ultimatevietnamcambodia2015: Wednesday 28th October Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City

Normally when you fly to a destination you can pretty much write off a day but as our flight was booked for 3.10pm and we were only half an hour from the airport we had until 12 noon to enjoy our last few hours in yet another beautiful clear day in Hoi An. Most of the gals on the trip were pretty much shopped out but after some tidying up of clothes fitting at the local tailors, there was time to relax around the pool. I also enjoyed a walk around the bike free areas of the old town (a recent and excellent local government decision) to savour some of the cultural delights this city has to offer.

On the way to the airport we stopped at a marble factory to look at some of the brilliant sculptures on display and being carved. Their artistry was amazing. After that, we stopped off at China Beach for a paddle, mainly so people could say they tipped their toes in the South China Sea.

Our flight from Da Nang was delayed by an hour overall which also put us into a holding pattern coming into Saigon. This also added to the delay and we didn't reach the hotel until about 6.50pm. This gave us about 35 minutes to freshen up for our dinner cruise on the Saigon River. I have been on this 3 times in the past and I think the food was the best this time around. The live orchestra was a bit tuneless to start with but improved over time, especially with a rousing rendition of Waltzing Matilda and the inevitable help they received from our group.

Saigon has continued its transition to a vibrant western city with considerably more cars on the road and tall buildings punctuating the skyline. Travelers from my first trip in 2010 would be amazed at the metamorphosis this city has gone through in 5 years, and it shows no sign of slowing down.

The city of Da Nang after take off.