Travelling from Singapore to Vietnam

I've never set foot on Vietnam before, so it was kind of a new experience for me.

We had settled on the Date, Airline (Jetstar) and Hotel ( Paradise Saigon Boutique Hotel).
(Hotel researched via Trip Advisor)

Next we had to prepare the budget to spend there and to change the currency.
Do we change it in Singapore? or in Vietnam? Would it be dangerous? Would the rate be better in SG or VN?

Well, we changed most of our money in Singapore, which proved to be a costly mistake.
Tip: Change around S$50 for cabfare. This should be enough for you to reach your hotel from Ho Chi Minh Airport.

Change the rest of your SGD or USD to Vietnamese DONG at the at Money Changer/Jewellery Stores near the Ben Thanh Market. You'll get more for your dollar.


JetStar Asia Singapore To Vietnam HCMCIt took about 1hr 50 minutes to reach HCMC from Singapore. Pretty fast. And cost less than SGD$200 per person for 2-way ticket.

Paradise Saigon Boutique Hotel
Our hotel turned out pretty good. It's new and spacious. The service was excellent. Location was top-notch. It was walking distance to eateries and tourist attractions.

I felt pretty safe, and did not feel out of place. Did not encounter any pickpockets as we feared (read from several travel books about petty theft).

The only drawback was the loud horns and engine sounds of the motorbikes driving pass the road in front of the hotel even around 2am at night on a weekday.

The breakfast was excellent. They provided fresh yogurt and even passion fruit! Love the congee.

Would definitely go back again.

What We Found Out:There are quite a number of Koreans and Japanese living in HCMC. Even when you visit the supermarkets, there are rows of Korean food products on sale. We saw quite a number of them opening shops such as Cafes and Restaurants.

There were also some iconic Korean companies and buildings as well such as LOTTE and CJ.
Perhaps it's coz Vietnam is near to Korea?

What to Do when you're in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City?
1. Eat Seafood
(Hong Hai Seafood Restuarent in District 3 or pop up stalls at Ben Thanh Market after 8pm)

> Hong Hai is a cab ride away. Probably cost you about S$5 to $10 bucks to get there.
Seafood is really fresh and seasoned well. The price is much cheaper compared to Singapore.
But we think Bangkok seafood in Chinatown is still cheaper. Nonetheless, not to be missed.
It's really yummy! We spent like S$60 for 4 pax that included beer and drinks. We had clams, fish, prawns, scallops. vegetables, rice..

> Ben Thanh Market Seafood
The pop up stalls only opens after dark. The price is slightly higher than Hong Hai. The food was okay and similar in cooking style to Hong Hai's. But Hong Hai still tasted better. Location was convenient.

2. Get A Massage
Miu Miu 2 Massage Spa.

> This Spa is specially catered for Japanese tourists in mind. So you'll need to keep really quiet while you're there. The service and massage is excellent. We did a walk-in on a weekday and enjoyed our time. It is a little out of the way by foot. But it's near the Vincom Centre, around 10 minutes away by walking. We paid US$17 per pax that pre-included tip for a 90 minutes food reflexology treatment.

3. Buy Lotus Seeds (Snack)
> Healthy Snack. Good present for loved ones when you head back. Did you know that the Lotus Flower is the national flower of Vietnam?

4. Buy Coffee Beans, Coffee Powder or Manual Coffee Grinder
> Only for serious coffee lovers. The coffee flavor in Vietnam is really strong and full-bodied. Not to my taste. I prefer it lighter with more milk and sugar. Nonetheless the aroma wafting through the air was irresistible.

5. Take a walk around the French Quarters (really pretty)
> Petite Paris Perhaps? We were taken aback by some of the guards at the guardhouse in green uniforms. It was a stark contrast against the beauty and elegance of the colonial buildings around the area. With buzzing motorbikes searing through the streets, it's a sight to behold. The old, the new and the present.

6. Visit Ben Thanh Market
It's mandatory for you to visit this market if you've never been to HCMC. Be prepared to bargain - negotiate your way to at least half or one third of the original price quoted by the shopkeepers! They've really marked up the price. (According to our local sources)



7. Spend some time at new cafes
Catch up on your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Email over free WiFi and a nice cup of coffee. With various hipster coffee places such as M2C, your usual Starbucks, Vietnam's own Highlander and Trung Nguyen  Coffee Joints, you'll be spoiled for choice.



8. We avoided visiting the war-related tourist hotspots as we couldn't bear it. The research we did online already showed us some pretty disturbing pictures. We did see a lot of tourists walking around the museums and taking pictures of tanks.

To be updated with pictures!