Saigon Travel Diary Day 1

We love travelling, my wife and I. We make it a point to have at least one trip every year just to relax and experience new things. So about two months ago, we decided on Vietnam. I must admit that I wasn't jumping up and down when Nina chose this country to be our destination this year. Because from what I see on TV, it looks uncomfortably similar to the Philippines. And the last thing I would want is to go some place where everything looks and feels the same. Travelling for me should be about change - new faces, places, food and culture.

Anyway, for those of you planning to go to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh in particular), this entry will be my personal, unbiased and no-holds-barred take on this little country in SEA. I will try to be as candid and honest as I can so you'll have an idea of what travelling to Vietnam would really be like.

To make it more simple and interesting, I will also divide my travelogue by day citing specific experiences in bullet points. Just bear with me on this first entry as I will be giving my general feedback on some things so this might be a bit longer than usual. I promise the other entries won't be as long. ;-) Let's start with Day 1.

CEBU PACIFIC - I have always been a PAL traveller. Nina and I have been satisfied with their service and the overall comfort they provide whenever we travel. But since Cebu Pacific provided us an offer we couldn't refuse (think P9K for round trip tickets for the both of us!), we decided to book here for the first time.

So for starters, the schedule at Cebu Pacific was a bit sucky. Departure would be 11 pm on the 19th and arrival at HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) will be at 1 am the following day. Also, we were scheduled to leave HCMC 1 am on the 25th and arrive in Manila 2+ hours later. Because of this crazy schedule, we had to pay two extra nights to our hotel without really maximizing our stay.

THE FLIGHT - As expected, there were no free meals at Cebu Pacific. But they do have have food items for sale if you get hungry. Reasonable prices? About P50 for a bottle of distilled water and P100 for sandwiches.

What can I say about the flight? Wow. Our flight experienced so much turbulence, our hands turned white from clenching each other so tight. Maybe it was the small plane or just the weather. But that flight from Manila to HCMC was one of the most terrifying flight experiences I've had. Nina, a seasoned traveller, also shared the same sentiment. Even if I tried, I couldn't get to sleep. My senses were heightened. My mind whirred. Every little sound felt like impending trouble. And you know what else I noticed about Cebu Pacific? The crew rarely updates you on what's about to happen. At PAL, they mention the altitude which you are in, some facts about the place you're going to and if the plane is on its descent. But at Cebu Pacific, I just FELT like we were descending. And trust me, it wasn't a nice feeling.

I really don't want to say anything bad about the airline because maybe the weather conditions this time of the year had plenty to do with our experience. But if you ask me if I will book at Cebu Pacific again? If I can help it, maybe not. But it's just me.

HA HIEN HOTEL - Nina booked us online at this hotel located at Ly Tu Trong in District 1. This is a budget hotel by the way. Call us weird but we really don't mind staying at "not-5-star" hotels when we travel. Our only conditions are that it must be in a good and safe location, has aircon and a nice, clean bathroom. All other things are pretty much anything goes.

Nina simply exchanged e-mails with the hotel staff and everything was settled. We chose a standard room for only $27 a night or a total of $180 for 6 nights. Now that's a bargain! Some hotels even charge more than $180 for a single night. Did I mention we also have free buffet breakfast everyday? ;-) We also arranged with the hotel to have us picked up at the airport because of our early morning arrival. I was a bit afraid because since we did not make any downpayment, they might not take our booking serously or whatever.

But arriving in Vietnam at around 2 am, we immediately saw a guy in the airport arrival area holding a placard bearing our name. Hmmm, this is a good start. ;-)

Immediately, we were whisked off to the hotel in a Toyota Innova van by two guys - the driver and a bellhop. Ha Hien Hotel is a budget hotel. And it shows. There are no fancy chandeliers, no ostentatious lobby to speak of. But what really impressed Nina and I was the service. They really go out of your way to assist you. And we felt that the minute the minute we stepped inside.

There are similar hotels in HCMC. In fact, in Ly Tu Trong alone, there are about 5 or six hotels near Ha Hien. And what's amazing is, they all look the same. They all have the same narrow facade and the staircase leading to the small lobby.

