From memories of the Soviet Union to the vibrant cities and breathtaking landscapes of Vietnam, Prof. Steve Azaiki recounts a long-awaited journey through Nha Trang, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Ho Chi Minh City. A personal story of history, culture, friendship, diplomacy and the fulfilment of a lifelong dream.
I had always wanted to visit Vietnam.
Long before I ever set foot on Vietnamese soil, Vietnam had already occupied a small but memorable place in my life. During my university days, I had two brilliant Vietnamese classmates, Fa and Nguyen. Years later, I also met a Vietnamese lady named Lan, who once cooked Vietnamese noodle soup for us. These encounters were brief, but I never forgot these people or the impression they left on me.
My interest in Vietnam was also shaped by my years in the Soviet Union. During that period, the Vietnam War was frequently discussed in the context of the ideological confrontation between the capitalist West and the socialist bloc led by the Soviet Union. We were taught extensively about the conflict and about the Soviet Union’s support for Vietnam. For us at the time, Vietnam represented a major theatre in the wider Cold War struggle between competing political and economic systems.
Beyond the ideology, I became fascinated by the history and resilience of the Vietnamese people. I read about their long struggle for independence and, in particular, about Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary leader who became the central figure in modern Vietnamese history. I was intrigued by the history of Saigon and its eventual official renaming as Ho Chi Minh City following the reunification of Vietnam. On 2 July 1976, Vietnam’s National Assembly formally renamed Saigon-Gia Dinh as Ho Chi Minh City.
For many years, therefore, Vietnam was a country I knew through books, history, people and memories rather than personal experience.
An Earlier Plan That Never Happened
My first serious attempt to visit Vietnam was from Kyiv, Ukraine, where I was living at the time. My residence was on Druzhby Narodiv, close to the Novus supermarket in a high-brow part of Kyiv. Interestingly, the Vietnamese Embassy was located close to my residence, on Tovarna Street, while the Nigerian Embassy was also nearby.
It seemed almost inevitable that I would eventually make the journey.
But history intervened.
On 24 February 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and my plans changed completely. The circumstances made travelling from Kyiv impossible, and my long-awaited visit to Vietnam had to be postponed.
I did not, however, abandon the dream.
The Miss World Opportunity
The opportunity eventually came in 2026 in a most unexpected way.
Vietnam was selected to host the historic 75th Anniversary edition of Miss World. The celebration culminated in Nha Trang, where the Miss World Final was held on 5 September 2026 at 2 April Square. It was a landmark occasion: Vietnam was hosting Miss World for the first time, and the pageant was celebrating 75 years of its history.
Because of my long standing relationship with the Bruce family and Silverbird Group, Mr Guy Murray-Bruce, Chairman of Silverbird Group, the organisers of Miss World Nigeria, invited me to join the Nigerian delegation travelling to Vietnam for the competition.
I immediately saw the opportunity for what it was.
After all the years of wanting to visit Vietnam, this was my chance, not simply to visit as a tourist, but to experience the country in connection with an international event involving people from all over the world.
Diplomacy Before Departure
My journey acquired another interesting dimension before I even left Nigeria.
On 26 August 2026, Dame Didi Esther Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, launched two of her books at the Continental Hotel in Abuja. I attended the event alongside several dignitaries, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Douye Diri and former Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.
At the event, I told Senator Dickson that I would like to see him after the programme. He agreed.
After the book launch, I went with Prince Iwefa Aganaba, who was leading the Miss World Nigeria team supporting our representative, Miss Tamunosoye Karibi-George, to see the former governor. Prince Aganaba wanted us to seek Senator Doye Diri , Governor of Bayelsa State support for the Queen’s participation in Vietnam.
The meeting was positive.
From there, our activities took an unexpected diplomatic turn.
We went directly to the Vietnamese Embassy in Abuja, where we were warmly received by Nguyen Tien Dung, First Secretary at the Embassy. He took us to meet the Vietnamese Ambassador, His Excellency Le Viet Hoang.
