Begin your day with a visit to the imposing mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh lies in state. Continue to the modest stilted wooden bungalow where Uncle Ho lived and worked, before visiting Ho Chi Minh Museum which chronicles the evolution of Vietnamese independence. Continue to the quirky One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda with a history steeped in folklore and then explore one of the city’s many interesting museums. Lunch is at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, stroll through the Temple of Literature, a serene retreat from the busy streets outside. Complete the tour with a walk through the labyrinthine streets of the Old Quarter. They are often named after the materials they sold such as Tin Street, Sugar Street and Paper Street. Stop at a roadside coffee shop, mingle with the locals and enjoy daily life passing by.