Irrepressible Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest city and economic hub, retains its architectural gems and grandeur that earned it the monikers “Pearl of the Orient” and “Paris of the East” by the late 1800s. Yet nowadays Ho Chi Minh City, still known locally as Saigon, also pulsates with infectious energy stemming from its vibrant nightlife, ubiquitous café culture, surging business climate and the sea of motorbikes thronging its streets. Zip around this bustling metropolis atop a vintage Vespa, stopping at landmarks that include the Saigon Opera House, the Post Office designed by Gustave Eiffel, museums and temples. Stay in a luxury villa, built from authentic parts of traditional houses, on the banks of a tributary of the Dong Nai River amid lush countryside surprisingly close to the city.