Vietnam Travel Guide and Information: Going Around the City

A guide on maximizing your time when going around Vietnam 

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam is generally a walkable and safe city. Traffic is also light compared to other countries. There are a lot of trees and greenery everywhere.

Here are some tips to enjoy the sights of Ho Chi Minh: 

1. Take ONLY the Mai Linh and Vina Sun taxis.  As a lot of blogs and websites have mentioned, the taxis in Vietnam are the worst scams esp. if they sense that you’re a tourist.  They would take you around to see some tourist spot although you’re not interested to see them. So just make sure to take only the trusted names in Vietnam- MAI LINH and VINASUN. Make sure to check if the meter is working. Flag down rate is 10.000 VD. From the aiport to District 1, fare would be about 110.000 to 140.000 VD or about 7 USD.

Mai Linh Taxi in Vietnam

Photo Credit: http://www.vietnamtravel.org/taxis-saigon-avoid-being-taken-ride

 

2. Print out the address of your hotel.  It was a good thing that I took note of the exact address of the hotel where I stayed. Because of it, the taxi driver who picked me up from the airport was able to locate the hotel.  I just showed him the address and he drove me there since we cannot understand each other. (Haha!)

3. Wear light and airy clothes and always bring water. Just like the Philippines, Vietnam is a tropical country so the weather is either hot or humid.  So it makes sense to wear shorts and sleeveless or shirts during tours. Also, bring huge amounts of water although there are a lot of stores where you can buy bottled waters. The heat could be dehydrating. Wear a hat or bring an umbrella.

Boating on Vietnam's countryside

4. Ask for a city map. So you can have the freedom to move around the city, print out a city map or ask a map from the hotel where you're staying. If you're in District 1, you can actually visit the historical places on foot. 

5. Watch out for motorcycles! Ho Chi Minh is like a motorcycle city. The motorbike is their primary means of transportation- female or male, young or old. So be careful of whizzing motorbikes when walking along the streets. 

blurred motorcycle traffic in the background

And just like in any other place, always be mindful of your things especially in busy and crowded areas!

Vietnam Travel Guide and Information: Budget Travel in Vietnam

This article discusses relevant tips on handling money when visiting Vietnam. 

Here are some tips on handling your budget while visiting Vietnam:

the Vietnamese Dong

Photo Credit:  http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/asia/vietnam/2008/06/24/162405/Vietnam-trade.htm

1. Exchange your dollar bills to Vietnamese Dong. The value of Vietnamese currency is about USD1 to VD 20.000. In effect, large dollar bills would not be helpful if you plan to shop and dine around the city. For less than a dollar you can already buy a meal. Some Vietnamese tend to withhold change if you pay them in dollars. Don’t fall into letting go of your few bills by changing your dollars to their currency. 

goods sold at Ben Than market

Photo Credit: http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/ngrick/13/1282250917/3_inside-ben-thanh-market.jpg/tpod.html

 

2. Know the prices of goods. Admittedly, I am not a good in haggling so I was fooled a lot of times when I bought some items in Vietnam. For example, I bought 25 sachets of coffee for 80,000 VD when I could actually buy 50 sachets for 100,000 VD. Then I bought a small cake along the streets for 10,000 VD when the actual price is 5,000 VD. I really felt bad when I realized my foolishness that I stopped buying anything during my stay.


3. Forego shopping , if you can. Since I am from the Philippines, I am familiar with cheap goods which are also sold in Vietnam. The clothes,bags and other goods that they sell on the streets and the overrated Ben Than Market can be bought at a cheaper prices in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. The values of shirts and bags that we saw are twice or even thrice as much as the price in other countries.


4. Look for cheaper tours. The tour packages advertised on the net are twice as much as those you can find along the streets of Ho Chi Minh. I highly recommend Tropic Tours with several offices scattered around District 1. They offer one of the cheapest tour packages in and around Ho Chi Minh. 

tips, tips, tips

Photo Credit: http://soshable.com/social-networking-for-business-8-tips-on-how-to-relate-and-communicate/

 5. Include tips in your budget. Just like in the Philippines, people expect tips after they have served you. Hotel porters tend to linger in the room after they brought your bags waiting for tips. Tour guides also tend to remind you to give him tips. Even waiters from roadside food stalls expect tips. To save yourself from embarrassment, include tips in your budget. I usually give them 30.000 VD or 1 USD. 

Cheap Hotel in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: Duc Vuong Hotel

Duc Vuong Hotel is a 2 –star hotel located along the vibrant Bui Vien street in District 1. Compared with other hotels in the area, Duc Voung Hotel is tucked on the edges of the quiet part of the street. Hence, this hotel is ideal for a taste of a Vietnamese night life yet also a place of rest. For discounts and other perks, book directly at Duc Vuong Hotel instead on hotel booking sites.

Duc Vuong Hotel facade

Photo Credit: http://www.ducvuonghotels.com/wp-content/plugins/flash-album-gallery/facebook.php?i=1&f=default_old&h=320

On my first night in the hotel, I stayed in a Junior Suite worth VD840,000 or around USD 40.  I only paid the half day fee since I arrived at the hotel past midnight. The next two days of my stay in the hotel was spent in their Bed and Breakfast rooms which cost about USD 11 per person. If you don’t have anyone to share your room with, you have to pay for 2 people. Both rooms are clean and have the same amenities- hot and cold shower, toiletries, towels, cable TV and WiFi access. The only difference is the size of the room. The Junior Suite is bigger. But then again, who needs a bigger room when you’ll only spend the night in your room.

bed at junior suite room

The beds of both rooms are of the same size. The linens and towels are changed everyday including the toiletries. They also provide free coffee for two. There’s also water dispenser on every floors so you can refill your bottles before going around the city. Comfortable sofas are also scattered on every floor should you want to hang out with other guests. The best place to drink coffee (since I am a coffee lover) is on their rooftop garden. It’s a small patch of land overlooking District 1. It’s soothingly relaxing esp. at night when you just want to look at the bright lights but not necessarily take part on it.

computer area

 Photo Credit: http://www.hotels.com/ho394831/duc-vuong-hotel-ho-chi-minh-city-vietnam/

Aside from the usual hotel amenities, Duc Vuong also has several computers on the ground floor for guests who need to browse the internet. They also have a buffet restaurant that provides free breakfast for all their guests and free dinner for guests in selected rooms. Tropic Tours, one of the cheapest tour packages you can avail in Vietnam, has an office on the basement area of Duc Vuong. Airport transfers are also available but for a cheaper cost, there’s no need to avail them.

reception

Photo Credit: http://realtravel.com/h-86166-ho_chi_minh_city_hotel-redsun_hotel

Lastly but most importantly, Duc Vuong has a very friendly and helpful staff. They were ready to answer all my queries including things to buy for pasalubong. Every time, we return to the hotel, the staff would ask how we were and would cater to our needs whether we give them tips or not.

Credit card is accepted but they don’t change money. If you want to change dollars to dong near the area, there’s Albatross Travel and Tours , a few blocks away from Duc Vuong. They also provide cheap tour services.

The only thing that may stop you from booking in this place is maybe the knowledge that there are other cheaper accommodations around the area.