Making the most of Ho Chi Minh City
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Mid-size and smaller ships can follow the winding Saigon River and berth very close to the city centre. Trishaws and taxi’s can be hired beyond the port gate.
Saigon port has three piers in the town centre, although a ship receives its allocated pier only 24 hours before arrival. It will be one of these: 1. Nha Rong Port - # 3 - 5 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 2. Tan Thuan II Port - # 243 Bui Van Ba Street, Tan Thuan Dong Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; or 3. Lotus Port - # 1A Nguyen Van Quy Street, Phu Thuan Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam.
Larger ships use Phu My, a South China Sea commercial port near Vung Tao, about 80 miles by road (1.5 hours) from Ho Chi Minh City. Take the port shuttle to the part gate and hire a cab, agreeing the fare and a return journey in advance, or join a ship-organised excursion. The port is isolated, so do not expect to find activities by walking around.
For most foreign visitors, a visa costs about $40 and is handled aboard the cruise ship.
Bring a printable map.
See Ho Chi Minh City festivals and events while in port.
Formerly Saigon, a name still used for the city centre, Ho Chi Minh City took its official name in 1976 after national reunification. It occupies a huge bend in the Saigon River in southern Vietnam and is the country’s largest city, with almost seven million residents and more than one million motorbikes. Hanoi is the governmental centre, but Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s economic engine and most exciting metropolis. Before traffic crowded the centre, Saigon had earned the description Paris of Asia for its broad, tree-lined boulevards and…
At the end of Le Duan Boulevard, the 130-year-old Botanical Gardens hold an appealing collection of orchids and other flowers. Their small zoo includes endangered indigenous species alongside exotic animals from overseas.
War Remnants Museum displays photographs about the Vietnam War, while its courtyard contains military material including tanks, U.S. choppers and bombs.
Getting around
A cruise-organised transfer or excursion between Phu My and Ho Chi Minh City is advisable. Few, if any, taxis may enter the port, and walking through the port takes a long time.
Vietnam does not accept international driving licences, so there are no car-hire firms such as Hertz and Avis etc.
Taxis normally cannot wait within the port but can be collected in town for the return. Yellow Cabs are the most dependable; they use meters and charge in U.S. dollars.
Nearby places
C? Chi’s vast linked underground tunnel system lies in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)’s C? Chi district and forms part of a far larger network running beneath much of Vietnam. The C? Chi tunnels were used for several Vietnam War campaigns and served as the Viet Cong’s operational base during the T?t Offensive in 1968.
Vung Tau is far nearer than Saigon and occupies a spectacular peninsula with the ocean on three sides.
Food and shopping
Most shops cluster around the Rex Hotel. Good purchases include mother-of-pearl inlay, ceramics, embroidered goods, wood-block prints, watercolours and lacquer ware, said to be the world’s best. Rosewood bowls and boxes are also especially popular. China Town’s overwhelming Binh Tay Market carries an astonishing range of goods, and bargaining is expected there.
A small market is commonly set up on the pier for last-minute shopping.
Money
Vietnam’s national currency is the dong (d?ng, VND). U.S. dollars are widely accepted; for small sums, the usual exchange rate is 16000 dong to US$1.
ATMs are becoming increasingly common in most larger cities and at every tourist destination.
In Vietnam, nearly everything is open to bargaining.
Staying connected
Vietnamese is the native language. English is growing in popularity as a second language and is compulsory in most schools.
Internet access is available in every town except the most remote.
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours are daily 0800/0830-2100/2200.
Vietnam’s biggest holiday is Tet, also called Vietnamese New Year. According to the unisolar Chinese calendar, it falls between late January and March. Shops close for Tet’s three days and people return to their families, making travel somewhat difficult.