Saigon's Fascinating Motorbike Culture

1. take the #109 Airport Bus (5:30am to 1:00am, departs every 15-20 minutes, 45 mins, 20k Dong or $1.00) Route: International Terminal - Domestic Terminal (Tan Son Nhat International Airport) - Truong Son - Tran Quoc Hoan - Hoang Van Thu - Nguyen Van Troi - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Ham Nghi - Le Lai - Ben Thanh Bus Station - Pham Ngu Lao - 23/9 Park
2. get off at 23/9 Park to get to the cluster of backpacker hostels

1. best money changer rates in District 1 is Ha Tam Jewelry near Ben Thanh (refer to map for location)
2. unlike most destinations in Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is too big for the major bus companies to provide a drop-off service with their shuttle minivans. If you are coming by bus, you get off either at the Western Bus Station or Eastern Bus Station depending on where you are coming from. From there, you can take the cheap local bus, the Xe Buyt to get you closer to your destination.
3. you can get around the city by moto-taxi or rent a motorbike - but be warned that motorbike riding in Ho Chi Minh City is unlike riding anywhere else in Asia!

Budget price in budget places (US$1 = Vietnam Dong VND 23,255 = Php 53.20 as of Aug 1, 2016)

• VND 10-15,000 baguette sandwich (banh mi)
• VND 25-30,000 noodle soup (pho)
• VND 10-15,000 black filtered coffee
• VND 5,000 sugar cane juice (nuoc mia)
• VND 8-10,000 fresh coconut
• VND 10,000 one beer bottle
• VND 10,000 1.5 liter drinking water
• VND 80,000 bicycle rental, 24 hours
• VND 80,000 cheap lodging
• VND 10,000/kg laundry
• VND 8-10,000/km but flag-down starts at 20,000 motorcycle ride
• VND 20-35,000 rice meals (com tam)
• VND 100-140,000/day motorbike rental

1. Hanoi Grapevine HCMC Update - for the latest events in Vietnam
2. Vietnam establishments will not accept US dollars, unlike Cambodia. You have to use Vietnam Dong (US$1 = Vietnam Dong VND 23,255 = Php 53.20 as of Aug 1, 2016)
3. Vietnamese smokers will smoke in air-conditioned establishments, air-conditioned buses packed with people including women, children and babies. They also smoke inside hospitals with no smoking signs.
4. Vietnam ranks almost the same as Thailand and Cambodia for cheap price. Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia cost more
5. internet speed is generally fast and reliable but during important events like Tet holiday, election, etc., it slows down
6. Vietnamese generally do not speak or understand much English. It will be a challenge.
7. best to dress appropriately, not revealing too much skin (Saigon is an exception - the ladies there set the trend in very short shorts)
8. remove your shoes when entering a home or place of worship
9. ask first before taking someone's picture. If they say no, don't persist or offer money
10. best to carry your hotel's business card with you when going out. You can just show it to the cab driver or XeOm driver if they don't understand English
11. leave your valuables, passport, travel tickets, etc. with the hotel's safety deposit box
12. when lying down, don't point your feet or the soles of your shoes to anyone or to a family altar
13. carry only enough cash for your needs that day
14. don't lose your temper in public - Vietnamese people are warm, generous and polite. They look down on people who lose their composure
15. don't take pictures of military installations - you can go to jail
16. refrain from taking videos of minority people until permitted to do so

1. Phu Yen Province - by the beach
2. Hoa Binh Lake - locals' alternative to Halong Bay
3. Ninh Binh - Trang An Grottoes, Tam Coc, Mua Caves, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Van Long Nature Reserve

1. arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
2. put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
3. avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
4. power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!