A Crash Course into South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Nha Trang)
Mekong River, Mekong Delta, Vietnam (ISO 100, 46 mm, f/5, 1/640s)
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Vietnam is a gem. It has a rich history, amazing food, and a plethora of unique towns/cities along its coastline. For most, including myself, it is arguably the best country in Southeast Asia. With cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Hanoi, there is no shortage of things to see and do. You can find a Google map of the places I will discuss at the end of this post.
I recommend you start in Ho Chi Minh City (if coming from Phnom Penh, Cambodia) and work your way north, or fly into Hanoi and work your way south. There are plenty of options for getting around. Driving in Vietnam, especially in some of their bigger cities, can be incredibly stressful, so taking public transport is a wiser option, though may take a little bit more time.
Intercity bus companies like Mai Linh Express and The Sinh Tourist are reliable companies with generally good quality buses. Open tour buses are often hit or miss, and is a hop-on-hop-off bus style concept along the major cities of Vietnam. You can add as many stops as you would like to your journey, but don’t expect to meet very many locals this way, this way of traveling is extremely attractive to backpackers since it is quite cheap.
Mekong Delta, Vietnam (ISO 100, 29 mm, f/4.6, 1/790 s)
Taking the trains is also an option, here is an excellent resource on that.
Also, If you have more time in Vietnam, why not check out the rest of the country? Check out my blog posts on North Vietnam (Hanoi and Ha Long Bay) and Central Vietnam (Hoi An and Hue).
War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (ISO 800, 18 mm, f/3.5, 1/60s)
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Ming City (HCMC), previously known as ‘Saigon’, is aptly named after the Vietnamese revolutionary and politician. The city is a perfect blend of modern and ancient attractions. To sample the food and pick up some souvenirs, look no further than ben thanh market (chobenthanh.org.vn). It is one of the oldest surviving structures of the entire city and is loved by tourists and locals alike.
As far as food goes, you can’t go wrong with vietnamese cuisine. Make sure you don’t leave the city without eating pho (a vietnamese soup in many varieties: pork, chicken, beef, veggie, etc), vietnamese coffee, banh xeo (crepe with pork/shrimp and herbs), goi cuon (spring rolls), and banh khot (vietnamese pancake), just to name a few.
Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam (ISO 800, 21 mm, f/3.5, 1/500s)
There are small temples scattered throughout the city but one that stands out is the Thien Hau Pagoda, located in the ‘Chinatown’ of HCMC.
Two very important stops that should be seen is the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels. The former describes the vietnamese side of the vietnam war conflict and has an especially moving exhibit on the effects of Agent Orange on the local populations. It is a somber place to go but necessary.
War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (ISO 800, 44 mm, f/5.0, 1/64 s)
The Cu Chi tunnels are a network of tunnels used during the vietnam war conflict. Here you can get an understanding as to the conditions that were posed to both sides during the war. To get to the tunnels, take bus 13 from Saigon Bus TDH (or ‘TĐH xe buýt Sài Gòn’ on the map) towards ‘Cu Chi’ (the journey takes a little less than 2 hours).
For amazing views of the entire city and a good night out, wear your sunday’s best and go to Chill Skybar. Drinks are pricey here and you pay for the view but it should not be missed.
Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam (ISO 3200, 18 mm, f/3.5, 1/40 s)
Mekong Delta
Not too far away is the Mekong Delta (October/November and April/May best times to go), which is an excellent way to get away from the busyness of HCMC and immerse yourself in some nature.
Mekong River, Mekong Delta, Vietnam (ISO 100, 37 mm, f/4.5, 1/800s)
Vietnam is located on the mainland edge of Southeast Asia with a population of over 100 million. It has an extremely eventful and tumultuous history over the entirety of its existence but has recently become a popular tourist destination while in Southeast Asia. Some cities to check out while in Vietnam include Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, and Hoi An as well as Ha Long Bay and the Mekong Delta.