Sports & Outdoor Activities
There are two excellent 18-hole golf courses at the Vietnam Golf and Country Club. Fees are $50-$80 (£28-£44) during the week for nonmembers, depending on which course you want to play, and $100 (£55) on Saturday and Sunday. The clubhouse is at Long Thanh My Ward, District 9 (tel. 08/280-0124; fax 08/280-0127; www.vietnamgolfcc.com).
Along with its two internationally accredited 18-hole courses, the Vietnam Golf and Country Club also offers extensive pro services, a driving range, locker facilities, a pro shop, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. The first course was built in 1994, and the second in 1997 was designed by Lee Trevino. Just 20km (12 miles) from Saigon, the club is open to nonmembers. Reservations are required.
Kids got you overheated? Take 'em out to the Saigon Water Park, a sprawling compound of slides, pools, games, and fun. The park is in Thu Duc District, some 10km (6 1/4 miles) northeast from the city center; a taxi there will cost about 65,000 VND ($4.35/£2.40). The park is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 8pm on weekends. Entrance for kids is 40,000 VND ($2.65/£1.45) and for adults 60,000 VND ($4/£2.20).
Spa & Massage
Most of the major hotels listed have extensive spa and massage facilities, and Saigon now plays host to lots of little storefront spas. Busy Dong Khoi Street is lined with affordable foot-massage shops and manicurists; young ladies in traditional ao dai dress stand out front and pass out flyers. Back alley places in the same area might offer more services than you want, but the foot-massage spots are okay and a bargain. Prices start from $10 (£5.55) for a bone-crunching massage. L'Apothiquaire (63 Le Thanh Ton St.; tel. 08/822-1218) is a new spa just north of the Dong Khoi area, adjacent to City Hall, and offers a long roster of affordable pampering, from facials and scrubs to massage and manicures. Open daily 9:30am to 8pm. Call for an appointment.
Anam QT Spa (26-28 Dong Du St., District 1, near Dong Khoi; tel. 08/823-0242) is sponsored by Clinique and does it all -- you can get facials, manicures, waxing, body treatments, and massages ($27/£15 for a 1-hr. oil massage). Daily 10am to 10:30pm.
Ngoc Anh (18-20 Ton Duc Thang St., District 1, beside Riverside Hotel; tel. 08/824-1984) is a local massage place that specializes in shiatsu treatments. Ngoc Anh comes highly recommended by local Saigon folk, who find the no nonsense treatment effective and affordable. Daily 10am to 11pm.
Jasmine (20 Thi Sach, District 1; tel. 08/827-2737) is more like a deluxe salon than a spa, and it's especially popular with expatriate ladies. Daily 10am to 7pm.
