Vietnam - one of my favourite detinations in the world!
I started my journey in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) in the south, the largest city in Vietnam. Today, the city is still adorned with wide elegant boulevards and historic French colonial buildings. The majority of these must see’s are located a leisurely walk from each other. The most prominent are the Reunification Palace, City Hall, Municipal Theatre (aka the Opera House), City Post Office, State Bank Office, City People's Court and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Some of the historic hotels are the Hotel Majestic (where I stayed), dating from the French colonial era, and the Rex and Caravelle hotels are former hangouts for American officers in the 1960s/70s.
Great shopping is everywhere, and a huge night market where you can shop for anything and everything from that knock-off Prada bag, to trendy t- shirts for about two dollars (remember to bargain!) with restaurant to suit all palates and wallets! There is night life too with bars and clubs open till the sun comes up for the party goers! A must-do day half day trip is to the Chi Chu Tunnels that were used by Vietcong soldiers for hiding spots ,communication/supply routes, hospitals and living quarters for the communist North Vietnamese fighters in the Vietnam war.
I then travelled to the Mekong Delta, about two hours south-east of Saigon, for a couple of days to experience real Vietnamese rural life – an incredible experience. Travelling by coach, river boat sampan and even bicycle into villages to meet locals who earn their living making bricks and sleeping mats, farming coconuts and using every part of them from the hair, shell, flesh and milk for something. This was a real highlight of the trip for me, to sit, talk, eat and cook with the people of the Meekong delta – an experience I will never forget, including sampling such delights as Elephant Ear fish, and river shrimp!
After a night staying in the amazing Meekong Riverside Lodge (the name describes it perfectly), the next night was spent in Can Tho, the main city in the Meekong delta, where my karaoke skills were well tested till very late (my signature tune is Copacabana in case you are wondering). The Vietnamese love karaoke! Also a trip to the floating market in Cai Rang is highly recommended with hundreds of boats on the rivers selling all manner of exotic fruit and vegetables.
After two days in the Delta, it was back to Saigon to catch a one hour flight up to Hue in central Vietnam, which was the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty, the last ruling family of Vietnam who ruled for 143 years till 1945. There’s loads to see here as you can imagine with its history, including the Imperial City and Citadel, Pagodas, monasteries, mausoleum, and a trip on the Perfume River in a Dragon Boat! I stayed in the beautiful Pilgrimage Village Inn, which is beautifully situated surrounded by tropical vegetation, and has an amazing spa. The Thai deep tissue massage is heaven! Other things I did in the area included cycling around the villages and beautiful rice paddies, visiting farms, tasting the produce, cooking pancakes and making incense!
Next on the itinerary I went on to Danang (two hours’ drive), the third city of Vietnam and home to one of the top ten beaches in the world. Danang has some world class hotels/resorts and is a good base to visit other surrounding areas, and just chill out on its beautiful beaches, swim in the South China Sea and eat wonderful fresh fish and seafood!
About 30 mins drive away is Hoi An (which means "peaceful meeting place") a must see for a day or two, especially if you want any clothes made (including from silk), as tailors will make anything you want overnight and deliver it to your hotel the next day. Hoi An was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 as the old town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the local and foreign influences. In the evenings, brightly coloured lanterns hang everywhere giving the place a fairy tale feel.
So, that’s Vietnam, incredible in so many ways. Call me to find out more!