Vietnam

[temasekcity]

I'm vietnamese = wo shi yue nan ren = tui la nguoi viet nam =
Any information contact me
k9thongth@mythuat.edu.vn
I'll try to help everything i know about vietnam

good! thanks for being a guide. your advice is much appreciated.

 

[zung0207]

is paying $180 for air tix (fly by budget airline) to Hanoi exp?

rather alright i'd say if it's 2-way. Usual price for Vietnam Airlines is $400+

 

[BossQ]

Hi,

Anyone has any reviews for Beautiful Saigon Hotel??

Good location! Bath tub, desktop computer, safe box, TV and fridge included for Superior room

Pics on their webby that u see is how is what you get

 

[kaicheng83]

I'm vietnamese = wo shi yue nan ren = tui la nguoi viet nam =
Any information contact me
k9thongth@mythuat.edu.vn
I'll try to help everything i know about vietnam
First place HCM city or Hanoi ofcourse
Firstday : HCM city sight seeing,shopping (i got some place sell original crumpler bags with really cheap price) enjoys cousine ( Vietnam noodle = Pho in Vietnamese) with backpack tour cost around $60 ( included room,rent motor bike, food and drink, without shopping pay)
the 2nd day: From Ho Chi Minh go to Nhatrang bay Sleeping Bus ( 180.000 vnd by Phuong Trang Express for MaiLinh Express )
Turquoise beach : Nhatrang bay, most beautiful bay of VN pass 2 days

From Nhatrang go to Dalat city around 80.000vnd Phuong Trang Express and Mailinh Express
Highland : Dalat ( for couple is very romantic ) pass 2 days

i'd backpack whole Vietnam so i get much experience about Vietnam

Any idea what is the rate for taxi/bike from Kim Ma Station to Ga Ha Noi railway station? thks

 

[buaypangsai]

Look through all pages.



Here's my compiled list:

- Never change in Singapore for VND. Bring more SGD there to change, if need. Take note that VND might not be able to change back to SGD due to their government policy.
- Change money at jewellery shops around the Ben than market area
- Change S$50 in airport, the rest in the city.

Food
- Pho (Noodles) @ restaurant Pho99 / Pho24 (highly recommended)
- De Tram (Pizza)
- Glass dessert
- Ice cream: Try Bach Dach
- Dried Lotus Seed
- Crab: 94 Dinh Tien Hoang, District 1
- Food at B.T. is expensive
- Nightlife: Pham Ngu Lao, 10mins walk from B.T., it is the backpackers’ corner in District 1.

Shop
Ben Thanh Market – opens till 5:30pm daily, must bargain!! There is night market at night.
Anh Dong Mall: Wholesale like Bangkok’s Pratunum
Saigon square: More ATAS
3/2 Street: Optional to go but it’s cheaper and more catered to locals (recommended if you are interested to understand their culture better). There is a small junction that leads to Cao Thang where night markets operate daily in the evening.

Norm prices (dated 1 year ago, might have changed since everything is hugely inflated nowadays)
Vietnam T-shirt 20K-30K Dong
Adidas Tops 70-80K Dong

 
Beach
Na Trang (best?)
Vung Tau beach
Mui Ne beach

Transport
- Take Malinh or Vinasun (beware of copycat types)
- Take cabs which go by meter,
- Look out for white color cab w number 6.27.27.27 is one of them.
- Cab from airport is about 110k – 130k

Massage
Decent one cost around 120K -150K Dong

Sightseeing
Cu Chi tunnel half day tour is really interesting.
Dalat
http://www.thesinhtourist.vn/

Accomodation
- Normally no need to book for hotels, just go to Ben Thanh market, walk around and get one hotel.
o Otherwise, go for Beautiful Saigon or Elios (must request for windows)
- http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293922-d1434871-Reviews-YK_Home_Villa-Dalat.html (for dalat)



P/S: Some things listed above might be subjective. I only filter the things i want.

 

[XiaoZen]

pho24 is definitely not recommended by me.. lols...

 

[Bishio]

dun ever buy things at ben thanh market. chop carrot price.rude sales people. u can get the stuffs elsewhere. cheaper also.

