Vietnam

[lestervan]

haha what I mean is you can ask the price right? then if they say fixed price, you can shake head and go away to find others lah. I dun mean you have to bargain lah.

but as I know, airport taxi or company taxi, the drivers should have known some english.

 

[shevchenko]

Thnx eez eneque and skilled for ur replies!!
eez, I really appreciate ur inputs and will heed ur advice ..

but i got a few more qns

I tot Hue and Hoi An are quite nice so i tot of goin there and see diff things lor.. am i right?

wat airlines u recommend for HCMC to Hue? or take to Danang then by road to Hoi An? Pacific airlines? gd? safe?

the overnite train from hue to Hanoi takes a very long time rite? is it safe? clean? nice?

For Halong Bay, is it better to go day trip (go in morning come bac nite) or stay 1 nite there and next morning rtn to Hanoi?

lastly, any recommendations for hotels in Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An??

sorry for the many many qns!!!!
thnx in advance for ur replies!!!!

 

[lestervan]

I dun know others thing, just one thing about the airlines is if you got $$, better choose Vietnam Airlines instead of Pacific. I myself feel pacific not safe. price difference I think between $50 to $100.

 

[skilled]

You can't get Hanoi beer at a lot of places. Tiger is preferred some how but I still like ba ba ba.

Change your dong at airport using SGD$ can liao. You pay 2 times commission by changing to USD and then to dong.

Keep US$1 for tips. Most street vendors or taxi drivers will not accept notes equal or bigger than VND100,000. I have known taxi driver who will not give you change when VND50,000 is presented even if the fare is only VND15,000.

Ben Thanh is for Ang mo. Prices are crazy. Taxi at Ben Thanh don't go by meter.

Yeah, i forgot about the comission thing.

Somehow, i always present 50,000VND when i happen to take taxi. nothing happened leh. Anyway, some people stated that i looked vietnamese. Food at Ben Thanh is really expensive.. Taxi ok leh.

 

[skilled]

Thnx eez eneque and skilled for ur replies!!
eez, I really appreciate ur inputs and will heed ur advice ..

but i got a few more qns

I tot Hue and Hoi An are quite nice so i tot of goin there and see diff things lor.. am i right?

wat airlines u recommend for HCMC to Hue? or take to Danang then by road to Hoi An? Pacific airlines? gd? safe?

the overnite train from hue to Hanoi takes a very long time rite? is it safe? clean? nice?

For Halong Bay, is it better to go day trip (go in morning come bac nite) or stay 1 nite there and next morning rtn to Hanoi?

lastly, any recommendations for hotels in Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An??

sorry for the many many qns!!!!
thnx in advance for ur replies!!!!

Hue is quite nice... Why not go Dalat.?

Pacific Airlines though many say its not safe. But i feel its generally alright. Take the road to Hanoi? Quite a lot of hours i feel. Why waste time?

Overnight train i not sure, as i never tried before.

Halong bay, must stay overnight.

I totally have no idea on which hotel to stay becos i never stay hotel before.

 

[khee]

You can't get Hanoi beer at a lot of places. Tiger is preferred some how but I still like ba ba ba.

Change your dong at airport using SGD$ can liao. You pay 2 times commission by changing to USD and then to dong.

Keep US$1 for tips. Most street vendors or taxi drivers will not accept notes equal or bigger than VND100,000. I have known taxi driver who will not give you change when VND50,000 is presented even if the fare is only VND15,000.

Ben Thanh is for Ang mo. Prices are crazy. Taxi at Ben Thanh don't go by meter.

most of the time, u get a better rate from US$ to local currency... if u can get a good S$ to US$, then u will get a better rate then S$ to local currency...

US$ is world currency, no matter where u go, it will be recognized.

Remember, when u change in vietnam, there is different rate for big notes and small note... i think big note mean 1pcs of US$100... stay near BT market, and u will not need to worry abt transport.... i stay near to sinh cafe... so walking abt 10 min...

 

[Inix]

Hi Guys,

Some notes & updates.

Pacific Airlines is now flying from HCMC to Singapore. They have been bought over by either Qantas / Cathay. I can't remember who. I think its Qantas

Someone rightfully pointed out that calling a cab is easy. Its fast and efficient but only IF you speak Vietnamese. I tried calling a cab on my own and I gave up. Eventually I got my colleague to call. But its fast.

As for Taxis, ask them to on meters. They will usually do it. Enjoy yourself in Vietnam...

 

[Techadd]

hi all,

I am planning a trip to vietnam in Dec and have some qns... hope someone can help!

My flts are booked: reach HCMC sat and rtn Hanoi next Sun.. so total 9 days 8 nites.

Tentative itinerary is:
Day 1: HCMC (walk around city, ben thanh market, backpacker alley, chinatown..)
Day 2: HCMC (go cuchi tunnel / tay ninh perhaps?) u can't tell ppl u didn;t go cuchi tunnel when u've visited saigon..... seriously..
Day 3: HCMC to Hoi An (rent a bicycle and ride around)
Day 4: Hoi An to Hue
Day 5: Hue (imperial citadel, pagoda...)
Day 6: Hue to Hanoi
Day 7: Halong Bay (01 nite is good enuff in halong)
Day 8: Hanoi (mauseolum, pillar, museum, old quarter)
Day 9: Hanoi

Qns:
is my itinerary abit rush?
I am concern abt the tpt betw the cities... train or bus or flt? the bus and train seems to take a long along time .... any suggestions?
or is it better to stick to HCMC and Hanoi only.. then fly betw 2 cities?

thnx!

looks pretty good to me

 

[chisiang]

most of the time, u get a better rate from US$ to local currency... if u can get a good S$ to US$, then u will get a better rate then S$ to local currency...

