A vespa scooter.
Credit: Pixabay
The neatly parked vintage vehicles come to life as tourists step out of their luxury hotel at nightfall to enjoy the vibrant city, to embark on a journey of local cuisine, brews and music.
The drivers, clad in bright orange-coloured t-shirts, were seen patiently waiting near their respective scooters.
When the night began to fall and tourists stepped out of the hotel as singles and in groups, these vintage vehicles revved up to ply through the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City, carrying those visitors on their pillion seats to show a glimpse of this metropolis.
This fleet of retro scooters is part of the popular Vespa tour, a popular tourist attraction in the major cities of Vietnam.
It was incredibly amazing to see how a vintage Italian motor scooter helps foreign tourists discover the beauty of a Vietnamese city, explore its nightlife and find out about its authentic street food and brews.
Zipping through the busy city roads and downtown streets, the Vespa drivers would take the tourists to rooftop pubs, hidden cafe bars and candlelight concerts where they could enjoy every bit of the vibrance of the city like any local dweller.
During the 3-4 hour two-wheeler tour, they can taste the delectable street foods and tantalising brews of the country while enjoying live music by local singers, tour operators here said.
Diem, a woman Vespa tour operator in Ho Chi Minh City, said the two-wheeler ride would be the best way to experience this Southeast Asian metropolis and get introduced to its local food and music.
She said she had been in this profession for the last several years and tourist interest in the scooter ride has been growing like just anything day by day.
During the Vespa night tour, tourists will be taken to five destinations, she said, detailing their package.
"First will be a rooftop bar with a sunset view where they can enjoy welcome drinks. The next stop is a street food restaurant where they can enjoy Vietnamese seafood, which is a must-try. The other destinations are also just amazing," she told PTI.
At the sea food eateries, set on the pavement of downtown roads, Vespa tourists can taste traditional Vietnamese cuisines like 'Goi Cuon', a rice paper roll filled with pork, prawns and vegetables, 'Banh xeo', a stuffed rice pancake made of rice flour, turmeric and coconut cream,' 'Pho Pho', a soup made of chicken broth and rice noodles among many other delicacies.
Besides mild, non-spicy dishes, varieties of alcohol, cocktails, mocktail and other local beverages could also be seen served without any restriction in these roadside eateries.
Luyen, one of the Vespa drivers, was seen helping a pillion rider tourist unbuckle her helmet and get down the scooter when it stopped before a cafe bar.
He politely reminded the woman tourist not to forget to taste 'Cafe Sua Da', the unique iced coffee of Vietnam mixed with condensed milk at the cafe bar, tucked away on the first floor of a backyard building.
"After filling the stomach with tasty food, it's really nice to sit leisurely sipping some sweetened coffee and listening to live music," the ever-smiling driver told PTI.
At the warehouse-turned-heritage nightclub, the last destination of the Vespa tour, spirited Filipino singers could be seen performing in candlelight, and staffers were serving various kinds of brews at the old-fashioned wooden tables for customers.
'Namaste!!!', one of the singers told the audience after knowing that a considerable number of Indians were among them.
"It is really true that time flies when you are having fun. It was just an incredible night," one of the tourists was heard whispering to himself while the Vespa was on its way to drop him back at the hotel.
A cosmopolitan metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is the commercial hub of Vietnam.
Named after revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, the city has a well-evident westernised culture but is strongly rooted in its tradition and legacy.
Bitexco Tower, the tallest building in the city which resembles a budding lotus, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, Ben Thang Market, War Museum are among the must-visit destinations here.
As Vietnam is largely becoming an emerging tourism destination for Indian travellers, Vietjet, the country's largest private carrier, recently announced its plan to tap this growing interest by expanding its service to India, connecting more cities.
A new route connecting Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) and Ho Chi Minh City is expected to be launched this November, airline authorities here said.
Direct flight services from Kerala's Kochi to Ho Chi Minh City had already been launched by the private carrier from Cochin International Airport in August.
Vietjet recently added a seventh A330 to its fleet to meet demand in the region. By the end of 2023, the airline expects to have a total of 9 A330s, airline sources added.