HO CHI MINH City travel guide | Vietnam travel center

Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it is still sometimes called, is Vietnam’s largest and most chaotic city. I love the chaos here, though you need to be careful (and patient) when walking across the street! Motorbikes, bicycles, cars, and rickshaws go wherever and whenever they please. It’s a city with a billion things happening at once. There is a lot of information here about the war, from the War Remnants Museum to the Cu Chi Tunnels. There’s a great historical museum here, though the English translation leaves a lot to be desired. The city has a lot to offer: great shops, fantastic nightlife, and delicious food. After Hoi An, it is my next favorite city in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City

Typical Costs

Hostel prices – Low-cost dorm beds cost around 65,000–200,000 VND, while private rooms are around 220,000–650,000 VND for a double room. A great hostel (though a bit more expensive at 300,000 VND) in this city is called The Common Room Project in district 5.

Budget hotel prices – A night in a budget hotels starts at 130,000 VND, but 260,000–650,000 VND is the norm.

Average cost of food – Eat the local food and you can get a meal for around 20,000 VND. Sit down restaurants are also inexpensive at around 80,000 VND. A western burger might cost around 40,000 VND. The backpacker area, Pham Ngu Lao, has a wide range of restaurants (at varying costs for foreigners) too.

Transportation costs – Public buses around the city cost 3,500 VND. Taxis are more expensive (but still affordable) at 12,000 VND for the first kilometer and 10,000 VND per kilometer thereafter. Grabbing a taxi from the airport to the center of the city should take about 30-minutes and cost less than 200,000 VND. Motorbike taxis are also available, but aren’t much cheaper than taxis, so if you’re more than one person, I’d opt for a taxi.
Money Saving Tips

Taxis – Make sure the taxi drivers turn on their meter, otherwise, taxi drivers can rip you off. Or better yet, skip them and walk. Or rent a bike and try to navigate the chaos of the city.

Be ready for market sellers – When shopping in any of the city’s markets you may feel like a wallet on legs as the traders call out to you. Be firm and be ready to walk away.

Eat street food – Street food in Ho Chi Minh City is inexpensive and delicious. Be sure to try a banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich popular in the south. You can find many different kinds of noodle soup at small street stalls.

Enjoy Happy Hour – The bars in the Pham Ngu Lao area have plenty of Happy Hour drink specials, from half-price drinks to dollar cocktails, to buy one get 2 free!

Top Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City

Crawl through the Cu Chi Tunnels – Crawl through the extensive network of nearly 500km of tunnels utilized by the Viet Cong in the 1960s to fight American soldiers. Tours involve a description and tour of the tunnels. It’s a sobering experience and not one meant for anyone claustrophobic. However, if you want to better understand the terror of the Vietnam War, this is a must-visit.

Get lost in Chinatown – Chinatown is a hive of activity; it is a maze of temples, restaurants, jade ornaments, and medicine shops. Aside from the sprawling Binh Tay Market, you’ll find some fascinating temples in the area including the Chinese Chua Quan Am Temple and Cha Tam, which is a Catholic cathedral.

Visit the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City – Not to be confused with the “Ho Chi Minh Museum,” at one point or another, the city museum has been a Governor’s Palace, committee building and Revolutionary Museum. Nowadays, its picturesque grounds attract newlyweds posing for photographs. You’ll find a collection of weaponry and memorabilia from the country’s revolutionary struggle as well as captured U.S. fighter planes and tanks.

Check out the Vietnam History Museum – The History Museum is a great place to learn about the colorful events of Vietnam’s past. The museum houses a fantastic collection of ceramics, weaponry and cannons. There are photographs, clothes and household objects that date back as far as the 1700s. The English translations leave a lot to be desired though.

See the Emperor Jade Pagoda – Emperor Jade is one of the most impressive pagodas in Vietnam. The intricate carvings and depictions of deities including the Emperor Jade himself.

Admire the Notre Dame Cathedral – The Notre Dame Cathedral is an imposing red brick building built between 1877 and 1883. The two towers in the front of the cathedral rise above visitors at nearly 58 meters tall while the neon-lit statue of the Virgin Mary is also an arresting site.

