Anybody been to Ho CHi Minh recently?

[jeryltan]

Will be going there week after next.. Want to find out if anybody has been there recently? IS it easyto get around town, to the various tourist attractions or should I book a city tour? These are the places I intend to visit,at the least.. Any place else Ishould add on?

Ben Thanh Market

Cao Dai Holy See Temple

Cholon (District 5)

Cu Chi Tunnels

Emperor Jade Pagoda (Phuoc Hai)

Vietnam History Museum

War Remnants Museum

 

[Astin]

Went there last year, yes, u can walk around town, or take a meter taxi around town. Most hotels have brochures for city tour, Ho Chi Minh City is not very big, u can grab a map from the tourist office and do it on your own. The more worth tour is the river cruise, but it is a bit expensive.

 

[ricohflex]

Call it Saigon, lah.:bsmilie:

 

[richliow]

Will be going there week after next.. Want to find out if anybody has been there recently? IS it easyto get around town, to the various tourist attractions or should I book a city tour? These are the places I intend to visit,at the least.. Any place else Ishould add on?

Ben Thanh Market

Cao Dai Holy See Temple

Cholon (District 5)

Cu Chi Tunnels

Emperor Jade Pagoda (Phuoc Hai)

Vietnam History Museum

War Remnants Museum

Its very easy to get around HCM....
there are people there who speak English and Chinese....
For chinese, they are at HCM District 5
For English, so long as you are at the City, you should have 1/10 chance of hitting an English Speaking Vietnamese Broke... =)

Btw.... learn these phrases yeah!!
" 'PLACE YOU WANNA GO' er dow?" ( ie where is PLACE?)
" Xin Chao" ( universally Hallo in Vietnam)
" Kum Ng" ( Thank you"

With this 3 phrases, your trip in Ho Chi Minh will be very fruitful...
best if you can go to HAnoi up north..
take a train........
and you can then pop over to HUE...........
another beautiful spot for Photography =)
Hanoi is beautiful......... far more than HCM...

 

[nuts]

Take a 2-3 day trip out to Mekong Delta. Nice...

 

[AReality]

If u ever thinking of taking the train up north, don't do it. No fun.

 

[jeryltan]

Yes the river cruise is in my itenary BTW, where do I book the river cruise from? Theh otel will have contacts? So the rest can just goaround myself? Whatabout the Cu Chi Tunnels? IS it very far from town?

Went there last year, yes, u can walk around town, or take a meter taxi around town. Most hotels have brochures for city tour, Ho Chi Minh City is not very big, u can grab a map from the tourist office and do it on your own. The more worth tour is the river cruise, but it is a bit expensive.

 

[jeryltan]

I only got 4 dayts t o spare leh.. Don't think got time go Hanoi.. Tks for the tips :thumbsup:

Its very easy to get around HCM....
there are people there who speak English and Chinese....
For chinese, they are at HCM District 5
For English, so long as you are at the City, you should have 1/10 chance of hitting an English Speaking Vietnamese Broke... =)

Btw.... learn these phrases yeah!!
" 'PLACE YOU WANNA GO' er dow?" ( ie where is PLACE?)
" Xin Chao" ( universally Hallo in Vietnam)
" Kum Ng" ( Thank you"

With this 3 phrases, your trip in Ho Chi Minh will be very fruitful...
best if you can go to HAnoi up north..
take a train........
and you can then pop over to HUE...........
another beautiful spot for Photography =)
Hanoi is beautiful......... far more than HCM...

 

[jeryltan]

Yes.. Have heard of it.. But don't think can do it in 4 days. .Maybe next trip BTW, is that where the famous Mekong Catfish comes from? Good fishing Iheard :devil:

Take a 2-3 day trip out to Mekong Delta. Nice...

 

[jeryltan]

Heard it takes very long is it? Anyway, will be staying strictly in HCM.. 'Cos only got 4 days, don't want to spend too much time travelling..

If u ever thinking of taking the train up north, don't do it. No fun.

 

[Astin]

Yes the river cruise is in my itenary BTW, where do I book the river cruise from? Theh otel will have contacts? So the rest can just goaround myself? Whatabout the Cu Chi Tunnels? IS it very far from town?

