Getting to Hồ Chí Minh City (Saigon) | Day 1 Vietnam Cycle Tour
It is finally time to head off on my first international, albeit not that intrepid, cycle tour. It's organised by Adventure South, led by Bas, with whom I've done many New Zealand tours.
The itinerary summary:
A fully supported 8-day bicycle vacation based in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam followed by 6 days visiting the highlights of Northern Vietnam. Cycle with the locals and be part of their daily lives, travel alongside the Cambodian border, visit floating markets and kick back at an island resort before finishing flying north to take in the delights of Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue & beautiful Hoi An.
I had pinned the itinerary locations on Google Earth but adopted my usual guided tour approach of doing little other research. Much prefer to be surprised by what we encounter, than know beforehand, whenever I have the luxury of not worrying about organizing travel!
Adventure South's Vietnamese partners** would be supplying the bikes, local guides, and van so all I had to pack was seat, pedals, shoes, and helmet (as chose to take my own).
Getting to Vietnam
I departed from Auckland on 12th April 2008. I'm retro-blogging* this in 2023 but still remember some aspects of an otherwise routine flight. I had booked with Qantas but only the leg to Sydney was on a Qantas livery aircraft. Left Auckland on a gloomy morning.
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It was a (very) old 767, no on-demand video or interest in whatever they decided to play, so I had time to read and take in the view.
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I had about four hours between flights in Sydney. Kingsford Smith Airport was in its usual constant renovation and after evaluating the few options on offer (mostly fast food) settled on Wagamama Noodles as the only real food option.
Wandered down to the gate to and noticed a significant fire on the airport perimeter. Must have been for training thing or something as no news of anything else.
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The flight was operated by Jetstar, Qantas's budget brand, from Sydney to Vietnam on a nice new Airbus A330. They are a 'no frills unless you pay onboard' airline but because I had booked Qantas for me everything was 'free'. It felt a bit odd due to the service difference; me just getting food, drinks, entertainment, surrounded by people paying for the same. Even more so as the food I got, a typical airline meal, seemed different to the more snacky type food available to purchase.
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Late evening arrival in Hồ Chí Minh City (HCMC), but the airport seemed strangely quiet. It was about 9pm, and we were swiftly through immigration with multiple agents waiting for few passengers. immediately noticed how warm and humid it was, even though nighttime. Once in arrivals I easily found Bas (who'd been there a day or two already) as he towered over everyone, the local guides led by Binh and Nanh and a couple of others who were on the same flight.
Initial thoughts, on the way to the city hotel, so many scooters on the roads!
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Meeting the group
With differing arrival times, it wasn't until the first day of the trip that everyone was together. It was a 'returning clients trip' so Bas knew everyone, and I already knew most!
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I reunited with Glen, Mike, John & Sally, Sharlene & Bruce, Stephen & Sue, Donna (all Aussies) and Hitomi (Japan). We have all done several NZ South Island trips together over the years and it was good to see them again.
I met for the first time Linda (another Aussie) and (oddly given all of us are from Auckland) Kiwis: Larry & Liz, and their friend Christine. Looking forward to sharing cycling in a very different environment and culture with them!
Exploring Hồ Chí Minh City
We had the morning free to take in the sights of Hồ Chí Minh City. Limited that to a wander from our hotel, which was central with plenty nearby to take in. First thing to get used to was crossing the road. It took a while to master the local technique of just walking slowly across, allowing, expecting, the traffic to pass around you, but it seems to work.
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Went to the Rex Hotel which was a location for the movie 'The Quiet American' but, having not seen it, I only knew that from the others telling me!
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Bến Thành Market, then called 'Saigon Market', was packed, hot and offered everything you'd ever want to buy. Problem was travelling by bike, just one bag in the shuttle, meant didn't really want to buy anything anyway.
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Encountered a container truck stranded, with broken suspension, in the middle of intersection. Anywhere else that would result in traffic chaos but here, traffic being mostly scooters, it was just another thing to navigate around.
First sight of a delta river, the first of many.
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Bike fit time
We will collect you from the Saigon Hotel and drive to the outskirts of the city to a private resort. Here we will fit you with your bicycles & you can have a test ride on the resort’s private roads.
A mention of the War
I wasn't interested in the, much promoted, war themed tourist activities (gun shooting, tunnel exploration) but am pleased our drive to the bike fit included a stop at the War Remnants Museum. Originally known as the "Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes", but renamed when US relations were normalised in 1994, it contains exhibits relating to the devastating impacts of the First Indochina War * and the 'Vietnam War' **.
* The First Indochina War is known as the Indochina War in France and the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam. [from First Indochina War - Wikipedia]
** Various names have been applied to the War. These have shifted over time, although Vietnam War is the most used title in English. It has been variously called the Second Indochina War, the Vietnam Conflict, and Nam (colloquially 'Nam).
In Vietnam it is commonly known as Kháng chiến chống Mỹ (lit. 'Resistance War against America'). The Vietnamese Government officially refers to it as the Resistance War against America to Save the Nation. It is also sometimes called the American or US War. [From Vietnam War - Wikipedia]
I knew a fair bit about the modern history of Vietnam, from school and media since, but seeing it presented from another perspective was revealing. It covered all the usual [dreadful] aspects of the war(s) but I remember one room surprised me with the impact it had. It was lined with photos of the media (from all sides) who were killed covering it.
For my generation of Kiwis war is a foreign, almost abstract concept. Apart from a few unused gun emplacements, memorials (which are seen in every town) and the graves of those who died overseas there is little evidence of it in New Zealand. The New Zealand Wars (previously commonly referred to as the Land Wars or the Māori Wars) our only significant civil conflict, are distant history even though the social impacts of them are very apparent and those grievances are only recently being addressed.
Vietnam is a country littered with the remnants of a very recent war and multiple colonial occupations. It is impossible to avoid and some of the most memorable, moving, holiday experiences were the museums and memorials.
Also notable was the hospitality, the warmth, the welcome from a country which had such a terrible recent colonial history. It brings to mind the wise words of a WW1 Veteran:
“At the end of any war, everyone sits around a table and comes to some agreement.
Why dont' they do that before the war instead?”
Alf Razzell, Royal Fusiliers, WWI
Who's right, who's wrong... that sums up the futility of war for me.
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Bike fit at the Resort
I don't remember much about this, there were some lovely tropical fruit drinks, a short ride around the grounds to make sure the bike was ok. They were touring flat bar style road bikes, easy to adjust too as I had brought my own saddle and SPD pedals and had my own helmet. They weren't legally required for cycling, had only recently been introduced (2007) for scooters and motorbikes, but were recommended.
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Day Cycle Total: Maybe 1 km!?
2023 Amendments (gaps or extras noted when this post was written)
* This post was written in 2023, so this section will document any gaps. I had a blog when travelling but didn't use it while travelling and it was before I used other social media.
** Pre-COVID-19 Adventure South used to offer trips in Vietnam, Japan, China, Korea, and Peru by partnering with other operators. Sometimes these were run by former/current staff (in the NZ off season) or businesses Adv Sth had helped establish with gear or operational input. Now they are fully owned by World Expeditions Travel Group Adventure South offer all NZ itineraries and those trips are found on the World Expedition / Cycling page.
