Go to a new country, to explore, to experience, to indulge, to immerse.
And yes, I did it! And the country I picked was the charming Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam. I was there for 6 days in March, to immerse myself in its scenic sights, bustling sounds and unique culture.
It definitely deserves its nickname as Motorbike City. There is motorbikes everywhere, at anytime of the day. This was the welcoming sight I set upon when I first arrived there. Talk about order in chaos. According to the tour guides, there is about 28 million registered motorbikes in Vietnam , 28 million! (i hope i get my numbers correct). Can you imagine that? Much more than the population in Singapore. Check out the video we took on the taxi en route to our hotel.
We picked Xuan Mai Hotel as it has good reviews on tripadvisor.com and we did not regret the decision. The hotel, though more like an hostel, has the friendliest service and cleanest room we have ever come across. It’s more like a family-run business and the staff were very helpful in providing advice and services. And the room comes with free wi-fi. Double double bonus!
Enuff said,. I’ll just let the pictures do the talking. Enjoy!
- Tiger Airways – the cheaper way to fly
Had our first dinner at Kim Cafe – recommended by the hotel. Quite popular with the tourists as it’s located at the backpacker’s area and it serves both Vietnamese and Western food.
- Pho – Vietnam’s national dish
Vegetables to go with Pho
- Fried beef noodles – Nothing fantastic
Mr zeRi and I went exploring around the backpacker’s area after dinner. Quite a vibrant place with many ang moh travellers, cafes, restaurants and travel agencies. There’s even a very big park near the area. I love the energy in the park – people exercising; chatting; dancing and rows and rows of motorbikes lined up along the parks with couples on it. Very vibrant.
Next day – Reunification palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office and more!
