Vietnam

[Henabi]

Even in other parts of hcmc... It is also safe as well...

Otherwise just make friends and get tips from them

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[Delsamor]

But snatch thief problem is still very real. Not hear say, really happened to my friend’s vnb and mine too. Better to keep all your valuable items in the bag and hold on tightly when walking along the road side.

 

[Henabi]

should be alrite to travel solo ...
Have seen few ang moh female backpackers walking alone at ben thanh market ...
hcm hotels are not expensive.
you can get a 3* hotel for about $30+ per nite per room ...

SQ is now having $198, however most of their promo is two to go ...
would advise people to fly SQ if they want to fly full fledged ...
SQ is using a330 (bigger aircraft), vn airline is using a320 (same as jetstar)

If budget airline, can consider jetstar, scoot, vietjet ...
if having promo should be around $80+ onwards ...
however if your travel period falls within labour day period, prices should be higher

If wanna fly budget... i will only choose VietJet + Skyboss
Reasons:
1) 10kg handcarry + 30Kg check-in
2) Changi Airport T4 Plaza lounge access
3) separate SKYBOSS check-in counter
4) First to board. and sit first row.
5) First to alight at TSN Airport. If You don't alight, others cannot alight
6) Separate VIP Car/SUV to ferry you from the plane to the TSN airport immigration custom
7) Free food and drinks onboard. plus the female cabin crew will keep asking me: "Sir want any more drinks? any more food?"

so far... best budget airline experience.

 

[dede1217]

If wanna fly budget... i will only choose VietJet + Skyboss
Reasons:
1) 10kg handcarry + 30Kg check-in
2) Changi Airport T4 Plaza lounge access
3) separate SKYBOSS check-in counter
4) First to board. and sit first row.
5) First to alight at TSN Airport. If You don't alight, others cannot alight
6) Separate VIP Car/SUV to ferry you from the plane to the TSN airport immigration custom
7) Free food and drinks onboard. plus the female cabin crew will keep asking me: "Sir want any more drinks? any more food?"

Checked many dates of vietjet skyboss, price is $530.66 to fly HCM ...
Your definition of budget is to pay $530+ to fly hcm ???

i rather fly SQ instead $198 , use the $332 go shopping and hotel ...

 

[dede1217]

Would still prefer to use grab in hcm ...
From hotels nearby d1 ben thanh market, go to co-op mart is about $27k vnd
if go to big c, is about $54k ...

took taxi before, instead of grab $27k, turned out to be $54k ...
the driver went detour ... many drivers there dont speak english ...
told them, they also dont know what you talking ...

 

[Shanice78]

You will love the city easy to walk around.
This weekend Vietnam is celebrating their independent day. It's gonna be very colourful from this Saturday onwards till 1st May

Just don't use your phone while walking along the streets.

Hotels usually have a variety of city tour... Motorbike tour as well.

Just came back from hcmc this morning.

The weather on Saturday and Sunday was between 32 to 34. Cloudy partly. But felt like 32. Very different from weather forecast.

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Thanks for the heads up!! Most likely will do Super Budget if I’m travel solo. Stay female dorm room with breakfast. Dun feel safe wth staying mixed dorm.

Will check it out. Thanks.

 

[Shanice78]

should be alrite to travel solo ...
Have seen few ang moh female backpackers walking alone at ben thanh market ...
hcm hotels are not expensive.
you can get a 3* hotel for about $30+ per nite per room ...

SQ is now having $198, however most of their promo is two to go ...
would advise people to fly SQ if they want to fly full fledged ...
SQ is using a330 (bigger aircraft), vn airline is using a320 (same as jetstar)

If budget airline, can consider jetstar, scoot, vietjet ...
if having promo should be around $80+ onwards ...
however if your travel period falls within labour day period, prices should be higher

Noted. Will check out more details again on the airline.

Jobless now. So thking to travel before looking for a job.

Mayb can go more than 1 week or so.

Thanks.

 

[saffronsatire]

Noted. Will check out more details again on the airline.

Jobless now. So thking to travel before looking for a job.

Mayb can go more than 1 week or so.

Thanks.

Must go the surrounding cities, heard some are nice

 

[Shanice78]

Must go the surrounding cities, heard some are nice

Thanks. Noted.

Now scoots got promo. 2 to go! Checked round end May abt s$200 for 2 to go!! Just ticket only!!

Seem cheap!

