Phu My to Ho Chi Minh on our own

[karenbeanpole]

Can anyone tell me how far it is to get from the port Phu My into Ho Chi Minh. Are there taxis available and what's the cost? Any private transfers available? Any suggestions. The cruise ship is offering Ho Chi Minh transfers for $59 each which is quite steep. We've been to HCM before and we just want to go to Ben Thanh market for some shopping.

[greatam]

Can anyone tell me how far it is to get from the port Phu My into Ho Chi Minh. Are there taxis available and what's the cost? Any private transfers available? Any suggestions. The cruise ship is offering Ho Chi Minh transfers for $59 each which is quite steep. We've been to HCM before and we just want to go to Ben Thanh market for some shopping.

 

About 1-1.5 hour drive depending on traffic. There are taxis BUT they don't all have port permits so you will have to make your way to the street. And do you have your destination written in Vietnamese??? Quite a few of the taxi drivers do NOT speak English.

 

There are also private transfers but most will want to sell you a tour. Have you consulted others on your roll call??? Maybe you can share a transfer-let others go on a tour and you go shopping.

 

BECAUSE of the traffic, I think I would stick with the cruise line transfers if you don't want a tour. AT least, if you are at the transfer point at the proper time, you won't get left behind. Breakdown with a private car, taxi or tour and you could be scrambling to the next port. JMHO

[karenbeanpole]

Thanks for your response. Do you know if there is anything to do in Phu My?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

All you can do in Phu My is count the containers waiting on the wharf:eek:

Its a long walk to the main road through a wasteland waiting to be developed.

 

Heres a couple of pics from when we were there on Diamond . They did offer a shuttle into a local town about 20 minutes from Phu My, but there was not much to see there. The other option is the tour to Vung Tau.

We found the ships transfer to Ho Chi Min City the best value for "doing the City on your own" as at least you know you will be able to get back.

 

 

 

[karenbeanpole]

Has anyone out there been to Vung Tao? If so, how easy is it to get there and are there taxis available to get back? Do taxi drivers understand where you want to go? Is it just a beach? Shopping?

[karenbeanpole]

Thanks Kiwi Kruzer for your help! :)

[goldie888]

Has anyone out there been to Vung Tao? If so, how easy is it to get there and are there taxis available to get back? Do taxi drivers understand where you want to go? Is it just a beach? Shopping?

 

Hi Karen,

 

We are the 4 from Canada who will share a taxi van as depicted with you. One of our poster on our roll call has posted a tour at $50 per person. But I am not sure I want to be on a big bus.

[karenbeanpole]

I don't really want to be on a tour when docked in Phu My as we were in Vietnam last year. Been to Ho Chi Minh then and don't need a tour. We've booked the Princess transfer @ $59 so that we can just wander about on our own. Don't think we'll go to the beach as we're doing that in Na Thrang and Laem Chabang (going to Pattaya there as we've been to Bangkok before). Would have stayed in Phu My if it was an interesting place, but apparently it isn't! I've been put off private arrangements at Phu My due to the language barrier and bad roads! Don't want to miss the ship. ;)

[greatam]

I don't really want to be on a tour when docked in Phu My as we were in Vietnam last year. Been to Ho Chi Minh then and don't need a tour. We've booked the Princess transfer @ $59 so that we can just wander about on our own. Don't think we'll go to the beach as we're doing that in Na Thrang and Laem Chabang (going to Pattaya there as we've been to Bangkok before). Would have stayed in Phu My if it was an interesting place, but apparently it isn't! I've been put off private arrangements at Phu My due to the language barrier and bad roads! Don't want to miss the ship. ;)

 

You are making the smart move. Phu My is the NEW port for the container ships. It is heavily underused, as it is cheaper (and easier) to dock in Vung Tau. I am in the international logistics business and ship quite a bit of fish (farmed shrimp) plus unusual fruits out of Vietnam to the USA. Everyone was really excited when PhuMy opened, with new facilities, etc. But then the port wasn't big enough to handle the BIG container ships and the government imposed heavy fees to use the new port. The shipping companies continue to use Vung Tau. Primarily cruise ships use Phu My and some of the smaller, inter Asia container ships.

 

Make sure you have a drink on the beach at the Nha Trang Sailing Club. You may also want to spend the day on Hon Tre Island at the Vin Pearl resort-amusement park, golf, tennis, one of the largest swimming pools in the world and a great beach with jet skis and sail boards.

 

But for a really, really way out there day trip, try one of the Mama Han (well, now it is Mama Ling) boat trips. Small boat around 3 or 4 islands, snorkeling, lots of food cooked onboard, floating "bar" in the ocean drinking wine, great soundtrack (Good Morning Vietnam). VERY cheap-usually about $10pp. NOT for the faint hearted but a good fun day.

 

 

Enjoy!!!

[karenbeanpole]

Ooh I like the sound of the Mama Han trip - is that from Nha Trang? I'm not sure where we end up with our tender there, but I presume the beach is a short walk away? We don't really know as we've never been there before. We are not interested in seeing anymore Cham stuff - did it all last year, so beach and boats sound great for us. What's the town like? Are there lots of shops - we like touristy type shops - tshirts, fake goods etc. Not always to buy but just interesting to look at and maybe buy.

Any more tips would really be welcome!