The perfect complement to the more serene Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has a pulsating energy that is impossible to resist.

Saigon (also known as Ho Chi Minh City) is the economic engine of Vietnam, a thriving, sprawling metropolis of 13 million people with about 7 million scooters on the streets.

Attractions include the bustling Ben Thanh Market, where vendors sell everything from food, sweets and spices to tobacco, souvenirs and clothing - including custom-made suits, and Nha Hang Ngon, where you can taste traditional street food served up from food stalls in a leafy garden.

Reminders of the war-time period are there in Saigon's Reunification Palace, the War Crimes Museum and the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels, whilst Saigon itself is dotted with French colonial buildings.

Other notable sites and experiences include the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Jade Emperor Pagoda for its statues and woodcarvings and the Khanh Van Nam Vien Pagoda, said to be the only pure Taoist temple in Vietnam.

There are plenty of sights in Saigon and a city stay in Saigon is essential to really experience Vietnam properly.

Hotel accommodation in Saigon is very good value and there is just a handful of colonial style, boutique hotels in Saigon.