MORE than four hours after leaving Shanghai, I finally landed at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Although the guide who met us assured us that this was a nice, cool day, I was still recovering from the blast of hot, humid air.

Once I'd recovered from the heat, the next thing to hit me was the noise. Ho Chi Minh City is filled with a medley of sounds: honking horns of motorcycles in a steady stream of traffic, roaring television shops, blaring cassette tape stands, the buzz of street side salespeople calling out to would-be customers.

It was at dawn when we arrived at the city center. People rushed past; students in white school uniform swarmed around food vendors selling local delicacies; flashing lights illuminated historic buildings, the night markets were still bustling, with food and souvenirs displayed neatly.

Once it was light Ho Chi Minh City began to take shape for me.

Despite the fact that modern high-rises have begun to dominate the skyline in recent years, there are still many fine examples of French colonial architecture in the city.

These include Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Saigon Post Office, the Municipal Theater and the former Hotel de Ville. Meanwhile, crowded residential areas are full of French-style villas, French bakeries and cafes, pho restaurants and trendy boutiques and galleries.

Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest city, in the past renowned as the Pearl of The East and the Paris of the East.

The economic, cultural, technological, trade and travel center of southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is named after the country's communist revolutionary leader, and have previously been known as Saigon and Prey Nokor.

Famous films "Miss Saigon" and "The Lover (L'amant)" give a glimpse of the glamor of the city. The charm and flavor of Ho Chi Minh City, a mix of its rich history and local folklore and tales, makes it a fascinating and vibrant place to spend some time.

Historical architectures

One of the most interesting places to visit is the former Presidential Palace, now renamed the Reunification Hall. Built in the early 1960s, it was designed by famous Vietnamese architect Ngo Viet Thu, who had won the First Grand Prize of Rome (Grand Prix de Rome) in 1955.

This magnificent five-story building was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975.

The complex covered an area of 12 hectares, including a palace with an 80-meter-wide facade, a guest chamber, with a spacious garden and a lawn. Most of the building materials were imported from France.

Not far from the palace, you will find the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame. The cathedral in the center of the city was established by French colonists between 1863 and 1880.

It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters and worshippers and other visitors can admire the beautiful structure of the building.

Standing adjacent to the cathedral is the Saigon Central Post Office, which was built between 1886 and 1891. It's a very pretty French colonial building from the outside, while inside filled with old-fashioned charm - including phone boxes, ceiling fans and an antique clock.

The arched windows of the post office are adorned with decorative capstones, while the main entrance is decorated with intricate ironwork. Huge maps of Vietnam of the both sides of the entrance also draw attention.

This busiest post office of Vietnam provides the usual mail services and also has phones and fax machines for public use. Stamps and souvenirs are sold from the counters.

The Mekong Delta tour

The Mekong Delta at the southernmost end of Vietnam is not only the location of Ho Chi Minh City, but the country's main rice basket and fruit garden.

The Mekong Delta is where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the South China Sea through a network of tributaries. As the world's 12th-longest river and the seventh-longest in Asia, the river drains an area of 795,000 kilometers. It runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Characterized by lowlands and earth-laden brown water, the river separates into several branches. Beyond its banks, rice paddies extend to the horizon.

A river tour of the Mekong River is a must as the river runs through Ho Chi Minh City.

The fresh smell of the river greeted us when we approached the harbor where rows of boats were moored.

In the distance, local fishermen are busy working on the boat. It was 6:30 in the morning, the sunshine warm and pleasant and the wind brisk.

We sailed out on the Mekong River through the traffic of sand and rice barges, past house on stilts and the floating morning markets to experience local life.

We sailed past locals quietly working along the banks of the river and encountered a local girl selling hand-make souvenirs when we lined up at a floating gas station.

Then we landed on an island on the river to visit a coconut sugar workshop, tasting the freshest tropical fruits - served with salt - and spent some time at an apiary, relaxing with a cup of honey tea among the bee hives.

Next, the guide took us to a small canal along the island for a truly memorable canoe trip. The canal is only between three and five meters wide and more than one kilometer long, running from the island into the Mekong River.

I was amazed by the strength and skills of the people rowing and paddling on such a narrow stretch of water.

Most were local women in traditional dresses and bamboo hats.

Boats bumped into each other, as if in bumper cars in an amusement park. The energy and passion were infectious as we took photographs of the lush green scenery along the route, while making sure to keep our balance during the 20-minite journey.

How to get there

Vietnam Airlines operates daily routes from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Details at www.vietnamairlines.com. The flight takes 4 hours and 10 minutes.

What to eat:

Ho Chi Minh City is a fast-paced city full of contrasts. Street vendors selling fruit and vegetables can be seen next to glitzy Western-style bars and boutiques, while you can buy a bowl of noodles for a few cents or opt for sophisticated restaurants serving fine European cuisine.

For breakfast, a croissant and an espresso in a stylish French cafe provide a taste of the city's past.

But if you fancy sweeter things, a cup of cold Vietnam coffee would be a smart choice.

For lunch, pho - Vietnamese noodle soup - is a must. No matter whether you choose the famous Pho 2000 or a hole in the wall vendor on the street, the food is unlikely to disappoint. Beware though, the chilies are much spicier than they look!

Ho Chi Minh City's nightlife has become very cosmopolitan in recent years and there are hundreds of bars, pubs and clubs to choose from when planning a night in the town.

Travel info

Sea tourism route open to Vietnam

A sea route for tourism between southern China and Vietnam has reopened after being closed for two years. The route, connecting China's Beihai to Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, is the only tourist route by sea connecting the two countries. Over 200 tourists returned to a port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Tuesday night after a five-day journey.

The past two years have been spent building docks for passenger liners. Initially, one liner will sail every four days, with more ships expected in the future. New routes to other southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, are also expected.

The Beihai-Ha Long Bay sea tourism route first opened on April 30, 1998. It was China's first transnational sea tourism line, and has serving more than 500,000 tourists.

Flights link Taiwan, Inner Mongolia

Taiwan-based airline EVA Air launched a direct route between Taipei and the mainland city of Hohhot on Monday. It is the first route linking north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Taiwan and is expected to boost tourism on both sides of the strait. The flight will be offered three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

A second direct flight linking Inner Mongolia's Hailar and Taipei will be launched on Tuesday. The flight time is expected to be 4 hours and 10 minutes.



Juneyao uses A321 to fly to Chengdu

Juneyao Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus 321 aircraft, the biggest passenger plane of the A320-series, and is flying the new jet between Shanghai and Chengdu. The aircraft has a configuration of 190 seats including 12 first-class seats. The first A321 is flying between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Chengdu. It will fly more routes between the city and Sanya in Hainan Island, mainly for business travelers.



Delta launches nonstop to Seattle

Delta Air Lines launched its first nonstop China flight from Shanghai to Seattle on Wednesday. The new route uses a Boeing 767-300ER jet with 36 flat-bed seats, 29 upgraded economy seats and 143 economy seats. Flights will depart from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 12:20pm and arrive in Seattle at 8:35am the same day. The returning flight will take off at 2:45pm and land in Pudong at 6:20pm the next day. It will be Delta's fourth nonstop service between the US and China.



China second in NZ tourism market

The rise of China as New Zealand's second largest tourism market is changing New Zealand's tourism industry, government officials said in a published report on Thursday. China overtook Britain last year to come in second to Australia.