Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), often still called Saigon by the locals, is a city on the move; an energetic, hectic, lively city of scooters, cars, buses and pedestrians navigating with skill and precision, in perpetual motion, intersecting at road junctions and roundabouts. 

Trying to cross the street can be a leap of faith. However, stand with locals who are also crossing, and they will guide you across four lanes of traffic with skill, determination, and safety. Regardless of the busyness, it is a city that is full of life and one to explore, enjoy and embrace.

There are many ways to experience and immerse oneself in this city that still retains the influences and elegance of the French colonial era -- especially through its architecture. To feel the vibe of the city, get to know your bearings by touring the city, and go out and meet the people.

Take a tai chi class in a local park, explore the literary history in an old colonial hotel, sample delicious food, discover the French influence of Notre Dame Cathedral, and contemplate the historical impact and the futility of the Vietnam war.

The following experiences will allow you to do just that:

1. Ho Chi Minh on Wheels

A great introduction to the city is to take a motorcycle tour, which seems like an interesting outing when researching tours at home. However, it is quite another thing to be a passenger on a scooter heading out into the early evening swarm of vehicles scattering in all directions and where road rules seem inconsequential.

I am nervously wondering why I thought this was a good idea as I get strict instructions from my very polite female driver not to move left or right but to maintain my balance. And it requires a monumental leap of faith to trust a driver who seems so young.

Soon, we are part of an estimated 7.3 million motorbikes that inhabit HCMC heading over the Thu Thiem bridge, the night lights glistening in the Saigon river. We are surrounded by families packed onto one scooter, mothers cradling babies, a dog sitting with his master on the running board, mountains of shopping, building materials and mobile food services; a moveable feast of culture and I decide that I am, after all, thrilled I booked the tour. My young driver is in complete control and absolutely competent.

As the sun goes down, the evening brings a cooler temperature which is the ideal time for touring seven unique districts. Night crowds of stall holders and food sellers whose heritage and history are woven into the old city appear, the aroma of their cooking hanging heavy in the night air.

A short stop at a market stall is an opportunity to sample Vietnamese street food including a traditional crunchy lemon grass chicken Banh Mi, before we are back on the scooter heading off to view the newer sections of the city. If this is of interest, there are plenty of motorcycle tours which can be booked online.

2. Tai Chi in Tao Dan Park

Centrally located, Tao Dan Park opens early and closes late. Known as “the lungs of the city” with more than 10 hectares of lush green space, the park comes alive in the early morning, waking to the sound of bird life and locals walking, exercising, and welcoming visitors keen to practice the gentle art of Tai Chi.

Wander the park to see the gardens and sculptures, observe the old men sipping coffee, their bird cages nearby or take time to sit under the shady trees. However, don’t be surprised if students approach you to practice their English. It’s a pleasant way to find out about their lives.

The park is a popular place for family gatherings especially during Vietnamese New Year when, dressed in their finery, families arrive for photo shoots at specifically designed locations. The tiny children dressed as miniature mannequins give a victory salute during their photo shoot.

Tao Dan Park is located behind the Reunification Palace, now an historical reminder of where the South Vietnamese President ran his campaign from during the Vietnam War.

3. Dining with Literary Memories

Originally known as the Continental Palace, and strategically situated in central HCMC, the Hotel Continental Saigon retains a distinctive colonial charm from yesteryear. During its history, the hotel has hosted a number of literary greats as far back as the 1913 Nobel Prize winner for literature, Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, although perhaps the best known is the British writer, Graham Greene, who wrote ‘The Quiet American’ during his long term stay as a guest in room 214.

The hotel features prominently in the book and film of the same name. Later, during the Vietnam/American war, it became a hang-out for war correspondents.

Soak up the atmosphere and history of this stately old hotel as you wander the corridors and investigate the hotel’s photographic past or dine at Graham Green’s favourite eatery, Le Bourgeois Restaurant.

Go early for a Vietnamese-style breakfast of rice and noodles or, if you prefer, sample the western lunch and dinner menus to the classical sounds of a piano and violin as you dine.  Afternoon coffee at La Dolce Vita Café offers a cool refuge from the busyness of life in the streets.

4. The French Legacy of Notre Dame Cathedral

In a predominantly Buddhist country, the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, designed in a Romanesque-Gothic style and modeled on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, sits majestically in the centre of Ho Chi Minh’s District 1.

Built by French colonists and completed in the 1880s, this imposing structure contains two bell towers housing six large bronze bells. Listen for the bells that have been ringing out across the city for 135 years, twice a day during weekdays and three times during weekends. The power operated bells can be heard up to 15 kilometres away.

In October 2005, some witnesses reported that the statue of the Virgin Mary, situated in the small garden at the front of the Cathedral, shed a tear down the right side of her face leaving the granite stone discoloured. Thousands of people flocked to the Cathedral to see the supposed miracle leaving traffic jams in their wake and police in attendance. People still arrive in droves to visit the statue. However, the Catholic Church of Vietnam refutes the claim.

The Cathedral has recently undergone significant renovations. Investigate the elegant façade -- a legacy of the French influence -- the beauty of the internal architecture and the small garden where the statue is situated. Open daily, it is just a short walk to the Saigon Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum.

5. A Confronting Reminder of the Vietnam War

Once known as the Museum of American War Crimes, the War Remnants Museum presents an informative documentary of cold hard facts of the brutality of war and the lingering after-effects. While a war museum may not be on everyone’s itinerary, for those who had family members or friends sent to fight in the long and crippling Vietnam War, known as the American War in Vietnam, it is an insight into the harsh realities and the damage war inflicts on everyone.

On display in the outdoor courtyard of the museum is a collection of abandoned American military equipment including a fighter plane, a helicopter, a tank, and a single-seater aircraft.

Presented from a Vietnamese perspective, the museum’s displays of many photographs and historical information is violent and shocking.  It’s hard not to be moved to tears to see the catastrophic effect of Agent Orange on the environment and serious birth defects inflicted on those who have been contaminated and continue to live with the effects of that catastrophe.

It is a well-recognised history of the reality of what the Vietnamese people had imposed on them. While it is confronting, it is also a reminder of the personal cost of the devastation of war. Nevertheless, it is worth visiting. The museum is open daily.

These snapshots are by no means exhaustive; they offer a cultural glimpse into the many facets that contribute to the dynamic way of life in Ho Chi Minh City, and open the way for further exploration.

Header image: © Noina