Vietnam - Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City - April 2013

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is an amazing place to visit.  It is busy, noisy and a total contradiction from block to block.  Things can change from an elite, beautiful city centre around the hotel to a very poor rural area or a shanty town within blocks.  Most ordinary people living in Saigon can only afford a motor bike per family for transport and consequently there a thousands of bikes on the road at any given time all honking their horns as they attempt to pass each other which seems to be the only road rule that anyone takes any notice of  - otherwise it is every man for himself.  To cross the road was a nightmare but if done correctly somehow seems to work.  The rule is to walk into the traffic at a steady moving pace and not to hesitate in which case the bike riders can judge how to miss you (Good luck in most cases).  There are not a huge amount of motor vehicles by comparison with the bikes but there are enough to be wary of oncoming traffic.  The pedestrian crossings are meaningless.  We had our own tour bus to take us around the city so we did not have to cross the road too often.  What amazed me most was the lack of road rage - everyone just blended in, if they were cut off they just found another route.  What they manage to carry on a bike is crazy - everything from live pigs to an extension ladder & plumbing pipes!

As most families have no other form of transport that they can afford it is normal to see four/five to a bike, tiny to small children piled on with no visible means of support or protection.  It is a means to an end and they seem to make it work.  The roads are not in good condition and are very busy.

We stayed at the Majestic Hotel in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City and it was walking distance to the river.  Our rooms were spacious suites with all the modern conveniences including free WiFi throughout the hotel including in our rooms.  (That impressed me no end) The laundry service was reasonable so we could all go home with clean clothes.

The hotel had a bonus for us which was a roof top bar on the 8th floor overlooking the Saigon River.   We met there every night after dinner for a nightcap and a bit of dancing.  The views were spectacular and the entertainment was good.  We ate out every night at different restaurants chosen by our guide. The seafood is laid on and the most popular choice for the locals.  The hotel had a nice rooftop breakfast room which also overlooked the Saigon River and an inground swimming pool.

We did get to do some shopping as well as golfing.  We checked out some silk shops and a couple of shopping centres for clothes and toys where we picked up some good bargains.  The boys checked out the War Museum and said it was a very sobering experience highlighting the horror of wars.

The people of Saigon are very friendly and helpful, polite and in most cases not pushy at all.  I enjoyed my stay there.  Our two hosts Lich and Saphire were excellent tour guides and extremely helpful to us when we were in unfamiliar territory.