 

[xpherta]

Aplenty. Backpacker inn are filled with all kinds of tours to let you explore the hcmc be it trekking or moto tour.
For trekking, do bring appropriate medications and anti bug bites cream or oil.

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How is the traffic there? town areas is chaotic but what about the rural/outside town/ coastal areas?

 

[Henabi]

Checked many dates of vietjet skyboss, price is $530.66 to fly HCM ...
Your definition of budget is to pay $530+ to fly hcm ???

i rather fly SQ instead $198 , use the $332 go shopping and hotel ...

It's the treatment you get as a skyboss on a budget airline. Afaik none of the budget airlines offer such treatment even if you take their most premium package, not even scoot. but correct me if I'm wrong.

But of course... If we Remove the cost of skyboss, vietjet pricing is very competitive... Usually flying to hcmc, I will take only scoot (first flight 7am) or vietjet

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[Henabi]

Would still prefer to use grab in hcm ...
From hotels nearby d1 ben thanh market, go to co-op mart is about $27k vnd
if go to big c, is about $54k ...

took taxi before, instead of grab $27k, turned out to be $54k ...
the driver went detour ... many drivers there dont speak english ...
told them, they also dont know what you talking ...

for taxi, I will take only mai linh. It's a bit more expensive but so far I have never come across any of their drivers who can't speak english...Though not very good English...

Furthermore if you feel the mai linh driver is making a big detour, their customer feedback helpline is very responsive. They will help you to confront the driver.

For all other brands of taxi, I can't say the same

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[Henabi]

How is the traffic there? town areas is chaotic but what about the rural/outside town/ coastal areas?

Traffic in hcmc is busy almost everywhere but there are a few areas which are really packed.
Cach mang thang 8,
District 1 of the tourist area,
Hai ba trung,
Certain parts of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
For towns way outside of hcmc like my tho, traffic is definitely much lesser.

Coastal areas, if it's tourist area like Vung Tau, it will be packed

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[Henabi]

Noted. Will check out more details again on the airline.

Jobless now. So thking to travel before looking for a job.

Mayb can go more than 1 week or so.

Thanks.

Backpacking to hcmc is great. walk around the streets with a camera in your hand and snap away.
Drink what the locals drink, eat at where the locals eat.
still... As we are foreigners n we don't speak vietnamese, we will definitely kena carrot chop

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[dede1217]

for taxi, I will take only mai linh. It's a bit more expensive but so far I have never come across any of their drivers who can't speak english...Though not very good English...

Furthermore if you feel the mai linh driver is making a big detour, their customer feedback helpline is very responsive. They will help you to confront the driver.

For all other brands of taxi, I can't say the same

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took vinasun that time ...
just treat the few dollars as charity. if feedback to them, doubt they can do much on such issue...

 

[saffronsatire]

How much VND plus USD do you guys bring for 5D4N trip?

Day 1 - landing at noon
Day 2 - Hanoi city area
Day 3 - Halong Bay day trip
Day 4 - Another day trip
Day 5 - departing at noon also

Changing USD 600 for day trips and hotel.

 

[Shanice78]

Backpacking to hcmc is great. walk around the streets with a camera in your hand and snap away.
Drink what the locals drink, eat at where the locals eat.
still... As we are foreigners n we don't speak vietnamese, we will definitely kena carrot chop

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Thanks for your feedback n replies!!

Yes sure kenna carrot chop since we don’t speak their lang. if they don’t chop now when they gng to chop u.

 

[Henabi]

took vinasun that time ...
just treat the few dollars as charity. if feedback to them, doubt they can do much on such issue...

Also kena such things from vinasun... They tried to imitate Mai Linh
I only take other taxi brands if I am with a local person
But even locals nowadays also choose grab

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[Henabi]

How much VND plus USD do you guys bring for 5D4N trip?

Day 1 - landing at noon
Day 2 - Hanoi city area
Day 3 - Halong Bay day trip
Day 4 - Another day trip
Day 5 - departing at noon also

Changing USD 600 for day trips and hotel.

600usd should be ok... that's around 13.6million vnd

have a couple of hundreds spare to standby, for "just in case situations" like deposits etc

Always insist to pay in vnd

And expect HLB to be extremely hot now

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[saffronsatire]

600usd should be ok... that's around 13.6million vnd

have a couple of hundreds spare to standby, for "just in case situations" like deposits etc

Always insist to pay in vnd

And expect HLB to be extremely hot now

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So extra cash just change in vnd?