Hué II: Bex and the Citadel

I couldn't quite drag myself out of bed as early I would have liked this morning, but after a quick breakfast at my hotel, I headed straight out to Hué's UNESCO-listed Imperial City. The site is huge — the steep walls run in a 2 x 2 km square, surrounded by a moat and just north of the Perfume River.  This imperial enclosure is nested within a bigger citadel and do note that the ticket desk is just before the moat by the main gate. It only takes 25 minutes or so to walk there from the hotel zone, but there are plenty of people who would love to give you a boat, bike, cyclo or taxi ride if you think it's too far.

The ticket price is 150,000 VND — the most expensive attraction I've visited in Vietnam so far but still under £5. There is a lot to see and I spent three hours there. By 9 am, the weather was scorching so I spent a lot of my visit skipping into the nearest shaded area or into some of the cooler pagodas. There is some information in English, although not a great deal; you can, of course, hire a guide. The imperial city was home to the Nguyen dynasty of emperors, who ruled from the early 19th century until 1945. Their legacy lives on, however: about 60% of the country has the surname Nguyen (pronounced ng-wee-uhn).

While I was there, I visited a number of different buildings, from the emperor's reading room, to the queen mother's pagoda (the queen mother being the only person who has more power than the emperor — and only a little bit and in family matters) and the royal theatre. Many of the buildings were destroyed during the wars with France and the US, but a lot of restoration work has been taking place. The lacquered red and gold inner walls were particularly impressive.

The Hué Festival, a biennial festival held in the city, starts on Friday. However, preparations were already underway inside the citadel: golden dragons, pink lotus flowers and dozens of lanterns were being set up throughout the site. There were also a few workers touching up the paintwork on some of the buildings and statues.

It was almost noon by the time I left the citadel and decided to visit one last pagoda: Dieu De, which is just over a mile east of the imperial enclosure, outside the citadel and across a tributary of the Perfume River. On the way, I stopped for lunch at a small but busy kerbside cafe near Cau Cho Dinh. There wasn't a menu and they didn't speak any English so I ordered what the man sitting next to me was having: a chicken drumstick with rice, shrimp soup and a fried spring roll. The food was mostly OK (and pretty good for 60p), but the spring roll was absolutely delicious: light, crispy and with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. I wish I had known how to ask for more of those!

Outside Dieu De, the street was laid out with neon-pink incense sticks, which were arranged in flower shapes. The pagoda itself was deserted, other than a few locals who were having a siesta inside the slightly cooler buildings. It was a colourful and calming place to visit, though.

By then, the afternoon heat — and the promise of rain that never came — drove me back to my hotel after a quick stroll through Dong Ba Market and a pit stop for snacks and air con at the neighbouring supermarket. I spent a few hours chilling and chilling and then set out just as the sun was setting — sadly, it was too hazy for the Perfume River sunset scene I had hoped for.

For dinner, I headed for a street food cart on Lê Thánh Tôn (about a block north of Tong Duy Tan). I had read a great post about Hué's regional cuisine on the Legal Nomads blog and one of the dishes in particular intrigued me. Banh trang trung is a fried rice cracker topped with beef, egg, scallions and garlic that resembles a pizza. It doesn't taste like pizza, of course, but it was delicious. The cart is located next to 14 Lê Tránh Tôn and is open in the afternoon and evening. The dish was delicious and the owner was very friendly — he was pleased when I told him his cart had been recommended and even took my picture. It's a little off the beaten track but worth the walk.

I wanted to see the imperial enclosure by night so I crossed back into the citadel and headed towards the lights and music. It turns out that they were doing some kind of dress rehearsal for the Hué Festival and there was plenty of costumed singing, dancing and general pageantry. These guys asked me to take their picture outside the main gateway to the imperial enclosure.

Hundreds of people were sitting and watching the festivities and I stayed to watch a few of the set pieces. I didn't really understand the words (in one song, the only words I knew were Hué, Hanoi, Saigon and Vietnam) but the gist seem to be that there were many wars and much fighting but thanks to the Nguyen emperors, the country became strong, unified by the lotus flower. The ambiance was lovely, in any case, and it was nice to see something of the festival, even if it's probably going to take a while to get the smell of incense out of my hair!

Although I've now seen a lot of the key sights in Hué, I would have liked to have an extra day here to explore more and to try more of the local specialities. The food is so cheap — I haven't paid more than 80,000 VND for a meal — but the heat has left me with a small appetite. If you're looking for more food inspiration for Hué, I would definitely recommend the Legal Nomads blog post. On a separate note, there are a lot of French tourists here — conversely, in Saigon, Brits, Americans, Aussies and the Dutch were more common. At least it means that I get to practice a language that I can speak (unlike Vietnamese, sadly).

