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How far is Phy My port from Saigon?


Gerko
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Depending on the website, the port of Phu My seems to be anything from 27kms to 105kms from Saigon. I am trying to find out which is closer to the cruise dock - Saigon or Vung Tau. Our ship, Superstar Virgo is stopping there and we'd like to see something but have already been to Saigon and don't want to sit on a bus if its 2 1/2hrs drive, as one website suggests.

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Much closer to Vung Tau - nice place to visit for a day, plenty to see and some really good restaurants for seafood and beer.

You could and probably should organise transport to and from before you go - you can also visit Nui Dat, some tunnels and other sites of interest to Australians as that is the province where we operated in during the War.

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Depending on the website, the port of Phu My seems to be anything from 27kms to 105kms from Saigon. I am trying to find out which is closer to the cruise dock - Saigon or Vung Tau. Our ship, Superstar Virgo is stopping there and we'd like to see something but have already been to Saigon and don't want to sit on a bus if its 2 1/2hrs drive, as one website suggests.

 

When we visited there was a free shuttle bus to a nearby town. We were going to get a taxi from the town to Vung Tau, but enjoyed the town and local market so much, we stayed there all day, and caught the free shuttle bus back.

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Phu My is an industrial port with lots of container cargo for ocean-going traffic, and it is much closer (to its southeast) Vung Tau, developed a seaside resort town that local residents go to and enjoy. Use Google Maps to explore - it's about 35 km in distance and driving time of about 45 minutes each way.

Phu My to Ho Chi Minh City (a/k/a - formerly known as & called, Saigon, by the older generation) is much further to the northwest direction - distance of about 100 km and with unpredictable & congested traffic, millions of motorized bikes & cycles, typical drive time is about 2 hours, more or less, each way - you will be traveling on a toll highway at times while going thru towns & places with traffic lights, etc.

On a day stop while on a cruise, allow extra time to get back to the ship and have the port agent's contact/mobile telephone number written down, just in case.

Taxis are plentiful, especially from HCMC - many used the equipvalent of our Toyota Highlander with 3 rows of seats and it will fit up to 6 average-sized adults without luggage, as many of them do airport runs - and, it is air-conditioned. The last row is tight in legroom space, the petitie ones should ride back there. Taxi drivers speak little to no English - like visiting China, have destination names, addresses & phone #'s written down to help communicate - a printed map to show the driver also help, especially if you are exploring on your own & not using a local tour operator/guide. You might be able to negotiate, for a flat rate/fee in VND (the "Dong" or local dollars) to hire/charter the taxi driver & his taxi for the "whole" day to take you around, stop & take pictures, have lunch, etc. and he will wait or come around to pick you up and continue - not everyone is comfortable doing that, but it can be done - just a FYI.

One of my BIL just came back from VN and 2 of our young nieces were along, they had local connections and hired a driver & van for several days to go all over - it is really best to sightsee on land, without worrying about the clock. We did that with his help few years ago and we had a Benz Sprinter van, sitting nicely high-up and it was not expensive.

For someone that's been to HCMC and seen the main tourist attractions like the old palace and presidential compound, etc. - I would probably not sit for 4 plus hours, and do something a little more relaxing & closer, IMHO.

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Taxi scams are one of the major complaints of visitors to Vietnam so I would advise anyone contemplating hiring a taxi in Vietnam to do their research prior to going via Trip Advisor etc.

 

While certainly possible to hire a taxi in Baria (where the free shuttle bus drops passengers off from Phu My) or even from outside the port gates, the taxi mafia will be operating to organise you into a cab at an exhorbitant price. By knowing which taxi companies to use (and there are generally on two that you should use), if possible get away from the melee and try and deal with the driver direct.

 

I have been to Vietnam many times including by ship to Phu My twice and as I general rule i will not get into any cab unless the driver is well dressed and wearing a tie as the two recommended companies require their drivers to wear a tie. If you get into a cab for a short ride or one way ride the the driver does not use his meter, get out.

 

And finally, if you negotiate to have the taxi for the day or a return trip, do not pay any money to the driver until you get back to the port - its a long walk from Saigon to Phu My!

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Great info from all. Many thanks. Sounds like, if they put on a free shuttle to Baria then we might just have a look around there and go no further. If they don't have a free shuttle then we'll buy seats on the ships organised transfers to Vung Tau and back.

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We’ve been to this port twice this year and on both occasions did a ships trip into Saigon because of the distance. It is about 2 hours each way. The first time we went on a ships tour to visit key sites. The second time we did the ships transfer to Saigon and explored on our own.

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Hi, RJHNorthyorks,

We will be on the Celebrity Millennium in december, and the cruise port is Phu My. We choosed Celebrity shuttle for the tranfert to Saïgon, and we want to visit on our own.

Is it easy, and safe, to take a taxi to go to Cholon (for Pagodas, Temples, Binh Tay market) and then, go to Downtown for the Cathedral, Post Office, etc ?

Many thanks in advance for your help, advices or informations !

 

Muriel

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