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exploring ho chi minh city (saigon),VietnamI was in Ho Chi Minh City, aka Saigon, in 1995 (for my honeymoon!), not long after the embargo was lifted, finally allowing American's to visit Vietnam. Contrary to the expectations of most Americans, we received an enthusiastic welcome, and that has not changed - the people are as friendly as they were back in 1995.
I have fond memories of the packs of school girls in their flowing "ao dais" gliding down the streets on bicycles. Needless to say, this has changed. Today, ao dais are only seen occasionally, and motorbikes have replaced bicycles on the wide, crowded, tree lined boulevards of HCMC.
Crossing the street is an "adventurous activity", but we never saw a single accident - amazingly, the chaos seems to flow pretty well.
A welcome change is the selection of hotels. In '95, the lack of choices (competition) made prices fairly high for what you got. Today, you can get a luxury at reasonable prices in Ho Chi Minh City.
We chose the Equatorial Hotel, which is located away from the main tourist area. I was apprehensive about this location, but it turned out to be a benefit - we saw much more of the real city, by not stepping out the door into a tourist zone, and cabs to the thick of things are really cheap ($2.) The more I travel, the more I enjoy avoiding the primary tourist hotels and areas. We are finding that some of the more business oriented hotels offer much better service and amenities for your money.
For the price of a regular room at a popular tourist hotel in the Dong Khoi area, you can get a room on the Club Floor of the Equatorial.
The Club Floor offers complimentary evening cocktails and snacks (a meal!), a huge breakfast buffet (including lattes!), 2 items of laundry done each day, and free, in-room WiFi.
If you don't care to spend the extra money for the "Club" treatment, the standard rooms at the Equatorial are very comfy, and the whole staff is extremely helpful and friendly. I would stay here again in a heartbeat!
TIP:
Notes...
Related stories and destinations: Mekong River Cruise - Luang Say |
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