Saigon Ho Chi Minh City

With over nine million inhabitants, Hi Chi Minh City is the most populated metropolitan area in Vietnam. This tropical destination has a lot more to offer that trendy nightclubs and chic boutiques. There are many interesting markets, street sides cafes, massage places and traditional shops set amongst the churches and temples which are reminders of Vietnam's colourful past. Like Hanoi, watch out for the motorbikes.

There are two obsessions in this city: scooters and food. The city has eight million people and six million scooters. It is also the mothership of street food. So the only way of exploring (and eating) around Saigon is on a back of a scooter, at dusk,  when tiny stalls are set on the pavements and little dishes magicked up on single rings.

Cu Chi tunnels are located in one of Ho Chi Minh's many districts. They became famous in the 1960s when they were used by the Viet Cong to control larger rural areas and to ambush American troops. Nowadays you can visit two sections of this 250km-long tunnel system near the villages of Ben Dinh and Ben Duco. The tunnels include several trap doors, living areas, storage facilities, weapon factories, field hospitals, command centres and kitcgens.

To see

Turtle Lake