Ho Chi Minh City was too hot for this Malaysian tourist, but still interesting

The Fine Arts Museum at Ho Chi Minh City. — Photos: Y.L. WONG

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After landing at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, it took us one hour to clear immigration as it was very chaotic. It seemed more like a packed concert hall with limited staff around to guide us than an airport.

During our week-long visit to Ho Chi Minh City, we visited a few interesting places including the Fine Arts Museum, the War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and Vietnam History Museum.

At the Fine Arts Museum, a large number of teenagers were also visiting that day, but they seemed more interested in taking selfies than actually appreciating the art pieces. I guess this was understandable as the museum’s architecture was really stunning, making it a nice place to take pictures.

The Independence Palace was also beautiful but then the heat that day was beyond unbearable so it was really difficult to enjoy ourselves.

At the entrance of the War Remnants Museum, we were greeted by war planes, defused and deactivated bombs, tanks and weapons. Historical photos of the Vietnam War and its effects were displayed on several floors.

We also went to the Ben Thanh Market, a shopping attraction famous among tourists who want to find the best bargains on souvenirs, snacks and other knick-knacks. Because of the heatwave, the place was extremely humid.

You can actually find almost the same stuff being sold at the post office, where we saw numerous tourists mailing postcards.

Though we were impressed with the clean toilets in Ho Chi Minh City, cleanliness on the city streets left a lot to be desired as there was a lot of trash around. Furthermore, we saw some people spitting on the sidewalks too.

Ben Tanh Market is a popular spot for tourists. If you go in the summer, however, things can get a little too humid inside.

Hotpots are very popular; almost an entire floor in a shopping mall was dedicated to hotpot restaurants. Other than that, food wise, we couldn’t really find anything that we hadn’t already tried in Malaysia. We did notice locals eating on tiny stools and super low tables by the roadsides. After asking around, we were told that this unusual set-up is to facilitate running away from the authorities whenever they conducted raids!

There aren’t many traffic lights in the city, but there are tons of motorcycles. Crossing the road here is an experience in itself; just remember that the motorcyclists will expertly manoeuvre their way around you so just walk confidently.

Some Vietnamese can actually speak Cantonese because they learnt it from their elders. This was very helpful to us as we got to find out which good restaurants and shopping malls were better for us to check out.

Here’s a tip to get around Ho Chi Minh City via ride-sharing services: Always send pictures of your location or of a nearby landmark to make it easier for the driver to locate you, as most locals will not be able to read in English.

We saw some water dispensers and empty cups by the roadside, allowing passers-by to quench their thirst. I thought that was a thoughtful gesture, especially in the scorching summer heat.

Overall, we enjoyed the trip. The locals were extremely helpful and courteous. They would go all out to assist you if you are confused about something or appear to have lost your way.

The views expressed are entirely the reader’s own.