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Early morning in a neighborhood in Ho Chi Minh City. |
In mid-November, as the sun sets over Ho Chi Minh City, the streets remain scorching hot. The city vibrates with the roar of millions of motorbikes and the incessant chatter spilling out into alleyways, balconies, and roadside noodle stalls. During his exploration of Vietnam, Chris Schalkx, a writer for Condé Nast Traveler , captured this ever-present urban rhythm with very "real" details.
Doors wide open, elderly people leisurely sipping cold beer, charcoal grills by the roadside blazing with chicken and roasted pork, small parks transformed into outdoor gyms, and Vietnamese pop music blaring from old speakers. For him, it was an overwhelming yet captivating feeling, a unique and unmistakable characteristic of Vietnam.
Urban
To experience the city's pulse, Schalkx chose to dive headfirst into the flow. Sitting on the back of a Vespa on a night tour, he held on tight as his guide, "Bui Quan Khanh," a young man from Ho Chi Minh City who had just graduated from tourism school, weaved through a sea of red and white streetlights.
The car sped past neon-lit cafes and bars in the former Binh Thanh district before entering the newly built towers of Thu Duc. In the narrow alleys and working-class neighborhoods, Khanh recounted the city's transformation, from the metro line to the launched megacity plan, reflecting the ambition of a young economic center to rise.
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These are moments captured by the brilliant Dutch photographer and writer Chris Schalkx as he explores Vietnam. |
Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, food becomes a familiar anchor. Schalkx pauses over a plate of stir-fried snails, sips on tamarind lime juice at a restaurant overlooking the Rainbow Bridge, and watches the pancakes sizzling on a hot pan in the brightly lit open kitchen. These rustic dishes coexist with contemporary culinary experiences in new-generation restaurants.
From the Park Hyatt Saigon hotel, the journey continues through street markets and temples in the Cholon area to Chef Peter Cuong Franklin's Anan, where Vietnamese cuisine is retold in a modern language.
Flow
Leaving Ho Chi Minh City, the pace changes almost instantly. As the high-rise buildings fade into the distance, the Mekong Delta unfolds with its rice paddies, orchards, and intricate network of canals.
Here, the sound of engines gives way to the lapping of water against the boat's sides and the wind rustling through the trees. The winding river irrigates the fertile land, which plays a vital role in Vietnam's agricultural supply.
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The scenery in Phu Quoc is peaceful. |
Motorcycles have been replaced by electric bicycles. Schalkx leisurely travels along narrow dirt roads, across small ferries, through orchards of durian and oranges laden with fruit. The air is tinged with the scent of damp earth and ripe fruit, chickens scatter around the wheels, and scooters whiz by with saddlebags overflowing with jackfruit.
Tour guide "Thuan Khuc" said: "Every short distance, the crops change, with each family choosing what best suits their land."
Morning in Can Tho begins on the water. The Cai Rang floating market is bustling with boats, and fresh fruit and fish are bought and sold directly from one barge to another. Schalkx docks next to Aunt Bay's barge, who has been selling noodle soup from her floating kitchen for over four decades. Large eyes painted on the bow of the boat, according to local belief, guide the captain to good fortune.
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A local market in Ho Chi Minh City (left) and a rice field near the Hau River, one of the two main branches of the Mekong River. |
Venturing deep into the western part of Vietnam is a journey into community life. Houses shaded by banana trees, traditional rice wine gatherings, rustic dishes, and stories of a land reclaimed over generations reveal a resilient spirit of communal living.
Once a swampy border region of the Khmer Empire, this delta has welcomed diverse groups of people over the centuries, from Vietnamese and Khmer to Chinese and Cham Muslim communities. This diversity is evident in the gilded Khmer temples, the floating Chau Giang fishing village, and the way of life closely intertwined with the river.
The journey concludes in Chau Doc, as the setting sun paints the river a copper hue and the sounds of the night market echo from afar.
For Chris Schalkx, Vietnam is presented through two contrasting yet seamlessly connected rhythms of life: a bustling, fast-paced Ho Chi Minh City and a slow-paced, peaceful Mekong Delta. It is this contrast that creates the enduring allure of the destination, where visitors can transition from vibrant to tranquil in a short journey.
Source: https://znews.vn/khach-tay-ke-2-nhip-song-doi-lap-o-viet-nam-post1611172.html
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