On the morning of March 27th in 2023, I arrived at the airport to embark on a trip to Vietnam. Ancient temples, palaces, Mekong riverboat cruises, Cu Chi underground tunnels, and organic farms were on my tour group’s agenda. Gate1Travel from the United States is the tour company that hosted my holiday abroad. They provide superb tour guides, top notch accommodations, amazing dining experiences, and the most impressive local attractions.

I had been looking forward to this fascinating destination for quite a while. My original guided tour there was cancelled and refunded during the first official week of the coronavirus pandemic in March of 2020, so I was thrilled to finally be able to visit the country!!

Logan Airport’s Dunkin’ in my departure city of Boston, Massachusetts offers my “go-to” airport breakfast of avocado toast and matcha latte with almond milk.

Gate1 booked my flights with connections on Delta Airlines and Korean Air. They provided wonderful vegan meals for me, upon my online booking request.

For my March 27th lunch, I dined at the airport in Seoul, Korea; while awaiting my connecting flight. My meal selection was a veggie and rice bowl with a side of vegan cauliflower wings dipped in sauce and vegan ranch dressing. Lunch was tasty for sure!!

During my flight, the airline served a lovely dinner of stewed tomatoes, greens, and veggies topped with pumpkin seeds; steamed rice, and a small salad of tomato and cucumbers. Dessert was a mixed fruit salad.

Several hours later a flight snack was served, possibly to deal with the time difference. A simple sandwich of raw veggies in a bun with a side of mixed fruit satisfied our late night hunger.

When we awoke the next morning and had cross time zones, we were served another meal. Another sandwich with a side of mixed fruits curbed my morning appetite.

As the day progressed during our flight, dinner time had arrived. My vegan meal consisted of a wonderful plate of zucchini and other mixed veggies cooked in a tomato sauce with couscous, a small salad, a bread roll, and mixed fruit.

Arrival at our Ho Chi Minh destination in Vietnam was at 11:30pm. I went immediately to my room to get some sleep, but with excited anticipation of the sightseeing that would commence the next morning!!

Two days had passed since leaving my home airport, The date was now March 29th. For my first breakfast in Vietnam, I joined my tour group in dining at our hotel’s restaurant. The Saigon Prince Hotel’s dining hall offered many vegan-friendly options.

My yummy breakfast included Vietnam congee(steamed mashed rice) with onions, bahn mi bread, sliced dragonfruit, green tea with ginger, and peach juice.

After breakfast, I headed to the tour bus with my group and guide.

Our first stop on the day’s tour was the Cu Chi Tunnels. These underground tunnels were utilized during the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. The network of tunnels provided hidden passage for North Vietnam troops to survive in South Vietnam during the war. They were the Viet Cong’s base during military campaigns in 1968. Food wasn’t easily available and bugs infested the tunnels. Soldiers only emerged from the tunnels during the night to fight battles, tend crops, or get needed supplies.

Some of the Cu chi Tunnel entrances were hidden under disguised faux grass “doors” or a blanket of leaves, so that the opposing army would not find them.

We continued to walk through the above ground area and saw remnants of the war, including a fighter tank.

A small thatched structure showed exhibits of the various tasks that were performed by the villagers there, such as cooking meals and working with ammunition. A short film which discusses the war, is shown on a screen within this hut.

Upon arrival back in Ho Chi Minh City, I ventured over to the Bean Vegetarian Cafe. They offer several vegan choices on their menu. This is more of an upscale restaurant in food presentation and quality, as well as the ambiance. For lunch, I chose the vegan “Bun Rieu” rice noodle soup in a tomato broth with veggies and tofu; with a glass of fresh celery, pineapple, and apple juice. My meal was absolutely delicious!!

An short time later, it was time to meet back up with my tour group for another excursion. Our guide brought us by tour bus, to several Ho Chi Minh attractions and historical sites.

The tour included the French Cathedral, the old Post Office with its ornate architecture(built in late 19th century and used for telegraph communications during the French invasion), Independence Hall(former President’s Residence where a military tanker crashed through its gate in April 1975, thus signifying the Fall of Saigon and the end of the war ), the Opera, and Dong Khoi Street(shopping outlets).

Across the road from the former post office building, resides the yellow building which became world-renowned for the infamous photo of the helicopter rescuing last group of Vietnamese people, as the city of Saigon was captured by the Northern Vietnamese. This event is considered to be the last major event of the war.