Anyway, our room was pretty much standard. It has one big queen-sized bed, a TV, ref and washroom that's clean. Decent.

Will I recommend this hotel? Definitely yes, for budget travellers.

Breakfast at Ha Hien Hotel

FOREIGN EXCHANGE - The first thing we did was to go to Ben Tanh Market to have our dollars exchanged at one of the jewellery stores lining the place. Ben Tanh is one of the more famous landmarks here in HCMC and it is about a one and a half minute walk from our hotel. ;-) But I'll be blogging about that place later.

I forgot the exact exchange rate but we had our dollars converted to Vietnamese Dong and the lady handed us more than 10 million Dong in total. We're millionaires!!! Woohoo! ;-)

Don't worry, they have 500,000 and 100,000 dong bills. ;-)

TAXI VINASUN - If I had to list the best things we experienced in Vietnam, this taxi company certainly would be there at the top. It might sound strange singling out taxi rides as an experience but this cab company is really a blessing for us tourists. We had zero problems with them. Firstly, they are everywhere. Look for Toyota Innovas and Vioses and there's a big chance they're from Vinasun. But be careful though. They're so popular that there are some cab companies already trying to "copy" them. There are names such as Taxi Vinamet, Taxi Vinasom and even a Taxi Vinasm.

But you can immediately notice them because Taxi Vinasun drivers are wearing shirts and ties. And if they're available, they will ALWAYS stop for you. They will ALWAYS turn on their meters and will ALWAYS take you wherever you want to go. It doesn't matter if you're a local or a tourist, they don't care. They will do their job. And to make things easier for us, they even have "barkers" stationed in strategic places. These are the guys (sometimes gals) wearing green-colored shirts with two-way radios in hand. All you have to do is ask them and they will call a Vinasun for you.

There was a time we asked to be taken to this one mall in HCMC. So Nina showed the driver our map and pointed at the location while saying "shopping, shopping". ;-) The driver simply nodded and in a few minutes we were there. The funny thing was, we didn't know that the mall was so close that the taxi meter stayed at its flag down rate and did not even register any additional fare! When you visit HCMC, don't worry about getting around. Taxi Vinasun will take care of you.

WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM - This is the first museum we visited in HCMC. At first, I was unimpressed and felt going to the place was a waste of time. But as I looked at the stuff they have on display there, especially the pictures, my outlook changed. I must admit I'm really not a history buff, certainly not the war era. Ask me about the Vietnam war and I'd most likely give you my Homer Simpson face. But reading the stories behind the pictures displayed at the museum changed my perspective of things. Being a "westernized" country, we were brainwashed to think that during the war, the "vietcongs" were the bad guys, the anti-heroes. That they deserved what they got. But there are really no winners in war. And it's something the world should avoid at all costs. The last two pictures above (read the caption) was what struck me most in this museum. So depressing.


Do I recommend this to first time visitors? Since it's located within the city, why not?

CENTRAL POST OFFICE - Next stop for us was the Central post office of HCMC. I asked Nina why this was included in our itinerary and she said this was a popular tourist destination because of its architecture. Here's a tip for guys - trust your wife for tourist spots to visit. She was right. ;-)


NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL - This beautiful church is just infront of the Post office. Unfortunately, it was closed the time we were there so our pictorial was limited to the outside. ;-)

Recommended? Yes.

I think I did a good job taking this photograph here. (pat pat)

QUAN AN NGON - Lunch was next on the agenda. Bloggers were raving about this restaurant on Nam Ky Khoi St. saying they have excellent food. So we decided to check it out. Even if it was already past 1 pm, the place was still packed. But since Nina had the foresight to make reservations for us, we were immediately led to a table at the farthest end of the place. A bit dark but better than waiting. Oh and FYI, it was also Ha Hien Hotel that made the reservations for us. ;-)

The restaurant is a popular one in the city

Let's see. Since we were famished from all the walking, we agreed to pig out on this one. (don't we always?) So we ordered the following:

Com Chien Quan Ngon or "Ngon" Special Fried Rice for 48,000 dong (P130)

