If you don’t mind about the ‘F’ word, this is absolutely good&useful tips for those who wanna travel in Saigon…
What to F… do in Saigon
click the link above to open new windows
How to get to backpackers area from TSN airport 01.11.2010
There are several ways to get to the City from Tan Son Nhat (TSN) airport. You can take a taxi, a motorbike taxi (literally, hug motorbike) or the cheapest way is taking a bus. This post will concern on these ways to help travelers feel easier after getting off the airport terminal.
Look at the picture below to imagine the arrival hall of the TSN International terminal.
1: Taxi coupon shop
The most easiest and quickest way to get downtown is buying a taxi coupon on the left side when getting off the exit. 6-7 bucks coupon will make you feel safer, quicker and free-scamming (hassling).
2: Lost & Found Luggage Room
Near the ATM on the left side of the arrival hall and the taxi stand, there is a room for reporting lost luggage. Hopefully this problem not happen to you after landing.
3. Food Court: besides selling food&drink, they also sell SIM packs here at the right price.
The first thing you have to do: change your money or get some money from the ATMs to pay taxi fare (bus).
. Changing your money.
I realize we almost get a better exchange rate in CBD than the rate inside the airport. Therefore, keep your big bills and we only need some small bills(5 or 10 bucks) to buy a bottle of water or juice or food and get back the change in Vietnamese currency. There are some food courts near the exit in the arrival hall.
They are also selling SIM card value of 50.000VND/100.000VND/ 200.000VND. If you need one to make call, this is the best way to change money and get SIM card at the same time. Read my post “Using mobile phone in Vietnam” to know more about using mobile phone in Vietnam if you prefer this way. (more…)
How to access Facebook in Vietnam 14.10.2010
Since the last November 2009, any access from Vietnam to the social network Facebook has been banned, some travelers in Vietnam will wonder why they couldn’t access FB sometimes. The journalist Ben Stocking of AP explained (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/17/vietnam-fears-facebook-bl_n_360278.html):
“Vietnam’s government tightened restrictions on blogging, banning political discussion and restricting postings to personal matters. Police have arrested several bloggers for writing about politically sensitive subjects.”
“The diplomat, who declined to be identified, citing embassy protocol, said Vietnam’s government might be concerned about Facebook blogs and that the site facilitates communication between Vietnamese citizens and overseas Vietnamese who fled after the war, whom the government often views with suspicion. An unauthenticated document circulating on the Internet – which says it was issued by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security – has fueled fears of a shutdown. The document, dated Aug. 27, instructs Internet service providers to block Facebook and a handful of other lesser-known Web sites. ”
However, we still have some ways to access Facebook in Vietnam. To do so, we need to change our network configuration and here is the most easiest way:
…
Video: (more…)
Banh Mi Saigon – Saigon baguette 13.10.2010
Some ppl say those who travel to Saigon and never taste banh mi saigon, it means you havent traveled to saigon yet. Because banh mi is the very very tasty food foreingers should try and banh mi become a really special thing in saigon (vietnam now) since the french army established its colonial empire in saigon 100yrs ago.
You can taste banh mi in Cali, NY, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, Paris,…but those are copies, believe me, try to find out a “real” banh mi Saigon if u have a chance. Who ever have a Subway footlong will chance their minds about baguette when tasting a real banh mi in Saigon. Subway is on the way to vietnam but not many ppl care bout it because banh mi saigon is always a part of saigoners. (more…)
Sai Gon – the Old and the New 06.10.2010
Here are some photos of the Old Saigon and the New Saigon. Normally, we SAIGONER call the Old Saigon mean the Saigon before the liberation day 1975 or before the fall of Saigon in 1975 as some people call.
Before 1975, Saigon was used to call as the Pearl of Far East or Paris in the Orient. It’s true and definitely not a joke. In the mid of XIX century, the French army invaded Vietnam through Da nang and Saigon after that. They considered Saigon had more advantages for them to set up the colonial empire as some strategists considered Saigon(the South) was a safe&wealthy land and also was the biggest rice granary of Vietnam. After controlling the South(includes Saigon – Gia Dinh), they started building&upgrading Saigon as their headquarters in Indochina. As you can see, Notre Dame Cathedral, City Hall, President Palace with the French-style architecture surely were built by the French.
After that, the Government of South Vietnam whose supported by the U.S Government brought some new changes to Saigon in culture and life style of Saigoners. Nowadays, the Saigoners were influenced by the American style in daily life, we use words in daily conversation in American English such as bar, club, shop, building, hippie,…and the influence of the life style to Saigoner: open-mind, generous and optimistic and happy always.
Take a short trip back to the past and imagine the Saigon before.
(these photos collected from many sources on the Internet, thanks the owner of each photo. Tony)
Ladies of Saigon
Old: 1967
…
..
New:
after 2000
