By Kate Harris

Motorbikes, motorbikes, motorbikes. If a single image can represent a city, for Saigon it is the motorbike. It would be possible to fill an entire photo album with pictures of them alone; a motorbike as a school bus, a motorbike as a grocer's cart, a motorbike as a removal van. On the roads they flow like water through the city, churning like rapids at busy intersections. On the pavements they stand in endless metal rows of makeshift parking lots.

Motorbikes, however, are not the only things to capture the eye, or the imagination, in this city. Spectacular structures and scenes are woven together to reveal vivid impressions of Saigon past and present. Remnants of the Chinese and French occupations form the backdrop to the energetic hurly burly of this modern metropolis.

Two birds with one stone

The square at the top of Dong Khoi, one of District 1's most prominent streets, is an ideal place to get photographing. A central location, it includes two of the most notable architectural legacies of the French colonial era. The Notre Dame Cathedral, built towards the end of the 19th Century using bricks transported from Marseilles, stands at the north-east side of the square. In a city where open space is at a premium, make the most of the plot of grass in front the church to capture an image of this imposing structure.

Rotating ninety degrees to the right, is a similarly beautiful French structure, which at first glance appears to be a railway station but is in fact Ho Chi Minh City's Central Post Office. Under a dome shaped roof, individual wooden phone booths, adorned with clocks displaying times across the world, evoke the feeling of a black and white movie played out on cine reel. If you venture to the back of the post office, you will see a painting of Ho Chi Minh.

Located at the top of Dong Khoi. Notre Dame Cathedral: Han Thuyen. (The front gate may be locked. Also try the entrance on the south west side of the basilica.) Central Post Office: 2 Cong Xa Paris. Open 7am – 9.30pm.

Hard to miss

You won't be the only person photographing the People's Committee Building. This central landmark is right at the heart of downtown Saigon and hard to avoid. The building was originally constructed at the beginning of the 20th Century as the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and it maintains its ornate colonial edifice. The interior, however, is off limits, so keep your snaps to the outside only.

People's Committee Building, located at the north-west end of Nguyen Hue.

Art's fine by me

Only a few hundred yards from the hectic Ben Thanh Market, the Fine Arts Museum is cloaked in an aura of calm and instantly transports you to colonial Saigon. Shuttered windows adorn a faded yellow façade, contrasted with blue ceramic detailing. The museum itself is not particularly notable for its art, but the interior does offer some interesting shots of its wrought iron staircase, tiled floors and the courtyard that the building encircles. Alternatively, you can wander around to the back of the museum (where you can stroll through some contemporary art galleries) and walk into the courtyard through the back entrance.

Fine Arts Museum, 97A Pho Duc Chinh. Open 9am – 4.30pm.

Gilded glory

Cholon, Saigon's Chinatown, straddles districts 5 and 6. It has the highest concentration of pagodas in the city and is well worth a visit with your camera. Quan Am Pagoda is one of the most notable and is popular with both Vietnamese and Chinese Buddhists. Arrays of colours greet you at the gatehouse, and inside, shafts of sunlight bounce off the heavily gilded altar, statues and wall decorations. Look out for the ornate panels just next to the entrance door, fashioned in gold and lacquer and be sure to walk behind the main altar to the rear courtyard where there is a statue to Quan Am, the goddess of mercy.

Cholon has a different feel to the rest of the city, and the best way to explore it is on foot, absorbing the sights and smells and unearthing the vast array of items on sale from fabric (see below) and handmade scissors to Chinese herbs and lion masks.

Quan Am Pagoda, 12 Lao Tu, Cholon.

The story lies within

Cha Tam Church, built at the turn of the 19th Century, stands in a courtyard so languid and picturesque that it feels a world away from hectic downtown Saigon. In fact, it played an integral part to the city's history when President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu fled to it for refuge from an attempted coup on 2 November 1963. Upon surrendering, they were escorted from the church under orders of the coup leaders but the soldiers executed the brothers before arrival back in central Saigon.

Cha Tam Church, 25 Hoc Lac, at the western end of Tran Hung Dao, Cholon.

In a city teaming with commerce, almost every street offers an array of wares appealing to the shutterfly. Here's a selection to seek out:

Well heeled

Le Thi Hong Gam, the street adjacent to the Fine Arts Museum, displays a sea of shoes, from sandals to trainers, work shoes to flip-flops. Other leather goods such as belts and wallets lie nestled in between these knock-offs of well known brands. This street doesn't have the bustle of the market, but is impressive for its sheer quantity of goods.

