Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The Land of Many Scooters
Vietnam was quite special, I couldn’t figure out how or why but I would go back in a heartbeat if circumstances would allow me.
And to share some of the experiences I had, here are some of the moments I have captured along the trip and some useful information that you can tag along if you might consider flying over one day. But in case you were wondering, Yes… I did travel with a Lonely Planet in one hand and a Sony digital camera on the other hand.
Go
War Remnants Museum (Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh)
Address: 28 D Vo Van TanAdmission:15,000d
Opening hours:7:30am-noon; 1:30-5pm
Reunification Palace (Dinh Thong Nhat)
Address: D Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
Admission:30,000d
Opening hours:7:30-11am; 1-4pm
Eat
Au Parc
My personal favorite in Ho Chi Minh, it’s a small well decorated Mediterranean café that serves the best smoothies in town. Plus the fact that they give away sparkling wine to women every night, this place is so friendly with a budget price range you would start to wonder if they do make money. The food is an average, but considering the ambience and the price, it is really not that bad at all. It is quite hidden along the street of the park but if you are in for a hunt, I totally recommend this place.
Address: 23 D Han Thuyen (Dhong Khoi Area)
Opening hours:Mon-Sat 7:30-10:30pmSunday 8am-5pm
Cusine:Mediterranean
Price:95,000-165,000d
Must-try: Fruit Smoothies
Pho Hoa
This place will definitely give you the real Vietnamese experience you actually came for. A very traditional Vietnamese canteen where you share tables with the local, where food you didn’t order are basically placed in your table to give you an easy reach of things and ends you up with eating food you didn’t come to eat nor asked but happy to have experienced. This is the place where I have learned to love drinking Iced Cocoa with Condensed Milk (Cacao Sua Da). Don’t even bother ordering it in another place, you will be disappointed. The Pho is impressive, I don't even want to try in another place.
Address: 260C D Pasteur (Da Kao Area)
Opening hours:6am-midnight
Price:45,000-50,000d
Cuisine:Vietnamese
Must-try: Pho, Cacao Sua Da (Iced Cocoa), Gio Chao Quay (Fried Chinese bread)
If I would have an idea of Barcelona in Vietnam, this would probably be the closest one I can think of. It’s an outdoor bar filled with expats coming with a scooter to have a drink or two. The entrance might not look as fancy as it is but as you go in, you would feel as if you are in a different city. It is located in a tiny plaza where a few bars and restaurants are side to side that you can actually cross over if a drink here doesn’t satisfy you, which I highly doubt.
Address: 74/7D DL Hai Ba Trung (Dong Khoi Area)
Opening hours:4pm-11pm
Must-try:Cocktails, Tiramisu
Sleep
An impressively tidy hotel with a surprisingly cheap 350,000d per night, the price made up for everything. The employees don’t speak English though. Better take the rooms on the next floors as it gets noisy at the reception during daytime. The hotel is located in Pham Ngu Lao Area known to be the backpacker district. It is quite convenient to anywhere in the city, and it’s a 200,00d worth a travel from the airport.
Address: 168 Cong Quynh Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 01, District 1 - Pham Ngu Lao / Tay Balo, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Area: Pham Ngu LaoWebsite: http://www.agoda.com/asia/vietnam/ho_chi_minh_city/tuan_anh_hotel_168.html
http://www.booking.com/hotel/vn/tuan-anh.en.html
Shopping
Ben Thanh Market
Whatever it is you need or looking for, this is the only place you need to go. A bargain market on just about everything, name it, Coffee, Nuts, Clothes, Souvenirs. Everything is under one roof. Though here, you would have to practice your bargain skills.
Address: Cho Ben Thanh; DL Le Loi, DL Ham Nghi, DL Tran Hung Dao & D Le Lai
Must-buy: Coffee, Cocoa, NutsTransportation
Taxi
Mai Linh Taxi: Call 38383838Vinasun Taxi: Call 38272727
Cyclo
Price: 15,000-25,000d40,000d (District 1)
Motorbike Taxi / Xe Om
Price: 20,000d (Pham Ngu Lao)
Saigon Scooter Centre
Price: 20$-100$ per week
Address: 25/7 D Cuu Long, Tan Binh district
Contact: 38487816
Website: www.saigonscootercentre.com
Catherine Valencia
Cute Boy with his Dog
We love them,
be careful they are extremely cute :)
CEBU PACIFIC FLIGHT PROMOTION UNTIL NOVEMBER 9
Cebu Pacific is
an airline in the Philippines considered to be one of the few who offers cheap
promotion tickets for international and domestic flights. It is the Philippines’
second flag carrier with flights around Asia.
So for anyone considering a holiday to Philippines or around
Asia anytime soon, might as well take your chance. The promotion is on until November
9. Travel period for international flights is January 1 to April 30, 2013 while domestic flights should be December 1 to February 28, 2013.
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*Exclusive of Php 550 terminal fee, fuel surcharge ranging from Php 410 - Php 2,100, Php 1,620 PH Travel Tax and Country Specific Taxes ranging from Php 400 - Php 1,515.
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Book your flights on their website: http://www.cebupacificair.com/pages/seatsalepromo.aspx
Bon Voyage!
Catherine Valencia
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