Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon (it all depends on who you're talking to) is a brilliant city that belies what most people think of when they imagine Vietnam. People think of jungles and damp rice fields, and while Vietnam does indeed have luscious jungles and rice fields where early morning mist settles in an almost magical way, it also has cities full of vibrancy and life. Ho Chi Minh City delivers for every sense you possess; intriguing sights, unique sounds, delicacies to taste, a multitude of scents, and plenty of goods to touch.
The moment you step into the city, you can almost feel its energy pulsing through you. It is their capital of commerce, the largest city that is filled with people hustling and bustling, goods to be sold, food simmering, steaming, and roasting away, ready to be eaten, and so much more! Keep en eye out for all the motorbikes, as it is the main method of travel on the city streets. If you know how to ride one, you may even be bold enough to try navigating the roads on your own; just watch yourself though. You aren't in Kansas anymore!
Book yourself a hotel and then head out for a nice, long day trip, or catch up on your sleep and strut out when the sun sets for some exciting nightlife. Ho Chi Minh City boasts everything and anything. Markets sell just about anything you might want and then some. Look for hand-crafted items, carefully woven, carved, or hammered out. Be bold and try some of the food cooked right there in front of you, made from fresh ingredients. Due to its proximity to the ocean, merchants have the ability to offer you seafood that may have been caught as recently as that morning.
There are also plenty of little cafes to relax at, unless you want to try a little acupuncture. It can boggle the mind the way such old styles blend in with the new. Markets jostle for room amidst the skyscrapers and lavish hotels. Boutiques with specialized interests sit quietly in neighborhoods while sweet nightclubs boom music into the night once darkness falls.
The city is constantly growing and more than willing to see new people step off the planes and take part in its excitement. It will welcome you with open arms, and it won't be long before you embrace it back completely.
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