A few days in Saigon

[pjm99au]

Leg 3 of our South East Asian Christmas 25 trip takes us to Saigon after 6 days in the Philippines (Boracay - Movenpick) and 3 in HongKong for NYE - the Four Seasons)

We arrived 18:30 on an ex Cathay Dragon 777 (seven across business) and thankfully we’d paid for the fast track service as immigration was an easy 2 hrs of pain and suffering. Out of the airport in 30 minutes and on our way for the 30 minute drive to the Hotel Des Arts.




And our executive king room

We also have a studio king suite for the 3 boys but that was, as soon as they moved in and will remain, in an unphotographical state. To round out the hotel pictures this is the executive lounge.




There is a bit of a delay to this trip report so I’ll document our day today exploring Saigon in the next instalment.

 

[pauly7]

Hotel looks lovely!

Which fast track service did you use / how did you book?

 

[pjm99au]

Hotel looks lovely!

Which fast track service did you use / how did you book?

The fast track was arranged through the hotel. It was viettravel from memory

 

[MEL_Traveller]

looking forward to the report

Not an ex Cathay Dragon 777. The biggest pax aircraft they flew were a330s (although they leased some Tristars from Cathay 30 odd years ago).

Cathay regional 777s had/still have 2-3-2 recliners in business.

 

[jase05]

It’s a nice hotel and our favourite Accor property in HCMC

 

[pjm99au]

For our first full day we booked a bicycle tour of the city. I find it a great way to get geographically in tune with a new city and you inevitably go to places you wouldn’t ordinarily find. The tour was booked through Getyourguide Bicycle tour. They met us at the hotel and it was very well run. The drivers/riders of Saigon are a bit more aggressive than Hanoi but that is part of the adventure and we always feel safe riding the streets.

First stop the Pink Church



The Post office


Then the Independence Palace and Turtle Lake (the start and end of the Dragon)

 

[pjm99au]

The famous shot of the last helicopter evacuations from Saigon is often attributed to the roof of the US Embassy but it was actually the CIA Headquarters which is now a cafe




Moving on to the War Remnants Museum. I was unsure of this prior to going but it is actually very well done. Quite balanced with a mainly photographic focus and well worth visiting. I unfortunately didn’t take any photos inside the museum building.


The shrine to the Buddhist Monk who set himself alight at this spot in protest of the treatment of the Buddhists under the South Vietnamese Government

 

[pjm99au]

Cycling the streets

A bunker constructed under a house and used to store weaponry used in the Tet Offensive. The weapons were smuggled in inside joinery during the renovation of the house and stored in a bunker below




Pub Street during the day. Closed during the night it heaves but we didn’t go


The Cafe Apartments. An apartment building converted to cafes and bars. Apparently very popular in the socials. A really interesting concept




And to round out the day dinner at nha hang ngon. Quite good Vietnamese with a pretty spectacular fitout

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think the Presidential Palace/Independence Palace is one of my favourite buildings in the world. I love 1960s design, and this is the epitome of that. Stunning building inside.