After the exchange of pleasantries, our conversation centred on Nigeria-Vietnam relations, commerce, trade and investment opportunities. We discussed the potential for Vietnamese businesses to invest in Nigeria, particularly in Bayelsa State.
I suggested to Ambassador Hoang that we should visit Governor Douye Diri, who was then staying at his lodge in Asokoro. The Ambassador agreed.
I contacted the Governor’s ADC, Michael Zuokumo, who informed the Governor and obtained his approval for the meeting.
At about 5:45 p.m., we arrived at the Governor’s lodge.
The discussion with Governor Diri centred largely on opportunities for Vietnamese investment in Bayelsa State. The Governor extended an invitation to Ambassador Hoang to visit Bayelsa, while the Ambassador reciprocated by inviting the Governor to Vietnam to meet Vietnamese businessmen and explore possible areas of cooperation.
It was a remarkable conversation because my long-awaited personal journey to Vietnam was beginning to connect with something much larger: the possibility of strengthening relations between Vietnam and Nigeria, particularly Bayelsa State.
After the meeting, we escorted Ambassador Hoang and First Secretary Nguyen Tien Dung back to the Vietnamese Embassy.
I left that evening feeling that my journey to Vietnam had already begun before I had even boarded the aircraft.
The Journey Begins
After completing the necessary visa formalities, the Nigerian delegation travelled in different batches.
The Federal Government was represented at the Miss World event by the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
I departed Nigeria on 2 September 2026 on Qatar Airways from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 2:45 p.m.
We arrived at Hamad International Airport in Doha shortly after midnight on 3 September. After a brief connection, we continued our journey and arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi at approximately 1:55 p.m.
After immigration and customs formalities, we transferred to the domestic terminal and continued our journey to Nha Trang on VietJet Air.
By approximately 6:15 p.m., we arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport.
At last, I was in Vietnam.
Arrival in Nha Trang
The drive from Cam Ranh International Airport to Nha Trang was my first real introduction to the Vietnamese landscape.
As we approached the city, I became increasingly impressed by the number of hotels and resorts lining the road towards Nha Trang. The city was clearly designed around its extraordinary coastline, with modern hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments stretching along the beach.
Nha Trang is a beautiful coastal city, known for its bay, beaches, islands and tropical setting. The Miss World organisers had chosen a spectacular environment for the 75th Anniversary celebrations.
Members of the Nigerian delegation stayed in different hotels. Some stayed at the Marriott, others at Havana Hotel and Sheraton, while Guy Murray-Bruce stayed at Horizon.
As a Hilton Diamond member, Hilton is normally my preferred hotel wherever I travel. Unfortunately, there was no Hilton in Nha Trang that suited my plans, so I chose the Best Western Premier Marvella Nha Trang at 102B Tran Phu Street.
It proved to be an excellent choice.
The hotel stands directly along Tran Phu Street, overlooking Nha Trang Bay and the beach. The hotel describes itself as being steps from the sand, with ocean views from its rooms and suites.
The view from my room was beautiful.
Looking out towards the sea each morning, I could see the beach, the water and the steady movement of people enjoying the waterfront.
Tran Phu Street itself fascinated me. It reminded me in different ways of several places I had visited around the world.
The long line of beachfront hotels reminded me of the hotel strip in Tel Aviv, where the city and the sea exist almost side by side. In other ways, the atmosphere recalled Rio de Janeiro, particularly the relationship between the city, the hotels and the beach. And the concentration of hotels, restaurants, shops, entertainment and movement along the road sometimes reminded me of the major strips of Las Vegas, except that in Nha Trang, the great attraction was the sea and beach directly in front of us.
I spent time walking along the beach and exploring the city.
I also made it a point to visit the hotels where members of the Nigerian delegation were staying. I would go to see them, chat with them, exchange information and compare notes about our experiences in Vietnam.
Sometimes I travelled around with local people on their two-wheel motorbikes, another unforgettable way of experiencing Nha Trang. There is something very different about seeing a city from the back of a local motorbike rather than through the windows of a car.
Miss World in Nha Trang
The central purpose of my visit was, of course, the 75th Anniversary celebration of Miss World.