I want to ride my bicycle

If the road isn't full of motorbikes, then it's full of motorbike parts. Pham Huu Chi in the Cholon district of Ho Chi Minh City is a grease monkey's and photographer's dream. The street is covered with everything you could need to build or repair a bike. Wing mirrors dangle from shop ceilings, lights are heaped in piles by the doorway, spare tyres stack up on the pavement and there is a constant racket of clanging metal.

Like the cut of your cloth

The rolls of fabric on sale in Saigon offer myriad photo opportunities. In Tan Dinh Market, cloth merchants sit atop of mountains of material, or perch on small stools eating noodles in the tiny gangways between each stall. The colourful silks in Ben Thanh Market brighten the dimness of this vast covered market built in 1914. But beware, by far the most tourist savvy of the markets, you may want to think twice before taking your camera out. Pop outside to see the main entrance with its belfry and clock, which has become a symbol of Saigon. To view the fabrics in the natural light, journey to Nguyen Trai and Do Ngoc Thanh streets in Cholon. Wait for a store-owner to unravel a spool and you can capture an unending parade of shapes and colours.

Tan Dinh Market: Hai Ba Trung, Walk 200 yards north-west along Hai Ba Trung from the intersection with Vo Thi Sau; Ben Thanh Market: intersection of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tran Hung Dao and Le Lai.

Knick Knack anyone?

War memorabilia abounds in Saigon and there are a variety of places to go to peruse for GI Zippos and combat boots. Dan Sinh Market, also known as The War Memorabilia Market, houses all of this and more and you have to fight through the busy networks of hardware stalls to track down your goods. The more photogenic option is the nearby street, Le Cong Kieu. This street has a large number of shops opening onto the road, offering an eclectic mix of artefacts and bric a brac. Old money, ceramic vases, gramophone players all jostle for space. If you switch from taking pictures to taking pieces, be careful, as not all of what is for sale is authentic.

Dan Sinh Market, 104 Yersin.

We like it fresh

The mountains of fresh food piled high on carts, or transported on motorbikes make excellent photo opportunities and there's no shortage of markets and street restaurants to snap away at. Most central is Ben Thanh Market, which is also surrounded by a hubbub of food stalls. For some more open-air markets, take a wander along the streets leading off Nguyen Trai in Cholon. Down here, you can also weave in and out of the stalls selling traditional Chinese herbs around Trieu Quang Phuc Street.

And finally... time to unwind

Ho Chi Minh City does not have many parks to boast of, and yet there is an unmistakeable feeling of tropical greenery in some areas of the city, most notably along the banks of the Saigon River. Perhaps the most relaxing way to record the river, and tune your zoom lens onto the vibrant pink bougainvillea leaves, is to take a taxi out to District 2, known as An Phu. Visit the waterside bar and restaurant The Deck for a sundowner and snap away in peaceful seclusion.

The Deck Restaurant, 38 Nguyen U Di, An Phu, District 2, HCMC; Tel: +84 (0) 8344 6632.

Photo Credits: Photos by Kate Harris, apart from 'The Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon' by Quang Minh (YILKA) and 'Hotel de Ville de Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam' by yeowatzup.

By Kate Harris

No matter what brings you to Ho Chi Minh City, be it a weekend getaway or a six month backpacking trip, you'll have slurped your way through one too many bowls of delicious Pho; you'll have lugged a new suitcase back to your hotel, loaded with exquisite lacquer that you just couldn't resist; you'll have sunk a couple of rocket fuel coffees to keep you going through the museums and your heartbeat is still racing from crossing the road. In short, it's time for a break. It's time for a trip to L'Apothiquaire.

L'Apothiquaire is a spa and retreat tucked away down a side street in District 3. As you step off the pavement and walk down a tree lined pathway, the sound of motorbike horns fading behind you, you are greeted by an almost fairytale scene: a white colonial French building stands with its doors thrown open in welcome and next to it, an arc of pink bougainvillea bends gracefully over a serene swimming pool. On the inside of the front door a plaque is nailed to the wall. It reads 'Silence is Golden.' This is your refuge for the next few hours.

As its name suggests, L'Apothiquaire is a spa that prescribes products and treatments developed from natural ingredients, all of which are made and tested in France. A quick introduction to some of the products feels something akin to a chemistry lesson as you listen to a roll call of familiar ingredients but all of them used for unfamiliar effect. If you're feeling an uncomfortable layer of traffic fumes clinging obstinately to your slightly sweaty face, you might chose a facial with a cleanser developed from lemon (anti-bacterial), Pilosella (anti-fungal) and Rosemary and Thyme (anti-septic). All the products are elegantly packaged for sale, so if you're planning on making the most of Saigon's nightlife, you might want to consider purchasing their best selling 'Contour des Yeux' ($34, 15ml) to 'diminish dark circles and puffiness.'