Visit the War Remnants Museum – The War Remnants Museum is a must-see for anyone with an interest in Vietnam’s history of combat with both the French and the Americans. Inside you’ll find informative exhibits focusing on biological warfare, weaponry and in-depth statistics of Vietnam’s armies during the conflicts. The museum’s best exhibit is the collection of bombs, tanks, planes and war machinery, which can be found in the courtyard. The museum has a very pro-communist, down-with-the-capitalist-pigs bent to it and it’s interesting to see. It’s as much propaganda as it is history. Entrance fee is 15,000 VND per person.

See the Cao Dai Holy See Temple – The Cao Dai religion is relatively new at less than 100 years old. The “all-seeing eye” which dominates the architecture distinguishes the temples. This Cao Dai temple is the main temple for the religion and is hugely ornate and impressive. Most people combine a trip to the temple with the Cu Chi Tunnels excursion.

Shop at the Ben Thanh Market – Though the market is crowded and rife with pickpockets, it is the ideal place to pick up a bargain or try some traditional (and inexpensive) Vietnamese food. It’s an ideal shopping place.

Escape to Can Gio Island – The Can Gio Island is popular with tourists and Ho Chi Minh locals as a way to escape the chaos of the city. The beaches here aren’t mind-blowing like they are in Thailand but it’s a great place to relax and one of Vietnam’s better islands. The island’s monkey sanctuary and mangroves are great for wildlife fans.

Ascend the Saigon Skydeck – For a 360-degree panorama of the city, you can head to the Saigon Skydeck Tower. The observation deck is on the 49th floor and entrance costs 200,000 VND (kids and seniors for 130,000 VND).

Unwind in the Twenty-Three September Park – In the hours just preceding and just after the working day, this park is packed with people exercising and playing games. Watch a Tai Chi class, play a game of badminton, or chat with one of the many students who hang out in the area.

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HANOI travel guide | Vietnam travel Center

Vietnam’s capital has shrugged off its hostile war-torn image to emerge as one of Southeast Asia’s best and most culturally significant cities. There are countless museums, all offering visitors a chance to better understand Vietnam’s history of revolution, war and art, while the tangled web of streets in the historic Old Quarter are a great place to wander around. It’s a great launching pad for trips into Sapa and Halong Bay. Overall, I enjoyed the city and its delicious mix of French colonial architecture.

President Ho Chi Minh monument

Typical Costs

Hostel prices: Dorms start at 55,000 VND while private rooms are between 218,000 – 430,000 VND for a double.

Budget hotel prices: Private rooms average 325,000 – 650,000 VND for a double.

Average cost of food: Street food is delicious and extremely cheap, with many dishes for less than 16,000 VND. 85,000 VND is enough for a meal in a casual restaurant.

Transportation costs: Bus fares are usually no more than 1,000 VND and taxis start at 19,000 VND for the first two kilometers then 12,000 VND per kilometer thereafter.
Money Saving Tips

Eat from street stalls – For the cheapest food in the city head to the Old Quarter which is packed with low-cost eats at the street stalls.

Negotiate – You should barter for everything from street stalls, markets and taxis. Tourists are often quoted huge prices and bargaining is expected.

Take the bus – These are the cheapest and most hassle-free way of getting around the city and are comfortable and efficient.

Drink Bia Hoi – This draft beer is available on the street throughout Hanoi and starts at merely 3,000 VND per glass.

Top Things to See and Do in Hanoi

Wander around Hoan Kiem Lake – Get here early in the morning to watch throngs of people practicing Tai Chi, running, cycling and walking before their working day begins. In the center of the lake is the Tortoise Pagoda, a shrine to the famous giant turtles that live in the lake. The lake is very beautiful and there is a temple worth visiting on the the north end of the lake.

