We stayed at the Blue Diamond Hotel :) The rooms have fast internet connection, at no extra charge. We can just walk out of our hotel to the Ben Than Market and other historical sites. The buffet breakfast has a lot of choices and tastes excellent. We look forward to this Saigon treat every morning! :)
Everything is sooo cheap, my son had beef steak every day for US$6!! The quality is of the same steak we pay for US$25 in plush restos in the Philippines.
Saigon is a good place to shop for unique items, not for branded goods. However, the salesperson will honestly tell you, for example, if the Northface bag is genuine or class triple A. The authentic ones are being sold for $40, which are still way below the prices back home. I got a jade bracelet for $9 and pearl necklace for $13!! Real things, the saleswoman placed the pearl under a fire (lighter) just to prove that it's not plastic. Besides I can tell real pearls from fakes, so I am delirious with my haul. :) I also got Saigon shirts for $3 each.
You need to be street smart, walking across Saigon entails crossing motorcycle infested streets, but the people are all generally nice. Cross on small, narrow streets, do not attempt the highway like ones. :)
You need to watch out for your bag and your cash, according to online forums. Count the money, and be ready with your conversions, otherwise you'll be ripped off 100,000 dong instead of 10,000 dong.
Don't take just any taxi, the recommended ones are Vina Sun and Maeh Lin. We had a private tour with our own driver - no I am not trying to sound rich, I have mentioned everything is sooo cheap, our private 2 day city tour on a Ford car with driver, is an amazing ka-ching Php 1,500 only (for 2 days huh!). Yes message me. :)
The Vietnamese do not like being photographed. You may ask permission or take stolen shots. :) I took some and got yelled at when caught. :) (Shouts in Vietnamese language, waving hand for me to go away)
I love to feel like a millionaire in Saigon, our US$100 became 2.5 Million Dong! :)
I love to feel like a millionaire in Saigon, our US$100 became 2.5 Million Dong! :)
We found real good bargains for novelty items. There's a line of painting stores in a street beside Parkson. Good paintings are being sold in Saigon from $10 to $45. We find this very affordable considering the quality of work and in comparison with our pricing back home. I forgot to take a photo of one great 'antique' kind of box we got, will post it next time.
We see people place plastic stools out in the streets where they just sit and eat and have a chat. Saigon has a very simple way of living, which we find unpretentious and charming.
We will be back for sure.
Do you have any interesting information about Vietnam? Tell us about it!
Do you have any interesting information about Vietnam? Tell us about it!
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