7D6N Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Complete Itinerary (2012)

Here is the compilation for all the post relating to my trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last year for 7 days and 6 nights. 

Day 1 (1st April 2012)

Alone to Ho Chi Minh City & Stayed in Thien Xuan Hotel (Accommodation) - click here 

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Foodie Friday: Foods Around Ho Chi Minh City

Travelling Period: 1st April - 7th April 2012

Whenever I travel abroad, I will not purposely go and hunt for those famous eateries or restaurant of that particular places or cities cause I believe everyone has different preference and taste. What might be best for others but may not suits my liking. Plus, some of those highly recommended seems to be overrated and taste so-so only. What worse was most of those recommended restaurants or eateries only filled with foreign tourist, not the local. One of the travel tips that I came across is discover where the locals eat. Therefore when we were in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), most of the restaurants or eateries we visited were patronized by the local.

#1:Cơm Tấm Cali. This small little restaurant located not far away from our hotel and the plus point, it comes with free WiFi connection. The staffs spoke very little English but no worry, there is English translation in their menu.

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My Travel Haul & Expenses of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2012)

When my parents went Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) a year before me, they bought plenty of souvenirs for me and I did blog about it - click here for more. So when it's my turn, I just bought those necessary for my dearest family and friends only. The following are my hauls throughout my 7 days and 6 nights trip in HCMC, Vietnam:

#1:Overall of my haul from HCMC

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Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Saigon Opera House & Goodbye Ho Chi Minh City

Date of Visit: 7th April 2012

Just like any other of my trips, there will always a time where it's hard for me to bid goodbye. Sames goes to my Ho Chi Minh City trip. The people and their culture, the local foods and also their amazing and spectacular architecture were among what I admired the most.

Since our flight back to Kuala Lumpur was 4.20 pm local time, hence we still got plenty of spare time to wander around the city. As usual my friends will do their last minute shopping in Ben Thanh Market where they bought few packets of lotus seeds. We noticed that there are many of Ho Chi Minh City's famous landmarks that could go and take a few shots before leaving this bustling city.

#1: A statue of Ho Chi Minh in front of Ho Chi Minh City Hall

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 6: Coffee, KFC, Night Market & Random Photos

Date of Visit: 06th April 2012

My friends and I were almost done with visiting all those famous attractions around Ho Chi Minch City, except for China Town which tucked in District 5 and 6 and I thought it wasn't necessary for a visit since I had visited the one in London and Manchester. Even in Malaysia, we have our own Chinatown located in Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur. Hence, on the 6th day of our Ho Chi Minh City we just simply wandered around the city without any contingent plan. 

To be frank, if you wanna visit Ho Chi Minh City, 5 days and 4 night will be totally sufficient for you to cover all, including a day trip to Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnel. Don't be like us, where we spend a week in Ho Chi Minh City itself and nothing much we can do around. So basically what we did on that day was kinda laid back and relax which watching the times goes by.

Since we didn't manage to visit any coffee shops for the past few days, therefore we decided to try at least once given that Vietnam is one out of the top 10 best coffee producing countries in the world. Forget all those global coffeehouse such as Starbucks, Coffee Bean and more cause in Vietnam itself, there are countless number of coffee shops for you to enjoy the authentic Vietnamese coffee.

#1: 10 stylish coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh City

#2: According to one of the tour guide, Trung Nguyen Coffee is the number 1 coffee in Vietnam but I found the coffee is kinda bitter for my taste.

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 5: Cu Chi Tunnel & Cao Dai Temple

Date of Visit: 5th April 2012

Besides the One Day Mekong Delta Tour package, we also bought along a day trip to Cu Chi Tunnel from STA Travel. It cost 180,000 Vietnamese dong or USD$8 per person (aprox. to RM24) which includes pick-up and drop-off from where you stayed and English speaking tour guide. However, admission fee and lunch is not provided and we have to bear on our own.

