Tag: ho chi minh city

Ho Chi Minh City {Days Three and Four}

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BBM KOREA | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | HCMC Fine Arts Museum{Day Three}

My time in HCMC was passing quickly, and there was a lot that I wanted to squeeze into the last two days that I had in the city. Towards the top of my list was visiting the HCMC Fine Art Museum.  The museum is comprised of three gorgeous colonial buildings in the center of town. I spent hours exploring all of the nooks of each building in awe not just of the art but of the architecture that housed it. At moments it almost felt like I was exploring France rather than Vietnam enjoying the terraces and courtyards.

After making my way around the museum I ventured back into the streets to find some lunch. It was so interesting to wander the streets of this part of the city. There were bunches of antique shops around the museum, along with coffee shops, motorbike repair shops, and small food stands set up along the way. It could not have been any more different from the streets of Korea. At last, I found an interesting food market tent where I sat down for a bit of Phở before heading to the Ben Thanh Market.


From what I understand, the Ben Thanh Market is one of the most popular and tourist filled markets in the city. And for good reason. It’s a covered market made of up aisle upon aisle of goods; from produce to snack foods, t-shirts to purses, jewelry to pencils, kitchen ware to common key chains. I can’t imagine you couldn’t find something to purchase in this place. I spent the rest of my day walking each aisle looking for the perfect items to send back home to family or buy as a memory for myself.

{Day Four}

BBM KOREA | Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamOn my last day in HCM I decided to take advantage of the hotel’s rooftop pool and spent the morning swimming and relaxing before taking to the streets to explore the side of the city I hadn’t yet been to.

After putting my suitcase in hotel storage  I started out to visit the central post office which is known for its French style and brightly colored ceiling. In between taking pictures, I took some time to mail home some post cards and gifts I’d purchased at the market the day before and then continued my exploring outside.

BBM KOREA | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Saigon Notre-Dame BasilicaThere happened to be a little street fair on one of the side streets next to the post office which was the perfect place to waste an hour while I was waiting for the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica to open. I took some time to enjoy the beautiful church before it was time to grab a little caffeine and head to the airport and back to Korea. While it was a brief trip, it was an excellent way to spend a few days off from work and see an entirely new country.

 

Ho Chi Minh City {Day Two}

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BBM KOREA | Vung Tau, VietnamAfter a wonderful first day in Vietnam I was ready to discover a completely different part of the city and planned to head off to Vung Tau, a city on the southern peninsula of the country.  I took another walk along the Saigon River to get to the port where I would be boarding a hydrofoil to get to the city.

The hydrofoil ride  was an experience in and of itself. It was a sort of speedy ferry ride that is the most common way to get from HCMC to Vung Tau. I wasn’t expecting much, but I judging from the interior, I have to imagine that the ship was at least a few years older that I was. None the less, there we were on our way to the coastal city.

BBM KOREA | Vung Tau, VietnamThe hour or so journey there was actually pretty cool. As we traveled along we passed by small houses and tons of fishing boats. It was interesting to see the rural side of the country even if it was just for a brief moment. I found myself wondering what it would be like to live in one of the tiny riverside homes we passed.

Once we arrived in Vung Tau I caught a cab to a beach side resort that I’d read about in my research and decided to camp out there for the afternoon. While the day was a little cloudy and perhaps not the most ideal for beachside relaxation, I was prepared to enjoy it nonetheless. I snagged a  beach chair with a thatched umbrella, treated myself to a mango mojito, and spent the afternoon reading and people watching.

As the day was coming to an end, I caught a bus back to Ho Chi Minh and spent the evening wandering back to the hotel. Another successful solo adventure day in the books.

Ho Chi Minh City {Day One}

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BBM KOREA | Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam | Out ExploringJust weeks after beginning the new semester at school Chuseok weekend was upon us, and that meant the perfect reason to travel. Chuseok is essentially Korean Thanksgiving, and it allowed us a full five days off of work. While last year some friends and I headed to a small island in Korea, this year I decided to take those five days and embark on my first solo adventure to Vietnam.

After a take-off delay, my flight left on Wednesday evening which meant I finally made it into Ho Chi Minh City very late in the night with just enough energy to crawl into my fluffy hotel bed.  However, the following morning I was wide awake and ready to get up and start exploring this new city.

BBM KOREA | HCMC, Vietnam | Binhtay MarketThe morning started with a walk alongside the Saigon River and a shopping trip to the Binh Tay Market. I’d done a lot of research on the various markets in HCMC as markets tend to be my favorite travel experiences regardless of the city. I’d heard a lot about the Ben Thanh market and that it could be a bit touristy where as Binh Tay was where the locals shopped. I had plans to visit both, but Binh Tay would be first.

Being dropped off by the cab at the entrance to the Binh Tay market was an experience in and of itself. It seemed as if there were hundreds of people; many on motorbikes dodging around all of the people walking and weaving between cars dropping people off or picking people up.

BBM KOREA | HCMC, Vietnam | Binhtay MarketOnce I made it inside the market I was greeted by two floors of a seemingly endless number of stalls with floor to ceiling merchandise including almost anything you could imagine. I spent hours walking from end to end and in between the countless stalls.

After leaving the market my plan was to walk to a couple of temples that I had researched before hand. That said, I picked up a cup of their famous Vietnamese coffee and started strolling through the streets of HCMC in awe of the architecture of the city. Following about 14 wrong turns, I finally found both the Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda and the Thien Hau Temple Pagoda.

Since living in Korea I’ve visited dozens of temples in a handful or so of countries, yet I never tire of them, and these two were no exception. I love the insight into the culture of the country that they offer.  I was visiting in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday and yet they were still bustling with people.

When I left the pagodas I decided to wander the streets for a bit, slowly gaining confidence in my ability to navigate the city. It wasn’t long before I stumbled upon yet another pagoda. I have no idea what the name of this one was, but it seemed to be next to an elementary school of some sort because outside in the courtyard there were about 50 school kids playing different games in their uniforms. It was oddly refreshing to see so many kids playing outside after school compared to seeing hundreds of sleepy children shuffling between various educational academies in Korea each day.

BBM KOREA | HCMC, Vietnam | Street MarketI toured this unexpected pagoda for another hour and then ventured back out to the street where I found a little side street market. Up until finding this street I’d been somewhat surprised about what Ho Chi Minh looked like. Of course, I’d seen pictures of the European style buildings, but being in Vietnam I still expected to see hundreds of older women wearing conical hats which seemed to be non-existent. Until I found this market that is.

Turning around a street corner I suddenly seemed to be in an Instagram photo of what anyone dreams of Vietnam to be. There were colorful fruit stands, rice shops, and vendors selling banh mi from little sandwich carts. I bought a sandwich and an apple and then after an afternoon of exploring decided to hop in a cab and go back to the hotel for some R&R.BBM KOREA | HCMC, Vietnam | Street Market

My first day in Ho Chi Minh was slightly overwhelming as it was my first day of solo-travel. However, it was also incredible to be able to see so many nooks and crannies of such a unique city. Once back at the hotel I was ready for a really good night of sleep more adventuring the next day.