Ho Chi Minh City, previously called Saigon or Sài Gòn had a name change after the end of the US-Vietnam war in 1976. With Saigon having been the seat of the south Vietnamese government the US influence is very obvious here and the city is very different to other big cities in Vietnam like Hanoi and Da Nang. With its size and international influences on the city it felt more like “the”a capital” than Hanoi did.

This post contains affiliate links to things like tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. Every affiliate link is marked with a *.

Trigger warning for human cruelty the gallery under the “War Remnants museum” paragraph.

Overview of a trip to Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon

• Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
• What to do in Ho Chi Minh City
• Places to see for free in Ho Chi Minh City
• What to eat and drink in Ho Chi Minh City
• TLDR, show me a map with everything important

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City

I listed several options here, from renting a room aroung 25€ per night to luxury hotels starting at 150€ per night. With each I listed to pros of the different accommodations.

Christina’s – Hotel & Café* is an affordable choice, with clean, modern rooms and lofts, with ensuite bathrooms, balconies and comfortable community spaces like a rooftop terrace, working space and a kitchen right in District 1 of HCMC. I stayed with them in Hanoi in 2019 as well and can wholeheartedly recommend them. You have your privacy as a solo traveller without breaking the bank, but can still meet people in the community areas.

Leiden Homestay & Cafe* is located as ideally as Christina’s, in the middle of everything you should see that I listed below. It is a little more expensive, but the rooms are also more spacious.

M Village Nguyễn Văn Thủ* is perfect for longer rentals as some rooms come with a kitchenette and are similar to serviced apartments.

Mai House Saigon Hotel* is the mid range choice, more expensive than renting a room, but also with the amenities of a hotel: a rooftop pool, room service, a concierge, gym and breakfast options.

For a more luxury experience choose La Siesta Premium Sai Gon* or New World Saigon Hotel*. Both are located near the centre and they are on top of several lists of the best consumer voted hotels in Saigon.

What to do in Ho Chi Minh City

Even though it is not the current capital city of Vietnam Saigon has had as much of a rich history as Hanoi, maybe even a more turbulent one. Within the city and it’s surrounding areas you can find many well curated museums as well as places of historical and cultural importance.

Museum of Ho Chi Minh City

The Museum of Ho Chi Minh City is located inside the Gia Long Palace. When the impressive baroque villa was built in 1890, during the French occupation, while south Vietnam was still known as “Indochina”, to house the Museum of Commercial Trade.

During and after 1945 the palace had many different designations, from housing governmental and military headquarters of the Japanese, US and south Vietnamese to becoming the official residence of the Premier of the State of Vietnam, then later the temporary residence of the Prime Minister.

It became the “Ho Chi Minh City Revolutionary Museum” after the country was unified in 1978 and renamed to its current name in 1999.

Parts of the former palace and museum are in disrepair, but I hope with Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City becoming one of the top travel destinations in Asia they will recieve the funding to improve on it in the future.

History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City

The History Museum of Ho Chi Minh City doesn’t only cover the history of the city (as the museum mentioned above does), but rather of the country and neighbouring cultures, from the prehistoric period to the Nguyễn dynasty that ended in 1945.

Independence Palace

The site has seen French occupation (twice), Japanese occupation, the “Republic of Vietnam”, a coup d’état and not one but two wars that were decided right on its doorstep. If only walls could talk…

The building you can visit today was built in in 1962 to replace the old palace, which had been destroyed by dissident nationalist south Vietnamese fighter pilots. It was once the home and workplace of the president of the Republic of Vietnam until the end of the Vietnam war. Today you can visit it as a museum and learn about the life and politics of the time between 1868 and 1975.

In 1975 after the end of the US-Vietnam war it was renamed to Reunification Convention Hall. Today both names are used frequently.

The Independence Palace is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City, read more about why I think that here: Visiting the Independence Palace in Saigon

War Remnants Museum

While you can find a military museum in any bigger city in Vietnam the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City is of a different caliber. The museum expands over several floors and buildings, as well as a fenced in courtyard with military equipment. Several permanent and temporary exhibitions range from the First Indochina War, up until the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.

Internationally the museum is considered controversially. As for my own opinion: everything government funded is by definition propaganda. That is no reason not to visit and expand your horizon and knowledge to then form your own opinion.

Ten Thousand Buddha Temple

The temple is four stories high, but hidden at the end of an alley so it is usually not frequented by tourists. The walls of the temple are covered in thousands of small Buddha statues, while two big ones reside in the middle. Behind them is a giant statue of a plant bud, surrounded by local folklore characters depicting good and evil.

Places to see for free in Ho Chi Minh City

Cafe Apartments – This nine-storey apartment building was built in the mid-1960s to house military and government personnel and it did for many years. The transformation into the building it is known as today, filled with small cafes and shops didn’t happen until the 2010s! Today only the stairways remind of us of the original purpose of the building.

Saigon Central Post Office – A remainder of the French colonial period of southern Vietnam / Indochina, this impressive old building is still in use as a post office today! A lot of the inside is covered by souvenirs and advertisements for tours and events, but the ceiling, floors and some walls still tell of the splendor and exclusivity it once had.

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon – Finished in 1880 (1895 when you include the towers) this cathedral was built to give French colonists an area of worship and spread the catholic belief within the colony. All building materials were imported from France: the outer bricks are from Toulouse, the original floor tiles from Marseille and the stained glass windows from Chartres! Nowadays a lot of it has been replaced (because, oh wonder, a European building style doesn’t last in tropic climate)

Tan Dinh Church – Also known as the pink church for obvious reasons is another catholic curch in Saigon worth a visit. The inside is also pink!

Cà Phê Đỗ Phủ – This cafe harbours a secret in its basement: During the Vietnam war it served as a hideout and shelter for the Viet Cong operating within South Vietnam’s capital. Communist sympathisers met here, weapons were stored, some of which you can still see today. Since it was a secret hideout the basement isn’t easy to access, you have to walk through a wardrobe and trap door!

Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment blocks – These apartment blocks, some of the oldest still standing in Saigon, were built in the late 1800s, during French occupation. Today they are as much of a marvel as they once were, but for different reasons. Every block is like it’s own little village, with families of five and more staying in two bedroom flats, living above shops, schools, cafes, workshops, businesses and markets. As with other old apartment blocks in the city, the future of this part of history is uncertain.

Ho Thi Ky Flower Market – This market, made up of several streets and alleys, as well as hundreds of flower shops and stands with thousands of flowers and flower arrangements is one of the oldest flower markets in Saigon. The streets are breathtakingly colourful and the smell of the flowers covers up the smell of the city for the most part.

Củ Chi Tunnels

The Củ Chi Tunnels, originally built during the French occupation and later enlarged and used more extensively during the Vietnam war can be visited at two locations Ben Dinh and Ben Duoc. Both are relatively close to Saigon.

The two locations are very different from each other: Ben Dinh is the more touristy one, while the area around Ben Duoc is much larger and more extensive. I recommend visiting the tunnels with a local guide*, to get background knowledge and historical facts about the tunnels and their importance in the Vietnam war.

If you want to read in more detail about the tour, click here: Cu Chi Tunnels – Tunnel systems of the Viet Cong

What to eat and drink in Ho Chi Minh City

I linked all of the mentioned foods in the map at the end of the blogpost.

Bò Né from a streetvendor in an alley at Hẻm 36 Trần Hưng Đạo. Bò Né translates to sizzling beef, which is exactly what it is. Beef, sausage, pate and an egg, served on a sizzling hot cast iron pan, served with banh mi bread, veggies and greens. This is my favourite south Vietnamese breakfast!

Bún thịt nướng, rice vermicelli, spring rolls, sliced veggies, peanut sauce, pig skin crackers around Binh Tay Market.

Sticky rice from a food stand at Phùng Hưng market. When I was there they were at the end of the market, on the corner to another street. You can choose your toppings. During a food tour I got to try all of them, my favourite ones were quail egg, pork floss and mung bean paste.

Dim Sum at Há Cảo Kiều Ký, also near Phùng Hưng market.

Grilled banana in sticky rice, with coconut cream “Chuối Nếp Nướng” from a streetvendor at 378 Võ Văn Tần. This was my favourite lunch. It has the perfect portion size, is located between many of the things you’ll want to see in Ho Chi Minh City and isn’t too heavy.

Of course you can also have many different Bánh Mì in Ho Chi Minh City. My favourite was the standard one at Bánh Mì Hồng Hoa (it is the more touristy one, but my stomach was feeling much better than after the one at Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa, which was the most gigantic Bánh Mì I’ve ever seen.). Close by is another street vendor selling the popular sandwich as well called Bánh Mì 37. Since it was close to my homestay I also stopped at Bánh mì Bùi Thị Xuân quite often, especially in the mornings before tours.

If you are vegan, or just want to try Vietnamese food, but vegan, you can eat at Vị Quê Kitchen. Their mushroom Bánh Mì was delicious and not more expensive than one from a streetvendor. The fried tofu had an amazing texture as well, but I couldn’t really get on board with the cilantro dipping sauce.

After meeting a family from Mumbai in the History Museum they recommended me a restaurant with authentic and absolutely amazing Indian food: Baba’s Kitchen Restaurant. Since it will be some time until I can get to India to eat there I went and wasn’t disappointed. You should definitely try their Paratha with your meal.

In the evening hours the area around Turtle Lake turns into a street vendor hotspot so you can try many different meals in one spot.

Bò Lá Lốt is one of my favourite street vendor foods, because you can almost always safely eat it. Minced beef is wrapped in Betel leaves and grilled. It’s good with rice vermicelli, herbs and rice paper, but honestly it’s also great on it’s own.

Sugarcane juice is a delicacy you can find all over Vietnam. Often with street vendors who freshly grate the sugarcane to extract the juice. It is usually served with ice and Kumquat, to cut through the sweetness. Despite being made from 100% sugarcane it is not too sweet.

The most delicious lemon ice tea at a cafe with immaculate vibes at S’mores Saigon. Also try the Oolong Latte and Creamy Drip Coffee.

A wonderfully decorated cafe with delicious drinks is Tonkin Cottage Coffee and Eatery. This cafe in the middle of an apartment block is a quiet oasis within this bustling city.

While Cong Ca Phe can be found all over Vietnam there is another coffee chain in HCMC that really stood out to me: Cheese Coffee. I loved their Salt Coffe and Golden Boba Crepe Cake. This was my favourite Cheese Coffee location, it is great for people watching and editing your pictures while enjoying your coffee and cake. But there is another location that really stands out: Cheese Coffee – 15 Pasteur. The interior is beautifully decorated and very different from the other locations.

Boba, made to your specifications (ice level, sugar level, boba level) at KOI Thé. My favorite was the one close to the Cafe Apartments.

The best thing to do in a new city, in my opinion, is taking a food tour with a local guide (not a travel office tour) to taste the best food spots. I went on a Breakfast Food Tour in Saigon with Saigonhappytour. They introduced me to some of the foods shown above and showed me where to get my favourites in this huge city.

Map of my trip to Ho Chi Minh City

How to read the map: In the first layer light blue are museums and places of historical importance, dark blue are buildings of religious or cultural importance. In the second layer light green are restaurants, dark green are street vendors and orange are cafes. You can open the menu on the top left and choose the layers of the map.

You can save the map to your Google Maps for your trip to Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon by clicking here.

Der Beitrag Ho Chi Minh City – Top travel destination in Asia erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

This post contains affiliate links to things like tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. Every affiliate link is marked with a *.

Overview of a trip to Da Lat

• Where to stay in Da Lat
• What to do in Da Lat
• What to eat and drink in Da Lat
• TLDR, show me a map with everything important

Where to stay in Da Lat

When I planned my stay in Da Lat I picked a small apartment with a kitchenette to save on food costs. Although the place had great reviews I found it lacking on all fronts except safety. I did feel safe from intruders outside, but the amount of different bugs and the mouldy and rank smell I had to deal with inside made me cancel the stay halfway through.

