Impressions of Indochina
By
©Mona Thomas
East of India and south of China, lies Indochina. I have visited Thailand and Laos and walked
into Burma or Myanmar as it is now known, with the Indian Army from north-east India.
Recently, when the allure of the Orient beckoned again, it was time to travel to Cambodia and
Vietnam.
In the not too distant past, these countries found themselves to be the arena where proxy
wars fuelled by the insecurities of the 20th century and the quest for new ideologies was
played out. However, there is more to these countries than conflict.
Time constraints meant that the extensive bucket list had to be slashed down, ruthlessly.
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is the commercial hub of Vietnam and this is where most
international flights arrive. It was known as Saigon before the Vietnam War. It became
HCMC in April 1975 when the North Vietnamese Army, led by the vision of Ho Chi Minh,
overcame the South Vietnamese army and united the country. This event is symbolised by the
famous images of a tank storming the wrought iron gates of Independence Palace, the
President’s residence, in Saigon. The name of Independence Palace was also changed to
Reunification Palace. This building is a compulsory stop on the tourist trail. It’s now silent
and long corridors are eerie because of the contrast between its peaceful atmosphere and the
tumultuous events it witnessed.
Continuing with the legacy of war is the War Remnants Museum. It takes a strong person to
visit this museum and I would give a parental guidance warning if you are travelling with
young children. The museum drives home the brutality of war but to balance it out, there is a
dedication to the anti-war movement. The grounds also hold replicas of the notorious prisons
© April 2015
This is the sole property of Mona Thomas. It cannot be copied, reproduced or sold in part or whole
without her express permission.
on Phu Quoc and Con Son Islands and that most infamous of French inventions, the
guillotine.
Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and the Central Post Office hark back to Saigon’s
colonial past. This old name is still widely used today. The Post Office was designed by
Gustave Eiffel, better known for the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Beyond coming to terms with its
past, Saigon is an energetic city that appears to be resolutely heading into the future. It has its
modern buildings, tree lined avenues of designer shops, and varied restaurants. It was a
pleasant surprise to find a well-established Indian restaurant, Tandoor. No city in South East
Asia is complete without a market and Ben Thanh Market is where you can find kitsch and
some steals and where transactions are conducted with a smile and flattery. Saigon also gives
access to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the mighty Mekong River. The tunnels are the underground
network that the Viet Cong constructed in the heart of South Vietnam to attack the enemy and
to escape the indiscriminate bombing above ground. You can even crawl through a few
tunnels to experience life as a Viet Cong guerrilla. Believe it or not these tunnels have
actually been slightly widened for tourists! Originating in the Tibetan Plateau, you can sail
along the Mekong from Burma to Vietnam via Thailand, Laos and Cambodia but if a day is
all you have, you can make a quick trip from Saigon and experience the vibrant commerce
that carries on in this river.
There is a popular saying in Vietnam that people in Saigon first think and then act but
people in Hanoi first think and then they think again! This I suppose is a result of the socialist
heritage of northern Vietnam but Hanoi is an atmospheric city of lakes, a well-heeled French
Quarter and a very zippy Old Quarter. You could very easily leave Hanoi having spent your
entire time in the Old Quarter. It is a labyrinth of streets where shops selling wares from
clothes to Vespa seats co-exist with hotels, tourists and a lot of two-wheelers. Do not be put
off by the very basic appearance of the street-food stalls. Just push your way in, find yourself
© April 2015
This is the sole property of Mona Thomas. It cannot be copied, reproduced or sold in part or whole
without her express permission.
a seat and cook your own food. They mainly offer two meals to choose from, usually a hot
pot and a grill. Pho, the Vietnamese soup noodle can be eaten anytime from breakfast to
dinner. All food is best washed down with a cool glass of Bia hoi, the local draught beer!
Ho Chi Minh or Uncle Ho as he is affectionately referred to is, the father of the nation. We
missed the opportunity to visit the mausoleum containing his embalmed body as it is only
open on certain days of the week. Instead we took a ride out to Ba Vi National Park and
walked up 2000 steps to his temple at the top of a peak. A visit to Thay and Tay Phuong
Pagodas on the outskirts of Hanoi took us off the main tourist map and it was worth the effort
simply to witness the local village boys frolicking around the water puppet stage in the pond
in front of Thay Pagoda.
A few hours away from Hanoi is Halong Bay, a World Heritage site of limestone karsts
rising out of emerald green waters. It is a popular destination and if you want to witness the
same beauty in a more private manner, head to Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay. You can hire
your own boat which will come with a guide, driver and chef, kayak through caves into
peaceful lagoons, choose your dinner from the floating fishing villages and at the end of the
day go to sleep on the boat, gently rocked by the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.
If you only have the chance to visit one place in Cambodia, it has to be the Temples of
Angkor. If Vietnam has been influenced by China, then Cambodia has had more of an Indian
influence. Hence, these two countries although entwined by history and location, have very
different vibes. The Temples of Angkor are a mixture of Hinduism and Buddhism and in the
Khmer language you will find traces of the ancient Indian languages, Sanskrit and Pali.
You will huff and puff and wilt in the intense heat and humidity as you walk through the
temples but the hard work is worth it. The complex of Angkor is the remains of the political,
social and religious centre of the ancient Khmer empire. It is as grandiose in real life as in the
© April 2015
This is the sole property of Mona Thomas. It cannot be copied, reproduced or sold in part or whole
without her express permission.
photos. There is Ta Prohm, often referred to as The Indiana Jones Temple where nature runs
riot over the ruins and it is surreal to see enormous trees and their roots growing out of and
over the temples. Then there is Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer empire where
gigantic faces, called Bayon, smile down at you in a beatific manner from all sides. There are
a total of 216 of these enigmatic faces. Angkor Wat is the star attraction of the complex as it
is the best restored and is also the world’s largest religious building. My personal favourite is
Banteay Srei, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is carved from a pinkish hued stone
and is the finest example of Angkorian art and stone carving. As I stood staring at this
majestic evidence of ancient human enterprise and creativity, I could not help but wonder
how long our modern architectural wonders would remain standing without human
assistance.
Siem reap is the town that supports Angkor. It has the inevitable hustle and bustle of
tourism but is still charming. Pub Street is the main strip. Khmer cuisine is somewhat similar
to Thai cuisine and for those who are not too good with their chillies, it is usually offered less
spicy to tourists. However, if you are after the hot stuff, you can easily amp up the taste by
asking for chillies on the side. Cambodia and its people have gone through hell and back but
the spirit of the people and their smiles will humble you.
Two weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia gives you a wonderful taste of Indochina and whets
the appetite for more. Our world is vast and beautiful and there is too much to see in too little
time. Who knows, maybe I will be lured back and find myself once again on the streets of
Hanoi sipping Bia hoi!
© April 2015
This is the sole property of Mona Thomas. It cannot be copied, reproduced or sold in part or whole
without her express permission.