Weather forecast: Hot with intervals of clouds and high humidity. Temperatures from 27c (81f) to 36c (97f). Real feel 33c (91f) to 38c (100f)

This morning, we have a tour around the Reunification Palace, which used to be the presidential Palace. On 30th April 1975, a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the gates of the Palace; this marked the end of a decade of brutal fighting against the US and South Vietnamese allies.

We are then going to the War Remnants Museum, which contains exhibits from the Vietnam War. Various planes, tanks, and heavy weapons are displayed outside in the grounds. Several people we have spoken to about the museum say it is a very moving experience.

In the late afternoon, we are off on a Sunset Cruise along the Saigon River, which meanders its way through the city.

War Remnants Museum visit—If you visit Ho Chi Minh City, set aside at least half a day to visit this museum, which tells the story of the Vietnam War. You don’t need to book a tour guide; all the displays have an English translation, and there is an information headset you can purchase. The exhibits and photos are powerful, sad, harrowing, and moving. Start on floor two, which is all about the journalists who died in the war on all sides and the photos they took. Floor one is the most is the most harrowing, showing the atrocities that took place, including the My Lai massacre and the effects of Agent Orange.

Presidential Palace—It is Worth visiting to take pictures of the Viet Cong tanks that burst through the gate, signaling the end of the Vietnam War. There were actually two tanks: one smashed through the gate, and the other dragged the gate off its hinges. The two tanks on display are copies of those tanks; the real ones are on display in Hanoi.

We found the rest of the Palace not very interesting. It was just a series of rooms for the President and his family to use, rooms for entertaining, meetings, and war rooms.

The sunset Saigon River tour was a great way to finish our holiday. We booked a small speedboat for a private one-hour trip and watched the sunset on the river on our way back.

In the evening, we visited Bui Vien Street, the main party street in Ho Chi Minh City. It was heaving with people. Music blares out from the bars and clubs, scantily dressed girls dance on podiums trying to attract you into their bars, ladies of the night offer their wares, and numerous people try to encourage you to sit in their bars or enter their clubs. It’s a deafening cacophony of noise and people, but it’s very entertaining.