Best of Far East Adventure Travel “Live” Saigon Highlights

Views of the Saigon River and District 1 in the rapidly changing Ho Chi Minh City from the 49th floor of the city’s tallest building, the Bitexco Financial Tower

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a rapidly changing urban landscape. On my recent visit I was surprised to still find some iconic sites left over from the Vietnam war days despite all of the new construction including a underground metro system.

The roof of the Pittman building located at 22 Ly Tu Trong was the scene of a helicopter evacuation of U.S. nationals including C.I.A. personnel on April 29, 1975, the day before the fall of Saigon. It was captured by a Dutch photographer Hubert Van Es and for years was mistaken for the U.S. Embassy, another evacuation site.

Across the street from the historic building is the Vincom Shopping Center. A few blocks away the newly opened Saigon Shopping Center. It was amazing to still find the Pittman building and one of the locations of a burning image from the fall of Saigon amidst a changing city.

There were still many traditional neighborhoods to discover including Cholon in District 5. This is considered the largest Chinatown in the world and it’s massive Binh Tay Market is worth a trip to experience the trade and tradition of this mostly wholesale market.

Visiting the rooftop bars that were once frequented by the international press, military and C.I.A. was another fantastic experience-for the history and the wonderful views over the heart of Saigon-District 1.

The Saigon Deck located on the 49th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower, Ho Chi Minh City’s tallest building was also a wonderful experience, even with cloudy skies and heavy rains.

I hope you enjoy these highlights from live broadcasts during my recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Watch out from brand new podcasts featuring exclusive footage from my recent 6 week visit to Vietnam on Far East Adventure Travel. I’m always live streaming from Asia on Periscope and Facebook. You can watch live broadcasts right from the Far East Adventure Travel website or
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