"Saigon Saigon !" Top 5 Page for this destination Ho Chi Minh City by bpacker

Written before the trip @ Changi Airport : I'm filled with anticipation as I'm writing this. I'm finally going to HoChiMinCity! Since I only have a few days here, I intend to have a blast of a time and explore HCMC using some tips from helpful VTers. They'll come in handy as I'll be exploring HCMC by myself in the daytime.
Apart from checking out the haunted Rex Hotel, I've made up my mind to take some day trips. So what's this about the hotel?Apparently I heard it was standing during the time of the Viet War and since it was just over 30 years ago,I'm sure old memories remain. Well, let's see how it goes..

Written post trip:

I had a blast of a time alright. Saigon is a bustling place, filled to the brim with new found capitalism and enthusiasm. You'll find tremendous excitement and energy everywhere, from the crazy Grand Prix traffic to the energetic buying and selling in Ben Tanh market.

Of course, I received a culture shock on my first day here. Nothing prepares you for the traffic here, not the crazy conditions in Manila nor the jam-packed streets of Bangkok. I was nearly mowed down by an exodus of motorbikes and honked at by countless of drivers. Thank God I returned with all my limbs intact. If not, I'll have to join a beggar syndicate.

Also, it didn't help that I was exploring HCMC by myself. I was harassed by cyclos, Honda-Om opportunists and would you believe it, Japanese men! All spoke to me in Japanese. So, after being KONNICHIWAed and KOMBANWAed for countless of times, I learned to take it like a pro with a polite smile, by the second day. I'll still say HCMC is safe for a single female traveller but it takes some getting used to. Lug along another companion if possible. Not necessary though, if you have Lucy Lawless biceps and her yodel.

The highlights of my trip were my day trips out of HCMC and my foodie adventures. However much I loved the shopping, culture and energy in HCMC, nothing beats sitting on a slow boat to Mekong Delta and squeezing inside a dusty tunnel in Cu Chi. I've detailed and photographed my experiences for all. So if you're keen on a high-octane experience in HCMC, print my pages out and have a blast of a time there.

Post Trip Thoughts: This webpage is actually written to encourage other wives like myself. Yes, it's possible to have a blast of a time even when you're alone in the daytime in a strange city. All you need is a good dose of gung-ho spirit ( in my case coffee).Oh yes, Rex Hotel wasn't haunted after all, and I didn't see anything extraordinary up there, despite my nosing about

The Real Ms Mekong Delta

I went to the Mekong Delta and the famed Cu Chi Tunnel. Both trips were full of surprises. Yes, never a dull moment for me. I've made many new friends during the trip, the most memorable one was a 2m long female. You can read more about it over here

Pho Hoa, Pasteur, HCMC

The food here is fantastic! As always, I ate my way around, sampling haute cuisine to street food. Many delicious discoveries were made along the way...

• Pros:Beautiful Old Architecture, Shopping and lots of Food
• Cons:Crazy Traffic, Smog, Touchy Feely Locals, Different Pricing for Tourists, Not much a night life
• In a nutshell:Up and Coming City. Vive le Capitalism!