What you need to know before you book your airfare and tickets
Get ready to move fast when you disembark from your cheap flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Popularly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a city constantly on the move these days. The buildings come in an intriguing mix of styles, and provide an insight into the city. You will find elegant colonial buildings, narrow Vietnamese houses, exuberant Chinese temples and shiny highrise towers clustered near each other. Head to Ben Thanh Market for a taste of Vietnam. This sprawling market has stalls full of brightly coloured tropical fruit, exotic sea life and baskets piled high with herbs and spices. Try a steaming bowl of pho, thinly sliced beef and noodles in a clear broth, or a dish of banh cuon, a rice flour pancake stuffed with minced meat, prawns and vegetables. After your meal, head over to the Reunification Palace for a history lesson. This blocky building has remained largely untouched since the 1970s, except for the occasional curious tourist. The interior is an ode to 1960s interior design, while a replica of the tank that ended the war between North and South lounges inside the gates. The Cu Chi Tunnels played an important rule during the Vietnam War, and have become a popular attraction these days. Crawl through the tunnel system to a command centre, where spartan Viet Cong style meals are served to hungry visitors. You can also head over to the shooting range to try your hand at firing M16 assault rifles.
