Ho chi man city

[Darkloveofasians]

Hello all I will be making my first visit to Vietnam end of May, I have settled on staying in district 1, I was wondering what are the must do and places to visit wile there. Hotel recommendations etc, any help is greatly appreciated.

[jrf1506]

Before I had a house there I would stay at the Oscar Hotel Saigon. Very reasonably priced and nice (not five star but nice). It is close to a lot of things walking distance but not noisy like some of the hotels closer to Ben Thanh market. War Remnants museum and the National Palace are interesting, Cu Chi tunnels (need to take a taxi) are also interesting. Saigon is a lot more modest than Bankok or Pattaya but it's not hard to find fun (if you are walking around at night you will be solicited by pimps or girls on motos. As with anything as long as you are careful and self aware (and not wearing jewelry, hold onto your phone) you will be fine. Enjoy!

[jrf1506]

The backpacker district is noisy, full of westerners, and a waste of time IMHO. Do not drink the water from the tap. Public restrooms may not have toilet paper (esp. at rest areas). When crossing the street DO NOT STOP. The bikes will go around you. Cars, trucks and busses will run you over so avoid those at all costs. Roadside eating is great and inexpensive. Look for a seafood place that lets you pick out your dinner and they then cook it. Lots of locals, so not expensive. OK, I am done or I will write a book.

[lebrouge]

I was in Saigon end of April. To score, just go to Bui Vien Walking Street, after dark, and wander around it and the surrounding alleyways. You need two words: BoomBoom, and How Much?
You will be accosted by several freelancers, and many massage parlor touts with a massage menu in their hands. The menu prices don't include BoomBoom, so you have to negotiate that in addition to basic massage fee.

Prices for a quickie: low-end: USD $40 , mid-range $80. I didn't sample the high-end. Both times I scored, I ended up in a massage parlor back room. One of the freelancers offered to go to a nearby hotel, but I didn't pick her. You are expected to pay $10-15 extra for short-term hotel room.

The best way to move around is to use the Grab app on your phone. It's similar to Uber, you can put your credit card number in there and never worry about having cash to pay for the ride.
Have fun! It's hot as hell in Saigon in this season, but hey, the pussy's warm!
Lemme know if you have any questions - be glad to help a bro!