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Monday, November 21, 2022

6 Days Itinerary in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) - Pearl of the Far East @ Vietnam

It's no secret that Bangkok is my favorite when it comes to overseas destination but our Great Kon doesn't share the same love, and had, on countless occasions, told us to make a trip to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) instead.

Persuasion prevails and we decided to join him for a six-day journey to the Pearl of the Far East that was previously and more famously known as Saigon! This would also be my first foray to Vietnam; a member country of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) with a population of almost 100 million. 

Many photographs, and videos, were taken and you may refer to the initial breakdown in postings as follows.









Arrival at Terminal 4 of Changi International Airport to prepare for our departure; it had reopened in mid September 2022 after two years of pandemic. Many shops remained closed, including those at the heritage zone, and it was quite depressing.

My first time taking VietJet Air, a low-cost airline from Vietnam; our airfare (about S$183 per person) was cheaper than Bangkok and reasonably so as the flight distance to Ho Chi Minh City from Singapore (and vice versa) is also slightly shorter (resulting in time savings of about 20 minutes). 

Only about 50-60 passengers on the Airbus A321 plane; typically, it can sit about 180-220, depending on configuration. Plenty of seats for me to lay supine to have a good sleep but since it's only a two-hour flight and it's daytime; I am happy with the window seat assigned to me. 

Hovering above Ho Chi Minh; with a population of about 9 million, there weren't that many towering structures in the city.

Taking GRAB from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to our next destination; and it's not the hotel. Our arrival to the city was met with rain, and as a tourist, I dislike the rain, especially when I am wearing shoes, not sandals, and lugging along my luggage! 

A lot of firsts in Vietnam; in this case, first meal in Vietnam and my first time trying broken rice. Known as com tam, it's similar in concept to Singapore's economical rice (also known as chap chye png) but you can also opt for sets like our 99,000 Vietnamese dong meal at Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền.

Checking in to Vien Dong Hotel (S$218.47 for 5 nights); hotels are aplenty in HCMC and we decided on one that's within District 1 (the more happening district within the city) that the Great Kon had stayed before, and was satisfied with.

No complaint in general; I was happy to know there's a gym for me to work off the expected calories I would be gaining in the next few days; a trip with the Great Kon means almost endless eating! 

View outside my 7th-floor room at Vien Dong Hotel. While buildings weren't tall, they were literally packed like sardines with narrow, confusing alleys in between for navigation. 

Bangkok is renowned for their Thai massages and Vietnam is said to have a scaled up spa version that comprised of feet washing, nail cutting, facial mask, ear cleaning, body massage, shaving, and hair wash! I had mine at  Galaxy Sài Gòn Spa Salon. Cost? 500k dong (less than S$30) for 90 minutes! 

Dinner at Ẩm Thực Quê Nhà; a popular Vietnamese restaurant with quite a number of branches within HCMC. Our highlight for the meal would be this serving of juicily delicious fuji beef served on a hot plate; the restaurant served a mean banh xeo (a kind of Vietnamese crepe) too! 

Getting a drink at the nearby Cộng Cafe; the army green walls and ceiling were unique although I think my pictures failed to do it justice given the lack of natural sunlight. 

The cafe also faced the turtle lake which was more a pond in the middle of a roundabout that appeared popular as a gathering spot for the locals, who didn't seem affected by the surrounding traffic and the pollution!   

Honestly, I always thought the above scene was maybe common a few decades ago as who, in the right mind, would sit uncomfortably on stools and eat and drink by the roadside?! Turned out it continues to be a natural way of life for the Vietnamese! Gosh, it's so hard to get up with the ageing knee joints. 

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon - built in the 1880s, the restoration work was said to have started in 2017 and due to the pandemic, completion year would now be 2027! Now, that's incredibly long! 

I remember reading a piece of news, before my visit to HCMC, about a bar fire that killed over 20 persons, and wondered if this would be the same bar. A search revealed that this was a different bar fire that, thankfully, didn't result in any injury and casualty. Nevertheless, still disturbing.

Absolutely cannot imagine why my friends decided to go for McDonald's! Even though my tummy still had room, I would prefer saving the space for authentic Vietnamese food or items I can't find easily in Singapore.

Taking a walk along Bui Vien Street! Known as the backpackers street, Kon mentioned that it has now transformed into a vibrant yet super noisy arena for nightlife after the pandemic! Noisy I definitely can attest to as Vien Dong Hotel is just a mere 100 meters away.


Started the HCMC morning with the above picture of a street vendor donning the nón lá (traditional Vietnamese conical hat) and selling a fruit that I absolutely love and regretted not buying any when I was there; custard apples! 

