We were lucky enough to be placed on the earliest flight from Phú Quốc Island to Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday morning. We arrived at Alagon D’Antique Hotel and Spa in District 1 of the city at about 10:00am. We quickly ate breakfast (pumpkin soup, for me) and Pat went for a hot stone massage, while I had a nap.

After working up some energy, we walked around the city and visited the Sai Gon Central Post Office, next to Saigon-Notre Dame Basilica (the Notre Dame Cathedral). The post office was constructed with French influences in the late-19th Century. It is such a beautiful building. Unfortunately, the Notre Dame Cathedral was undergoing construction, so we couldn’t take a look inside.

The weather in Ho Chi Minh was hot and humid. The air was very polluted and according to the weather app, it felt like 34°. We had to take many pit stops during our site-seeing. The city was decorated with vibrant colours and banners with the words “chúc mừng năm mới”, meaning “Happy New Year”. The Lunar New Year is on Sunday 22 January, so the locals were well and truly preparing for the commencement of the Year of the Cat.

We walked to the Heart of Darkness Brewery – home to a range of local and international draft beer. I ordered a bottle of water, and Pat tried a burger and 6 beers – all very different. Pat had to eat and drink for the 2 of us!

After a couple of hours in the air-con, we walked to Bar Blanchy’s Lounge – a very nice cocktail bar in the heart of District 1. I ordered what I wanted to try and had a sip, then Pat had the rest! This was followed by another cocktail bar (the same drinking arrangement applied). We then had to find a restaurant with Western food to suit my tummy for dinner.

We arrived at Chanh Bistro Rooftop, where Pat chose roast duck and vegetables, while I slowly ate mashed potato and a tiny bit of steak – the longest dinner we have ever had. We had a view of the city and the skyline from the restaurant – it was lovely.

After dinner, we walked to Ben Thanh Market in District 1, but the stalls were closing for the evening, so we decided to go to bed after a big day of 13,000 steps.

On our last day, we woke early to visit the War Remnants Museum, which was a 15-minute walk from our hotel. The museum is heartbreaking and very confronting. It was shocking to see the damage caused in the Vietnam War (which was endured for 20+ years and only ended in 1975), and the images and stories left nothing to the imagination. Everyone who visits Vietnam should visit the War Remnants Museum. This was such an informative and important visit, and Pat and I feel so grateful we were able to attend. We would have liked to have visited the Cu Chi Tunnels (the under-city tunnel system built by the Vietnamese during the war for shelter and weapon storage), but we just didn’t have enough time. It’s on the bucket list for next time.

For lunch, we went to Parsley, another Western-fusion restaurant where I had steak (again) and Pat had four-cheese quesadilla and a pulled-pork sandwich. We sat and chatted and determined our remaining Vietnamese finances, before walking the streets to indulge in our last massage.

Lastly, we visited Ben Thanh Market again, which was vibrant and busy this time, to buy our last gifts for the family and spend our remaining cash. The markets are so chaotic – you really need to get in and get out before you lose your mind.

Pat enjoyed his last Tiger beer at a local pub before we caught a Grab to the airport for our flight home.

Pat and I loved our trip. We wouldn’t change anything (apart from an extra night at Hạ Long Bay, buying hiking boots for the cave trek, and refraining from eating prawns). We would do it all again in a heartbeat and we will definitely return to Southeast Asia. AND yes, we are still in love.

Thank you for coming along for the ride!

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