I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City in elegant Scandinavian style on Viking Cruises’ newest ship, Viking Orion. Our itinerary from Bangkok to Hong Kong included six days in Vietnam, including three overnights in port.
This was my first time to Vietnam and my to-do list was quite short. I simply couldn’t wait to eat a steaming bowl of pho and drink Vietnamese iced coffee.
I know, I know! We can eat pho and drink Vietnamese iced coffee in Australia, but there’s nothing like indulging in your favourite delicacies in their country of origin!
The drive from the port to the heart of the city took some 45 to 60 minutes but I thoroughly enjoyed driving past the French colonial and Vietnamese architecture, particularly all the pastel coloured buildings. I was mesmerised by the organised-chaos of Ho Chi Minh City’s notorious traffic – which apparently includes 8 million motorbikes.
After walking through a courtyard adorned with red lanterns, we entered the richly ornamented Jade Emperor Pagoda, where we were immediately hit with the intoxicating smell of incense. The little rooms and halls of this multi-faith temple are literally stuffed with weird and wonderful deities, both Taoist and Buddhist. The temple is a hive of activity with worshipers and visitors making it feel a little cramped, but we thought this only added to its charm.
A masterpiece of French, Renaissance and Gothic styles, the Central Post Office was well worth the look. It sits across the road from the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was built entirely of materials imported from France and poses a striking resemblance to the cathedral in Paris.
Sixties design fans, like us, will love the retro architecture of the Reunification Palace which was the home of the president of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Located in Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown in district six, is Bình Tây market. We found everything from lacquerware, handicrafts and textiles to fresh and dried foods. After buying a few gifts to take home, we stopped at the food court for a bowl of delicious pho.
As we wandered the streets and side alleys we stopped for many iced coffees, from both cafes and street vendors!
Back on-board Viking Orion, we would meet up at the bar with our new friends for aperitifs to share stories about our adventures of the day. Many people took Viking’s Cu Chi tunnels shore excursion and found it fascinating.
