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 ■ Population: 6.21 million
■ Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND); US dollars are accepted at major tourist outlets, hotels and restaurants
■ Country and city code: +84, +08
■ Tourist info: Tourist Information Office, 4G-4H Le Loi Street, District 1, tel: +84 (0)8 822 6033, website: www.vietnamtourism.com
FUN FACT
Lacquerware made in Ho Chi Minh City is the best in the world. Head straight to District 1 for the best selection of boxes, trays, desk accessories and vases.
ictory Day Parade (30 April)
Every year, amid flags and big slogans, war veterans parade along the leafy Le Duan Boulevard – the street the Reunification Palace overlooks – replete with marching troupes and dancers to commemorate the end of the war on 20 April 1975.
Song (76D Le Thanh Ton, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 822 6827)
Valerie Gregorie McKenzie’s eco-friendly apparel, signature hats and gorgeous home and kitchenware are bound to make any chic ethical shopper happy. Touted as products for tropical living, pick up her simple yet elegant designs at this flagship store.
Kin Boutique (291 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3, tel: +84 (0)8 930 6757)
Designer Nguyen Cong Tri’s creations are not cheap – dresses cost upwards of USD150 (SGD214.75) – but they are flirty, feminine, flattering and will last for years to come. His use of silk, chiffon and beading makes the outfits glamorous and fit for a posh night out.
 Cepage (Ground floor, Lancaster Building, 22 Le Thanh Ton, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 823 8321)
Cepage may be less than six months old, but it’s already gaining a reputation as one of the best restaurants in town. The small but impressive menu successfully marries modern Western cuisine with Eastern accents. The daily black box lunch set costs VND111,549 (SGD10). $$$
Tib Chay (170 Tran Quang Khai, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 846 9685)
This long-running vegetarian restaurant is known as the best of its kind, replicating its sister restaurant’s famous Hue dishes without the meat but still full of flavour. A perfect example of how vegetarian meals needn’t be boring. $
Bounce (45 Le Thanh Ton, D1)
One of the newest clubs in town, Bounce is the latest “in” place. It boasts a large dance floor with a massive TV screen and packed with trend-setting, gyrating youths.
Pacharan (97 Hai Ba Trung, D1, tel: +84 (0)8 825 6024)
Within spitting distance from the Opera House and Park Hyatt Hotel, the tapas restaurant’s open-air terrace, almost nightly live music and great drink deals, including exclusive Spanish wines, make it a delightful place to unwind after a hard day of touring and shopping.
Equatorial (242 Thran Binh Trong, D5)
* The five-star hotel is closer to Chinatown than it is to the usual shopping district and watering holes, but the bustling District 5 and its amalgam of Chinese-Vietnamese restaurants, clothes stalls and sidewalk eateries more than makes up for it. Room rates start from VND1,495 (SGD134). $$
Duxton (63 Nguyen Hue, D1)
* For affordable comfort with a good location, the Duxton is the place to be. It has all the mod cons – pool, gym, satellite TV, internet access – plus a health club which offers great massages and manicures. Room rates start from VND1,974 (SGD177). $$
BY THIN LEI WIN ELKIN
* FOR EXCLUSIVE DEALS, BOOK HOTELS AT www.TIGERAIRWAYS.COM
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