I have been to Hanoi, Vietnam so I was expecting similarities between the same city but I was in for a surprise. I find Hanoi raw and artisanal, while Saigon idealized and processed but in a good way. What Hanoi lacks in international chains, they compensate it with great local products that is less the price of some not-so-good Western chains. While Saigon on the other hand bursts with energy and good chaos and teems with vibrancy and intensity. We had a curfew at 10PM way back when I visited Hanoi in 2008 while Saigon never sleeps. And it's true what they say, Saigon is more commercial. Hanoi is more creative.
Hanoi is the cultural capital of Vietnam with land between rivers and lakes, old living quarters and its four seasons while Saigon is the economic capital, with its fast-paced city life, a progressive financial and business hub, a vibrant nightlife and its two seasons of hot and hotter. I have a totally different experience because they have an entirely different feel.
The people are both friendly -- a little shy in Hanoi but really bold in Saigon.
But this trip is about Saigon so I'll end my tale of the two cities and start with my account of Saigon.
We left Manila via Cebu Pacific at around 1050 PM and arrived at the Tan Son Nhat airport around 1230 AM. There's a 1-hour time difference between Manila and Vietnam. Manila is one hour advance to Vietnam. The flight was on time and unremarkable. Side story: I won a pouch from Cebu Pacific when they had their game.
The airport is ok. Not too big but clean and devoid of crowds when we arrived. Maybe because it was midnight. The first thing we did is to exchange our US dollars to dong (Vietnamese currency). Good thing there was one open even at midnight. You will be shocked by the exchange rate. We were millionaires there. 100,000 dong is equivalent to P207 pesos more or less. But don't be fooled as meals also cost thousands of dong.
I requested our hotel to pick us up at the airport and surely when we arrived, one of the hotel staff was waiting for us. But it took us 20 minutes to leave the airport because we still had to wait for the car. The ride from the airport to our hotel was fast and traffic-free. It took us about 20-30 minutes to our hotel Duc Vuong.
Duc Vuong Hotel
195 Bui Vien, phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Checking in/out was a breeze. Duc Vuong is a lovely hotel at District 1. We were warmly welcomed by the receptionist and bellboy. They helped us bring our luggage to our room and even advised us not to bring our passports when going out just to be on the safe side. There have been some reports and sightings of snatching by some motorbike riders. Uso rin pala ang riding in tandem sa Saigon. Hehehe! There's a safety deposit box inside the room so we just put it there. Better be safe than sorry.
The room is just right for us. Not too big, not too small. We have ample space for the luggage and for moving around. Basic amenities like teapot, refrigerator, cabinet, cups and saucers even hair dryers are provided. Basic toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and surprisingly ear plugs are also provided. They also provide water and coffee and tea which they replenished everyday. The room has a bathtub which also serves as the shower area. The bed is firm but comfortable and we had a good night sleep. The furniture is a little outdated which they can probably update or modernize in the future although the TV screen is LED already. Although there are occasional noise from the outside, it was minimal and manageable and we didn't have any problems sleeping. We have a small window which opens to the next door building so it was not much view.
Buffet breakfast is included in the accommodation and it was quite a spread for the price we paid. We stayed there for 5 days and the food was changed every day so you won't get bored. You can request for eggs and noodle soup (Pho) and they'll cook it for you. They have rice, bread, fresh fruits and drinks everyday. They have chicken, pork, beef and fish and soup. They even have western dips and baguettes. All yummy and flavourful. The staff were very accommodating, friendly and attentive. And the view is quite fascinating --- overlooking District 1.
Another thing that we liked about Duc Vuong are their staff --- attentive, unobtrusive, helpful, thoughtful, courteous, friendly and simply nice. They will help you if you need directions, they will offer their hand if you have heavy loads, they even surprised me during my birthday! When I went down the lobby, I have this big banner and a very cute card and a birthday song sung with the other guests. It was lovely. They even took their time to prepare those things for me. During our last day, we left our luggage and requested to get us a taxi back to the airport. Thank you Duc Vuong Hotel for making my birthday memorable.
They also have a very nice rooftop bar which serves discounted drinks and nice food. The place is very nice and the ambiance is quite romantic.
They have a travel agency downstairs where we got all our hassle-free trips so everything worked out well for us.
We had a great stay and will definitely come back given the chance.
