5D4N Ho Chi Minh 胡志明 Family Trip

Ho Chi Minh is the largest city in Vietnam although it is not the capital of Vietnam. It is previously called Saigon. Ho Chi Minh is named after a man who is the founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

1. What are the tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh?

- Cu Chi Underground Tunnel

- War Museum

- Mekong River

- French Colonial Building

- Beaches and Hills

- Temples

- Food and Market

2. How to get in Ho Chi Minh?

- Again, by AirAsia 0 fare. It costs around RM120 for a return trip from Kuala Lumpur to Ho Chi Minh per person. 

 I saw Korean Air!

Vietnam Airlines

3. How to get around Ho Chi Minh?

- This time, we booked a tour through our hometown travel agency because we did not want to go through the hassle looking for public transport or cab. It was around RM1200. It can be cheaper if booked directly from the agent in Vietnam but there is a certain risk. We were brought around by this very new high-class van.

Day 1 (18 Jan 2016)

We reached at 7.45 pm. We were greeted by our tour guide, Ren at the airport. He is an interactive guy who can speak English very well and help you to take picture as well.

Our tour guide, Ren (1st from the left)

We then checked in to Le Duy Hotel and walked to nearby Ben Thanh Market for dinner. Ben Thanh Market is a very large market which is also a tourist attraction. As usual, tourist attraction=more expensive food.

Saigon beer

Avocado juice

Omelette pancake

Vege with squid

The hotel which is quite old already.

Day 2 (19 Jan 2016)

We started our day with breakfast at the hotel. The buffet consists of both Western food and Vietnamese food.

Next, we went to the Cu Chi Underground Tunnel, a web-like tunnel system of more than 200 km which used to be the shelters of guerrillas during the war against American troops. They pronounce Cu Chi as Gu Chi.

The place near the Tunnel. So many plants on the river.

We walked through this entrance which gave me a feeling like walking into a MRT station.

Our tour guide of the day who gave us a lot of funny jokes. It was funny because his face didn't change when he joked around and we thought it was real.

The costumes of the guerillas.

 These are what they eat during the war.

 Washing our hands using water which flows through the bamboo.

 The tunnel which put unbearable strain on my knees due to my height. I can only walk for a few minutes. Vietnamese guerillas by then were shorter.

 The bomb crater

 The people in the past are very smart indeed. These are slippers designed in opposite direction of walking to fool the Americans so that the enemies thought they were heading to the opposite direction of where they were instead walking to.

Bomb making

Door trap. You will get injured pretty badly if you open that door.

 Traps everywhere.

 Imagine how your skin and organs become after falling into that trap.

 'Ant house' but actually it is their tunnel ventilator. How smart are them.

 We went into all the holes available and took picture with the holes.

 Concise introduction from the guide.

 Guess what is down there？

Gotcha!

After a long meaningful day, we went back to the city for lunch.

After lunch, we went to Vung Tau, another city near Ho Chi Minh. We checked in to The Coast hotel.

Then, we walked to Vung Tau beach, a very long beach.

We went to a hotel nearby for dinner. On the way, we saw hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower here in Vietnam too. Haha.

A closer look at the food.

Shopping mall.

We went to a shopping mall nearby.

Day 3 (20 Jan 2016)

Breakfast was not buffet today due to limited hotel guests.

Vietnam's famous beef noodle soup.

 The menu of breakfast.

The first stop today is Christ Hill.

The weather was very cool that time.

Do u see some people on the top? You can actually climb up to the top, but you have to be in decent wear, i.e. long pants and shoes.

We then visited Whale Temple. There is nothing much here though.
After that, we went back to another stretch of the beach and took a lot of pictures here.

Then, we went for lunch at the local Chinese restaurant.

 A lot of seafood cooked the Chinese way.

We went back to Ho Chi Minh after lunch and visited China Town. After that, we went to the War Museum. It is quite a big museum which displays a lot of pictures of war histories and the guns used during the war. The thing that interests me the most is the agent orange which is a herbicide used to clear the trees where the communists hid. It has serious teratogenic effects on the children.

After visiting war museum, we went to Cho Bin Thay market, another very big market.

For dinner, we went to Pho Hung which was just opposite Ben Thanh Market to eat this noodle.

We went to Ben Thanh Market for a short shopping later to finish the day. Initially, we were planned to stay at the same hotel as the first night at Le Duy. Suddenly, the company arranged for a newer and better hotel, Grand Le Duy Hotel, but the decision was still upon us. We chose to try and never regretted.

 A very new and cozy hotel.

They have Samsung Smart TV here.

Day 4 (21 Jan 2016)

We had a luxurious breakfast here too.

A very delicious yoghurt.

Today, we were on the way to My Tho to see the Mekong River, a very famous river in South East Asia. 

Pictures taken at the rest stop on the way.

We had to ride a boat across the river.

First, as usual at all tourist spots, we were introduced to their products. This time, it was honey.

We walked around the market here and bought some souvenirs... 

..and invited to sit down at some place and given fruits while enjoying traditional folk singing performance...

 .. and to our surprise, we were asked to give some money. LOL./

Next, we tried the most exciting part- boat.

Then, we had Mekong Delta specialty as lunch.

 Some place where we had our lunch.

 A big snake there.

 Cobras in the restaurant. To drink?

Ren plucked a lotus plant , the seeds are quite delicious.

On our way back to the dock.

We went back to Ho Chi Minh to visit Ben Thanh Market again for the 3rd time.
This time, we bought some handbags and drank avocado juice which is inexpensive.

We visited the French colonial buildings later.

 The Old Post Office

 Notre Dame Cathedral

The People's Committee Hall

 Ho Chi Minh

 Tonight, dinner was served on Saigon River Cruise.

 The view of the city is very nice.

However, the food is substandard.

Day 5 (22 Jan 2016)

 The last day in Ho Chi Minh- end of our trip. These are some photos I took of the city.

 Too much motorbikes on the road.

Motorbikes' lane

 Is it dangerous?

Their roadside stall. Isn't it special?

One of the mode of transport.

They have Starbucks.

and Baskin Robbins too.

I always wonder why there are 2 different flags.

Their cab is quite modern.

School students hanging out here.

Anyway, last word of advice, do not use your phone beside the road. You will get snatched anytime.
Overall, Ho Chi Minh is quite an enjoyable city to visit, which doesn't seem to lose to Hong Kong or Japan or Korea.