| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

FrontPage

Page history last edited by Bennett Tan 4 years, 9 months ago

HO CHI MINH CITY (Saigon)

 

Please note : I try to update the info in this wiki as much as possible but some early entries are dated back to 2006 and so may not be that updated - esp the restaurants.

Latest update :

June 2013

July 2019

 

 

WELCOME TO HCMC

 

Some things never change. The advice below, as of July 2019, is still the same after more than 10 years.

First things first. Either change some VND (Viet Nam Dong) before you come over (for taxi fare and small expenses. S$50 is more than enough) or you can change a bit at the Tan Son Nhat Airport but not too much (poor rates there compared to town). The rest you change when you're in town where you get better rates - there are many money changers around. No problem changing S$ here in HCMC, so no need to change S$ to US$. 

 

Exchange rate in Jul 2019 is about S$1:17,000vnd depending on where and which day you're changing your money.

 

5D4N itinerary 

Here's a sample 5D4N itinerary that I prepared.

5D4N (Guided tour).pdf

 

Here's a sample packing list that I prepared

 Packing List for Travellers (PTC).pdf

 

Warning : After 10 years, still the same (caa July 2019) : There has been an increase in petty thefts in HCMC - snatch thefts, pickpockets - so please be extra careful, especially with expensive cameras and sling bags. They come from behind you on their bikes and grab your cameras and bags. One friend had someone approach him to ask for directions, placed a map on his waist pouch, and then took off with his digital cam that was in the pouch. Just last month (Jun 2019), I witnessed 2 guys on a bike attempting to snatch a bag from a pedestrian. 

 

LATEST NEWS

Crime against tourists on the rise in HCMC

 

May 2013

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/10095/men-held-for-snatching-bag-from-foreigner

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/8264/two-seized-for-snatching-phone-from-foreigner-on-street

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/4584/street-robberies-rise-dramatically-in-hcmc

http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/5386/hcmc-sets-up-34-patrol-teams-to-fight-crime

 

 

Sep 2012

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/special-reports/48552/robbery-on-the-streets-of-saigon.html

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/special-reports/48553/incredible-tricks-of-saigon-robbers.html

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/special-reports/48726/-street-knight--identifies-robbery.html

 

(Jul 2019)

Just took the public bus No 152 at the bus stop just outside the airport. Very smooth and cheap. Bus fare 5,000vnd. If you have a big luggage, you'll be charged 5,000vnd too. I stopped at Ham Nghi Street (new bus "interchange") that's very near to Ben Thanh Market. The bus went on its way so I guess the journey doesn't end here like it used to do in the past.

 

There is also a new up-market bus service that stops at several hotels for the convenience of visitors. You pay just a bit more for a bus that serves tourists - looks like a good deal to me. Also located outside the airport next to the public bus stop. 

 

A taxi will to Ben Thanh  Market will set you back about 150,000vnd to 180,000vnd (estimate).

 

(Aug 2012)

New bus service 127 connecting major tourist sites in HCMC for 4,000vnd (starts 15 Sep 2012)

The Ho Chi Minh City Transport Department announced Wednesday it will open a bus route connecting major tourist attractions in the city center on September 15.

Bus number 127 will stop at major tourism destinations like the Reunification Palace, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden and several museums in downtown area.

The bus will depart from Ben Thanh Bus Station at the Quach Thi Trang roundabout.

The route is 9.8 kilometers (6 miles) and takes 35 minutes to complete.

The line will run from 5:30 a.m. to 8:12 p.m. with 8-10 minutes between each bus.

Ten new buses with automatic ticket selling systems will be used on the route.

Tickets will cost VND4,000 ($0.19) for the whole route or VND90,000 for a monthly pass.

