I have already expressed how much I loved Vietnam. This country surprised me more than any of the other Asian countries I have visited thus far. When I think about Vietnam, I see a flower blooming in a field of weeds. It’s a blossoming country full of love and laughter. There’s hope for the future and each of the cities I visited, big or small are growing economically. This is especially true for Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), also known as Saigon. Once the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina, it’s the largest city in Vietnam. The city is neatly divided in 19 districts, each displaying their unique charm.

We regrettably spent only a week in Ho Chi Minh, but I was lucky to celebrate my birthday there which made the time spent there, extra special. We arrived in HCMC with a direct flight from Hanoi. We decided to stay at an Airbnb away from the tourist traps in Bin Thanh district. We were staying in a recently renovated bungalow that was beautifully decorated by our host Vanessa. By choosing to stay a little away from the main tourist traps we were able to see so much more of HCMC  as well as experience the city as locals would. We rented a scooter from Vanessa’s father, and although he didn’t speak a lick of English it was fascinating (and hilarious) to watch him communicate with David through their language apps. Our accommodation cost 20$ CAD a day and our bike rental 5$ per day. During our stay there, we scooted our way through the many districts of Saigon. I am sure that I would not have had the same experience had I stayed in the popular district 1, also known as the backpacker district. The few times I spent time in this area I found the locals in this area rude and jaded by tourists.

The city itself, has a little bit of everything for everyone. Whether you’re seeking the usual tourist sites such as museums, beautiful architecture, shopping, fine dining, HCMC has it all! We even did a motorbike food tour with two university students and it was such a fun experience. Each of us hopped on their motorbike, and they took us to local eateries. They even took us to a special local hangout spot, that we would have never uncovered as tourists.

Overall, HCMC will remain extra special to me because David went out of his way to surprise me for my birthday. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. ❤️