Day 1: Cao Dao and Cu Chi Tunnels
Cao Dao
On our first day, we got the Cao Dao Temple and Cu Chi Tunnel Tour. We were picked up by shuttle bus from our hotel at around 845 AM and went straight to Cao Dao Temple.
It was a long bus ride to visit the great holy see which was built in 1929. The Cao Dao Temple is the birthplace of Caodaism. According to our guide, it was a fusion of 3 religions -- the Catholic, the Muslim and the Buddhism. You can see it in the temple's architecture -- the facade looks like a cathedral, the middle looks like a mosque and the back part looks like a Buddhist temple. They say that they got the good things from each religion and combined it to become Caodaism. We went there at exactly 12 noon and witnessed their afternoon daily mass and prayer. They have 4 daily masses everyday (12 midnight, 12 noon, 6am, 6pm). The colours of their dress represent their place in the hierarchy of the church. It was interesting to find a different kind of religion and observe and experience their devotion to their gods.
We had lunch in a local restaurant at our own expense (not part of the tour). I hope this changes in every tour because we didn't find the food yummy. We were just too hungry not to eat.
Cu Chi Tunnels
After our uneventful lunch, we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The travel time was kinda long. We tried to rest and just enjoy the scenery of rural Ho Chi Minh. Cu Chi is located 60km from Ho Chi Minh and is considered as a heroic district for its role in the anti-American war in Vietnam. It is a huge network of 75-mile interconnected long complex tunnels that were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during the war. The government was able to preserve it and turned it into a war memorial park and a popular tourist attraction. We were able to crawl around in the safer parts of the tunnel and simulate part of how it was during the war. Everyone can experience it as the tunnels had been reconstructed and made larger to accommodate the size of some tourists. The tunnels were made to be tourist-friendly to make traveling through them easier and safer. We also tried the shooting range and fired an AK-47 just for the experience.
All in all, it was a humbling experience, the legendary tunnels just proved the bravery and heroism of the Vietnamese people and their will and determination to survive and protect their families and country.
Day 2: Mekong Delta Trip: My Tho - Ben Tre
Mekong Delta
On our second day, we booked our Mekong Delta Tour and departed the hotel at around 830 AM. It was a 2-hour van ride from the city, we arrived at My Tho and took a motorized boat. We had to pass through the coffee-coloured waters with water palms, bamboo and boat houses, lush orchards of Mekong in order to reach the island where they make coconut candies, soap, oil, everything coconut. You can buy coconut products here and you can have a free taste of their coconut candies.
Then we went to another island where they give you local fruits to taste while they sing a traditional song. We ate longan, pineapple, watermelon, mango and chico. All fresh and yummy.
Then we had a short trek via rowing boat along the small and muddy canal of Mekong. It was a little scary because I felt the boat was a little shaky and the water is so muddy.
But the strength of the lady who served as our rower kept us afloat.
Then off to the bee farm where we had a short encounter with the bees and tasted pure honey. Before leaving the place, we also met a very friendly snake which you can carry and play with.
After that, we went to this resort restaurant where we had our lunch. The lunch is included in the tour package, you just need to pay for your own drinks. The restaurant has a small crocodile farm and you can order snake, crocodile and other endangered species for lunch. The food is just ok but it could be better.
Before going back to the city, we passed by this beautiful temple Vinh Trang Buddhist Temple in My Tho City with 3 really huge Buddha (one standing, one reclining and one sitting). And they are still constructing more Buddha. It was used to be a small hermitage built in 1849. The architecture was of European-Asian influences combining Chinese, Vietnamese and Angkor (Cambodian) styles. This houses 60 precious statues made from copper, wood and terracotta, valuable collection of 18 arhats made from jackfruit tree wood in 1907 and a bell that was cast in 1854. This has provided shelter for Vietnamese patriots and is recognized as a national historical and cultural relic by the government.
All in all, it was an amazing experience. The boat ride in the canal was one for the books. I recommend you try it at least once in your life.
Day 3. City Tour via Cyclos
What better way to experience the city through their traditional mode of transport. We rented 2 cyclos for our city tour and visited the following landmarks:
Caveat though: be careful with your things and valuables and please wear sunscreen as it gets hotter during the afternoon.
Thich Quang Duc
This is a very interesting landmark in the middle of the city. Thich Quang Duc was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who burned himself to death. The landmark which was a memorial to him was the exact place where he burned himself while protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. There were photographs of his self-immolation which has brought them to the attention of the world and has led the Diem government to initiate reforms with the intentions of mollifying the Buddhists but which was not implemented. Eventually, there was an army coup that toppled Diem who was also assassinated.
