Tips for Ho Chi Mihn stay, advice & things to do

[shaemus]

I am off to HCMC next week.

 

Does anyone have any Favorited hotels they would like to recommend, i not looking for the Ritz nor a backpackers, i am Going for a visa so reasonably close to to Thai consulate

 

any travel tips scams to be aware of. good things to do, things i shouldn't miss seeing

 

Thanks in advance

 

Shaemus 

[BritManToo]

Put BusMap on your phone and use the buses to get around.

$1 from the airport (20,000VND), then 25c (5,000VND) for trips everywhere else in town.

[xxeo]

Be careful using taxis everywhere in Vietnam, their meters are often manipulated. Take the taxis in white/green colour - do not remember the name - with a better reputation.

 

Do not miss to visit the Reunification Palace which is President Thieus former Presidential Palace. Including the war room and the official rooms. A truly historic place where, in April 1975, the Vietcong tank broke down the fences to the park - the end of the Vietnam War!

 

The General Post Office is an artwork of French colonial style.

[phkauf]

Mai Linh (Green) or Vina Sun (White) taxis are the only reliably honest taxis - make sure to avoid look a likes. Also Grab works phenomenally well for both cars and motorbikes, you get the local prices no haggling or BS.

In District 1 (the central district) there are many scammers - from the cylco drivers, guys walking around with little boxes promising to fix your shoes, tour guides, etc. They are mostly pretty harmless but just avoid them unless you want to pay a lot for nothing. Also don't use your phone anywhere near where someone could ride by and grab it - still an issue in Saigon. But that is the extent of the crime there.

If you are adventurous and like seafood go to Vinh Khanh street in District 4 - seriously amazing seafood at local prices. Try the snails (Oc) they are amazing. 

[Bazt]

Be careful of massage places.
Look for shops with signs stating tip included


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[poka513]

Wife and I are off to HCMC for 3 nights Aug 20. Staying at Bloom Saigon Hotel. Never been before but hotel has good reviews on TripAdvisor. Plan to use bus from airport (thanks @BritManToo) and Grab.

 

Planned sight seeing:

Bitexco Financial Tower Skydeck.

Water puppet show.

Half day city tour - https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g293925-d11456718-Deluxe_Half_Day_Saigon_Sightseeing_Group_Tour-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html 

River dinner cruise, 3 hour - https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g293925-d15045469-Small_group_Dinner_Cruise_on_Saigon_River_03_hours-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html
 

Food:

Soul Burger.

 

Note:

Thai Consolate holiday on Monday, Aug 12 - 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/organize/27986-Office-hours-&-Holidays-|-Giờ-làm-việc-&-những-ngà.html

 

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, poka513 said:

Planned sight seeing:

The 1 day Mekong Delta tour for $12 each is pretty good value for money.

TNK Travel

[buick]

i usually stay in the dong khoi area (district 1) but my usual hotel (camelia on dong du st) is not bookable right now.  maybe doing a renovation or something.  the palace hotel is little more expensive than the camelia but nearby.  the dong du hotel is a little cheaper and on the same street.  can book these with booking.com.

 

i don't do any major tourist stuff when i'm there.  nguyen hue street has been turned into a large square (or really rectangle) and people gather there at night.  i usually eat lunch in the lower level of the vincom center, many choices.  i like pho 24.  they also have a location on dong khoi.  prefer phatty's sports bar for happy hour/dinner.  sometimes i wander over to the japanese section of le thanh thon for dinner.  several restaurants to choose from.  never had a bad one there.

 

edit:  i've been many times and despite this i got ripped off by the taxi at the airport.  i knew the fare would be about 200,000vnd but the meter was at that amount not long after we got outside the airport.  i had to get out and flag down another taxi.

[Bredbury Blue]

Everything you want to see, do, stay, etc will be in DISTRICT 1.

 

My regular stay was at Avanti Hotel opposite Ben Thanh market which I thought was excellent.

 

If I wanted a bit more comfort I would stay at the Norfolk Hotel (ask for room not facing the road).

 

If my wife was visiting we'd stay at Liberty Riverside. All the Liberty hotels look good.