Hué I: Temples, Tombs and Tasty Food

On Tuesday morning, I took a flight from Saigon to Hué (pronounced hweh), the former imperial capital, located about 600 miles north of Saigon and 400 miles south of Hanoi. I arrived at the airport two hours ahead of my flight as when I tried to check in online, the Vietnam Airlines website told me that the flight was overbooked. Luckily, I got my seat, and when I reached the gate I found a group of about 100 excitable Vietnamese tweens (one of whom was documenting everything on his video camera); I assume that their group was the reason for the check-in issues.

Hué airport is tiny and located about 10 miles outside the city, which meant that we landed at 1 pm and I was in the city centre by 1.30 pm. Something seemed to be missing though... Oh yes, the traffic! There are still plenty of cars, motorbikes and cyclos in Hué, of course, but after the hectic madness of Saigon, the imperial city felt much calmer.

I checked into the Orchid Hotel and then went in search of lunch. A few people had recommended a restaurant called Hanh, which was only a few blocks away from my hotel, so I headed right there. Hanh is nothing fancy but the food was really good. I tried a couple of local specialities: banh khoai (crispy rice pancakes) with shrimp and, my favourite, banh beo (steamed rice cakes with shrimp and scallions). With a juice, this cost about 80,000 VND (about £2.50).

I had been hoping that Hué might be a little cooler than Saigon, but alas, it was just as hot and just as humid. The city is built on the banks of the Perfume River, which weaves its way through town like a woman's flowing locks (my taxi driver told me this is what the Vietnamese name refers to 'because women smell nice', although I think the name really comes from the flowers that fall from the trees and float through the city).  The Imperial Citadel is located on the north/west bank and the more modern part of the city is on the south/east side. The three blocks along the south bank are very touristy but the city becomes residential very quickly.

I decided to save the citadel for Wednesday morning and set off on a walk to see some of the city's famous tombs and temples. You can do a guided city tour, by car or by motorbike, but I wanted a break from tour guides and itineraries. I wandered along the river bank, enjoying the breeze. All through town they were setting up for the Hué biennial festival, which starts on Friday. The river bank is lovely in the centre of town, but it soon becomes very residential —and pavement-free.

It was about a three-mile walk west to Ho Quyen — the locals must have thought I was mad walking through the dust in the heat. 340,000 people live in Hué and it felt like every single one of them offered me their motorbike services. However, I persevered and after only one dead end that involved an angry dog and a hasty apology (thanks, Google Maps!), I reached the tiger arena of Ho Quyen. This is where the imperial tigers and leopards were housed, although it was empty save for a few chickens. There isn't a lot to see but luckily, it wasn't too far to the main part of the temple, which is by the side of a small lake. I had the place to myself and it was extremely peaceful, if sweltering.

I was starting to regret my plan to go it alone, but decided to press on to my next stop: the tomb of emperor Tu Doc, another 1.5 miles south. As I neared the site, I started to worry that it might have closed. Indeed, one particularly persistent motorbike tout told me it had closed at 5 pm (it was 5.15 pm) and that the only thing for it was for her to take me back to town on her bike. The site was not, however, closed and I had just enough time to explore before it closed.

Before leaving, I memorised the next few turns of the route home and then strode out into the setting sun. Motorbike lady was there again and she followed me for about half a mile, dropping her price from 80,000 VND to 50,000. "It's very far — 10 km," she said, even though she knew I'd walked from town and knew exactly how far it was. To be honest, if I'd been sure that I would only have to pay 80,000, I would have gladly accepted but I was too afraid of being ripped off. She must have thought I was the stingiest tourist she'd ever met. 

After about 20 minutes, I reached a main road (relatively speaking) — Điện Biên Phủ, which has lots of small restaurants and shops and very few tourists. I stopped for bún bò Hué (beef and rice-noodle broth) at a tiny, family-run joint on the roadside. They spoke very little English but we managed to communicate and the fragrant broth was delicious.

By the time I got back to the city centre, it was dark and there were dozens of people gathered by the river for some kind of impromptu open mic night. The lanterns were turned on, Truong Tien Bridge was lit up in a rainbow of different colours and everyone was having a great time.

Saigon III: Mekong Delta Day Trip

Numerous tour companies run trips from Saigon to the Mekong Delta, a huge region of southwest Vietnam that begins about 50 miles southwest of Saigon. There are thousands of villages and towns, as well as more rural areas and tiny river tributaries to explore. When researching this trip, I soon realised that you really need at least a couple of days to get even a flavour of the region, but I only had a day and so I booked onto a one-day tour.