We eventually made a final stop at the Ben Thanh market, where we given some free time to shop for local Vietnamese souvenirs. Everything from clothing to jewelry to pottery to little figurines can be found there.

Upon completion of our first full day of sightseeing, it was time for dinner. The restaurant and food was included as part of the Gate1Travel Vietnam tour package. My evening meal included several different dishes ranging from appetizers to soups to entrees and dessert. A purple veggie soup, mixed local fruit, bok choy green with carrots over noodles, steamed white rice, mixed veggies in a tomato broth, flour crisp, fried veggie spring rolls, and fried tofu slices comprised my delicious and filling dinner. The local fruits and vegetables are wonderfully flavorful!!

We headed back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep after our meal. Bright and early the next morning, I awoke for breakfast at the hotel. A plate of fresh local Asian fruits(longan, lychee, mini bananas, and pineapple), rice with corn and peas, hash brown potatoes, and a small slice of bread; was a wonderful way to start the day. A fresh orange juice accompanied my meal.

First on our day’s agenda was a boat ride to Coconut Island in the Mekong Delta. I enjoyed the ride on the small boat, while sipping on coconut juice and appreciating the scenic views.

When we arrived at Coconut Island, I looked in awe at the picturesque tree-lined landscape with a huge variety of local fruit growing on trees and vines and a nice variety of colorful flowers. Cacao, longan, coconuts, bananas, and many more exotic fruit trees lined the paths during our stroll through the island village.

Also, on Coconut Island, we witnessed the process of making coconut candy, from cutting off the coconut to cooking it into paste to cutting the pieces and wrapping each one individually by hand. The machine has one spout that turns coconut into milk & the other into thicker consistency for candy!!

We even sampled the candy that was presented to us in several varieties, such as coconut chocolate or coconut pandan(a Vietnamese green leaf)!!

We also sampled the tropical fruit; such as rambutan, mangostein, jackfruit, star apple, and banana!!

Craftsman were creating a variety of items chiseled from coconuts, such as buttons, bowls,& chopsticks!!

A small canoe-like boat ride took us on a most pleasant ride, before arriving back to land for our exit. The ride was smooth, picturesque, and so tranquil, as the boat glided slowly through the reed covered waters.

We remained on Coconut island for lunch. Our tour group from Gate1Travel was given a scrumptious lunch consisting of several courses. Included were a savory vegan crepe for me, green beans and carrots, steamed white rice, veggie soup, noodle soup, and fried veggie spring rolls. The quality and freshness of the meals in Vietnam was really impressive, including meals like these at touristy attractions.

It was then back to the hotel in Ho Chi Minh, for us to relax and freshen up.

For my evening meal in Ho Chi Minh, I dined at Mang’s Mania in the downtown area near my hotel. My dinner selections were the Bicuon(veggie rice paper rolls), the vegan fennel balls for my main entree, and grass jelly with chia seed bowl for dessert. A lime, ginger, lemongrass iced tea was my beverage. Everything was incredibly delicious!!

After my meal, I decided to stroll around this downtown area to experience the sights and sounds of Ho Chi Minh at night!!

Performers played instruments, others sang, and mimes posed without any motion, as if they were mannequins. Costumed actors dressed as cuddly animals entertained children in the streets. Glowing objects and lit up balloons brightened the square, as well. Even the buildings, skyscrapers, and statue of the former President “Ho Chi Minh” were lit up with bright, colorful lights shining upon them.

Further down the downtown road, I stumbled upon the Rex Hotel. During the Vietnam War, American military officers paid visits here and daily press briefings with foreign correspondents were held. This is one of the first Vietnamese owned hotels. The rooftop deck provides a glorious view of the downtown.

I enjoyed my day of sightseeing. After a good night’s sleep, I arose early again for a filling breakfast meal at my hotel. Rice, fresh fruit(star fruit, watermelon, mango), bread and longan satisfied my hunger.

My tour group then headed to the airport for a short flight to Da Nang, in central Vietnam..the next leg of our twelve day vacation. At the airport, I found a vegan-friendly early lunch meal at one of the food vendor stalls. My meal was a cup of noodle soup with veggies and a bread roll. I really enjoyed the sightseeing in Southern Vietnam. The Cu Chi Tunnels, Ho Chi Minh historic sites, the cruise along the Mekong Delta, the Coconut Island fruits and candy-making and crafts, and the wonderful dining. I awaited my flight and my next sightseeing destination with eager anticipation.