Tour Guides for Ho Chi Minh City & Chan May

[Raptordash]

Will be on Crystal Symphony in April. Does anyone have any recommendations for private tour guide(s) for Ho Chi Minh City and/or Chan May? Any recommendations of what to see?

Thanks

[A J Theodore]

Three or four years ago, we used Saigon Tourist very successfully for private touring. It prepared an agenda exactly as requested and provided a very fine, knowledgeable English speaking guide. I believe it is either ownded by or affiliated with the government.

Unfortunately, when I just tried a Google search I found two differrent websites each looking like it was the site for Saigon Tourist. One used a hyphen in its name, the other did not. They do not look like one and the same company.

I can only suggest that you try to locate the real one through the Vietnamese consulate. The one in DC is 202-861-0694 or 202-861-2293 (per the yellow pages). I assume that there are consulates in other cities as well.

When last I checked, in October 2005, there was an affiliated US company, Vietnam Travel Express, with an office in Arlington, VA (across from Washington, DC), (703) 243-0313 or (800) 659-6090. www DOT vietnamtravelexpres DOT com.

If nothing else, trust Crystal to be able, through the tour office to be able to arrange a great day in Saigon, even though it will cost more than making arrangements on your own.

As for what to see and do, here are my suggestions, cribbed from a two-year old posting of mine: Saigon is a real gem – you are fortunate to be able to go there before the real tourist rush hits (something that is already starting). Saigon (no one calls it Ho Chi Minh City) is a fascinating place.

Center city is a good place to start, and you can use either the Ho Chi Minh monument or the Rex Hotel as a point of reference. Rex, of course, famous from the war. You can walk down Le Loi St. (I believe) to the Ben Thanh Market. Ben Thanh Market will have everything from lacquer (some of it quite good) to music CDs (mostly pirated, and quality can vary substantially) to clothes (at decent prices) to food stuffs (wonderful variety) to good folk art. I bought a very good suitcase for $55 last year. The merchants will take U.S. dollars in bills of various denominations (none larger than a $20 bill) as they are widely accepted. Vietnamese currency is "dong" and it is now about 15,500-16,000 the dollar (almost certainly a different exchange rate in 2007). Do not buy food there unless you have an absolutely iron stomach. The best thing is to smell the street food as you walk by.

I understand that there is now a new market across the street from the Rex and it is supposedly very good and will have things Western tourists are interested in.

Make sure to look for an Ao Dai (pronounced “ow yay”), traditional women's clothing of Viet Nam. They can be fitted in the course of a single day. There are English speaking shops next to the Rex. Don't forget the pants to go with the tunic.

 

Saigon things to see and do:

1. The National Museum. Wonderful historic collections, emphasizes Vietnamese struggles against Chinese colonialism.

2. The MUST SEE in Saigon. At the museum is my all-time favorite attraction in Viet Nam and one of my favorites in the world: The water puppets. DO NOT MISS THE WATER PUPPETS. Rearrange your schedule if need be to see these. The puppets (actually marionettes operated by underwatrer sticks) perform on the surface of the water. Take your video camera and do not sit in the front row - there will be dragons spouting water at each other and at the audience.

3. There is a wonderful children's park next door to the museum.

4. Chinese Temple near the Cathedral. Good if you have nothing else to do with your time but it is like many other Chinese temples elsewhere.

5. Other historic sites include the well-restored Presidential Palace and the building where the U.S. Embassy used to be (remember the helicopters lifting off from the roof). Unless you specifically request it (or want to go out of town to the Cu Chi Tunnels from the war, see below) there is very little about the war that the Vietnamese will emphasize.

6. Cu Chi Tunnels. Only if you have a real interest in the war and are not claustrophobic. They are at a significant distance from the city and you will use up a lot of time going back and forth (and traffic is just atrocious). I would pass on this unless you have a real interest and are going to be there for at least a couple of days and have a real interest in the war.

7. Although I did not try them, there are now dinner cruises on the Saigon river. There are also some very fine restaurants in Saigon.

Hope that this helps.

[Raptordash]

Thanks for your suggestions. Much appreciated.

[Aussie Gal]

A J Theodore,

 

We will be visiting Vietnam in April, 2008 and I have just printed out the wonderful information you have provided for Saigon.

 

We too are looking for a private guide as we will be there 2 days when we are on the Nautica.

 

Jennie

[SDHALFAN]

I have to echo "Aussie Gal" and thank you A J Theodore for all that wonderful information. I too have printed it out since I will be in Saigon in October of 2008 aboard the ms Amsterdam and I'm sure that the information will prove to be very useful indeed.

 

Valerie:)

[DonahCBrown]

Big Mahalo AJ - really helpful information. We're doing the Sapphire in October and I've printed out your posts.

[fivefoot4]

Thanks A J Theodore on your very informative post. I have kept a copy for reference. I also found some good information on Vietnam on the Vietnamonline.com website. Just click on Visit Vietnam then click on what city you are visiting eg Ho Chi Minh City. That page has very helpful information on what to see and where to eat.

[A J Theodore]

Thank you all for the very kind words.

[saddlebrooke]

Big Mahalo AJ - really helpful information. We're doing the Sapphire in October and I've printed out your posts.

Hi Donna:

I think that we have talked before. Judy and I are going on the Sapphire from Bangkok to Beijing on November 18. Is that your sailing?

Terry and Judy

[boeckli]

Here is a link to the Ho Chi Minh City Dept of Tourism website http://tourism.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/english/home.php

On it is also a link to Saigon Tourist. On our visit on the SuperStar Virgo in 2003, we went on a ship's excursion run by Saigon Tourist, which was very good. We then went back into town the following morning and explored the city centre on foot. Did not go to any markets, as it was the beginning of the SARS outbreak at the time

Traffic is rather chaotic there :eek:

We will visit again on our upcoming Superstar Gemini cruise in August :)

[boeckli]

You can find some photos from our previous visit by clicking on the camera-smiley in my signature - then select album 'Superstar Virgo March 2003'

[DonahCBrown]

Hi Donna:

I think that we have talked before. Judy and I are going on the Sapphire from Bangkok to Beijing on November 18. Is that your sailing?

Terry and Judy

 

We're on the two before you - Bangkok to Beijing Oct. 17, and Beijing to Bangkok Nov. 2. We'll be getting off as you are boarding.