My second time to Vietnam, first time was business trip to Ha Noi, when I was well taken care by the company team. This time, I went there with a friend whom was going there for meeting. Bad impression and terrible experience, far below expectations after all positive comments from TV travel programs
Upon arrival in the evening, went straight to the taxi stand and was directed by someone wearing uniform to a taxi. The driver refused to use meter, it's fine, it always happens in developing country, but they charged USD 35, which I found out later the max fee by meter should be maximum $7. Being cheated upon arrival felt bad, but it didn't affect much my mood. The most terrible thing happened on the next day...
Took taxi from Hotel to Ho Chi Mnh Museum, $25,000; I didn't recognize well of their notes, and took out both 100,000 and 50,000 for the driver to pick (I always offer trust as it always works when I travel to Japan, Bangkok); he took away 250,000 and I asked, hey, you should take the 50,000 and give me change..he didn't say anything and pushed me off the taxi in the middle of the road.
After the museum, didn't dare to take taxi but as a road-blind, after 20 min walk and felt a bit lost, approached by motor bike, asked for 80,000 crazy price for 3 min drive, price down to $35K, gave him $40, he refused by saying one of the note's color faded (it's given as change by the museum ticket office). No more smaller notes, gave him $100, he said he has no change and gave me one halfy broken note!!! When we were struggling, a security gaurd came over, thought he's gotta help...he took my purse and empty it! Shaed with the driver and walked away.. No other tourist around, only their local people...so helpless...Luckily I didn't bring out all cash.
On my way walked back to hotel, stormy rain came and I ran for 15 min in heavy rain, and pouring muddy water from construction sites, felt sick that night with fever
How can I have positive impression of this place?
First meal in the city, love to have their famouse soup noodle.
Clean and tidy shop, friendly service. We ordered 2 soup noodle with beef, fried spring rolls and meat balls. Simple and quite good.
每人消費: 約320000越南盾 (晚餐)
評分:
味道4
服務4
環境3
衛生4
抵食4
After dinner, it's still early but didn't want to go too far away. Just walking around the blocked and saw a commercial building with many banks' branches mixed together, some restaurants and sensual massage places in some small and dark streets.
參觀時段: 晚間
評分:
值得去2
Located at the gound floor of the tallest building in the city, just completed and started leasing.
It's a sports bar and restaurant serving beers and western food, pizza, pasta and steak. Both outdoor and indoor seatings, playing different sports programs.
I ordered the Saigon Coller and spaghetti bolognese.
每人消費: 約400000越南盾
評分:
味道4
服務5
環境5
衛生5
抵食5
Felt better after a whole night fever, or whole trip would be wasted.
Visited the major sites of Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Shopping malls, markets, and for sure, night life experience.
Built in 1869, located in the middle of a park. Very informatics to know more about this country.
入場價錢: 每人15000越南盾
評分:
值得去4
On my way back to hotel for a short break, walking along the busy street of Ham Nghi with some restaurants and shops, while it started to rain. My original plan was to find somewhere "local" but by chance, filooks cheerful and it's well decoratednding this little quiet place.
It's well designed like a garden, wooden furniture, serving both western and Vietnamese food. Chose the cram meat with asparagus soup and fried egg noodle with seafood. Both are not bad.
It's quite interesting to see the sky turned dark and bright alternatively several times in an hour.
每人消費: 約350000越南盾 (午餐)
評分:
味道3
服務4
環境4
衛生4
抵食3
Very centralized area for people to buy souvenir, most popular thing to buy should be coffee. It's quite well organized, group of coffee stores in an area, group of household products in another, there is a food-mart in the middle, selling local food and drinks.
People are not as friendly as markets in Thailand, they pull our arms and t-shirts, kept selling, and looked so pissed when we kept saying "no, thank you".
Only spent 10 min there, and wanted to leave this noisy place, we didn't have anything must-buy anyway.
評分:
值得去3
Interesting to find a face using my name, must try it for sure. Not feeling hungry but can have a coffee, it's a small cafe by the street, open area and can get the taste of the city.
每人消費: 約80000越南盾
評分:
味道4
服務4
環境4
衛生4
抵食4
It's a small city with an interesting mix of old and modern. It's not just going back to the 50's of HK, but here, it's like most people are still living in the past, while the hardware of the city has developed to this century.
Local people's income is not high, but there are luxury brands and retailers; while most people are driving their very old motor bikes, which you can't find anymore in HK, at the same time, you'll see Audi, Benz driving on the same roads.
While you are enjoying a decent meal in a nice restaurants, you'll see some people sitting on small plastics chairs and eating on the streets in front of you.
評分:
值得去4
Honestly, food was just fine, nothing impressed. It's a large restaurant, quite popular for tourists, with lots of variety of choices that you can find many local dishes.
Semi-open kitchen, with different sessions around the dining place. Making rolls, noodle, grill, etc.
Service is not that pleasant, typical tourist place that has already got famous.
每人消費: 約300000越南盾
評分:
味道3
服務3
環境5
衛生4
抵食3
Located on the top floor of the hotel, with open balcony and live band performance. Waitresses are pretty
We were sitting by the balcony, looking out is the Opera House. Ordered a beer and cocktail, chicken wings were not good.
每人消費: 約200港元
評分:
味道2
服務4
環境5
衛生5
抵食5