After our last trip to Hatyai exactly a year ago, The Pakciks had decided to create a Holidays Fund for our next trip. So months after that, me and some of The Pakciks - Nazul, Para, Nine, Amin, Peje and Amir had decided to went for a trip using our fund to go to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam! Jeng jeng jeng. Oh. Peje didn't make it however at last minute.
Day 1.
Our trip was not that long, it was only for 2 days and 2 nights and this would be my first international trip with AirAsia. As many of you would know, AirAsia is cheaper than Malaysia Airlines (of course), but we need to pay for some of facilities which are not provided such as baggage, meals etc. That does not include the time we need to spend at the airport as the check in requires us to be there 2 hours before flight the latest, with many extra time on the flight delay. Our flight was delayed for an hour before we arrived at Ho Chi Minh City Airport around 8.00 pm local time. Even after going to several various flights, I still find flying in an airplane is so much amusing. *excited*
We were greeted at the airport by our tour guide, Mr. Hom, who took us directly to a Halal Restaurant. It was a Malaysian Food restaurant, so it does not surprise us that much with any local meals.
The traffic in Ho Chi Minh is undoubtedly the most horrific one I've ever seen in my life. Tons of motorcycles were moving fast without watching and it is almost impossible to cross the roads without any hair raising moments. I tell you, there are loads and loads of motorcycles moving, with no control on the movement from one junction to another! Pergh.
Mr. Hom then took us to our hotel which was located 2 blocks from the central market, Hong Thien Loc Hotel. If you happen to realize, in Vietnam, the land lots are small and I could assume that there is no strict restriction on buildings specification as almost every shop houses there were not at the same height, design or so on. It is the same as our hotel, the area is small but it is quite tall comparing the building located exactly next to it. As we took an agent to take care of our tour, accommodation and meals, we didn't know how much was the charge for our rooms.
We went out that night for a brief walk around the blocks before calling it for the night.
Day 2.
After breakfast at the hotel, Mr.Hom was waiting for us at 9.00 in the morning and as planned, we would be heading to Mekong Delta today. It took us about an hour and a half to reach there. But before we got there, we stopped by at a lacquer craft factory and got to see how the locals use shells and many other ingredients to produce an amazing frames, cups etc. Lacquer is somewhat imprecise term for a clear or colored varnish. The workers who are mostly disabled really do have the skills and very particular with a lot of patience to produce something that is just fascinating. The price of the frames are also costly.
We then proceed with our journey to Mekong Delta and on our way there, we went through rice fields and what is interesting to see is that there are many scattered tombs at the land. According to Hom, the Buddhist believe that if the tombs are put on their own land, they will be reborn there after life. So, as rice are important to the Vietnamese, it is crucial for them to reborn on the same place to regain the ownership of the land.
We arrived in My Tho at about 10.30am and from there, we took a boat trip to Tortoise Island. This place is an orchard fruit farm with some part of stalls where the local people sell souvenirs. There we got to taste the local tea with a mixture of honey which was really good and refreshing before we went to enjoy the local fruits, ala-ala macam Malaysia tak ada la buah-buah ni. Hehe. What makes it special was enjoying the local traditional songs by a group of local people. And what not to forget being in Vietnam is, you need to tip for every services that have been given. The singing, the boat riding etc. Hom said USD1 is more than enough, but to give more is up to you.
It started to rain when we were enjoying the fruits but decided to proceed with the plan. We walked by an orchard before reaching a small local jetty where we took a boat ride, cruising along the canal slowly while witnessing the cool scenery in the rain. What remind me of that place was the area in a movie of war zone during Vietnam war or Japanese invasion. Rambo.
We stopped by at a coconut factories but we could not care much at this current moment as most of us were already starving, so we decided to go along straight for our lunch. But it does not look easy as it seems. We need to tag along on a pony ride, still in the rain. We went through a local village before reaching a restaurant at the side of a river. We had our kebab with fried rice meals which Hom was carrying along all the way from Ho Chi Minh.
We then took a ride to the jetty, before heading straight back to Ho Chi Minh City.
It was cool but having this experience in the rain would somehow affected this whole of awesomeness of the trip. Pergh, bombastic gile ayat.
