I had a sleepless night. Being a light sleeper, I found myself tossing and turning throughout the night. It's quite typical for me not to sleep well during the first couple of nights on a trip. I found myself getting up a few times during the night, walking over to the bench to check the time on my phone (no side table as my bed was facing the wall), and then returning to bed to continue resting. I was so happy when I started hearing the sounds of passing vehicles on the road (since we were staying on the ground floor) because morning has arrived.
As I finished my preparation, I felt excited for the day ahead. Today would be the highlight of our trip, so we chose our nicest outfit that we bought to the trip to wear today.
Here's how our serviced apartment looked like when viewed from the opposite side of the street. As we headed in the direction of Saigon Square, we also looked around for a good spot to have breakfast.
Just 5 minutes walk from our serviced apartment is Independence Palace, a well-known attraction for tourists. Since we explored it during our previous visit, we did not revisit again.
Saigon Square was 26 minutes walk from our apartment. We ended up spending less than 10 minutes inside the mall because I was quite hungry and we couldn't find a suitable breakfast spot during our journey there.
As we stood on the opposite side of the street, we noticed a charming food spot above the striking blue awning called "Godmother." Without hesitation, we decided to dine there regardless of the menu, I was so hungry that I was unwilling to walk any further.
After nearly 40 minutes of walk, we finally settled down at Godmother Bake & Brunch for our breakfast at 10am. We were led to the second floor where there were plenty of seating options awaited us, each corner with different table arrangements. There was also alfresco seating for smokers who want to have a puff while waiting for food.
The panoramic street view from the cafe's second floor was refreshing.
Our impromptu exploration of the streets led us to surprises, and stumbling upon this lovely cafe was an unexpected finding. The ambiance and vibe were delightful, and they offered a wide variety of Western brunch options.
Since our food required 25 minutes preparation time, we took the opportunity to explore the alfresco area. With our flexible food itinerary, we have the freedom to leisurely explore and take in delicious food around the city.
Both of us ordered Matcha Latte at 85,000VND (or $4.86 before tax) which came with a beautiful latte art of rabbit and seahorse. The matcha latte had a harmonious blend with robust matcha flavour and well balance earthy tone.
I had Signature Savoury Pancake Stack at 170,000VND (or $9.71 before tax). After Linda's experience yesterday of not eating full for dinner, she decided to follow me in ordering the same menu, even though she had initially considered another option. The pancake stack arrived, consisting of three delectable pancake layers, accompanied by three savory bacon slices and a perfectly cooked egg.
Godmother Bake & Brunch
2-4-6, 4 Đ. Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Operating hours: 8am to 9pm daily
We finally ascended to the Saigon Skydeck at 1.05pm, nearly 2 hours since we had left Saigon Square. We spent good amount of time shopping just at Watson and Adidas store. My friend was really good at shopping, she meticulously scanned through every items in the store while keeping an eye out for exceptional deals.
Saigon Skydeck is one of Ho Chi Minh City's tallest building located at level 49 of Bitexco Financial Tower, the high-speed elevator brought us straight up to level 49.
The floor to ceiling windows gave us a breathtaking 360-degree view of the bustling heart of the city. This unforgettable view provided us with the opportunity to capture memorable photos of the cityscape, which we could share with our family and friends when we returned home.
It was easy to just spent the day simply gazing at the enchanting old town below and losing ourselves in the countless little building structures. I was satisfied with my decision to include this magnificent experience in my itinerary.
The trishaw is one of the most nostalgic modes of transportation in the oldest day of Ho Chi Minh City. As the time passed, the trishaw has given way to motorcycles and cars with the urban development.
We have completed walking a full round of the observation deck, the skyline before me blew me away. The panoramic view from the Saigon Skydeck left an indelible impression, definitely a must-visit destination in my view.
Catching the last few glimpse of the scenery, we spent about an hour at the skydeck. Every moment spent immersed in the breathtaking views was splendid.
Bitexco Financial Tower can be easily spotted. Just keep a lookout for the tallest tower on your way and you won't need your map, guiding your journey with ease.
Saigon Skydeck
36 Đ. Hồ Tùng Mậu, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Operating hours: 9.30am to 9.30pm daily
Entrance fee: 240,000VND (or S$13.71)
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