Ho Chi Minh pictures - a not uncommon sight..
As our tour to Cu Chi Tunnels started at 0800 hrs, we had breakfast at 0715 hrs. There was a choice of either Vietnamese or American set breakfast, all served with banana.
Sample of the breakfast menu 
Omelette with ham served with 2 slices of toasted breadOr Omelette with sausage and ham
Chicken Vermicelli SoupThe cozy cafe/restaurant...
The 2 computers where the in-house guest has free internet accessCu Chi Tunnels ½ day Tour
0800 hr – 1430 hrs
Booked the half day tour @ USD5/person. By the time we set off, it was almost 0830 hrs.
Our first stop was the Handicapped Handicrafts, a factory which produces artwork especially lacquerware items by handicapped people. You get to see how they actually painstakingly do each and every process and how time consuming it is.
The duck egg shellsDetailing the duck egg shells
Using mother of pearlFinished product...
Finished product with pearlOther souvenirs...
We arrived at Cu Chi Tunnels at 1045 hrs. After purchasing the entrance ticket @ VND80,000, we were given a brief introduction on how the VietCong (VC)used the Cu Chi tunnels to defend themselves. Next we were shown a movie which gives a better insight on the history of Cu Chi before and after the war.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are one of the most famous tourism destinations, located 70 km to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Located near the so-called "Iron Triangle," they are a wide connecting network of underground tunnels. During the Vietnam War, the tunnels were the National Liberation Front (NLF) of South Vietnam's base of operations for hte Tet Offensive in 1968.
The tunnel system was very valuable for NLF guerrillas because they used it for hiding as well as for communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches. It was also used as a method for the NLF to resist American operations and extending the war. Finally the Americans had to withdraw because they were weary and exhausted.
They started building the tunnels in 1948 and were used as a way for the Viet Minh to hide from French air and ground sweeps. Each hamlet built their own underground communcations route through the hard clay, and year by year, the separate tunnels were slowly and meticulously connected and consolidated. By 1965, there were over 200 km of connecting tunnels. As the tunnel system grew, so did its complexity. Sleeping chambers, kitchens and wells were built to house and feed the growing number of residents and rudimentary hospitals were created to treat the wounded.
By the early 1960's, the NLF had created a relatively self-sufficient community that was able to house hundreds of people and for the most part, go undetected by American troops stationed literallly on top of the tunnels.
Situated within Cu Chi Battlefield underground tunnel system, Ben Duoc underground tunnel complex was Saigon – Gia Dinh Regional Party headquarters and Military Command. This is a unique project of architecture, as an underground system of tunnel deeply located in the ground bed with numerous floors, several deviated alley like a cobweb over 200 km in length with its places of boarding, accommodation, meeting and fighting.
The Underground tunnel system indicated the will of determination, wisdom, pride of Cu Chi people and as the symbol of the Vietnamese people’s revolutionary heroism. In order to hide from the American spotter planes that were everywhere and to protect themselves, they resorted to building the enormous system of underground tunnels.
Along the top level of the tunnels were many exits leading to hundreds of hidden firing posts where the guerillas could defend themselves. This allowed them to plan hit and run attacks and ambushes.
In fact their kitchens were underground as well, though near the surface. These kitchens came with long and specially built chimney chambers designed to diffuse the cooking smoke and release it some distance away. Also, if they could not have meat to eat, they would eat tapioca and drink pandan (leaf of the pandanus) tea which we got to sample whilst touring the area.
We also saw many primitively designed weapons which they made themselves with much ingenuity. Some of these were designed to frighten intruders and were dangerous enough to maim the enemy. The tunnels were also booby trapped just in case the Americans should discover them.
Although we are not history fanatics, we found this to be a very interesting and educational tour. You even get a chance to go into a real tunnel to see for yourself how it was like.
If you are keen to fire some live rounds, you can do so and even have a choice of some rifles or machine gun. However you need to purchase a minimum of 10 bullets @ VND20,000, total of VND200,000.
There was a live demonstration on how they made rice paper. A little like crepe, they would spoon the rice water mixture (rice, tapioca flour, salt & water) onto a hot plate after which they would roll it off the hot plate and place on a mat to be dried in the sun for 5 hours. Vietnamese use this rice paper to wrap around savoury or sweet ingredients to get the Vietnamese spring roll.
Cu Chi Tunnels is a tour that we fully recommend. You can book the tour from any of the tour agencies available and there are many to choose from.
We reached back to town at 1430 hrs as stated. From here, to tour Ho Chi Minh City, we hailed a taxi to Chinatown. We asked to go by the meter. The driver could not speak English and instead brought us to Sheraton Hotel. Try as hard as we could, but the taxi driver was not able to understand where we wanted to go. We finally found the word for Chinatown in Vietnamese in the Ho Chi Minh city map that we received at the airport – ChoLon. The ride cost us VND 88,000.
If you are keen to fire some live rounds, you can do so and even have a choice of some rifles or machine gun. However you need to purchase a minimum of 10 bullets @ VND20,000, total of VND200,000.
There was a live demonstration on how they made rice paper. A little like crepe, they would spoon the rice water mixture (rice, tapioca flour, salt & water) onto a hot plate after which they would roll it off the hot plate and place on a mat to be dried in the sun for 5 hours. Vietnamese use this rice paper to wrap around savoury or sweet ingredients to get the Vietnamese spring roll.
