Tunnel Away from Ho Chi Minh City

Regardless of how much you enjoy city tourism Ho Chi Minh City is likely to get on your nerves if you stay within the city limits  too long.  The Cu Chi Tunnels are located about an hour away from Saigon via car and are a great way to get out of the city, walk around without the endless parade of motorcycles, cyclo drivers and street vendors.

The most common way to get to the tunnels is purchasing an all-inclusive tour which includes transportation.  If your hotel doesn’t have a tourism center there is probably one very close by where you can view the various tour packages.  Most packages offered are full day 8am to 5pm trips which include the Cu Chi Tunnels and other tourist attractions.

Since waking up at 8am wasn’t a viable option we ended up opting for a “4 hour” trip solely to the Cu Chi Tunnels.  I say “4 hour” trip because the Saigon traffic will largely determine how long it actually takes to get there.  We decided to leave at around 12 noon and we returned around 5:30pm.

We were offered a price by a taxi driver for a trip to the tunnels but we chose to book through the hotel.  I don’t remember the exact prices but I’m pretty sure the hotel charged more than the taxi driver although the trip included admission to the tunnels and an English speaking guide.  We ended up paying $80 each which seemed quite expensive.

Dine along a Stream before the Tunnels

Eat Along the Way

The cost of a meal was not included in the price of the trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels.  You can bring snacks or your driver will take you to a restaurant before you visit the tunnels.  Dine along alongside a flowing stream (Picture on left) and amongst tropical greenery at an indoor/outdoor Vietnamese restaurant.

The prices were moderately cheap, the food was good and the service was excellent as we ate alone in the restaurant.  I remember the mango and other fruit smoothies were so good we both ordered two.  The restaurant looked like it was ready for a lot of people so I think it would be busieer if you were on the schedule of a full day tour rather than our 1/2 day tour.

More War History

After parking the car you walk uphill through a large (unrelated) tunnel before you meet with your guide at the top.  After a brief introduction you are lead to a covered bunker looking encampment to watch a video.  The video is a straight out of the 1970s (literally).  As well as providing some history about the war and the area it also talks about rewarding the Cu Chi people for being the best “American killer” as well other war time propaganda.  I liked how they threw in a classic video (I assume on purpose).

Not Just Tunnels

Array of Available Weapons to Fire

The guide walked us in a small group around the wet, clay floored forest as he explained everything.  The first thing he showed us was one of the tunnel entrances (video below) which was so small I couldn’t even fit both of my thighs in it.  The people small and flexible enough were allowed to attempt to squeeze in.  One German tourist said he saw a bat in that first tunnel which made me think how horrible it must have been to live in those tunnels while constantly being bombed and attacked.

The actual Cu Chi Tunnels are only a small part of the attraction.  We were shown the actual infamous array of booby traps used by the Vietnamese.  The demonstration of the traps gave me chills thinking of how bad they would hurt a human being or an animal for that matter.  There were various set-ups showing how the soldiers would have looked like during war time including a robotic group of soldiers creating weapons from US bomb scrap metal.

Finally we were invited to enter a tunnel as a group.  The tunnel was enlarged to accommodate for western tourists (Thank God).  I am extremely claustrophobic and while duck walking through the sweltering sauna-like heat and darkness of the tunnel was uncomfortable it wasn’t unbearable.

After the tunnel we were  invited to a gift shop where you can not only buy souvenirs but you can shoot high powered assault rifles!  You are given a choice of 5 or so assault rifles used during war-time then and now.  The catch:  each round cost $1USD to fire with a minimum of 10.  Even though I knew my money was literally going up in smoke I still couldn’t resist and fired 10 AK-47 rounds while my travel buddy fired from the extremely loud M-60.  Don’t worry, all the guns are mounted and do not allow anybody to shoot someone’s eye out.

Cu Chi Tip

If you plan to fire an assault rifle make sure to fit your ear protection properly and/or bring your own ear protection.  The ear protection they gave us was shotty at best and firing the M60 was deafening to say the least.  As you would expect the area is very hot, damp and clay-muddy so make sure you don’t wear your school clothes or you will get muddy.