 

 

[Timmaayy]

Use Grab app - LOADS of Grab drivers there, cheaper than taxis and far less likely to try & scam you. 

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I use Grab a lot. From my D1 hotel, near Bitexco Tower to the airport it was 98,000 VND, several times at morning rush hour. Typical fare from the airport to D1 is about 120,000-150,000, depending, as always, on traffic.

 

As noted above, go straight out of the terminal after customs to the left to either a Mai Linh (green logos but not always green taxi colour) or Vinasun, cream white with a bit of red trim. Walk past any tout not wearing either of these taxi company colours.  Or book Grab. Maybe takes 5 minutes for Grab taxi to arrive. Grab map even shows all the terminal pillar numbers. Yes, each pillar is numbered. 

[geisha]

Surprised no one recommended the war museum. Very sad yes, but an absolute must see. All the other above posts sound good. Vietnamese food is delicious! 

[xxeo]

Good and justified to mention that, other than in Thailand, the massage price indicated outiside does NOT include the "tip". And this "must pay tip" was, in my case, 50 000 or 100 000 Dong!

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, xxeo said:

Good and justified to mention that, other than in Thailand, the massage price indicated outiside does NOT include the "tip". And this "must pay tip" was, in my case, 50 000 or 100 000 Dong!

I paid a 350,000VND tip in a locked upstairs room.

[mikecha]

Go to Rex hotel district 1 can get a good price if just arrive .

on 5 floor is a big veranda can look over hcm very nice and the food is good and ice beer  

 

 

[tutsiwarrior]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

The 1 day Mekong Delta tour for $12 each is pretty good value for money.

TNK Travel

never took a tour but crossed the Mekong on a ferry once driving from HCMC to Ca Mau in the extreme south...quite a thrill, it's a BIG river...

 

when I needed a hotel (had a serviced apartment in 2006) I useta stay at the Ho Sen hotel on Thi Sac in D1 and it was cheap, clean, good internet, 'guest friendly' and with the TCM channel (old movies) on cable...not sure about these days...

 

 

[MarcIssan]

Regarding taxis...I stayed in Hanoi for a week and got ripped off one time on fare.  I called to complain and in the end the owner of the taxi said he rented out his taxi for the day and the other driver is the one that ripped me off.  I later found out their is a 'fast mode' or something where they can flip the switch and it speeds up the meter.  That happened to me and no one wanted to do anything other than blame Mr. Noname.  I was advised by the hotel to negotiate a flat rate in advance.  The hotel knows what the fare should be to use a a guideline.  That worked the rest of my time there.  Even still, one driver 'got lost' and drove around and around and when we decided to get out and follow Google, he demanded more money.  I gave him what we agreed and no more.  I too want to see HCMC...looks like a 2020 trip for me.

[Lancelot01]

I've stayed at the Ngoc Ha hotel, District 1 near Ben Thien market. 

The 152 bus from the airport to Ben Thien VND5,000 (5,000 extra with a suitcase).

 

[BritManToo]

14 minutes ago, Lancelot01 said:

The 152 bus from the airport to Ben Thien VND5,000 (5,000 extra with a suitcase).

Fare is 20,000VND from the airport.

Local bus journeys are 5,000VND.

[Awinkl]

On 8/9/2019 at 11:57 AM, Bazt said:

Be careful of massage places.
Look for shops with signs stating tip included
Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Could you please elaborate a bit more - on your comments?

[BritManToo]

On 8/9/2019 at 12:36 PM, buick said:

edit:  i've been many times and despite this i got ripped off by the taxi at the airport.  i knew the fare would be about 200,000vnd but the meter was at that amount not long after we got outside the airport.  i had to get out and flag down another taxi.

Why don't you use the bus, 20,000VND or $1, drops you off at September Park in District 1 (very close to the palace Hotel).

[DEKEM]

On 8/10/2019 at 7:34 PM, BritManToo said:

Fare is 20,000VND from the airport.

