Ho Chi Minh City & Mekong Delta

Still affectionately known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam at its most exhilarating – an intoxicating blend of high-octane modernity, colonial elegance and timeworn tradition. Beyond, the Mekong Delta beckons with its floating markets and slow river life.

Ho Chi Minh City pulses with confidence and contrasts. Here is a city that is one part modern metropolis, full of lively bars, lavish restaurants and high-end boutiques, one part colonial grandee and one part ancient Asia, where incense wafts out of centuries-old pagodas. Colonial façades flank buzzing thoroughfares while cultural landmarks such as Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum shine a light on the city’s storied history.

In Cholon, the city’s historic Chinatown, traditional apothecaries and ornate temples offer a glimpse into another time. Ben Thanh Market brims with energy, while just beyond the city, the Cu Chi tunnels reveal Vietnam’s remarkable wartime resilience.

South-west of the city lies the Mekong Delta. Life here flows to the rhythm of the river and its intricate network of canals and waterways. A highlight for many are the delta’s floating markets, with vendors selling from the bows of their boats as customers paddle from one to the other, haggling and chatting as they go.