Day 1 ~ Arriving at Ho Chin Minh City
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We arrive around 9pm local time. We have made early arrangements with our hostel to make a pick up from the airport which cost around USD 15. You could try to get the cabby which may cost around USD 8 but we where just too lazy so we opted for the USD 15 trip.
Our first impression exiting the terminal was reminding us of our visits to Indonesia. There are small high rise with pretty neon lights in the night.
The journey from the airport to the guesthouse was more less 20 minutes (for the heavy traffic of courses) and later was greeted by a helper which carry our luggage into a small alley way to our guesthouse.
It was very clean (since you will have to remove your shoes first) and comfortably. It was a family run guesthouse and the host was very kind. We settled our billed first and planned for the next day tour which cost about USD 17 per pax (it was USD 15 but since it was a public holiday they charged USD 2 extra for it).
We got a room on the first floor. The amenities was decent for the amount we pay (USD 20 per nite for a double room with fridge and hot shower). We unpack our stuff and went to sleep for tomorrow's journey.
Day 2 ~ Full Day Mekong River Tour
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We had the owner to wake us up just in case that we might over slept after the 2 hours flight last nite, but apparently, we woke up pretty early that day. By the time she called us, we were on ready to go down for breakfast.
The accommodation includes of breakfast and free flow of tea/coffee and mineral water on the living area. We've stock up our foldable water bottle last night and freeze it so we could have all day supply of cold drinking water.
As a muslim, I find the choice of breakfast great since they do not serves meat in the guesthouse. Only eggs, baguettes(which is superb) and pancakes with banana. The owner's mom take her time to serves food and also make sure everyone eat their breakfast.
By 7.45am, the tour operator has arrive and we walked between the alleys to the bus that was waiting for us on the main road. The bus was not too shabby, comfortable for the 4 hour long journey to the Mekong delta. They made a one stop to the 'happy room' which I find very cleaned and well maintained on one of the roadside stop.
We then arrive a couple of hours later at the boat point around near noon (I think). There are some street vendors selling sunblocks lotion as well as the hat those Vietnamese wears along the road, it was just around USD 1 each. We then starts the journey to visit the smaller floating market opposite the river. It is a very wide river and first thing cross my mind, do they have alligators or crocodile here??
After snapping some pictures, we were then heading for the coconut candy shop. Around the small river canals there are many farmers which operated small coconut candy shop as a side income when they're not harvesting fruits of their labor. But one thing I felt comfortable during our visit is that you will find big python in cages as a welcoming committee ( scary....).
After the coconut candy shop, we we're scheduled for a lunch. We were taken to a smaller canal, and then was taken for a sampan ride to the lunch pit stop. I was scared since I was pretty much a good swimmer with my husband rocking the boat, God knows how much I pray for the sampan not to tip, which didn't happened at all..(yes I am a melodrama queen)...
We then walked about five minutes in between the locals house and arrive at our restaurant. We had a vegetarian plate which we requested earlier on and had the river prawn grilled which taste fantastic. The couple we shared our lunch table order the elephant ear fish or talapia. So we shared our lunch together.
We planned after lunch to spend an hour and a half to cycle around the village but we were so caught up chatting with the Maribel and Greg about our local customs as well as Filipino customs and didn't realize the time passes by. Some of the people in the tour opted to sleep on the hammock which most of the restaurant has.
So made the trip back, passing by the floating market and back to local dry market on foot later to get on the bus back to Ho Chin Minh City. It's quite interesting to see local culture in a short time. If you guys wanted to opt for the bigger floating market, you should take the 2days tour instead.
We later arrive and have a cup of coffee with Maribel and Greg. We exchange emails and facebook and some traveling tips form them (since they're going back the next day) . They were one of the best highlights of our trip, warm and friendly. God bless you guys.
We head back to Saigon and arrive around 8 that nite. We had a short conversation with some of the guys at the guesthouse before we take a shower and slept.