The pageant brought together young women from across the world, transforming Nha Trang into an international meeting place of beauty, culture, talent and friendship. The official Miss World programme brought 111 national ambassadors together for the final celebration.
What impressed me was that the event was about much more than beauty.
The Miss World philosophy of Beauty With a Purpose was very visible throughout the programme. The contestants represented projects and causes from their respective countries, giving the event a humanitarian and cultural dimension.
The cultural displays were beautiful. Vietnam used the occasion to showcase its history, traditions, music, costumes and artistic heritage to an international audience.
The Final itself, held at 2 April Square on 5 September, was a spectacular seaside celebration.
Nigeria was represented by the elegant and talented Tamunosoye Karibi-George. I was particularly proud of the way she carried herself and represented Nigeria. Her performance, grace and interaction with the audience reflected the spirit of the Nigerian delegation.
The Nigerian representative also connected strongly with the Vietnamese audience, and it was gratifying to see the warmth with which she was received.
At the end of the competition, Joheirry Mola of the Dominican Republic was crowned the 73rd Miss World, succeeding Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand. Elisabeth Reynés of Spain was named first runner-up and Taanusiya Chetty of Malaysia second runner-up.
For me, the Miss World experience was not simply about watching a pageant. It was about witnessing different cultures come together in one place.
From Nha Trang to Hanoi
On 7 September, I left Nha Trang for Hanoi.
After arriving in Hanoi, I checked into the Hilton Garden Inn in the city centre. My stay in Hanoi became the beginning of another chapter of the journey.
Hanoi felt completely different from Nha Trang.
Where Nha Trang was defined by the sea, beaches and resort atmosphere, Hanoi presented another face of Vietnam, one shaped by history, government, old neighbourhoods, lakes, architecture, commerce and traditional Vietnamese life.
One of the highlights of my stay was my journey to Ha Long Bay.
A DAY on the Ha Long Symphony Cruise
One of the most memorable experiences of my Vietnamese journey was a full-day excursion to Ha Long Bay, one of the country’s most celebrated natural landscapes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We left the Hilton in downtown Hanoi at about 8:00 a.m., travelling towards Quang Ninh Province.
The journey itself was interesting. We travelled along the modern expressway, watching the landscape gradually change from the urban environment of Hanoi to smaller communities, rice fields, villages, commercial centres and open countryside.
Eventually we arrived at the Ha Long International Cruise Port, where the magnificent Ha Long Symphony Cruise was waiting.
There we met our tour guide.
His name was Happy.
I initially found the name amusing and memorable, but Happy turned out to be exactly that cheerful, energetic and welcoming. He immediately created a relaxed atmosphere for the group.
There were tourists from Russia, Japan, India, China and different parts of Europe. My friend Akeelah and I were the only Africans in our group.
Yet we never felt like outsiders.
We quickly became one travelling family, taking photographs, exchanging greetings, laughing and sharing the excitement of discovering Ha Long Bay together.
As the Symphony Cruise moved away from the port, the scenery became increasingly spectacular.
Limestone mountains rose dramatically from the emerald-coloured waters. Each formation appeared to have its own character and shape. Some looked like animals, others like towers or enormous natural sculptures.
The scenery seemed almost unreal.
We visited Sung Sot Cave, or Surprise Cave, one of the most impressive caves in Ha Long Bay. Inside were enormous chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites and extraordinary natural rock formations.
After the cave, we returned to the cruise for lunch.
We enjoyed Vietnamese and Asian dishes, including seafood, prawns, fish, vegetables, rice, noodles and spring rolls. Eating Vietnamese food while surrounded by the limestone mountains and emerald waters was itself part of the experience.
We later visited Luon Cave, entering a secluded lagoon surrounded by towering limestone cliffs. We experienced the area from the water, with traditional Vietnamese bamboo boats adding to the atmosphere.
Our next stop was Titov Island, named after Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who visited the island with President Ho Chi Minh in 1962.
This was particularly meaningful to me because of my own history in the Soviet Union.
