Top 10 experiences to be had in Ho Chi Minh

I've already written and dedicated a whole blog entry on shopping in my previous post. Now let me talk about the great restaurants, tours, and attractions that made our stay in Ho Chi Minh truly memorable. In no particular order, here's my Top 10 list of things to do and experience while in Ho Chi Minh. We hope that you'll have as much fun as we did in your trip to Vietnam! ;-)

1.) Have dessert at Fanny's Ice Cream Shop!

I won't say much about this place. I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves. ;-)

Fanny's desserts have a bit of liquer on them and they do look sinful. Ironically though, they taste very light! Their desserts look so pretty and at first, you might not want to touch it. But believe me, you'll get over that really quick. This is the perfect place to go to beat the heat or in our case, to cap off our evening. ;-)

2.) Join Sinh Cafe's Mekong River Day Tour.

To be honest with you, I consider Sinh Cafe's Mekong River Day Tour as the main highlight of our trip. Not only is the trip very organized but there's a lot of surprises along the way too. I'll try not to give everything away, but you can pretty much expect a ferry ride along the Mekong River, a smaller boat ride, a visit to the coconut candy factory, a cultural performance, a horse-drawn cart ride, and another visit to a honeybee farm. I gave you a long list there. But trust me, I haven't given everything away. There are a lot more surprises for you there. ;-)

Sinh Cafe takes care of your lunch and there's a lot of shopping that can be done along the way! Because it is an organized tour, you would think that vendors would charge tourist prices on their merchandise. But they don't. Everything is reasonable and at times, even cheaper than the items that you'll find in HCMC!

I've been on a few tours like this but I would have to say that this is the best one that I've ever experienced. The activities are varied and there's something in store for everyone -- whether you're a cultural traveler, a "shoppingera," more for the outdoors, or in it to meet people and what-not. Jojo and I had a really fun time here. It was a great and amazing way for us to experience provincial life by the Mekong River! ;-)

3.) Enjoy a water puppet show at the Vietnamese History Museum.

To see the water puppet show, you'll have to pay the minimal entrance fee of the Vietnamese History Museum (15,000 dong) and purchase a ticket for the 30-minute show (32,000 dong). The museum was under construction during our visit so some areas were closed. But generally, they have a decent collection. Take the time to explore the museum --- making sure to see the glass-encased mummy and the beautiful porcelain and costumes from different time periods. They also have a cute little courtyard in the middle where you can stop for a drink or check out souvenir stores.

The water puppet show is shown by the hour -- that is, if there's at least 5 or 6 people that are committed to see it. If there isn't enough, you'll just have to wait for more people to join you. That was the case with Jojo and I. While waiting, we went to the souvenir store across the theatre. And there, we had a hoot having our pictures taken with a traditional flower basket resting on our shoulders and wearing a Vietnamese conical hat. You just need to pay $1 for the picture. Wow! I only had plastic flowers on my baskets but it's really hard work to have all that resting on your shoulders! After a couple of pictures, the lady from the theatre called on us to say that there were enough people for the show. The water puppet show, to say the least, was very entertaining! It was truly an amazing cultural experience. I've studied a bit of puppetry before and the timing, spacing, and handling of the puppets were impeccable! There was no dialogue but the mini-narration in the beginning, the music, and the "gestures" of the puppets helped us understand the stories and legends. We also loved the effects used with the water and even a bit of fireworks! Great stuff!
By the way, if you're looking for something else to do in the area, you can visit the Buddhist temple right across the museum. Right next to it is the zoo as well. We got to go to the temple but unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to go to the zoo. We went there on our last day and it was just a few hours before we had to go to the airport.

*Note: If you want to take pictures at the museum, you can do so for an extra fee. It's very minimal and you'll just have to inform the cashier about this before going inside.

4.) Visit the Cao Dai Temple and explore the underground Cu Chi Tunnel.

This tour was also organized by Sinh Cafe. Just like the Mekong River tour, it was a great tour. The only thing that we didn't like about it was the long drive between places. From HCMC, we spent an hour and a half on the bus to get to a factory with the largest selection of lacquer ware in all forms and sizes. The craftsmanship is amazing! This is considering the fact too that the workers there are all handicapped. There were a LOT of beautiful things there. Unfortunately, they were all too expensive! Everything was priced in US dollars too.

After that, it was another hour and a half long ride to get to the Cao Dai Temple. We got there just right in time for their 12:00 worship or prayer. The townsfolk all gathered in this beautiful, albeit, surreal-looking temple. They consider Victor Hugo as one of their saints! Anyway, it was just a unique experience. We were there for about 30 minutes? After that, we drove another 10 minutes for our lunch. Sinh Cafe chose the restaurant but this time, we had to pay our own way. An hour there and it was another 2-hour ride to the Cu Chi Tunnel. That was a painfully-long ride for me. I had to go to the bathroom and there were no bathroom stops along the way! I can understand why though. On the way there, we passed through fields and farms. There was no public restroom that we could use. And I don't think knocking on people's homes was an option.

Anyway, we eventually got to the Cu Chi Tunnel. We watched a documentary first before our guide toured us to the entire Cu Chi grounds. Our guide talked to us about how the people there lived during the Vietnam War. What did they do to protect themselves? How did they sneakily cook their food so that they won't be found by their enemies? How were they able to live their life in these narrow tunnels? It was very educational. The Vietnamese people are a resilient bunch. What they went through was no joke.

In the grounds, you had the option of firing a few rounds at the shooting range. You have to pay for that yourself. They also serve you some bamboo shoots -- food that the Vietnamese ate to sustain themselves. And for the grand finale, you could actually go inside the underground tunnels. They made larger versions of the tunnel for "heavier" and larger tourists. ;-) Every few meters or so, you had the option of going back up. It wasn't a very long tunnel but there were about 3 or 4 exits. We were a group of about 4o or so people. Around 35 tried going inside the tunnel. Only 3 actually went the whole way! I was one of the sissies. I decided not to try it because it looked very dusty inside the tunnel, and not to mention, very claustrophobic. Jojo tried it but decided to come back up on the 2nd exit.

