Short Trip to Ho Chi Minh City Day 1

In early May, received an message from friend asking want to go Bangkok or not, but I can't decide due to work schedule, just a week later, my friend change the destination to Ho Chi Minh City, I still can't decide, just one day later, 2 friends booked the air ticket and inform me, so at the very same night, decided to buy the ticket, me and another friend can't buy the ticket that night, thought that the ticket may sold out..... then in next morning try again, both of us bought the air ticket, YES the trip confirmed.



This is first time, I travel without much plan, everything decide last minutes, we didn't meet up discuss the itinerary and the hotel, so I voluntary do some research on the hotel, as I never travel to HCMC, so don't know how is the city looks like and is the hotel location convenient or not.

After few round discussion over the group whatapps, we decided to choose the looked very outskirt but good price and good review hotel.

This is where we stay Sunland Hotel, just next to the river, but I choose this hotel is there is rooftop swimming pool and bar which I experience in Siem Reap last year, I like the view from the top.

Hotel Lobby

One of the view from the rooftop

Rooftop Sky Bar

 After the hotel booked, we only left another week, the trip will began, but there is no planned itinerary yet, so I went to bookstore to find some travel book, to see where the other tourist went, I normally will research from the books first before I search online as those writer normally went to some special place where normal tour group won't go, and I came across something interesting which I normally won't book, a guided tour.

From the very small column at one of the page corner, I saw there is some introduction about 2 free guided tour, at first I really scare such tour as they might bring us to those souvenir store or pricey restaurant, but the intro seems nice. So after do some research from the internet and read a lot review, all are very positive, so I decided to book 2 tours with Saigon Hotpot.

Finally all set to go.

On 3 June 19, we took earliest flight from Senai International Airport, as Vietnam is slow one hour from Malaysia, thus we arrived in Vietnam in 8.30am, super early for us.

When our flight fly above the HCMC, I now understand why their economic can growth so fast and why there are company start setting up their factory in HCMC, those new area infrastructure are welly plan, the city are growing with modern high rise building.

From the view, it seems not as messy as Manila where I went few times in past 2 years, a surprise to myself for this country.

Upon arrival in HCMC Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the airport seems new, but runway and surrounding seems a bit old, but is a good flight. As didn't receive any embarkation card in the flight, once we left the plane, we keep looking around the immigration area and don't see any embarkation card and we saw that all tourist also didn't carry any embarkation card, thus we just join the queue, the immigration area is well plan and many counter opened to received the arrival passengers.

The immigration officer uniform design is very communist style and no smile on their face. As this is my first time to enter Vietnam,  so was asked by the officer and need take a picture at the counter. but the enter process is fast and easy.

the luggage collection also easy as it is just outside the immigration, so upon collected, we went out to look for local telco sim card, from the price itself, I would consider is quite fair but need check with the telco as they will advice you which telco and plan suit to your travel plan, as some seems cheap but may not have network after you left HCMC.

This trip also my first time to try Grab in oversea, so I went to the waiting area and start using the Grab to look for car to hotel, as surprisingly so easy to use just like our home country, although I also didn't use much in Malaysia.

As has been communicate with the hotel earlier, we can drop our luggage in the hotel before we can check in after 2pm. once arrived, we are welcome by the their staff even we didn't mentioned we stay in this hotel, as there is a factory in front of the hotel and grab drop us at the factory lobby, they help us carry the luggage from car all the way to the lobby, this hotel really impressed us.

They help us to the pre-check in process and kept our luggage behind their counter and advice us we can check in around 1pm,

As still early, we decided to have a short walk around to look for something to eat and see the surrounding, surprisingly, the hotel location is not far from Bui Vien Street, just about 15 mins walking distance.

As a frequent traveler, I only changed small amount and withdraw from ATM in the country. Initially wanted to withdraw from Public Bank Vietnam which just 10 mins away from our hotel, but the bank staff informed that this bank are not accept foreign card withdrawal, OMG, it is different from the information I get from Public bank Malaysia when I check with their customer service a day before travel, but after check through the internet, understood that this is quite normal for the country to control the foreign bank services.