Overall Impression

Leaving Ho Chi Minh City was a prize in itself but the Cu Chi Tunnels were definitely a highlight of my Vietnam experience.   The trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels not only showed a lot about the Vietnamese people but it made you learn a lot more about how the Vietnam war was fought and the actual poor peasant people who stood against the military juggernaut and won.

Historic

Let me start off by saying Reunification Palace  formerly known as Independence Palace is probably the most significant piece of real estate in the history of the country of Vietnam.   When you think that the Vietnam war ended when the tanks of the communist north crashed through the gates you get chills down your spine.

Reunification Palace is located in the heart of Saigon.  I can remember at least 5 times we drove by it in a taxi while on the way to other locations.  The palace sits behind a big grass field with the actual tanks that crashed through the gates sitting on each side.

One of Many Conference Rooms

Touring Reunification Palace

After you pay for your ticket and walk in you have the choice to start wandering around the palace by yourself or picking up an English speaking guide for a small group tour.  Our guide happened to be a middle aged Vietnamese woman who was quite funny as well as informative.

The group basically walks around and looks in the different rooms which were all decorated a little differently.  The guide enlightened us with the story of each room and the contents of them.  This was pretty much the entire tour.  Towards the end was a room full of pictures with stories that were pretty interesting for people not well versed in the history of the Vietnam war.

Tips

There is no air conditioning or air flow in most of the building.  It feels like a sauna in the palace for most of the tour so if you don’t like profusely sweating you should come prepared by wearing light clothes.  There is a snack bar on the roof selling refreshments but it may be a good idea for most people to bring a bottle of water to avoid letting thirst detract from the tour.  After the tour is completed you can view an optional video in a room with fans.

Historic Significance does Not Equal Most Exciting

The Reunification Palace tour was cheap and the guided tour only took about an hour to complete.  While the Reunification Palace was not drop dead boring it wasn’t something that you will be raving about to all your family and friends.

Anyone from outside of Vietnam who finds themselves in Saigon should definitely visit Reunification Palace if not for the sight seeing, to soak in the history of the long Vietnamese struggle and victory.

50 Tons of Steel Victory for North Vietnam

Blame it the Rain

We arrived to an empty  Lonely Planet recommended restaurant Le Jardin.  There was a couple outside in the covered area chatting over a laptop but the restaurant doors remained closed with a young Vietnamese woman walking back and forth to the window and ignoring our every attempt to make contact with her.  We were starving and decided to break the ball and chain of the Lonely Planet to find another place to satisfy our hunger when the skies began to open up.

Without umbrellas we started walking down Le Thanh Ton street in search of some food.  We saw no decent looking sit-down restaurants in the general vicinity until we saw Bibi restaurant.  There was a Vietnamese man sitting on a chair at the entrance and he invited us in (without speaking English) to get out of the intense rain.   Upon entrance, it was apparent that the restaurant was not open as it was quiet and empty.

Did Not Know what to Expect

As we sat in Bibi’s high backed, soft, comfortable upholstered booths we noticed how quiet it was.  The only noise we heard was the tropical downpour as we sat alone in the restaurant.  There was no staff in the restaurant other than the guy that let us in as we waited for some kind of service.  Five minutes later the guy at the front door brought me a cell phone with a woman who told me in English that the restaurant didn’t open for another 45 minutes but we were welcome to stay and have a drink.

As a couple restaurant workers showed up we were brought a plate of warm potato chips to wait until the staff arrived which was okay with us during the rain storm.  I ordered wine about 5 times but the Vietnamese guy didn’t understand so I ordered my usual, “Tiga Beea” which was easily understandable in Asia.

Chat with the Owner

A business casual dressed Caucasian man was sitting alone at the corner table and we figured he was the owner which he was.  Valentin was a 1/2 French and 1/2 Vietnamese gentleman who talked to us about the restaurant scene in Saigon as well as other helpful information about the night club scene and more.  He even invited us to attend a party at Bibi the next night but we had other plans.