Ref : http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20120808-ho-chi-minh-city-to-open-bus-route-around-tourism-hotspots.aspx

 

 

10 Dec 2011:

The exit "toll" fee (or whatever you want to call it) at the airport has increased from 5,000vnd to 10,000vnd - just recently. So when you take a cab to the airport, you have to add 10,000vnd to the fare. Likewise, when you leave the airport, add 10,000vnd to the fare when you reach your destination. (July 2019 : Still at 10,000vnd)

 

ALL ABOUT TAXIS IN HCMC

 

 

BEST TIME TO VISIT HCMC

 

The rainy season in VN is from May to Nov usually. This year (2010), the rain started late in Aug instead of May - so I don't know when the rainy season will end now. Traditionally it ends in Nov, and Dec to Apr is the dry season. Oct to Dec is the high season for tourists - so it'll be crowded here, especially Nov (it's our school hols in SG, remember?). Jan to Apr will not be so crowded. During Tet (our Chinese New Year), the city is quite deserted - so nothing much to see or do. (Still same same in Jul 2019)

 

WEATHER UPDATE

 

Jul 2019 : Rainy season now. Been raining almost everyday for the past few days. Not the whole day though, just some showers - sometimes a short one, sometimes an hour or more.

Sun 15 Jan 2012 - This is the longest cold spell ever (since Dec 2011)!! It's been almost a month and the mornings are really cool.

Sat 10 Dec 2011 - A cold spell has hit HCMC - nice and cool weather in the morning for the past 2-3 days.

 

 

 

13 Nov 2011 :

Jul 2019: Saigon Square (1 & 2), Taka Mall (1 & 2), Russian Mart, Lucky Plaza are similar in that they sell "copies" of branded apparels, ladies apparels, bags, backpacks, shoes, winter clothes, jackets etc. You can find some treasures in the form of genuine brands (possibly factory overruns or whatever) that are made in Vietnam. I've got a few pairs of Keen shoes at about 1/3 the original price, Jack Wolfskin shirts and jackets (original), Northface-Superdry-Jack Wolfskin-Puma-Adidas-etc bags and backpacks (that look very original) at a fraction of the price in Singapore. But you need to compare prices before you buy - as always, there'll be some trying to rip you off.

 

1. Just went to Saigon Square 1 last night - it has taken over the neighbouring Chinese restaurant and expanded by at least a third. 

Jul 2019 : Saigon Square 1 is still where it is and bigger. It's the biggest of its kind in HCMC. Saigon Square 2 along Hai Ba Trung is dying so no point visiting. 

 

2. Russian Mart in Lucky Plaza has closed down - saw one of the vendors at Taka Plaza who gave us the latest update. A real pity - we like the Russian Mart there very much.

Jul 2019 : The market at Lucky Plaza lives on but is not known as Russian Mart. Not a bad place to have a look around. Fahasa Bookshop next door is also a fun place to buy stationery. Russian Market (my fav) is now here - I buy my shirts, jackets, bags mostly from here.

 

Taka Plaza has expanded to 2 "malls" (they're not really malls in the strict sense of the word, just a basement shopping alley at the backpacker's area and a 2-storey shopping centre along Nam Ky Khoi Nghia). Taka Plaza at the backpackers' area - Pham Ngu Lao - is not doing well and the number of shops are down when I visited in June 2019. Even the food court there - opened with big fanfare - has only a few stalls left. The one at NKKN is better - walking distance from Takashimaya and next to an Indian temple - you can't miss it. 

 

 

Note : Visitors to Vietnam no longer need to fill up the visitors' card (since Sep 2010, I think). That's very good news - esp for those who have to fill up cards for your family members.

 

 

MAP OF HCMC

 

My Google Map : HCMC Shopping Sites

 

BELOW : This is the latest 3D Map (of just the town) that you'll find in the airport (I've added a few locations to it). Free tourist maps were made available to visitors in 2009 - unfortunately it looks like that was just an experiment as there are no more free maps to be found in the airport as of late 2010. The 3D map looks really good - but far from reality. You'll know when you do a comparison of map-to-ground (army guys will know what I'm talking about):

Jul 2019 : Thank God for Google Maps now. What a change in a decade! I remember running around town trying to buy the latest maps of the city back then.

