Museums in Saigon

Vietnam has a fascinating 2,000 year history and there is plenty to learn about the country's past and how it affects life today. Sadly, however, while there are some excellent museums in Vietnam not all live up to the same standard - many are lengthy photo galleries with few English translations of the contexts or history behind the photos, leaving the visitor bewildered even if they have some prior knowledge of the subject.

That being said, if you choose the right museums on your trip you can learn a great deal and begin to appreciate more the rich history of this country.

The Museum of Vietnam's History
(Inside the gates of the HCMC Zoo/Botanical Gardens, Le Duan, District 1)
Possibly one of the best museums we've seen in Vietnam, the natural history museum of Ho Chi Minh City manages to chart the country's history from prehistoric times and 10,000 year old artifacts to the wars with China and the numerous dynasties that have shaped the development of the Vietnamese nation over time. There are some fantastic examples of sculpture and art from the Cham and Oc Eo civilizations, statues of Buddhas from across the region, collections of porcelain and art from various historical periods and a even a mummy found preserved in Saigon. The narratives on the walls throughout the museum also go some way to helping the visitor understand the many periods of Vietnamese history, with only a few gaps. Highly recommended.

The War Remnants Museum
(28 Vo Van Tan, District 3)
Practically required viewing for any visitor to Ho Chi Minh City, the War museum is an comprehensive collection of photographs, video and other evidence detailing the horrors of war and the aftermath of unexploded ordinance, agent orange and other legacies of the combat. Remarkably the museum manages to avoid being overly political, instead pointing the finger at the senseless nature of war itself rather than focusing too closely on assigning blame. It is a sombre and moving experience, but it is highly recommended both to help understand what Vietnam went through and as a reminder of the importance of campaigning for peaceful solutions to differences between nations.

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum
(Duc Chinh Street, District 1 - Behind the bus station opposite Ben Thanh Market)
Housed in a beautiful old building from the colonial era, the Fine Arts Museum has an interesting collection of works from both contemporary and traditional artists, as well as a fascinating collection of statues and artifacts dating back as far as the first century AD on the 3rd floor. Well worth a visit.

The Ho Chi Minh Museum
(1 Nguyen Tat Thanh, District 4)
Just over a bridge from the downtown areas of Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi (the traffic is vicious so we'd advise jumping in a taxi rather than walking over the bridge!) on the banks of the river is a museum devoted to Ho Chi Minh. It is set in an attractive building and garden with good views of the river, and contains a potentially fascinating collection of photographs detailing the life of Ho Chi Minh. Sadly this potential is lost as so many of the photos captions, even when translated, fail to explain the significance of events or meetings depicted in photographs, making the experience somewhat bewildering for those that have not already studied the life of Ho Chi Minh (which, of course, most Vietnamese people have)
While the photos themselves are interesting, the museum is not really recommended unless you have a lot of time on your hands or a strong interest (and prior knowlege) in the man that lead Vietnam's campaign for independence.

Can Gio Hairdressers

Known as the 'green lungs of Saigon', the Can Gio biosphere reserve to the south of the city covers around 80,000 ha of the river delta and is cloaked in rich mangrove forest that is full of wildlife, with over 200 species of fauna and 52 flora. This huge mass of green so close to the centre of Ho Chi Minh City helps clean the air of the city, and protect against coastal erosion and storms coming in from the sea.

The mangrove forest in Can Gio was originally over 2000 years old, and so dense that the interior was cold, foggy and dark, and full of dangerous animals such as tigers and crocodiles. During the war the mangroves were a dense hiding place from which to launch attacks on the city, which both the Vietnamese and Americans found extremely difficult to penetrate or patrol. Sadly this lead to the Americans dropping a huge amount of chemical defoliant or dixoins on the area, significantly damaging the mangrove forest, in an attempt to maintain control.

Now the mangrove is beginning to recover and is protected by the government and international law, and there are efforts to reintroduce much of the wildlife that fled the area. It is a great place to visit from Saigon, whether as a day trip or for a longer stay - there is a resort to the south with a pool and small (though slightly muddy) beach.

I loved Can Gio, and have been back several times since - it is particularly special as when you live in Saigon it seems you must drive for hours to escape to the countryside, yet just an hour south is this beautiful, thoroughly rural nature reserve. You can make the trip by motorbike - through District 7, then south through Nha Be until you cross the Nha Be river by ferry. From there head south through Can Gio to head deeper into the mangroves. We took a boat trip to explore by water, stopping off at some nature reserves and spotting all kinds of wildlife, and I can highly recommend it.