Standing on Titov Island in Vietnam, I found myself remembering my years in the Soviet Union and the historical relationship between Vietnam and the Soviet people. Something that had once seemed distant in the pages of history books had suddenly become part of my own travel experience.
We took photographs, enjoyed the beach and admired the panoramic views of Ha Long Bay.
Later, back aboard the Symphony Cruise, the atmosphere became festive.
There was music, conversation, fruit, cakes, drinks and cocktails. People who had been strangers that morning were now laughing together and taking photographs.
Russians, Indians, Japanese, Chinese, Europeans, Vietnamese crew members, Akeelah and I, all became part of the same international travelling community.
It reminded me again of why I love travelling.
People may come from different countries, speak different languages and have completely different histories, but travel has a remarkable way of creating temporary communities.
We eventually returned to the port and began our journey back to Hanoi.
We arrived back at the Hilton at approximately 9:00 p.m., nearly thirteen hours after leaving that morning.
It had been a long day, but an extraordinary one.
Ha Long Bay gave me caves, islands, mountains, beaches, Vietnamese food, traditional boats, history and, most importantly, memories of people.
Ho Chi Minh City: The City of History and Memory
My Vietnamese journey was not complete without visiting Ho Chi Minh City.
Formerly known as Saigon, the city is Vietnam’s largest urban centre and an important economic and commercial hub.
The name itself carries enormous historical meaning.
On 2 July 1976, following the reunification of Vietnam, the National Assembly officially renamed Saigon-Gia Dinh as Ho Chi Minh City.
Ho Chi Minh himself had an extraordinary connection with the city.
Born Nguyen Sinh Cung and later known as Nguyen Tat Thanh and Nguyen Ai Quoc, he became the principal figure of Vietnam’s revolutionary independence movement and later served as President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
One of the most significant places associated with his early journey is Nha Rong Wharf in Saigon, from where he departed in 1911 in search of a path towards Vietnamese national liberation.
For someone who had studied the history of Vietnam during my years in the Soviet Union, arriving in the city named after Ho Chi Minh was deeply symbolic.
I knew it first as Saigon from history books.
Now I was physically there.
The War Remnants Museum
We arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and, because our time was limited, hired a car for a carefully planned tour of the city.
Our first major stop was the War Remnants Museum.
I spent considerable time there.
The museum presents the Vietnam War primarily from the Vietnamese perspective and contains photographs, documents, military equipment and exhibitions dealing with the war and its consequences.
Outside, tanks, aircraft and helicopters provided a physical reminder of the scale of the conflict.
Inside, the photographs were even more powerful.
I saw images of soldiers, civilians, families and communities affected by the war. The exhibitions also address the long-term consequences of chemical warfare and the suffering experienced by generations of Vietnamese people.
I moved slowly from room to room.
As someone who has travelled widely and visited many historical museums, I found the War Remnants Museum particularly significant.
It reminded me that behind every war are ordinary people whose lives are permanently changed.
At the same time, I recognised that the museum presents a distinctly Vietnamese interpretation of the conflict. Understanding that perspective is part of understanding Vietnam and the way the country remembers its history.
The Cathedral and Central Post Office
From the museum, we continued into the historic centre.
We visited the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon and the magnificent Saigon Central Post Office, two landmarks that reflect the city’s French colonial architectural heritage.
The architecture provided a striking contrast with the modern city around it, the motorcycles, cars, shops, skyscrapers and constant movement.
I took photographs and made videos as we moved around.
Everywhere there was something to see: old buildings beside modern structures, tourists beside local residents, and the constant movement of one of Southeast Asia’s great cities.
Book Street
We also visited Ho Chi Minh City’s famous Book Street.
This was particularly interesting to me because of my lifelong passion for books, education and libraries.
I have always believed that books open doors to knowledge and opportunity, and I was delighted to see a public space where books and reading were given such prominence.
I walked along the street, visited the bookshops and watched people browse and read.
It was a quieter experience than the busy roads surrounding it, but it revealed an important side of Ho Chi Minh City: a city that is not only commercially energetic but also culturally alive.
Nguyen Hue Walking Street
From Book Street, we proceeded to Nguyen Hue Walking Street, one of the city’s best-known pedestrian spaces.