It was an enlightening experience, over all. But if you're not one for long rides, I suggest you just go for the half day tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cao Dai Temple is nice but with the long rides in between, I think it's something that you can do without. You can spend the other half of the day visiting the temples in HCMC instead.

5.) Take advantage of photo-ops at the Ho Chi Minh Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Opera House, City Hall, and Lam Son Square.

Visit these District 1 landmarks and be ready to strike a pose! You can't really say that you've been to HCMC unless you've had your picture taken at these iconic landmarks. The Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral are just right next to each other. Fifteen minutes away by foot is the Saigon Opera House, the City Hall, and Lam Son Square. The latter are conveniently located near Rex Hotel and District 1's shopping strip.

Unfortunately, we had our District 1 DIY tour on a Friday. If you would like to take a picture of Notre Dame's interiors, bear in mind that the cathedral is only open to the public on Sundays -- between 9:30 and 11 am, in particular. They also have a Catholic mass there around that time.

As for the HCMC Post Office, it's open everyday between 6:30 am and 10 pm. We're not entirely sure though if the City Hall and Opera House are open to the public at any given time. We didn't bother trying to find out. The European exteriors and amazing architecture of these places -- on their own, were already a sight to behold.

6.) Awaken your taste buds at Pho 2000.

This restaurant is located right across the Ben Thanh Market. When you go inside, you'll be greeted with tons of framed pictures of Bill Clinton taken at the restaurant. Hence the name, Bill Clinton chose to dine at this place among the many other establishments during his visit to HCMC in 2000. At first, I thought it was just all hype. So what if Bill Clinton ate there right? It didn't necessarily mean that they have the best Vietnamese food. After all, the restaurant is located just five minutes from the five-star hotels in the city. It was probably the nearest restaurant to his hotel.

We had gone to Pho 2000 on our third day in HCMC. Obviously, we had already eaten at other authentic Vietnamese restos in the city -- namely Quan An Ngon, Nam Thanh, and many others. In other words, we already had a point of comparison. And believe me when I say that Pho 2000 has the best Vietnamese food in the city! It was soooo good that Jojo and I ate there twice! That's major because we NEVER eat at the same restaurant twice during our trips. It has been an unspoken rule to explore and try as many different restaurants as we can when we're in a different country. The food at Pho 2000 was just too too good so obviously, this "unspoken" rule had been forgotten! ;-)

For one, the food at Pho 2000 is very tasty. It truly does awaken your taste buds! The servings are huge and beautifully presented. We couldn't get enough of it! Just have a look at our pictures above. Maybe I should warn you that the pictures will definitely make you hungry! ;-)

7.) Be enlightened at the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace.

History books are not known for being objective. So if you studied under an American or even a Filipino curriculum, there are a lot of things that you probably don't know about the Vietnam War. At the least, you've just been exposed to one side of it -- the Americans' side of the story. Go and visit the War Remnants Museum to hear the other side of it all. Learn about the struggles and hardships of the Vietnamese people during this time. Through hundreds of these graphic photographs, see for yourself the violence and atrocities of war. There are a couple of photographs there that affected me deeply. One is a photograph taken a minute before the Americans killed these two little boys. They were in a dirt road and the older boy was covering and hovering over his younger brother while trying to protect him. The other is of two American soldiers with huge smiles on their faces while having their picture taken beside corpses of their Vietnamese enemies. The images were all very powerful. They will depress you and even make you very angry. Most of all, these images will make you think. They're definitely worth a visit. While you're there, don't miss the tiger cages too. You'll have to exit the War Remnants Museum to see them. It's on the side of the museum -- near where that beverage stall is.

As a Filipino, the Reunification Palace reminded of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It's a mix of that and maybe a bit of the Malacanang Palace too. The place is musty, dusty, and VERY retro. It used to be Ho Chi Minh's planning headquarters from way back in the 50's and 60's. They have an eerie basement where the message center is, actual transport (helicopters and jeeps) used during the war, and a gazillion meeting rooms with uber-kitschy furniture, chandeliers, and curtains. Oh and don't forget to have your jump-shot picture taken in front of the fountain outside. Go on the second floor balcony to see the awesome street view there too. ;-)

8.) Sip your coffee and go people watching at the closest Trung Nguyen Cafe.

Out of all the coffees that we've tried in HCMC, Trung Nguyen's coffee is the best for me. I like my coffee light, creamy, and milky. I don't particularly enjoy that common strong aftertaste you get from international coffee chains found here in Manila.

The coffees at Trung Nguyen Cafe were presented very well. The mini-cookies given with the coffee were yummy too! Oh and the service was topnotch! We asked the waiter about how to get to the Vietnamese Museum and he quickly gave us a sketch. Along with it, he gave us tips on where to wait for a taxi, which taxi to get, and suggestions on where else to go in the city. And we weren't even asking for it. ;-) Anyway, the Trung Nguyen Cafe is the perfect place to go people-watching. It's a place to just unwind, sit back, and savor your coffee. If there were more meals to be had while in HCMC, Jojo and I seriously wanted to go back there for breakfast or lunch. We were eyeing the food ordered by the table beside us. Their servings are huge and the food looked sooo succulent! Unfortunately, we visited the cafe on our last day there and we just had lunch too. ;-( Oh well. I guess we'll just have to visit it again on our next trip there.

9.) After shopping at Ben Thanh, recharge at Com Tam Cali (Vietnamese Broken Rice Restaurant) followed by dessert at Une Journee a Paris.

These two places are right next to each other. Com Tam Cali served Vietnamese food which pleased our Filipino palates. In other words, the food they served there were much tastier than what we got used to while in Vietnam. We ate at other restaurants and for the most part, we found them a bit bland and too "herby" for our taste. Com Tam Cali's portions were huge and the servers were very nice and hospitable.

