Spectacular Saigon

I was seated in 14A on the flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh International Airport. As always I was very excited to have the window seat but there was a surprise waiting for me. Row 14 of Vietnam Airlines short haul flights has no window. That’s right, I had 1 hour 30 minutes of sitting in the windowless window seat. Ironic really because my photographer usually puts me in the the aisle seat, I think they did this on purpose (one day I will get my own back!). This meant I didn’t see anything of the city from above and I had to wait until I made it out of the airport before my first glimpse of the city.

My early morning arrival meant the hotel wasn’t ready for me, so I decided I would start exploring the city straight away. Luckily, the airport is really central and is located in Tan Binh which isn’t far from the popular tourist sites. I jumped on the bus and headed over to District 1, an area known as the commercial core of Vietnam. Though the area is known for being a business hub, I found it to still be traditionally Vietnamese once you look past the ultra modern skyscrapers.

District 1 is absolutely huge and you could spend a week exploring this area alone. With this in mind I decided to stop for brunch before I began exploring because I am always hungry. Ben Nghe was recommended to me by my Vietnamese guide as a great place for really cheap street food. However, I got distracted by the beautiful Independence Palace on my way to find brunch. Though it was closed, the building was beautiful and white, a stark contrast from the surrounding greenery. The greenery and parks weren’t something I was expecting to find in Vietnam’s largest city but it is a reminder of how nature and urban areas live harmoniously. The palace itself is filled with an incredible history, which resulted in it being bombed and then rebuilt in 1967. As I stumbled upon this incredible sight I decided to walk the short distance from the Independence Palace to Ben Nghe Street Food Market. Google Maps told me it was a short walk but ended up doubling the distance because I was scared to cross the road. Motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City are no joke, and to say they rule the roads is an understatement. I somehow managed to cross the road even though I was surrounded by swarming motorbikes at one point.    

Brunch was a deliciously vegan affair, and as always I will be sharing the details in a separate post. Each time I ate in Vietnam, the food got better. I had a short nap to work off my brunch in the air conditioned bus on the way to my next stop. The humidity and pollution in Saigon is no joke; I was really surprised at how much it affected me. For the first time ever I made my photographer explore at a slower place so I could have time to catch my breath. Early mornings seem to bring the clearest air, so for once I was happy to be up early (I am still not a morning dinosaur). 

My next stop was the infamous War Remnants Museum, to learn more about Vietnam’s history. There was quite a queue to enter the museum as I went early afternoon when three school trips were also visiting. I was surprised to find the museum so busy because it doesn’t look very big from the outside. My visit took me inside through several exhibits documenting the country’s history from the Indochina war to the more recent Vietnam war. Each room documented the history in a vivid fashion and I found the photographs to be extremely emotive. The top floor proved too much for me and I couldn’t manage to walk through the whole exhibit as the photographs were too gruesome to describe. Outside the museum was filled with old army relics such as airplanes, tanks and boats. I couldn’t believe how small the planes were, they would barely fit two humans in. The replica prison was an incredible experience, I can’t imagine being trapped in such a small area in the stifling heat.  

I sat outside the museum reflecting on my visit, whilst my photographer was the subject of some school children’s English homework. It’s lovely to see people learning a second language and being brave enough to speak it to strangers. The lightning was circling around the streets and I could hear thunder rolling in from the distance, so I decided it was time to head back to the safety of the bus. Rain appears early afternoon and disappears as fast as it arrives, luckily I was on the bus so didn’t get soaked (this time). Monsoon season is a great time to visit Vietnam because there are fewer tourists and the weather is still dry 80% of the time. 

My next stop was Notre Dame Cathedral, a French built church consisting of bricks imported from France. Sadly, during my visit the building was covered in scaffolding so I wasn’t able to see much of the front. I was amazed to learn the bricks were imported from France. As my plans to explore the cathedral didn’t work out, I crossed the road to explore the Post Office and have a quick peek at Book street. Weirdly, I found the roads closer to the centre of District 1 to be a lot less chaotic. I didn’t have to take the scenic route to get to the Post Office. The huge yellow, colonial building is so beautiful and nothing like the Post Offices in the UK. Inside is jest as ornate as the outside of the building which has stood in the same place since 1891. The main hall is huge with pillars arched across the ceiling in a fashion which leads the eyes to a huge photograph of President Ho Chi Minh which stands proudly on the back wall. The centre of the building is filled with stalls selling postcards which can actually be posted from the Post Office (go early to do this as it gets very busy). There are phone boxes on either wall, each door would allow you to contact a certain country via telephone or telegraph. I sat in the booth for Seoul which was rather claustrophobic. However, my favourite part of the Post Office was the two huge paintings depicting a map of Saigon in the 1890’s and another showing the telegraph lines of Cambodia and Vietnam.      