Another option is to take a ferry to Can Gio from Bach Dang wharf in Saigon, which will take you down the rivers and canals to Can Gio - I've not done this trip but I expect its a great option for those without bikes - or to book a tour of Can Gio, either locally or online through Isango.

Its worth noting that Can Gio is the poorest district of Ho Chi Minh City, with most people making their money from fishing and catching crabs, so while you are there do try to spend some money in local shops and food stalls, tip your guide or boat crew and if you like the area, consider staying in one of the hotels or guesthouses in the region.

I forgot my camera when we took a boat trip, so my photos are mainly of our bike ride round the north of Can Gio province - you can see some good photos of the mangroves on flickr - and of the sea shore on the other side of Can Gio at Phuong Nam Pearl Resort.

Saigon

Saigon
Saigon photos


While it may not be the capital of Vietnam politically, you only need to spend a short time in Saigon to see how it the pace of change in the south is shaping the country. The largest city in the country, with over 6 million inhabitants (and over 8 if you count temporary residents), Saigon is a crowded, fast, noisy, and overwhelming place at first. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find there is an energy and vibrancy to the city that can be very infectious.

Brimming with life, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC or Saigon as the majority of its residents still call it) offers a great deal for travellers and expatriates alike. There's a great deal to see and do, and no shortage of delicious treats to eat, whether at top restaurants or equally delicious street stalls for a couple of dollars.

The pace of change in the city is staggering - on a daily basis buildings are pulled down so newer, shinier ones can be erected in their place. In around ten years the city went from a city of 3,000,000 bicycles to 5,000,000 motorbikes, leading the Saigon's very unique brand of traffic. Now car use is on the rise gridlock threatens to set in, but it is yet another reminder of how fast lives are changing in HCMC, and how more and more people are working their way out of poverty.

Yet with a closer look you can find beautiful old buildings as well as striking new ones, cool, calm cafes with gardens that are set back from the road to give you a moments rest from the madness outside, relaxing spas and cool pools to swim in.

There's also a number of great day trips that can be done from the site, whether to Tay Ninh mountain and the Cao Dai temples in the North West, the famous Cu Chi Tunnels where the resistance launched sneak attacks on the US forces based in Saigon, boat trips to Vung Tau, the Mekong Delta or to Can Gio, the huge area of mangrove swamps to the south, known as 'the lungs of the city'.

Sapa

Sapa
Sapa photos






One of the most famous tourist destinations in Vietnam is the mountain town of Sapa, near the base of mount Fanxipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam / South East Asia. Famed for the beautiful terraced rice fields that cling to the sides of the hills, Sapa is a spectacular place to explore and a great option for those who would like to experience a taste of life in the highlands.

The town itself is perched on the side of the mountain, and many hotels have stunning views out across the valley below. The weather can be unpredictable as clouds roll up the hill, at times shrouding the whole town in fog, but even when cloudy the views can be stunning as you catch glimpses of the landscape as the cloud lifts before it once again vanishes into the fog.

Sapa can get very cold so come prepared - many hotels offer log fires in your room should you wish to warm up after a long days exploring. There are a number of walks you can do from the town unsupervised, allowing you to explore much of the countryside - but should you wish to venture further we recommend recruiting a good guide who can take you through forest paths to locations you would never otherwise find and help you understand a good deal more about the local flora and fauna, as well as preventing you from getting lost!

Treks to the top of Mount Fansipan can be arranged in Sapa itself - this is a fairly tough climb that will normally take 4 days and can be subject to the weather. Many shorter excursions can also be arranged and guides are happy to customise a trek to your wishes and ability.

Sapa is also famous for the unique culture of the H'mong people who live in the hills near the town. Their colourful clothing and handicrafts are a wonderful sight and you may well see produce from Sapa on sale as far away as the Mekong delta. Many of the H'mong will visit Sapa to trade in the market, which is a great place to see their crafts without intruding too much into their village lives.

Vung Tau

Vung Tau
Vung Tau photos


While Vung Tau may not be my favourite place in Vietnam, it makes for a very quick escape from the city. With a ticket on the hydrofoil from Ho Chi Minh City costing just over $10 and taking just over an hour you can escape the big smoke and be on the beach long before you go stir crazy.