Before going inside that restaurant, we were already eyeing the Une Journee a Paris cafe beside it. We promised to make room for dessert. From its clean blue and white interiors, the cafe was already very inviting. And when we saw the desserts too, wow! We were already very full from our lunch at Com Tam Cali. So it pained me to order just one dessert to share between the two of us. My mind was telling me to order more. But my tummy was saying "No more!!!" ;-) My tummy "won" and we ordered just one dessert -- promising to come back the day after. The day after was our last day in Vietnam. Due to circumstances, tragically, we weren't able to come back. ;-(

Anyway, we went for the Mille Feuille. It was very creamy though it tasted light. I loved the combination in texture of the crust and the juxtaposing smooth cream in between the layers. It's not a sinful dessert at all. But like what characterizes French cuisine, the flavors are subtle but oh-so-addicting and heavenly! No sudden bursts of flavor but rather, the more you bite into it, the more you realize how good it truly is! Loooove it!

10.) Get a massage at Ngoc Anh Spa.

You cannot and shouldn't leave Ho Chi Minh without getting a massage at Ngoc Anh Spa. It would be an absolute sin to do that! In our travels, it has been our "unspoken" rule to get a massage in that particular country. So when I was putting together the itinerary, I had spent a bit of time researching the best massage place in Ho Chi Minh. All of the online reviews and forums pointed me to this place. And we were not at all disappointed. Far from it, actually. I was very very pleased! So pleased that I have considered it the best massage that I've ever gotten! It was just complete indulgence. For 240,000 VND (700 pesos) each, Jojo and I got a 60-minute body massage AND a 75-minute foot massage! Wow! After the massage, I literally felt like I was floating on air! ;-) There wasn't a knot in my body or any tension left in any of my muscles! It was just incredible.

FANNY'S ICE CREAM SHOP
29-31 Ton That Tiep, District 1

SINH CAFE
246 De Tham Street, District 1

VIETNAM HISTORY MUSEUM
2 Nguyen Binh Kiem, District 1

HCMC POST OFFICE / NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1

LAM SON SQUARE / SAIGON OPERA HOUSE / HCMC CITY HALL
141 Nguyen Hue Blvd, District 1

PHO 2000
1-3D Phan Chu Trinh, District 1

WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM
28 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 6, District 3

REUNIFICATION PALACE
106 Nguyen Due, District 1

TRUNG NGUYEN CAFE
All over HCMC

COM THAM CALI / UNE JOURNEE A PARIS
(on the street facing the back of Ben Thanh Market)

NGOC AN THERAPY MASSAGE
31, 1st floor, Nguyen Binh Kiem, District 1

Shopping in "Artsy" Vietnam

I knew even then that Vietnam is famous for their art work, lacquer ware, coffee, North Face backpacks, silk, and other knick knacks. So for our recent Ho Chi Minh trip, I had expected to go wild on the shopping. I was looking forward to it all except for that "minor" detail of the baggage weight limitation at the airport. On board Cebu Pacific, each passenger is only allowed to check in two luggages that's no more than 15 kg in total! Carry-on luggage is limited to 7 kilograms apart from a small purse that you can carry with you as well. That's not a lot at all. Sigh. What a downer! ;-(

Jojo and I knew of these limitations so as serious and not to mention, passionate shoppers, we had to give careful thought to what we bring to Vietnam beforehand. We can't at all overpack. As tourists in a new country, it's very tempting to bring "What if" items. You know, that umbrella that you think you might need. Or an extra set of clothes that you might use in case you get stranded. Or that extra underwear that might come in handy. Etc, etc. Jojo and I decided to bring only the bare necessities. So a 6-night stay translates to 6 outfits, 3 sleepwear (each one used for two nights), 6 underwears, 1 comfortable pair of sandals/flip flops, and 1 pair of closed shoes. We brought in the necessary chargers for our cell phones, cameras, and video cam. Everything else -- like toiletries, came in small bottles and small quantities -- just enough for our short stay there. Then, they're thrown out. What's left to bring should fit one of the small carry-on sized bags. The other bags that we brought in were empty. That is, another carry-on bag, a bag that's two sizes larger, and an overnight bag. You see, we had it all figured out. When we leave Vietnam, these four bags will be the ones we'll check in. We're certain that we'll be buying North Face bags so these, in turn, will be the ones that we'll use as carry-on. Jojo and I were certain that we each would be taking full advantage of our 22 kg limitation. As well as a few more kilos that we would be allowed to get away with at the airport. ;-) Hahaha! ;-) Talk about having it all figured out huh? ;-)

To help you out on your Vietnam trip (if ever you plan to go!), I am creating a list of "must-buy" items, how much they cost, and where you can find them cheap. I had planned to list the top 5, but it was just impossible to narrow it down to that. I've decided on a Top 10 list instead. Even that is a feat! There are just too many beautiful things in Vietnam! Anyway, the items on the list can be classified into two categories: items that are not readily available in Manila and items that may be available in Manila but are a lot more expensive. Without further ado, here are my Top 10 shopping finds in Ho Chi Minh:

1.) Vietnam Souvenir Shirts
How much we got it: 30,000 VND ($1.96 CAD/P81.32 )
Where we bought them cheap: Ben Thanh Market
Details: There are many shirts to choose from. There are those that say "Same Same" in
the front and "But Different" at the back. It's a common expression among the locals when
they try to communicate with tourists. There are also shirts with the star in the front --
symbolizing the Vietnamese flag. Jojo and I bought the red kind with a yellow star although it
also comes in black and green.

