Vietnam: Saying goodbye to Ho Chi Minh City

By Mithun Divakaran
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Jan 23, 2022
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Travel, Vietnam

Date: 31 October 2019

I began my last day in Ho Chi Minh City with a visit to the Saigon Skydeck at the Bitexco Financial Tower.

Bitexco financial tower grey skies — It was time to move on

Once the rain had subsided, I carried my tripod and walked to Nguyen Hue street.

Ho Chi Minh city junction Vietnam — This was my final evening in the city formerly known as Sai Gon… even though all the shop signs still use Sai Gon

I had already been there but I decided to shoot more timelapse sequences.

The Cafe apartment building Saigon Vietnam — I shot another timelapse of the famous The Cafe Apartment building

Lotus fountain Nguyen Hue street Vietnam — As the sun set, people were crowded around a fountain

Lotus fountain Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam — The lights change colours

Next, I set up my tripod in front of the People’s Committee Building.

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Bitexco tower helipad Vietnam skyscraper

Vietnam: Views from Bitexco Financial Tower observation deck

By Mithun Divakaran
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Jan 10, 2022
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Travel, Vietnam

Date: 31 October 2019

Today was my last full day in Ho Chi Minh City. There wasn’t much else left in my itinerary that I wanted to see. All except a visit to the Saigon Skydeck at Bitexco Financial Tower. At 262 m (860 ft), 68 storeys tall, I thought Bitexco Financial Tower was the tallest building in Vietnam but currently that title is held by another skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City, the 461.2 m (1,513 ft) tall Vincom Landmark 81.

Bitexco financial tower Saigon — Bitexco Financial Tower is 68 floors high, and with a giant A on top, it will resemble the Avengers HQ 🙂

Saigon skydeck entrance Vietnam — This is the entrance to the observation deck

Saigon Skydeck tickets Vietnam — I paid 200,000 VND (₹650/$8.50/€7.5) for the standard ticket

Lobby Bitexco financial tower Vietnam — I had come one evening to Bitexco tower a few days before and this is what the main lobby looks like

Inside Bitexco skydeck Ho Chi Minh City — The observation deck is on the 49th floor

I planned to shoot a lot of photos for a timelapse video and so I set up my camera and tripod at various positions.

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Vietnam: Tan Dinh Market and Pink Church; night ride to District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

By Mithun Divakaran
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Dec 20, 2021
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Travel, Vietnam

Date: 30 October 2019

Upon returning to Ho Chi Minh City and checking in to Kim Dung hotel, I stepped out for lunch. I was in the mood for some Pho again. Pho is (currently) the most hyped Vietnamese dish (by foreigners). It’s basically a noodle soup, mostly served with cuts of beef.

Pho Vietnam Tan Dinh Saigon restaurant — I checked Google Maps for Pho shops around me and decided to dine at this place

Vietnamese beef pho quay leaves — The bill came to 63,000 VND (₹207/$2.7/€2.4) but the pho actually costs 55k VND. They charged extra for the quay — which are fried breadsticks you see on the plate above the pho.

The waiter kept a plate of quay on my table and I figured it was part of the sides, like the veggies, and was included in the price of the pho. Well, the waiter didn’t tell me that the quay is ‘optional’. If you eat it, you pay for it. Maybe locals knew that but I didn’t. Oh well.

Tan Dinh chicken on street Vietnam — I walked past a local school and for some reason, there were hens in cages outside

Tan Dinh market drinks Saigon Vietnam — Tan Dinh is less touristy compared to the more popular Ben Thanh Market

Tan Dinh market clothes shops Ho Chi Minh city — But many of the shops here at Tan Dinh market also sell a lot of the same merchandise

Tan Dinh market footwear shops Ho Chi Minh city — Just with fewer shops

Cashewnuts Tan Dinh market Ho Chi Minh city — I was only interested in buying cashewnuts and some Macadamia nuts

Prices were slightly lower than Ben Thanh market but with some shops, you would have to negotiate harder. I decided to buy on the day I would be leaving Vietnam.

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