If choosing between a purifying facial and a dry skin facial sounds too much like hard work, then there is a menu of less complicated treatments to chose from. You can wear off those fresh spring rolls with an anti-fat massage, try something new with a mud body wrap or just kick off your dusty flip-flops and collapse into a chair for a foot massage. All of these chairs are a surprising bright pink, and, coupled with swathes of purple velvet curtains they set a theatrical tone for your pampering. One room, designed to accommodate group bookings, has eight dazzling mock regency chairs laid out as if you're being treated in the court of Louis XIV. A royal service indeed.

For those of you with some caffeine still to burn, there is the top-floor studio where a range of classes are on offer including Yoga, T'ai Chi and Qi Gong. A session in here and you're now all set with toned skin and stretched limbs – or even stretched skin and toned limbs – and ready to head back into the city. It won't be long before your skin will be besieged by sunshine or air-conditioning, but at least you gave it a couple of hours respite.

Book in advance at: La Maison de L'Apothiquaire, 64A Truong Dinh Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: +848 3932 5181 / 3932 5082; Web: www.lapothiquaire.com.

Additional location at: L'Apothiquaire Artisan Beauté, 61-63 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: +848 3822 1218.

I was sent an email this morning asking for tips on travelling to the Sapa region in Vietnam. Sadly I've never been so deferred to a friend who went very recently and she came back with a goldmine of information. So good that it had to be shared!

So, here you go, the inside track on the stunning hill station of Sapa...

When to go to Sapa:

Avoid the winter months of January and February like the plague as the mountains are covered in fog making it impossible to see the surrounding area, which is the whole point of being there! April and May are meant to be good months as well as end of September and October. July and August is Sapa's rainy season so best avoided.

How to get to Sapa:

Fly into Hanoi and take the train up to Lao Cai, which is a nine hour overnight journey. On average there are three trains a night to Sapa departing from Hanoi station, so there are quite a few options to choose from.

If you are staying at the Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa, which is the best hotel in the area, then they have their own train which has a dining carriage and looks very comfortable. You can only book this if you are staying at the hotel.

The other option is the Fanxipan Express. This is a good and comfortable way to get to Sapa, although there's no dining carriage (the only train with a dining carriage on this route is the Victoria Express). There are four berths per carriage. If there are two of you travelling you will have to share with others unless you pay for all four berths to ensure privacy.

Pete Wilkes, Managing Director of Sapa Rooms, recommends the TSC train, the Livitrans train and the Hara train. He says these carriages all depart from Hanoi nightly between 7:30pm and 9:15pm, arriving in Lao Cai the following morning from 5:30am to 7:30am. These options are safe, secure, comfortable and clean, and come equipped with clean western toilets, air conditioning and lockable doors.

A four berth train ticket costs USD 37 per person one way and a two berth train ticket costs USD 85 per person one way.

Arriving in Sapa:

Once you arrive into Lao Cai there are people milling around to take you to Sapa which is about a 40 minute drive. Really watch out for touts and make sure that you buy your ticket from the driver once on the bus, otherwise you will end up paying over the odds.

Where to stay in Sapa:

Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa is a good hotel with swimming pool, spa and tennis court, as well as tour booking office on site. There is a restaurant and bar there (famous for its cheese fondue) so if you are looking to stay somewhere with all the comforts then I would recommend this, although the rates are a lot higher than anywhere else.

Tel: +84 43 9330318 (Speak to Ha – she is really helpful); Email: resa.sapa@victoriahotels.asia

Cha Pa Gardens is right in the centre of Sapa, by the market. It's very well located and a sweet place with just four decent sized rooms. The owner, Tommy, is married to a Vietnamese woman and they co-run it. Tommy can arrange for a local guide to take you on walks in the surrounding area, but as we were looking for a bit more depth to the tours and wanting to learn about the local culture, we ended up booking everything through the Victoria Sapa – but enjoy the lovely boutique style hotel.

Tel: +84 20 387 2907; Email: post@chapagarden.com; www.chapagarden.com

Sapa Rooms is the third recommended option. The hotel is run by Pete who was super helpful in sending through all the train options. He can book the train for you as well as all tours and activities. Sapa Rooms was closed when I went in January, but I walked past the hotel. It is right by the market and again in centre of town, but on the road and not set back like Cha Pa Gardens; I don’t think this would make any difference though and imagine service to be much better than at Cha Pa Gardens, which was a bit slack.

