. If you hail a cab, there’s a big chance you’ll be asked to pay extra. To go around, it’s easier and cheaper to book a Grab or simply walk. Purchase a sim card with data or rent a pocket Wi-fi so you can have Internet access anywhere you go. Also, always remember to be careful and watch over your belongings most of the time!
Ho Chí Minh is a beautiful city and I know you’ll enjoy it too like I did.