 

[Maxterm]

Exchange VND

Read in this forum that no longer able to exchange money from jewelery shops. Is it true ? Is it possible to let me know what is the exchange for SGD to VND. Is there much difference in exchange at Airport vs in City ?

 

[jaydentk]

This is what i heard too, however i dont encounter any problem changing at ben than market.

They said that during weekend they are not so strict.

Read in this forum that no longer able to exchange money from jewelery shops. Is it true ? Is it possible to let me know what is the exchange for SGD to VND. Is there much difference in exchange at Airport vs in City ?

 

[XiaoZen]

just came back from hcmc 2 weeks ago.. cannot change already leh..

 

[Maxterm]

Changing VND

just came back from hcmc 2 weeks ago.. cannot change already leh..

Did u change at airport or bank ?

 

[Bishio]

where to change dong in hcmc? other than airport.

 

[chopra]

Are there alot of authorised money changers in HCMC, esp at ben thanh market?

 

[Maxterm]

VND rates

The money changer on the extreme left hand side after you exit the airport main entrance offerred the best rates. Rate are much better than what u get in SIN. 16.6 vs 16.1 when I changed.

 

[chm527]

when changing at airport, just take note that the exchange u see on the board is not the actual. they have handling charges. just change $50 for your taxi fare and change the rest at jewellery shops at ben thanh. went there in early april and could change at jewellery shop. just approach and ask.

 

[congrade07]

Hi I will be going to HCMC and Bac Lieu this June. As me and my friends are going and we are wondering if there is a pre paid mobile internet sim card avail in vietnam as we wish to use our ipad or iphone during our trip there and dont wish to pay for crazy amount for the data roaming charges by our singapore telco. Does anyone has any idea if there is such service for pre paid internet sim cards and how much is it. Thanks

 

[sgplaza]

Transfer money between Singapore and Vietnam (both ways)

Hi all,

You can contact me if you need to transfer money between Singapore and Vietnam (either from Singapore to Vietnam, or from Vietnam to Singapore).

Exchange rates used will be market rates that apply in Ho Chi Minh City on day of transfer, and will definitely be much better than the official bank rates quoted by Vietnam banks.

Fee is very reasonable.

With this highly convenient service, you can easily transfer money between Singapore and Vietnam. For examples, (1) a Vietnam party can use this service to transfer money from Vietnam to Singapore to pay for products it has bought from a Singapore party, (2) a party in Singapore can transfer money from Singapore to Vietnam for his family, (3) etc.

Please PM me if you need further details.

Thanks

 

[dookie85]

Hi..im planning to go hanoi in july and was also thinking of visiting halong bay and sapa at the same time..would like to know if 7-8 days would be enough to cover these places? and also means that i can travel from hanoi to sapa..hope to get some replies soon..thank you

 

[Mountain_Tortorise]

Hi..im planning to go hanoi in july and was also thinking of visiting halong bay and sapa at the same time..would like to know if 7-8 days would be enough to cover these places? and also means that i can travel from hanoi to sapa..hope to get some replies soon..thank you

yes... hanoi to sapa... 3N2D package... choose global hotel... cheap and good...

halong bay 2D1N package...

u can try to catch the night train to sapa immediately after u back from halong bay... save u a day of accommodation cost...

first 2 days stay in hanoi and look for good package to sapa and halong bay...

 

[superfrog]

Hi..im planning to go hanoi in july and was also thinking of visiting halong bay and sapa at the same time..would like to know if 7-8 days would be enough to cover these places? and also means that i can travel from hanoi to sapa..hope to get some replies soon..thank you

I was there earlier this year. We went straight from the airport to the train station to book the overnight train to Lao Cai and then a minibus ride away from Sapa.

Depending on what ya want to do at Sapa, you might want to consider spending 3nights in Sapa doing a 2d 1n trek and homestay and the rest of the time wondering around Sapa. Renting a bike would save you sometime without sacrificing on the serenity there.

There are alot of tour operators offering 2d 1n Halong Bay. Remember to pick the more reliable ones and get your room farther from the engine room.

7-8 days is sufficient although if you are the type that like to relax in the cool weather, the more the merrier