Mekong river cruises – both upstream and downstream – are easy to pick up once you arrive in Saigon. You can choose to travel upstream all the way to Phnom Penh (six days) or Siem Reap (eight days), Cambodia or downsteam to Can Tho (two to four days).

Minivans typically shuttle passengers between their hotel in Saigon and My Tho pier for the journey to the Ben Tre islands, where honey farms can be explored by horse-drawn cart. Boats then head further along the Mekong to Cai Be, known for its floating market that sees around 500 boat vendors each day and its colonial buildings, and then anchor for the night.

From Cai Be it is just a short trip to Binh Hoa Phuoc Island, whose shore is filled with gardens and orchards, namely Mr Sau Giao’s Flower Garden in Hoa Ninh. The final destination on day two of many river cruises is Sa Dec, where French novelist Marguerite Duras once resided. Boats then travel downstream to Tien Giang River towards Vinh Long, stopping to visit pagodas and see local brick making en route. Cai Rang floating market, close to Can Tho, is also not to be missed.

It is worth shopping around a little to get the right river cruise for you as boats, quality of food and knowledge level of tour guides can vary.

For first-timers, getting around Saigon can seem like a Herculean feat but negotiating this vibrant city by public and private transport need not put a dampener on your holiday.

Easily the most comfortable way to traverse the city is by metered taxi. These are found on every street corner, are air conditioned, reasonably safe and go for about 12,000 dong for the first kilometre and then an additional 10,000 dong for every kilometre travelled. The biggest stress you are likely to encounter with taxi travel is not finding a vacant cab, but getting the driver to understand where you want to go and having him take you the quickest route.

The easiest solution to the first dilemma is to carry a hotel card or guide book with you with the address of your destination written in Vietnamese while if you don’t know the city well, you will just have to take your chances on the driver’s honesty when it comes to getting you there for the best price. It helps to have small change ready to pay your fare. Avoid using the tourist taxis that sit outside upmarket hotels and charge in dollars. These are very expensive. 

If you plan to take long trips out of the city, hiring a car with a driver is the most economical means of getting around as taxis charge steeper rates for longer journeys. Local taxi firms offer this service, but for a little more you can go with an international company that provides English speaking drivers that double as tour guides.

Motos, or motorcycle taxis, offer a cheaper alternative for the brave at heart. They hang out on every street corner, are affordable and reasonably safe – the driver must provide the passenger with a helmet by law. Agree on the fare before you set off; expect a short trip to cost around 10,000 dong while longer runs across town go for around 30,000 dong – around half the cost of taxi travel.

Motorbikes are available for hire but this isn’t recommended unless you are an experienced rider as the busy streets of Saigon are no place to learn. Expect to pay US$3-7 per day.

Cyclos offer an interesting way to sightsee thanks to their slow pace but can be hard to find outside of tourist zones. Expect to pay around US$2 an hour, but you’ll need to negotiate hard to get this price. Beware of being taken to shops where the driver will receive commission. Unless you want the experience of riding in a cyclo for the novelty factor, it is best just to hop into a taxi.

Local buses can be a headache to work out but are really cheap and safe. Head for Ben Thanh Market, the main bus hub, to find the right line or take the City Look Bus for a tour of the city sights in English.

Not only are there dozens of unique and original keepsakes you can take home with you from Saigon, but the city is also known for its brilliant reproductions of master artworks.

Vietnam has a rich artistic heritage and today’s visitors are taking advantage of local artists’ skills by picking up artworks at a snip. Saigon’s growing cottage industry has seen copies of Picassos, Monets, Hoppers, Rembrants and other great masters being sold all through the city’s main shopping district.

Of course, not all these reproductions are worthy of purchase, but the attractive prices may encourage you to settle for a few minor imperfections. Yet the value for money for the skill level is excellent and shops here regularly get large orders from across the world.

It’s not just copies on offer. Made-to-order works are available as well as original artworks. In fact, the artists here can pretty much paint anything you ask them to. You can buy pictures with or without frames, rolled or stretched. Carry your purchases home yourself or have the gallery arrange for them to be sent.

Even if you are not interested in making a purchase, an afternoon spent strolling the alleyways and admiring the artists at work can be interesting.

Expect to pick up a copy of a masterpiece from just US$50, with large pieces going for up to US$350.