What You can Expect

The food at Bibi was excellent.  I am not a French food connoisseur but I can tell you I had the best steak I’ve had in Asia at Bibi outside of Tokyo.  The rest of the food was excellent and tasty as well.  My travel buddy who consumes fine dining on a regular basis was equally impressed with the quality of the food especially the foie gras.

I apologize for writing an entire blog entry about Bibi Restaurant without providing a detailed explanation of the food but you can rest assured you will be satisfied.  I also do not remember the exact price but I remember comparing it something comparable in the USA and like most things in Vietnam, Bibi was well worth the price. If you are a Lonely Planet follower and are heart broken that there is a huge wait at Le Jardin don’t be.  Walk up the street a little bit, take a right and find Bibi and have a nice, quiet delicious meal for an extremely fair price.

Winging it Again

If you know me or have read some of this blog you already know I’m not the most prepared traveler when it comes to lodging.  I was once almost stuck in Buzios, Brazil homeless because I didn’t bother to reserve a hotel when the whole country of Brazil was trying to get a room for the holidays.  Well, it happened again upon entering Vietnam.  I had a friend who has lived for 2 years in Saigon but asking for a hotel recommendation can often be like finding 100 needles in a haystack.

We ended up on the ground with no hotel in mind other than the general recommendation to stay near Pham Ngu Lao Street.  We struggled mightily with the language barrier (the whole trip) to instruct the taxi driver to get us there but after a good 15-30 minutes from the airport through the normal insane motorbike traffic we were dropped off on Pham Ngu Lao Street.

Pham Ngu Lao Street

Pham Ngu Lao Street is the Khao San Road (backpacker’s ghetto of Bangkok) of Vietnam.  Everything along Pham Ngu Lao Street is for tourists and includes many bars, shops and of course hotels.  The primary difference between Pham Ngu Lao Street and Khao San Road is the traffic.  Pham Ngu Lao Street is extremely busy and noisy with people constantly honking their motorbike and car horns as well as cyclo drivers and others trying to make a buck off you.

Showing up carrying a bunch of bags with no idea of where to go did not help.  As we walked down the street, sweating from packing our bags we were under constant bombardment, albeit friendly from hotel (using the term loosely) owners trying to rent out rooms.  There was definitely not a shortage of rooms but the standards were iffy at best for some of them.  After viewing a couple $10-20 a night rooms we had enough and decided to just get a hotel right on Pham Ngu Lao Street.

Elios Hotel

Elios Hotel stood out from the rest with its large brightly lit lobby and 3 Star placard on the outside which was common in Saigon.  The 3 star placard somewhat seemed to prove a hotel’s legitimacy as there were so many accommodations especially throughout the Pham Ngu Lao area. The staff was very helpful, friendly and had adequate English speaking ability which made the check-in and check-out process a breeze.

The Room

Two rooms were available on the 11th floor for my friend and I.   One had a window and the other did not.  I chose the one with the ‘view’ which happened to be a tiny window I could barely get my camera out of to snap the picture at the top of the post. The room was average at best.  There was nothing special about it whatsoever and probably didn’t warrant the price which was $47.62 a night.

The room had a mini bar stocked with soda, water and beer as well as a safe but there was nothing really nice about it.   What Elios Hotel lacked in room it made up for with service and the restaurant.

Amenities

Elios Hotel’s Blue Skye restaurant on the roof had indoor and outdoor areas which were great for getting a sky view of the adjacent park as well as the traffic and buildings of Saigon.  The hotel also has a “fitness center” which is actually a tiny room next to the restaurant on the top floor with 4-5 pieces of equipment in it with no air conditioning.  If you’re dying for an exercise session the cardio machines provide a nice view of Saigon.

TAKE NOTE

Room 1101 was right below the restaurant so bright and early in the morning at around  6am it got really noisy.  To me it sounded like the hotel staff were wearing wooden sandals and running down the stairs.  If you want to sleep in make sure you avoid the 11th floor rooms, especially 1101 which was right next to the stairs like the plague.