Slightly panicked I researched a new place to stay and saw on booking.com that the place that had been my second choice still had availability. So I hopped on a Grab Motorbike Taxi, asked about the room rates and the following day (that night I was staying on a coffee farm) the dad of the family that runs the Da Lat Stream Hotel* came to pick me and all my luggage up for free. I stayed in an inner room which was quite humid (not their fault, it was the beginning of rainy season), but it was also very quiet, which was amazing.

You can cross-reference them against other hotels:

What to do in Da Lat

If you aren’t looking for a romantic getaway, but still want to explore Da Lat and the surrounding countryside here are some other things you can do on your trip.

Explore Da Lat with a local

If possible I always try to spend a day with a local in any new place, nobody knows their city as someone who has grown up in it after all. In Da Lat I met Anna, who offers a tour of Da Lat on AirBnB Experiences. I had a lot of fun with Anna, walking through the town at sunset and hearing about culture, agriculture, food and drinks of Da Lat. We went to many places and had delicious food I haven’t had anywhere in Vietnam before. My favourite was the “Vietnamese Pizza”. It was an excellent start to my time in Da Lat! It felt like I was exploring the town with a friend

Palaces, Museums and the French Quarter

Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam had palaces built in Da Lat, or took over the villas of rich French colonialists. Those palaces were used for living and working in Da Lat. Two of these palaces, located in and around the French Quarter of Da Lat, can be visited today.

Bao Dai Palace 1

The Palace 1, formerly the villa of a French millionaire colonialist, is located at 01 Tran Quang Dieu Street, Ward 10, Dalat City. This palace is built in the style of French country houses around 1930. The area around the palace is 60 hectares wide and covered by flower gardens, sculptures, stables and a lush pine forest.

After the reign of Bao Dai, while Ngo Dinh was President of the Republic of Vietnam the Palace was used by him and expanded with tunnels and working rooms for more personnel and military officers. The palace was used as the resort for the heads of state until 1975. In 2014 the palace was renovated and restored to how it looked during Bai Dai’s reign.

Bao Dai Summer Palace 3

The third Palace, built in the art deco style, is also known as the summer palace and located at 01 Trieu Viet Vuong Street, Ward 4, Dalat City. This Summer Palace was used by King Bao Dai and his family to live in and work in when visiting Da Lat. This palace felt way more living- and family-orientated, with different bedrooms for the emperor, the empress (4th picture), the crown prince (first picture) and the couples four other kids. The kitchen (3rd picture) was also very big and set up to cater to a family and guests.

Lam Dong Museum

The museum of the province Lam Dong is situated in it’s capital city Da Lat. It is a general museum covering local history, science and art with over 15,000 artifacts in it’s exhibitions:

• Nature of the Lam Dong Province
• Da Lat then and now
• Archaeological findings in Lam Dong
• Typical cultural features of indigenous people: Mạ, Cơ Ho, Cho Ro
• Lam Dong Province during French Colonization and the war for independence
• Lam Dong Province during and after the US-Vietnam war
• The “Thousand Flowers of Dalat” with typical flowers of Da Lat such as Roses, Hydrangeas, Orchids, Lilies, etc. preserved by Japanese technology

Da Lat Train Station

Da Lat Train Station is Vietnam’s oldest railway station and dates back to Vietnam’s colonial past. Even though it is not an active part of the national railway anymore, there is still a vintage train departing from it several times a day.

Architecturally, the building itself is a mix of old French railway stations and traditional Vietnamese communal houses. Its three triangular roofs were modelled after the three peaks of the nearby mountain Langbiang.

Domaine de Marie

The Domaine de Marie is a church made out of pink limestone in Da Lat. Like the train station it combines French and Vietnamese architecture. It is an active Catholic convent with a nunnery that provides schooling for local children, but it is also a popular picture spot for tourists and locals alike.

French Quarter

During the colonial time of French rule over Vietnam Da Lat was hailed as a tourist destination. Many rich French people had villas built within a pine forest on a mountain slope, providing a calm atmosphere while still offering great views of the valley. Today the view is mostly gone, since the city of Da Lat has expanded into the French Quarter as well, but the architecture of the villas still reminds of the old times.

Canyoning and Alpine Coaster

If you are the type to seek an adrenaline rush instead of history and calm culture (not looking down on either, I do both) you can go on the 2,4 km long alpine coaster that takes you from the parking lot to the Datanla Waterfalls main area or go canyoning (including rappelling, abseiling and using a waterfall with a raging current as as water slide) within the same waterfall system.

Both are thrilling experiences that will get your blood rushing. But along the way, you also get to see breathtaking nature and bond with the other people in the group. More about it here: Canyoning in Da Lat.

Check-In at a photo op

One of the most popular things to do in Da Lat is to check in at a photo op park, or visit certain spots in the town which are set up as the ideal photo backgrounds. People flock to these places in crowds, dressed up and even queue for the chance of taking the perfect picture.

Lam Vien Square is one of those picture spots in the city, with two illuminated modern glass buildings the area on the banks of Xuan Huong Lake get crowded in the late afternoon. Other check in parks include Mongo Land (a theme park with photo ops, giant slides and picnic spots), Da Lat Mushroom Village (a farm/theme-park around mushrooms), Da Lat Lumiere* (a light and art installation) and many others.

Use code LNYVNATT5 to get 5% off selected Vietnam Attractions on Klook

Da Lat is also called “the city of flowers“, after a government effort to increase local and foreign tourism to the city. While I was there most flowers weren’t in bloom yet, but depending on when you go they might be. Here is a current list of the flower gardens of Da Lat.

Take a self guided tour to the Truc Lam Monastery and the Clay Tunnels

The area around Tuyen Lam Lake south of Da Lat is a perfect day tour destination. Reachable from the city by the Da Lat Cable Car this scenic landscape has something for everyone: breathtaking nature, panoramic views across the lake, the beautifully restored Truc Lam Buddhist Monastery, options for kayaking or SUP, check in photo parks and an open air art gallery in the form of the Clay Tunnel.

