Do I Still Di Hoang Gio in downtown Saigon???

….Do I still what?

Ah! Di hoang gio is one of my first, most romantic memories of Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon, which I encountered upon my arrival here two decades ago. Do I still Di Hoang Gio ....what? Before jumping to any untoward conclusions, di hoang gio is actually a curious Saigonese weekend nighttime ritual: literally hundreds upon hundreds of locals slowly cruising on their motorbikes around a circuit of streets in downtown Saigon.
Like most activities in Vietnam, you don’t do di hoang gio solo; rather, this involves families squashed together on one motorbike, youths flouting their flashy new bikes and of course, “loves young dream” couples, as this surely rates as one of the most romantic ways to hang out in Saigon. In balmy weekend evenings, the Saigonese have for years navigate their motorbikes in a rough circular route along Saigon’s main boulevards of Nguyen Hue, Dong Khoi and Le Loi.

For visitors, di hoang gio is quite the compelling sight, these streets and off-shoot side streets clogged with purring motorbikes driven by happy locals, their buzzy energy almost palpable, they don't want to miss out, they are seemingly waiting for something to happen and something to see, even though they end-up driving round and round (and round) the same streets for hours on end. And all the while, watched under the bemused gaze of the city namesake, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s former President and revered national father figure, cast for eternity in a square fronting the frothy, wedding-cake-like concoction that is the People’s Committee Building (AKA Hotel de Ville), a magnificent legacy of 19th century French Indochina, heading up the junction of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue.

 

The wedding-cake like Hotel de Ville, actually Saigon's Town Hall

President Ho Chi Minh's statue at the epicentre of all the action

Back in the early days of courting the enigmatic Saigon Prince (much more on him in the next chronicle), we too, participated several times in di hoang gio. Amazingly glamorous nights, swanning around downtown Saigon on his shiny Vespa scooter; me, dressed in my silk cheong sam riding side-pillion and the Saigon Prince resplendent in his traditional Mandarin suit. In the late 1990s, Vietnam was still opening-up to the world and there weren’t too many foreign gals dating Vietnamese guys. Thus, the Saigon Prince and I ended-up the centre of attention, turning heads as we slowly cruised down the boulevards – my, how handsome we looked together!

Cruise Control

So fast forward to two decades later….do the Saigonese still di hoang gio at the weekends? Er, you tell me! Comparing twenty, even ten years ago, not sure if all this would still be officially classed as di hoang gio; on weekend nights there are still plenty of motorbikes circuiting these streets, but then, there are always plenty of motorbikes after dark in Saigon – albeit with an increased number of private cars adn taxis clogging-up the natural traffic flow. And while the Saigonese look even more happy and excitable, celebrating the city’s socio-economic renaissance – best personified by the surrounding office and hotel towers illuminated in garish hues – and of course, recording their ride on their obligatory Smartphones, they do appear far too much in a hurry to be loitering with intent for hours.

Perhaps now they are lured by other alternative forms of Saigon entertainment, like those glitzy new city malls as previously mentioned (some of which are conveniently placed on the circuit route). And if the Saigonese are all "di hoang gio-ing,' there are a few spanners in the works. First, a monster-sized construction site – Saigon’s future underground system – rampaging through the centre of Le Loi Street.

A slight spanner  in the works on Le Loi Boulevard

 

Not so conducive for di hoang gio-ing

Ditto

Second, the central section of broad Nguyen Hue boulevard has been converted into a paved-over pedestrianised zone (although you can still drive around here) that merges northwards up to the Hotel De Ville. Actually, this broad traffic-free zone is where perhaps many of the di hoang gio drivers end-up. This popular downtown hub definitely appears to be the hottest place to hang-out on weekend nights: thronged with families, couples and tourists taking in the surrounding sights (which includes illuminated landmarks like the Municipal Theatre, AKA Opera House, grandiose with its colonial, neo-classical façade and The Rex Hotel, topped with an iconic, giant crown emblem).

It's all happening on Nguyen Hue's pedestrianised zone

There's almost a carnival-like atmosphere, with Vietnamese folklore heroes casually strolling around Disney-style, street vendors selling gimmicky toys and a fountain zone switching on-off without warning – the unexpected jets of water heralded by the squeals of delighted children. This paved area also makes a prime spot to catch all this motorbike action, or better still, positioned just below the gecko-infested Hotel De Ville, where you can view all three boulevards in one fell swoop.

So, does this Empress still di hoang gio? No, some things are best left in the past; because for many years I no longer have the Saigon Prince and his purring Vespa scooter to cruise around with on Ho Chi Minh City’s elegant boulevards.