1 Floods
Ho Chi Minh City is not immune to flooding. I went to Saigon in June, during the rainy season, and although it only rained once during my stay, the downpour was heavy enough to cause a little flooding. Fortunately, a shopping mall was nearby, so I stayed there until the rain stopped and the flood waters calmed down.
2 Transport
It’s easy to blow your budget into transportation costs. I made the mistake of hiring a cycle (a three-wheel bicycle taxi), and was charged 300,000 VND for my city tour. I wasn’t conned because I remember the price, but we only went to 4 places of interest, which were pretty close to each other. Walking or taking a taxi would have been a better alternative.
3 Currency Confusion
The currency in Vietnam is the dong. However, the different Vietnamese dong notes look alike and one can easily get confused. He was giving advice to a massage therapist and was destined to give him 60,000 VND, but he gave him 540,000 VND instead. The girl realized my mistake and gave me back the note of 500,000, which she quickly replaced with a note of 20,000 after thanking her profusely.
4 Taxi Scams Exist
A taxi from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to the backpackers area in District 1 costs about 6-10 USD but I paid 20 USD. The meter was on but I think the driver took the longest route. It wasn’t until I talked to the receptionist at my hostel that I realized I had been ripped off.
5 Sellers can be aggressive
I bought myself for souvenirs on Ben Thanh’s day and night markets and realized that sellers are aggressive, rude, impatient, and even aggressive. If you’re not interested in what they’re selling, it’s best to take a deep breath and simply ignore them.
6 Not all hotels have elevators
When booking a room in Ho Chi Minh City, always ask if there is an elevator available. If there is none, ask for a room on one of the lower floors to save you from having to carry your suitcases to several narrow flights of stairs.
7 Massages and pedicures are super cheap in Saigon
During my last night in Saigon, I was walking down Bui Vien Street when a young woman gave me a business card and told me to visit her spa if I wanted to have a massage or a pedicure. I paid less than 10 USD for a full body massage and pedicure in a clean, well-equipped environment.
8 Vietnamese iced coffee is really good
Never leave Saigon without treating your Vietnamese iced coffee. I ordered a glass at a roadside restaurant and it turned out to be sweet, refreshing, and certainly a highlight.
9 There is life beyond Districts 1 and 3
It would have been great to spend an hour or two in Chinatown in District 5, or dine at a riverside restaurant in District 7.
10 Three days is not enough to visit Ho Chi Minh City
As my time in Saigon was limited, I jumped the Mekong delta or the Cu Chi tunnels excursion.
