NOTES: A common method of touring VN is to use one of a handful of large bus companies offering "open end" tickets. These allow you to purchase, for example, a SGN->Dalat->Nha Trang->Hoi An->Hanoi ticket, for one flat price, and you jump on and off the bus as you choose in these cities, space allowing. During the slow season getting a seat didn't seem to be any problem but no doubt in high season you need to book in advance. Once in a city most folks find it easiest to use a local tour company to take them around to the various local sites. An average tour will run anywhere from U$10-35 for a simple 1/2 day trip to multi-day all-inclusive trekking packages. Using this method in 2-3 weeks you can "do" VN quickly and efficiently and come home with an album full of impressive pircutres and fond memories. To me it seemed that VN was a country you "do", in contrast, let's say, to Thailand, which is a country you can simply "be". In other words, I didn't find many people coming to VN just to hang out, and for me it's a country that I wouldn't quickly return to. Naturally, your opinion may differ!

MONEY: The local currency is the Dong, and as of September 2004 the exchange rate was about 1U$=15,700 Dong. I finally got to be a millionaire - unfortunately a million Dong only lasted me about 3 days! ATMs can be found in all major tourist towns such as Saigon, Nha Trang, and Dalat, the exception being Mui Ne, so have enough money before you arrive. You can exchange U$ dollars or travelers cheques at banks with no problems. VN is also one of the few countries where you can exchange your U$ traveler cheques and receive U$ dollars in return. The commission rate is usually 1-2%.

The Saigon Airport ATM is a bit hidden. As you exit the International Arrival terminal area, make a quick left and enter the Domestic Departure area and you'll find it as soon as you walk in. There's also an exchange counter as you exit the airport, but the exchange rate is not very good. American dollars are accepted for all large transactions such as hotel bills, tours, bus tickets, etc. You can also pay in Dong. The small bills get pretty grimy, and you have to look carefully to tell a 1000 from a 2000 bill apart. The new plastic 50,000 notes are pretty cool, but you'll find it difficult to pay for small items with 100,000 bill notes. Nobody has change so horde your small bills just like the Vietnamese do!

FOOD: Cheap and decent. I was amazed I never had any major stomach troubles in VN as I frequently ate from local VN style restaurants which comprised of pre-cooked dishes stacked in trays and bowls in a glass display cabinet. Using this "point and click" method you can choose a meat/fish dish and 2 veggies on a generous helping of rice for 8,000-12,000D (50-75c U$). These friendly restaurants usually throw in a small bowl of veggie soup and Chinese tea for free, too. The other ubiquitous VN meal is Pho (pronounced like the English word "fur" but without the "r" sound at the end), which is noodle soup with either fish or beef or pork. Again, for 8,000-12,000D or so this makes a delicious breakfast, lunch, or snack. In the tourist towns there are plenty of budget restaurants with English menus and dishes range from U$1-3. The French legacy is reflected in 2 mainstays: baguettes and thick black coffee. A baguette filled with a sliver of meat and garnish costs a mere 2,000D - but you'll need 2 to even begin to fill you up. The deliciously strong VN coffee comes black or with sweet condensed milk and is served with a metal strainer balanced on a glass, often with a thermos of hot water so you can adjust the brew to your liking. At about 5000-8,000D a cup you might as well join the VNese and idle away the hours at the thousands of small coffee shops/stalls found everywhere. In the cities you will find upscale versions where the coffee may be twice as expensive, but you'll sit in air-con comfort listening to the latest VN or western music videos. These are places to loiter and "see and be seen." Hey, my kinda place!

TRANSPORTATION: From the Saigon International Airport to the main tourist area of Pham Ngu Lao you can take a metered taxi for about U$5 or if you arrive during daylight hours I strongly suggest taking the 152 Airport Bus for a mere 15c U$ (2,000D). A bit slower, but a nice introduction to the city. You will find the 152 Bus just outside the International Departure terminal, right across the parking lot. A moto-taxi around the city should only cost about 5,000D, but you'll probably pay more as a tourist. Metered taxis are everywhere, as are the ever persistant cyclo drivers (of course be sure you set the price beforehand).

As mentioned above for long distance travel most people opt for using a tourist bus company such as the Hanh Cafe, TM Brothers, Dalat Toserco. I heard mixed about all these companies, but I suspect they're all much of a muchness. Most stop right in the tourist areas of town, and will try to steer you into hotels that they are in partner with or get commission from. These busses aren't the quickest, and often stop at tourist sites that you may not want to see.

ACCOMODATIONS: You'll pay about U$8-12 for an air-con room in a decent budget hotel. You can expect a clean room that includes soap, towels, TP, hot water, a clothes closet, phone, and TV with a few boring cable channels and the ever more boring VNese channels. Pay a bit more and get a bit fancier place. See individual cities for details.