Day 3 ~ Walking Around Ho Chin Minh City
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We woke up early this morning and right after breakfast, we planned to head for the Ben Thanh Market. We took the opposite way instead before we head ourselves back to the right direction. Please note, the Vietnamese speaks little English. So please learn body language and sign language...heheheh just kidding....
We arrive after 10 minutes of walking, it should only take us 5 minutes across the park from where we had lived. So browsing around, there are so many stuff you can find here, laces, cottons, shirts, you name it you could find it.
The aroma of freshly grind coffee was so wonderful, it like coffee haven in a sense there. We then make a 10 minute walk to the War Remnant Museum. Please note to yourself the local men loves to piss in public by the wall. It's disgusting!!...The museum showcases the remnants of the Vietnamese war. It is not for the people who have weak stomach. It is a humbling experience and teaches us that war doesn't justify any good means at all. You will suffer more rather than win.
From the museum, we walk to the Reunification Hall, and later to the Notre Dame Cathedral at the end of the small park in front of the Reunification Hall. Next to the Cathedral was the post office which was magnificent. We got our selves a postcard and send back to our address back home. It took about 8 days to reach by snail mail. But it was awesome !!...
At the post office, we purchased the water puppet tickets for the night. The show was fun with some comedic elements. Even though the language we can't comprehend but the figurines actions says it all. The water puppet theater was nearby the Reunification Hall so it wasn't hard to find. The streets name was easy to spell back to verify against the map. Do not follow the map based on the drawings, compared it to the street name to help you find the way :)
After the water puppet show, we head back for the night market surrounding the Ben Thanh Market. it is much cheaper and more lively than the day market. After some souvenirs for myself, we had back with sore thighs and bums after a long day of walking. But it was priceless :)..
Day 4 ~ Cu Chi Tunnels (pronounces as Ku Chi Tunnels)
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Right after breakfast, Slim Jim as introduced by himself pick us up for the trip to Cu Chi tunnels where the VC (Viet Cong) rebels stayed and resist the Southern Vietnamese army. The journey took about 2 and a half hours about 30 clicks from Saigon which cost USD 10 per pax
On the way, we stop by at the underprivileged factory that creates great art from mother of pearls and egg shells. These people were the victims of agent orange spread during the Vietnamese war. We had a loo stop and then back on track to Cu Chi Tunnels.
We arrive in a low density jungle area that was once a free firing zone. There are no trees back then due to the continues bombing which evident with some of the bomb craters around the jungle area.
There is also a firing recreational shooting range which I think was conduct by the now Vietnamese soldiers.(i think??) and my husband was happily with his puppy dog eyes went for around of shooting with M30.
Then we head to the 200metres of 'tourist' tunnels. The originals one are way smaller and our bums can't fit the whole. So they dig up a slightly tourist friendly version. To be honest, I ;m afraid of the dark and small spaces. I was literally chasing the guy in front of me while my husband was on my back. There 6 exits by the 4th I think I was brave enough and had the taste of it already. Well even most of the guys on our tour didn't went under anyway so bravo to myself. My husband exited at the same point because the route ahead was way smaller and a chocking point, so being a size bigger, he doesn't fit.
I can't imagine how the people take cover from the bombings there. There was no light at all, the tunnels was just snugly fit, but the self preservation was high. It was truly humbling experience for us but not to some of the ignorance i presumed. After the crawling, we went for a tea party, with boiled tapioca dip in ground peanut. Simple yet delicious.
We finished off with a video done during the war time to depict the lives in Cu Chi area. Then we head straight back to Saigon.
We arrive around 5pm and washed ourselves and relaxed to kill time before the taxi pick us up at 6.40pm to the airport. Our flight that night was scheduled at 9pm local time. The taxi drop off cost about USD 8 for the whole car.
By the time at the airport, the check in line was so long it intertwined with the opposite counter. Bare in mind that even you made self check in using Air Asia, there is no printing facility yet at the time of this post. So we still need to queue to print our boarding ticket.
We safaly arrive at LCCT at 00.15 hours Kuala Lumpur time. Home sweet home.
