Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City - Travel Tips

The Quick Get-Away to Vietnam

Foreward
Traveller is a Singaporean who has never been to Vietnam before and does not know how to speak a single word of Vietnamese. He on a shoestring budget and is not travelling with a Vietnamese. If you feel you are somewhat like him, please read on as he shares his experiences and dishes out advice freely and lovingly. Travelling period is from 3 July to 6 July 2008.


Foreign exchange:
What happened?
Changed all of the SGD to USD in Singapore. Changed all of the USD to VND at the Vietnam Airport. ( advice given to us before we left)
What you should know.....
We can actually bring SGD to Vietnam to change to VND. Also, money changers at the Vietnamese airport charge an additional 3% commission/service charge and the rate is not good. Fellow travellers from Singapore, just bring SGD and change to VND outside the airport where there is no 3% charge. The rates are also better.( All the shops we went to accepted USD by the way.)


Taxi Rides:
What happened?
Took a taxi outside the airport to our hotel. We were charged nearly twice the usual amount.
What you should know...
You can choose to be charged according to meter rate or flat rate. If you choose flat rate,be extremely specific. Don't be fooled by the driver when he quotes you a reasonable rate as the rate most probably refers to per person. You have to tell him one whole car( or everybody ), travel from where to where, cost how much, inclusive of any "airport parking charges" or not. (By the way,the correct rate from the airport to our pre-booked hotel, An An Hotel (around half hours ride from the airport) should be around 110,000VND. If you choose metered, beware that he might bring you on a round about tour. Flat rate is preferred unless you know the directions and can direct the driver.

Don't be persuaded by the driver about changing hotels in the cab as he will most probably recommend you a more expensive hotel room with all the talk about how centrally located it is and how safe it is. Stick to your orginal plans.


Hotels:
What happened?
We pre-booked a budget hotel before travelling ( we did not pay yet). A queen sized bed in a private room with air-con, fridge,own toilet and TV. (No meals provided) for USD35 a night at An An Hotel.
What you should know...
There are many budget hotels in Ho Chi Minh clustered close together, so pre-booking is not that really necessary. ( Its a good idea to pre-book though just to hedge against the slim possibility of there not being available space or if festivals or major events are around the corner, just don't pay any money yet.) The hotel staff are very willing to let you view the rooms first which is what we did and we manage to get another hotel room at USD15 a night, comparable to the one we pre-booked, saving USD$20. ( See top right directly for the cheap and good hotel name and address. It is opposite the brightly lited Go2 Go2 Go2 bar. The staff are honest and helpful, even giving us a wake-up call.)Morale of the story, take some time to view the hotels when you reach there. You almost certainly will be able to get a better deal.

See hotel receipt on the above left. Paid only 45USD for 2 persons for a 3 nights stay. Attached toilet, fridge, fan,air-con, TV included.

Beer:
What Happened?
We were charged nearly 3 times the price of a beer ( 333 beer) by the airport taxi driver, who seemed so helpful to buy it for us.
What you should know...
A can of beer(333 beer) cost 11000VND. Tiger cost (14000VND). Heinekan cost ( 16000VND).

Food:
What Happened?
It was great!
What you should know...
Ben Thanh market is a good place for seafood. There are 2 lanes at night selling food. Choose the lane nearer to where the lighted signboard "Fuji" and "Sanyo" is . Its cheaper. A meal for 2, about 7 dishes ( prawns, softshell crab,snails, Squid, pork, mutton, e.t.c) and 3 drinks cost around SGD 22. If you happen to stay near Go2 Go2 Go2 bar, for lunch, you can eat at this shop called 77. Its a quaint mini coffeeshop that sells superb vietnamese economy rice.

Small Kids bugging you to buy flowers or donate:
What Happened?
They are cute and they keep bugging us. Don't we look like we are already on a shoestring budget?
What you should know..
Just tell them you will call the police if they are persistent. It works! Apparently, it is illegal to tout. ( From a vietnamese friend)

Day Trips
What happened?
We went for the following 2 trips organised by TNK Travels. They are pretty good at what they do. These trips were booked at the budget hotel.
Cu Chi tunnel ( 1/2 day) cost USD$5-
A labyrinch of tunnels used by the National Front for the Liberation of South Korea ( NLF Guerillas) against the French and the Americans during the Vietnam war. (left)



Read more on : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cu_Chi_tunnels




We got to shoot an AK47 at Cu Chi Tunnel. 6-7 rounds at approximately 200,000VND (left)












Various Booby Traps used during the war(below)


Mekong Delta (full day) cost USD$9-

This trip was pretty worth it and engaging. First we took a ferry, then a pony inland, before being transferring to a sampan and back on the ferry.

Lunch and light snacks (mostly fruits) were provided along the trip.