However, my pick for getting around is the old,
one sandal in front of the other until I either become very lost or very tired.
Then I whip out my hotel’s business card which I grabbed on my way out
and with a big smile on my face, I show the card to a motorbike taxi or cyclo
guy, ask how much, negotiate a price, climb aboard and head for home. The
benefits of traveling on foot are many. We know it’s healthy, but even
more importantly it makes us an active participant in the environment around
us, our senses draw in the smells and sounds as we become part of the unfolding
scene around us. If I let my mind wander a little, which it often does, as I
drift down the streets and back alleys of Saigon ,
I can imagine myself as a modern day Marco Polo, and I never want to go home.
The following are a few ideas that may bring out the Marco Polo in
you:
Binh Quoi Tourist
Village
1147 Xo Viat Nghe Tinh
Binh Thanh District
Hours: the park is open pretty much all day
Dinner Buffet – about 6:00
Entrance fee – none for the park during the day
Dinner Buffet – 79,000 dong plus drinks and specialties.
It is a very pretty and well-maintained park. There are even little traditional cottages that can be rented for an overnight stay. The dinner buffet, or to be more accurate the outdoor feast, is prepared in the traditional way over open charcoal fires, and served at stations by the cooking fires. Is a bit expensive by Vietnamese standards but is an enjoyable and interesting experience. Over the last two years, my friends and I have done this several times and have never been disappointed. The live Vietnamese background music helps to keep your mind off how much food you’ve already packed away as you head out for a just a little more sticky rice, another slice of barbequed pig or “hey, where did that strange looking stuff come from, I need more of that.” Most of the crowd is Vietnamese and don’t let their smaller size fool you, they can be big, serious eaters, so don’t be shy. Jump in and grab what you want before someone else does. A second tip is to wear lightweight loose clothing, it’s very hot out there with the lights and cooking fires, but no shorts or grubby clothes unless you enjoy having your Vietnamese dinner partners looking down there collective noses at you. Also, keep in mind that it’s a long trip out from city center, so if you haven’t found a friend yet with a motorbike or made travel arrangements with your new best friend the taxi driver, check with your hotels front desk, they will gladly help you in arranging transport. Oh, one last thing, remember that when you make your travel arrangements out you also make arrangements for your return. There are not many available taxis out and about at night.
Ho Chi Minh Museum
So 1 Nguyen Tat Thanh
Dist 4, 40-1094
Hours: 7:30 am – 11:30 am
Closed for lunch
1:30 pm– 4:30 pm
Entrance fee: Vietnamese – 2,000 dong
Foreigners – 10,000 dong
The museum is in District 4, just across the
Reunification Place
Dist. 1
930- 6325
Hours: 7:30 am – 11:30 am
Closed for lunch
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
My first visit in 1999 was more fun then now. There were so few visitors on my first visit that you just wandered in the front gate, paid your admission if someone was there and walked throughout the place and the grounds pretty undisturbed. Now you are processed in, formed up into tour groups, and guided through. However, for us free spirits it is easy to give your guide the slip and wonder around on your own. To be fair though, the guides are very well trained, quite knowledgeable even though at times they come off a little mechanical. A few highlights of my visits were the classical musical instruments, hollowed out elephant foot containers, model boats and the overall layout of the palace, from the war room in the basement to the heliport on the roof.
War Remnants in
Dist.3
930-6325
Hours 7:30 am – 11:45 am
Closed for lunch
1:30 pm – 5:45 pm
You need to get a little psyched for this one.
Remember when you look at the photos on display here that they only reflect one
side of the Vietnam war story (or as the Vietnamese government says- The
American War) and yes, no matter what the carnage from the war is horrific.
There is a good display of bombs and other destructive devices if you’re
into that. A must see, if you have never seen the effects of war up close and personal.
More
interesting things to do:
Dinner Boats on the
Ecological Trip on the River by speedboat: (That’s what they call it) Sunday day trip (8:30 am – 3:00 pm) on the Saigon River – leaving from Bach Dang Park by the hydrofoil terminal to Vang Tau – A 15 foot runabout carries you and your fellow travelers up the river to Binh Quoi Tourist Village, with a lunch stop at Lai Thieu fruit garden and several other somewhat interesting places. For me it wasn’t so much the destinations but an inexpensive way to head out on the river.
Take in at flick: Diamond Plaza Cinema, 34 Le Duan
(a few blocks from the cathedral)
Tickets cost 30,00 dong during the week and 40,000 on the weekend
Three films a day are shown at the following times:
11:00AM - 13:00PM, 15:00PM - 17:00PM,
19:00PM - 21:00PM (time for first film)
10:40AM - 12:40AM, 14:40PM - 16:40PM,
18:40PM - 20:40PM (time for second film)
10:50AM - 12:50AM, 14:50PM - 16:50PM,
18:50PM - 20:50PM (time for third film)
Diamond Plaza is a Korean owned complex, also housing an
exclusive, upscale western style department store with a KFC restaurant (yup,
tastes just the same) and even a very modern bowling alley. The sky View Coffee Shop on the 13
floor serves up a great view your yummy treats.
Make some new friends on a Sunday morning at The
English Speaking club at Ho Chi Minh City Youths Cultural House, 4 Pham
Ngoc Thack St. district 1 about a block from Diamond Plaza Don’t be put off with
the youth thing, people of all ages are in attendance. As you enter your
entrance fee will be waved, and you will be given a flyer suggesting discussion
topics. But don’t concern yourself about the topics. Most of the conversations
will revolve around you – who
you are, where are you from, how long are you in
Ok, you need a break, a chance to cool down, relax, and spiff yourself up a bit. So, how about a trim around the ears, a shampoo, face, and upper body masseuse to get you back on track. As you wonder around Saigon you will see numerous signs saying Men’s Shampoos (women are welcome also) look for one off the tourist track, like Duyen Dang 1, 44 Truong Dinh, P. Ben Thanh, dist 1. That would be located about 2 blocks from Ben Thanh market around the corner from the intersection of Ly Tu Trong and Truong Dinh. The works should set you back about 80.000 dong or about $6.00 US… Enjoy!