Visit the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts – The Fine Arts Museum is a must-see if you are interested in the various styles of Vietnamese art. There are fantastic exhibits of Buddhist art, folk art and silk and lacquer paintings but the museum’s most impressive feature is Kouan Yin, the goddess of mercy who is depicted with a thousand arms and eyes.

See Quan Su Pagoda – As the headquarters for the Vietnam Central Buddhist Congregation, Quan Su is one of the most important temples in the country. If you’re going to visit any of Vietnam’s pagodas, this 15th century one is the one you should see.

Visit One Pillar Pagoda – Built in 1049, One-Pillar Pagoda sits on stilts over a lake and is a miniature reproduction of the original temple built by the Ly Dynasty. A prayer at this little wooden pagoda is said to bring fertility and good health.

Pay your respects at Ho Chi Minh Museum & Mausoleum – Ho Chi Minh is Vietnam’s leader and founder of the communist state. Ho lies in state at this grey concrete mausoleum, which is not far from the museum dedicated to his life and belongings and the house he used to live in. You’re able to walk through and see his embalmed body when it is not being repaired in Moscow. It’s morbid and fascinating at the same time.

Tour Hoa Lo Prison – U.S. POWs named Hao Lo “the Hanoi Hilton” and this is where many U.S. soldiers were tortured. Sen. John McCain from Arizona is its most famous prisoner. What remains of the building is a small museum, complete with the guillotine used to execute detainees. Again, morbid but interesting.

Shop at Dong Xuan Market – Hanoi’s oldest market is located in the Old Quarter. The market is multi-storied and sells everything you could ever expect, especially a lot of knock offs. The market is a bit of a Hanoi institution and probably the best place for low-cost shopping in the city.

Wander around the Old Quarter – The Old Quarter’s 2,000 year old streets are a web of shopping opportunities and cheap eateries. Gold and silver jewelery, clothes, cosmetics and even musical instruments can all be bought here alongside a myriad of other goods. There’s also a lot of fascinating old worn French architecture around and you can still see the strong French influence in the area. I never bought anything but I found the chaos, the crowds, and the maze of streets fascinating to witness.

Go to the Army Museum – References to Vietnam’s tumultuous history of combat are everywhere in Hanoi and a visit to the Army Museum is a good way to bring it all together. The museum has an excellent collection of planes, tanks and guns supplied by the Chinese and Soviet armies, alongside dozens of captured French and US made war machinery.

Visit the Temple of Literature – Built in 1070, the Van Mieu temple is a great example of traditional Vietnamese architecture and is one of the oldest structures in the country. Originally dedicated to Confucius, what remains today of ancient Vietnam’s center of learning is five courtyards decorated with stelae which served as diplomas for the universities first doctorate students.

Learn some women’s history – The problem with written history is that so much of it revolves around men, and female contributions tend to fall to the wayside. The Vietnam Women’s Museum tries to turn this around with exhibits about the history and daily lives of women in Vietnamese society. There is some great material to encounter here, as well as some video interviews that will give you better insight into the life of a female street vendor.

Watch a water puppet show – Water Puppetry as an art form dates back over a millennium in Vietnam. Near the lake you can take in a show at the Water Puppet Theatre. Puppets are carved from wood, and the shows are performed in a waist-deep pool, which makes the puppets look like they’re walking in water. This is a very unique and worthwhile cultural experience.

Explore the Museum of Ethnology – The Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology is a multipurpose institution, serving as both a research facility and a public museum. It contains exhibits on the different ethnic groups which reside in the country, and will give you a much better understanding of Vietnamese history.

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HOI AN travel guide | Vietnam travel center

Hoi An was one of my favorite destinations in Vietnam. I loved to travel across the river, watching the sunset, go arround the old town, and drinking inexpensive beer. The town is known as with picturesque historical homes, many pagodas and street-side cafes. More over, you may like the place is extremely popular for buying clothes. 

Typical Costs

Hotel prices – There are a few cheap hostels in town for about 220,000 VND a night. If you choose to stay a bit away from the town center, you can stay at a unique bamboo-hut-hostel at An Bang beach called Under the Coconut Tree for just 175,000 VND per night.

