It has always been my dream to log my travel experiences but somehow resisted due to various reasons. However gradually I realized to share my experience with the travel community who helped me to plan my various travel trips.
My every trip starts with understanding of visa guidelines of the country for Indian passport holders because I hold one. For those who would like to avoid the perhaps lengthening visa procedures with their local Vietnamese Embassies, the service of Vietnam Visa on arrival is available for help. It is legitimated and supported by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. I recommend you to choose Visa upon arrival, as picking up Visa at the Vietnam international airport is quite simple, easy, no additional charges and no fail. I will not explain in detail instead will refer you to the Vietnam visa site where we got our visa. I would surely recommend to use Vietnam visa team for fast and authentic visa. Here is my Vietnam visa,don't get confused seeing many people name in my visa letter they are not with me but this is how they issue visa letter.
This trip was planned for 9 days from 29 May 2015 to 6 June 2015 with my close family friends. We took an early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) from Singapore.Here is the gang,
We arrived in Saigon by 8 AM and took almost an hour to get the visa stamped and immigration clearance. We took a 16 seater car which costed us 4,50,000 DONG to District one which took an about 45 minutes to reach Harmony Saigon Hotel which was booked for 3 nights.Hotel was worth every penny and in an excellent location. You can read my hotel review at TripAdvisor.
After checking-in and getting freshen up we decided to have a city tour by our own but before that we all were craving for Indian food.A little help from the hotel and with our navigation skills we were able to hunt down an Indian restaurant "Namaste India" in district one. Food was really delicious with reasonable price but the best thing was warmheartedness of the owner(or chef) whose name really slipped out of my memory but his picture ain't.
Rest of the evening was well spent seeing Saigon city attractions.
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica
Saigon post office
Saigon opera house
Ho Chi Minh Square
Day 2 : We booked Mekong delta full day tour for the next day which cost us around 20 USD per adult.We picked at 8 AM from the hotel and started our tour.On the way we stopped at Vinh Trang Pagoda for pictures,
The Laughing Buddha
Sleeping Buddha
After 3 hours of scenic ride we reached My Tho,We boarded on a motorized boat that took us to Unicorn Island.We walked to coconut candy factory where many of the local women were working to produce the sweets.We took a pony ride to reach to a restaurant where set meal was served.After the lunch and some rest we continued to move around various islands to witness wonderful Vietnamese lifestyle,fruits and folk songs.
Here is the pony ride video,
Videos of our Mekong delta tour,
Day 3 : It was again a full day tour of Củ Chi tunnels and Cao Dai temple. We started by 8 AM and straight away went to Cao Dai temple.Just outside Tay Nihn and 60 miles northwest of Ho Chi Minh City is the Great Temple or Holy See, the center of the intriguing Cao Dai sect. Cao Dai is a synergistic Vietnamese religious movement that incorporates aspect of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and even Catholicism.
The Cao Dai Temple (as it is more commonly known) was begun in 1933 in a unique architectural style that reflects its blended traditions.
Next destination was famous Củ Chi tunnels which was used by Viet Cong soldiers during Vietnam War.Very interesting to see guerrilla warfare from the Vietnamese standpoint.The tunnels have many exits. So you can walk right through the system of about 250 m or get out at any exit along the way. There are exits about every 50 meters.You cannot stand up in them. Here are some shots :)
Here we finished our 3 days stay in Ho Chi Minh City. We thoroughly enjoyed ambiance and warmth of Vietnamese people in this historic city.
It's going to be really long blog so I would rather share Hanoi,Ha Long Bay and Sapa experience in separate blog :)
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