Ho Chi Minh City (still known as Saigon) is the largest city in Vietnam. It was once
known as Prey Nokor prior to annexation by the Vietnamese in the 17th
century. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of
Cochinchina and later of the independent republic of South Vietnam 1955-75. On
2 July 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding Gia Dinh Province and was
officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after revolutionary leader Ho chi Minh. The
time in Vietnam is 1 hour behind than Malaysia.
Kota
Kinabalu did not have direct flight to Vietnam therefore need fly from Kuala
Lumpur. When back from Vietnam, I just found out that Johor has direct flight
to Ho Chi Minh, so envy!
Ho
Chi Minh is full of motorcycles and most of them did not follow the traffic
rules. Therefore although traffic light is green for passenger to cross the
road, they ignored it and still moving freely. You must always aware of the
motorcycle and they also will alert with passenger and will try not to hit you.
Even
at the road side also is a road for motorcycle beside passenger so you don’t
think you are safe if you walk at roadside. You must brave to cross the road
because the motorcycles are endless and is impossible for you to wait for all
motorcycles goes away and then cross the road.
Money
Changer
19
January 2017, I changed money in Pengurup Wang NBL Sdn Bhd (BG51, Ground Floor)
which located in Wisma Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu. The money changer (Tel: 088-265591) is inside
of NBL Sdn Bhd. I changed 5,040,000 VND with RM 999.94. The currency rate is
0.01984.
You
can be millionaire when in Vietnam because it has many zero on the cash.
Sometime too many zero made me confusing. How to calculate exchange rate from
VND to MYR? When saw a price, I will ignore 3 zero and divide by 5. Example
15,000 VND = MYR 5. It just an estimate because the real rate keep up and down
so it just for reference.
Taxi
Service
Read
through online, many people suggest use taxi service of Vinasun or Mai Linh. At
this trip, I was using Vinasun taxi.
Most of taxi driver did not know how to speak in English therefore you
need to provide Vietnamese address for them.
Taxi
fare pay according to the taximeter, upon you go inside, it start with 12,000
VND. You need to prepare small amount of
money when pay for taxi fare because taxi driver did not have small amount of
money. Example taximeter shows 78,000
VND and you pay 100,000 VND then taxi driver will return 20,000 VND to you. It
means the taxi fare become 80,000 VND.
Air
Asia Flight Stories
Kota
Kinabalu (7:05am-9:35am) >> Kuala Lumpur (2:45pm-3:45pm) >> Ho Chi
Minh
While
waiting the flight to Ho Chi Minh, I went to toilet and saw a door did not
close so I push it and saw an Indian woman at there. Ops, sorry :P
In
flight depart from Kuala Lumpur, I sat with Pak Cik (Malay uncle) and Mak Cik
(Malay aunty). They are from Alor Setar,
this also their first time to Ho Chi Minh with family. Their grandchildren even
escape school to travel (travel period was not school holidays). Hehe..
When
they were young, they even stayed in Labuan for 2 years because Pak Cik joined
Air Force. He told me that the first traffic light was near with airport. That
time the market was floating market which above the sea. I invited them come
Labuan to see the big different or big changing in Labuan.
Ho
Chi Minh (9:25am-12:15pm) >> Kuala Lumpur (3:35pm-6:10pm) >> Kota
Kinabalu
While
waiting the flight to Kota Kinabalu, I went to washroom. When came out from
washroom, a lady asked me whether see any kid? She was looking for her. As I
did not see so I answered “no” and she continued find at other side. When I
went back to waiting room, I saw a kid with curly hair play at counter and
suddenly I think of the lady, is the kid is her missing child?
I
turned back and find the lady to ask for it because I am not sure. The lady was at
other waiting room to ask people whether see a small kid or not. When found
she, I asked whether her kid has curly hair and she said “yes” so I bring she
to find the kid. Luckily the kid is still at there.
22nd
February 2017 (Wednesday)
Kota Kinabalu International Airport
>> Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) >> Tan Son Nhat
International Airport --- *SATSCO (Airport Taxi) 200,000 VND --- Cititel Boutique Hotel >> Pham Ngu Lao Street >> Vietsea Tourist Co Ltd (Chu
Chi Tour Package) >> Bui Vien Street >> Mon Hue Restaurant >>
Family Mart >> Sasa Café >> Cititel Boutique Hotel
*SATSCO=
Southern Airport Transportation Joint Stock Company
Early
in the morning, we took flight to Kuala Lumpur. In KLIA, we were having lunch
and wait for flight to Ho Chi Minh. Upon reach, I was quite surprised that we
did not need to fill in arrival card.
After the passport being stamped, our journey was started.
It
has many SIM card counters with transportation service. The taxi fare in the
morning (180,000 VND) is slightly cheaper than night. After paid for the fare,
we went out to look for the taxi. While finding the taxi, suddenly a girl came
and guided us.
At
night, we went to Pham Ngu Lao Street and Bui Vien Street which very near with
each other. In these two streets, you can see many foreigners. At Pham Ngu Lao
Street have many tour companies which you can buy for the tour package. We
bought Chu Chi Half Day Tour Package. At
Pham Ngu Lao Street has Family Mart which I bought 1 big bottles of mineral
water. I found out that many shops have Land God which I first saw in Pham Ngu
Lao.