So we went to Bui Vien Street for lunch, as no idea on what to eat, we just simply choose once of the Vietnamese restaurant along the street, so for budget traveler, please don't expect any cheap and good food here as the price are really tourist price like we having in any cafe or restaurant in Malaysia.

After lunch, we start our explorer, we walk all the way to Ben Thant Market, but as is our first time and just follow the google map, we actually follow the main road and is difficult to close the road when we reach the market, but is good experience as well as we can see many different scene along the road.

As no much cash on hand, I not dare to shop now, thus I just pass through the market without really see the products since my friends not so keens on shopping, haha. But I regret as I have to rush to buy in the last day and has no much idea on bargain, luckily my friend good in bargain, he help a lot for this.

June is rain season in HCMC, after we pass through the market and cross to another street towards the HCM City Museum (But we didn't know the museum is along this way until 3rd days we stay), we come to a food court that name Street Food Center, and rain suddenly, so we sit down and have a beer there to wait for the rain to stop as it also about 1.30pm.

The beer is consider cheap here and taste nice, but Vietnamese told us that we must try 333, so while drinking, we can see the architecture of this city, is really like stop in 1960s.

After beer, we took grab back to hotel, again, the driver stop us at the factory, but the hotel staff quickly bring umbrella to pick up us, this is really surprise as they are really alert and standby all time for their guest.

with their excellent service, we didn't get wet from the rain, the room also ready, so we took the room key and the bell boy bring us to the room. The room is really nice as we book a room without river view to save some money, but our room is facing the riverside, a free upgrade for us and the room is very big and no smell.

Good view from my room

We took rest after check in as our first tour with Saigon Hotpot will began at 5pm. As no much cash on hand, I do quick research  to find any ATM or money changes around the hotel and surprisingly I found there is AGB ATM just 5 mins away from the hotel, this is the lowest withdrawal charge mentioned in many blogs, so I went there to withdraw money and before I left the hotel, the hotel staff keep remind me don't hold the phone when walk on the street as snap thief are famous in HCMC.

About 4.55pm, we come to lobby and saw 2 pretty young girls sit there and wait for us, so we introduce to each others, our 2 guides Lan Anh and Tuong Vi are students from local university, Lan Anh is major in Tourism Management And Tuong Vi is major in English, their are well fluent in English and they show us their plan for the night food tour, as one of the cafe they planned was closed on that night, so they do a minor change and apologies to us, but for us, it is ok as we really appreciate their plan, else we also no idea what can eat in HCMC. They help book a grab to start our journey.

Along the way to Ho Thi Ky Market, we have very fun conversation with Lan Anh and Vi, Lan Anh is very cheerful and she explain why the club was name Saigon Hotpot, Saigon is the old name of HCMC, hotpot means the students of the club are come from different schools and university, is just like a hotpot, mixed of different ingredients, all students are volunteer for the guided tour, so we will pay for all kinds of expenses along our tour.

Upon arrived in Ho Thi Ky Market, Lan Anh help me find the right notes to pay as there are too many 0 in their currency.

Ho Thi Ky Market is one of the biggest flower market in HCMC and there is a lot street food along the street and back lane, Vi show us some of the rare flower and challenge us what is the Vietnam National Flower, and none of us able to answer, it is Lotus and we learned.

Our group of friends are age about 40s, and our guides are only in their 20s, but they really took care of us, to ensure we are safe from the messy traffic and tell us many things about this place. So feel like bring 2 kids for the trip.

If without them, we won't know this place and those food we taken.

 

We laugh all the way with our local companions

Around 9pm, we are really full and we decided to end our tour here although their schedule is until 9pm only, but they didn't mention to us and asking if we still want have something else.

Again, we took grab back to hotel and we concern how they come to our hotel, and only know that they ride 17km from their dormitory to our hotel, as we know how the traffic in HCMC, one of my friend keep saying want to sponsor them a proper bike helmet which we don't see in the city.

Upon arrived at the hotel, we took a selfie and we wanted to give them some tips for their excellent service, but they refuse and said all money received will be donate into their fund for training and charity, thus we ask them donate these money to their funds. at the end of the tour, we receive a special guide from them, I really appreciate and Saigon Hotpot has become the reason for me to come HCMC in future.