Ho Chin Minh =)
This will be my first major excursion into Asia, discounting places like Malaysia and Indonesia, which are culturally similar to our own. Being unseasoned travellers, we expect many problems but what the heck.
Here's the rough plan:
Day 1. Get lost and frustrated by the traffic
Day 2. Explore the city
Day 3: Explore more
Day 4: Go out of town
Day 5: Wrap up
This will happen next week. See ya.
~
here are a few pointers, since i have been to hcmc 3times:-
ReplyDelete(1)get taxi from just outside of airport terminal, not the inside counters
(2)trade in vietnam dong, USD is usually marked up. bring ur sing dollars to vietnam, go to a goldsmith in hcmc and u will most likely get best exchange rate. vietnam dong is valueless outside vietnam.
(3)taxi almost always run by meter. S$2 a trip approx for a 10min ride. round the sum up and pay the driver. don't expect change if it's small change.
(4)bargain like mad!(ask for best price) some stores u just got to be shrewd, ask ard for prices. for other stores (usually crowded w asians) will just give u best price. guide: a sports tee/polo tee will be ard S$5-$8 depending on quality/design.
(5)must go: Ben Thanh Market! indoor market 8am to 6pm daily. night market along the street w cheap and good streetside stalls and other stores opens 6pm til late. bargaining is only in markets not the fixed price shops.
ReplyDelete(6)romantic nice place: sheraton hotel rooftop bar. =)
(7)vietnamese see bargaining as a way they can strike a better biz deal n earn more money, my experience is that they are nice ppl, not out to cheat money out of tourists, might be more applicable to aisan tourists! So enjoy e bargaining and get good at it can be lots of fun. haha
(8)when crossing crazy hcmc roads, never run. watch the cars and bikes and walk calmly across, the motor bikes might come very close but they are very good at it, they will go around u. By walking calmly, they can predict and time ur pace. best thing is cross with the locals.
ReplyDeleteenjoy ur holiday & ur birthday at the same time! :)
ReplyDeletetks tks. =]
ReplyDelete