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Saigon’s charm goes far beyond its bright lights and tall towers but a living book that carries a piece of history in every corner. So what if a Ho Chi Minh team building could blend teamwork, discovery, and the city’s iconic landmarks? In 2024, Hilton exactly tapped into that unique blend through a bespoke team-building experience curated by Jackfruit Adventure.
The Challenge
Hilton’s team with 33 participants wanted a team-building experience that captured Saigon’s spirit. The request was just as simple as that, but delivering excitement and non-stop energy all along the route in the city’s heat and noise wasn’t easy. But at Jackfruit, we always find the way. After collaborative planning and idea exchanges, Hilton chose our signature adventure: Saigon City Quest.
How We Helped
We greeted the team under Hilton Saigon and with a brief about all the details and some ‘twists’ might happen on the road. The journey began at Independence Palace, however it was closed so the route switched to the War Remnants Museum as the starting point, where teams explored powerful stories from Vietnam’s past. Then the real adventure kicked off with ‘Unlock the Map’, teams were equipped with a compass, a clue, and multiple paths leading through the city. Depending on your team’s decode and preference, you might take your lead on these following paths.
Path of Wisdom
This path was named for its purpose: to fill your teams with Vietnamese knowledge. Teams choosing this route headed to the Independence Palace to solve history quizzes, then moved to Saigon Central Post Office to write a Vietnamese-style letter under the watch of friendly pigeons and a Vietnamese folk game called Banh Dua, in which you discover how just a ball and a bunch of chopsticks may become the famous game that capture childhood memories of the people in this country. The reward? Fresh coconut water, one of Vietnamese popular drinks, came to rescue you from Saigon’s heat under the stair steps in front of Notre Dame.
Path of Local Life
This path led to Ton That Dam Market, where tropical fruits and fun conversations with shopkeepers awaited. Teams tasted Vietnamese street food while blindfolded and tried to guess each dish under the judgement of market ladies. Also, get ready to try several Vietnamese tropical fruits such as plum, jackfruit, ambarella,… while hearing the fun tales of them. This path gave Hilton teams a different view of Saigon’s locals, still noisy as usual but they appear as heartwarming and hospitable towards the visitors.
Path of Architecture Lovers
Drawn to Saigon’s stunning architecture? Then your clues might lead your team straight to the iconic City Hall and the elegant Saigon Opera House. At this checkpoint, Hilton members had to unleash their creativity to strike many team poses, recreating famous scenes, and capturing photos that showed off both teamwork and personality. The journey continued onto Nguyen Hue Walking Street, teams faced a Vietnamese tongue-twister that tested their rhythm, coordination with a bit of a sense of humor. And in the final challenge of this path, each team had to channel their inner performer by singing a Vietnamese song right in front of the Opera House, turning the bustling scene into their own stage, their own first Vietnamese performance.
No matter which path they chose, Hilton teams completed all the missions before heading to the final meeting point: a hidden leafy café tucked inside bustling District 1. With Vietnamese iced coffee in hand, teams shared stories, bonded, and awaited the winner announcement. After that moment was a loud “Woooohooo!” from the winners, put a happy ending for this meaningful team journey.
The Results
Hilton teams wrapped up the day with stronger bonds, new cultural insights, and unforgettable memories of Saigon. Simply words couldn’t describe the fun and the closure of each member at the ending. And perhaps the most meaningful part came afterward: heartfelt thanks from the dear Hilton teams, warm words from Hilton’s leaders. A follow-up inquiry from the client for another experience knocked on our email some days later, this time was an Impact Race with a CSR purpose.
For us Jackfruit Adventure, moments like this remind us why we love what we do: creating such meaningful experiences for team building in Ho Chi Minh City to see how people share, connect and are happy about their journey together!