You can explore most of this area in half a day to a day and you don’t need to book a tour to do it, more on that here: Self guided tour to the Clay Tunnels and Truc Lam Monastery

Overnight farmstay in the Gia Lâm Commune

On AirBnB I found a farm stay that offered a one-day experience with an overnight stay included: Elon Farm. I messaged them and after talking to Jenny I decided to book a day with her at the farm. I got the experience of the full process of growing coffee, processing the coffee beans, roasting coffee and making several delicious cups of coffee with her.

After a family style lunch we rode bicycles around the village and Jenny showed me a silkworm farm and silk factory, we stopped at the nearby Linh Ẩn Pagoda for sunset and ventured up close to the Elephant Waterfall.

More details about it here: Elon Farm – Experiencing Coffee and exploring the Gia Lâm Commune

What to eat and drink in Da Lat

Da Lat has another nickname: “the city of eternal spring”, since it is a mountain town with mostly temperate climate. Surrounded by many different farms and plantations Da Lat has developed a rich cuisine that is quite different from the rest of Vietnam.

I linked all of the mentioned foods in the map at the end of the blogpost.

Something you will find all over the city and in many different forms and variations are Xiu Mai = Meatballs. My favourite version was Banh Mi Xiu Mai: Baguette with xiu mai and egg. Another version is Baguette served with the meatballs in a broth with, pork skin and Vietnamese pork ham.

You can also find Xiu Mai in the sauce for Banh Can = Mini Pancakes, similar in the cooking method to the Dutch Poffertjes, with different savoury fillings. I tried Banh Can with egg and with egg and beef at different places. The pancakes themselves weren’t that different from each other, but the sauce is usually a family recipe and can change the overall taste of the dish drastically.

Baked rice paper (banh trang nuong): This is a savory snack made by grilling a thin rice paper topped with a variety of ingredients, including minced meat, dried shrimp, sausage, scallions, and herbs. This crispy, savory, and slightly sweet snack is perfect for enjoying on the go.

With many avocados growing around the city Da Lat is one of the prime spots for Kem bơ = avocado ice cream. You can get it from many street food vendors or at the market, there it’s usually mixed with milk or coconut cream, like at Thanh Thao Dalat. At Chạm, an ice cream chain from Da Lat, the avocado ice cream is made from only avocado, served with different toppings like caramelized coconut, avocado slices, clear boba and milk foam.

Mulberry is another fruit that is grown in large quantities around Da Lat. While the leaves are used to feed silkworms the berries are made into jam, juice or preserved in sugar. Something I’ve seen here a lot in cafes is mulberry yoghurt.

Da Lat is also home to not one but two big milk enterprises: Da Lat Milk Joint Stock Company and Vinamilk. The milk from here is sold all over the country and is internationally certified. From this milk the famous Da Lat Yoghurt is made. It is sweet, without added sweeteners and a lot firmer than Yoghurts you are used from from the EU or USA.

Steamed thin rice pancake (banh uot): This special kind of pancake is made by steaming a slightly fermented rice batter on a cloth that is stretched over a pot of boiling water. These thin rice pancakes are often eaten with fish sauce, fried shallots, and cha lua (Vietnamese pork sausage).

Da Lat Wine is sold all over the country and comes in three variations: Dalat wine – Premium, Dalat Red Wine and Dalat White Wine. It is less intense and less sour in flavour than the French versions and goes very well with heavy foods.

It almost seems wrong to write this, but one thing you have to eat in Da Lat is French Toast. At Trangs Cookery, a restaurant specializing in all day Breakfast and a small number of hand picked Western dishes I had one of the best French Toast in the world. It was so good I went there five times in total during my two weeks in Da Lat.

What began 2010 as “planting, processing and trying to sell the green coffee beans” flourished into La Viet Coffee over the following years. Roasting their beans inhouse, this Da Lat based Coffee Roastery and Café now sells speciality coffee all over the world and has five locations all over the country. At La Viet you can try different coffee blends with different brewing methods, or choose from their menu of cold brew cocktails (coffee instead of alcohol) like a Mulberry Lemon Cold Brew or innovative coffee drinks like Lavender Milk Coffee.

Map to Explore Da Lat

How to read the map: The map has three layers: Basics, To Do (nature spots, pagodas and churches, historic buildings and museums, photo-spots and shopping opportunities) and Food & Drink (street vendors, restaurants and cafes). You can open the menu on the top left and choose the layers of the map.

You can save the map to your Google Maps for your trip to Da Lat by clicking here.

Der Beitrag Explore Da Lat – Between tourism and agriculture erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

Da Lat Cable Car

Taking the cable car from Robin Hill in the south of Da Lat City to Truc Lam Monastery is the best way to reach your destination, while enjoying great views of the valley below.

Opened in 2003 this 2.267 meter long Cable Car is equipped with capsules of different colours, holding up to four people. In comparison to the Fansipan or Ba Na Hills Cable car it doesn’t feel very modern, but that creates a “retro” feeling while you are riding it.

You can easily reach the Cable Car station by a Grab taxi, then buy a round trip ticket. The round trip ticket is cheaper than two single tickets. Once you reach the top station you exit, take the stairs to the right and exit right in front of:

Truc Lam Buddhist Monastery

In the 1990s Vietnamese government started to invest in the restoration of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen School and Truc Lam Zen Monastery. The complex was opened in 1994 and pagoda has since been working on combining different Zen schools in the world into Vietnamese culture and Vietnamese Zen. It is still an active monastery, despite being a tourist destination at the same time.

Usually the monks and nuns stay in the internal area of the complex, but I did have the pleasure of meeting one of the monks in the monasteries public library. We talked a bit about my country of origin, Germany, as well as Vietnam and the spread of religion in both countries.

The name “Truc Lam” means “Bamboo Forest”, which is fitting since the monastery is surrounded by over 20 hectars of protected forest.