Every "good" hotel has a small counter that has all the leaflets for the river cruise, u just pick 1 and call up to book, they will come to pick u up on the day, usually by a van, then drive to the river point, then onto the cruise boat. If u want cheaper, u need to walk to the "backpacker" areas (I forgot the name of the place) there are many cheaper ones there. PS If this is your first time in HCMC, I suggest u go it slowly, if u love the place u will sure go back there again lah. U need some times to get used to HCMC and start to love it.

 

[jeryltan]

That's what I thought also.. But fron internet, the river cruise costs US$60 :bigeyes: There's 4 of us, so it's going to cost me US$240 :bigeyes: Quite a hefty sum..

Every "good" hotel has a small counter that has all the leaflets for the river cruise, u just pick 1 and call up to book, they will come to pick u up on the day, usually by a van, then drive to the river point, then onto the cruise boat. If u want cheaper, u need to walk to the "backpacker" areas (I forgot the name of the place) there are many cheaper ones there. PS If this is your first time in HCMC, I suggest u go it slowly, if u love the place u will sure go back there again lah. U need some times to get used to HCMC and start to love it.

 

[Astin]

That's what I thought also.. But fron internet, the river cruise costs US$60 :bigeyes: There's 4 of us, so it's going to cost me US$240 :bigeyes: Quite a hefty sum..

Yes its about US$50-60, including transport, lunch, guide etc.
HCMC is not cheap for tourist...

 

[nuts]

Depends lah.. I know there're luxurious/private ones, right up to 100s for a couple of days... I spent US$20 for a 2D1N trip...
US$60 is prob the amount I spent in total for 4 days in Saigon!

That's what I thought also.. But fron internet, the river cruise costs US$60 :bigeyes: There's 4 of us, so it's going to cost me US$240 :bigeyes: Quite a hefty sum..

 

[jeryltan]

Wah.. like that, may have to reconsider the river cruise liao..

Yes its about US$50-60, including transport, lunch, guide etc.
HCMC is not cheap for tourist...

 

[jeryltan]

Yo umean saigon river cruise for US$20? Incl. dinner? Got the contact?

Depends lah.. I know there're luxurious/private ones, right up to 100s for a couple of days... I spent US$20 for a 2D1N trip...
US$60 is prob the amount I spent in total for 4 days in Saigon!

 

[nuts]

No lah, no meals, just transport, guide and accomm. Its the Mekong Delta cruise.
As mentioned, prices vary and for a reason. The cruise boats for the expensive ones can be aircon, windowed, with meals etc, while the cheap ones are just like bumboats, share with 10 other tourists etc, but well, you still get to see the sights
The backpackers area is literally lined with agencies; just go there are shop around. I went with Delta Adventure Tours http://www.deltaadventuretours.com/
but there're dozens of similar agencies around... like I say, go shop around..
For the Mekong Delta, at least 2 days is preferred bcoz the morning markets are nice and if you just go for the 1 day trip, you may not be able to catch it...
Anyway, some photos at my gallery :
http://www.roving-light.com/gallery/vietnam/index.html

Yo umean saigon river cruise for US$20? Incl. dinner? Got the contact?

 

[Sampoerna]

Saigon City is not that big but to walk from 1 district to another can be killing. You may even lost your way back to hotel ;p

 

[jeryltan]

Tks for the links bro :thumbsup: Will go take a look..

No lah, no meals, just transport, guide and accomm. Its the Mekong Delta cruise.
As mentioned, prices vary and for a reason. The cruise boats for the expensive ones can be aircon, windowed, with meals etc, while the cheap ones are just like bumboats, share with 10 other tourists etc, but well, you still get to see the sights
The backpackers area is literally lined with agencies; just go there are shop around. I went with Delta Adventure Tours http://www.deltaadventuretours.com/
but there're dozens of similar agencies around... like I say, go shop around..
For the Mekong Delta, at least 2 days is preferred bcoz the morning markets are nice and if you just go for the 1 day trip, you may not be able to catch it...
Anyway, some photos at my gallery :
http://www.roving-light.com/gallery/vietnam/index.html

 

[jeryltan]

Killing in what sense? Very far? Or very complicated?

Saigon City is not that big but to walk from 1 district to another can be killing. You may even lost your way back to hotel ;p