2.) Paintings
How much we got them: Large oil painting - 600,000 VND ($39.22 CAD/P1,626) ; Small
wooden ones - 50,000 VND each ($3.27 CAD/P135.54)
Where we bought them cheap: Kim Do Gallery (in front of Rex Hotel) / Ben Thanh
Market
Details: Jojo and I were in complete awe of the oil paintings available in HCMC. Want a Van
Gogh or Renoir? No problem. There are a ton of art galleries in the Dong Khoi area which has
one ready for you. Exact replicas too. They remove it from the frame and roll it up for you so
it's easy to transport. We've asked around and the large paintings are often sold for 700,000
dong. We didn't buy ours until our last day in HCMC -- a couple of hours before going to the
airport. We had 600,000 dong left and we needed to get rid of it because as you know,
Vietnam being a communist country, it's illegal to bring Vietnam dong outside of the country.
When we dropped by the Kim Do Gallery, we were surprised that the lady there recognized
us. "It's nice to see you again," she said. She's a very pleasant lady and even talked about how
she's heard a lot of great things about Manila and had wanted to go there for a long time.
When Jojo and I compromised and finally found one that we both liked (now that took a few
minutes since we have varying tastes!), we asked the lady how much it cost. She said
700,000 dong. Now, she accepts credit card payments. We could've paid using that since we
were 100,000 dong short. But we decided to just tell her the real deal. We really love the
painting but we only had 600,000 dong and a few more dongs enough for the airport taxi
ride. Without batting an eyelash, she said "Sure, I'll give it to you for that much." Wow. I gave
her my widest smile and that was that. ;-)

I felt really bad though because costing the paintings 700,000 dong is cheap enough. You
can't get a painting that costs that much in Manila. Not even at SM! We bought five of those
abstract paintings that were a quarter of the size of the Vietnamese painting one. They were
on sale. And even then, each one cost P700 more than the one that we bought in Vietnam!
That's crazy! So please, please do yourself a favor and buy a painting in Vietnam. No wall
space at home? It doesn't matter. Just get one and figure out how you're going to use it when
you get back. You'll be kicking yourself when you get back in Manila if you don't buy one.

Hey, did I say that Kim Do Gallery has a website? It costs a bit more and you have to pay
extra for shipping. Nonetheless, it's still quite cheap. The address is
http://www.kimdogallery.com/

For our guest room, I also bought five of those small wood paintings. Since I got five of them,
I was able to haggle it down to 50,000 dong. They initially quoted 100,000 dong for each.
But don't falter. Stick to your guns and don't buy them for more than 50,000 dong if you're
buying a lot. These paintings can be found anywhere. We saw lots of them at Ben Thanh as
well as the Saigon Tax Trade Center.

3.) Lacquer Ware
How much we got them: coasters for 120,000 VND ($7.84 CAD/P325.29) /jewellery
boxes for 30,000 VND ($1.96 CAD/P81.32)
Where we bought them cheap: Ben Thanh Market/Museum of History Souvenir Shop
Details: Vietnam is literally synonymous to lacquer ware. They're everywhere and they
come in different forms -- vases, bowls, plates, coasters, framed art, jewellery boxes,
keychains, and others. The prices vary depending on whether they have egg shells or mother
of pearl inlays. Those that don't are a third cheaper and lower in quality. We were told that
the paint in the lacquer easily smudge.


I wanted to take home lacquer ware in all its forms! Seriously. They're just so colorful and
beautiful! But due to the space and baggage limitation issue, I had to settle with lacquer
coasters and jewellery boxes. I'm very happy with them. I've only used the coasters once
and so far, they're becoming conversation pieces. Looooove them. ;-)

As for the jewellery boxes, I got them from the museum's souvenir shop. When I bought them, I planned to give them as Christmas gifts this December (I try to do my shopping early!). But you know what, the Scrooge in me wants to keep them both for myself! ;-) Or maybe just the eggshell one. ;-) We'll see...;-)

4.) Magnets
How much we got it: 15,000 VND ($0.98 CAD/P40.66)
Where we bought them cheap: Ho Chi Minh Post Office
Details: Jojo and I collect magnets from all the places that we've visited. We hope that
someday, we'll be able to fill up the whole fridge with them! Usually, we buy those
postcard-like clay magnets which has the name of the country and a picture that represents
the place. We wanted them to be somewhat identical in that they're all clay magnets. I saw
some of these magnets in Vietnam. But I just couldn't resist the magnet with a Vietnamese
male and female in traditional garb. They're soooo cute! They come in different colors too. I
saw a pink, red, green, and black one, I think. Of course we chose the green one to match our
wall. ;-) By the way, you can find these magnets everywhere too. They're at the Saigon Trade
Center, Ben Thanh Market, and even at one of the souvenir stores in our Mekong Delta day
trip! The prices are all the same. They're sold at 15,000 VND and no less than that.

5.) Stamps and Postcards
How much we got them: Stamps - around 30,000 VND??!?? (Just working from memory here); Postcards - $1 USD
Where to buy them cheap: HCMC Post Office and from a lady by the Notre Dame Cathedral
Details: I'm not a stamp collector. But how can you resist these beautiful stamps from the Post Office? It came in booklets with a whole set inside. They only cost me 30,000 VND but it turns out to be an expensive purchase. Why? Because now I think I want to collect stamps! ;-) There were many sets to choose from: Vietnamese flowers, fruits, black and white pictures of pre-war Vietnam, traditional wear, and so forth. We went for the Vietnamese fruits. Vietnam is known for their exotic fruits so we thought it was fitting. ;-)

As for the postcards, you can buy them at the post office too if you want. But while we were taking pictures at the Notre Dame, a nice lady came to us and offered the postcards for only $1 USD. She had a whole set of 10 postcards! Unbelievably cheap! Just a bit cheaper than the ones at the post office. I felt bad for her because she had to stay out in the sun to sell her stuff. I was impressed though. She spoke good English! Much better than the salesladies at the Diamond Plaza! ;-)

6.) North Face Bags
How much we got them: Backpacks start at 170,000 VND ($11.09 CAD/P461.16) and Body bags cost 70,000 VND ($4.56 CAD/P189.77)
Where to buy them cheap: Ben Thanh Market
Details: Not one Filipino leaves Vietnam without buying at least one OR a dozen North Face bags to take back. Filipinos take their shopping seriously and are aware that original North Face bags are made in Vietnam. Before going to Vietnam, I checked out the North Face store at Glorietta. I was so surprised! These backpacks cost around P10,000 each! That's crazy! Maybe I'm just not the sporty type so I don't and can't place that high a value on simple backpacks. For that price, I would really rather buy 10 pairs of shoes at Charles and Keith. ;-) The last time I used a backpack was when I was in High School! When I was in University, I used those single-strapped leather bags.