You would think in a touristy area there would be a bunch of places to eat after midnight but I found the area of Pham Ngu Lao where Elios Hotel was located to be completely dead and quiet after midnight.  It was uncomfortably quiet even for me to walk around outside hunting for food.  Luckily the front desk guy was more than happy to order me what he called “Chinese Food.”  To me it was Vietnamese food but it arrived in about 5 minutes, was cheap and delicious.

Overall Thoughts

Elios hotels rooms were not very impressive but it made up for it with great service and a nice view from the top floor restaurant.  We quickly grew tired of the manic Pham Ngu Lao Street and decided to find a quieter area and check out another hotel.  Although I was  not dissatisfied with Elios Hotel I would recommend it for people who like hanging out and drinking with the backpacker type of crowd as well as anyone who is in Saigon one night and wants to do some shopping or sight seeing.  

Saigon

From Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City (officially),  formerly known as Saigon is a quick and painless hour flight east on AirAsia.  I was told to expect the unexpected and I would further this advice for anyone else visiting Saigon.

I have lived in Bangkok for the past 6 months and have got used to the Thai lifestyle, people and general flow of the city so if you have never lived in Thailand or been to Bangkok your experience may be vastly different but that’s precisely the reason why there are tens of thousands of travel blogs.

Getting There & First Impression

Since I like to be thorough I created a whole blog entry devoted to Getting to Saigon Vietnam from Bangkok Thailand.  As the plane was making its final descent I could see the snaking river and city approach just like in every Vietnam war movie.  I figured that the taxi from the airport would be relatively quick which it was.

Traffic out of a Horror Movie

The first thing any n0n-native to Vietnam will inevitably notice about Saigon is the insane amount of motorbikes and seemingly chaotic traffic.  There are motorbikes with 1-4 people and various odd shaped items (i.e. refrigerators, tires, stacks of packages, etc.) swarming around every street and intersection in multiple directions.

If you though sheer volume of traffic is bad, compound that with the fact that many of the vehicles in the street are honking their horns every few seconds and you may find being anywhere in Saigon nerve-racking as I did from the outset. There could be an entire blog devoted  solely on Saigon’s traffic but it is worth mentioning that the traffic makes any US city and even Bangkok seem like a rural suburb.  When there is a traffic jam in most cities, most of the traffic (cars & trucks) are stopped and there is very little movement but in Saigon motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, cyclos and other forms of transportation are jockeying for position which is like navigating a maze.

Midday Traffic from Reunification Palace

Crossing the Street

Simply crossing the street is a seemingly perilous adventure when you first set foot on the streets of Saigon.  Crossing the average street with a traffic brew consisting of motorcycles and mopeds zooming everywhere along with the occasional car and bus is actually a lot easier to deal with than you may first think.

To make crossing the street in Saigon easier keep in mind that most of the traffic is moving less than 30 miles per hour and they’re more aware than most western drivers on their cell phones listening to the radio because they have to.  If you want to cross the street simply go for it!  Walk slowly and most importantly DO NOT STOP as it will confuse the drivers and actually make it more dangerous for you.  The traffic amazingly flows like water around pedestrians.

Money

Even though most American and European travelers will initially get a kick about their astronomical bank account balance while in Vietnam as 100,000 Vietnamese Dong is around $5.60USD the exchange from Vietnamese Dong to American Dollars is very annoying.  When your not constantly chopping  off zeros and work with the 500,000 and 100,000 Dong bills you are having to worry about mistaking a 100,000 dong bill for a 10,000 dong bill while in a rush.

My travel buddy in Vietnam actually tipped both bellboys who brought his bags up 200,000 dong ($11)  each mistaking the 100,000 dong bills for 10,000 dong bills.  The large sums can drive anyone bad at math insane especially when certain cash registers and taxis chop off zeros automatically on their screens which further confuse things.

