Saigon and Hanoi, the bookends of our time in Vietnam, each had their own unique energy. Yes, there’s a clear thread of Vietnam-y-ness that binds them together— nonstop motorbike action, abundant street food, smog (, etc…), but even as first time visitors we could sense a contrast. Hanoi was regal—uniformed soldiers throughout downtown, pride and patriotism radiating from the buildings and billboards. Saigon had its share of party slogans, but overshadowed by the modern variety (eg. Just Do It!). It’s classical versus cosmopolitan, traditional versus transitory. It seemed to us that Hanoi is the country’s bleeding heart, and Saigon its humming engine. Maybe it’s related to the timing of our visit, but Saigon struck us as more approachable and better to explore aimlessly.
Our favorite Saigon was Saigon at night. As the sun went down, the city lit up—glittering neon signs, warm street lights, the hum of motorbikes, and an electric buzz in the air. Not that it wasn’t already absolutely buzzing during the day, but at night we felt an arms-wide-open hospitality, and a creative spark in the air.
So, instead of a play-by-play of our five days in the city (eat, ride on the back of a motorbike taxi through the waves of traffic, sleep, repeat), we’ll leave you with some of our favorite photos from Saigon after dark. We think they capture the magic better than any words could.
There you have it! We hope you can feel some of the magic through the screen. If you ever get the chance to spend time in Saigon, we 11/10 recommend it and hope you’ll explore and enjoy the streets after dark as much as we did. We’re sure you will.
Until next post,
Piper & Leo
Thank you for the post. I finally got to look at it.
Saigon at night will never be the same after you stole the karaoke spotlight so completely😂