Ho Chi Minh City, the Former Saigon: The Heartbeat of Southern Vietnam

• Take a morning market streets and eats tour: The markets are best explored early, when the incredible sights and sounds are coming alive, and the iconic Ben Thanh Market with its 100+ year history is the perfect start. You can absolutely do this on your own, but a street eats tour will take you to places you would never discover on your own to sample delicious treats like freshly made tofu, wrap your own spring rolls and try fresh fruit smoothies.

• Explore the city on foot: Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is vibrant, clean and alive. From District 1, you’ll find highly discounted shopping, restaurants and, of course, spas. Don’t miss Dong Khoi Street, filled with luxury boutiques, art galleries and famous sites like the Opera House and the Notre Dame Cathedral.

• Cu Chi Tunnel tour (two hours northwest of city center): For Americans, a visit to HCMC must include learning about the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese point of view. For our family, that education began with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the most fascinating tours we ever encountered. You can even crawl through the narrow network of tunnels at Ben Douc and Ben Dinh where the Viet Cong lived during the war.
  
  In an admitted oversimplification, the conflict that was the Vietnam war rose between the Northern Vietnamese, or Viet Cong, fighting for communism and the Southern Vietnamese fighting for democracy. While it’s nearly impossible to explain the awe and the agony of the Cu Chi Tunnel system the Viet Cong created, it quickly becomes apparent why the southern Vietnamese lost the war.
  
  Up to 10,000 people lived for five to 10 years underground in the intricately layered tunnel system, which was completely dark with minimal airflow. They dug the tunnels while fighting the war, recycling every remnant to make everything from booby traps to shoes. We were allowed inside a small section, and after a mere four minutes, we asked to come out due to the cramped, airless, dark space. It’s simply something you have to experience to fully comprehend..
  

• War Remnants Museum: A couple of hours in this museum will round out your introduction to the war, and will help you understand how the legacy of war still shapes Vietnam today. While some images of war and the horrific effects of chemical warfare are hard to see, you leave with deep appreciation for the sacrifices of everyone from soldiers to journalists and their families that linger decades later.

Day trips

Just two hours' drive from HCMC is the Mekong Delta, a gorgeous region filled with culture, mangroves and rice paddies, best explored by boat.

• Mekong Queen: Our day trip to the Mekong Delta began in the small town of Cai Be, where we boarded our private boat, the Mekong Queen. Onboard, we were treated to tea and fruit trays and stories of the historic waterway. We visited a beautiful ancient house, the Cai Be floating market and many local producers of traditional handicrafts.

• Ride a sampan: The best way to see the narrow canals of the Delta. You’ll be guided by a boatman and likely offered a traditional hat known as a nón lá to shield the sun. The leisurely ride is only interrupted briefly by residents hanging laundry or working on boat repairs along the water’s edge.

• Home Saigon Restaurant: The food and atmosphere in this former home of a South Vietnam president were impeccable. We enjoyed a multi-course menu of traditional cuisine with modern presentation.

• Mr. Kiet’s Historic House (since 1838): Their website says it best: “All of the dishes are carefully cooked according to the taste of the Mekong Delta people, exuding simplicity and sincerity. The skill of the chef has blown soul into the strange but familiar dishes, thereby pampering the most demanding diners.” We enjoyed the fish that was as delicious as it was beautifully presented on our outdoor table.

• Cheo Leo Cafe: HCMC is famous for its stocking coffee, and the iconic Cheo Leo Cafe has been brewing it for more than 80 years. The coffee is strong but delicious, and a must-try in HCMC.