To my surprise, unlike Thailand, the American dollar was widely accepted in Vietnam.  For anyone heading to Thailand after Vietnam, make sure you get rid of all your Dong before you leave Vietnam as exchanging Vietnamese Dong was almost impossible in Bangkok.

Things to Do

Regardless of what you think of Saigon neither you nor anyone can call it a boring city.  It is enormous and there is an endless list of things to do in and around Saigon.  I spent almost the entire time in District 1 and there are over 11 districts.  Saigon will always be a good starting point if you plant to visit anywhere else  in Vietnam. How much time you spend in Saigon depends on what your interests are.  Here are a few things which I did and wish I did.

Eat

If you love Vietnamese food and French food, Saigon has the best of both worlds.  You can get everything from a bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup called pho (pronounced Fuh) or a Vietnamese sandwich on a street stall for under $1USD to dining at trendy and/or fine dining restaurants.

Bibi Restaurant

Places to See

Saigon was at center stage for one of the more infamous wars in the history of mankind and there are many places you can visit to learn more about the Vietnamese side of the Vietnam War.  To learn about the guided tours in and around Saigon you can find tourist information centers spread conveniently throughout district 1 which is likely where you will be staying.   From museums to historic sites, Saigon has a lot to offer within the city limits as well as within a few hour air conditioned bus trip.  Unfortunately I was in expat hang-out / party mode so I missed some great parts of Saigon but here is what I had a chance to experience:

Reunification Palace

Cu Chi Tunnels

Vung Tau

War Remnants Museum – I regretfully missed out on the War Remnants museum.  After visiting the Reunification Palace and seeing some of the photos I wasn’t really feeling like seeing more death, destruction and propaganda but if I ever find myself in Saigon I will definitely check it out.

Places to Stay

Saigon was surprisingly expensive for mid-range lodging, compared to Bangkok for lodging, at least in District 1 where I was staying.

Elios Hotel

Shopping

Living in Bangkok which is one of the best places to shop in the world I really had no business buying things common in Bangkok in Saigon but forgetting some necessary items required me to do some shopping.  Shopping in Saigon is only half of the story as if you don’t bargain, you WILL pay several times the expected sale price.  You can read more about the bargaining process in the entry about Benh Thanh market.

Behn Thanh Market

The People

I consider the best part about international travel to experience the people of a nation.  I have said it before I totally 100% disagree than the “real people” of any country exist in the rural parts because the cities are what makes any country tick.  Again, my view of Saigon may be influenced by the fact that I’m used to Thailand but in Saigon I got the feeling that people were just not happy.   It seemed everywhere you went people were trying to hustle you, yelling at you or grabbing at you.

Tips & Warnings

Besides the brief history lessons, I’m not the biggest fan of Lonely Planet books as I tend to like talking to people to get recommendations but the Lonely Planet provided the most useful piece of advice for your time in Saigon.

The advice is if you are approached by any person on the street, DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR EXISTENCE!  It may be rude and sound rude but if you even look in their direction let alone say no, the cyclo drivers and shoe polishers will follow you for blocks.

Case in point, I gave a shoe polisher 10,000 dong (50 cents USD) because I thought it would get rid of him and it encouraged him to start brushing, gluing, scraping and literally chewing the glue off my shoes which happened to be 5 year old $30 dollar shoes I got at Ross in San Francisco.   His attention attracted about 5 other shoe polisher guys over and I was quickly feeling uncomfortable.  When he got done he asked for 600,000 dong ($33).  I started to walk away but I remember him using a rusty knife to scrape the glue off my shoes and I could picture this kid stabbing me in the back.  He followed me down Pham Ngu Lao and I went in my hotel.  I literally left my hotel 5-6 hours later and he was still waiting.

Overall Summary

I have talked to numerous travelers as well as expats who live and/or have lived in Saigon for numerous years and have received mixed opinions.  For me, the best thing about visiting Saigon, was leaving Saigon as I had a much better time when I found myself in places which were less nerve racking for me.  Regardless of my opinion and the opinions of others, out of all the places I have been I think the statement “You will either Love it or Hate it” applies to Saigon more than any other city.