After a stroll of about 1.2 kilometers across a few intersections, it's breakfast time at Mì Quảng 3 Anh Em! Serving Quang noodles, said to be a specialty from central Vietnam, the soup and noodles didn't quite appeal to my palate. Nevertheless, always good to try something new! 

Let's better the morning with desserts from Chè Mè Đen; signature black sesame paste and the creme caramel pudding. I also ordered an important beverage that would usually kick start the mornings for most Vietnamese; Vietnamese coffee! 

Now for some touristy stuff; a visit to War Remnants Museum; formerly known as the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, I initially thought I would be thoroughly bored and it proved to be otherwise! 

The use of chemical warfare (specifically Agent Orange) was well documented during the Vietnam War (which ended in 1975) and it was unsettling to see its devastating effect on nature and humans, resulting in wasteland, deformed fetuses etc. With the war in Ukraine still raging on, I am sincerely hoping it wouldn't escalate into the use of extreme measures, like nuclear bombs etc.

There's even a replica of Tiger Cages; part of a prison where dissidents were solitary kept in a small cell with wardens keeping guard on top to keep a close watch on their movements.  
 
With so much violence and gore at War Remnants Museum, we shall go for something that doesn't require killing; a vegetarian meal. Location was at Hum Vegetarian, Café & Restaurant which was ranked 10 out of 25 best vegetarian restaurants in the world! p.s. the steamed mushroom in coconut curry was unforgettable! 

Coconut scammers in real life; where the seller would insist on putting the bamboo yokes on unsuspecting tourists and ask for money! Luckily we were four adult men; if it's just Alex and I, I am sure we will be targeted.

Strolling past the reunification palace; built as "the home and workplace of the President of the Republic of (South) Vietnam", its significance was when "a tank of the North Vietnamese army bulldozed through the main gate, effectively ending the Vietnam War.".

Remember the picture I showed on day one, of a bar which was almost burnt down? This was the same site in the daytime. Known as District K, the fire started at 9.30am on 17 October 2022 and thank god operations were suspended on October 5 "over violations of fire safety regulations".

I love markets and the most famous in HCMC would be Ben Thanh Market! It has a reputation, both positive and negative, and for tourists; bargaining is a must! Point to note: it's not that huge a market and if you are expecting a scale similar to Bangkok's Chatuchak; you would be sorely disappointed. 

Quán Ăn Thanh Bình - we were introduced to a rather interesting concoction for a dish that can be commonly found in Singapore; chwee kueh but topped with ingredients that were not just our basic preserved radishes (known as cai po).

Within the same eatery, we also tried these desserts known as che dau van; kind of like tau suan although instead of mung beans, you get ingredients like peanuts, yam or mixed grains. 

Ho Chi Minh City Hall - this colonial building housed "Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Ho Chi Minh City People's Council and Ho Chi Minh City People's Court" and isn't open to the public; the façade, in French colonial style, served as a beautiful backdrop in photos.   

Right in front of the City Hall would be the spacious Nguyen Hue Walking Street that stretched all the way to Saigon River, with a statue of Mr Ho Chi Minh overlooking the pedestrian walkway. 

Collecting the tickets for our show that would take place later at Ho Chi Minh City Opera House. With some time to spare before the show, the intention was to check out Sai Gon Central Post Office; about a 600-meter walk. 

Laziness sank in and we opted for a massage at Temple Leaf Spa & Massage instead. I went with the one-hour pagoda body massage at 420k Vietnamese dong (about S$23). First time I was asked to indicate, on a paper, the strength I prefer for the respective body parts. Massage parlors should have this as a standard. 

Back at Ho Chi Minh City Opera House. Built in 1897 with a seating capacity for 500, it was also formerly used as the house of the National Assembly of South Vietnam from 1956 to 1967. 

Caught the A O SHOW in the opera house; classified as a "theatrical arts & acrobatics show", it focused on the traditional use of bamboo and rattan in the past, and their subsequent abandonment in modern life. Suitable for non-Vietnamese-speaking foreigners like myself as there wasn't much dialogue; pity photo and video taking weren't allowed. 

Night had fallen after the show and the next item on our itinerary would be The Gangs Central; a beer club recommended by the Great Kon and another friend for its magnetic vibes. 

Located alongside Nguyen Hue Walking Street, let's also take the opportunity to stroll along this almost 800-meter, pedestrian-only stretch. The lighted Ho Chi Minh City Hall was such a beauty! 

Street was crowded with people, and with people come business opportunities like balloon sellers, statue street performers etc. Extremely relaxing despite the sheer amount of people. 

