Vibrant Vietnam / by Maya Yette

I spent the final month of Remote Year based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I had been to HCMC (aka Saigon) before and didn’t love it – I much preferred the French colonial charm of Hanoi to the north. But, with more than a few days to explore the city and its surrounding areas, HCMC ended up being my favorite of the Southeast Asian cities on our Remote Year itinerary. The food was amazing, it’s easy to get around in Ubers (car or motorcycle) or walk in certain parts of the city and there’s a lot to see and do; this goes for the country as a whole, so please forgive me in advance for the length of this post.

My best friends from home came to visit for New Year’s Eve and in the days leading up to NYE celebrations, we explored the history of Vietnam. On a walking tour with a university student studying English we visited Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Post Office and the War Remnants Museum. We could only see the outside of Notre Dame Cathedral and took a quick peek into the Post Office where a giant portrait of Ho Chi Minh hangs; Ho was the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (aka North Vietnam) from 1945 – 55 and President from 1954 - 1969.

Reunification Palace, aka Independence Palace, was home to the former South Vietnamese Presidents and, most famously, is the site associated with the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. Walking through the halls, everything seems frozen in time as all of the furniture and décor in the various meeting rooms, reception rooms and bedrooms has been preserved from the late 1970s. The helipad on the roof and bombproof bunker in the basement of the building were also very cool to see.

A visit to the War Remnants Museum is a necessary, but sobering, stop on any trip to HCMC. Some of the displays are so one sided that they could more accurately be described as propaganda, but they also effectively convey the horrors that Vietnamese civilians suffered during the Vietnam War. One room is filled with photos of people who were disfigured or born with disabilities as a result of the use of chemical agents during the war. Another powerful exhibit features images captured by photographers from both sides who were killed during the lengthy conflict. In the courtyard outside, there are U.S. armored tanks, artillery, bombs and other weapons as well as model prison cells showing the horrible conditions in which Viet Cong prisoners were held. (The museum gets very crowded during the day, so go early if you can.)

We also took a morning boat ride up the Saigon River to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which the Viet Cong dug and used during the Vietnam War. It is a very touristy site, but pretty incredible to see. Walking through the forest, you would never know that hundreds of kilometers of cramped, narrow tunnels ran beneath the earth. We were able to crawl through the tunnels for about 80 meters where they have been preserved and reinforced with concrete; I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re at all claustrophobic.

After visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels we switched from a boat to motorbikes and headed to the “Little Mekong Delta”. In the countryside right outside of HCMC we visited a farmer named Mr. Phu and had tea before he showed us his rice paddies. There was a temple in the middle of the paddy field to ward off bad spirits and protect the crop. After our walk, we sat and had fresh fruit and coconut water with Mr. Phu’s family and his adorable grandson.

When I found out that I’d be returning to Vietnam during my Remote Year, I knew that I had to take the opportunity to see some parts of the country that I had not on my first visit; namely Hoi An and Ha Long Bay. On New Year’s Day, we flew up to Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam that is also the third largest city in the country. January is rainy season so, unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, but we did get to enjoy one sunny afternoon at the beach.

We also spent a morning visiting the Marble Mountains, which are host to a number of Buddhist and Confucian shrines and have beautiful views of the ocean from various lookout points.

My favorite part of visiting Da Nang was its proximity to Hoi An and, specifically, Hoi An’s Ancient Town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoi An is known for its tailors and leather goods and tons of shops and vendors line the quaint streets. The town is especially beautiful at night when all of the lanterns lining the streets are lit up. Hoi An is also home to Banh Mi Phuong, featured on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” (I can confirm that this was the best banh mi I had all month).

My last side trip of the year was to visit Hanoi, which served as our jumping off point for a cruise in Ha Long Bay, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were torrential downpours the few days I was in Hanoi and it was much colder than HCMC, so our exploration was limited. We did manage to visit the Library Temple, Ba Dinh Square and take a stroll through the Night Market. We also ate at Bun Cha Huong Lien, another Anthony Bourdain recommended restaurant (he really loves, Vietnam), where he famously brought President Obama back in 2016.

From Hanoi, getting to Ha Long Bay takes about three hours by car. Ha Long Bay is beautiful, even under overcast skies, and just two days and one night on the boat, which was surprisingly nice, was not enough. I kayaked for the first time in my life (it’s much harder than it looks!) and we explored some caves on one of the thousands of limestone islands and islets that dot the bay.

Did I mention the food in Vietnam? I couldn’t get enough banh mis or bowls of pho while I was there.

HCMC is also home to some great cafes, in particular L’Usine (both locations) and Au Parc. Some of my favorite restaurants were Propaganda, Secret Garden and Mountain Retreat (owned by the same people and both set on cute rooftops), Pizza 4 P’s and Eon 51 (which has great views from the Bitexco Financial Tower). The Ben Tanh Street Food Market is home to a number of food stalls under one roof with live music and communal tables, so it’s a great place for groups. Finally, check out the speakeasy Snuffbox for cocktails, Pasteur Street Brewing Company for beer and Chill Skybar for a big night out. To find many of the restaurants, cafes and boutiques in HCMC requires walking through unmarked doors, alleyways crowded with motorbikes, animals or both, and sometimes up multiple flights of stairs. But, just when you think you must be lost, you find exactly the place you were looking for or something even better!

At the end of the month, my Remote Year group joined together for a special goodbye party to close out an incredible year traveling together. It was definitely a crazy ride, but I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity, the beautiful people I met along the way and all of the experiences that we shared!

Drone shot of the group at our farewell party in HCMC. 

Drone shot of the group at our farewell party in HCMC.