Draft

HCMC was the final stop on our three week trip to Vietnam. This meant that we were running out of cash and on a tighter budget than the rest of our travels. Even so, we still managed to see and do everything we'd hoped! Here is what I would recommend for three days in Ho Chi Minh City:

The easiest way to see the Mekong Delta is to book a day tour with a travel agent in Ho Chi Minh City. There are travel agents on almost every street in District 1 (the main backpacker area) and a day trip should cost around £3 per person. That price covers everything, including the coach that picks you up and drops you off at the travel agency, and lunch on the day too!

We had a great time on our trip, visiting a couple of the islands, and a ride down the canals in a sampan. We also visited a coconut candy factory and got to sample all of the flavours. 

Wake up early and spend the morning on a half-day tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels. The network of tunnels were used by the Viet Cong soldiers in the Vietnam War as a hiding place, a place to store food & weapons, and even a place to live if necessary. 

During the tour you're able to see replicas of the traps used, as well as the opportunity to go through some of the tunnels. The tunnels have been made larger by 10% to accommodate visiting tourists but they're still incredibly small. It's impossible to go through them without crouching or crawling!

Continuing the theme of the Vietnam War, I then recommend spending the afternoon in the War Remnants Museum. Although the museum is very one-sided, it's an interesting place to walk around. I found the floor containing photographs of people affected by the toxic chemical Agent Orange used by the Americans eye-opening and so saddening.

Start the final day by visiting Ben Thanh Market. It's a great place to spend a couple of hours & potentially buy a few souvenirs from. Don't be put off by the pushy locals and remember to haggle! 

After grabbing a Banh Mi for lunch I recommend having a quick look at the General Post Office & the Notre Dame. It's like stepping back into Europe! Then, after freshening up for the evening, enjoy some street food for dinner and head to one of Ho Chi Minh City's famous rooftop bars. During our trip we visited The View Rooftop Bar twice, which is on the top floor of the Duc Vuong Hotel. Cocktails are around £3, and beer is still around 50p! The view is also pretty spectacular, and a great way to spend a final night in HCMC.