A day trip cycling with Vietnam Backroads in 2012

The Daniels adventures with Vietnam Backroads

During February, Blake and I jetted off to Ho Chi Minh City, otherwise known as Saigon or HCMC, for a few days. We were extremely excited about this trip, as we both had Vietnam on our lists of places to visit. With a lengthy itinerary in hand- we set off to explore!

Upon arriving, we checked into our first of two hotels during our stay, Hotel Continental Saigon.

War Remnants Museum
Opened on September 4, 1975, the museum boasts a wide array of historical artifacts from the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese viewpoint on the Vietnam War does not bode well for Americans (surprise, surprise) however, as we toured the museum many people from other countries were talking amongst themselves about how there are two sides to the story and this is clearly only one side. This makes you feel a bit better. Regardless, we are incredibly proud of our country and the soldiers that fought in this war.

My Dad served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War.

After touring the museum, we took a walk around downtown Ho Chi Minh. Along the way, we stopped and got massages, (Blake's idea... I love how relaxed he is on vacation!).

Got motorbikes?

Crossing the street is an interesting adventure in Vietnam. Seriously, you are risking your life crossing the street, walking on the sidewalk, or even stepping out of the hotel! MOTORBIKES are everywhere!!! The law is on the side of the motorbikes with regards to pedestrians. Apparently, if you are walking and hit by a motorbike, you are held responsible. WHAT!?? This was crazy for us to believe. But, we quickly learned how to look left, right, behind us, in front of us, and pretty much say a prayer and run! lol... It definitely took some getting used to.

Selling fruit on the street.

Reunification Palace
Reunification Palace is one of the most fascinating sights in HCMC. The building was once the symbol of the South Vietnamese government.

The palace was originally built in 1868 for the French governor-general of Cochinchina. When the French departed, the palace became home for South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem and later President Nguyen Van Thieu.

Notre Dame Cathedral
Built between 1877 and 1883.

Saigon Central Post Office

Opera House
After a long day of exploring the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, and the Opera House- we headed for dinner at the highly recommended Hoa Tuc.

Hidden away from the busy city streets, Hoa Tuc boasts great ambiance with amazing Vietnamese food. We were very delighted with the recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

The next day, we explored parts of the city prior to our trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Yes, we like to have fun... lol.

Rubber Trees
Our drive to the Cu Chi Tunnels from HCMC was about 30 minutes. We enjoyed traveling through parts of the countryside and enjoyed getting to see more of "true Vietnam."

The tunnels of Cu Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels in the Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City. The tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations in 1968. The 75-mile long complex of tunnels at Cu Chi has been preserved by the government of Vietnam and turned into a war memorial park.
The tunnels were used by the Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon storage, and living areas for the fighters.

We learned that the tunnels were kept so secretive and so undetectable that a US military camp was actually built on top of the tunnels. It is hard to believe that the tunnels could be so easily disguised- until you see it.

So, then the guide asked if anyone wanted to give it a shot... Of course, I volunteered. :)

The tunnels are incredibly, incredibly narrow and very short in height. Which, for the Vietnamese is not such an inconvenience considering they are smaller in build.

Actual size of the tunnels,
the tunnels for tourists have been carved out more than the originals.

Air hole to allow ventilation to the tunnels

Bomb crater from a B52
Experiencing the Cu Chi Tunnels!

My Tunnel Runner!

During the tour, Blake and I were given the opportunity to go through the tunnels. At first, I was very nonchalant about it- I don't usually get claustrophobic... so, I thought I would be fine. After all, I was the only volunteer to go underground earlier! Little did I know, I was the first to get nervous in the dark, confined space. It was crazy to think that these tunnels were even more spacious and roomy than the original tunnels- to accommodate tourists. You could crawl through the tunnels about 50 feet or 75 feet. It was up to you- I opted for the 50ft. Our Vietnamese guide, who led the way, was incredibly fast and kept having to wait for us... He must get a lot of practice!

Here We GO!

Here I am pictured in a "real tunnel," 
so the space is MUCH smaller.
Right before I took this picture, 
the guide warned me to look out for spiders... Awesome.
Following our day of exploring the tunnels, we returned to HCMC to head to dinner. Tonight we had plans to try a restaurant called The Refinery. We read about it in several travel books and were hoping for the best... Luckily, it was a WINNER!