Tel: +84 (0)90 618 7883; Email: pete.wilkes@me.com / info@saparooms.com; www.saparooms.com

What to do in Sapa:

During the day, and if the weather is good, there is so much to do. There's lots of hiking, and although the trails can get quite busy with visitors we found a few treks that were less crowded. You are taken by local guides on these hikes, so also learn a lot about the local culture.

The top hikes are as follows. All of these hikes can be booked through Pete Wilkes at Sapa Rooms, who gives the profits back to the region's minority communities. All hikes can be customised to suit you, and his descriptions of them are as follows. Email pete.wilkes@me.com or call +84 (0)90 618 7883.

Cat Cat Village, 3km (difficulty - easy): This is the home of the H'mong minority tribe. During this hike you have the opportunity to meet and talk with locals to learn more about their daily life. There are many opportunities to purchase handicrafts direct from the local tribal community. The walk will take you to beautiful Cascade waterfall and the old French hydroelectric power station built over 100 years ago. You may choose to walk or catch a motorbike back to Sapa (2km). Cost: 180,000 VND per person.

Lao Chai and Tavan Villages (difficulty - medium): Walk along ancient buffalo trails between mountains and valleys and across rice paddies to arrive in the beautiful Lao Chai village. Along the way enjoy some of Vietnam's most breathtaking views of terraced rice fields. In Lao Chai village visit the H'mong people in their wooden and bamboo houses, experience daily life in the tribal villages which are set high in the mountains among pristine rice terraces and wild running rivers. Continue on to Tavan village home of the Day minority people. Meet the locals and pay a visit to the schools to distribute any gifts you may have brought from home. Here you will have many opportunities to purchase handicrafts direct from the local tribal community. Choose to return to Sapa on foot, jeep or motorbike. Cost: 420.000 VND per person includes lunch and your motorcycle ride.

Matra and Taphin villages (6 hours, 11km – includes home cooked lunch): First take either a jeep or motorbike ride 4km to visit the Black Hmong village of Matra which is set in a beautiful lush valley and famous for its picture perfect scenery. After this village, continue on the peaceful dirt road talking to locals until you reach the mountain village of Taphin - a traditional handy craft village and home to two different minorities; the Red Dzao and the Black H'mong. Have a picnic lunch in the village and take time to explore the village with your guide. Here there is an option to take a traditional Red Dzau hot bath with medicinal herbs. This is a great way to sooth tired muscles after trekking. Cost: 420,000 VND per person includes lunch and your motorcycle ride.

Ban Ho hot spring village (1 hour each way by jeep or motorbike, 4 hours trekking around Ban Ho village, includes home cooked lunch): If you want total isolation and dream of swimming in beautiful crystal clear rivers with local minority children surrounded by stunning scenery then this is the trek for you. Truly unforgettable, Ban Ho Village is worth the one hour jeep or motor bike journey to get there, as the village rewards visitors with stunning views and opportunities to discover the daily life of the ethnic Tay people. The trails and roads from Ban Ho also lead to the quiet Red Dao Village of Nam Toong and other ethnic communities, where you can enjoy the best of Northern Vietnam, such as deep valleys, amazing mountains and the friendliest people you can imagine. Cost: 650,000 VND per person, includes lunch and jeep or motorbike ride.

If you are going for longer than a weekend you may want to climb Fanxipan – any of the hotels can help arrange this for you.

Where to eat in Sapa:

There are some dodgy places and a few great ones; unfortunately we missed out on some as they were closed when we were there. My favourite, which is highly recommended, is Le Gecko. It is run by a great guy called Frederic. There is a pool table there, a terrace for eating outside, and if it's cold there is an open fire to sit next to inside. I recommend the mushroom pasta!

For more information about Vietnam, click here.

Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. All via Flickr (Creative Commons).

Rip up your road safety rulebook, get ready to step into on-coming traffic and prepare for a LOT of ding for your dong, we’re off to Ho Chi Minh City.

Here’s the lowdown on a 36 hour, whistle stop tour of old Saigon:

FRIDAY

6pm, The New World Hotel: not the most glam of destinations, but the city’s first 5* hotel. Decent sized rooms, good bathrooms and a comfy bed. 500m away from tourist-ridden Ben Thanh Market.

7pm, Club Camargue: French food and great wine on a palm-fringed, candle-lit terrace. From smoked salmon to lamb shanks with artichokes to nutella crème brûlée, everything was delicious. $50 for two people, 3 courses plus wine. 16 Cao Ba Quat, 824 3148. Dinner only.

9:30pm, Vasco’s bar: Live music and pool tables in the courtyard directly below Club Camargue. What could be more convenient?! Watch out though, the whole operation is moving soon. As above.