I guess you can call it "peer pressure." They say that you really haven't been to Vietnam unless you buy North Face bags. So I did. I'm gullible that way. ;-) For myself, I bought one green Isabella backpack and an orange body bag. Jojo, on the other hand, went crazy. He bought a couple of backpacks, one body bag, and bags for his officemates and our family members. In total, we bought 15 bags! Yikes.

We checked and compared prices at Ben Thanh Market. And we found one pleasant lady who wasn't pushy (it's uncommon to find one like that at Ben Thanh Market). With a bit of "sweet talking," puppy dog eyes, and a wide grin, I was able to haggle the price down to 170,000 VND for each of the backpacks. Now it's important to note that some backpacks are more expensive than others. They generally start at 170,000 VND and can get up to 200,000 VND! Regardless of the style/model, we only paid 170,000 VND for each one. The body bags cost 70,000 VND each. We bought wholesale (15 bags!) so everyone's happy. We got a great deal and she got her profit. ;-)

How to tell a fake North Face bag from the real one? Honestly, we're not sure. But we noticed the lady showing us the tag for each bag. I guess if it's an original bag, it would have that white tag on the inside. All the zippers worked too and I guess you'll notice the original from the fake ones based on the vibrancy of the color. Original bags are waterproof too.

7.) Shoe Bags
How much we got them: $1 USD or 20,000 VND
Where to buy them cheap: Saigon Tax Trade Center
Details: A word to aptly describe their shoe bags would be: "cute." They're embroidered, are colorful, and they serve their purpose well! Apart from shoe bags, they also have lingerie bags, underwear bags, and etc. Perfect for traveling!

I only bought two. I paid them using USD because their exchange rate is not very good. The item becomes more expensive when paying in VND. If you buy a lot more, you can really haggle the price even lower. These bags are available at the Ben Thanh Market as well.

8.) Vietnamese Coffee
How much we got them: VinaCafe 3-in-1 instant coffee/Highlands Brewed Coffee /Trung
Nguyen 3-in-1 instant coffee - between 30,000-38,000 VND each ($1.96-2.48 CAD /P-81.38-103.08)
Where we got them cheap: Parkson Grocery Store, Saigon Tax Trade Center Supermarket;
Diamond Plaza Grocery Store
Details: One thing to note about the Vietnamese is that they really know how to do their
coffee right. They're robust, rich, yet not too overpowering. There isn't that yucky coffee
aftertaste after sipping a cup of it. It's weird how their coffee gives that extra kick yet still
maintain being light. We've tried all three brands, and for me, I think Trung Nguyen is the
best one. Jojo likes VinaCafe a little better because it's stronger. As for me, I like
cappuccino-ish coffee. I like it with more milk. So Trung Nguyen suits me better. Highlands is
pretty popular in Ho Chi Minh too. Their brewed coffee comes in traditional blend, gourmet,
and heritage blend. Something like that. I don't know exactly how one is different from the
other. But it's good as well. The great thing about Vietnam is that the differences between
their coffee are a bit slight. So you can literally close your eyes and pick any coffee brand or
brew. You can be sure that it'll be good. From all the places I've been in and visited, Vietnam,
bar none, has the BEST coffee. Tim Hortons, Gloria Jean, Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea
Leaf, Bo's, and all the others absolutely pale in comparison! ;-)

9.) Tea Sets and Mini-Condiment Sets
How much we got them:
Tea Set - 140,000 VND ($9.06 CAD/P379.58); Mini-Condiments - 70,000 VND ($4.53 CAD/P189.79)
Where we got them cheap: Ben Thanh Market
Details: The world literally stopped and my heart skipped a beat when I saw these gorgeous tea sets in the market. Yes, they're heavy. Yes, they are too fragile to transport. But I didn't care. I needed to have a tea set before leaving Vietnam! I came across these pretty condiment containers and I needed to have them too. Jojo saw my fierce "Gotta have 'em" look so he didn't argue. It was a battle that he wasn't going to win. ;-) Hahaha! ;-)

The tea sets come in three sizes. Depending on the size, they might come with or without a wooden tray or coasters for each cup. I took the middle-sized tea set which came with the tray but didn't have the coasters. Three tea bags, we were told, would be enough for the pot plus an additional water refill. It came with 6 cups so it was perfect too for Jojo and myself, and 4 guests -- the average number of guests that we usually get for a cozy dinner get-together. ;-)

As for the condiment containers, it came in one size but many different designs. It can be made of white porcelain with Chinese-type designs in blue or red swirls. The one that we chose had a black "body" with different lid colors to choose from. It came in blue, green, and pink. Of course we chose the green one. Again, to match our green wall. ;-) Very very happy with this purchase. Again, we chose another pleasant lady at Ben Thanh to buy from. She patiently showed us the different designs, even if it meant having to ask her assistant to get the other sets from their storage room. And once we had decided on the purchase, she carefully wrapped each one in thick sheets of paper. I'm very happy to say that none of them arrived in Manila with a single chip. Now all I have to do is to find an occasion to use my tea sets. Wanna come over for dinner? ;-) Hahaha! ;-)


10.) Vietnamese Scarves and Tops
How much we got them: Scarves - 30,000 VND ($1.96 CAD/P81.50) and Tops - 130,000 VND ($8.48 CAD/P353.16)
Where we got them cheap: Ben Thanh Market
Details: Silk scarves are perfect pasalubongs (gifts) for older female relatives. The picture below are not the scarves that I bought. I just took the picture from another site. Unfortunately, I had given the scarves away before I remembered to take pictures of them. Anyway, these are the same kind that you will find at the Ben Thanh Market.

As for the tops that I bought, yes, you can find them cheaper in Manila. But let me tell you, they're not the same kind. The fabric of the ones I bought are much better. They don't fray and they're almost wrinkle free. Also, the ones you can find in Manila tiangges (shopping stalls) have a black outline on the collar and below the bust. You have to tie it in a bow at the back too. The ones from Vietnam have a garter under the bust and generally, have a better fit.