Budget hotel prices – Accommodation is inexpensive here with a night in a budget hotel costing from 240,000 VND for a double room. Quite a few places have pools, so if that’s something you want, make sure you pick one of them.

Average cost of food – Street food starts at 15,000 VND per meal. Food in restaurants starts at about 30,000 VND and goes upward from there.

Transportation costs – Everywhere in central Hoi An is within walking distance so it’s unlikely you’ll spend much on transportation here.  If you choose to explore, bikes can be rented for about 30,000 VND a day, motorbikes for around 80,000 VND per day, and taxis are metered (and cheap).

Money Saving Tips

Cooking lessons – If you enjoy the food at a certain restaurant, ask for cooking lessons. These are often cheaper than the cooking schools advertised by your hotel, hostel, or found on the Internet.

Camp on Cham Island – If you’re heading to Cham Island on a diving trip, it’s possible to save money on accommodation by camping on the beach.

Eat across the river – Hoi An is split in two by a small river. One side is very touristy, while the other side is very local. Move out of the main center and across the river for better food and drink deals as the locals here never get as many customers as the main city area.

Shop around – There are hundreds of tailors in Hoi An. If you’re having clothing made, check prices with a few places before settling on one.

Skip the SIM Card – Hoi An is highly connected to WiFi.  You can hook into WiFi in just about every hotel, shop, restaurant, and convenience store for free!

Eat at the market – Market stalls are some of the cheapest food you can find.  Think about it, they have almost no overhead, so a meal will cost you 20,000-40,000 VND.  There are a variety of dishes to choose from and places to eat.

Rent a bicycle – Bikes can be rented for 20,000-30,000 VND per day.  This is a great way to leisurely explore the quaint city.

Don’t be afraid of taxis – Metered taxis in this country are affordable.  If you are moving around town at night, this is a good, safe, cheap option (especially if you’re splitting the cost with a few others).  A 30-minute ride will set you back around 130,000 VND. The best taxi companies are Mai Linh and Vinasun.

Top Things to See and Do in Hoi An

Shop at the Central Market – Hoi An’s Central Market is probably one of the best in Vietnam.  The market sits on the riverside and is packed full of excellent food at rock-bottom prices. This is the place to pick up spices, souvenirs, try local food and have your tailoring done. There is also a great fish market worth visiting.

Visit Quan Cong Temple – The temple was built in the early 17th century to honor the Chin Dynasty but nowadays it serves as one of Hoi An’s most spectacular architectural accomplishments and a thriving tourist attraction. Inside there are two huge wooden statues, one of Quan Kong’s protector, Chau Xuong and one of his adopted son and of course the gilt statue of Quan Cong himself.

Cross the Japanese Covered Bridge – The bridge is thought to have been built by Hoi An’s Japanese community in the late sixteenth century and roughly translated from Vietnamese, its name means “Pagoda in Japan”. It makes for great photographs.

Take a cooking lesson – If tasting local food isn’t enough for you and you’d like to bring a like bit of Vietnamese cuisine home with you then consider enrolling yourself in cooking lessons. Many restaurants offer lessons where you’ll first start off picking the raw ingredients then learn how to prepare the food.  If you want a more full-day experience, you can even tack on a 5am fishing trip in a bowl-shaped fishing boat.  Prices vary, but most cost between 350,000-550,000 VND for a 4-6 hour market tour and cooking class.

Take a bicycle tour around the city – Get guided around the city by a local who will answer any of your questions, teach you about history, the local economy, and take you out for some Vietnamese coffee.  A morning of bicycling around in a small group starts at around 280,000 VND.  You can book this through any hostel or hotel.

Attend the Full Moon Festival – Hoi An’s Full Moon Festival is held on the 14th day of the lunar cycle each month and is probably the best time to visit the city. The streets are shut down to all traffic and are lined with brightly colored lanterns. This is a great time to party with locals as the streets come alive with folk music, plays and dancing.

