# Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon

The last two days we were in Ho Chi Minh City, which used to be called Saigon and was the capital of South Vietnam before the reunification in 1975.

On the first day, we took a day trip to Monkey Island. We drove to Can Gio for that. The special thing about this island is that it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Therefore, no factories are allowed to settle there. The landscape is characterized by meadows and forests. Ho Chi Minh City needs this kind of balance. Without this island with its forests, Ho Chi Minh City would be engulfed in smog.

Upon arrival at Monkey Island, we had the opportunity to feed the monkeys with peanuts. They would climb up on you or jump on you for that. It was important not to carry small items like sunglasses, hats or phones, as the monkeys tend to steal such things.

Besides the monkeys, you could also take a speedboat tour through the forests in the reserve. In the end, you would reach a museum in the woods, which represents a battlefield of the Vietnam War.

On the second day, we spent some time sightseeing. We visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Post Office and the Independence Palace.

Once on the street, we met a ten-year-old boy. He just wanted to talk to us in English. His English was very good. It was so sweet and in a country where so many people can't speak English, it was a nice pleasure.

All in all, Ho Chi Minh City is a beautiful city. Especially in the evening, you can admire the skyline from a rooftop bar. But the traffic here is much worse than in Hanoi 😂

Tomorrow, we will go to Cambodia. I'm really looking forward to visiting this country 😊