We took a leisurely walk and had lunch there.
I enjoyed observing the people as much as I enjoyed the surroundings. Residents and visitors moved freely through the space, creating a lively atmosphere of conversation, entertainment, food and social interaction.
Then something very simple caught my attention, the pigeons.
There were many pigeons flying around and interacting freely with people. Some came very close to us.
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We took photographs and made videos of them.
It was a small moment, but it became one of the memorable moments of the day.
Travel is often like that.
The great monuments matter, but sometimes what remains longest in the memory is a simple and unexpected encounter, a bird flying overhead, a smile from a stranger, a conversation, a meal or an ordinary street scene.
Independence Palace and the Markets
We continued to the Independence Palace, a place deeply connected with the final stages of the Vietnam War and the reunification of the country.
From there, we visited one of the city’s markets.
The market gave us another perspective on Vietnamese life, the energy of commerce, bargaining, clothing, food, souvenirs and everyday interaction.
We bought some Vietnamese-style clothes and souvenirs.
I have always enjoyed buying things from places I visit because souvenirs are more than objects. They become reminders of people, places and experiences.
Leaving Ho Chi Minh City
Our time in Ho Chi Minh City was necessarily brief.
We were trying to see as much as possible within a single day, and there was certainly much more of the city that we could have explored.
We travelled with Viet Travel, and by about 5:45 p.m. we were back at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, preparing for our 7:30 p.m. VietJet Air flight back to Hanoi.
Our journey through the city had taken us through war and peace, colonial architecture, books, markets, food, modern commerce and ordinary street life.
I arrived knowing the city as Saigon and left knowing it as Ho Chi Minh City—a place whose name itself tells part of the story of Vietnam’s journey through colonialism, revolution, war and reunification, and into a rapidly changing modern era.
Farewell to Vietnam
I left Vietnam on 13 September 2026, returning to Lagos, Nigeria.
As the journey came to an end, I reflected on how long Vietnam had existed in my imagination before I finally visited it.
There had been Fa and Nguyen from my university days.
There had been Lan and her Vietnamese noodle soup.
There had been the books I read during my years in the Soviet Union.
There had been the history of Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese struggle for independence.
There had been my first unrealised attempt to travel from Kyiv.
And then, finally, there was Vietnam itself.
I had seen Nha Trang and its beautiful coastline. I had watched Miss World bring young women from around the world together. I had travelled through the spectacular landscapes of Ha Long Bay. I had explored caves, islands and lagoons. I had eaten Vietnamese food on a cruise. I had walked through Hanoi. I had visited Ho Chi Minh City and stood in places where the history I had read about had actually happened.
Most importantly, I had met people.
I had travelled with Nigerians, Vietnamese, Russians, Indians, Japanese, Chinese, Europeans and people from many other parts of the world. For a few hours or a few days, nationality became less important than the shared experience of discovery.
That is one of the greatest gifts of travel.
Travel teaches us that the world is much larger than the boundaries of our own countries, but it also teaches us that human beings everywhere share many of the same hopes, emotions, curiosities and dreams.
My journey to Vietnam was therefore more than a holiday.
It was the fulfilment of a dream that had been many years in the making.
It was a journey through history, culture, diplomacy, friendship, nature and international fellowship.
I am grateful to Ambassador Le Viet Hoang and First Secretary Nguyen Tien Dung of the Vietnamese Embassy in Nigeria for their warmth and hospitality. I am grateful to the people of Vietnam, the organisers of Miss World, the Nigerian delegation, the Vietnamese hosts, our guides and all those who contributed in one way or another to making the journey memorable.
Vietnam welcomed me as a visitor.
I left feeling that I had encountered a country I had known for decades through history and finally experienced through my own eyes.
And once again, I was reminded why I describe myself as a citizen of the world.
Vietnam was no longer a country I had only read about.
I had been there.
I had seen it.
I had walked its streets.
I had met its people.
And I will carry the memories of Vietnam with me for the rest of my life.
Vietnam; visited at last, remembered forever.