"Saigon: to enjoy, forget about hygiene" Top 5 Page for this destination Ho Chi Minh City by Unknownsu


Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide: 3,379 reviews and 5,980 photos

Saigon: to enjoy, forget about hygiene - Ho Chi Minh City

When we resist our fate, we suffer.
When we accept it, we are happy.
We have time in abundance, an eternity to repeat our mistakes
...but we need only once correct our mistake...
...and at last hear the song of enlightenment...
...with which we can break the chain of vengeance forever.
In your heart you can hear it now.
It's the song your spirit has been singing since the moment of your birth.
If the monks were right and nothing happens without cause...
...then the gift of suffering is to bring us closer to God;
To teach us to be strong when we are weak;
To be brave when we are afraid;
To be wise in the midst of confusion;
And to let go of that we can no longer hold.
Lasting victories are won in the heart, not on this land or that.

Billboard - Ho Chi Minh City

Billboard

When you mention the name Vietnam, most people assume you mean the war, forgetting the actual country. I recently returned from three months travelling and was delighted to experience such a refreshingly unspoiled and emerging travel destination. Twenty eight years since the end of the war, it is a country at peace, with spectacular geography, a vibrant culture, and genuinely friendly people.

The streets of Saigon are always full of human energy. First, there is the incessant traffic. The noise is constant, as there are an estimated 2 million motorcycles, which are currently the mode of transportation of choice. The density of traffic can be mind-boggling, and it is a miracle that one can actually cross a street amidst the almost continuous flow. The experience is terrifying at first, but after a while, one gets used to walking slowing and deliberately so that the pilots can anticipate your moves and avoid you without having to stop. Although the numbers are falling, there are still many cyclos which can take you for a human-powered ride in the freshness of the night, as well as bicycles ridden with elegance by girls in immaculate Ao Dais.
The sidewalks do not have anything to envy to the pavement in terms of action, as people spend much of their lives on the streets, in what is an open and communal lifestyle. They would study, play, eat, have a haircut, watch TV with family and friends, take a nap, all on the sidewalks. Those who sleep there often do so not because they are homeless (watch how clean they are), but to enjoy the freshness of a breeze.

Vietnamese Ao Dai - Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnamese Ao Dai

The first day arriving in Ho Chi Minh City was one of shock and horror! I was beginning to have regrets of jumping on a plane and traveling half-way around the world. No matter how much research and study you do prior to arriving, nothing prepares you for the sights, sounds and smells of Vietnam! After settling down, you begin to realize the culture and people around you, thus, you can fully enjoy your trip! Being of Chinese decent, I do not speak a word of Vietnamese and most of the english speaking Vietnamese are found in Dist 1 also known as Saigon so in other Districts, you have to be pretty creative with sign language and do a lot of pointing.......Food is the best part of the trip, I think. In some places, you could find Pho (noodle soup) for as low as 30 cents Canadian. If you're American, that's 20 cents. And if you're Japanese, that's less than 0 Yen! ^_^

Vietnam truly is not for the faint-hearted......everything is open-air therefore, you have flies. Prepare yourself to dine with them.......I've seen food drop on the floor and then sold to customers.....but then again, that's in every country, the Western ones just don't let you see it happen.

In my opinion, I think the cyclos are best avoided. I was lied to by a Chinese cyclo driver who claims he would never lie to a someone of the same race. Needless to say, I will never ride another cyclo for as long as I live, not because of him, but because I never felt safe on the slow moving, sun burning, 3 wheeled vehicles.

The main reason why I constantly make Vietnam part of my itinerary is because of the friends I have managed to make for myself during my extensive stay in Ho Chi Minh City. Even though I can point out great numbers of bad qualities Vietnam has to offer, there's no doubt about it, I love this city and the outstanding people who reside in it.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Vibrant Culture, Friendly Locals, Delicious Food
  • Cons:Pollution, Traffic, Language Barrier, Duel Pricing
  • Last visit to Ho Chi Minh City: Mar 2008
  • Intro Updated Apr 2, 2008
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Comments (61)

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  • dnvt05 Sep 19, 2010 at 4:08 PM Report Abuse

    LOL!!! You are great. Love the way you describe your experiences in HCMC! Thanks for all the great tips!

  • ValbyDK's Profile Photo
    ValbyDK Jun 29, 2008 at 9:14 AM Report Abuse

    Hi Jimmy. You have a great HCMC page. I hope to go there later this year. Thx for the tips.

  • itsCharlie's Profile Photo
    itsCharlie Sep 28, 2007 at 1:34 AM Report Abuse

    You've got some great pictures there! Great profile of Ho Chi Minh. I just moved here myself for a few months and it gave me some good insights. Thanks

  • y_lyn's Profile Photo
    y_lyn Sep 10, 2007 at 6:16 AM Report Abuse

    Wow... took so many photos with the ao dai gals.. :) So lucky

  • Loubna's Profile Photo
    Loubna Aug 19, 2007 at 5:56 PM Report Abuse

    Great tips :o) I am going there this week and soooo looking forward to it :o) Happy travels!

  • albaaust's Profile Photo
    albaaust Jun 20, 2006 at 5:45 AM Report Abuse

    Some interesting tips-enjoyed reading your pages.

  • jetcat's Profile Photo
    jetcat Mar 25, 2006 at 9:46 AM Report Abuse

    Like they are saying here ... you really gotta watch out for these adorable little girls that try to sell you gum. They are so little and cute, however many are also trained by thier parents to pick your pocket!

  • gopeace's Profile Photo
    gopeace Jun 26, 2005 at 7:20 AM Report Abuse

    Thanks for sharing the nice trip you had at Vietnam....Vietnam will be in one of my the travel list :-)

  • S^nnY's Profile Photo
    S^nnY Jun 15, 2005 at 4:09 AM Report Abuse

    Hii..I am pleased to read your lines about VN.Thank you for sharing!

  • the_visitor Feb 27, 2005 at 9:19 AM Report Abuse

    I really enjoyed reading your tips and pages! Thank you!

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