NOVEMBER 2018 businesstraveller.comTHIS PAGE
AND OPPOSITE:
Villa Song;
Boathouse;
and TajmaSago
CastleTHAO DIEN’S TAO
Linking the concrete jungle of District 1 with
District 2’s quiet lights, the Ho Chi Minh
highway road crosses the snaking Saigon River
via a pair of scenic bridges. These overpasses
create a sense of escape, a double feeling of
freedom from the city-centre mayhem.
Here in Thao Dien, D2’s enchanting central
hub, one swiftly finds a sense of calm. It’s the
architecture of the area that makes the difference,
with tree-lined streets and wide-open spaces through
which amiable types go about their business at ease.
Kick off your leisurely retreat by checking in to Villa
Song (villasong.com), a former colonial mansion turned
boutique hotel, with a more-than-enviable location on
the same twisting river you crossed to get here.
Villa Song’s rooms are a time warp to a different era,
spacious abodes heavy on the dark-wood furnishings,
with vintage four-poster beds, folding screens and
armchairs that call back to the city once known as
Saigon. The pool is small but stunning, sitting in the
shadow of the gorgeous mansion, while the café on the
river offers the rare treat of breakfast overlooking a
striking city panorama.
Strolling through Thao Dien’s central streets makes
up a large part of the district’s charm. The main artery
is Thao Dien Street, a wide-set road with plenty of
character – aesthetically pleasing with small town-like
shopfronts of cafés, pubs, butchers and specialist
grocery stores.An old standby here is Mekong
Merchant (mekongmerchant.
com), a charming all-day café
and restaurant decked out in
Indochinese style. Its fusion
menu perfectly melds the
delicate f lavours of Vietnam with
contemporary Western touches,
while the wine cellar is one of the
best in the city.
Once you’ve taken in Thao Dien’s
centre, it’s time to start branching out.
Exploring the district’s outreaches isn’t always
easy, but for those so inclined, zipping your way
around on a moped allows you to discover such hidden
gems as Boathouse (facebook.com/boathousevietnam).
his stunning bar-café is set alfresco, letting you soak
in the city’s endlessly balmy weather, while once again
treated to stunning river views.
White parasols shade its rustic wooden tables, and the
focus here is on quality crat beers, showcasing a curated
selection of Vietnam’s thriving scene, including Pasteur
Street’s ever-popular Jasmine Street IPA. Food is equally
impressive in its laid-back ambition, featuring healthy
takes on such comfort food as Bufalo caulilower and
nachos packed with jackfruit.
As the sun sets in the distance and cocktails are drained,
thoughts naturally turn to dinner. D2’s focus is less on
quantity than quality, with an impressive proportion
of some of the city’s most high-end restaurants.30