The tour started at 7.30am where they picked us up in front of our hotel and the journey from city center to Cu Chi Tunnel took almost 1 and half hour. The tour package that we took included a visit to Cao Dai Temple. Hence, a short visit here before we reach the Cu Chi Tunnel.

#1: Cao Dai Temple

Cao Dai Temple is located in the city of Tay Ninh, a province 95km away on the south east of Ho Chi Minh City and it's very close to Cambodia border. Figuratively, Cao Dai means that highest spiritual place where God reigns. CaoDaiists believe that, before God existed, there was the Tao which was nameless, formless, and unchanging.

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 4: Saigon Square

Date of Visit: 4th April 2012

From War Remnants Museum which tucked in District 3, we walked back again to District 1 for Saigon Square. Actually in between, we did wander somewhere else before we stumbled upon Saigon Square.

#1: The side entrance of Saigon Square

Saigon Square is another option for those who looking for shopping fix. If Ben Thanh Market is not your favourite choice, then you may consider here for a decent shopping as Saigon Square is equipped with air-conditioner, less crowded, wider space and of course, more cleaner and cheerful atmosphere. On top of that, the stall vendors won't hassled or pulled us if compare to those stall vendors in Ben Thanh Market giving us more freedom and relaxing feelings to scout around.

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 4: War Remnants Museum

Date of Visit: 4th April 2012

To be frank, I am not the type who love history and if can, I would try to avoid by visiting those boring museum. I tends to prefer enjoy watching the amazing and beautiful scenery and landscape, visiting theme park or maybe watching the moving creatures in zoo or aquarium. But for this War Remnants Museum which situated in District 3, instead of feeling boring, turns out that my tears almost dropped by just looking at the photos from the past displayed inside the museum.

#1: The opening hours for War Remnants Museum

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 3: One Day Mekong Delta Tour

Note: The winner who answered correctly on the wild guess from my previous post is Small Kucing & Mamarazzi. I will send the mystery gifts next week cause I believe this week the post office has closed. For the rest of the readers, thanks for participate and don't be upset, cause there will be another give-away again. 

Date of Visit: 3rd April 2012

If you have plenty of time just like my friends and I where we spend a week in Ho Chi Minh City itself (formerly known as Saigon), try opt for other tours such as Mekong Delta Tour and Cu Chi Tunnels which situated outskirts of the city center. After scouting around, we ended up booked two of these tours with STA Travel which tucked in District 1, not far away from our hotel. Previously, I booked my airticket to United Kingdom from STA Travel and because I think it's reliable and trustworthy, hence I did the same when I was in Saigon.      

One day Mekong Tour cost 210,000 Vietnamese dong or USD$10 per person (aprox. to RM30). The tour cost includes air-conditioner tourist bus, English speaking tour guide, boat trips (for both motor and rowing boats), entrance fees, 1 water bottle, some fruits and honey tea as well as lunch. On top of that, it includes pick-up and drop-off from where you stay.

The tour started around 7.30am and we waited in front of our hotel for the pick-up. The journey from city center to Mekong Delta took more than 1 and half hours. There are also plenty of foreign tourists in this tour - some from Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Europe and etc.

#1: Board on wooden motor boat from My Tho to the Unicorn Island 

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 2: Notre Dame Cathedral & Saigon Central Post Office

Date of Visit: 2nd April 2012

Right after we done with the tour in Reunification Palace, we went and visited the two French colonial structures which can be seen not far away from Reunification Palace.

The first building that we came across was Notre Dame Cathedral, located right in the heart of this "Land of Motorcycles". Basically besides Reunification Palace, this well-known red bricks cathedral is also known to be another famous landmark and symbolic of Ho Chi Minh City and it attracts many tourist for its neo-Romanesque style architecture and a sacred atmosphere. To be frank, I fall in love instantly with this cathedral right from the beginning I saw it from far.

