Delicious food, French colonial architecture and history around every corner. You can’t go to Vietnam and not pay a visit to Ho Chi Minh City (also referred to as Saigon).
STAY: Liberty Central Saigon
An oasis in the chaos of the bustling city, Liberty central will give you the feeling of a luxury hotel without the price tag. If the beautifully designed lobby isn’t enough to baffle you (think marble, water features, perfumed air and soft music), the complimentary welcome drink might.
Rooms are a decent size and have beautiful views across the Ho Chi Minh City skyline. If there’s one thing I love at a hotel it’s a well placed arm chair with a view, and Liberty Central clearly saw me coming. The bathrooms have modern marble finishing and showers with glass walls which look on to the bedroom, if you’re so inclined.
The downstairs restaurant and bar serves tasty food, both Vietnamese (pho, bánh mì) and western (the usual club sandwich, hot chips). Prices are cheap and it’s a nice spot to sit and people watch after a long day of site seeing. If you’d rather stay in your pyjamas the room service menu is plentiful and cheap, take advantage of the South East Asian prices!
One word for the buffet breakfast. AMAZING. I’m a tough critic of buffets but Liberty Central delivers. A mix of western and Asian cuisine, you can dine on the usual eggs made to order, pancakes, waffles, fresh fruit and cereal or you might like to try some pho or congee. Something for everyone and sure to fill your belly for the day.
The hotel has a spa and a rooftop pool with sun lounges, but be aware it gets busy! In an odd but fun addition, you can also catch the lift downstairs directly into a cinema box office. Also open to the public the cinema shows new release movies, both Vietnamese and Western.
EAT: Bánh mì
You can’t go to Vietnam without trying this cheap and delicious sandwich. For the equivalent of about $1-2 you can have a traditional pork roll (though chicken and beef are also often on offer) served up in a crusty French style baguette, with pate and some salad. So simple yet oh so delicious. Find them at markets or if you’re wanting to cool down pop in to the chain “Highlands Coffee” for a cheap ticket to air conditioning and delicious sandwiches.
SEE: War Remnants Museum
It’s high on the list for most travellers to Ho Chi Minh, and for good reason. Although at times confronting, the museum delivers a cutting account of the Vietnam war from a local perspective. Outside war planes and tanks are on display, and inside the atrocities of the war are detailed through photographs and video. Visiting the museum can be draining but if you want to understand the city and Vietnam as a whole you can’t skip learning its history.
EXPERIENCE: Navigate your way through the traffic
It is oddly mesmerising sitting watching traffic in Ho Chi Minh city. Entire families pack on to the backs of scooters, people drive by carting impossibly large bunches of balloons and in terms of road rules it seems to be a case of make it up as you go along. Initially the traffic and roads are likely to scare you. The best approach is to walk with confidence and purpose, don’t hesitate or start and stop. The traffic will part around you if you walk steadily and don’t hesitate!
Join the conversation…
Have you been to Ho Chi Minh City? What’s on your must see list? Leave a comment below!
The war museum looks really interesting! I would love to visit here someday. Great photos!
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