Hom picked us up back from the hotel for dinner around 7. The place he took us this time was superb and better, located along the Dong Du Street. The food was extravagant and the surrounding was nice. Here you can find the mosque as well as a number of Halal restaurants.
Hom dropped us at the night market as we decided to take a walk there. It is located next to the Ben Thanh market. Hom reminded us before that the night market usually is more expensive and advised us to shop during day time at the Ben Thanh market. But that is not true at all. Some of the night market items are much much more cheaper than Ben Thanh market, or is it us who are not good at bargaining? Yes people. You need to bargain here in Vietnam and you can find that the price could be reduced till 80%. Seriously.
We shop till late at night before calling the day off and walk to the hotel. We got key chains, book marks for souvenirs, telekong, bag. We didn't get much as we thought tomorrow at the Ben Thanh would be cheaper. Nine also got himself a small 4-set lacquer craft for his 'future home'. The quality might not be same as the one we found earlier, but it definitely cost less, and quite worth it as it looks the same.
Day 3.
We didn't have any plan today with Hom as today would be the shopping day. We didn't waste any time when we walked to the Ben Thanh market, which is only 2 blocks from our hotel, right after breakfast. There are LOADS of things over here, from clothes, to replica branded watch, silk, shoes, souvenirs, bags etc. You named it. They have it here. The price are cheap, obviously cheaper than Malaysia and Thailand. You can find a shirt from as low as USD2. The popular Vietnam Silk was also quite cheap where it only cost us from USD10 to USD17. That is what I bought from my mom, sisters. Oh, btw. They accepted USD more than Dong. Ringgit is even more popular than Dong.
What is interesting though is not the price, but the sales people. The persuasion is very much momentous and extreme which sometimes it could be a little bit annoying. But most of them are friendly and the knew Bahasa Malaysia, since many of the shoppers there are us. You'll need to learn how to say NO over and over again or else it could be like defeated in a battle field.
As I mentioned earlier, bargaining is also part of the attempt of surviving Vietnam. There is 1 item I found there which the initial price was USD150, but it was reduced to USD100, to USD80, USD50 to USD30. It's true!
We got ourselves a lot. Para, Nine and I got ourselves extra 30kg baggage also does not enough to accommodate all our 'new' stuffs. From silk, to clothes, replica branded watch, helmets. Oh yeah! The helmet was extremely unique and cheap. Of course it could not be used here in Malaysia as we have strict laws on helmet specification, but I could not resist myself from buying 2 helmets for my lil bro.
We got ourselves back to the hotel at noon and checked out. We left all our stuffs at the hotel and went to Dong Du Street again for our lunch. This time we tried a Malaysian Penang Restaurant where the meals are of course Malaysians.
Then, as we have a couple of hours before moving to the airport, we went to the Reunification Palace of Ho Chi Minh. It was actually the presidential palace during Saigon was the capital of Vietnam. Now it was turned into something like a historical building. To be frank, I would not be surprise when Hom told me that Malaysians does not spend much time over here as, there is nothing look at. There is no explanation to any of the rooms inside the palace. None. It was like walking in an antique furniture shop. But as this place is one of the historical identity of Ho Chi Minh, I would still suggest you to drop by and take pictures. We did. With our exciting happening shoot of course :-)
At 4, we met Hom at the hotel and took us to the airport.
As usual, AirAsia was late. We spend hours at the airport. Duh.
With having nothing else to do, we played poker right after Solat in the hall of the airport.
Isk isk isk.
Anyhow, Ho Chi Minh to me was absolutely FUN and exciting trip. Maybe to some of us it does not as what is expected, but it's a start. And again and again, I would always say that having these guys with me are the only thing that could make this trip an awesome one, despite how far we went. So pakciks, what's next?
---
Credits to Nine and Para for these cool photos
---
It started to rain when we were enjoying the fruits but decided to proceed with the plan. We walked by an orchard before reaching a small local jetty where we took a boat ride, cruising along the canal slowly while witnessing the cool scenery in the rain. What remind me of that place was the area in a movie of war zone during Vietnam war or Japanese invasion. Rambo.