I decided to head further into the centre of District 1, the slightly more chaotic area surrounding the Ben Thanh Market. A building which looks nice and calm from the outside but looks can be deceiving. I hadn’t mentally prepared myself for the market inside, sensory overload is an understatement. My guide informed me that it was really easy to lose your way in the market and that wasn’t a lie. This bustling market is filled to the brim with stalls selling everything from watches to tea leaves. My travel anxiety had a wonderful time ensuring every single sense was overwhelmed. For me, it was the smell of the spices and colours which proved too much. Once again I felt the urge to escape because the towering piles of patterned fabric were closing in on me, so I headed for the nearest exit. At no point did I feel unsafe in the market, I just found it too much when the stall holders were trying to convince me to buy things. I chose the route which took me past the fruit and vegetables towards the relative calm of the outer market. For me it was definitely easier to find my way back to the meeting point by walking around the outside of the building.

The afternoon drizzle was beginning but that didn’t deter the wedding photoshoots going on in the centre of a very busy road. I really enjoyed watching the scene unfold and was amazed at the sheer number of motorbikes zooming around in every direction. I left the chaotic scenes to head towards my next stop, the Opera House (no I wasn’t singing). The building is beautiful and really stands out amidst the modern buildings which house various designer shops and upmarket hotels. I didn’t go in but the ornate 19th century French colonial style building is worth visiting to simply enjoy from the outside. Continuing my colonial building hunt I walked to the city hall, another beautiful 19th century yellow building.

City Hall is at the top of Nguyen Hue, a street separated into two by a pedestrianised park down the centre. I walked through this and enjoyed dancing along to the musicians practising for the festival which was happening the weekend I visited. As the rain was getting heavier, I spent the remainder of my afternoon café hopping, whilst my photographer went shopping. I had initially planned to visit the Saigon Skydeck on the 68th floor of Bitexco Financial Tower before walking along the riverside, but the weather had other plans and I didn’t think the view would be good in the rain (maybe I’ll visit next time I am in Saigon).   

The café apartments is worth visiting just for the Instagram shot, I love how the soviet style apartment building has became a mecca for coffee lovers (it’s opposite McDonald’s for anyone trying to find it). The best time to visit is after dark because all of the neon signs make the building really stand out. I headed back towards my hotel via another café, recommended to me by my guide, which I spent an hour watching the rush hour traffic go by as the afternoon turned into evening.

My evening was filled up with a visit to a really exciting Vietnamese show. The Water Puppet show was an activity very high on my list of things to do in Vietnam (after trying all of the delicious Vietnamese foods). I was meant to see this show in Hanoi but the city was in a mourning period, so this activity was delayed. But it was 100% worth waiting for. I can only describe this show as Punch and Judy meets pantomime in a swimming pool. It is a mystery how the puppeteers bring their show to life, I think the humans were hiding under the water, but my photographer believes they were disguised as trees in the background. The show takes you through the history, culture and folklore of Vietnam to the sound of traditional music and singing. Unfortunately, some of the stories were lost on me because I cannot speak Vietnamese but I understood most of the slapstick comedy. My favourite scene was “man being chased by some ducks” as the puppets looked as though they were alive. I sat quite near the back of the theatre and had a great view (with the added bonus of not getting wet). I visited Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre and cannot recommend their 45 minute show enough.

After such a thrilling show, I decided I didn’t want to head back to my hotel and instead wandered into “Japan Town” for a Pizza. There were so many delicious looking restaurants but my photographer decided we had earned some comfort food after another day of walking 27,000 steps. The lantern lined lanes in the Japanese area are tiny and filled to the brim with bars and Izakaya, it is so easy to get lost. My aim was to find Tokyo Moon, a renowned cheesecake café, however it proved to elusive and as it was dark I gave up on my search. There are a few hostess bars here (yes they provide many different services) so bars should be chosen carefully or it could turn into a really expensive evening.  

As it was getting late and rather loud, I left the small streets lit by red hues behind and headed back to my hotel (via the festival because I am a bit of a partysaurus). However, we didn’t stay long because my photographer kept pointing out snakes and rats just wandering along the streets near the humans. At this point I decided my hotel room was the most appealing place in Saigon.  

Ho Chi Minh City deserves four or five days to explore fully and enjoy the numerous eateries around the city. Honestly, I was surprised at how much the city had to offer; so much so, I think I would like to return to explore more in the future. Saigon is the perfect place to stop on the way to the Mekong Delta, or on the way to northern Vietnam but it definitely shouldn’t be missed.

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