Crossing Tuyen Lam Lake

Tuyen Lam Lake is a man made lake, created as a reservoir covering an area of 350 hectars. There are kayaking and SUP tours you can book to explore the lake, but a walk around the lake to its many viewpoints is also a popular activity, especially during sunset.

You can also book a motorboat to take a tour on the lake. The price of the boat depends on the number of people, so it is better to find others to take the tour with. By yourself you’d pay 400k for the boat. With one more person each will only pay 200k. If you don’t want to just cruise over the water for 30 minutes you also have the option to use the boat to get from point A to point B. We went from the Monastery to the Clay Tunnel, paid the boat captain 200k to wait for us for an hour, then went back to the Monastery from where we took the cable car back.

Clay Tunnel

Best known on social media for one specific art piece (two stone heads, facing each other, surrounded by greenery and looking out over a small lake – the title picture) the Clay Tunnel has more than 200 sculptures made from clay.

The park is divided into different areas: history of Da Lat, landmarks of the city and province, local animals, war planes, trains and motorbikes. At the end of the park, it’s newest addition, you’ll find the “Covid-19 park”, with many sculptures relating to the pandemic.

Is the Clay Tunnel worth a visit?

I’d say yes if you

1. like taking pictures,
2. like sclptures or
3. are interested in different art forms and how a culture represents itself through it.

If neither is the case, skip this attraction.

Should you go on a tour or visit the Clay Tunnel by yourself?

I recommend doing this tour by yourself, it’s both cheaper than picking a countryside tour or booking a driver for a day (since you’d have to pay the driver and the admission tickets) and you can take as much time at each destination as you like.

• 32k for the Grab taxi to the Cable Car
• 150k for the round trip Cable Car ride
• Free admission to the Monastery
• 200k for the boat ride
• 100k for the boat to wait for you
• 120k admission to the Clay Tunnel
• 32k for the Grab taxi back to the city

634k VND ~ 23,5 €, I haven’t found a tour online that covers the same places, only countryside tours and those start at 41€.

Der Beitrag Self guided tour to the Clay Tunnel and Truc Lam Monastery erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

Elon Farmstay and Coffee Experience

While staying at the farm I got to visit one of their plantations and Jenny showed me how they treat and process the beans from the coffee they harvest. I learned more about speciality coffee, which is the base of the third wave of coffee we are in worldwide.

I got a mini chemics-lesson before roasting my own batch of coffee (I got to take home!) and learning how to pour a proper Vietnamese pour-over coffee. The result was so sweet and fruity that I drank it black, even though I usually drink coffee with milk or if it’s iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk.

When you stay with them you can explore the farm and village with them for free, and when you explore the farm and village with them you can stay with them for free. So either choice is a good choice Despite the bedroom having no windows I felt safe from bugs since the bed could be wrapped in a mosquito net tent.

Silk Farm and Silk Factory

After an amazing lunch, Jenny took me on a bicycle tour around the village. First, we visited her aunts’ house who raises silkworms. Jenny explained their lifecycle to me and how the family has to feed them fresh mulberry leaves as those are the only ones the silkworms will eat. The silkworms can be farmed four times a year. At the end of their lifespan, they make cocoons. The finished cocoons then get sent to the silk factory.

At the silkworm factory, the cocoons are separated into three stages. The first is turned into rough silk for blankets and rugs. The second is turned into the soft and delicate silk you probably know, the third is the husk around the shrunken silkworm and used for animal feed. The dead silkworm itself can be dried or grilled for a snack, too.

Interesting fact: the byproduct of cleaning the coffee beans before roasting is burned as fuel in the silk factory.

Linh Ẩn Pagoda & Elephant Waterfall

Perfectly timed for sunset we arrived at Linh Ẩn Pagoda, from where you have a gorgeous view of the nearby elephant waterfall. A 12,5 meter high Maitreya statue towers over the courtyard of the pagoda. After taking in the beautiful sunset views we explored the surrounding area more, going to places you could never access on your own.

Many people told me they were disappointed by the Elephant Waterfall, but all of them had been there after the beginning of the rainy season when the river swells with water and carries a lot of trash to the waterfall which accumulates at the bottom of the fall. I was lucky enough to be there two days! before the first rainfall in six months and it was simply breathtaking.

Elon Farm Coffee Experience Da Lat

You can book an day with Jenny at Elon Farm here: Coffee day from farm to cup and exploring countryside life

Included in the tour price are the pick-up and drop-off in Da Lat City, all meals, lots of coffee admission to the silk factory and a private room for the night.

Der Beitrag Elon Farm – Experiencing Coffee and exploring the Gia Lâm Commune erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

This post contains affiliate links to things like tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. Every affiliate link is marked with a *.

Alpine Coaster at Datanla Waterfalls

The alpine coaster at Datanla Waterfalls in Da Lat is 2,4 km long and very fun to go down! You have to get down to the waterfalls anyway, so you might as well go the fun way!

Originally I was going to go to the alpine coaster myself and spend some time at the waterfalls, but then I saw that this is some way out of Da Lat city, so organising transport wouldn’t be easy. Then I found that the canyoning company I had chosen offered a tour with both things combined and the tour with the alpine coaster included was just the price of the ticket more expensive than only canyoning.

The car can go quite fast, but you have to be mindful of the people in front of you. If you get too close there is an emergency break. I tried to go slow on some lengths to be able to go faster on others, but the two guys behind me went at full speed constantly so I was forced to move.

On the way back up I had more opportunities to go at the speed I wanted, since most people spend at least an hour in the tourist area of the waterfalls.

Tourist Area of Datanla Waterfalls

The tourist area of Datanla Waterfalls is pretty and more extensive than I thought it would be. You can easily spend an hour here, look at the natural beauty or take a picture at one of the photo spots. I only spent 15 minutes, since I had somewhere else to be. But in those 15 minutes, I almost had the place to myself since it was so early in the morning.

Canyoning in Da Lat

Then it was time for the main event(s): Canyoning in Da Lat*, in the area of the Datanla waterfalls.