As The Gangs Central was fully booked, we were in a bind momentarily as we didn't really have an alternative for dinner! However, we chanced upon Pizza 4P's at Saigon Centre which was on our to-eat list but at another branch. Absolutely enjoyed the 4-cheese pizza; which is a must-order for Kon every time he comes to HCMC! 


My stay at Vien Dong Hotel included buffet breakfast and after a short gym session; I popped by to take a look. Most importantly, I was craving for fruits and was glad to see trays of bananas, watermelon and dragonfruit! 

It's the day of our journey to HCMC Chinatown; also known as District 5 and Cho Lon. A legitimate Chinese breakfast is a must and our first stop was Tien Phat Dim Sum! Pricing was comparable to Singapore and I had to admit that our little red dot serves better tasting dim sum. 

Temple visitations; not something that Alex was looking forward to but they were all within walking distance to our final destination within Chinatown. Above was the God of War (Guān Dì) Temple; a mere 150-meter away from Tien Phat Dim Sum.

Flanking the statue of the Chinese God of War would be Zhang Fei and Liu Bei; two notable figures who were in a brotherhood with Guan Di. It's said to be rare to find all three figures together in a temple but I was more intrigued by the super tall ceiling of this wooden structure.

Another one hundred meters away would be Thien Hau Pagoda temple; found in 1760, this would be one of the oldest Chinese temple in HCMC and known to be the most famous, attracting busloads of tourists before the pandemic.

Honoring Mazu, "goddess of the sea and protector of seafarers and fisherfolk", there were three statues of the goddess which you can see from the above photo; they appeared to represent different phases in life.

You can also have your blessings, at a nominal fee, written on pink slips and pasted on the temple's walls. This would be quite similar to having those special offerings on the altar or incense coils at the ceiling, albeit a more environmentally friendly mode. 

One thing that you would always remember after your trip to Ho Chi Minh was the high composition of motorbikes among motor vehicles! It's exciting crossing roads as traffic lights often don't result in the intent you expected. Advice from Kon: just walk across calmly, while keeping a lookout, and no sudden movements! 

A famous chicken rice stall within Chinatown; it's great to know that the Great Kon had already QC before and the one thing worth checking out for Singaporeans would be the longan drink. p.s. chicken rice in Singapore is actually very good. 

Last temple; Ong Bon Pagoda (Nhi Phu Temple)! Thien Hau Pagoda temple has a history of over 200 years but this one was just 14 years short of 300 years old! Patron saint was a deity most Chinese would know although he's considered to be a rather low-ranked deity; the Earth God. 

Whatever the case, Alex was simply relieved we wouldn't be visiting any temple for the rest of the trip. The hot weather didn't help with all the walking too. 

Cho Binh Tay - almost identical in shape to its more renowned cousin, Ben Thanh Market; Binh Tay market was bigger, spread over two levels and less touristy, with more focus on bulk purchases. 

Variety was also wider at Cho Binh Tay and I bet my mom would enjoy rummaging through the many stalls that have dried foodstuffs including mushrooms, sea cucumbers etc. Furthermore, she can also indulge in some small bargaining with the older stall owners who can still converse in Cantonese. 

I got my dried lotus seeds from Cho Binh Tay, and had a great time bantering with this friendly stall owner! p.s. her dried jackfruits were so irresistible; I regretted not buying another two kilograms! 

After having a drink at the nearby Phuc Long Cafe, we returned back to the hotel, threw our shopping and hit the streets again! With time to spare before dinner, we paid a visit to Little Hanoi Egg Coffee. Coffee was the main objective but my friends ordered some food too! I have a hard time shaking off the weight gain after this trip.

Delicious pork ribs platter (awesome foursome combo) at Quán Ụt Ụt. At just about 620,000 Vietnamese dong (about S$34), the price was a steal for American BBQ cuisine. 

Ended the night with another walk along Bui Vien Street! I was hoping we could get a beer from one of the many night establishments but Alex didn't like the complicated night scene. :(


It was mainly free and easy for our HCMC trip but there are some places on the outskirts that might be hard to navigate for foreigners; therefore, a half day tour to Cu-Chi Tunnels was planned via Klook.com.

After almost 90 minutes on the mini coach, our group of twelve (or was it thirteen) arrived at a lacquerware workshop said to employ the disabled to manufacture the products. It was a laborious chore and process like laying the eggshells is hard even for able-bodied individuals.

Time and effort taken translate into high pricing; I was captivated by this design but its cost of more than S$100 was simply beyond my budget, especially for a person who prefers spending money on food.

