6 highlights from Vietnam

With its bright lights, historic landmarks, and endless stampede of motorbikes, Ho Chi Minh (formerly known as Saigon) is Vietnam’s largest city. Perhaps unexpectedly, I was much more fond of Ho Chi Minh than I was of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, which I found to be a bit grotty.

Two days proved plenty of time to explore many of the city’s highlights. Of course, there would’ve been more to see, but Ho Chi Minh is also an overwhelming city and not necessarily somewhere you’d come to kick back and relax! Our first stop involved a bus ride out of town to explore the Cu Chi Tunnels.

This extensive subterranean system was dug as a military base and weapon for combat during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). I was astonished to find out that entire underground villages, living areas, kitchens, hospitals, and ammunition storage units were encompassed here. Though, I must admit, I passed on the opportunity to crawl through the tunnels myself!

On our second day, we headed to the War Remnants Museum; an imposing building crammed with artefacts and photographs documenting the effects of war throughout Vietnam’s history. The museum’s main focus is the Vietnam War, but it also covers the country’s 1,000 years under Chinese occupation and nearly 70 years as a French colony.

Photographs of the thousands of casualties and devastating impact of Agent Orange – the herbicide mixture used by America during the war – were completely sobering, and after wandering around for 45 minutes or so, I was ready to leave. Nevertheless, the museum is an eye-opening visit, which provides important insights into Vietnam’s history – so, it’s worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Ho Chi Minh.

Other highlights included wandering the city’s bustling markets, sipping on wonderfully cheap mojitos in rooftop bars, and a particularly delicious crab curry dinner at Den Long restaurant. Our tour of Ho Chi Minh ended with a trip to the city’s famous post office, where we had the opportunity to send a letter back home.