Three decades after the end of the war in Vietnam, capitalism thrives in Ho Chi Minh City, still commonly referred to as Saigon. This is a place where a hundred different Vietnams converge.

Take a sunrise stroll along the Saigon River. Start where the main boulevard, Dong Khoi Street, meets Ton Duc Thang Street on the riverbank, turn right past the hydrofoil terminal, go over a bridge, pass the Ho Chi Minh Museum and stroll to the bustling Nha Rong Port to the point from which passenger boats depart for destinations all over the Mekong Delta and further afield. Even the river itself is an ever-changing, living maritime museum.

Dong Khoi (known as Rue Catinat through the early 1950s) still retains a delightful French patina, and is the perfect place to start the day with a strong Vietnamese-style coffee. Givral Café Restaurant (169 Dong Khoi St., tel 84 8 829 2747) affords great views over the Municipal Theatre, Paris Commune Square and Notre Dame Cathedral, as does the rooftop coffee shop of the Caravelle Hotel (19 Lam Son Square, tel 84 8 823 4999). For the best views, try Panorama 33 coffee shop (37 Ton Duc Thang St., tel 84 8 910 0493), atop the Saigon Trade Center, Vietnam’s tallest building.

To get a better view of the complex multiracial fabric of Ho Chi Minh City, take a cab or auto-rickshaw to Cholon, the bustling Chinese quarter. When British author Graham Greene lived in Cholon during French colonial days, he described the open warfare between the French authorities and the Binh Xuyen clan, who ran the legendary Grande Monde Hotel and the gambling halls of Cholon. Today, the Grande Monde is long gone, but the imposing three-story Binh Tay Market (Thap Muoi Street), with offerings ranging from haberdashery to electrical goods, still towers above the fascinating street stalls of the surrounding lanes.

By now, the day is likely so humid you can grab handfuls of air and wring out the moisture. This is the perfect time to adjourn to 34 Le Duan, just off Dong Khoi, where the brand-new four-story Diamond Department Store offers a huge variety of goods including American and Vietnamese clothing, sporting equipment, watches and cell phones. The Diamond, with its onsite cafes and restaurants, is a great place to while away a hot afternoon. Or cool off at Saigon Water Park (Go Dua Bridge, Kha Van Can Street, Thu Duc District, tel 84 8 897 0456, www.saigonwaterpark.com), about five miles from the city center.

In the evening, for traditional Vietnamese food at its best, the Tân Nam Restaurant (60-62 Dong Du St., tel 81 8 829 8634), is highly recommended. The renowned Lemongrass Restaurant (4 Nguyen Thiep St., tel 84 8 822 04960) offers equally good food, but is a bit more expensive. For a real treat, try the unique braised fish dishes of Cha Ca La Vong (31 Nguyen Thi Dieu St., tel 81 8 930 5674), a branch of the famous 135-year-old restaurant of the same name in Hanoi. Alternately, if it’s a Saturday or Sunday evening, take in the gargantuan Vietnamese buffet (5-8 p.m.) at Van Thanh Park, (48/10 Dien Bien Phu St., tel 81 8 512 3026).

Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City revolves around great restaurants and clubs. Q Bar in Opera House Square (7 Cong Truong Lam Son, tel 84 8 829 1299), is a popular venue among expats. Blue Gecko (31 Ly Tu Truong, tel 84 8 824 3483) is another good choice. But make it an early night — there’s another Vietnamese sunrise on the horizon.