At the base everyone got a wet suit, water shoes (if you didn’t bring your own), a harness and butt protector, gloves, a helmet and a swimming vest. Then Tony explained how to use the ropes and harness to stay safe before everyone had to go down a 5-meter-high practice wall. I can tell you: My legs already wanted to give out. But I did it, then did it again and again and again.

First half of the tour – cliffs, zipline and waterslide

After practice, we walked straight through the sightseeing area and behind the main waterfall until we reached an edge. Our first time doing “real” rappelling of the day was down a dry cliff of about 18 meters beside the big waterfall that everyone takes pictures in front of. I guess I ended up in a few people’s vacation shots. When you reach the bottom of the cliff you just let yourself fall backwards into the water and pull yourself across to avoid the rocks at the bottom.

To “relax” after this climb, there was a zipline next up. Which was even worse for my fear of heights, but turned out to be quite fun. Mainly because you go down the roughly 40 meters backwards, so you don’t have to see the ground, or in this case the river, rushing towards you.

The actual relaxing part for me followed after the zipline: when we were floating down a lazy river in our life jackets. It felt like I was a lizard on a log, living my best life: unbothered, moisturised, thriving. 

Next up was what our guide called a “water slide”. That’s when you lie down on top of a waterfall and then slide down into the water, where you will be pulled under for a few seconds. This was honestly my second favourite part. And we got to do it twice!

Sky Waterfall – Highlight of the canyoning tour in Da Lat

The official highlight of the tour is the “sky waterfall”, which is 25 meters high and a real challenge to rappel down. About halfway down the water of the waterfall is only going up to your knees, but once you go over the edge the descent drops to 80 degrees and the full force of the water hits you. That’s when the helmet comes in handy!

Second half of the tour – abseiling

After the big waterfall, we floated down another lazy river, this time deep enough to swim if you wanted, until we got to the last stop of the day. A waterfall aptly named “washing machine”. This fall is 14 meters high and when you abseil into it (hanging freely, not climbing down the wall) it will spin you around underwater until you don’t know where is up and where is down anymore. You can hold your nose closed, just keep your elbows close to your body.

Before we could take off the wetsuits and shower we had to hike back up the hill the waterfalls were coming down from. At the end of the trek, we were picked up on the highway by the van.

Once back in town, we got a delicious lunch and one of the pictures they had taken of us during the day as a printed and laminated souvenir.

Recap of my canyoning tour in Da Lat

I chose a tour that combines both the alpine coaster as well as the canyoning* (on GetYourGuide* / on Viator*) in Da Lat. Originally I had planned to go to Datanla and do the alpine coaster on my own, but since the canyoning also took place in the area of Datanla waterfalls I thought “I’m not coming back here, so I should do both in one”. Which turned out to be a good choice, since the day after I went there a tree fell onto the alpine coaster and it was closed for the rest of the week.

There are also two options to do just the canyoning: This one by Viet Challenge Tours* on GetYourGuide and this one by Highland Sport Travel* on Viator. Go with your gut on which one to pick.

This tour was the most expensive one I went on so far in Vietnam, but to be honest I am happy to pay if that means safe equipment and insurance. And it was so very worth it. I felt like I was in good hands with experienced guides. It was scary but also fun. And the lunch and pictures we got afterwards were a cool bonus!

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I will first touch on the history of this place, if you aren’t interested in that and only want to know what to consider before your visit and if and why I think this place should be on your itinerary click here to scroll down to that part.

History of the Independence Palace

Disclaimer: This is a short version of events that happened at this location in the last ~140 years. By no means do I claim that this overview will give you a comprehensive understanding of the political intricacies behind these events. If you want to know more, read up on it from several sources to avoid a version steeped in propaganda from either side.

The get the full insight into the history of the Independence Palace in Saigon you can visit today, you have to go back to 1868. Ten years after the French invasion of Vietnam the French authorities built a governmental seat in Saigon. Back then the headquarter of Indochina (what the French colony of southern Vietnam was called back then) was called the “Norodom Palace“.

Near the end of WWII Japanese forces overthrew the French and set up their headquarters in the Norodom Palace as well. Half a year later the Japanese (along with the Germans, etc.) lost the war and the French returned to occupy their colony once more.

Following their defeat in 1954, at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the French signed the Geneva Accords and withdrew from Vietnam. The then established “State of Vietnam” was recognized as a sovereign country by 88 other nations.

As a representative of the Saigon regime Ngô Đình Diệm renamed the Norodom Palace to Independence Palace. A year later he deposed of the former head of state and “last Emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty” Bảo Đại, established the “Republic of Vietnam” and proclaimed himself president.

The building you can visit today was built in in 1962 to replace the old palace, which had been destroyed by dissident nationalist south Vietnamese fighter pilots, who tried to assassinate autocratic ruler Diem, his brother and advisor Ngô Đình Nhu, and the rest of the nepotistic ruling family.

Under the the Ngo families rule Catholics were favoured over Buddhist in all aspects of life: Promotions within the army and government facilities, tax concessions, business favours, business contracts and more. This lead to tensions within the population and eventually wide scale protests. During such a protest in June 1963 a Vietnamese Buddhist monk set himself on fire on a busy intersection of Saigon, to protest the mistreatment of his fellow Buddhists.

In August of the same year the ARVN Special Forces under orders of Ngô Đình Nhu raided and vandalized Buddhist pagodas across the country. Thousands of monks were arrested and the death toll was estimated to be in the hundreds. At the same time concerns over the handling of the North Vietnamese Communists and Viet Cong threat to South Vietnam, by Diệm, let to further turmoil.

These tensions in all levels of the population and government eventually lead to a coup d’état, where a group of high ranking military officers overthrew the government in a CIA backed operation. Following these events (and they are much more complicated than I could ever write here, seriously, read up on it) the south of the country was ruled by several military juntas.