Visitors to HCMC would likely visit the Cu-Chi Tunnels in their first visit and the above scene of a small hole had been shared widely by friends and also featured on travel programs. Nothing beats seeing it for real though; are you sure my big head can go through? 

The attraction's guide demonstrated and voila; it didn't seem that hard! I gave it a try and despite the  perceived tightness; I easily slipped into the tunnel. It's just incredible that the Vietcong soldiers can survive in the tunnels for over twenty years! 

A sampling of the staple during that tumultuous period; steamed tapioca eaten with salt, peanut and sugar. While nice; imagine eating this for years! 

By the way, guess how long the cu-chi tunnels were? Hint: triple the length of Singapore! With such an extensive network across three levels, it's a must to have bobby traps and I learnt a lot from our funny yet knowledgeable guide, Kim, who shared the Vietcong's ingenious ways to confuse the American soldiers who managed to squeeze into the tunnels. 

As a male Singaporean, holding a gun should have been a rite of passage as I am required to undergo the mandatory conscription. But I have never done so given my health issues. Hence, another first; my first time holding and shooting a gun; an AK47 in this case. It's fun! 

My very first bahn mi in Vietnam, from Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa! Costing 62,000 Vietnamese dong (about S$3.50), it's a massive 5-6 layers of fillings; even my big mouth had difficulties biting through it! p.s. the queue can be insane during mealtimes and it's only takeaway! 

Katinat Saigon Cafe - fantastic place to take a time-lapsed video of the busy roundabout! Appreciate the patience from my companions as it would usually take more than ten minutes. They did enjoy the beverages under the cool, air-conditioning though. 
 
You wouldn't believe it; we proceeded for another meal at Pizza 4P's, although this time, it's the original branch just 25 meters from the north entrance of Ben Thanh Market, where you can have full view of their wood-fired pizza ovens! 

Moving on - there were two observatory decks in HCMC, namely Bitexco Financial Tower and Landmark 81; latter was taller but we went with the former as it was closer in proximity. Furthermore, the sun was already setting and low light condition makes it harder to take photos.

Whatever the case, there was one serious problem at Bitexco Financial Tower's Saigon Skydeck; the strips of LED lights on the floor that were reflective enough to appear on most photos! I had to do extra work in order to hide those lights from the glass-panel facade.

A small Ao Dai exhibition within Saigon Skydeck; in case you are unaware, Ao Dai is a "traditional Vietnamese national garment" for women and this exhibition showcased its transformation over the years.

Where would be a excellent local food street? Look no further than Hồ Thị Kỷ! A few hundred meters long; it was literally crowded with hungry locals and had many stalls! While ordering can be a hassle given the language barrier, people were generally friendly! 

The eating crusade continued at Khanh Vy Sweets; taking note of the calories we had ingested at Hồ Thị Kỷ, we decided to burn some of it by walking almost a kilometer to the dessert place located within the residential area for locals. Although it was almost 9.00 pm, the outdoor eatery was still full of customers! 

It's a feat to finish the 13 types of desserts, despite the portions being relatively small and they were shared by four persons! In summary, it was simply too much for the four of us to stomach these traditional Vietnamese desserts; I tried my best by going for at least one mouthful each. My favorite? The refreshing coconut jelly. 


Our asses were out of Vien Dong Hotel by 9.00 am as the Great Kon would be bringing us to Bánh Mì Hòa Mã; yes, another bahn mi eatery just one day after we had Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa! Key benefit at Hòa Mã, we can comfortably sit down and enjoy the meal.

Their specialty is bahn mi op-la; literally deconstructed bahn mi in my opinion! No difference from having a westernized breakfast and didn't wow me as much as their "normal" bahn mi, which was also available on the menu, and their super rich Vietnamese coffee!

As an ethnic Chinese, traditional Chinese medicine is part and parcel of our life. In Vietnam, the focus is on traditional Vietnamese medicine. Let's find out more at FITO, the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine! p.s. given that China is a close neighbor of Vietnam, there would be similarities.

Not three hours had passed after our meal at Bánh Mì Hòa Mã and here we were eating again. Bun Cha at Quan Nem Restaurant where two types of sauces, Southern and Northern, were provided! Unlike many friends, I am not a fan of pho and very much prefer the dry noodle versions like bun cha and bun thit nuong. 

Next up; fuzzy time at Catfe Cat Cafe! 

Spread across three spacious levels, with an estimated 30 cats, this would be paradise for cat lovers! Quiet environment and only negative thing is that most cats were snoozing and it made me want to lie beside them to catch up on some sleep.