23rd
February 2017 (Thursday)
Cititel
Boutique Hotel >> Handicapped Handicraft >> Chu Chi Tunnel >>
Bac Ha Pho Mien >> Tao Dan Park >> Ben Thanh Market >> Nguyen Trung >> Ben Thanh Street Food Market >> Zen Plaza >> Cititel
Boutique Hotel
While
waiting bus to Chu Chi Tunnels in Pham Ngu Lao, I found out that architecture
of Starbucks is very beautiful. It seems
like did not have windows and customers can sit beside window to enjoy the
view.
Ben Thanh Market is full of stalls which sell
food, souvenirs, clothes and many more. It also has fixed price zone which you
can direct see the price of the product while other zone mostly did not has
price, wait for you to negotiate with them. If you like bargaining, you will
like this place.
I
knew that near Ben Thanh Market has a roundabout which has the statue of Tran Nguyen Han but that time I went, it was renovation so I cannot see it. Ben Thanh Market also has night market.
At
the night, has many clothes and food stalls beside Ben Thanh Market. I just
take a look for it but did not buy anything. At here, you can see quite many of
Malay people because near with Ben Thanh Market has Malay street. At that street have many halal foods.
At
fixed price zone, you can found some cheap souvenirs such as couple magnet
(big: 9,000 VND and small: 7,000 VND), mirror 50,000 VND and many more.
While
on the way back to hotel, we saw Zen Plaza so decided pay a visit. Inside of
Zen Plaza, mostly are office and some are restaurant, no recommend you to here.
24th
February 2017 (Friday)
Cititel
Boutique Hotel >> War Remnants Museum >> Independent Palace >> Diamond Plaza (Food Court) >> Saigon Central Post Office
>> Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral >> Book Street (Nguyen Van Binh) >>
Pho24 >> Saigon Centre >> Phuc Long >> Ben Thanh Market >>
Pho Hai Thien >> Sasa Café >> Roadside >> Cititel Boutique
Hotel
We
hang out at Diamond Plaza for a while for resting. I ordered a carrot juice (48,000
VND) at Ditto Dely and started write some postcards which bought from War
Remnants Museum.
It
has two Saigon Centre which near with each other. The one is more traditional
way like Ben Thanh market and the other is likes shopping mall. Not so
recommend to shop at Saigon Centre because the price did not cheap at all.
In
Vietnam, you can see many people like to eat at roadside. Due to hygiene
problem, we just ordered juice and have a small talk on small chair with small
table. The menu as below:-
I
ordered Avocado Blended (30,000 VND). It is yummy with the rich of avocado. The
night in Vietnam is beautiful and the traffic still busy.
25th
February 2017 (Saturday)
Cititel Boutique Hotel --- Vinasun Taxi
60,000 VND --- Banh Mi Op La Hoa Ma > > Ban Co Market --- Vinasun Taxi
80,000 VND --- Lucky Plaza (Satra Market) >> The Café Apartment (Mango Tree) --- Taxi
33,000 VND --- Cititel Boutique Hotel --- Vinasun Taxi 195,000 VND --- An Dong Plaza >> Lau De Bau Sen (君建菜馆一店)
--- Vinasun Taxi 270,000 VND--- Cititel Boutique Hotel
Luckly
Plaza has some floors and 2nd floor has Satra Market which sells
many Vietnam products and you can look for souvenirs at here. I bought some
bags, food and drinks at here. I even get two apples after done my
purchases.
The
envelope package of chocolate is so special with real used stamps. The choices
of stamps are quite many for you to choose. The flavors of chocolate only have
milk chocolate and dark chocolate. When this chocolate inside my fridge, my
little sister curious why I put envelope inside fridge but when she want to
take the envelope out, she just knew that it’s chocolate. Hehe..
The
Ground Floor of Lucky Plaza is selling arts and crafts, watches & glasses,
jewellery and clothes while first floor is selling handbags, shoes and clothes.
On
the way to look for The Café Apartment, I saw Bitexco Financial Tower which is
the tallest building.
When
in taxi, the taxi drive did remind us that must be careful in Chinatown because
has many pickpockets. When at Chinatown, I took my hand phone to look for the
map to Lau De Bau Sen, a lady told me that must be careful with the hand phone.
Look like Chinatown quite scary.
It
has 2 An Dong Plaza in Chinatown. It looks like plaza which has many clothes
stalls while the other more look like market which has sell some food in ground
floor and clothes in other floor. You
can find green bean cake at there. You can go there to take a look but the
price also no cheap. You can bargain with them.
26th
February 2017 (Sunday)
Cititel
Boutique Hotel --- Vinasun Taxi 150,000 VND --- Tan Son Nhat International
Airport >> Kuala Lumpur International Airport >> Kota Kinabalu
International Airport
When
reach airport, the meter showed 140,000 VND but need paid 150,000 VND because
included 10,000 VND for airport surcharge.
In airport, need to proceed with screening before go to waiting room. It
has a long queue and during queue, I saw many people take off their shoe with
sweater. Therefore until my turn, I also took off my shoe for security
purposes.
Although
I already online check in, upon reach airport must go to the counter for
document verification which was showing your passport to the Air Asia’s staff
in counter.
While
waiting for my friend for document verification, I watch how efficient of the
Airport staff to wrap the baggage. It charges different amount for different
size of baggage.
