A generation ago, Ho Chi Minh City — still referred to as Saigon by southern Vietnamese of a certain age — was a drab, sleepy burg. But the policy of Ðői mői (economic reform) transformed it into a cosmopolitan commercial powerhouse with the requisite traffic and gleaming high-rise office buildings. Business travelers have two downtime options: Escape the city completely or simply plunge headfirst into a distinctive urban shopping spree.

As hectic as HCMC can be, just two hours’ drive to the south lies the timeless Mekong Delta. Nurtured by the silt-laden Mekong River, this fertile region is the nation’s rice bowl. Numerous tour operators, including Viet Bamboo Travel (tel 84 9 8382 2192, http://www.mekongboattrip.com), organize daylong excursions with boat tours of the picturesque Cai Be floating market and the labyrinth of river islands outside Vinh Long cut by narrow canals and covered with fruit orchards.

History buffs may opt for the Cu Chi Tunnels, 25 miles northwest of the city. The neatly planted rubber trees and rice paddies belie the site’s bloody past. For years, American and South Vietnamese forces fought unsuccessfully to root out the Viet Cong, who emerged at night from trapdoors to mount ambushes before ducking into underground bunkers that could withstand B-52 airstrikes. Part of the 120-mile complex of narrow tunnels has been widened to accommodate tourists. Afterward, you can fire a few rounds — your choice of M16 or AK-47 — at the on-site shooting range. Practically every tour operator in the city, including Saigon Tours (tel 84 4 3872 9501, http://www.saigontoursvietnam.com), offers Cu Chi tours.

Shopping can be overwhelming, so streamline the process by concentrating on locally made items. Vietnam has a global reputation for elegant, affordable tailoring. Among the best is Khaisilk (107 Dong Khoi St., tel 84 8 3829 1146, http://khaisilkcorp.com), which features ready-to-wear men’s and women’s fashions. If nothing appeals to you, pick a design and a bolt of fabric; the store can sew up anything in a few days. For home décor, fashion and even furniture, head to Gaya (1 Nguyen Van Trang St., tel 84 8 3925 1495, http://gayavietnam.com), the first international designer showroom in Vietnam.

While Hanoi remains the center of Vietnam’s art scene, several of the capital’s best galleries, including Apricot (50-52 Mac Thi Buoi, tel 84 8 3822 7962, http://apricotgallery.com.vn), have showrooms in Ho Chi Minh City. Among the most prominent painters are Bui Huu Hung, who has exhibited in London, Paris and Miami; and Le Quan, whose customers include Bill Clinton. Canvases can be custom-framed, crated and shipped worldwide.

As dusk falls, head for downtown District 1’s Lam Son Square. Just west of the Municipal Theatre is the Hotel Continental Saigon, which figured so prominently in Graham Greene’s The Quiet American. The famed terrace bar is sadly gone, but in its stead La Dolce Vita Café serves a jolting cà phê sũa đá (iced Vietnamese espresso with condensed milk). Then saunter across the square to the equally historic Caravelle Hotel and ascend to Saigon Saigon, its rooftop bar, for magnificent views of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Hotel de Ville. Throughout the Vietnam War, this was the watering hole of choice for diplomats, military brass and journalists, who would watch airstrikes while sipping their sundowners. In modern, all-business Ho Chi Minh City, however, you’ll have to regard dueling rush hour SUVs.