How much would you have paid for access to a cat cafe in Singapore? Here at Catfe, the admission fee was 89,000 Vietnamese dong per person, about S$5 and that included free-flow snacks (for humans) and drinks! Such pricing would be impossible in Singapore! 

Alex was exhausted and decided to return back to the hotel; for me, staying still is hard to achieve and I took to exploring the areas surrounding Vien Dong Hotel, including checking out a tiny alley in between the tightly clustered buildings. 

Saigon Central Park; even though this was right opposite our hotel, there was an event for the past few days and I only managed to check it out on day 5. It would have been a nice park for a jog every morning...

We were scheduled to meet the Great Kon and another friend for dinner and since we were early; curiosity got the better of me and I skipped over to the block right opposite (as per photo) and climbed up the stairs. Aside from residential units, some were converted into cafes; imagine if we could do that in Singapore's HDB flats! 

View of the fine dining restaurant that we would be patronizing shortly; Quince Saigon! This would be somewhat a finale for our inaugural trip to HCMC; an expensive meal. 

Top prices, good quality food, amazing cooking; there were hits and misses but my mind was entirely blown away by my order of aged barbary duck magret! Alex's order of BBQ Kerguelen Toothfish (above) might seem boring yet the soup was lip-smacking flavorful! 

Relaxation at Madam Kew; within the same building as Quince Saigon and on the second level, the oriental interior design brought us into a world different from the westernized Quince. With its dim lights and red lanterns, it could be a little eerie for some of you.

The cocktails we had. The one that fascinated us the most would be "monkey has a gun!!!" Violent name aside, all four of us were puzzled over this mushroom head thingy floating on the cocktail. It's not a mushroom by the way. 

An hour long foot, back and shoulder massage at Zen Spa Massage; the best I had so far in HCMC and it was only priced at about S$15. Tips were included in the charges and it's optional should you decide to tip more, which I did. 

It's Halloween Night and I guess there's no better place than Bui Vien Street to soak in the atmosphere! Maybe due to the Itaewon incident two days earlier, it didn't feel as happening and not many people took the effort to dress up. Still noisy as hell though. 


Day Six (01 November 2022)
Last breakfast at Vien Dong Hotel; while I had been piling up more on fruits from the restaurant, the other thing I liked a lot was their porridge! Given my carbo-restricted diet, and the fact that I ate a lot when I am overseas, the limit was just half a small bowl every time. 

My sixth sense told me I didn't buy sufficient food souvenirs and a last minute trip to Ben Thanh Market would be a must! With 'experience' gained from Chinatown's Binh Tay Market; I am in a better position to go for some intense bargaining! 

One major takeaway from this inaugural Vietnam trip was that I fell in love with Vietnamese coffee and have also taken a strong liking for iced coffee! At this Cafe Nguyen Hoang; you can choose, based on your budget, the quality of coffee beans. Stingy me was only willing to go with the mid-range and it was exceptionally good. 

Near our hotel was a wet market by the name of Cho Thai Binh. There's a food section and the Bun Thit Nuong stall commanded rave reviews on Google. I had to check it out as bun thit nuong is ranked higher than bun cha for me.  

Alex went for a haircut while I was relishing my bun thit nuong! It was one of the few strange things he would do whenever he travels overseas; for me, a bad haircut would uglify me further and with the language barrier; I don't think I would be able to bring my instructions across, correctly. 

A mad rush to take GRAB to the airport! My fault totally as we booked a vehicle with arrival within 1-2 minutes, without realizing that the hotel would need to run a physical check for the room. Stressed max! 

In less than 30 minutes, we safely arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Checking in and clearing immigration took another half an hour and my next move would be stepping into Le Saigonnais SASCO Business Lounge using the free access (twice a calendar year) via my Citi PremierMiles Card.

More fruits plus some beer at the business lounge! And I finally had my first bowl of pho in Vietnam; under the cold air-conditioning, I must say the meal was comfortable although again, I would rather have bun cha or bun thit nuong. 

Boarding the plane from the tarmac! When I was a kid, such times were exciting as we could be so close to the exterior of the plane, like almost touching the humongous engines. 

In less than two hours after the plane took out from the runway, the sight of Singapore greeted us! Would you be able to identify which are the Singapore islands? One would be Pulau Ubin and right next to it, with plenty of reclaimed land, would be Pulau Tekong! 

Purchasing duty free alcohol from Changi International Airport! 
Must make full use of our duty free concessions mah! 

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Many, many, many thanks to the Great Kon (he is camera-shy) for planning more than 95% of the itinerary! I told him he should have just set up a travel agency in Singapore for people visiting HCMC; confirmed can earn money! 
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