Tips for traveling in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is a good place for people who love the bustling cities. If you want to have a wonderful trip in this city, enjoy your cocktail in some best rooftop bar or take a rest in Singapore hotel in district 1 without worrying about anything which makes you annoy. Let the above tips help you do that.

1. Be careful with beggars

DO NOT hand out money to beggars such as children, elderly, or disabled, no matter how decrepit they may seem. This is not due to any inhumane or uncharitable reasons, but because most of these beggars are part of a profit-making "syndicate" of beggars, usually headed by some unscrupulous low-life who has recruited orphan children from a young age, and crippled them themselves (yes believe it or not there are still monsters out there who purposely maim children and use them as money-making machines).

By giving these disabled and maimed beggars money you are effectively feeding the system that produces these maimed children. The more "profitable" they become, the more orphans they recruit and deliberately maim them to draw compassion from unsuspecting tourists. By giving them money you are proliferating the problem rather than helping it. If you think the money you give goes directly to the beggars, think again, all money is channeled back to the head honcho, and the beggars are given nothing more than basic sustenance and forced to work to meet daily quotas.

The best way to handle the situation is to avoid eye contact altogether. Do not say "no", do not look them in the eye or show them that you are aware of their presence. You must pretend they are invisible. If you say "no" or respond to them with eye contact in any way, they will know you have seen them and will keep badgering you until you say yes. If you ignore them, they will give up and go away.

2. Be careful of imitation or small cab companies

You can believe only some taxi companies in HCM: Mai Linh (white vehicle with green writing) and Vinasun (white and green vehicle) and Grab (download app Grabbike which give you the best vehicle). Be careful of taxi's with similar names masquerading as the two big cab companies, they more often than not will overcharge or have fixed meters. Even if a cab has the same name as the two big cab companies but the vehicle is a different colour, do NOT be fooled, this is not the real deal. If you find you have flagged down the wrong taxi (because from a distance they all look the same) do not be afraid to decline and walk away.

It is OK to tip the "concierge" boy standing in front of every shop, restaurant or hotel who hails a taxi for you. These staff (often indistinguishable from casually dressed locals) are providing a service and often rely on tips, and therefore are not beggars. A local who flags a taxi for you may also be tipped.

3. An extra money

Tipping is virtually unavoidable in Vietnam, you will find there is a member of staff to perform even the most trivial of tasks for you. A tip is usually the polite thing to do as staff do not receive wages, but rely solely on tips. A tip of $1 - $3 is more than suffice (although depending on the type of service provided, such as the hotel manager who has personally looked after you for your trip) more may be justified. If the staff member demands more than what you think is deserving, do not be afraid to decline them, as they are most likely trying to extract more from the unsuspecting tourist.

4. Don't choose Xich Lo for a quick

There are many Westerners believe to be a novelty experience called the "xich lo". A "xich lo" is a bicycle with a lowered seat at the front for passengers. While in the past this was a common mode of transport, the wide-spread use of motorcycles and cars has rendered the xich lo to be a very slow and unsafe mode of transport. Passengers will find themselves at eye level with exhaust fumes and heavy traffic, exposed to the elements and with very little protection from traffic. Unfortunately if an accident were to happy the xich lo passenger would draw the shorter end of the stick. Xich lo drivers also have a tendency to charge extortionate prices to tourists. A ride should not cost more than $2.

5. Tour companies

Check and compare prices, they are better at this street near the backpackers district.Hotel prices are way to expensive. A full day tour around ther city with 'light lunch' in a group of about 20 ppl cost me $20.00 each. A must tour of the Cu Chi tunnel(1/2 day) cost me $5.00 each. You meet at the tour Company and get picked up by a large tour Company and everyone gets on a big tour bus. Get a good map. Once you have been there for a day or 2, you can just walk everywhere and discover the city that way.

6. Food and drink

Pho 24 is a chain rest. but really good and clean food.

Pho 2 000, good food and clean but not super cheap.

Food court at the Diamond Plaza 3rd fl. Good choices.

Hoi An Restaurant is too expensive and not good food, but good service.

CHIC Restaurant of Bay Hotel looks really fancy but, don't let that fool you, the prices was actually cheaper than a small Restaurant.

Must Drink the Ice coffee with condensed milk there, so awesome, amazingly delicious. Can't say enough about it. Tourists can get it at a roadside stand and at a too expensive Highland cafe and they both taste equally good. In general, the Vietnamnese people are awesome. Go and have fun and be confident when crossing the streets. If you wanna read more the information about this city. Click here.

Thank you for reading this article.