Ho Chi Minh City - Anything to recommend?

[Green_carnation]

Yo bros and sis..

 

Would be going Ho Chi Minh City in few week's time.. Just to get away from SG.. Any good hotels to recommend? Got any places of interests or tourist attractions there?

[Apollo]

KTV!!!!

[Simply_lex]

Hotel Continental. 3 stars.

 

this hotel has quite a long historical background. Whenever I was

in HCMC, i always lodging in this hotel.

 

Service: so-so

Room Quality: decent (already mentioned historical building)

Price: slightly above average for a 3 star rating.

Location: Excellent

 

Yes, like this hotel for it's location.

 

have a nice & relaxing trip.

[Green_carnation]

decent getaway lehz..

[Green_carnation]

thx bro.. wats the rate like?

[Simply_lex]

http://www.continentalvietnam.com/

 

just checked out their website, their rates has increased.

hmm...now became 4 stars

[Gary84]

oei bro...find out from TS whether family trip or personal male frds getaway first la...

Dun anyhow hamtam all the LSB out lah......hahahah

[Guyver]

Yo bros and sis..

 

Would be going Ho Chi Minh City in few week's time.. Just to get away from SG.. Any good hotels to recommend? Got any places of interests or tourist attractions there?

 

The one I stayed was like about USD$20/day.

 

Can go for the spa ... the cheapest and yet not bad facilities is SGD$8 .. that is about 1 year ago.

 

Bring USD there ONLY.

 

Make sure all the notes that they give you are of good condition .... because one of the money changer there I went ..... give me a lower exchange rate because the USD$100 bill is in a not so good condition.

 

As a rule of the thumb ..... SGD$1 = Vietnam $10,000 dong.

[Guyver]

Vietnam is a SMOKER'S haven.

 

Why? The cheapest cigarette cost SGD$0.25/packet of 20 sticks!!

 

But from what my friend say .... the quality of the cigarette is so-so only.

 

Mild Seven is like SGD$1.70/packet.

[Green_carnation]

oooh.. thx bro...

[Green_carnation]

wow! really! mi gf n mi just quit smoking.. think go there sure smoke again!

[Guyver]

If you need to make some calls to S'pore ... can go to the LAN shop to make calls there ... quite cheap ... can't exactly remember the rates but it is alot cheaper than in Sg.

 

At night when you go out and got gals on bike comes near you .... BE CAREFUL ... quite alot are "trans" ....

[Green_carnation]

thx bro for the info and heads up.. how come bring USD only? the money changer only buy USD?

[Green_carnation]

pretty trans? me v sensitive to trans.. can sense before they come near..

[Guyver]

At the spa .... SGD$8 for entry.

 

They will say that it includes foot massage.

 

So a guy or gal will come and massage your feet for like 45mins ... then they'll ask for tip. Back then I gave them 50,000 dong (about SGD$5) .... and they keep saying "thank you ... thank you".

 

When I go there ... I didn't see any gals there ... so your gf might not be able to go with you.

 

Can go to the disco .... drinks prices are quite ok.

 

When you reach there, take USD$200 ... go to the money changer and change to Vietnam dong. USD$200 should be able to get you about $3,400,000 Dong. Since you going with gf .... should be enough for 1-2 days if you don't anyhow buy things.

 

There is a place ... sell alot of clothes for gals .... but I forgot the name liao ... it's "bin thanh" market or "turn burnt" market.

[Guyver]

Yes ... you have to change to USD here then go there to change Vietnam dong.

 

Don't expect to get good exchange rates for dong here.

 

So trust me ... change to USD .... then change to dong over there, the rates are better.

 

When you take taxi ... usually within the busier area in HCMC ... it should be about 20,000 dong ... for point to point.

 

When you are there .... just learn to get used to the traffic there. You know what I mean when you are there.

 

Btw ... over there ... you must use your "horn" almost all the time when you get around.

 

One interesting thing to note .... I can hardly find a fat gal there.

[Green_carnation]

oh.. that market i heard before.. yeah its Ben Thanh Market... then the rest of the tourist attractions seem historical and warfare kinda stuff..

[Terry3922t]

how come bring USD only? the money changer only buy USD?

 

------------------------------------

 

Sing Dollar is acceptable. You can change either at the airport or at the goldsmith shops that rings Ben Thanh Market.

 

Have not been there for the past 1.5 months and understand there is a black market for US$ right now due to the economic crisis (official rate was approx 15300 dongs to black market rate of 19,000 dongs to one USD).

 

Another market (similar to Ben Thanh market) that you may want to patronize for local stuffs is An Dong Market in District 5 (Chinatown). Whether at Ben Thanh or An Dong, bargain like hell (to the point of walking away) if you want to purchase something - the knives are very sharp as these are known as tourist areas.

 

Have a good trip.