In 1965 former Air Marshal Nguyễn Cao Kỳ became prime minister (you can see still his office today). Then in 1967 Nguyễn Văn Thiệu became president, after winning an election and stayed president after the 1971 elections were subjected to new legislatures which effectively made it impossible for any of his opponents to be elected. It is reported that he did many of the same things that lead to Ngô Đình Diệm being overthrown in a coup Thiệu had been part of, namely nepotism.

Then it was the home and workplace of the president of the Republic of Vietnam until the Fall of Saigon. On the 30th of April 1975 the 30-year-long US-Vietnam-War officially ended when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through the main gate of the Independence Palace. The unconditional surrender and transfer of power to the Provisional Revolutionary Government was broadcast all over the radio.

In 1975 the conference for national reunification was held at the Independence Palace and it was renamed to Reunification Convention Hall. Today both names are used frequently.

What made it so fascinating to me is not only the importance of this place in recent Vietnamese history, but the fact that you can learn about history and everyday life. There are meeting rooms, convention halls, banquet tables, but also a shooting range in the basement, as well as the well preserved white Mercedes Benz as one of the government vehicles.

In which other museum is the bathroom of significance? Look at that bathroom and tell me you’ve ever seen a more 1960s bathroom. It’s like that meme “tell me your bathroom was build (in the west) in the 1960 without telling me your bathroom was build (in the west) in the 1960″. My aunt has three bathrooms in her house. One is entirely terracotta, one is dark brown and one is apple green. 1960s bathrooms in Europe and northern America just looked like that.

Norodom Palace Exhibition

When visiting the Independence Palace in Saigon, don’t miss our on the Norodom Palace Exhibition, which is on the grounds of the Independence Palace in a two story French manor. Event though it is accessible with one only extra ticket you can see two exhibitions here:

• Sài Gòn life under French rule

• the rise and fall of the Ngô Đình Diệm administration

Right after you enter there are several pictures and information on the construction of the Norodom Palace, then in the next hall are six short movies, created from drawings, newspaper articles, old photographs and even old films. Underneath are headphones you can use to listen to the movies, both in Vietnamese and English. Each has a different topic showcasing life in “Indochina” under the French rule. One shows the establishment of tram lines within the city of Saigon and the plans the French had for the city, if they hadn’t been forced to leave.

One floor up the walls are lined with columns showcasing the life and work of people of the Ngô family, their loyalists and rivals. The documents and artifacts, as well as photos and films were curated from Vietnamese and international historians and reporters, to get the most comprehensive picture of this time.

Three of these biographical showcases stood out:

1. Thích Quảng Đức, the Buddhist monk who set himself on fire on a busy intersection of Saigon, to protest the exclusion and persecution of Buddhists under the rule of the Ngô family.

2. Nguyễn Văn Cử, Second Lieutenant of the Republic of Vietnams Air Force, one of the two dissident pilots tried to assassinate President Ngô Đình Diệm and his immediate family by bombing the palace. He was denounced as a communist, but had nationalist ideals in mind “The Americans had slammed the door on those of us who really wanted the fight against the communists”. After the attack he fled to Cambodia where he stayed in excile until the coup. When he returned to Vietnam in 1963 he resumed this service in the RVNAF

3. General Dương Văn Minh, one of the deciding factors in the 1963 coup d’état. He acted as a double agent, convinced the Ngô brothers he was a loyalist and was able to give informations about the planned counter measures to the revolutionaries.

On the same floor you can find accords of the lives of other people, who weren’t directly involved with the Ngo families rise, rule or fall, but still had a great impact on the city of Saigon.

One of these people was the poet Sương Nguyệt Anh. She lived from 1864 to 1921 and in her time became an accomplished poet known for her brilliance and wit. She was also a journalist who wrote for the “Women’s News”, a publication that advocated for gender equality in all aspects of life. In the early 1900s this ambition fell on deaf ears, but today, we remember her as a woman far ahead of her time.

Visiting the Independence Palace in Saigon

The Independence Palace is usually open for visitors every day, except for special occasion, which the communicate on their website and usually also on their Google My Business Account. The Exhibitions on the Norodom Palace open a little later, but are also open longer, perfect to see the Palace first, then the exhibitions. There is an audio guide in several languages and I highly recommend renting one for the duration of your visit.

While the grounds of the Palace make up 120,000 sq.m, the palace itself has 95 rooms on 4 floors and a basement, so plan enough time to visit. Since each room has its own function and is constructed and decorated to meet its purpose you can’t really see one floor and then think you have seen all of it.

You can find up-to-date opening hours and ticket prices on the Website of the Independence Palace

Why you should visit the Independence Palace and Norodom Palace Exhibition in Saigon

Theres no other place in Ho Chi Minh City that so completely encompasses the cities changes from the time before and during French occupation, the Vietnam war and the unification of north and south. The rich history is almost palpable here when you pay attention and despite being used by “the loosing side” in the last war this place saw it is kept in pristine condition since it is recognized as a National Cultural and Historical Relic.

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The two locations are very different from each other: Ben Dinh is the more touristy one, while the area around Ben Duoc is much larger and more extensive. I recommend visiting the tunnels with a local guide, to get background knowledge and historical facts about the tunnels and their importance in the Vietnam war.

Depending on who you listen to it’s usually very US centric or very Northern Vietnam centric. Come here yourself. Look at the maps, the tunnels, the accounts of war and the death count (and reasons for it) from both sides. Some facts remain facts. Then form your own opinion.

History of the Cu Chi Tunnels

The first tunnel in the region of Cu Chi was dug by south Vietnamese locals during the French occupation. During the Indochina war it was used as a hiding spot, for people and resources and to communicate between the villages and dwellings. The first tunnel (that we know about today) was about 20km in total and while it was not a circle, both ends were connected.

Later the same tunnels were used by Viet Cong soldiers from the north and sympathising locals from the south during the Vietnam war. The tunnels were expanded during the rainy seasons when the earth was soft and easily malleable. Once the dry season started the ground became rock hard and gave the tunnels stability.

About 250km of tunnels were dug in the area of Cu Chi. 121 km have been preserved until today.

