"Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam" a Ho Chi Minh City Travel Page by karaboo

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Puppies are NOT on the MENU!

During my week stay in Vietnam we used Ann's Tourist Co., 58 Ton That Tung St., District 1 (tel. 08/833-2564 or 833-4356; fax 08/832-3866; www.anntours.com; e-mail: tony@anntours.com). I had read about their great reputation and it was entirely well deserved. It's hard to imagine a friendlier, better-run travel organization. These guys will help you do virtually anything you want to in Vietnam.

On one of the overnight trips we went from Saigon to My Tho, approximately 75 km and a 2 hour drive. We drove to My Tho and visited Vinh Trang pagoda. Then we visited a hamlet making rice noodle. This place was actually the peoples house. Let's just say quite rustic. Then we drove to Cai Be a 40 km and 1 hour drive. We then took a 6 hour cruise on Mekong River enjoying the countryside of the Delta with small waterway, villages with stops along the way to visit a Bonsai garden, a local Brick & Floor tile factory, smithy, hand weaving mat village. The it was on to An Binh Island to visit Bonsai garden and nursery farm along small canals, lunch at local house. This is where I got my picture taken with the sweetest little puppy. Afterwards we drove toward to Vinh Long and stayed overnight in Can Tho 50 km and 1.5 hours away. My hotel was the lovely Golf Hotel on the river. HIGHLY recommend a massage at the hotel.

More background on our stops along the way:

Cai Be Floating Market with sellers and buyers bargaining and exchanging goods from their boats.

Vinh Long Some 136 km from Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long occupies a core area of the Mekong Delta.

Ah Binh Island - Mr. Sau Giao's Bonsai Garden The island of An Binh-Binh Hoa emerges from the middle of the Tien River, just opposite to the town of Vinh Long. The island's 60 sq. km & has 4 villages: An Binh, Binh Hoa Phuoc, Hoa Ninh and Dong Phu. Some of the attractions include:

Mr. Sau Giao's Flower Garden in Hoa Ninh, with hundreds of various ornamental plants: yellow apricots, chieu thuy plums and jasmine. Llongan and mango tree gardens and fish ponds are all around the garden.

Mr. Muoi Day's Stilt-House, is made of wood and sits on the Ninh Hoa Canal. Beside it are fruit tree gardens of longans, grapefruits and sapoches. The house can serve tourists lunch, or provide a place to stay for an evening or two.

Mr. Hai Hoang's Old House was built in the style of the French with a large yard, and behind are rambutan and longan tree gardens. Lunch and evening stays are also provided for tourists.