Canh Ga Chien Toi or Fried Chicken Wings with Garlic for 34,000 dong (P93)

Heo Xien Nuong or Grilled Pork on a Skewer for 24,000 dong (P65)

Goi Cuon or Salad Roll with Shrimp and Pork for 6,000 dong (P16)

I have to be honest here. I'm not really crazy about Vietnamese food. Even here in Manila, I pull Nina away whenever I feel her walking towards Pho 24 or Pho Hoa, Pho Bac or any other Pho for that matter. But since we're in Vietnam, I decided to give it a try and indulge. So here goes my unbiased review as promised. ;-) For starters, the rice tasted too bean-y for me. I'm not an expert on cuisine by any stretch but for me it tasted more Mexican than Vietnamese. The pork skewer was okay, soft but a bit bland. The chicken tasted like....well chicken. It was similar to any chicken barbecue you'd find being sold here in Manila. The salad roll was a tad too minty and recommended only for herbivores. Overall, I would rate this restaurant a 6. Spend your precious dongs somewhere else. Sorry.

Oh by the way, here's a tip for you. When asking the locals where the washroom is, say "toilet". That's the term they're familiar with. Not washroom, comfort room or lavatory. And their "C.R." is marked as "WC". I don't know what that means, so don't ask me. ;-)

REUNIFICATION PALACE - Next stop was the Reunification Palace. This is the former government's equivalent of Malacanang. The building exuded a retro vibe with swirly columns and leather sofas. Nina and I toured the place, scanning every corner of the vast building. The basement where the "secret" rooms of the officials were neat. They still kept old communication systems and typewriters in the message rooms which I found interesting.

So happy to be here!

Infront of the Palace

Conference Room

The swirly columns I was telling you about

The President's Reception Room

Communication Room

NGOC ANH THERAPY MASSAGE - After a whole day of walking, Nina and I went for this massage place that's very popular in Vietnam forums. This has been a new rule for us. Everytime we go to a new country, we will always have an hour or two allotted to pampering. Fine with me. ;-)


Ngoc Anh is about a 10-minute taxi ride from the hotel. The place is located on a busy street, well-lit and fairly safe for tourists I guess. Upon arriving, we were greeted by about 5 strappy guys who ushered us inside. My first thoughts were, if these were the hands that will knead my buns - I'm outta here! But fortunately for us, women therapists were assigned to us. Nina and I opted for the Set B. That's inclusive of a body massage for 60 minutes and foot massage for 75 minutes. (see price list below) In our minds, we were thinking - will this be simultaneous? Will two therapists work on our bodies and feet at the same time? Because if not, this will be a looong night for us. ;-)


After depositing our valuables, we were led to separate quarters and made to wear those oversized PJs. Rooms are communal here. So after sighing, I made like a horse with eyes fixed forward and cautiously walked past greasy, half-naked men in cots. Oh well. Anyways, after a few minutes of waiting, my therapist arrived and asked me to lie face down. Then she started. And boy, that was probably one of the most satisfying massages I've had in years. I think what she did was a combination of thai, shiatsu, swedish and hilot. Whatever it was she did, I felt rejuvenated after. So after saying our thank-yous, I was again directed to another room for my foot massage. So it wasn't at the same time after all. ;-) If this isn't massage overload, I don't know what is. But this time, it was one of the strappy guys that was assigned to me. But that's okay, at least it wouldn't be some poor Vietnamese girl that will get to smell my calloused and sweaty feet. Haha!

Overall, it was a pleasurable experience for the both of us. But we do have one regret though. Since the body massage already includes some foot massage as well, our feet and legs felt sore after this 2 hour and 15 minute session.

For the both of us, the Set B cost us 480,000 dong plus tips of about 105,000 for the 4 therapists making a grand total of 585,000 dong (P1,600). Now that's cheap!

This place is highly recommended. But I suggest you don't take the set massages because in this case, too much of a good thing is well....not good.

There you have it, our first day in Ho Chi Minh City. I'm sorry if this entry has been a bit lengthy. As promised, the next ones will not be as long. ;-) Until then, happy reading!