Cu Chi Tunnels is a tour that we fully recommend. You can book the tour from any of the tour agencies available and there are many to choose from.
We reached back to town at 1430 hrs as stated. From here, to tour Ho Chi Minh City, we hailed a taxi to Chinatown. We asked to go by the meter. The driver could not speak English and instead brought us to Sheraton Hotel. Try as hard as we could, but the taxi driver was not able to understand where we wanted to go. We finally found the word for Chinatown in Vietnamese in the Ho Chi Minh city map that we received at the airport – ChoLon. The ride cost us VND 88,000.
BinhTay Market in Chinatown 
We alighted at BinhTay Market and it looked as if it was a wholesale area. We managed to buy two ladies’ blouses for VND210,000. Here bargaining was almost impossible. We bought some cashew nuts at VND130,000/kg and lotus seed where you could eat them just like nuts @ VND180,000/kg. Prices here were cheapest compared to what we had seen elsewhere.
Binh Tay Market 
Binh Tay Market 
Clothes...Looking for something to buy...
The various nuts that you can get
We then explored the surrounding streets and found a roadside stall selling egg tart @ VND3,000 and curry puff @ VND4,000. We tried the egg tart and it was quite good with a crispy pastry and not too sweet filling.
The various nuts that you can getWe then explored the surrounding streets and found a roadside stall selling egg tart @ VND3,000 and curry puff @ VND4,000. We tried the egg tart and it was quite good with a crispy pastry and not too sweet filling.
The dragon in a park... 
Egg tarts & curry puffs,,, yummyCity of Motorcycles - Ho Chi Minh
Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City is also known as the City of Motorcycles as can be seen in the pictures below.
Motorcycles everywhere...
How they transport goods
and people...Seeing 3 and 4 persons on a motorcycle is quite common.
Whilst exploring the streets of Chinatown, came across a church. There was a service taking place, thus we did not enter the church building.
Next we took a cab back to Lac Vien Hotel. We had to show the driver the name card of the hotel before he knew the location. However along the way, we passed An Dong Market and made a last minute decision to drop off there instead. As it was after 1700 hrs, the many stalls in the market selling clothes were either closed of in the process of closing. We did manage to purchase some tidbits in the Supermarket at An Dong Shopping Centre instead.
Shopping at An Dong Plaza
After shopping at An Dong, we took a cab back to the hotel. Again, we had to show the driver the Lac Vien hotel name card for him to know exactly where we wanted to go.
Whilst exploring the streets of Chinatown, came across a church. There was a service taking place, thus we did not enter the church building.Next we took a cab back to Lac Vien Hotel. We had to show the driver the name card of the hotel before he knew the location. However along the way, we passed An Dong Market and made a last minute decision to drop off there instead. As it was after 1700 hrs, the many stalls in the market selling clothes were either closed of in the process of closing. We did manage to purchase some tidbits in the Supermarket at An Dong Shopping Centre instead.
Shopping at An Dong PlazaAfter shopping at An Dong, we took a cab back to the hotel. Again, we had to show the driver the Lac Vien hotel name card for him to know exactly where we wanted to go.
Upon reaching back to Lac Vien hotel, we offloaded our shopping items and headed off to Ben Thanh night market for dinner. Once again, we decided to have dinner at Sao Dong Restaurant. This time we ordered the following dishes:-
- fried vegetables with beef VND25,000
- 5 sticks of skewer with vegetable/rice paper VND42,000
- Fried kang kong VND15,000
- Vietnamese spaghetti soup in crabmeat VND16,000
Total including drinks VND115,000
The meat and salad placed on rice paper and rolled is a popular dish amongst the Vietnamese. It also tasted good and is a healthy dish. The vegetable were well cooked and more suited to our tastebuds. However, if given a second choice, we would have skipped the soup and tried something else.
Vietnamese Spaghetti Soup with Crabmeat
Fried Kang Kong
5 kinds of BBQ meat on skewer served with vegetables and rice paperA great thirst quencher:- watermelon shake 
After dinner, we took a walk around the Ben Thnah night market. Bought the following t-shirt for VND100,000. It is exactly the same as the one we bought at Ben Thanh day market on Day 1 where we paid USD11 for 2 t-shirts. Thus Ben Thanh day market offers a better opening price in general and allows you a slightly better price.
VND100,000 t-shirt
After dinner, we took a walk around the Ben Thnah night market. Bought the following t-shirt for VND100,000. It is exactly the same as the one we bought at Ben Thanh day market on Day 1 where we paid USD11 for 2 t-shirts. Thus Ben Thanh day market offers a better opening price in general and allows you a slightly better price.
VND100,000 t-shirtWood craft...
Choosing magnetic bracelets/necklaces
Pet dogs are normally dressed up...
Lac Vien Hotel
The resident dog at Lac Vien Hotel who will spend its night on the sofa in air-conditioned comfort
Choosing magnetic bracelets/necklacesPet dogs are normally dressed up...
Lac Vien Hotel
The resident dog at Lac Vien Hotel who will spend its night on the sofa in air-conditioned comfort 
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