4 Hours In: Ho Chi Minh City

A city in turmoil during the Vietnam War, Saigon, as the locals still call it, is now a lively metropolis packed with temples, grand boulevards, cozy cafés and scooters.

Visit the War Remnants Museum to see photos of the Vietnam War and its aftermath, including a moving exhibit of those affected by chemical herbicides like Agent Orange (28 Vo Van Tan, district 3, 84-8-930-2112).

Eat the three-course lunch at Lemongrass, featuring pineapple or orange Chilean sea bass (4 Nguyen Thiep Street, district 1, 84-8-822-0496). Grab a dessert at the French bakery Pat à Chou (65 Hai Ba Trung, district 1, 84-8-824-5873).

Buy a tailor-made suit, shirt, trousers and ao dai, or traditional long, fitted silk dress worn over pants, at Sinva (50 Le Loi Street, district 1, 84-8-822-4367) or Orchids Silk (84-86 Le Loi Street, district 1, 84-8-829-9754). The final product can be mailed when ready.

See the Reunification Palace, the site where tanks crashed through the gates on April 30, 1975, and a Viet Cong flag was unfurled to signal the end of the Republic of Vietnam (106 D Nguyen Du, district 1, 84-8-829-4117).

Relax with a massage at Viet Spa, located in the Tan Son Nhat Airport (2/F, international departure terminal, 84-8-848-9084).

© 2008