We stopped by at a coconut factories but we could not care much at this current moment as most of us were already starving, so we decided to go along straight for our lunch. But it does not look easy as it seems. We need to tag along on a pony ride, still in the rain. We went through a local village before reaching a restaurant at the side of a river. We had our kebab with fried rice meals which Hom was carrying along all the way from Ho Chi Minh.
We then took a ride to the jetty, before heading straight back to Ho Chi Minh City.
It was cool but having this experience in the rain would somehow affected this whole of awesomeness of the trip. Pergh, bombastic gile ayat.
Hom picked us up back from the hotel for dinner around 7. The place he took us this time was superb and better, located along the Dong Du Street. The food was extravagant and the surrounding was nice. Here you can find the mosque as well as a number of Halal restaurants.
Hom dropped us at the night market as we decided to take a walk there. It is located next to the Ben Thanh market. Hom reminded us before that the night market usually is more expensive and advised us to shop during day time at the Ben Thanh market. But that is not true at all. Some of the night market items are much much more cheaper than Ben Thanh market, or is it us who are not good at bargaining? Yes people. You need to bargain here in Vietnam and you can find that the price could be reduced till 80%. Seriously.
We shop till late at night before calling the day off and walk to the hotel. We got key chains, book marks for souvenirs, telekong, bag. We didn't get much as we thought tomorrow at the Ben Thanh would be cheaper. Nine also got himself a small 4-set lacquer craft for his 'future home'. The quality might not be same as the one we found earlier, but it definitely cost less, and quite worth it as it looks the same.
Day 3.
We didn't have any plan today with Hom as today would be the shopping day. We didn't waste any time when we walked to the Ben Thanh market, which is only 2 blocks from our hotel, right after breakfast. There are LOADS of things over here, from clothes, to replica branded watch, silk, shoes, souvenirs, bags etc. You named it. They have it here. The price are cheap, obviously cheaper than Malaysia and Thailand. You can find a shirt from as low as USD2. The popular Vietnam Silk was also quite cheap where it only cost us from USD10 to USD17. That is what I bought from my mom, sisters. Oh, btw. They accepted USD more than Dong. Ringgit is even more popular than Dong.
What is interesting though is not the price, but the sales people. The persuasion is very much momentous and extreme which sometimes it could be a little bit annoying. But most of them are friendly and the knew Bahasa Malaysia, since many of the shoppers there are us. You'll need to learn how to say NO over and over again or else it could be like defeated in a battle field.
As I mentioned earlier, bargaining is also part of the attempt of surviving Vietnam. There is 1 item I found there which the initial price was USD150, but it was reduced to USD100, to USD80, USD50 to USD30. It's true!
We got ourselves a lot. Para, Nine and I got ourselves extra 30kg baggage also does not enough to accommodate all our 'new' stuffs. From silk, to clothes, replica branded watch, helmets. Oh yeah! The helmet was extremely unique and cheap. Of course it could not be used here in Malaysia as we have strict laws on helmet specification, but I could not resist myself from buying 2 helmets for my lil bro.
We got ourselves back to the hotel at noon and checked out. We left all our stuffs at the hotel and went to Dong Du Street again for our lunch. This time we tried a Malaysian Penang Restaurant where the meals are of course Malaysians.
Then, as we have a couple of hours before moving to the airport, we went to the Reunification Palace of Ho Chi Minh. It was actually the presidential palace during Saigon was the capital of Vietnam. Now it was turned into something like a historical building. To be frank, I would not be surprise when Hom told me that Malaysians does not spend much time over here as, there is nothing look at. There is no explanation to any of the rooms inside the palace. None. It was like walking in an antique furniture shop. But as this place is one of the historical identity of Ho Chi Minh, I would still suggest you to drop by and take pictures. We did. With our exciting happening shoot of course :-)
At 4, we met Hom at the hotel and took us to the airport.
As usual, AirAsia was late. We spend hours at the airport. Duh.
With having nothing else to do, we played poker right after Solat in the hall of the airport.
Isk isk isk.
Anyhow, Ho Chi Minh to me was absolutely FUN and exciting trip. Maybe to some of us it does not as what is expected, but it's a start. And again and again, I would always say that having these guys with me are the only thing that could make this trip an awesome one, despite how far we went. So pakciks, what's next?
---
Credits to Nine and Para for these cool photos
---
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