• Saigon. Ho Chi Mihn City is a bustling, vibrant, crowded, polluted, chaotic, noisy, thriving Asian megalopolis. Streets are jammed with motorbikes, trucks, minivans, taxis, bicycles, peddle rickshaws (cyclos), street venders, and pedestrians. Sidewalks are populated with portable stalls selling such items as cigarettes and water, and outdoor restaurants where you sit at kindergarten sized plastic tables and chairs. If you get tired stop for a rest and enjoy a freshly made delicious fruit or vegetable juice.

  In the Pham Ngo Lao tourist area you can expect to pay U$8-12 for an air-con room with hot water. There are many to choose from on Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao, and De Tham streets. Hem 40 (Hem - small stree, or soi in Thai), just east of De Tham Streety has one budget hotel after another. The friendly guys at the Nhu Lan Hotel made me feel right at home (40/11 Bui Vien Street, District 1).

  For me, the main problem with Saigon is the non-stop onslaught of moto-taxis, cyclo drivers, and street vendors peddling their wares and services. Sitting at an outdoor cafe/restaurant you can expect to be approached/hassled by people peddling:

  1. shoe shines
  2. fruit
  3. bootleg books
  4. lotto tickets
  5. table cloths
  6. cigarette/lighters, nail clippers, etc,
  7. sunglasses
  8. newspapers
  9. others I've conveniently forgotten
  Add to this street urchins and crippled adult beggars and it's hard to even hold a conversation! As much as I liked the energy of Saigon, ultimately the heat, humidity, pollution, noise, and constant hassles wore me down and after a few days I felt I'd had enough and it was time to move on.

• Da Lat. At some 1500m (5000 ft) Dalat was a French colonial hill station to escape the oppressive heat of the lowlands. Built around hills, a central lake, and an Eiffel Tower replica, it's touted for it beauty, but I personally didn't find it all that special; here's a typical street scene. I did like the Cho Da Lat central market area with its concrete Communist style statue.

  There's not that much to see in the city itself and self-dubbed "Easy Rider" motorcycle drivers for U$10 are eager to take you to the surrounding tourist sites. I didn't indulge myself, but people who did seemed to enjoy themselves. Other tourist agencies offer mountain biking, climbing, and trekking tours of the central highlands.

  As was to be an unfortunate repetitive theme everywhere in Vietnam I was continually (and seemingly constantly) bombarded by hotel receptionists, moto drivers, et al, trying to sell me one thing or another. Understandably I am a tourist, but the aggressiveness and persistence of the Vietnamese to sell you this or that quickly became a major detraction to the entire country. If I want something - I'll ask!!

  On the positive side you can find Internet Cafes with fast connections at only 3000D per hour - that's about 20c U$!! And be sure to bring at least a jumper/sweater for the nights indeed get wonderfully cool.

  Dalat has many, many hotels - most aimed at Vietnamese tourists. I didn't find any hotels that I would particularly recommend. The Dalat Toserco bus I took from Saigon tried to steer us to areas and hotels a bit far from downtown. When we finally got off at the central market this one incredible aggressive lady would not stop trying to push her hotel on us. If she hadn't been so obnoxious I might have checked out her place. As it was she literally followed us around the town - but still didn't get my money. The first night I stayed in the Phu Hoa Hotel (16 Tang Bat Ho) which was a rather rundown affair. Cheap at U$5 a night, but not appealing. The next night I moved to the Peace Hotel I (Hoa Bihn Hotel, 64-67 Truong Cong Dinh) for U$4, which had a nicer room but the tiled corridors created an echo chamber effect that made every door closing into a minor thunder clap. The receptionists were constantly trying to sell tours or busses - and once they got the idea that you weren't interested, wouldn't even speak to you. In other words, their friendly attitude lasted as long as your wallet was open. The attached restaurant wasn't bad and a convenient place to meet other travelers.

• Nha Trang. This tourist beach town has a well developed traveler infrastructure of hotels and restaurants. There are a lot of places to stay, so look around and compare. Some hotels have everything you need right under one roof! I stayed at the Dong Phuong Hotel for U$9 per night. I particulary liked the view of Nha Trang and nearby islands from my upper story room. Again the place was only marred by the constant hassles from the front desk receptionists trying to push tours so that they could get their commission. The beach is beautiful but there's not much shade and when the sun was out it was brutally hot. For nightlife there's a sprinkling of bars, coffee shops, and the usual Vietnamese outdoor eateries. Finding water and cigarettes is easy, too!

• Mui Ne. About halfway between Saigon and Nha Trang, Mui Ne is quickly becoming a popular beach resort destination, with many very expensive and exclusive places. The place is spread out some 12k along one street, with the less expensive budget hotels tending to be a bit farther out from the central part of 'town'. I stayed at the Ngoc Bich's which were reasonably priced at U$7 for a fan cooled bungalow. The beach is beautiful, though the water was a bit rought while I was there and do watch out for biting buggies. The local fishermen parked their coracle fishing boats right in front of the bungalows and everyday would come down to straighten their nets. As mentioned above, as of September, 2004, Mui Ne had no ATMs so plan accordingly.

Comments? E-mail me at [email protected].

Return to Travel Reports