Must-know in Ho Chi Minh City

posted by namdv | December 19, 2013 | In Vietnam Travel Tips | No Comments

You will be surprised by the many interesting things that this beautiful city has to offer on your visit. But you need to know a little about this place to help you have an enjoyable trip in Ho Chi Minh City.

Sparkling Saigon view from Saigon River

1. Climate – Unlike Hanoi or other Northern parts of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City in the South has rather stable weather. The city is generally warm and has a monsoon season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. In the rainy season, rains can be long and heavy, but often are short daily rains that stop quickly. But the weather seems to have little impact on

the activities of tourists visiting this city. It can be said that any time in the year is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City because this city has so many attractive places and activities to enjoy during the year.

2. Traffic – Tourists who have ever visited Hanoi seem to find Ho Chi Minh City the same as Hanoi in some way, especially in traffic. Ho Chi Minh City must be the home of motorbikes; you cannot go anywhere without seeing them and of course, crossing the street now gets interesting. Don’t wait until a good time to cross because there is NO good time. Just walk calmly and self-assuredly into the maelstrom and do not hurry or run under any circumstances.

3. Safety – Regarding safety in Ho Chi Minh City, it may be a mistake when we do not mention the roads at first which is said to cause the most problems in this city. The traffic is amazing but scary, and you should look both ways when crossing roads, even then you are on a one-way street. Another important thing you should pay attention to for your safety in Ho Chi Minh City is scams, rip-off artists, and drive-by thievery. Don’t show people that you have money. It is best to bring little cash along with you, and instead, you should carry a debit card for your cash requirements. ATMs are now everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City. You should also refrain from wandering around wearing flashy watches and jewelry and be especially careful of your belongings in crowded areas and at bus and train stations.

4. Taboo — Ho Chi Minh City also share numerous taboos with other regions along Vietnam. Here list some common ones which you should pay attention to enjoy the most in this city of Vietnam:

Don’t show your affection in public areas
Don’t point with your finger/touch people’s head
Don’t place chopsticks inside the bowl
Don’t give handkerchiefs/ chrysanthemums as a gift
Don’t leave food unfinished
Don’t borrow things on the 1st day of the New Year
Don’t ask for any home for fire on the 1^st day of each lunar month

5. Sleeping — There’s a wide range of accommodations in Ho Chi Minh City, fitting the demand of both business and leisure travelers on any budget. So, don’t worry about not finding anywhere convenient to stay in Ho Chi Minh City.

6. Doing — Various popular tourist activities include the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, Big Market, Thien Hau Pagoda, etc. They’re all worth a peek, and you could do all these in one day.

And make sure you join a Cu Chi Tunnels tour to have a better understanding about how hard and bravely the Vietnamese in the past lived, worked, and fought for their independence.

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