During the Vietnam war the network of tunnels were used by the communist guerilla soldiers as living quarters, communication ways, storage, transport lines and shelters. Some tunnels had areas for medical treatment, kitchens, weapon workshops, tailor areas and more.

Most tunnels had three levels, which were connected by small passages (some only 80cm in diameter) in a seemingly random order. At Cu Chi the tunnels connected to the Saigon river (which has its spring in Cambodia and flows over 200km towards Saigon) at one end, to provide an emergency exit in case of bombings, gas attacks or flooding. The levels were constructed like this:

1st Level – 3m underground

• Capable of withstanding chemical warfare, bullets and tanks
• the kitchen, medical area and a meeting area were located here

2nd Level – 6m underground

• Capable of withstanding bombs
• rooms for troops to sleep and eat were located here, together with a triangle shaped small room with an enforced roof to survive heavy bombings

3rd Level – 9m to 12m underground

• storage for food, water and weapons were located here

From these tunnels the Viet Cong started surprise attacks against the US and south Vietnamese soldiers, disappearing back underground through trap doors and hidden entrances before they were caught or a counter attack could be mounted. During the decades of war the intel about the tunnels became more and more extensive, but until the end of the war no ideal way to deal with them had been found.

Many traps were placed around the area and inside the tunnels themselves, which gave the soldiers being send into the area and into the tunnels a hard time to survive and report back.

On top of everything mentioned above the Cu Chi Tunnels were used as military headquarters, they were extensive, reaching from the Cambodian border in the west, to the end of the Ho Chi Minh trail in the north and towards the south towards Saigon, ending only 70km away from the city. They were also isolated from other tunnel systems and presented a stronghold for the Viet Cong and the northern army.

The Tết Offensive in 1968 was largely planned and launched from here, which, while not bringing about the intended effect of mass defections, it changed public opinion on the war. Especially in the US, as it showed that the north was more capable than they had been lead to believe and that a “quick win” was out of the question.

Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels

As mentioned above you can visit two sites of the Cu Chi Tunnels close to Saigon. Both sites have displays of the different traps and camouflage which had been used to hide the tunnels, as well as tanks and shells of the bombs found within the area.

Ben Duoc contains part of the original tunnel system, extends over several hectare and is less “polished”.

At Ben Dinh some tunnels have been reconstructed and made about three times larger than they had been so it is safe to go through them. They have also been equipped with air filtration and lights.

Ben Dinh starts with a small “education zone” where movies, 3D replicas, figures and employees showcase the war effort of the Viet Cong, from the architecture of the tunnels, to cooking and living without daylight, their uniforms and what they ate.

Sometimes you can try fresh tapioca, the staple food during the war. The root it comes from is rich in carbs and it grows without much effort in rough conditions, but it had to be at least boiled, since it contains high amounts of cyanide (which is poisonous) in it’s raw state. At Ben Dinh the boiled root is served with a mix of salted peanuts and sugar to make it more palatable. To be honest it doesn’t taste like much when you eat it plain. Its similar to sweet potato with the texture of a pumpkin.

At Ben Dinh there also is a shooting range and a gift shop / cafe where you can buy ice cream, beer and pro war memorabilia, a swimming pool and restaurant, which is the tourist attraction part.

My thoughts on the Tunnels as a ” tourist attraction”

Visiting this place can feel either very disconnected to the realities of war, or very emotional, depending on what you have experienced yourself.

It makes me think how long after each war being fought right now it will take, before the scenes of those wars will be used for education. Or for some even for entertainment (looking at the shooting range, souvenir shop and swimming pool on site…).

Nowadays we have statements from soldiers on both sides of their respective realities of the 20 year long war, as well as more detailed insight into the political motivations from both sides behind the war. Looking back, without being fed propaganda every day from various media outlets, it always easier to judge a situation, from either side.

I recommend going with a tour guide to get the background knowledge and historical facts about the tunnels and form your own opinion.

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This was my first breakfast tour in Vietnam and I was so tired. I had arrived just the night before and then also had to change rooms after midnight, since the first one was overrun with ants…

With some initial language barrier problems between me and my sweet driver X (who didn’t recognize me at first, since in my profile picture I still have shoulder-length hair) we set off through the crazy traffic of Saigon.

Breakfast Food Tour in Saigon

Second stop of the breakfast tour in Saigon: Phùng Hưng Market

After parking the bikes close to the main market entrance we tried not to lose each other while walking through the many market stands and locals buying their groceries for the day.

Halfway through we stopped to try a sweet soup-like treat with sesame, beans, mung bean balls and pandan leaf flavoured chewy bits.

At the end of the street, we each had a tiny portion of sticky rice. Even though it was a reduced amount by weight the lady selling it put every single protein choice and condiment on it, so we could try it all. I marked her on my Google map so I could return and have a full portion later in the week.

After a group picture, we cruised through the streets of Saigon again, getting to see more of the city, before the next stop.

Third stop: Binh Tay Market

Another market? Yes. But Binh Tay Market is very different from Phùng Hưng Market.

While Phùng Hưng market is along a street, Binh Tay market has its own building(s). In the inner courtyard is a statue and shrine of the businessman who originally built it, where people light incense and ask for success in their economic endeavours.

In front of the Market (or at the back of it?) we stopped in front of two food stands, one where we tried Bún thịt nướng, a dish with rice vermicelli, spring rolls, sliced veggies, peanut sauce, pig skin crackers and the other with Kumquat Tea, which was amazingly refreshing in the heat.

10.000 Buddha Temple

After all the food we got some movement in and visited the 10.000 Buddha Temple. The temple is four stories high, but hidden at the end of an alley and I wouldn’t even have had it on my radar otherwise.

The walls of the temple are covered in thousands of small Buddha statues, while two big ones reside in the middle. Behind them is a giant statue of a plant bud, surrounded by local folklore characters depicting good and evil.

Happy and Mai from saigonhappytour have set up an excellent tour, with great food and great company. You leave feeling like you made new friends and have learned something about the food you ate and the city you’re in.

Would you get up extra early for a breakfast food tour in Saigon – or anywhere else?

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