I've worn these two tops and have gotten lots of compliments. ;-) I like wearing them too because it hides some flaws (ie: a bulging tummy). ;-) It's very comfortable to wear because you can just let it all "hang out." No need to suck it in. ;-) Hahaha! ;-)

AND....Really, did you think I could name just 10?!?? ;-)

11.) Vietnam bags and purses
How much I got them: Green bag and Patched black bag (80,000 VND/$5.17 CAD/P216.90 each); Black Rosette bag (110,000 VND/$7.11 CAD/P298.24); Coconut shell bag (40,000 VND/$2.59 CAD/P108.45)
Where to buy them cheap: Ben Thanh Night Market/Mekong River Trip Souvenir Stores (for the coconut shell bags)
Details: I'm a bag hag, though not one who is into designer bags or even imitations of them. Vietnam is great because they have a lot of unique bags to choose from. Admittedly, I don't think they are of the best quality. I imagine that the green bag would easily fade in time. Or the one of the rosettes in the black purse would loosen pretty soon. But if you're as careful as I am with my stuff, then it should be okay. If not, then just make sure to buy a lot of the same bag so you can enjoy it for a long time! ;-) It's not going to make a dent on your pocket. They are very cheap, anyway. ;-)


There goes my Top 10 + 1 list! Let me add another list of tips and suggestions to arm you in your shopping escapades in Ho Chi Minh. These are things that are better to know beforehand rather than learn from experience. ;-)

1.) The outlining stalls at the Ben Thanh Market sell their stuff at fixed prices. These are generally more expensive. But it's good to browse here as well so you can have a benchmark. If souvenir shirts here sell for 35,000 VND, you know that you can probably get them for 30,000 VND in the inner stalls of the market. You can use these benchmarks too when haggling. Tell a "white" lie and say, "But I found these shirts for 30,000 VND at the fixed price section. Can you give it to me for lower than that?" ;-) Clever huh? ;-)

2.) The stalls in the main thoroughway of the Ben Thanh Market are a lot more expensive too. Don't be afraid to go deep inside the market. That's where the bargains are. If you have the time, walk each alley and check out every store in a linear fashion. ;-)

3.) Being gentle when haggling can go a long way. Don't be rude! In Filipino, use a bit of "lambing." Use puppy dog eyes, stroke them a bit on the shoulder (a No-no though when you're a guy!), and smile! Compliment them, their country, and their products (but don't patronize!). It usually gets them and they automatically lower the price or meet you halfway. If you still don't agree with the price quoted, thank them and walk away. They will likely go after you and agree on the price that you mentioned. If they don't, just move on and find another seller. There's lots to choose from anyway! ;-)

4.) Except for Parkson and Diamond Plaza, you can pretty much haggle at all the other stores. It's good to have an idea of how much everything costs. Taking 50% off on the quoted price is the norm. They really overprice on the initial quote.

5.) If you plan to buy a lot of the same thing (ex: 15 North Face bags!), try to haggle on the cost of one item at first. Say, they bring that bag down to 170,000 VND. That's when you reveal that you plan to buy 15. Haggle again and ask them to lower the price because you're buying wholesale. All of the sellers that we've encountered have agreed to lower their prices even more for wholesale.

6.) A number of the salesladies are pretty pushy. They literally grab you by the hand and drag you to their stores. In these situations, smile and firmly say "No." Unless you want to be dragged around, don't make eye contact with the salesladies. From experience, I think they see this as interest and an open invitation to BE dragged and taken to their stall! ;-)

7.) Things to bring with you while shopping: very airy and comfortable footwear (flip flops or Crocs), one of those tiny and mobile battery-operated fans (trust me!You'll thank me later for this suggestion), a small calculator (a lot of them have trouble communicating in English and it's a great tool for haggling!), wet tissues (Vietnam is verrrry humid and it can get pretty sticky!Eeeewww.), bottled water, and a small bag or belt bag. The spaces between stalls are tiny. It will be a pain to have to carry those huge backpacks. It can hit anything and everyone in sight. Not very pleasant to bring with you.

8.) When leaving Vietnam and you're sure that you're a few kilos over the baggage limitation, make sure you choose a pleasant-looking person at the counter to line up on. That sounded bad huh? ;-) No, I meant for you to choose someone who looks like a nice person. There's always that something that allows you to tell. Say "How are you?" and flash them a...smile. Hey, what were you thinking??!?? ;-) Hahaha! ;-) Make a bit of small talk and cross your fingers and toes that they'll let you by without penalty for exceeding the limit. That's what I did and it worked! ;-) We weren't over by just a few kilos. We were over by a LOT of kilos. Jojo and I each had a couple of carry-ons. We're actually only allowed a carry on( 7 kilos max) and a small purse (around 3 kilos maybe?). A backpack is NOT at all a small purse! Jojo's carry on and mine each totalled 10 kilos! Each of our backpacks were at least 7 kilos. Our checked in luggage -- 4 in total, were over by about 15 kilos! Oh my. But we got through without having to pay a dime. Whew!

9.) Are you now ready to shop? ;-) Here are the addresses of the shops and stores that I mentioned. Show them to your trusty VinaSun taxi driver (don't pick anyone else!) and you're now on your way! From one shopaholic to another, ENJOY SHOPPING IN ARTSY VIETNAM! ;-)

BEN THANH MARKET / BEN THANH NIGHT MARKET
Intersection of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, and Tranh Hung Dao
Note: Ben Thanh Market opens at around 7 am. When the stores close at around 6, it is replaced by the Ben Thanh Night Market which opens on the side streets surrounding the indoor market.

