1. How to get to the city from the airport?
By NO means should you flag down any random taxi passing by, or talk to touts loitering around outside the arrival hall offering cheap rides. To be safe, avail of a taxi service at one of the airport counters. I paid total of VND180,000 (USD8.00) for my ride from airport to my hotel in District 1.
2. Exchanging money
It's alright to exchange your US Dollars to Vietnamese Dong (VND) at the airport. The rate is generally the same, although some money exchange counters offer 'No commission'. Presently, the exchange rate is something like VND22,600/USD1.00.
Yes, when in Vietnam, you become an instant millionaire! (USD100.00 = VND,2,260,000). But as my finance wiz friend Mon T. says, "it's not how much money you have, but what you can buy with it that matters." It does take getting used to hearing prices being quoted, and mentally calculating how much one is actually spending.
Some prices i've encountered:
Taxi ride (one-way from District 1 to District 7): VND130,000.00
Lunch at cafe: VND180,000.00
Desserts at L'Usine (one of Saigon's swankiest cafes): VND150,000.00
Juice at typical cafe: VND50,000.00
Flat white at typical cafe: VND65,000.00
More important, do take note of the VND bills, as they all have the same look, but with different colors and sizes depending on denomination. Some unscrupulous shopkeepers have been known to give an incorrect bunch of bills as change, in the hope that the tourist does not count their change on the spot.
3. Where to stay?
For tourists on a short holiday, best to stick to the District 1 area, as this is where most of the sights are.
If you want to be at the heart of Saigon's commercial area, and like colonial architecture, best to stay at the expensive, historic hotels along Dong Khoi St., such as The Continental, The Grand, The Majestic (overlooks Saigon River), The Rex and The Caravelle.
For a more down-to-earth and cheaper and convenient experience, i'd recommend staying at the area surrounding Ben Thanh market (generally referred to as "Ben Nghe"). Lots of good eats and shops around; and walking distance to the main sights, too. I stayed at the Silverland Yen Hotel for this trip, which i heartily recommend. The room was nice (way nicer than i expected), the staff very friendly, and the rates reasonable. Dig their facade below :D
Check their website at www.silverlandhotels.com for the full list of hotels under their group.
4. Getting around
Grab and Uber are active in Saigon, especially their motorbike service. After all, there are lots more motorbikes in this city (one estimate placed it at 4 million) than cars (1 million).
As for taxis, the recommended companies are Mai Linh (all green in color) and Vinasun (white color with red and green horizontal stripes, plus their logo). The drivers of both companies typically wear a uniform with a tie, and should have an ID card on the dashboard. Apparently, there are fake taxis roaming the streets, with similar-sounding names such as Vinasum.
5. Crossing the street
Obviously a full battalion of motorbikes heading in one's direction is not a very reassuring sight. But the key thing to do is to walk slowly, resolutely in small steps FORWARD. DO NOT DO THE CHA CHA (i.e. 2 steps forward, then 1 step backwards, etc.)
Believe me, as long as you do what i said above, these motorbikes will go around you and you won't get hit.
The thing to watch out for are motorbikes who (illegally) run on the sidewalks, like below:
6. Cheap eats
Walking distance from my hotel was the Ben Thanh Street Food Market, which provides a wide array of fairly cheap food in a covered food court style setting. On certain nights, a live band plays covers of popular hit songs.
This mural is the bomb!!!! :D :D
When people talk of Vietnamese food, the first dish that comes to mind is pho, essentially noodle soup typically made from beef stock and
spices, with thinly sliced beef or chicken added.
A word or two about this. As the guide Dao told me, the correct way to pronounce is not "phooow", but more like "faaaahh [soft h]". Also, do yourself a favor and avoid eating at big chains such as Pho 24, Pho 2000 and Pho Hung. Instead, patronize the local places for a more tasty, authentic experience.
7. Safety
The main tourist areas in District 1 (Dong Khoi St., Ben Thanh, Nguyen Hue St., Le Loi St., etc.) are generally safe. But of course, keep your wits about you and leave the fine jewelry at home.
And as much as possible, do not walk around holding your mobile phone in your hand. Especially the area around Ben Thanh market, as the bedlamity is strong in this one.
Lastly, do not entertain touts who offer 'cheap' motorcycle rides to wherever is your destination. These may end in tears.
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