Also known as Ho Chi Minh, the exhilarating city of Saigon in Southern Vietnam is a true senses overload in every aspect! My poor husband didn't know what he was getting himself into when he agreed to go to Vietnam with me-but he ended up loving it! Having been to several Asian countries before and having lived in a small city in China, I knew somewhat what to expect. Asia in general is not for the faint of heart-it's for the true traveler, the person who wants to get pushed with great force out of their comfort zone, but in return, experience a place unlike anything you've ever imagined, a place so different from home, that you can't help but fall in love!
Enjoy the short cute video I made about our time in Saigon, and then check out all our fun pictures, and some tips on what to do and where to stay while you're in Saigon.
We stayed at Yellow House Saigon when we first landed in Vietnam, and loved it so much that we stayed there again once we returned from our time in Mui Ne!
Yellow House Saigon is an adorable little hotel that is located down a tiny back alley in the heart of Saigon. We loved that it wasn't a touristy hotel that caters to foreigners, but a more authentic place (complete with a rooster outside crowing every morning, and a shirtless old man with missing toes, sleeping on a cot in the alley entrance!), employing local people (only a few of whom spoke English-when we arrived at Yellow House it was late, the night clerk didn't understand English, and so he had to call and wake up, another employee on the phone, who translated for us! Hahaha love it!).
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Speaking of authentic, we were also obsessed with their breakfast! None of that cheap hotel food here! Every morning one of the ladies cooked an insanely amazing breakfast-stir fried noodles or rice and eggs with hot sauce, bread, fresh fruit, fresh juice, and, as I put it on my Snapchat (above), the blackest, most delicious coffee I have ever met!
Our absolute favorite activity in Saigon was walking! Since our hotel was already in the midst of the labyrinth that is the back streets of Saigon, we spent a great deal of time wandering the streets, seeing what the city had to offer. You never know what you're going to see when you're walking down the street in Vietnam...
Our lovely shirtless pastries man! Go to Vietnam just to eat the pastries-you will not regret it!
We also really liked the Ben Thanh Market! It is more of a touristy place, but it is a great place to let yourself be overwhelmed with colors, sounds, culture, and the perfect place to practice your haggling skills (tips at the bottom)!
We also bought lots of fun and inexpensive gifts for our families from the Ben Thanh Market, as well as really cute clothes for ourselves.
We also bought lots of fun and inexpensive gifts for our families from the Ben Thanh Market, as well as really cute clothes for ourselves.
Saigon Square is also a cool place to do some shopping-I got some great shirts here!
Bonus! On your way to Saigon Square you will stumble upon this most adorable umbrella sky!
The Hidden Elephant is an adorable hidden gem, that is located in the surrounding area of Ben Thanh Market. You enter through a literal tiny hole in the wall...
...make your way through this cramped passage, go up a couple flights of stairs, and then you arrive! We walked into the Hidden Elephant, and instantly felt awkward-it was the quietest place I have ever been! We practically tip toed through the coffee shop, and made our way out onto the balcony, which was amazing.
The Hidden Elephant <3 <3 <3
*Tip: When walking around Vietnam, wear a backpack, or a purse that goes over your body, instead of a normal purse. We were told that guys on motorcycles will sometimes grab your purse and drive away!*
While in Vietnam you must pick up a coffee flavored Coke! It will change your life!
Haggling.
In most of Asia, haggling is a part of every day life. I learned to haggle while living in China, and I loved it!
Here are a few haggling tips:
-First of all, you need to know that one U.S. Dollar is equal to over 23,000 Vietnamese Dong. So when you are told the price of something, convert it to American Dollars, and if the price seems fair to you, and it is something you are ok with paying, then no need to haggle!
-With that said, haggling can be fun (and addicting), so definitely try it out!
-Since you are a foreigner they automatically assume you have money (with 1 million [yes million] Dong equal to about 45 American Dollars, they're not wrong!]), so they will start the price out higher, sometimes much higher than they would normally sell it for.
-Look around. We walked the outer corners of the market, where most items had price tags, so we could get a general idea of the prices of things. These were still more than a local would pay, but at least you get an idea.
-Haggling is all about the win win. Both parties need to come out feeling happy.
-And last but not least; Haggling is fun, I do like to haggle here and there, and is sometimes vital to me not feeling ripped off, but at the end of the day, 10,000 Dong is only 43 cents!!! I am not going to haggle over 43 cents, because I know that that 43 cents will go a whole lot further, and mean a whole lot more, to the person selling their wares on the side of the street, than it will to me!
In most of Asia, haggling is a part of every day life. I learned to haggle while living in China, and I loved it!
Here are a few haggling tips:
-First of all, you need to know that one U.S. Dollar is equal to over 23,000 Vietnamese Dong. So when you are told the price of something, convert it to American Dollars, and if the price seems fair to you, and it is something you are ok with paying, then no need to haggle!
-With that said, haggling can be fun (and addicting), so definitely try it out!
-Since you are a foreigner they automatically assume you have money (with 1 million [yes million] Dong equal to about 45 American Dollars, they're not wrong!]), so they will start the price out higher, sometimes much higher than they would normally sell it for.
-Look around. We walked the outer corners of the market, where most items had price tags, so we could get a general idea of the prices of things. These were still more than a local would pay, but at least you get an idea.
-Haggling is all about the win win. Both parties need to come out feeling happy.
-And last but not least; Haggling is fun, I do like to haggle here and there, and is sometimes vital to me not feeling ripped off, but at the end of the day, 10,000 Dong is only 43 cents!!! I am not going to haggle over 43 cents, because I know that that 43 cents will go a whole lot further, and mean a whole lot more, to the person selling their wares on the side of the street, than it will to me!
And that was Nick and Jess, and our adventures in Saigon, Vietnam!
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Peace Love and Saigon
Jess <3
Jess <3
