About Ho Chi Minh City
First, how to make calls :
Calling from Singapore
To VN Fix-line : +848839 9617
To VN HP : +84 917 345 788
(Normally VN HP has 10 digits & start with "0", eg 0917 345 788. See below)
Calling from within HCMC :
To VN Fix-line : 08839 9617
To VN HP : 0917345 788
To Sgp Fix-line/HP : +65 followed by local Sgp number
MUST-SEE IN HO CHI MINH CITY
PS : If you don't see any comments, that means I haven't been to that place.
Saigon Tax Trade Centre
In the middle of town. Go to the supermarket on the second floor. This is THE place to get most of the little presents/souvenirs that you need to give away for your ah kong, ah ma, ah ee etc. Prices are very reasonable, you know you are not ripped off, and there's quite a variety to choose from.
On the same level is an internet cafe - charges are US$1 (15,000VND) per hour subject to a minimum of 9,000VND (30 min) - v expensive by local standards, which is 4,000-6,000VND. But you're paying for convenience. The Skype connection here is not too good though. More about internet cafes later.
Saigon Square
LATEST LATEST News (30 Jan 08). SS moved again sometime in Aug 07, I think - this time it is just behind the junction of Nam Ky Koi Ngia and Le Loi, taking the place of the old Russian Market. And the Russian Market has moved to the 2nd floor of Lucky Plaza (opposite Sunwah Tower).
LATEST NEWS ... read all about it ... Saigon Square is literally "back" - at the back of its original location that is ... just look at the spanking new SS ...
If you want the address, it's
Le Van Huu, Ben Nghe, Q1
OLD NEWS ... By the time you read this, Saigon Square might not be there. Part of it is already demolished to make way for a new shopping centre. This is THE place for teenage apparel - copies and originals. My daughters love this place as the copies look as good as the originals, maybe better? And going for a song too. Most can be bought for less than S$10 (<100,000VND)...very affordable for teenagers. Treasures to be found : t-shirts, jeans, shorts, fashion accessories, sports apparels (Nike, Adidas, Puma, Umno etc), copy watches & pens, copy branded bags (LV, Gucci, Fendi, Coach whatever brand you can think of). T-shirt Brands : Miss Sixty, Abercrombie & Fitch, Polo Ralph Lauren etc.
Ben Thanh Market
All tourists are obliged to contribute to the Vietnam economy by visiting Ben Thanh Market and paying inflated prices for copy goods, handicrafts and consumables - this is THE place to test out your bargaining skills which by now would have been reduced to its most primal form since there's no chance to practise in Singapore. Still you might surprise yourself by being so pleased for that great bargain only to find you were ripped off without even knowing! Ahhh...the magic of Ben Thanh. Stalls inside the market close by 5.30pm and the night market outside BTM comes to life about the same time. You must try the food stalls that are set up outside the BTM at night. Prices are reasonable (you won't get ripped off there) and the variety of food blows your mind.
Fahasa Bookstore
If you are a stationery freak like me, you'll be turned into Chicken Little in Fahasa..., cheep cheep cheap all the way. Prices are like half of those in Singapore and you can find some very unique items here. There are 3 branches in town - I love to buy the HCMC maps there as it costs between 4,000VND (S$0.40) to 12 or 13K. (that was in 2007 and before - it's 7,500VND for the cheapest map now in Jan 2008). The good news is that there is a new Tourist Information Centre opposite Rex Hotel. There's a free tourist map that's big enough for the blind!!!
An Dong
An Dong is a good place to shop in Chinatown. Things are cheaper there compared to District 1. The old An Dong Market is an eye-opener - it's quite organized in that the first floor sells fashion accessories, textiles, shoes etc. The second floor specializes in apparel and the third has warm clothes and craft. Basement is a food centre, goldsmith shops and local produce.
The new An Dong Plaza is co-located with Windsor Plaza Hotel - you can get to the hotel thru the shopping area. 3 floors of shops, air-con, the second and third sell apparel, the first has shoes, bags, jewellery, copy watches and the Coop Mart occupies the mezzanine floor with a revamped food court.
Take note that the Windsor Plaza Hotel has a free shuttle service for everyone (not just hotel guests) - starts at 7am and ends at 11pm. I always take it from Sunwah Plaza (just ask the waitresses there where to wait for the bus). It comes on the 15th and 45th minute thereabout every hour. The 2 other stops are behind Lucky Plaza and at Duxton Hotel.
Russian Mart
Latest update (30 Jan 08). As I mentioned above, the Russian Market has moved to occupy the second floor of Lucky Plaza (opposite Sunwah Tower, next to Fahasa). If you don't like the crowds at Saigon Square, this is the place to go. It was quite empty when I visited it last week, like less than 10 shoppers around.
Mar 07
What is known to me as Russian Mart is a stone's throw from Saigon Centre. This place sells factory-outlet branded sportswear as well as winter clothes. You can find a mix of genuine and "copy" Adidas and Nike etc. Prices range from 90,000VND to 150,000VND for a genuine piece but I did find some bargain Adidas (they're real - I'm quite sure)round-neck T-shirts for a bargain 60,000VND - that was in Aug 07.
Suoi Tien & Dam Seng
These are two theme parks that are worth a visit if you have the time. Dam Seng is older but nearer to town. Suoi Tien is much further out (about 1.5 hrs bus ride). Charges are based on per entry (very reasonable entrance fee)and then per ride (reasonable to me too).One of my favourite is the crocodile enclosure where you can buy a piece of liver (I think it's chicken liver or some innards of some creature!). You pay 2,000-3,000VND for a piece on a stick and then you feed the crocs. The crocs at Dam Seng are much bigger than in Suoi Tien and more fun to feed although the place is not as spick and span. You'll have to find your own transport there - by taxi or by public bus.
Suoi Tien : I took Bus No 19 from the Saigon Bus Station (opposite Ben Thanh Market). Bus : 1015H. ETA 11.23H. Took a cab back to town - 180,000VND!!!! That's what you pay to save time - 60 times more.
Vung Tau
Latest update (30 Jan 2008).
Might not be quaint and peaceful much longer as there are lots of investment projects there now.
Mar 07
Vung Tau is 1.5 hrs hydrofoil-ride away and about 2 hrs + bus ride away from HCMC. A quaint peaceful little seaside town with wide roads, quite unlike what you see in HCMC. here's a snippet of what you can find there.
Most Saigonese (?), if they want to get away for a weekend to the beach, will go to Vung Tau where the beach is. There is also another stretch of beach near Vung Tau known as Long Hai. Also quite a nice place to be - in a sense, perhaps nicer than Vung Tau as the beaches are not as crowded there. You can see how crowded it is above.
Mind you, the Jesus statue there is larger than the one at Rio De Janerio - I believe it's the largest in the world. Pity it's not so well known. You can climb up a flight of stairs inside the statue that will bring you up to Jesus' shoulders. You can literally cry on His shoulders if you like. Magnificent view as you can see from the pix. That's the highlight of my visit to Vung Tau. However, be forewarned. You need to be quite fit just to climb up to the foot of the statue; and it's not an easy climb - for me at least.
