Ho Chi Minh City was originally a fishing village and then the site of the end of the Vietnam War… although then it was called Saigon. Today it’s a major trading center, back to bustling the way it’s been since the 18th century. The biggest difference now is the scale of the bustle — the population lately is booming and Ho Chi Minh City features a certain kind of energy you’ll only find in places where motorbikes rule the roads. Visit and you can’t miss the welcomingly-wide boulevards, French colonial architecture and vibrant street-market culture on display at places like Ben Thanh Market on Dong Khoi Street or Cholon, the city’s own Chinatown district. Off the street, the Vietnam War-era Củ Chi tunnel network invites visitors underground while the Mekong Delta waterway is home to a floating market located entirely on boats.