US$ is world currency, no matter where u go, it will be recognized.

Remember, when u change in vietnam, there is different rate for big notes and small note... i think big note mean 1pcs of US$100... stay near BT market, and u will not need to worry abt transport.... i stay near to sinh cafe... so walking abt 10 min...

no is no such thing as a better rate for different currency And even if there is you will need to be changing a few thousands of dollars to enjoy the difference! The commission on the other hand is more significant!

VND can only be exchanged in Vietnam's airport. Changi cannot do the exchange for you. Unless you already have USD from previous holidays, you will need to change it at Changi, and then change it again in Vietnam.

On my first trip to Vietnam I carry a lot of USD only to realise they are not as useful as I think.

 

[skilled]

but i still think USD is much better rate in Vietnam. SG change to VND almost same. But US change to VND get better rates than SG.

 

[chisiang]

but i still think USD is much better rate in Vietnam. SG change to VND almost same. But US change to VND get better rates than SG.

Here's today's interbank rate:

SGD1=VND11,281
USD1=VND16,339
USD1=SGD1.4488

Let's say you need VND1,000,000

That's

SGD88.6446
USD61.2032

If you convert USD61.2032 to Singapore dollar that is still SGD88.6712.

If there is really a huge significant difference then I can make a living by changing from SGD to USD, then to VND and then back to SGD.

Trust me dude, I fly to HCM every month. The only reason I can think is that it is easier to carry USD because it makes your wallet thinner

 

[hwsv07]

Hope it helps!!

In Ho Chi Minh city, where are the good tailors? and how much would it cost for a shirt? are the designs nice? what is the time required?

thanks!

 

[absoluthal]

so guys,
in ur opinion.... where is better to change sgd to vnd??
change in spore or change in vietnam?
where is the best and safest place in hcmc to change our money?
and is it a must to have us dollar??
lastly , is 500 sgd enuff to last for my 1 week trip to ho chi minh onli?

thanks a lot.

 

[Techadd]

so guys,
in ur opinion.... where is better to change sgd to vnd??
change in spore or change in vietnam?
where is the best and safest place in hcmc to change our money?
and is it a must to have us dollar??
lastly , is 500 sgd enuff to last for my 1 week trip to ho chi minh onli?

thanks a lot.

change sgd in vietnam.
you can change at airport or at banks or at goldsmith shops in downtown.
no, u dun have to carry US dollar if u are planning to change to vietnam dong
that depends if u have any plans on buying lots of stuffs, wat u gonna eat...barring clubs, discos, and girls aside, 500sin shud be enuff to last u a week in ho chi minh city. (accomodation not included that is)

 

[Techadd]

In Ho Chi Minh city, where are the good tailors? and how much would it cost for a shirt? are the designs nice? what is the time required?

thanks!

try along pasteur street, or near ben thanh market, and also along hai ba trung street.
clothes usually take about 2days max to make (unless they are really busy).

price wise, inclusive of the material can be somewhere along the range of 20-50 Sin Dollars.

 

[Techadd]

SGD1=VND11,281
USD1=VND16,339
USD1=SGD1.4488

ihey, u got a linkt to that exchange rate?

if thatss the rate that they are giving to you in singapore, then i suggest you change it in singapore.

 

[hwsv07]

try along pasteur street, or near ben thanh market, and also along hai ba trung street.
clothes usually take about 2days max to make (unless they are really busy).

price wise, inclusive of the material can be somewhere along the range of 20-50 Sin Dollars.

thanks. is the quality and make good? i mean are they actually worth getting?

 

[chisiang]

ihey, u got a linkt to that exchange rate?

if thatss the rate that they are giving to you in singapore, then i suggest you change it in singapore.

Why leh? That's the interbank rates. What's the rate in Singapore????

iirc I think there's only 1 place in Singapore that can change SGD to VND for you, not even those in Changi Airport.

 

[skilled]

Here's today's interbank rate:

SGD1=VND11,281
USD1=VND16,339
USD1=SGD1.4488

Let's say you need VND1,000,000

That's

SGD88.6446
USD61.2032

If you convert USD61.2032 to Singapore dollar that is still SGD88.6712.

If there is really a huge significant difference then I can make a living by changing from SGD to USD, then to VND and then back to SGD.

Trust me dude, I fly to HCM every month. The only reason I can think is that it is easier to carry USD because it makes your wallet thinner

But money changer seems to give better rates and furthermore, some things that i bought was quoted in USD. The difference is not too much but i definite felt it becos i changed a 5-digit sum.

You fly to HCM every month. Thats quite alot.

 

[chisiang]

But money changer seems to give better rates and furthermore, some things that i bought was quoted in USD. The difference is not too much but i definite felt it becos i changed a 5-digit sum.

You fly to HCM every month. Thats quite alot.

The only time I paid in USD is for um... ahem... extra services in Hot Toc or bia om lol!!!

Any other place I just use dong. Some places like to quote tourists in USD.

I will be going HCM again next week.