Relax on the beaches – An Bang and Cua Dai beaches are both within close proximity to Hoi An and are a great place to spend an afternoon. Cua Dai is designated as one of Vietnam’s five UNESCO World Heritage sites but both beaches offer soft white sand and excellent beachside restaurants. For reasonable prices, you can get your food served to you while lying recumbent in the sun.

Take a trip to Cham Island – Many tourists take a day trip out to Cham Island which lies just 21km from Hoi An in the South China Sea. The diving there is great and because you’re in Vietnam, it’s very cheap.  Most tours include lunch and it’s also possible to include a night dive in your excursion.

Experience Da Nang city – Located about 30-minutes from Hoi An, Da Nang is a bigger city (where you’d fly into).  It’s famous for it’s Marble Mountains and great beaches.  There is also an extravagant party scene here that it good for a night out once in a while.

Explore My Son – My Son is one of the most important sites relating to the ancient Kingdom of Champa and is said to have been Vietnam’s religious and intellectual center. Even in their ruined state, the remaining structures are impressive. The My Son ruins were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

See the Fukian Assembly Hall – Built in 1697, Fukian is the grandest of the Chinese assembly halls and is a fine example of Chinese architecture. The main colorful temple is dedicated to the goddess of the sea, Thien Hau, while the statues of Thuan Phong Nhi and Thien Ly Nhan are said to protect sailors in distress.  There is a scale model of a sailboat inside too. Entrance to this site and 4 others (on the same day) are 140,000 VND.

Boat along the river – A great way to relax for a bit and to see Hoi An from a different perspective is to hop on one of the boats that leaves from Bach Dang Street. Don’t just go with the first boat you find; there are a lot of different options and prices there.

Visit the Museum of Folk Culture – This small museum aims to preserve the traditions and dress of rural Vietnamese culture. The museum is filled with plaster statues of figures in costume, which seem a bit strange. However, there’s enough to see to give you a good idea about local culture here.

Relax with some yoga – There are only a few yoga studios in this relaxing city.  If you want to take a class from a foreigner, you’ll spend around 250,000 VND per class, but if you go to the Vietnamese run Annem Yoga Studio, you can get 12 classes for 500,000 VND. Even if you’re not a yogi, the atmosphere here lends itself to the centered exercise.

Head to the Marble Mountains – The Marble Mountains are a series of five mountains located 20km north of Hoi An. Besides the natural appeal, they also have many pagodas, and some also served as a base for Viet Cong fighters during the war.

Enter the Old Houses – Some of the houses in Hoi An have had their interiors turned into museums, giving tourists a glimpse at what life was life for wealthy merchants in the colonial and pre-colonial period. The Tan Ky and the Duc An homes are two of the more popular ones to visit.

Sleep in bamboo beach huts – One of the most unique hostels in the area is Under the Coconut Tree located about 10km out of Hoi An’s Old Town and a 2-minute walk away from An Bang beach. This Vietnamese-run hostel is a gorgeous set of bamboo huts with an open-air dormitory.  Want a laid-back, social beach experience?  Look no further. But be prepared to stay longer than expected, as so many travelers do. Dorm beds are 175,000 VND per night, and private rooms start around 600,000 VND.

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NHA TRANG travel guide | Vietnam travel center

Nha Trang is one of the most popular beach destination for people in Vietnam. Extremely White, sandy beaches are imposed against a dramatic backdrop of mountains, and with nineteen islands to choose from, it is no wonder that this is a popular place for tourists. This is the perfect spot to learn how to dive, while still keeping your budget in check. While the beaches are nice, keep in mind this place is very, very popular and can sometimes be a bit of a hassle or full of drunk backpackers. 

Typical Costs

Hostel prices – Dorms start at 110,000 VND per night, while private rooms average220,000 – 870,000 VND per night for a double.

Budget hotel prices – Expect to pay from 196,000 – 415,000 VND per night to stay in a budget hotel for a double room

Average cost of food – Street food starts at 16,000 VND. Local food in restaurants starts at 32,000 VND; Western food is more expensive at 75,000 VND and up.

