Vietnam: One Country, Three Ports, Three Very Different Days
Before this cruise, Vietnam was a place we had read about…but not somewhere we truly understood, beyond bits of pieces we learned in the 70’s during the Vietnam War.
Over the course of three port stops — Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Cam Ranh, and Chan May (Da Nang & Hoi An) — we experienced three completely different slices of the same country.
We experienced different landscapes, different energy, different memories, and yet, two things were strikingly consistent at every stop:
First:
None of these cities are truly “at the port.” Every excursion required at least 45 minutes — often much longer — of driving just to reach the places you actually want to see.
Second:
Everywhere we looked, we were confronted with the same quiet reality:
Widespread poverty.
Not dramatic, not theatrical, but just…present. Most people here are living with the bare minimums, typically living in roadside homes with simple daily routines that reminded us how different life can be from what we know.
It created an emotional undercurrent that followed us through all three ports.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
A Big, Busy, and Surprisingly Familiar Metropolis
Our first stop brought us to Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by many locals.
After a long drive from the port, we arrived in what felt — at first glance — like a major city almost anywhere in the world:
- Dense traffic flowing in every direction
- Endless motorbikes weaving through intersections
- Crowded sidewalks and constant motion
There’s an unmistakable urban intensity here. And if we’re being honest, it also felt dirty and worn down in many areas — something that stood in contrast to the polished cities we had visited earlier in the trip, say in Singapore.
Moments That Stood Out
Despite the chaos, several stops left a lasting impression:
- The National History Museum, tracing Vietnam’s cultural roots through centuries of artifacts
- Iconic colonial landmarks like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office
- The Reunification Palace, quietly symbolic of the country’s modern history (picture on my phone)
- A visit to a lacquerware factory, showcasing one of Vietnam’s most important artistic exports
We eventually made our way to Ben Thanh Market, a whirlwind of color, noise, bargaining, and energy — fascinating, overwhelming, and unmistakably real.
And then, in a striking shift of tone, the day ended in one of the most upscale shopping districts I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. Luxury storefronts lined the streets — Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and more — polished, pristine, and glowing behind perfect glass displays. It was visually stunning…but emotionally complicated.
Because stepping from crowded streets and visible poverty into a world of extreme luxury
only magnified the stark disparity between everyday life for many citizens and the wealth represented in those storefront windows. You can call me naive, for I know this is the case in most parts of our world, though this particular contrast lingered with us long after we left the city.
Ho Chi Minh City ultimately felt like Vietnam’s economic heartbeat — vibrant, intense, and layered with contradictions that are impossible to ignore. Ho Chi Minh City felt like Vietnam’s economic heartbeat…but also its most exhausting.
Cam Ranh (Nha Trang)
Rural Villages, Quiet Moments, and Human Connection
Our second Vietnam stop couldn’t have felt more different.
Instead of a sprawling city, Cam Ranh introduced us to the Vietnamese countryside — rice paddies, small villages, and a slower rhythm of life.
Even arriving here was unique. Because the cruise port is still being rebuilt, we actually docked at a Vietnamese military base, complete with security unlike anything we’d seen at other cruise terminals.
It was a subtle reminder that Vietnam’s past — and present — are never far apart.
Experiences We Won’t Forget
This day was long, with significant driving, but it delivered some of the most meaningful moments of the trip:
- Walking through rural villages where daily life unfolds at a completely different pace
- Visiting a local farmers’ market, vibrant with tropical fruit and handmade goods
- Spending time at the Loc Tho Pagoda Buddhist temple and orphanage, a quiet, emotional stop that stayed with us long after we left
Cam Ranh didn’t feel flashy. It felt personal. And in many ways, it was the most human of the three ports.
Chan May → Da Nang and Hoi An
History, Beauty, and the Most Memorable Day in Vietnam
Our final Vietnam stop — Chan May — turned out to be the most fascinating.
From the port, we traveled to Da Nang and the ancient trading town of Hoi An,
and this day felt different from the start.
Da Nang and the Dragon Bridge
One of the first highlights was the famous Dragon Bridge, a modern symbol of the city that literally breathes fire and water on weekend nights. It’s bold, unexpected, and perfectly captures Vietnam’s blend of tradition and rapid modernization.
Hoi An — The Vietnam We Imagined
Then came Hoi An. If Saigon felt chaotic and Cam Ranh felt rural, Hoi An felt almost timeless.
- Lantern-lined streets
- Preserved wooden architecture
- Quiet temples and small artisan shops
Walking through the Old Town felt like stepping into a different century.
We visited:
- A traditional silk workshop, where fabric is still produced from silkworms using centuries-old techniques
- A handmade marketplace filled with crafts unique to the region
- The Marble Mountains stone-carving village, where artisans shape sculptures directly from local marble
This was the one port where history, culture, and beauty all aligned, and for us, it became the most memorable stop in Vietnam.
The Emotion We Didn’t Expect
It’s impossible to talk about Vietnam without talking about what we felt traveling through it.
We were grateful to visit. Grateful to learn. Grateful to see a country so different from our own.
But alongside that gratitude was an overwhelming sense of heaviness — a quiet awareness of how many people here live with so little. Whether officially acknowledged or not, poverty is visible everywhere.
And that reality stayed with us long after the excursions ended and the ship sailed on.
Final Thoughts from MAK’n Waves
So how do we sum up Vietnam from a cruise perspective?
Three ports. Three completely different experiences. One unforgettable country.
We’re thankful we had the chance to see it, to learn from it and to feel something deeper than just another sightseeing day. Vietnam isn’t always easy and it certainly isn’t always polished…and it doesn’t try to be. But it is real, and sometimes, that’s the most meaningful travel experience of all.
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