Saigon After Dark | Vespa Adventures Food Tour in Ho Chi Minh
People who have visited Vietnam has one story to tell: there is a different sense of accomplishment crossing the streets of Vietnam with all the ranging motorbikes.
I thought, if we can’t beat them, we must join them – in style.
So we rode a Vespa scooter and took the motorcycle tour around the old Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) for a fun tour around the city and exhilarating, progressive food trip.
Thank you to our friends from Vespa Adventures Tour. We got to experience riding the local transportation, taste the authentic Vietnamese Food and experience the city night life aboard vintage Vespa rides!
Vespa Adventures is a tour company that started out from a collection of Italian vintage scooters, Vespa; and provided a thrilling tour around the Ho Chi Minh City.
How to Book a Vespa Saigon Tour.
You can book via Klook:
Klook.com
Our #VespaAdventures drivers picked us up in our hostel lobby at 5:00 PM.
After a few introduction, they helped us with our helmet and instructed us the right way to sit on the back. It is comfortable seat with padding, and a back rest. There’s a handle at the back of the driver’s seat (right in front of you) which you can hold on to for balance. If worse comes to worst, you can hug your driver during the ride (yes, it is allowed).
I would advise hug around the waist but never in the shoulders (he must take control of the wheels).
This was not the first time I rode a bike .My first time was a long motorcycle ride from Manila to Zambales. I also tried back-riding in Davao. I would say I have an experience, but not an expert. I always think safety but I trust that Vespa Adventures drivers are experienced and know their way around the city jungle that is old Saigon.
It was so nice to be part of Vietnam’s urban landscape with its busy and noisy streets and hushing wind.
ZOOM CAFE
Zoom Cafe is like the Headquarters of the Vespa Adventure Tours where they gather all the guests for a welcome drink.
We met our tour guide for a quick briefing (who always appeared first in our destinations as if she knows Apparition) We got to order any drink that we want – wine, beer, cocktail, bottled water.
I decided to have local beer and saved space for dinner.
I Sea Food
We had dinner at the famous seafood place and had a feast of mussel soap, crab, shrimp, and noodles. I noticed that Vietnam has the same ingredients as what we have in the Philippines, but dishes are cooked differently.
In between dishes and changes of plates, our tour guide would share bits and information about Vietnam cuisine, ingredients and food culture.
It is a great experience even for a visitor like us who also have an abundance of seafood in our home country. The highlight of the stop would have been my first taste of frog (it does taste like chicken!).
Wrap and Roll: Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Our next stop is a popular restaurant that specializes in crispy pancakes. I love this part of the tour where we learned how to prepare our own Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Vietnamese Food is made mostly of fresh leaves and ingredients. I would describe Vietnamese Cuisine as tasty and light, and somehow makes me feel “clean”. The dishes are best enjoyed with condiments and sauces, but unlike most Asian Cuisines which are too flavorful, Vietnamese Food is light and balanced.
Secret Bar and Dessert
For dessert, our guide lead us to a secret bar hidden in what looks like, an old mechanic place, up a narrow staircase where acoustic singers serenade us with classic Vietnamese and English songs.
The place looks like an old house, with minimal lights (just candlelit) which really set the mood for the night. I really enjoyed our stop in this secret bar. I felt like, I wouldn’t dare go to this secret place if not for this tour package.
Acoustic Emotion Talks Bar
Our last stop is the popular Acoustic Emotion Talks Bar. It was jam packed when we arrived and I spotted diverse crowd- from young adults to oldies who seem to all enjoy the music and drinks.
The place looks like a hangout place for bands and local artists. I love that everyone seemed to enjoy the performances – from sentimental love songs, rock ballads and dance hits – the audience was all game to sing along and groove.
I really wish we could stay longer. But it was getting late and we still had an early bus ride to Mui Ne. I love that we got to experience Ho Chi Minh’s night life and visit one of the popular bars in the city.
Our Vespa Adventures drivers dropped us off to our hostel – safe and in one piece.
Truly, being in a scooter in Ho Chi Minh is the best way to feel the sights, sounds and smell of the city.
Oftentimes, travel would force you to go out of your comfort zone and hop on a scooter. Better do it with #VespaAdventures.
I saved my IG Stories from the tour and shared in my Youtube Channel.
Like, Comment and Subscribed?
Finding time to learn how to come up with better videos, but for now, enjoy!
The Saigon After Dark Vespa Adventures Tour is a 4-hour tour that starts at 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The price is at $ 89 USD. Check out http://vespaadventures.com for more information on the tours, packages and bookings.
Next story: Sleeper Bus from Ho Chi Minh to Mui Ne
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