Vietnam Historical Trip. Day 4-5: Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam Historical Trip. Day 4-5: Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang

- July 01, 2013

It was our last morning in Saigon city. We had a domestic flight to Da Nang in the evening. While there was still plenty of time before the check-in, we just meandered around the city, and my wife did some last-minute shopping. We also brought along souvenirs and some local delicacies. After having lunch at the nearby restaurant, we had a late check-out and got ready for the pick-up to the airport.

We thought of skipping several sites just because three days of our stay were not enough. As we still had plenty of time, the driver stopped us at several tourist spots for a photo shoot. We stopped at Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, which has two bell towers established by the French colonists (you might know it by its name) in the 18th century. We also passed through the Saigon Central Post Office and the Reunification Palace, the former Presidential Palace.

At around 4 pm, we arrived at the airport and checked in for the late evening VN 1326 flight to Da Nang!

A very nice and talkative guide during our stay in Saigon City

The next day, VietnameDrive has arranged a trip to Hue, around 95 km from our hotel, the Grand Mercure Da Nang. On our way, we stopped at the Hoi Van Pass, a winding road passing through Bach Ma National Park. With the overcast sky, we look up for the prettiest beach while we take a photo shoot at Lang Co Bay before proceeding to the Imperial Citadel in the city of Hue.

The Hoi Van Pass bay facing the South China Sea

Duong Cuu Nan So means the 'road to the death.'

The Lang Co Bay is recently being a tourist spot for the beach lovers

The Imperial Citadel is also known as the Purple Forbidden City, a palace of the Nguyen Dynasty that ruled between 1802 and 1945, Vietnam's former imperial capital and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

A photo shot at Cửa Thể Nhân

We took trishaw ride around the city wall

One of the several lakes in the Purple Forbidden City

The Rock Garden

Afterward, we visited the Museum of Royal Antiquities, which has two exhibits. The main exhibit houses antiques/artifacts from the Nguyen dynasty, being pottery/metal wares used in day-to-day life. The second exhibit is a small room with an assortment of Cham sculptures from around the region. Very well explained through the description of pieces and Cham culture.

Bronze bell outside the museum

Impressed with dedicate antiquities

Bed frame of Nguyen King

Pennies existed during the Nguyen Dynasty

Urn bronze? I guessed...

After about two minutes of walking, we reached the Gate of Manifest Benevolence, otherwise known as Cửa Hiển Nhơn, to get into the imperial city from the east.

Entrance from east side

The moat with water lilies

Among the part of the Imperial Citadel that were left intact after the Battle of Hue

Leaning against the Nghi môn Nhật Tinh

Thái Hòa Palace is located right on radial road of Imperial Citadel overlooking Ngo Mon Gate

Sitting on the bank of the Perfume River, a seven-story pagoda of the Celestial Lady is regarded as the landmark of Hue City. It's about 5 km from the city wall. We reached the pagoda, otherwise known as Thien Mu Pagoda to the locals, 20 minutes later. The bronze vessel cast in 1552

Let's hop in!

The tall pagoda

There was a bronze bell on the ground level

We spent less that 20 minutes here

Scenic view of Perfume River

The last stop for today is the Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh, located near the Chau Chu Mountain. It took 11 years to build this tomb, which blended the eastern and western architecture.