Marvelous Mekong River Cruise: Saigon
In this sixth of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) as part of her Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River cruise.
In February of 2020 I had the pleasure of sailing on my fourth Avalon Waterways river cruise. The Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River was my first river cruise outside of Europe. This time my adventures took me to Cambodia and Vietnam on the Mekong River. Of the five Avalon river cruises I have done (so far!), this is my favorite. Because there are so many wonderful stops along the way, this series is broken up into several parts. This sixth post highlights the two days I spent in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam to wrap up the cruise.
An Overview of the Journey So Far
My incredible journey on the Mekong River cruise started with two days in Siem Reap, exploring several of the fascinating temples. From Siem Reap we flew into Phnom Penh and boarded the Avalon Siem Reap to begin the cruise portion of the trip. We started by visiting several smaller villages in Cambodia and really got a taste for local life there. Our time in Cambodia wrapped up with two days in the city of Phnom Penh. We then visited several smaller villages in Vietnam before arriving into Saigon.
For more details about my earlier time on this trip, click the buttons below:
Arriving In Saigon
On our last night onboard the Avalon Siem Reap we had a wonderful dinner and fun group celebration in the Panorama Lounge with the full crew. After darkness fell, we sailed past the large container ship port and into the beautiful port of Saigon where we arrived at our last docking location. Saigon is, by far, the largest city we visited on the trip with a population around 12 million people.
The next morning, our final on the ship, brought yet another stunning sunrise. After breakfast we left the ship and boarded a bus into the city center. The entire crew came out and waved goodbye to all of us as we drove away from the ship.
Walking Tour of the City
Once in the city center we headed out on a walking tour through parts of Saigon. Walking past the Rex Hotel and the ornate People’s Committee Building, our first stop was the Opera House. We then saw the sight of the infamous photo of the helicopter landing on the rooftop to collect the last few evacuees before Saigon officially fell during the war. We also walked past the Notre Dame Cathedral, which is modeled after the original in Paris. This bustling city of 12 million people (and 9 million scooters!) has a lot to offer.
Saigon Central Post Office
Across the street from the Notre Dame Cathedral is the Saigon Central Post Office. The gorgeous bright yellow building was constructed in the late 19th century. The interior of the building is also quite beautiful with its tall, domed ceilings and intricately pattered tiled floors. On the interior walls there are two beautifully painted maps from the late 1800s, one of the telegraphic lines and postal routes of southern Vietnam and Cambodia and another of Saigon and its surroundings. There is also a large portrait of Ho Chi Minh at the end of the main hall. While the building still functions as a post office, today you will also find stalls with vendors selling various wares throughout the building as well.
War Remnants Museum
The next stop of our city tour was the War Remnants Museum. Formerly known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, this museum primarily focuses on the American War (what us Americans commonly refer to as the Vietnam War). There are several planes, helicopters, tanks, and other large pieces of equipment around the exterior of the building. The exhibitions inside tell the story of many war atrocities in moving pictures, videos, and other documents. Some of the exhibitions are very graphic and are difficult to see (none of the photos in the below slideshow are graphic). It was a very moving and somber visit which provides some deeper insight into Vietnam’s past and a better understanding of the present-day Vietnam as well.
Rex Hotel
The Rex Hotel, a luxury hotel and bar built in 1927, was our next stop on the tour. During the Vietnam War, the Rex Hotel was the site of the “Five O’Clock Follies”, a daily press conference held by the U.S. military command. The term “Five O’Clock Follies” was coined by cynical journalists, who though the American officers’ optimism was misguided and misleading. The rooftop bar was also known as a spot where military officials and war correspondents would hang out during the war. We had an opportunity to visit the rooftop bar, enjoy the gorgeous views on a bright and sunny day, and sip on a delicious craft cocktail. I thoroughly enjoyed my refreshing “Saigon Beauty” cocktail (vodka, apricot brandy, blue curacao, pineapple juice, and lemon juice)!
Vietnamese Cooking Class
Our final stop on the morning’s city tour was a working lunch at the Mai Home cooking class at the Saigon Culinary Art Center. Here we learned some basics of Vietnamese cooking, including knife skills and flavor profiles. We then prepared our own marinated chicken and sent that off to be cooked.
Meanwhile, we got a lesson in how to create summer rolls. We also had a contest to see who could make the best looking (and most equally-sized!) pair of summer rolls. Spoiler alert: I came in second place!
Next up, we got to enjoy some Vietnamese pho (beef noodle soup). Then our marinated chicken was ready so we enjoyed that with some jasmine rice on the side. We ended with a delicious dessert of a dumpling stuffed with mung bean paste served in a coconut cream sauce. It was definitely a fun and delicious afternoon!
Getting ready to cook 
Ingredients for the ginger marinade 
My chicken ready to be cooked 
The head chef leading us in a toast (she was a hoot, BTW!) 
Knife skills demonstration…he cut the ginger blindfolded 
Enjoying beef pho 
Ingredients for the summer rolls 
Rice paper ready to be filled (using the lines on the basket underneath to keep everything straight and even) 
Our table’s results 
My end product 
Marinated chicken with rice 
Mung bean dumpling with coconut cream sauce 
Second place winner! 