KIM DO ART GALLERY
133 Nguyen Hue Street, District 1

MUSEUM OF HISTORY SOUVENIR SHOP
2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, District 1

HO CHI MINH POST OFFICE/NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
2 Cong Xa Paris, District 1

PARKSON GROCERY STORE
45 Le Than Ton Street, District 1

SAIGON TAX TRADE CENTER
135 Nguyen Hau, District 1

DIAMOND PLAZA
34 Le Duan, District 1

SINH CAFE (Ticketing Office for the Mekong River Day Trip) 246 De Tham Street, District 1

Our Home Away From Home in Ho Chi Minh City

It's been a week since we got back from our Vietnam trip. I should have written this post way sooner. But it took me that long to get out of the "holiday" mode. ;-) Now that I'm in full gear, expect a series of Baguio entries (promised from before) and Ho Chi Minh entries in the coming days and weeks. That is, depending on how long it will take me to write them. But they're a comin'. ;-)

Jojo and I were in Ho Chi Minh from June 19 to 25. We didn't go through any travel agency or anything. Through research, we found that it actually ends up being cheaper to plan and book the trip yourself. Cebu Pacific had an online promo on air travel and from browsing hotel rates in HCMC, we found that they're actually way cheaper than Manila. The only challenge I had was figuring out which hotel to book. HCMC has a lot of hotels in every corner. In order to figure out which hotel to book, I literally had to list a criteria of some sort. What were we looking for in a hotel? What's most important?

Before getting into that, it's important to note that as travelers, Jojo and I don't exactly look for luxury. It would be nice if we had it, of course. But we would really rather splurge on the shopping. Anyway, from experience, we know that we only stay in the hotel to sleep. We don't spend much of our time there since we're often out getting a taste and exposure of the culture more than anything else. So from there, these are the criteria and requirements that we decided on in finding the perfect hotel for us:

1.) The hotel has to be near a landmark shopping destination. Think walking distance.
For Ho Chi Minh, we chose the Ben Thanh Market as our shopping destination. It's a great location since by foot, it's only 5-10 minutes away from the Dong Khoi area. Dong Khoi is where you can find the malls, high-end shops, and art galleries. It is also where the infamous Rex Hotel, Lam Son Square, Municipal Hall, and other attractions are. Perfect! ;-)

2.) The hotel rate has to be within our budget.
Using tripadvisor.com, I was able to get a sense of the hotel rates, services, and added perks for various hotels. From this I discovered that it's a norm in HCMC to get a mini-breakfast buffet spread along with your accommodation. You get to choose from pho (Vietnamese soup), baguette and eggs, fruits, spring rolls, toast, and fruits. I also discovered that most of the hotels have 2 or 3 computer stalls in the lobby which you can use to get online for free! Another thing that I found is that most, if not all the hotels offer airport pick up and transfer ranging from $15-20 per way. Airport pick-up is even free if you stay at that same hotel for 7 days.

Depending on the type and size of room, accommodation in these type of budget hotels cost no more than $50 USD. In fact, they can go as low as $20 USD/night! These $20 rooms are often in the Pham Ngu Lao area (backpacker's district) and have no elevators. Hotels in the Ben Thanh area generally start at $25. We went the middle road and made our budget $30-35/night.

3.) The hotel should have gotten a lot of good reviews online for their cleanliness and great service. Having hot/cold shower, cable TV, aircon, mini-fridge, and toiletries should be a given as well.
I did my share of research for this, visiting sites like Trip Advisor, Real Travel, Agoda, and the like. On Trip Advisor, Ha Hien Hotel came out being #27 out of 208 reviewed hotels. It's not bad. I checked out the other hotels that came before Ha Hien and they were either too posh and expensive (think Hyatt) or the rooms didn't look too appealing in pictures. Most of them weren't as close to Ben Thanh as I wanted them to be either. Based on the reviews and the criteria above, it seemed that Ha Hien Hotel was the best one for us.

So a couple of weeks before the trip, I decided to book and reserve at the hotel website. Before that, I noticed that the rates given at Agoda were a few dollars cheaper. I wasn't sure if Agoda is legit so just to be sure, I emailed Ha Hien through their website asking about it. I emailed them one evening and upon waking up the next day, I was pleased to get a quick response from them. They confirmed that they have a tie up with Agoda but encouraged us to book straight through to the hotel anyway. They matched Agoda's rates and even told us about their 20% off promo. I was all smiles when they told us that a standard room for two only costs $27! That's the one without a window. Perfect! After reading about the loud traffic noise in HCMC, we opted for no-window rooms during our stay. Wow. It's even way below our budget. ;-)

Since we were traveling late at night, we requested for airport pick up. They only charged an additional $18 for a four-seater car. All in all, our 6-night stay and one-way airport transfer cost $180 USD! How can you beat that? Unbelievably cheap. So for this price, how did Ha Hien Hotel fare? Let me start with the good. ;-)

1.) Online booking was at its most convenient.
I expected to have to leave them a credit card number to secure the booking. But everything was just done through email correspondence. We finalized the details two weeks before our arrival. I was a bit weary that the booking would be forgotten or lost so I emailed them the day before we left to give them a gentle reminder. I realized after that that was just completely unnecessary. They had everything under control and I didn't need to worry about a thing. I should've known that from the hotel's prompt email responses throughout our correspondence. I didn't need to wait more than five hours to get a response -- regardless of how early or late I emailed them. ;-)

2.) The airport pick up was prompt, service was good, and we were charged less than we should have been.
Our plane landed in HCMC at 12:30 am. Passing through customs and picking up our checked-in luggage took another ten minutes. Just to be sure, I told Ha Hien Hotel that our arrival would be between 12:30 and 1:30 am. Cebu Pacific, our carrier, is not exactly known for being on time so I expected the worst. But when we got out at 12:40, we were pleased to see a couple of smiling faces holding a sheet with my name in a huge computer-printed font. One was the designated driver and the other, we later realized, is the bell boy. ;-) The bell boy quickly took our luggage and through some Charades, told us that we had to wait for the van. It arrived after two minutes. Since neither of them spoke English, it was a quiet 20-minute ride all the way to the hotel.

