After Hanoi's delicious food and crazy night life
and the serene waters of Ha Long Bay,
it was time to explore Vietnam's modern metropolis
Ho Chi Minh City
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Centrally located across from the famous opera house,
The Park Hyatt Saigon is one of the city's best hotels
My Park suite king had a generous full-size living room
and I was treated to a welcome amenity of
fruit and wine.
The bedroom held the king size bed and a large bathroom
stocked with products by Vietnamese luxury brand, Cochine.
I booked three standard Park King rooms for myself and my travel companions
through Amex fine hotels and resorts for Platinum cardholders.
I paid 5.6 million Vietnamese Dong or about $250 per room per night
However I used one of my Diamond Hyatt suite upgrades for the Park Suite King
which would have cost $290 more per night
Along with a a 30% diamond bonus and a 1000 point diamond welcome amenity,
I ended up earning 13,744 points for all three rooms
My first stop in Saigon was the Cong Nhan theater for an exclusive chance to
perform in Vietnamese style of folk opera called Cai Luong Ho Quang
At times it felt more like acrobat school than theatre.
My character was an old King whose granddaughter betrayed him
but I would have my revenge in the end,
well after a lot more rehearsal at least.
And after a last round of touchups, we were ready for the performance
My Vietnamese theatre debut seemed to be a critical success
To celebrate, I stopped at one of the city's most famous bazaars, Binh Tay Market
for some bargain hunting.
In the heart of Saigon's Chinatown Bin Tay Market
is an institution,
anything and everything is on sale here and the only prices are the ones you negotiate.
I knew I'd be leaving Vietnam with the suitcase full of souvenirs
it was the memories of my trip the thrilling night life in Hanoi,
the tranquil inlets of Ha Long Bay,
and my turn on the stage in Ho Chi Minh City
that I'd be carrying home with me