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Published: August 6th 2011
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Dong Khoi Street
The shady trees and small shops give this central shopping area of District 1 a very "village" feel. It's been more than a few years since I was in HCMC - better known probably as
Saigon. I always had a slight shiver arriving at Tan Son Nhat International Airport remembering the scores of American servicemen who had passed the same way, many returning home in body bags.
I first visited in the early '90s just after the country had opened its doors somewhat to the outside world and there was still an edge to the city - a foreigner could get arrested and fined for being with a local girl - the Vietnamese were and are more xenophobic than their neighbours - and the girl would be thrown into jail until you paid another large sum to bail her out. In those days the famous nightclub was
Apocalypse Now (named after the Francis Ford Coppola
movie) but I preferred the
Q Bar just over from the 5-star
Caravelle Hotel which for some reason seemed to have a bit more class and was less likely to be turned over by the cops. Both bars are still going strong.
Those were serious times and the locals were still very suspicious of outsiders; I recall having to hide in the back of a
Huang Sen Hotel
Not the greatest architectural style, but central and very good value taxi arriving at my girl friend's house and then sneak in so that the police post on the street corner wouldn't notice - it was quite illegal to co-habit. If you checked into a hotel with your GF you had to have separate rooms, preferably on different floors and creep past the concierge.
Older (and hopefully a little wiser) now, I doubt one has those sorts of problems these days, but if you are touring for "fun", I'd say still stick to Bangkok where anything goes. The Viets are a little stricter and tougher on shenanigans than the Thais, so
caveat emptor as they say.
Arrival at the airport is pretty good and instead of the old shacks and aircraft hangars held over from the War there is a beautiful new facility. You can get a visa on arrival (VOA) for $25 (apply on-line AT LEAST 2 days before you travel for a letter authorizing the issuance of the visa - that's $20); make sure you have the letter with you. The VOA window is chaotic, staffed by youngsters who can't speak English and the paperwork seems to go everywhere (hey, even the Cambodians can do VOA seamlessly
Accommodation
I was on a business trip and wasn't looking for more than a bed. Which was what I got. But clean even if old-fashioned. - take note Superior Comrades!). It'll take you 45 minutes to an hour to get your visa and so relax and enjoy the fun, especially the way they mangle people's names - just look out for your passport being waved around.
I stayed at the
Huong Sen Hotel on
Dong Khoi Street. This is really the heart of Saigon and the hotel is ideally located for a walk down to the river or across the street to Gloria Jeans for a coffee. A great lunch or dinner spot within easy walking distance of the hotel is
Jaspas and I also recommend
Pomodoro for Italian food (I live in Asia so I get all the Asian food I need and so I enjoy an excellent burger or carbonara with a good red wine). Or you can whip around the corner to the Caravelle's famous (but fantastically expensive)
Saigon Saigon Bar. Not far is the
Rex Hotel who's
Rooftop Garden Bar has the most spectacular view of the city.
The other hotel that has to be mentioned is the
Hotel Continental. Do please check that link - the history of the hotel is entrancing. It's the most famous of the older hotels and dominates the central square at the top of Dong Khoi. It has a fabulous literary past (rivalling The Oriental in Bangkok) and has figured in novels such as Graham Greene's "Quiet American"and in movies such as "Good Morning, Vietnam". The ground floor restaurant, now enclosed and air conditioned, used to look directly onto the square and was packed with spies, soldiers, down-at-heel hacks, French rubber planters and high class whores.
Wonderful days!. I stayed there once in the old days. Pure romantic magic!
But why stay at one of the prestigious hotels when for $47/night with breakfast (which was basic but OK) you can stay in exactly the same area? The
Huong Sen offers a slight hint of the old, musty Vietnam but it's clean enough, the front desk folk are very helpful and you can't beat the price. Be careful of the bathwater - it's BOILING!
I noticed a few changes in Saigon this time around - not all for the better: it's very green; lots of leafy trees and Dong Khoi is a very pleasant walk indeed. I also noticed that this area is ALL tourist oriented now, there's one of the largest Gucci stores I've seen in Asia and it seems a lot cleaner and probably much safer than when I was there years ago. But it's lost the edginess and sense of danger which gets me going. And I also noticed that the girls no longer wear the "ao dai" - traditional long shirt and trousers. In the old days they rode bicycles and wore hats and long sleeve gloves against the sun.
Gorgeous! Nowadays the streets are packed with scooters and motor cycles and the girls wear shorty shorts - which is certainly OK of course but without the graceful beauty bestowed by the ao dai.
I left after six days feeling I'd enjoyed myself, eaten some pleasant meals and drunk good red wine in world class restaurants and been more relaxed than in many other Asian cities - but without the same sense of excitement. Not to worry though, Saigon is still a great place and I'm looking forward to the next trip.
Apocalypse Now 2C Thi Sach Street
District 1
Q Bar Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square
District 1
Huong Sen Hotel 66-68-70 Dong Khoi Street,
District 1
Caravelle Hotel 19, Lam Son Square
District 1
The Hotel Continental 132-134, Dong Khoi
District 1
The Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue Blvd.
District 1
Pomodoro 9, Hai Ba Trung Street
District 1
Jaspas 33, Dong Khoi Street,
District 1
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