It's possible to get a day tour for as little as 250,000 VND (about £8) and as much as 2.3 million VND (£74) for a tour that gets you to the delta by speed boat, avoiding the long minibus journey. I booked a middle-of-the-road option, which cost 1,150,000 VND (about £36). I would have paid a bit more for a more authentic experience but I figured — rightly, I think — that the extra cost gets you more comfort and a smaller group but not more authenticity. Even if you make your own way to the delta and pick up a tour there, the guide will still take you to the places s/he wants you to see, including the unavoidable 'workshop demonstrations' and shops.

Bearing in mind my expectations for the trip, I had quite an enjoyable day. Was it enough to say I've 'done' the Mekong Delta? No way. But did I learn a bit about the people and the region? Sure!

I was picked up from my hotel just before 8 am and joined the other seven members of the group. It took about two hours to drive out to Cai Be and once there, we hopped onto a wooden river boat for a brief cruise along the main part of the river. There were plenty of mangroves and jungled forests but the area was a lot more built up than I was expecting — it becomes more rural further west into the delta. There were, of course, other tourist boats but we also saw many locals going about their everyday business, travelling in small sampans and transporting various goods in larger boats.

We transferred into a couple of sampans for a paddle along one of the quieter tributaries. It was about 11 am and already extremely hot, but I still had a quick go at paddling. There was some very loud party music playing, which our guide said was a wedding, but who is to say?

Our next stop was at a 'local house' where we listened to some traditional music (with a finale that mashed up Auld Lang Syne and Frère Jacques; not so traditional...) and had the chance to buy some more drinks. I was a bit hot and bothered at this point and wish we could have skipped this: the whole experience felt even more cynical than usual. The tour was supposed to visit a floating market but this just consisted of one boat selling fruit. I wasn't entirely surprised given that I had read that the markets were usually over for the day by early morning, but again our guide's spin that "it's better to visit when it's less busy" grated a little.

The last port of call before lunch was to a 'family-run' workshop, where we watched the making of coconut candy (this is delicious — very chewy and sweet) and puffed rice.

Lunch itself was pretty nice: there was a lot of food and we also got to have a go at making banh xeo, a type of Vietnamese pancake made from rice flour, turmeric and coconut cream. Unfortunately, mine didn't look great but it tasted nice.

3 pm, the hottest time of the day, didn't seem the best time to go for a bike ride, but I actually really enjoyed it — once we got moving, the breeze was wonderfully refreshing. I also realised that it's probably been almost 10 years since I've ridden a bike; luckily, it is just like riding a bike, and the quiet countryside paths were an ideal place to regain my pedalling legs.

We visited a temple and a couple more 'ancient houses', one of which was a homestay — essentially a B&B — which is a huge business in Vietnam. It was there that I realised that even if I had done a homestay on the Mekong Delta, it would probably have still felt like the tour I did: too many retail opportunities and too little freedom to discover and explore. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the day and would recommend Asiana Link's programme: our guide was interesting and funny and didn't pressure us to buy or to tip, which was appreciated.

We got back to Saigon at around 5 pm and I had a super-speedy shower before heading back to the Bitexco Tower Sky Deck to enjoy the view at sunset. The sun was setting as I arrived and although it wasn't the best sunset ever, the views of the cityscape by dusk and by night were impressive. Annoyingly, in a misguided attempt to look modern and snazzy, they had installed lots of colour-changing lighting, which is the fastest way to ruin a nighttime picture when you are shooting through a glass window. Some of the windows were either very grubby or intentionally frosted too. Still, for 200,000 (£6), I think that the Sky Deck is a great deal.

For dinner I went to a restaurant called Nhà hàng Ngon, which is just along the block from Secret Garden. I had heard that it was a great place for hawker-style street food but instead it was a smart, yellow French-colonial-style building with regular tables rather than stalls (NB, the stalls might be in the garden at the back). The menu was extensive and the atmosphere was lively and bustling. I had a beef and rice-vermicelli dish called bún gao xào bo, which was very nice and certainly filled me up (this was £4 and most dishes are around that price; pho is cheaper). 

On the way back to my hotel, I stopped at a great concept store called Ginkgo, which is a great place for non-tacky souvenirs. They have a nice selection of clothes, bags, homewares and Marou chocolate.

Now, though, it's time to say sayonara, Saigon; you have been hot, hectic and fun!

Saigon II: Exploring Ho Chi Minh City

My hectic day on Saturday meant that I slept perfectly on Saturday night, only waking to the sound of my alarm. I left my Ho Chi Minh City hotel before 8 am, hoping that it might be a little cooler and it was — but only by a degree or two. First on my to-do list was coffee. 