#1: Detail of a side of the basilica

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Ho Chi Minh City Day 2: Reunification Palace Saigon

Date of Visit: 2nd April 2012

Staying in District 1 of Saigon is the perfect choice cause most of those main and popular attractions were tucked around this area such as Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office, Reunification Palace, Opera House, and War Remnants Museums. Once we done with scouting around Ben Thanh Market which offered wide range of souvenirs and mementos, we walked to Reunification Palace which we believed that it's not really that far away. Wandering around Ho Chi Minh City seems to be pretty safe but please make sure be extra careful on your belongings especially the valuable one. 

#1: The ticket hours - 07:30 am to 11:00 am and 1:00pm to 4:00 pm

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All Under One Roof In Ben Thanh Market

One thing I love about Thien Xuan Hotel, which was recommended by a friend of mine was because it was located so close to this largest marketplace that tucked in District 1 of the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh City. Almost every single day my friends and I never failed to visit Ben Thanh Market which is known as one of the most popular and famous symbol of Ho Chi Minh City. And I believed that no one ever leaves this shopping mecca empty-handed, even for those with no intention to shop initially.

#1: The infamous Ben Thanh Market

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Alone to Ho Chi Minh City & Stayed in Thien Xuan Hotel

Date of Visit: 01st April 2012

Initially, it was a trip of two. Then, it became four. Unfortunately one month before, one couldn't make it and so it became three. But how come at the end, only I alone to Ho Chi Minh City?

I went Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam less than a week after back from a week trip to Philippines last year. To be frank, I never thought of going Vietnam until one of my best friends proposed that she wanna go there just for their famous authentic and strong aroma coffee, and so I tried my luck for AirAsia's promotion and surprisingly, I managed to secure the deal that I think might be one of the best - a return for just RM146 as well for my return ticket via KK-KL-KK for just RM12.20 (when can you get this best deal anymore?). Then, when my collegemate know about this, she and her friend interested to join too but unfortunately by the time she wanna book the same flight as mine, the airfare had increased and I advised her to buy the night flight and so she did. Luckily my collegemate did bought cause one month before the trip, my best friend unable to join cause she will having exam on our travel period. Therefore, I went alone in the morning and waited for my collegemate and her friend at night in Ho Chi Minh City. Hereby, I can concluded that this is the first time I flew abroad alone without the companion of any friends of mine.

#1: The flight duration from Kuala Lumpur to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) took 1 hour and 55 minutes. In between, Ho Chi Minh City is 1 hour behind Malaysia.

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Solo Trip To Ho Chi Minh City, Perhaps?

One-by-one of my previous trips (South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Phuket, Brunei & Philippines) are going to be backdated post because I am so busy with travelling recently. Yeap, just back from Philippines for less than 5 days, and now I am flying off again to another city, another country. So if you are reading this right now, I am at Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam at this moment.

This trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam was supposed to be a trip of four people but ended up, one of my bestie unable to join due to her final exam was clash with this travel period. But also at the end, I alone wander around this madness and craziness city filled with tons of motorbikes. Ok! Only on the first day I was alone, because two of my friends who supposed to meet me at night, their flight was delayed to the next morning due to bad weather. Even the hotel that I am staying currently including the street, all blackout in the sudden. My heart was almost pumping out from my body at that scary moment.

Staying in this big room all by myself on the first night

Frankly speaking, I not that worry and scare to travel around alone due to my past experience that I gained and learned from my previous trip. But there are few things that I dislike about solo travelling and this will be discuss in the future post.

Venture around this famous market which situated few steps away from my hotel

So on the second day, finally get to meet and see my friends landed safely and here we go our journey around Uncle Ho's city. Visited few places and attractions which have been recommended or being listed as "a-must-go-places" such as:

Presidential or Independence Palace

Notre Dame Cathedral

Old Saigon Post Office. Not only to buy stamp and send postcard to my friends, it is truly one place you should not miss. I personally love the atmosphere and interior design of the building.

A cruise to Mekong Delta is a must when you visit this city

And I just came back from a thrilled adventure enter into super small, dark, hot and stuffy Cu Chi Tunnel. So right now, going to Ben Than night market again for third times for dinner. Hope you guys enjoy reading my trip post to Vietnam.

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