 

Right-click your mouse and click on "View Image" to see actual size

 

 

HOW TO MAKE CALLS

 
Calling from outside Vietnam
To VN Fix-line : Eg +848 3333 4444
To VN HP : +84 999 888 777
(VN HP numbers are either 10 or 11 digits & start with "0", eg 0917 345 788. See below)
 
Calling from within HCMC :
To VN Fix-line : 08 3333 4444
To VN HP : 0 999 888 777
To Sgp Fix-line/HP : +65 followed by local Sgp number
Warning : It costs a bomb to call to Sg from VN - I think about S$2/minute.
Better to buy a local SIM here and make your calls back to SG with it.
To call within Vietnam, either you use the hotel phone or you can buy a SIM card for about 50,000vnd (if you have an extra phone) 
Jul 2019 : Nowadays so convenient. You can either buying a SIM card at the TSN airport, or get some kind of plan from Singapore. You can try out AIRSIM - I used it in Helsinki & Tallin and it worked great. 

 

 

WHERE TO STAY

 

Jul 2019 : I can't update here as the scene has changed so much and I also don't stay in hotels anymore. So please refer to Trip Advisor for recommendations.

 

HCMC  is a city that caters to all budgets with regards to accommodation.

From US$5 beds to 5-star hotels costing a few hundred US$, it all depends on how deep or how shallow your pocket is.

Having said that, please note that the budget hotels in HCMC are in very "livable" condition and quite unlike those in Singapore, which I'm sad to say are quite pathetic (Jul 2019 : Still true about budget accom.)

I recommend the Backpackers' Area in Pham Ngu Lao (PNL) where you have US$5 beds to 3-star hotels (US$80 and above), the reason being that it has almost all that you need as a tourist. Loads of cafes and restaurants, travel agencies, bus companies, shops, pubs ...

If you're not fussy, you can lug your luggage (is that why it is called "lug-gage"?) and go hotel hunting. You can ask to see the room first before you commit - common practice here.

 

Our Fav Budget Hotel:

Sao Nam Hotel - Pham Ngu Lao, District 1. Back-packers area.

Problem is that Sao Nam is now getting a bit old (4 years or more) and there are newer hotels for about the same price.

I stick to Sao Nam because I know the people there - so it's easy for me to book a room; just an sms will do for me.

You might want to look around.

 

Ben Thanh Market area - also many hotels around here (budget to 3*) - same advice as for PNL. Shop and look around first.

 

After Ben Thanh is town - that's where you're expect to pay more. Advisable to book hotel online first if you want to stay in town. 

 

 

ELECTRICITY

 

Most sockets here can take both the double rounded or flat pins - just bring along sufficient adapters for your handphone, camera and notebook. Normally, people only bring one adapter and find that it is not enough. Although some supermarkets sell adapters, it is inconvenient to be running around looking for suitable adapters. (Jul 2019 : Still same same.)

 

  

Power Socket in HCMC

 

 

SPECIAL MENTION

 

This is a fabulous website done by Ben Chua, a Singaporean living in HCMC - really impressive - 3D virtual tours of many places in and out of HCMC. He has many recommendations about where to visit, and tons of photos and virtual tours. Do check it out.

 

 

LINKS

 

HCMC Official Website - by HCMC People's Committee

 

Learn about Vietnam - VN Embassy  in USA

 

About Vietnam Culture

 

Ho Chi Minh City sights and attractions - Travelfish recommendations

 

Where to go in HCMC? - iexplore recommendations 

 

http://www.muinebeach.net/sites.htm#muinevillage - good site on Mui Ne

 

Falling in love with Ho Chi Minh City - A heart-warming article of how one American fell in love with Saigon

 

HCMC's Time has come - From the Taipei Times

 

Bus Ride through Vietnam - The New Straits Times 

 

Nordcham - info about HCMC

 

http://www.saigonscene.com/index.htm

 

 

 

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.