Don’t Take your Visa for Granted

If you are a United States citizen who travels semi-frequently a travel visa is often an afterthought.  US travelers are lucky because many countries allow Americans to get their tourist visa on arrival.  If you have not in the past, you should always check the visa requirements of the country you want to travel to.

Obtaining a Visa for Vietnam

For United States citizens Vietnam requires a pre-arranged visa.  There are more ways than one to get your Vietnam visa.

Regardless of which continent or country you live, a trip to the little consulate often equals a enormous headache which makes visiting the DMV seem like a fun activity.  Luckily for you some countries allow a visa on arrival.

You can get a visa on arrival for Vietnam by visiting numerous websites including Vietnam-Visa.com which charge a small fee  ($25) and does all the necessary paperwork to pre-qualify you to pick up your visa after landing on Vietnamese soil.

How the Process Works

The process is very simple.  All you have to do is go to their website and fill out the online forms with your passport and personal information.  Make sure you clarify if you want a single entry or multiple entry visa if you plan to explore nearby countries or return to Vietnam in the near future.

Once you complete the process they will send you a confirmation email with important information of the requirements.  You will need to get 2 passport photos taken as well as print out an official letter declaring your arrival as well as an application form which are all required at the airport.

Once you land in the Saigon airport bypass the main passport control lines and walk to the left where you will see the ‘visa on arrival’ counter.   Give the counter attendant your passport, official letter, application form and photos and he/she will return in about 10 minutes with your passport and new visa.  After you receive your passport back you can walk about 5 meters to the small (significantly smaller than other lines) passport upon arrival control.

Tips

As soon as you get off the plan walk as fast as you can as the line will be small but could get long as each visa is approved manually and takes 15 minutes.  If you are one of the first few people you are likely to spend far less time than the next few and so on.

• Try to print the official letter in color and keep the forms in good shape as officials are known to be displeased with sloppy paperwork and it’s not worth being denied.
• It is not a free pass, but the Vietnam visa on arrival is likely preferential to finding, and going to your local Vietnamese consulate.

Saigon from Bangkok

We all know those hop, skip & a jump flights in the United States and Europe, i.e. San Francisco to Los Angeles, London to Munich, etc. and to my surprise Bangkok to Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) was no exception. I’ll be honest, I’m a pretty poor mathemitician when it comes to figuring out how long flights take when any time zone changes are involved.  I saw the flight times on my E-Ticket for my sub $50 Air Asia flight and I remember it being maybe 2 hours but I didn’t mind to look into it any further.

Soo – ah – na – poom

Suvarnabhumi airport which is impossible to pronounce (pronunciation above) by English speakers using the phonetic spelling may seem like a big problem to get to, but if your flight is not at a rush hour, getting to and through the airport to your flight is truly a breeze. Unlike the horrific US airports and their ludicrous extra security checks, inept employees and downright horrendous layouts Suvarnabhumi is laid out very simply and takes only 30 minutes to get through for most Air Asia international flights which depart from the same terminal. Of course we headed to the airport for a 3:55 international flight to Saigon after 2pm and got there right at the closing time for the check-in counter 3:10 which is not recommended, but it can be done.  Note, there were also people behind us in line at the check in counter and there was time for a rest room visit as well as to grab a highly overpriced sandwich.

Actual Flight from BKK to SGN

I noticed the small size of the Airbus A3xx we were flying next to a 747 at the next terminal which reminded me how fast it would board compared to the jumbo jet next to it.  As with most flights I’ve on outside the US, the plane boarded quickly, there was no absolute horse shit things done to waste time and before we knew it the plane was up and away. Apart from this Eurotrash douchebag sitting behind me who complained that I put my seat back, the flight was over before we knew it.  It took just around an hour and I noticed that Saigon was right next to the airport with the snaking river that you saw in all the Vietnam war movies. Upon landing I had to test the online visa agency for its worth…