Local bus journeys are 5,000VND.

bus 152 is 5000 vnd and you can board it at the airport.  I took it last year.  the yellow airport shuttle is 20,000 vnd.  both take you to district 1. drop you off next to ben thanh market.  after getting my cell phone pickpocketed by a little school girl while on my way to the airport on bus 152, I would recommend people take the airport shuttle.  bus 152 gets very crowded at times.  this little school girl in a school uniform sat next to me on my way to the airport.  didn't feel a thing.  that is how good the pickpockets are in saigon.  my airplane ticket was an e-ticket stored digitally on my cell phone.  if I didn't have a backup cellphone with me, I would have been in big trouble.  no joke.  I have since learned to store a backup of my e-tickets on google cloud drive so that if all my phones were displaced, I would still be able to access the tickets online. be sure to get sim card as soon as possible once you arrive into saigon.  having internet access on my phone via google maps saved me from getting lost big time.  learn how to use the hotspot function of your phone so that you will still have the internet if your hotel has lousy wifi.

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, DEKEM said:

my airplane ticket was an e-ticket stored digitally on my cell phone.  if I didn't have a backup cellphone with me, I would have been in big trouble.  no joke.  I have since learned to store a backup of my e-tickets on google cloud drive so that if all my phones were displaced, I would still be able to access the tickets online.

You don't need any documentation except your passport to get on the plane.

The check-in desk has your ticket linked to your passport.

I don't even bother with tickets, just hand them my passport, they swipe it, and print the boarding pass.

 

I always have maps.me on my phone, similar maps to google but offline, no need for internet connection.

[madmen]

Ear plugs or thousands of bikes all with thumb permanently on horn will drive you insane

Do NOT carry a man bag or hand bag, the level of violence is far higher against farangs in Vietnam than Thailand which are nearly all lady boy related here so easy to avoid

[Nyezhov]

8 minutes ago, madmen said:

Ear plugs or thousands of bikes all with thumb permanently on horn will drive you insane

Do NOT carry a man bag or hand bag, the level of violence is far higher against farangs in Vietnam than Thailand which are nearly all lady boy related here so easy to avoid

Thats probably the reason I dont go to Vietnam, I carry a lot of spendy camera stuff

[CanuckThai]

Alagon Central Hotel and Spa is fairly decent, no complaints.  Central and great (multiple) restaurants. 

 

I've tried a few night "restaurant/food tours", always interesting and affordable ways to scope out area's you might not ordinarily wander.

[BritManToo]

14 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Thats probably the reason I dont go to Vietnam, I carry a lot of spendy camera stuff

I've never had a problem, don't walk on the edge of the pavement and they can't grab stuff.

Had one attempt to snatch my phone in Phnom Penh, my grip was stronger than his, and he almost fell off his m/c.

 

These guys are as small and delicate as little girls, and you're all scared of them?

[madmen]

7 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've never had a problem, don't walk on the edge of the pavement and they can't grab stuff.

Had one attempt to snatch my phone in Phnom Penh, my grip was stronger than his, and he almost fell off his m/c.

 

These guys are as small and delicate as little girls, and you're all scared of them?

Its not about a fist fight and being scared but getting caught by surprise when 2 guys speed off on a bike after snatching a bag plus without doubt a knife being being produced to avoid capture

[DEKEM]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You don't need any documentation except your passport to get on the plane.

The check-in desk has your ticket linked to your passport.

I don't even bother with tickets, just hand them my passport, they swipe it, and print the boarding pass.

 

I always have maps.me on my phone, similar maps to google but offline, no need for internet connection.

thanks for the tip on maps.me.  I'll look into it.

[DEKEM]

15 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've never had a problem, don't walk on the edge of the pavement and they can't grab stuff.

Had one attempt to snatch my phone in Phnom Penh, my grip was stronger than his, and he almost fell off his m/c.

 

These guys are as small and delicate as little girls, and you're all scared of them?

a few small guys all with knives is something to be scared of.  you would be stupid not to be scared of them.  when I was a kid in my fathers chinese restaurant, I could carve a chicken up into parts in 5 seconds flat with a sharp knife.  back then, I could debone a 20 lb pork leg in 1 minute flat.  that's taking off the thick fat skin and taking the bone out. ONE minute.