Minggu, Oktober 17, 2010

Oh, I Miss You Saigon

3 comments

Wohoo. Finally I'm back again, wait, is it been a year since my last posted or what ? yea I know it's only two months from my last posted, but really I feel it like been a long, long, long time me not post anything on this blog.


Now I want to tell you what did I got from my trip to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam) on last August. Before that, you guys must be remember from my last posted about my dubiety due will I go there alone by myself or my friend coming with me. So, you can say it was a good news or either a bad news 'cause I went to Saigon with my friend. We spent three days two nights in Saigon. I won't give the details story, I'll just give you some clues about Saigon.

First, If you're a backpacker and not sure about the security things and feels like 'Oh, okay First I really want to get my hotel safely', then you can go straight to the taxi reservation booth which located near to exit door. Yeah, the price quite expensive compare to if we get the taxi from the outside or going by bus, but again as I said before, if you really feeld the safety must come first. It sure the best choice. The price is around 170,000 dong Vietnam.

If you have no idea about which hotel with reasonable price and which one too expensive. Don't ever say 'yes' to your taxi driver's suggestion, those all bullshit. There are a lot of hotel with cheaper price than what the taxi driver will suggest you. To make it easy, when you get the taxi, just ask the taxi driver to take you to the area you want. For example, just ask the taxi driver to take you to Pham Ngu Lao street area, this area is similiar to Jalan Jaksa in Jakarta, it is a very popular area for backpackers around the world. Guarantee, you'll find plenty of cheap hostels there.

Buy packet tour to ChuChi Tunnel, it's a must-see spot in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh). The price of tour around 12 USD - 20 USD. Curious about, what Chu Chi Tunnel is ? Chu Chi Tunnel is proof that once the great country United States were overtaken by Vietnam in The Vietnam War. You can click here for details about Vietnam War and here for details about Chu Chi Tunnel. The time when you see this tunnel, you will find amaze with this country.

If you are a coffe lover, you should oh wait, you must try vietnam coffee. You can find in almost restaurant there or event a stree-booth food. When I was there, me and my friend is looking for a breakfast, so, we walked near our hostel and find a street-booth food seller. My friend is eating his vietnam-pork noodle, and me ? instead of having a real breakfast to fillin my stomach, I order a glass of Vietnam Coffee. There were the best part, I order a cold-iced vietnam coffee. At first I thought, 'euhhh, what coffee is this ?' but when my tounge start tasted the coffee, oh may, I can say it just like in heaven, the best coffee I ever tasted and you know what ? we can have a glass of coffee Vietnam with just only 6,000 VND - 8,000 VND, which is the same with 3,000 - 4,000 IDR or less than 1 USD.

Who is the sophaholic one here ? then, you should go to Ben Thanh Market. How you get there ? You can do walk from Pham Ngu Lao Street, but if you feel like tired or you not ready for sweat, you can choose taxi to go there. Ben Thanh Market is the biggest traditional market in Ho Chi Minh (or even in entire Vietnam). There are some tips if you do you shopping tradition. First, it will be better if bring calculator for bargaining with the sellers. More smile, it might help you to get best price. If you find the first place you came is quite expensive, do find to another shop, you can always find anothe shop attendant where it's easier to bargain. The point, just explore all the Ben Thanh Market, remember it is a big market!.
Fyi, Ben Thanh Market is open from 10 am untill 6 pm. If you missed the market at noon, you still can do it after 6 pm. There are plenty of fashion/food seller around Ben Thanh Market Street, If I ain't wrong the street-night market is open untill 10 pm.


Oh yeah, if you a kind of historical one. I think it's a good idea for you to visit War Remnants Museum. Located at District 3, Vo Va Tan Street. You must pay 15,000 Dong before you can enter this museum. You'll see a lot of pictures and replicas from Vietnam War. Tears will goes down from your eyes, err,,too much ? go yourself then, see, whether you'll cry or not. LOL.

Thats enough I think, I already gave some clues if you want traveling to Saigon a.k.a Ho Chi Minh City. So, what am I say about the city ? Not quite a big city like Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, but it sure give you a different atmosphere. City with large amount of beautiful city-park, city with various kind of great food, a citiy with a lot - lot - lot of motorcycle, etc. Somehow, you'll soon know what's will make you happy and feel 'yuck' about the city.


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p.s :
- First Picture, Me at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh).
- Second Picture is the famous Vietnam Coffee, that coffee was the cold-ice coffee one.
- Third Picture, Me and two beautiful Shop-keepers at Ben Thanh Street Night Market Area.
- Fourth Picutre is , hem, wait, oh no, I really can't remember. Anyone have an idea ? what statue it is ? and where was it in Saigon ? For sure, I took the picture when had my taxi from Ben Thanh Market to the airport. 

 
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