Korean Job Discussion Forums

[last goodbye]

I'm goin to Saigon in a few weeks...who has been? what can ya tell me?

Any cool hostels where you met other (cool) travelers...

What are some cool places...well-known and not so well known?

ANything you can tell me is helpful...do's/dont's... nightspots...day trips...

Thanks

[cruisemonkey]

I'd go to the ex-presidential residence, the War Atrocities Museum and the main square with it's French colonial architecture: the Rex Hotel, Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral... and the big market located right next to the square. I don't know anything about the nightlife because I was only there for one day.

[Richard Krainium]

Have a good time.

[J.B. Clamence]

If you're a guy, if you walk around alone downtown after dark, lots of hookers on scooters will proposition you. Some don't take no for an answer.

[the saint]

get a flight out immediately to Dalat and spend the holiday there. I regret that we didn't trade our time in Saigon for our time in Dalat. Next time we'll know better...

[happeningthang]

I'm stuck in Saigon right now.

If you're looking to meet travellers, cool or otherwise, Pham Ngu Lao is the local backpacker ghetto. Be aware that status means you'll be hounded by peddlars, drug dealers, hookers, and beggars from the moment you walk out the door until you get back in. If you can deal with that, good luck to you.

I can recommend Lac Vien Hotel on Pham Ngu Lao St, as a quality cheapish hotel starting at $20 a room, but there's plenty of options around here if you're watching your money. Just across the street from there is LePub, which is a bit of an ex-pat hang out with cheap drink deals every night. Food's pretty good, but edging towards pricey for Vietnam.

Speaking of money, it'd be helpful to have an idea of what the normal price is for a given service or goods before you try and buy. Foreigner tax is a b*tch in Vietnam, and you'll be soaked by anyone and everyone for anything if there's a chance of getting some extra dong. It might seem petty to haggle with the very poor over what will work out to a fraction of the cost of a coffee, but if you do it often enough (twice) you become a bit of a local celebrity and will attract all sorts of undesired attention. Have an idea of what you want to pay, and walk away if it's not forthcoming.

Really, I'd listen to the guy who suggested Da Lat, not that I've been there, but I've spent a few months now in HCMC and I haven't found anything special enough to warrant more than a week in the city. Daytrips are the usual tours of the Cu Chi Tunnels, widened to accommodate fatty foriegner girths, and complete with shooting range, Mekong River tours, and that's about it.

Don't let me put you off. I've been forced to stay longer than I want, or need to be in Saigon, and I'm just utterly over it. It's still a humming city and interesting enough to new eyes. The zoo is a surreal experience with neon models of the 'Wonders of the World', thumping techno music, bumper cars, a temple, and a collection of very, very bored, but exotic, animals sharing their cages and pens with the rats - all in a French colonial garden setting.

The traffic here is UNBELIEVABLE with scooters ruling the road and intersections motorised moshpits. Hire a scooter and test yourself while getting around to the sights. Makes it a bit more interesting than having to deal with people cloying for your cash every two steps.

There are more than a few initially interesting museums, which will remind you war sucks, but Vietnam beat America (who were B*ASTARDS and really it was all their fault) the only one really interesting to me was the Reunification Palace, unchanged apart from patching up a few tank shell impact points, and complete with helicopter on the roof.

Have a good trip.

[the saint]

[crazylemongirl]

If you want an interesting little exursion, walk to the infamous soup shop where the Tet Offensive was planned. Great way to get the sights and sounds of the city, and some history. The soup is not bad either.

[jajdude]

My favorite place was Nha Trang. Saigon is hectic and can be stressful with the heat and noise and constant seekers of money, but the nitelife is good.

[rvintage]

Nha Trang has less noise I guess, but I would say that the constant seekers of money are out in extreme numbers!!!!

I was also not impressed with Saigon. Filthy and congested.

Mui Ne I was impressed with. Low key and not overly touristy, great beach, 4 hour bus from Saigon, and only got hit up for money when we were sightseeing outside of town. The bus ride sux, but it is well worth it to get somewhere that is nice and relaxing...