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Mekong Delta is well worth a couple of days.....10 days is perhaps a bit long in Saigon, would you consider getting out of the area??
Close-ish places from Saigon that I enjoyed were Dalat and Mui Ne, however I am unsure of the weather during that time of the year.
Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office are close by and quite interesting.
I'd say you're Vietnamese friends will have a much better idea of where to take you to "experience Vietnam" - enjoy your trip.
You can spend 1-2 days to visit the city.Your friends can show yu around the city.
1 day - Tay Ninh ,Cu Chi Tunnel
2-3days - Mekong delta
The rest of time you can relax at a beach(Vung Tau,Muine,Con Dao,Phu Quoc..)
Enjoy your trip!
The ride is as interesting as Vung tau.
VT itself has some interesting temples. Have a look from the road at the small idyllic looking island with the temple. Look closer and you will see it has two pill boxes.
Also, go up to the top of the Christ statue and look at the view from the outstretched arms
I think the History surrounding the Palace makes it a significant Saigon destination worth visiting.....I very much doubt they'll be pulling it down in the near future.
The Post Office is a wonderful piece of Architecture (Gothic) and was designed by Gustave Eiffel. The Notre Dame Basilica is directly across the road, so it's kinda hard to miss and easy to combine the two in one visit.
On the other hand, the Cathedral /is/ a bit of a monstrosity...
William.
A few recommendations for Saigon:
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A second vote for Vung Tao. If you want to get out of town, but don't have a lot of time, hop one of the hydrofoils. An hour trip to Vung Tao is $10 bucks. While the town of Vung Tao is kind of gritty, and the beaches are so so, there is a resort that we stayed at there, which is fantastic. That resort is Binh An Village . It's gorgeous, has a saltwater pool on the ocean, and a two floor suite with ocean view will run you about $160. Not bad at all.
Hope that helps.
Edited by: DigitalNomad
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1
I did a city tour with these guys and gals and thought it was brilliant! - http://www.vietnamvespaadventures.com/toursMekong Delta is well worth a couple of days.....10 days is perhaps a bit long in Saigon, would you consider getting out of the area??
Close-ish places from Saigon that I enjoyed were Dalat and Mui Ne, however I am unsure of the weather during that time of the year.
2
Thanks for the info. We'll be staying with Vietnamese friends who have a house there. Apparently they want to take us sightseeing and to the coast but have asked if there's anything in particular we'd like to see or do. Variety is the key for me - a pagoda or two, waterfalls and rainforest stuff, maybe some fishing for the other half, a beach, markets - I really don't care. I just want to experience Vietnam. Luxury resorts aren't for me.3
I love the reunification palace, though it's really crowded on Sundays.4
agree with violets....I went there for the first time this morning and it was well worth the visit.Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office are close by and quite interesting.
I'd say you're Vietnamese friends will have a much better idea of where to take you to "experience Vietnam" - enjoy your trip.
6
10 days in Saigon is rather long.You can spend 1-2 days to visit the city.Your friends can show yu around the city.
1 day - Tay Ninh ,Cu Chi Tunnel
2-3days - Mekong delta
The rest of time you can relax at a beach(Vung Tau,Muine,Con Dao,Phu Quoc..)
Enjoy your trip!
7
Cheers all. Our friends (who live in Australia) have invited us to stay with them while they visit family. We are travelling to Saigon together but they'll stay longer than us in VN. I guess out of courtesy we kind of do what they want to do although I agree 10 days in Saigon, or any other city, is not particularly appealing. They understand we want to get out and about and have said we'll go to the Delta at least. Some food for thought anyway.8
You could go to Vung Tau by hydrofoil. The boat leaves from the riverfront in HCMC.The ride is as interesting as Vung tau.
VT itself has some interesting temples. Have a look from the road at the small idyllic looking island with the temple. Look closer and you will see it has two pill boxes.
Also, go up to the top of the Christ statue and look at the view from the outstretched arms
10
I've been called much worse.I think the History surrounding the Palace makes it a significant Saigon destination worth visiting.....I very much doubt they'll be pulling it down in the near future.
The Post Office is a wonderful piece of Architecture (Gothic) and was designed by Gustave Eiffel. The Notre Dame Basilica is directly across the road, so it's kinda hard to miss and easy to combine the two in one visit.
12
The Reunification Palace is made of concrete, and there's lots of it on show, but I think it is still a stunning architectural gem. It is very much of its time (which is part of its interest), but it is a haven from the heat on hot days with a breeze coming through all them windows. It's well worth a look just for that, never mind its historical importance.On the other hand, the Cathedral /is/ a bit of a monstrosity...
William.
14
I'm a perma-traveler who has been living in Saigon for about 3 months now. I'll be here until September. I love it here.A few recommendations for Saigon:
- Soak up the cafe culture - Saigon has a cafe culture that rivals Paris (I'm not kidding).
- Eat some sushi here - it may sound strange, but sushi is an incredible value here. There is a Japan town in Saigon. We recently did a private dinner boat cruise (Omakase) for 5, which included a bottle of saki the size of my leg. The total cost for five people - $200 bucks US with tip. $40 a head. That was arranged through - K Cafe on Hai Ba Trung.
- EAT - lol, this is a food town. We love the food here, and again, the food is an incredible value. Some favorite places: Hoa Tuc - dim sum on Sundays is always fun here, check out Ocean Palace .
- Drink - there are some great rooftop bars here. I know everyone tells you to go to the Caravelle rooftop bar for drinks. I find it over-priced, and it feels kind of old and crusty. For a better view, nicer space, and better value check out Shri .
- The Ben Tanh Market is worth a trip. One of the Saigon Squares is worth a visit for shopping.
- There is a great gym inside of the Vincom center called Vincharm . They'll give you a free weeks pass.
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A second vote for Vung Tao. If you want to get out of town, but don't have a lot of time, hop one of the hydrofoils. An hour trip to Vung Tao is $10 bucks. While the town of Vung Tao is kind of gritty, and the beaches are so so, there is a resort that we stayed at there, which is fantastic. That resort is Binh An Village . It's gorgeous, has a saltwater pool on the ocean, and a two floor suite with ocean view will run you about $160. Not bad at all.
Hope that helps.
Edited by: DigitalNomad