Despite a slightly seedy reputation its not a bad place to get away when you're short on time and can't face the journey to Mui Ne. Once a popular destination for the colonial French the town is overlooked by a huge statue of Jesus on top of a nearby hill, similar to the one that looks out over Brazil.

The town itself looks out onto a pretty harbour full of brightly painted blue fishingboats typical of southern Viet Nam.

To the right of the bay is a road that snakes around the coast beneath Jesus' feet, leading to a huge long beach bustling with fellow escapees from Saigon, where there are many restaurants, cafes and hotels.

If you follow the road to the right you will find a far quieter bay, with two huge statues on the hill - one of Mary holding Jesus, and further down the coast a huge statue of Buddha.

Food, drink and accomodation in Vung Tau is all pretty cheap and there are some great deals to be had. There is also a wide range of accommodation from high quality hotels to cheap guesthouses and homestays which can be had for under $10 a night.

Hue

Hue
Hue photos








Hue is the ancient capital of Imperial Vietnam, where the Nguyen Lords based their government during their reign over Vietnam between the 17th and 19th century. It remained the national capital until 1945, when Bao Dai (the collaborator king) escaped into exile and Ho Chi Minh declared independance from France in Hanoi.

As a result the city of Hue and its surroundings are covered with impressive monuments, temples and palaces. Despite suffering from its central position during the Vietnamese/American War it truely deserves its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, as everywhere you go there are impressive buildings jumping out of the countryside - to say nothing of the imperial palace of Hue itself.

While the city of Hue is developing, the residents of Hue are reknowned for their traditionalism - even the young feel it is their duty to preserve Hue's customs, traditions and architecture for generations to come. They are known throughout Vietnam for the way they speak Vietnamese, their traditional style of dress and their food, which without a doubt is some of the best Vietnam has to offer.

The emperors used to demand the very best delicacies, and thousands of special dishes were developed to satisfy their tastes. The result is a huge selection of light, delicate and immaculately crafted dishes, designed to allow the emperor to eat at leisure, each one unique, and deliciously individual yet not so heavy as to prevent him trying more dishes.

The city is split by the Perfume River, with the imperial city and markets to the North and the newer buildings of the city of Hue to the South. Hue remains a relatively small town, and getting around is easy enough, whether by bicycle, cyclo or motorbike. (though thankfully motorised vehicles are banned from inside the Imperial city)

While the Imperial city is a fantastic place to explore, your visit to Hue would not be complete if you didn't explore the huge array of tombs, temples and ruins in the countryside. The best way to explore is to hop on the back of a motorbike and let the driver take you to his favourite sights - as you pass through the countryside you will see many more beautiful old building leap out of the paddy fields.

You can also spend a beautiful day taking a boat trip up the river, and while it is possible to see several monuments and pagodas from the water's side, we highly recommend joining a motorbike driver for a drive once you have made your way up the river, to see more of the scenery. The countryside around Hue is stunning and made all the more magical for the sights you will encounter.

Hoi An

Hoi An
Hoi An photos





Hoi an is a charming little riverside town famed for its beautiful old buildings, its narrow, quiet streets and its history as a merchant trading post. As the citizens of the town grew richer from trading with China, Japan and the rest of Southeast Asia, they spent their money on building attractive houses and pagodas.

It is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, and rightfully so. The architecture in the town is beautiful, the atmosphere relaxed and the food fantastic. There is a long beach not far from the town and plenty of shops and tailors within the town that encourage travellers to stay for a while.

Despite the high numbers of tourists Hoi An manages to retain its charm - perhaps many of them stay hidden away inside the many hotels and resorts that fill the town. The main evidence is the number of shops and tailors lining the central streets, but even this doesn't detract too much from the atmosphere.

In fact, many people come to Hoi An specifically for the tailors - reknowned throughout Viet Nam for their skill and value for money, they can produce just about any garment to order, be it a suit from $50, a copy of your favourite piece of clothing or a reproduction of a dress from a photo in a magazine.

The tailors are great value but it does pay to look around - examine the quality of the samples in their shop, and try visiting stores a little further away from the main tourist streets.

There are also a number of workshops in Hoi An for people who would like to learn to cook Vietnamese food, or perhaps to make their own silk lantern in the Hoi An style, which you can take home as gifts for friends and families.

Most of all though you can find a lot of pleasure in strolling around the quiet streets (as motorbikes and cars are banned from many of them), sitting quietly by the river, visiting museums and merchants houses and generally taking life at a slower pace than you might elsewhere in the country.