11pm, Q Bar: Underneath the Municipal Theatre is slick Q Bar. A bit too cool for school, but fun to have drinks on Lam Son Square and soak up colonial architecture at the same time. 7 Lam Son Sq, 823 7699.

SATURDAY

9am, War Remnants Museum: Not for the faint-hearted. Graphic photographs, war memorabilia and malformed foetuses; a poignant insight into the horrors of Vietnam’s wars with the French and Americans.

10:15am, Reunification Palace: One look at this white elephant was enough to put me off touring its insides. Apparently there’s lots of interesting period kitsch and propaganda there however.

11am, Hôtel de Ville: A stroll past and gaze up at the fairytale, wedding-cake style old town hall. Now home to The People’s Committee. A stone’s throw from the Ho Chi Minh City Museum if you’ve got time to explore the city’s history.

11:10am, L’Apothiquaire: Oh la la! Homemade rubs and scrubs going for a song at this aromatherapy spa. Handmade products from Bordeaux at prices the French can only dream of - $4.50 for a lemongrass-scented salt scrub. Merci beaucoup. 63 Le Thanh Ton, 822 1218.

11:30, Nga: Lovely lacquer. Right next door to L’Apothiquaire.

11:40, Notre Dame Cathedral: A red bricked beauty in the middle of the city. Doesn't look a thing like its Parisian cousin, but who cares. If you're here on a Sunday, and so inclined, there's mass in English. If you're there don't miss the Post Office next door.

11:35 – 12:30, Dong Khoi: This is where the French used to strut their stuff and it’s easy to see why. Still home to chic boutiques and international designer labels. Very easy to while away an hour deciding whether that lacquer bowl or those buffalo horn salad servers would actually look good at home.

12:45, Temple Club: Fantastic Vietnamese food in this retro indo-chine salon. No MSG, fresh Pho soups and amazing spring rolls (amongst countless other temptations). Exposed brickwork, latticed wooden archways, Vietnamese lamps, original tiles and best of all, if you like some of their furniture, you can make them an offer to buy it. Would be a great place for dinner too. $25 for two people, 2 courses and soft drinks. 29 Ton That Thiep, 829 9244.

1:45 – 2:15, Ton That Thiep: Some great shops on this more off-the-beaten-track road. Try Gaya (#30) for homeware, linen, fashion and furniture, but get your credit card out because it doesn’t come cheap. Appeal (#41 and #33) has great eggshell lacquerware, from photo frames to floor lamps.

2:45pm, Ben Thanh Market: Hold onto your wallet, this is pickpocket heaven. If you can handle the throngs this is a good place to pick up a bargain. Traditional Vietnamese lanterns, ceramics and the backpacker must-have, Tiger Beer t-shirts. Towards the back is the wet market if you can’t hack the hassle.

3:15pm, pool time: need a nap? So did I. Ho Chi Minh is 30 degrees in Feb so why not soak up some sun?

5pm, Emperor Jade Pagoda: Incensed-filled Cantonese-built temple. Touted as the most interesting in town. If you’ve seen a lot of temples before and are tight for time I wouldn’t make the 30 min journey. There’s a nice temple garden though, which offers a welcome respite from the frenetic city.

7pm, Dong Du: Just off Dong Khoi is this quieter, bar and restaurant filled street. We stopped for drinks at Qing, a wine bar with Asian tapas, and were serenaded by dragon dancers gearing up for the Tết festival.

7:40pm, Thann and Harnn: Walking to dinner can be so distracting, especially when another amazing spa shop crops up. Scented candles and fragrant lotions in this little Aladdin’s cave. Jo Malone, eat your heart out. 23 Dong Du, 827 2008.

8pm, Nam Kha: Allegedly one of the city’s best Vietnamese restaurants, but actually where Donatella Versace met Laura Ashley and it all went hideously wrong. Perhaps the food is fantastic, but I wasn’t going to sit by the reflection pool to find out.

8:30pm, The Refinery: An oasis of simplicity and deliciousness in a courtyard near the Hôtel de Ville. Arriving at this French-owned restaurant is like stumbling into a secret garden; illuminated by candles and fairylights the restaurant sits on the ground floor of a yellow colonial house with a terracotta roof and wooden eaves. With a menu that would make Provence proud and a wine list to match, this is a great place to come for a glimpse of how the city must have been when the French were still in town. It was so hard to leave that we didn’t until we had to, sipping red wine and watching girls in traditional ao dais walk past. Around $60 for two people, 3 courses and (lots of) wine. 74/7C Hai Ba Trung, 823 0509.