Interesting culture and places in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; as featured in the 2nd episode of The Amazing Race Asia (TARA) season 3.

Mae Kompong

Mae Kompong is a village in Chiang Mai Province. Once a poppy growing area, but now home to a small community of forest dwellers who cultivate tea and coffee plantations.

Mae Kompong is also home to the Treetop eco-tourism village where visitors can take an exhilarating flight (with zip line and slide) through a 1500 year-old rainforest in the “Flight of the Gibbon” adventure…

Ho Chi Minh City

Hồ Chí Minh City, also popularly known as Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. One of the participants actually thought that HCMC is a city in China… while a few others obviously had no clue where it is.

There are a few locations where the clue boxes for TARA were located…

Picture of Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Saigon Opera House, the first stop in HCMC (Image from Kirk Siang)

Picture of Saigon Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Saigon Central Post Office… cool building (Image from Brian)

Picture of the Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Museum of Vietnamese History was the pit stop of the leg; the museum is located in
the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (Image from Christopher)

Ben Thanh Market

Bến Thành market is a big marketplace in Ho Chi Minh City and a popular tourist spot for foreigners to experience the Vietnamese culture.

Picture of flower vendor at Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Picture of dry goods vendor at Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Picture of fresh food vendors at Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Ben Thanh Market (Image from Suzanna, Miguel and Suzannaagain)

Cai Be

Cái Bè is a small town in Tiền Giang Province in Mekong Delta region. The town is most famous for its floating river market (and houses).

Picture of Cai Be floating village in Tien Giang, Vietnam
Cai Be (Image from Caro)

A bit about the race

Malaysian siblings Bernie and Henry were the first at the pit stop; Korean brothers William and Issac were the last and eliminated from the race.


2 Responses to “Amazing Race Asia 3 – Ep 2 – Chiangmai to HCMC”

  1. #1. Suzanna on January 23rd, 2009

    Thanks for posting my VN images. :-)

  2. #2. Yein Jee on January 23rd, 2009

    You are welcome Suzanna. Thanks for sharing the pics instead :)


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