Just before lunch we headed to the Reunification Palace in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City. Home to the president of South Vietnam in 1975 when the North’s tanks came rolling in, it’s stood in a virtual time warp ever since. To get to the palace, we walked through the large pale grey gates surrounding it and past an immaculate round lawn where we headed up a flight of steps to the main entrance. Inside, the palace is home to ceremonial spaces, a banqueting hall, meeting rooms, seating areas, a dining room, screening room and even an indoor rockery. And as befitting a presidential palace,…

Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam‘s financial capital. It’s also the country’s most global, most metropolitan city. Otherwise known as Saigon, the city is home to almost 8.5 million people. There’s a noticeable Western influence in the city centre, more so than in other parts of Vietnam, with coffee shops on street corners and a large shopping centre full of well-known high street brands. Our first stop was the Notre Dame Cathedral, an elegant 19th century French-style cathedral covered with red tiles. The cathedral was closed when we arrived, and while it was a shame we couldn’t go inside, it was nevertheless lovely to…

Deep in the south of Vietnam, you’ll find the laid-back Mekong Delta, an expansive network of water famous for its floating markets and traditional way of life. I’d arranged to spend a night in a home stay in the Delta to experience a slice of traditional Vietnamese hospitality and having spent almost two weeks touring the country, I was looking forward to some rest and relaxation. And this was the perfect place to find it. To get to my home stay, which was nestled in the heart of the Mekong Delta, I boarded a boat in one of the waterside towns that was…

The ingenious, sprawling network of tunnels at Cu Chi, 70km north-west of Ho Chi Minh City, were used as a base by the Viet Cong to carry out their guerilla war campaign against the US between 1960 and 1975. It’s hard to describe just how clever and extensive these tunnels are. From the ground, you’d never know there was a series of intricate tunnels under your feet. There’s no indication there’s a hidden world beneath the jungle floor. The entrances are expertly concealed, while the ventilation shafts, that ensured a circulating flow of air throughout the network, were built to resemble termite…

Hidden away in the jungly hills of central Vietnam is the ancient religious complex of My Son. The ruined complex, built by the Cham people, is home to a series of ornate red brick temples. Sadly some of the most striking examples were destroyed by the US during the Vietnam War, but what remains offers a fascinating glimpse into a magnificent ancient culture and the people who built it. Built between the 4th and 13th centuries, the complex of My Son was discovered by the French towards the end of the 19th century and has since been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple complex has…

The ancient trading port of Hoi An is utterly charming and its old town embodies traditional Vietnamese culture, as for the most part, it’s remained unchanged for centuries. In 1999, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the pretty port is the perfect place to spend a few days mooching around – which is exactly what I did. Sights One of the town’s most notable sights is the Japanese Covered Bridge (above) in the old quarter near to the Thu Bon River. The beautifully ornate bridge was built by members of the town’s Japanese community in 1593 and connects the old quarter with the…

On our way from Hue to Hoi An, we stopped off briefly in Danang, a bustling city on the banks of the Han River. The city is home to a majestic golden Dragon Bridge, which apparently breathes fire and sprays water. Sadly the weather was atrocious the day we visited and with the gloomy clouds and lashing rain, it was hard to get a good photo of the bridge (above). It also sadly didn’t breathe fire or spray water while we were there! After taking a couple of photos of the bridge, we headed across the road to the Museum of Cham Sculpture. The…

My main take away about Vietnamese cuisine is that the Vietnamese love to wrap their food. Even if you don’t think it can be wrapped, it will probably be wrapped and then dipped in a sauce before being eaten. Spring rolls, summer rolls, pancakes wrapped around a filling which are then wrapped in a giant lettuce leaf, fish wrapped in banana leaves… the list of foods I had to wrap before eating was long – but tasty! Vietnamese food is very healthy. Think lots of fresh vegetables, fish and grilled meats, rice, noodles and piles of fruit for dessert. Peanuts, for…