The Refinery
Situated near Hoa Tuc, The Refinery also has wonderful ambiance with a great deal of French influence. You truly feel like you are sitting in New Orleans in a courtyard. The atmosphere was very relaxing and allowed us to enjoy some cocktails and reflect on our day exploring the city. Truly a wonderful evening!

Beers were about $3... compared to $12 in Singapore.
The next day, Blake and I had made plans to go cycling on the backroads and countryside of Vietnam. We were both very excited about this adventure and were looking forward to experiencing true Vietnam.

We booked our excursion through Vietnam Backroads- whom we would highly recommend. Here is the link if you are interested: Vietnam Backroads

We were lucky enough to be guided by Van- the owner of the company and an enthusiastic cycler. Our adventure began just outside of HCMC city center in Long An province- and so Van, Blake, and I were off!

We began our biking journey on single track trails through rice fields, vegetable farms, and sugar cane plantations.

Ladies farming the sugar cane. 
They earn around $11 a day.
I asked Van, "why are only the women working in the fields and the men drinking tea?" He laughed aloud and then translated my question to the men and women on the farm... Needless to say, the men thought my question was quite humorous. I ended the conversation by telling Van to tell them, "the men must be too weak to handle the work!" It was all in good fun and I loved being able to converse with them.

Van eating sugar cane.
While we were trying the sugar cane, the farmers invited us to come in and have tea with them- I love that! They were just being polite and opening their doors to strangers... incredible. This is another reason I love traveling and experiencing different cultures.

Weaving baskets and mats.

We stopped in this town and snacked on fresh mangoes. They were by far the sweetest and most delicious I have ever had. Van kept purchasing mangoes and cutting them up for us- finally, we had to tell him to STOP! lol.

Banana & Rice wrapped in Banana Leaf - Incredibly STICKY, but tasty!

Waiting on the Ferry

These guys were very nice and so excited to see Americans, 
they wanted to take pictures with us.

We took a ferry to the Ben Tre province. It was quite an experience taking this little ferry boat down river with motorbikes... But, this is what they do and how they live!

Boarding the ferry!

This little boy works on the ferry. 
I asked him if he goes to school and he doesn't because he must earn money.

Duck Farm
I love this picture.

We stopped at this farmer's house to enjoy fresh watermelon. They were so welcoming they pulled up chairs for us and wanted to visit with us. One young man in particular was trying to practice his English. He would ask us questions about our age or our names, and when we would respond he was delighted and everyone would get excited. Unfortunately, he could not understand when we then asked him the same questions. So, everyone had a good laugh! You have to give him credit though-- he was definitely trying! After we finished the watermelon, the farmers insisted we not pay because they had so enjoyed our company... we were more than flattered but insisted on paying. I continue to be impressed and amazed by the kindness of the Vietnamese people during our visit.

For lunch, we dined on fresh rolled spring rolls with fresh fish and Vietnamese vegetables- delicious! After lunch, we headed for the Mekong River!

Walking through the Mekong village.

Lychee Fruit- so delicious!
We had the opportunity to sample coconut candy at a local candy workshop. The pictures below show the process of creating the coconut candy. We ended up bringing some home with us- YUM!

Later, we tried more homemade candies- I think we enjoyed everything we tasted!

We also tasted fresh honey at a local bee farm and had an afternoon tea.

Finally, it was time for our boat ride on the Mekong River. This was a great ending to a perfect day!

After arriving back in Saigon, we took our tired bodies to dinner... at The Refinery again! We couldn't help it- it is so good!! Here are a few pictures of HCMC at night.

People's Committee Building

The next day, we took in some more sights and did a bit of shopping for souvenirs before catching our plane back to Singapore.

People's Committee Building
Built between 1901 and 1908

Ben Thanh Market
The Ben Thanh market is a massive shopping market filled with almost anything you can imagine. Row after row of vendors on each aisle are looking to sell you their merchandise. And, they are not shy... at one point I turned around and Blake was surrounded by little Vietnamese women holding up clothes to his body- it was hilarious! We had a nice time shopping and Blake loves to practice his bargaining skills.
Finally, it was time to bid farewell to HCMC and head home to Singapore. We were both very pleased with our trip and it was actually one of our favorite trips to date. We are looking very forward to visiting Hanoi, Vietnam later this year. Mekong Delta Bike Tours