Before my arrival, I had identified a few speciality/third-wave coffee bars in the city, including The Workshop, located just off Nguyen Hue, a 20-minute stroll from my hotel. I say 'stroll' but really I mean dawdle (in the heat) and dash (when crossing the road). The Workshop was lovely, in any case. I'll blog in more detail about my coffee experiences throughout the country at the end of my trip, but I enjoyed a Vietnamese variety from Da Lat, brewed through the Aeropress and followed by a cold brew chaser. The cafe itself is on the top floor and is a cool, beautifully decorated space.

Many of Saigon's sights are located within the central District 1 and although the extreme heat and extreme traffic don't make walking especially pleasant, it is a relatively convenient way of getting around. From Nguyen Hue, I wandered down to the river — the waterfront isn't the most scenic but there are some small parks and it was nice to get away from the traffic briefly. After stopping to look at the statue of Mongol-vanquisher Tran Hung Dao, I walked back up Dhong Khoi Street, which has a number of nice restaurants and fancy shops and hotels.

I stopped briefly at the Saigon Post Office, with its buttercup-yellow exteriors and grand, arched interiors. Just opposite is the 19th century Notre-Dame cathedral where mass was taking place.

A few blocks to the south-west is the Reunification Palace, which was home to the President of South Vietnam and also marks the spot where the Vietnam War ended on 30 April 1975. The park just opposite is also called 30 April park and 30 April is also a holiday in Saigon, although I won't be around to see the festivities. The palace itself costs 30,000 VND (about £1) to get in and it takes just under an hour to tour the various rooms. The vice president's office didn't seem any less grand than the president's to me, but what would I know? I think the visit might have been more rewarding with a guide but it was so hot and the large groups I saw inside didn't seem to be having more fun.

The War Remnants Museum is one block to the north-west. The entrance fee is 15,000 VND and it was both a fascinating and sobering experience. My GCSE history syllabus stopped at the end of the Korean War and so my only knowledge of the Vietnam War has come through culture: films, TV shows and books. But even then, the references have only been passing—I've never seen Platoon or Apocalypse Now, for instance. 

The museum's displays convey some of the war's horrors, including the deaths of civilians and the cross-generational impacts of Agent Orange, in visual and often graphic form. There is some stunning photography in the museum and a room dedicated to the reporters and photographers who covered the war, including some who lost their lives. The War Remnants Museum doesn't make for a comfortable experience but it should be on every visitor's list.

I had already identified a place for lunch but because it was back on Dhong Khoi Street, I had to retrace my steps a little. L'Usine was worth it, though: a stylish all-day eatery on the first floor of a Dhong Khoi building. Their breakfast menu is supposed to be particularly good but I was so hot that I just ordered a Vietnamese salad. I say 'just' when really, it was a huge bowl of delicious veggies with caramelised pork and a tasty dressing. I also had a latte, which had excellent latte art but which wasn't quite as good as at The Workshop. With a soda and tax, lunch cost me about 290,000 VND (about £9), which I didn't think was too bad. L'Usine also has a lifestyle boutique selling everything from stylish homewares and clothes, to Marou chocolate and Old Saigon Monopoly. There's now another branch of L'Usine near Ben Thanh Market.

I was so close to another of my pre-identified coffee shops, Klasik Coffee Roasters, that I decided to stop by for another coffee. Espresso tonic and nitro cold brew were on the menu, along with a huge array of coffee varieties that can be served as a Chemex, siphon or V60. They had run out of the Ethiopian coffee I wanted, so I tried a Kenyan instead, brewed expertly through the Chemex.

It was then a rather hot walk in the afternoon sun to the Museum of Vietnamese History, which costs 15,000 VND (£1) to get in. The museum is quite small and has a huge number of historical artefacts, but there isn't very much historical information and it wasn't especially engaging. Again, perhaps a guide might have been a better option but again, the group I was stuck behind didn't seem to be having a great time.

It took another 20 minutes — including the diversion I had to make when there was no way of crossing the two-line highway I encountered; at least not in a dress and flipflops — to reach the Jade Emperor Pagoda. This is supposed to be one of Saigon's most impressive temples but I'm not sure it was worth the long trek in the heat. I think seeing so many of Japan's impressive temples has ruined me forever! It took about an hour to walk back to my hotel, including a stop in the shade in a leafy park and a brief visit to the huge, frenetic bargaining hall that is Ben Thanh Market.

My evening's entertainment was a street-food tour on the back of a motorbike with XO Tours. I did "The Foodie" and would highly recommend it. I'll do a separate post once the company has emailed some of the photos and videos they took, but we tried so many different foods, almost all of them delicious, and visited many districts of Saigon beyond district 1. It's expensive ($72) but well worth the money. This photo is of my favourite dish of the night: scallops with peanuts and herbs. There were a few more exotic dishes on the menu too, though, and it was a really fun night.