For out final day in Ho Chi Minh City we commenced our ascent to the Bitexco Financial Tower Skydeck located 262 meters above Ho Chi Minh City. The Skydeck is on the 49th floor and offers spectacular views of Ho Chi Minh City and the asp like Saigon River. At the time it was built (2010) it was the tallest building in Vietnam, however it has now been surpassed by the Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower at 345 meters. We spent the rest of the day exploring the city b...

It has been a rainy day in Ho Chi Minh City today with showers for most of the day followed by high humidity. We spent a lazy morning at the hotel recovering from our over indulgences of the last couple of days. In the afternoon we visited Hội trường Thống Nhất - the Reunification Hall (formerly known as the Independence Pallace). Built over 4 years between 1962-1966 this palace was commissioned by the President of South Vietnam to replace the old pa...

This morning we spent our time exploring. It is Sunday Morning, and the city's dynamic has changed from a busy metropolis to a relaxed family destination, with the cities expansive parks spilling over with Vietnamese families. In Tao Dan Park we were treated to the sounds and sites of children singing in the parks, teenagers teaching each other the latest dance moves, mothers and fathers helping their children scramble across play equipment. The smiles were a...

Arriving in Ho Chi Minh late in the day meant that our first taste of Vietnam's capital was during the bustling late afternoon. The traffic and roads can only be described as wonderful chaos: thousands of motorbikes, taxis and busses all colliding at every corner. The rules of the road seem simple, you just keep moving forward and swerve to avoid other vehicles and people. It seems to work a treat. After a 20 minute taxi ride we arrived at our hotel unscathe...