I got a “Talent Chef” crown, and a small bag with rice paper as my prize. We all got a recipe book and certificate as well.
The Reverie Saigon
Once lunch was finished we took a short bus ride to the Reverie Saigon Hotel. This ridiculously (in all the best ways!) opulent hotel was my home-away-from-home for two nights in Saigon. My spacious room was on the 32nd floor, which provided amazing views of the city. I felt very much like royalty the entire time I was there!
Guest Room
Exterior & Public Spaces
A Divine Dinner
That evening we were free to have dinner on our own. While most of the rest of our group ventured out to local restaurants near the hotel, I treated myself to a delicious dinner at the hotel itself. It was a six-course chef’s tasting menu that featured a delicious blend of Vietnamese and French cuisine.
Cu Chi Tunnels
Our last full day in Saigon started with a delicious breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast we boarded a bus and headed northwest out of Saigon to the Cu Chi Tunnels. This is a huge network of underground tunnels used by the VC during the war. The tunnel network actually started to be built in the late 1940s, during the war of independence from French colonial authority. At this time the tunnels were mostly dug by hand. As the Vietnam War began to escalate in the early 1960s, the tunnels were expanded. The full network of tunnels in the Cu Chi district spans over 155 miles (250 kilometers) from the outskirts of Saigon to the Cambodian border.
During our visit here we got to explore a lot of the complex. We even got the opportunity to go down into a few of the tunnels as well! The tunnels we got to go into were relatively larger ones (although still fairly small). The smallest tunnels were not accessible to us, but a local guide demonstrated how soldiers got in and out of them. It was very interesting to see the area and some of the tunnels.
A Refreshing Afternoon Snack
After the morning exploring the tunnels we headed back to the hotel for some free time. I chose to walk around the area a bit and then relax in my hotel room. While in my room I enjoyed the fresh fruit that was provided. The bananas and the passion fruit were delicious and refreshing. I also got to try a new-to-me fruit called a Star Apple (the Vietnamese name is Vu Sua, which literally means “milk from the breast.”). It has an outer peel that can vary from green to violet. When cut, the section can look like a star (hence the English name!). The flesh has a bright, sweet, tropical flavor. It is delicious!
Farewell Dinner
The day ended with our group’s farewell dinner at the Ly Club Restaurant. In this beautiful setting we were treated to yet another amazing dining experience. We had one last opportunity to eat as a group and celebrate the phenomenal trip we had all taken together. It was a wonderful last night together to cap off a fantastic experience!
Dinner included:
- Appetizers: palm heart salad with shrimp and pork, and elderberry minced beef
- Soup: chicken and snow fungus
- Entrée: grilled pork tenderloin with five spice sauce, with egg and rice roll and garlic spinach
- Dessert: coconut and strawberry ice cream
One Last Morning of Sightseeing
Saturday, February 22 was my last day in Saigon. I had a chance to do some final sightseeing on my own in Saigon for a couple of hours this morning before I had to head to the airport. My morning was spent walking through the normally bustling city, which was very quiet on a Saturday morning. I saw some beautiful parks, the Reunification Palace, and the People’s Committee Building (with Ho Chi Minh’s statue front and center). Reunification Palace, also known as Independence Palace, was the home and workplace of the president of South Vietnam during the war. It was the site of the end of the war and the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates. The People’s Committee Building was originally built as a hotel by a French architect but it now serves as a city hall.
Heading Home
After my morning stroll through Saigon I headed to the airport to catch the first of the three flights that would take me back home to Tampa, Florida. I once again flew through the Singapore Airport, which I enjoyed tremendously on my way into Cambodia to start this journey. On this layover I wandered through the indoor Orchid Garden and the open-air Sunflower Garden. By the time I finally arrived in Tampa around 7am local time Sunday morning, the sun was just rising over the horizon. Also, I was delighted to have all of my luggage make it all the way home with me…unlike the pesky missing luggage situation at the start of the trip!
Conclusion
This was the end of a truly life-changing trip for me. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this Avalon adventure, from the first few days in Siem Reap to the time on the ship through Cambodia and Vietnam, and finally these last few days in Saigon. This trip allowed me to look into pieces of Cambodia and Vietnam that few westerners ever see.
Being in such a small group (25 passengers total) was wonderful, as we really had an opportunity to really get to know everyone else. It was a tremendous group of people, several of whom I am still in regular contact with nearly three years after the trip.
But the highlight of the trip for me was the amazing Cruise Director, Sophea. Sophea is everything you want in a Cruise Director and more…attentive, kind, open, pleasant, helpful. But most importantly, he is genuine and sincere, and he made the already amazing trip that much more special. He took such great care of each and every one of us along the way and ensured that everything was perfect. He was a tremendous help working to get my luggage to me, and I can never fully repay him for his kindness.
Links
Click the buttons below for further information about the places I visited in Saigon:
Click the button below for further information on the 2023 Avalon Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River itinerary:
Click the buttons below for the other posts in this series:
