Top tips for safe travels

Taxi prices are extremely cheap by Irish standards – two miles for around €2 – and they are plentiful.

It’s recommended to stick to two reputable firms, Vinasun and Mai Linh, but there are imitators who copy the vehicle colour or have a name that’s very similar and will aim to extract as much as they can. Vinasun’s drivers were professional and friendly, with air-conditioned cars.

HCMC is generally a very safe and friendly city but, like most major cities, you should be aware of bag snatchers on scooters and pickpockets. Do not flaunt flashy cameras, watches and smartphones.

Do try cà phê dá (iced coffee), often served with sweetened condensed milk. Once tasted, you’ll be hooked. It’s wonderful stuff. Around €1 a glass.

If you fancy a posh drink with a view, Chill Skybar on top of the AB Tower is the coolest in town. Saigon Saigon at the Caravelle hotel is the classiest.

Avoid the tap water – bottled water is cheap. Ice in bars and hotels is made from purified water – if it’s round, you can be pretty sure that’s how it’s made. We had no tummy troubles.