Days of The Dragon

Last update March 27, 2008

This list is just some random travel tips that I put together based on my recent trip to Vietnam. It is only about 30% complete - I will add more as I have time. While in Vietnam I visited Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang, Hoi An, Que Son, Hanoi, and Halong Bay.

A related post on my blog can be found here.

Money
   Bring $200 - $400 in cash, 20 of that in singles for tips, the rest as 20s. Convert maybe $100 of it to Dong at your hotel or a bank. Any other cash you need get at an ATM machine (it will be in Dong), they are very easy to find. Most U.S. banks charge 1-3% on ATM withdrawals, so be aware of that. My bank charged 2%, and for me that small fee was very worth it, otherwise I’d have been carrying around $1000 or more in cash…not the best thing in my opinion no matter what country you’re in. Many places (restaurants and shops) also take credit cards, but again there is usually a 1-3% fee from your bank.

Tipping
   For taxi’s I would just tip a small amount, maybe 10,000 dong (about 60 cents). Tip 15%-20% for served restaurant meals, and don’t forget to leave a small tip of 15,000-30,000 ($1-2) dong for buffet meals at your hotel. If you take a tour, it is customary to tip your guide, use your own judgment here…I went on a 4 hour private tour on Halong Bay (Myself, Parker, and 3 other people) and I tipped the guide 160,000 dong ($10).

Shopping
   Do a lot of it, how often will you be going back to Vietnam?! My only regret of the entire trip is that I didn’t buy more stuff. I plan on returning to VN in 2-4 years, but still I wish I would have bought more, especially arty and handcrafted things. Be careful of telling yourself that you’ll see something again at another store…many things in VN are handmade and aren’t at every store in every shopping area like in the US.

Flying
   If you can afford it in any way, go first class (or deluxe on EVA Air). You will have so much more room, better service, etc…all things you will want with a new child riding on your lap for hours at a time. Make sure you know how much time you will have between flights. If you have extra time, plan on checking in early and then just relax. Don’t wait until the last minute to go through security or check-in; you’ll just be stressing yourself and your child for no reason. If you are the least bit unsure where to go or how to get to a certain part of the airport then ask someone. Again, no need to stress yourself out or worse miss a connection because you didn’t want to ask for assistance.

Baby formula
   Find out from the orphanage what they are feeding your child and stick with that until you get back home; after you’re settled in a couple of days begin to transition your child to US formula/foods. No sense in adding extra stress on them while still in VN and traveling home. If you have an older child, I’d suggest making a trip to an Asian market or grocery store soon after coming home and buying some familiar foods.

Saigon
   Saigon is great, there is so much to do and the people are really wonderful. If you are staying at the Duxton, the Rex, or other hotels in that area be sure you visit the Tax Center. The Tax Center is a big shopping mall; they have everything from clothing to toys to a small grocery store inside. You can get stuff for the baby, buy water, etc. On the top floor, in the back is a toy area; to the left is a section with some really nice wooden toys, I’d definitely recommend stopping up there. While in Saigon I went to the Tax Center almost every day to pick up stuff for Parker or to buy water or Gatorade or snacks for the hotel.
   The Diamond Center is another great shopping mall, but is much more like an upscale U.S. mall than the Tax Center. This is where you’ll find Movado watches, Gucci bags, and the like. Don’t take pictures inside or you’ll get yelled at by the guards. There is a very nice food court on the 3rd or 4th floor; in the mornings and afternoons school kids can be found hanging out there.
   The Zoo in Saigon is quite nice, and admission is only 50 cents. You could easily spend an hour or two enjoying the zoo with its lush greenery, friendly staff, and plentiful animal exhibits. The zoo is about a 15 minute walk from the Rex or Duxton, and depending on what streets you take, you’ll pass some great little shops and restaurants, including a Pizza Hut with seafood pizzas. If you pass a Bubble Tea place along the way, stop and have some.
   There is also quite a bit of French influence still evident in Saigon, there are several shops that sell yummy, French inspired baked goods, as well as a few French restaurants that are nice.
   If you’re into seafood, then walk back behind the Rex for a bit and you’ll hit a couple of alleys filled with open-air, fresh seafood restaurants. Out front each one are tanks of very fresh (still alive) shrimp, prawns, clams, fish, etc…the food is fantastic and pretty inexpensive. My recommendation for choosing one of them is to select one that is busy, has covered tables, and is clean looking. To ensure you are getting fresh food ask to pick your selection from the tank…that way you know it wasn’t sitting around before being cooked.
    <Added March 27, 2008> Something else of interest to Jewish travellers to Viet Nam is that there is a Chabad House in Saigon/HCMC. While there are few Jews living in Viet Nam (estimates are under 500), this Chabad location caters mainly to tourists and business travellers. It is located on Le Loi St, near the Ben Thanh market. You can see more at their web site.