When flying into Vietnam, there are two major airports - Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Pretty much one of these has to be your starting destination if you're flying in from anywhere but locally. For me, it was Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh City was formerly called Saigon, but was renamed officially after the revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, although the name Saigon is still widely used. The city has a rich history, used by the Khmer as a seaport in the 17th century, then under French influence until the mid twentieth century, then became the capital for an independent republic of South Vietnam, but today, still remains the largest city in Vietnam as a whole.
With such a varied history, there is a wide mix of influence that shaped the city, making it worth spending a couple of days here to take in those experiences.
DAY ONE
One of the major offerings by tour agencies is to take you on a city tour. There's really no need to go with a tour agency as the major attractions are very easily walkable, so take yourself on a self-guided walking tour of the city.
If you're staying in District 1 (which I highly recommend), then start your tour by the river and head north/west.
First, stroll by Opera House. It wasn't open while we were in Ho Chi Minh, but if it's open while you are there, there is a famous show that is often there called the "AO Show". If it's showing while you're in town, I'd definitely consider going.
Second, stop by Notre Dame Cathedral. It was constructed from 1863-1880 by the French, with all of the original building materials brought in from France. Since this, it has been repaired from damages with tiles that were made in Saigon. Also, there is a huge controversy about the statue of Mary shedding a tear down her right cheek - who knew that stone statues could cry?
Just to the right on the same open square is the Post Office. Not only a great stop to send a shoutout to your family, but the architecture is unique because it was designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower.
Head through the park, where you can probably spot some people doing Tai Chi or even wedding photos being taken. Enjoy taking in the true Vietnamese culture.
At the opposite end of the park from where you enter is the Reunification Palace. Unfortunately, it was closed for a special event while we were there (talk about not getting lucky with closings), but you can go inside for a tour.
Take a break for lunch. We found what we thought was a unique little coffee shop (turned out to be a chain) called MyLife Coffee. Regardless of chain or not, it was absolutely delicious. They have a set lunch menu, which was about $3 USD equivalent, starting with a soup, the most delicious pomegranate tea that I have ever had, and your choice of a main. I had a fall-off-the-bone tender ginger chicken and Thomas had the garlic shrimp and mushroom (both served with rice, of course). We raved about this meal for hours afterwards because it was so delicious. And I forgot to mention, it included unlimited distilled water!
Were spent most of the afternoon at the War Remnants Museum (keep in mind that it's closed during lunch 12:30-1:30). The courtyard out front features planes, helicopters, tanks, and more US artillery from the Vietnam War (AKA the American War in Vietnam). Then inside is three floors of pictures, articles, stories, and more from the war and then describing how the country has been impacted since.
Unfortunately a rainstorm squashed the rest of the exploring that we had hoped to do that afternoon (going to the markets mainly). But, it did cause us to discover a wonderful cafe located across the street for the museum - M2C or Modern Meets Culture. We shared some fabulous deserts and of course, a couple bottles of wine. (P.S. The logo for their restaurant is my monogram).
Of course, grab dinner. Now I wouldn't normally rave about every meal/drink stop of the day, but they were all sooooooo good that they needed to be included. We had dinner at the May Restaurant, because really, where else? MAY in this case stands for "Me and You", what a cute name! Anyway,the food was amazing! We had the greatest appetizer, which was an artichoke and goat cheese spread to put on bruschetta. My main was a perfectly cooked tuna steak, with a mixture of sauces and vegetables that I couldn't identify, but melted in your mouth. Of course, all of this paired with great wines and followed by a chocolate lava cake for desert. NOM.
DAY TWO
Go on a half-day tour to Cu Chi Tunnels. The easiest way to do this is booking it through a tour operator. You have the option to join a group tour or set-up private tour. Private tours take the price from about $27 USD per person to $47 USD per person with our group of five. The nice thing about a private tour was not having to wait on anyone else and always being able to hear the guide. Some groups around us seemed to have more than 20 people in them, making it a challenge for those in the back to hear anything.
During our tour of the tunnels, we were able to watch a Vietnamese Promotional Video for fighting against the Americans, see some of the unfilled bomb craters, crawl into the tunnels just as the Vietcong did, crawl through a series of the tunnels (which have actually been widened for tourists), and for a surcharge, you can shoot some of the war-era guns. (I obviously did not take up shooting guns now). The tunnels were an absolute highlight for me and very enlightening after seeing the War Remnants Museum to understand what the Vietnamese people went through to survive.
After getting back to the city, check out the bar at the top of the Bitexco Financial Tower (after admiring the creative architecture and cantilevered helipad,of course). Drinks are a little expensive, but it's a far better deal than paying to go on the Observation Deck.
The last thing that we wanted to experience in Ho Chi Minh was a true French, multi-course dinner (as one of our traveling companions is a lover of French food). We ended up at Restaurant Le Bourgeois, which is located adjacent to the Opera House. Although the dinner was quite expensive, I have to say, the scallops with lobster moose and a side of potato and bacon croquettes may be one of the most heavenly things that I have ever tasted.
ACCOMODATIONS
The Splurge: After doing a lot of research, I found that District One was definitely the place to be for easy access to walk to the sights and always have great food nearby. So, I chose the Grand Hotel Saigon. I didn't find out about it's rich history until after we were staying there, when we thought it was strange that tour groups were stopping to take pictures of the front of the hotel. It is one of the oldest hotels in Ho Chi Minh, having been started in 1930 and completely restored in 1997. It's interior finishes include high ceilings, grand staircases made of marble, wrought iron railings,and more. We thorough enjoyed the spaciousness of our suite, made ample use of the rooftop bar, and had the most wonderful staff to help us figure out where to go and what to see. We used hotels.com to book, then spotted another deal and got a price-match... So for our 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom suite, including a huge breakfast buffet (for the five of us) - it ended up being $303 USD per night. Not cheap, but not a horrible deal for a five-star hotel either.
The Saver: If you're traveling alone, definitely go for one of the hostels in the backpacker district (meaning the area just south of 23/9 Park in District One). That's where everyone else that I met backpacking stayed and absolutely loved the area for the mixture of hostels, restaurants, bars, and easy access to the bus station. I didn't stay in one, so unfortunately I don't have a particular name to recommend.
IF I COULD DO IT AGAIN...
I would set up my trip dates to attend the AO Show at the Opera House. It's supposed to be a chance to see a mixture of the new and the old elements of Vietnamese culture, music, and dance in a circus-like atmosphere. It displays lifestyles from the village to hectic city life, showing how traditional elements such as bamboo merge the two together.
Also, I would do a day tour or two day tour with homestay out to the Mekong Delta. I heard very mixed reviews from fellow backpackers, so I assume you just have to get lucky with the right tour company. But those who wet said it was a great chance to see life outside of the hustle and bustle of the city. They were able to see the river, take a tour through the floating market and sample foods, try a typical Vietnamese lunch, and even stay in a family compound.