Transportation costs – A cyclo taxi is your best bet at only 22,000 VND per kilometer. Buses are crowded but rarely cost more than 11,000 VND. If you stay near the beach, however, you likely won’t need any transportation. Other taxis start at 22,000 VND per kilometer. Note: Be sure to use only metered, nice-looking green and white taxis.

Money Saving Tips

Diving – There are quite a few dive shops in Nha Trang so it is possible to hunt around for the best price and bargain with the shop owners.

Street food – As in most of Vietnam, street food is the cheapest and most exciting local food you can find. You can usually get delicious pork meat sandwiches on the street for about 44,000 VND.

Snorkel – Snorkeling and diving are probably the most popular things to do at Nha Trang. Tread a little offshore and there are islands which offer both activities. It’s best to avoid the windy season (October and December) though. Nha Trang is a great location for seeing some underwater life, however it’s even better if you want to get a scuba certificate.

Set sail – There are plenty of places to go around here and plenty more boat companies who offer boat trips. It is an opportunity to see the different islands off of the mainland and a trip will usually will include snorkeling, a visit to an aquarium and fish farm plus plenty of boat grub and alcohol. These tours are generally aimed towards the 18 to 30 crowd. Shop around so you can find one boat trip that suits you best. This is ideal if you want to see more of Nha Trang than just the mainland.

Visit Po Nagar – Dedicated to Yan Po Nagar, the goddess of the country, the temple tower was founded sometime before 781 AD and therefore plays a big part in the history and archaeology of the country. With being up a mountain, you get a good view of the beautiful landscapes of Nha Trang.

Lounge on the beaches – If you want a change from the Nha Trang beach, Bai Dai beach or Long Beach is nearby and stretches for six miles of gorgeous white sand. It has a relaxed, breezy atmosphere with little cafes and restaurants gracing its shores and serving seafood. Watch your stuff when you go swimming as thieves are known to steal stuff.

See the Buddha at Long Son Pago – Long Son Pago, founded in the late 19th century, is home to a 79ft tall, white Buddha. Seated atop the hill, the pagoda is an historical artifact built to honor monks and nuns who died protesting against the Diem government. The place also as sweeping views of Nha Trang City.

Check out the National Oceanographic Museum – At the far south end of Nha Trang is the National Oceanographic Museum. Great for those who do not like the idea of diving because here there are tanks of marine life and stuffed birds and sea mammals. Brilliant if you want to occupy a couple of hours on a not so pleasant day.

Head to Yang Bay – Yang Bay is a charming excursion from Nha Trang. Once you get here, you will find three different sets of falls; Yang Bay, Yang Khang and Ho Cho. However, once you get to Yang Bay it is a matter of climbing to discover all three of these waterfalls. Surrounded by dense forestation and mountainous terrain, it is slightly off the beaten track and a good area to visit when you want to leave the crowds of the beach.

Relax in the hot springs – Hot springs and mud bathing are popular in Nha Trang. A relaxing past-time, the mud claims to have somewhat healing powers with the mud formed from rocks and volcanic ash.

Shop in Cho Dam Market – For an authentic Nha Tran shopping experience, there is no better place than Cho Dam open air market. With vendors selling fresh produce, the catch of the day, and everything from fake designer gear to watches, I highly recommended that you put your bargaining hat on and see what kind of bargains you can find!

Visit the Alexandre Yersin Museum – For any zoologists or science geeks out there, this museum might be for you. Dr. Yersin was a Swiss scientist who came to Vietnam in the late 19th century to study sick animals. He eventually invented a serum from buffalo and horses. This museum showcases his life’s work and findings.

Hike to the Bao Dai Villas – These villas are perched on top of a small hill. From the top, you’ll get a great view of Nha Trang Bay.

Visit waterfalls – There are a number of swimming holes and waterfalls in the area that you can access, such as the Fairy Spring Waterfalls and the Ba Ho waterfalls. Some of these are best reached by a combination of motorbike and hiking. Check with locals ahead of time, and some of the holes are too cold for swimming in the winter.

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