I was quite surprised that they only charged us $18 for the pick up. From my correspondence with them, I know that we had a choice between a four-seater (in other words, a car) or a 7-seater (a van). I opted for the four-seater of course since there's only the two of us and a few luggage that could easily fit in the trunk. I guess the other one wasn't available so they charged us the rate of the 4-seater still. I thought that it was very honest of them to do that. I was liking them already. ;-) By the way, all payment was not made until check-out. Upon arriving, they didn't ask for a credit card number still. They will only ask for the passports of all the guests. And this is okay. Don't worry about giving them your passports. This is the standard in HCMC. To alleviate all the stress and worry that this could cause you, just make sure you have a photocopy of your passport on hand. ;-)

3.) You get way more than what you pay for at Ha Hien Hotel!
For the price, I was honestly expecting the worst. But upon seeing the room, Jojo and I were truly pleased! There's no denying that it is, indeed, a budget hotel. The furniture could definitely be more stylish and modern. Vietnam is known for their art. A more beautiful painting could be on display. The shower curtain could be updated too. Despite these minor things, it is obvious that Ha Hien Hotel does all that it can to provide a relaxing and hassle-free stay for all their guests.

First of, I was surprised to see them using card keys to open the rooms. There are a number of posher hotels in Manila that still use regular keys! Second, Jojo and I were very happy to see our room clean and pristine. The hotel's housekeeping obviously pay a lot of attention to detail when doing their job. Guiltily, Jojo and I left the room in such a mess everyday. But, everyday, when we got back, it would be as if nothing happened. ;-) Everything is still as how we first saw the room.
Another thing that really made me happy about the hotel is the shower's water pressure. ;-) I know. These are things that people hardly notice. But for someone who spends 20 minutes in the shower, this is definitely an added bonus. ;-) The water pressure was so strong that showering was like getting a massage! I LOVED it! Hot water was readily available too -- and it could get as hot as you could handle it. ;-) Yay!

There's also the mini-fridge stocked with interesting Vietnamese drinks (at reasonable prices too!), the comfortable split-type aircon, cable TV with a gazillion channels (specifically with the Travel and Living channel, Discovery, and AXN!), the cozy and clean bed linen, and the toiletries! Everyday, they stock the room up with a couple of toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, cream, Q-tips, cotton, and a razor. What else is there to look for? ;-)

4.) Ha Hien Hotel's location can't be beat.
Ben Thanh Market is open everyday from 7 am until 6 pm. After that, they have a night market that's open until 10, I think. Near Ben Thanh is the infamous Pho 2000 where Bill Clinton dined when he was in Vietnam. There are a number of restaurants, coffee houses, and shops in the area too. If you are willing to walk another five minutes from Ben Thanh, you'll get on that strip there that's synonymous to Hongkong's Nathan Road. There are grocery stores there, malls, art galleries, hotels, and trendy boutiques.

Ha Hien Hotel is literally just 2 minutes away from Ben Thanh. I say two minutes because it would probably take 30 seconds to walk it and another 90 seconds to cross the street! ;-) No, it's not because the streets in HCMC are wide. But HCMC is notorious for their motorcycles and crossing the street can definitely be a challenge. ;-)

5.) Their service is topnotch.
My husband is very particular about service. This could be due to his line of work. He has worked in the Marketing and Sales department at the bank for many years. Despite the language barrier, I was happy to see my husband to be very happy with the hotel's service. Everyone was just so attentive. On our third day and breakfast (!) at the hotel, the waitress offered to bring me Vietnamese iced coffee. I had ordered it twice before and that day, I had a sensitive stomach so I decided not to get it. But the waitress remembered and that was very sweet of her! The people at the front desk were very accommodating too. And believe me, I bothered them about a lot of things. And my questions were as random as they could get. How do you get to Sinh Cafe? How many minutes away is Cholon? Are there any fast food places that deliver at 11 pm? Do we have to pay tax at the airport? ;-) Yeah, I know. They probably knew me there as the girl with a ton of questions. ;-) But you know what? They were very patient with me. And they had an answer for all of my questions too. On our first day, they gave us a map of District 1 and were sincerely helpful. Upon stepping out of the hotel, there's hotel staff there waiting to hail a cab for us too. And each time they hailed a cab for us, they made sure it was one of the reliable companies -- VinaSun or Mai Linh. I know this because I've read about it in a travel guide book.

Okay. So that's the list of the good. As for the picky things that they could improve on, here it is:

1.) Apart from the pho and the baguette, most of the items in their breakfast spread were greasy and bland.
Jojo and I liked the soup and it was very good. The serving was quite hefty too. As for all the other items, they were okay but definitely could be better. The Vietnamese spring rolls are a staple in the spread. And sadly, they're consistently greasy too. We tried their meat buns and this dry noodle dish that looks similar to our pancit. Nothing to rave about, really. But on a good note, I loved their iced coffees! The pho does not disappoint as well. The other items could be more flavorful though, that's all.

2.) The beds are hard!
I read about this in Trip Advisor as well. It's not just Ha Hien Hotel that's guilty of providing those hard and stiff beds. Apparently, a lot of the hotels in HCMC have them too. They don't hurt your back or anything. I mean, you get used to it after a while. It's just uncomfortable at first. But a cushier bed would be nice. ;-)

3.) The water from the tub spills over to another drain by the toilet!
Bubble baths are out of the question, I guess. I just found it so odd that it did that. I mean, the tub itself, had a drain. But for some reason, there's another hole in the tub that directs water to another drain outside of it. It can get annoying because here I am with my 20-minute high-pressured showers. The drain is pretty efficient in that it doesn't flood the bathroom. It just creates a sloppy mess. Towels had to be placed all over the bathroom floor. It's a place that's kinda waiting for an accident like a slip or a fall.

Apart from these 3, this is it for the "bad" things that I can think of. Overall, Jojo and I had a pleasant stay at Ha Hien Hotel. We truly enjoyed their service and had a definite taste of Vietnamese hospitality. ;-) If you're asking me whether we will go back and stay there again, I'll say "For sure!" ;-) Even without its luxuries, Ha Hien Hotel was our, in a true sense of the word, home-away-from-home. We loved it there and this hotel comes highly recommended if you're in search of a budget hotel in HCMC.