Traveling Made Fun in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Old Meets New in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is still also given its colonial French name of Saigon, and the French influence really shows in this modern Asian city. With a Notre Dame Cathedral and a fabulously ornate central post office designed by Gustave Eiffel, there’s a definite old-meets-new, East-meets-West vibe here. Famous for its Pho (delicious -and healthy- Vietnamese soup), Ho Chi Minh City is filled with beautiful sights and attractions which range from the indulgent to the daring (a high-quality manicure or spa experience can be obtained for the loose change in your pocket, while lightning-fast motorbike tours through crowded backstreets will definitely make for an experience to remember).
Female Travel Companions while Traveling in Vietnam
Sometimes there’s nothing more liberating than travelling alone – and lengthy trips can work as a form of therapy or self-discovery following trauma or loss. This has proven a popular theme in novels and films in recent times: think of Elizabeth Gilbert’s divorce/travel memoir Eat, Pray, Love, or of Reese Witherspoon’s Oscar-nominated performance in Wild. Other times, though, women may feel a sense of solidarity and companionship in finding a female travel partner or travel companion to accompany them on their trip. From sipping glasses of fermented scorpion wine to bagging bargains at the 3,000 stalls of Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh Market, a travel buddy not only offers someone to watch your back, but also someone to share your new experiences with.
Fun and Safety in Ho Chi Minh City with a Travel Companion
They say that there’s safety in numbers, and it’s certainly true that going around with a travel companion can make you feel more comfortable and secure, particularly if you want to go out and make the most of Ho Chi Minh’s nightlife. Pham Ngu Lao Street is the city’s backpackers’ quarter, and in this area the music and parties continue well into the small hours. Equally, sophisticated times are to be had in the city’s upmarket rooftop bars, and who better to share the good times with than a like-minded travel companion?
Cooking Classes, Architecture & Culture in Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnamese food is undoubtedly amazing, and some of the city’s better cooking classes will take you to local markets to source fresh food, before a local chef shows you how to prepare Vietnamese classics such as summer rolls- and you’ll likely be given a pack to take home so you can recreate the dishes for your friends. If you have a travel blog, you’ll definitely want to write about the city’s museums: the War Remnants Museum offers some serious reminders of the grim recent past for many local people, while Lam Son Square’s colonial French architecture (and great cocktails at the chi-chi Hotel Continental) are a must-see. A travel companion means you’ll have more fun while you take it all in, while a visit to the Thien Hau Pagoda will definitely remind you that you aren’t in Kansas anymore.
A Ho Chi Minh City tour:
