5th Stamp:Ho Chi Minh/Mekong Delta Tour,Vietnam

5th Stamp: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

One of the Canals at My Tho, Vietnam

Day O-I :Ho Chi Minh/ Mekong Delta Tour, Vietnam

Day II : Cu Chi/ HCM City Walking Tour, Vietnam

Day III- IV: Siem Reap/ Angkor Wat,Cambodia

Day IV: Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia

Day V: Bangkok, Thailand 

Day VI: Floating Market/ Bangkok, Thailand

Here’s our Itinerary

Our Amazing Race Trip (Map: www.vietnamstay.com)

Day 0: Travel Manila to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 

 Feb 27, 2012 : Manila- Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Flight Details: 27 Feb 2012,2310H (PH Time) to 28 feb 2012,0040 (VN Time)


NAIA Terminal 3.Paid the Travel Tax. Terminal Fee. Immigration

    *IO just looked for my Company ID (however it was in my Checked-In Baggage). Stamped!

3 Hours Flight Time. Vietnam is 1- Hour Behind our Local Time.Arrived at HCMC Airport. Immigration

    *IO just asked for how many days I’m staying. Stamped!

    *Downside of Cebu Pacific Flight Schedule (No more Public Transportation going to Downtown,Few FOREX are opened, Prone to Touts)

Ho Chi Minh( formerly Saigon), Vietnam

FOREX (Changed some of our Dollars to Dong). 
Taxi to Beau Vien Street (Backpackers Street)- 130000VND

    *Small denomination of Dollars(1,5,10,20) are accepted in Vietnam

    *Ride the trusted Taxis (Mai Linh,Vinasun)
    * 1$ = 20000 VND 

Beau Vien Street, HCM (Backpacker District)

By 1-2 AM,Hotel Hopping, Checked in at Hotel 97 (S18/4*2 Nights= $9 each).Unpacked Things. Walked and Tried their Baguette and Saigon Beer along Beau Vien corner De Tham Street.

    *A Saigon Beer costs 20000VND or 1$ and a Baguette costs 15000VND

    *Beau Vien still alive during the wee hours of the morning/ A lot of Travel Agencies,Inns and Lodges.
    *Vietnam is a Socialist Republic Country and some of the websites and most of the Social Networking sites are blocked, make sure to ask your Hotel attendant for any proxies available. 
    *Don't expect too much in Saigon, there are no MRT(Metro Rail Transit), seldom Buses, and few High-Rise Buildings, they're still on recovery stage from the war.

Back to Hotel. Slept for 3 Hours.Lights Off! 

Instant Millionaire in Vietnam ( 1$=20000VND)

French Food Inspired Baguette (Our Midnight Snack) "Did you know that Vietnam was colonized by France?"

Saigon Bia (Beer)

 

Day I: Mekong Delta Tour

Feb 28, 2012: Mekong Delta Tour

Woke up Early.Breakfast. Availed Tour Package in our Hotel

    *Tried their Traditional Coffee/ Mekong Delta Tour costs $10 per pax (Duration 8am-5pm/ Lunch Included/ Transportation)
    * No need to worry if you're traveling solo, you can still join a group tour,just booked yourself to a reliable travel agency within the area.

Selling Kiat-Kiat? (Mornings along Beau Vien)

Baguette again for Breakfast

Traditional Coffee

"Eto kailangan Dasalan, Ritual ..Ek Ek Ek Bago Inumin"

  

Mekong Delta Tour

Stopover (Vietnam Handicapped Handicrafts- Made of EggShell Products)

Made of Eggshell (Weh?) Yes it is True

Another One (Smurfs)

  

Our Water Transfer

Water Taxis ?(Hehehe)

 

 Mekong Delta Tour (Proper)

    *1^st stop- Serenade by Local Kids/ Free Taste/ Souvenir Shops/ Donation

    *2^nd stop-  My Tho Canal (One of my Favorites)
              *After the ride, Don't be surprise and i think it is customary to them that they will ask for tip (" Tip, Tip, Tip")

 

Free Taste while listening the Serenade (panalo yung sawsawan!)

  

Traffic? 4 Lanes?

I'm the Fastest!

Simple Life of Vietnamese People

 

a lot more pictures on my FB account...

 *3^rd stop- HoneyBee Products / Ginger Products Free Taste (I Love their Ginger Candies)

 *4^th stop- Coconut Candy Making/ Souvenir Stores
 Lunch (Drinks not Included). Biking along the Riverbanks-Residential Area (Free Time- One of my Favorites)

Calamansi Juice with Honey

United Colors of Benetton  (Representative from Korea now singing her piece) "Ready si Ate oh at may kopya"

"I'm the Fastest" no "I am!" (Pabibo!)

 

Back to Ho Chi Minh. Dropped at the Plaza. Tried their Street Food (Dinner)

Back to Hotel. Rest for a While. Saigon Beer Session again at Lily's Bar along De Tham Street.Lights Off!

Fried Noodles

My Dinner (Heavy Meal)

Night at Beau Vien St

Massage Massage

 

Useful Links:

My Mentor, Andy's Travel to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Click Here
GMA News Sandra Aguinaldo's Biyaheng Timog Silangang Asya ( Southeast Asia Travel). Click Here

If you have questions, feel free to comment below "Cam On" (Thank You!)

Next > Day II: Cu Chi Tunnel Tour/ City Walking Tour