We also passed by the Pink Catholic Church Nha Tho Tan Dinh (Tan Dinh Catholic Church) which is one of the cutest catholic churches I have ever seen. Too bad we weren't able to stop by for a decent picture.
Next Stop: The War Remnants Museum (Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh)
Entrance Fee: 15.000 Dong
This is an exhibit about the Vietnam War. There are military equipment, helicopters, fighter jets, tankers, attack bombers in front of the building. One section has the graphic photographs of the war as well as the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical sprays, napalm and phosphorus bombs. It is one of the most popular museums in Vietnam. However, there have been mixed reactions about the exhibit. Some say it's blatantly one-sided, some say it's full of propaganda but no matter what people say, this museum is worth visiting no matter who you are or where you came from. It shows the horrors of war, full of emotional images and descriptions. It shows the atrocities that war has brought to ordinary people, civilians, soldiers, children, the severe destructions and casualties. It shows why I can never support war or any war for that matter. It shows how I will always pray that war in any country will never ever happen again. It was a different time, a different era, a different generation, a lot of very bad, horrible and incomprehensible things have happened, of course I pray for justice but let's also pray that all parties can also move forward.
Reunification Palace (Independence Palace) Dinh Thong Nhat
Another famous landmark designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu and the home of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. We weren't able to go inside but this is one spot that has a very interesting history. If you can, please go inside.
Saigon Central Post Office (Buu Dien Trung Sai Gon)
Oh this is the other 'eiffel' designed and constructed by who else but the famous Gustave Eiffel. Just in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral, this neoclassical post office was built when Vietnam was still part of French Indochina. A major tourist area constructed in the 20th century, it was an impressive building in French yellow. The elaborate indoor design, the arched windows and roof, the working phone booths and the hand-painted maps are very reminiscent of French architecture. But don't be fooled by the beautiful facade, this is still a working post office where you can send letters and postcards to whatever destinations. We met Mr. Duong Van Ngo here, the last public letter writer at the end of the wooden long table, who has been working for 22 years writing and translating in Vietnamese, French and English. He's really old already but I guess his passion for writing gives him the strength to still work here despite being old. Bless his heart.
Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (Vuong Cung Thanh Duong Duc Ba Sai Gon)
Officially called the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, this was established by the French colonists between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers with its Gothic and Roman-style architecture. One interesting feature of this church is that all the original building materials were imported from France. We weren't able to go inside as they open at 3pm. But still the facade has a charm of its own.
The Opera House (Nha Hat Lon Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh)
Saigon Opera House is also known as the Municipal Theatre of Ho Chi Minh City and a perfect display of French Colonial architecture in Vietnam. It used to be the home of the Lower House Assembly, and was a smaller version of the Hanoi Opera House. Inside the house, it has a main seating floor plus two levels above. It was our first time to visit an Opera House and it didn't disappoint for a first-timer. I haven't seen Sydney or the other European Opera Houses but this sufficed for now. Either day or night, you can marvel at the very French facade of the Opera and the view didn't disappoint either.
We went here to watch the A O Show (pronounced Ahh Ohh Show). It's a cultural show about Vietnam life from peaceful countryside to frantic city. They used Vietnamese instruments and daily life objects as props which was very distinct and interesting. It showcased a combination of circus skills, theatrical techniques, acrobatics, contemporary dance and choreography and the exotic fusion of contemporary and traditional melodies using unique instruments. It's a one hour show that gives us a glimpse of traditional Vietnamese life and the talented and creative kids of Vietnam. We took the front seats and we had a very nice experience. If you have more time, please watch this. It's worth your money. Take the 6PM slot and you will never be disappointed.
Cho Benh Thanh
I'm not really a fan of markets especially those meant to cater to tourists but this is one iconic building that you shouldn't miss so we went here thrice. First at night when they were closing already, then in the afternoon after our city tour, then at night when they were starting their night market. I just bought some souvenirs and knick knacks here. And because it was too hot at that time, I had to fast track my bartering skills and ended up buying from the first stall I saw. You can check this place for souvenirs, coffee, shirts, nuts and dried goods. Just don't forget to haggle and be careful.
There are universal truisms and generalizations and stereotypes, and there are also exceptions to the rules, I couldn't really capture in this article all the fascinating things and beautiful experiences we had at Saigon. The memories will forever remain in our hearts.
