Setting foot in Ho Chi Minh City is like setting foot in Cebu for the first time. At least in my experience. It took some time to finally sink in, wow, I’m not in Cebu anymore. I was actually in Vietnam – a new country with a much different language, one-hour time difference (the Philippines is one hour ahead), and with most likely different culture.
Although I felt that Ho Chi Minh was like Cebu, it’s also very different in so many ways. For one, we only encountered very few people who spoke English because it isn’t one of their national languages. Most of them were store attendants or cashiers and it was very challenging to ask for directions. Nonetheless, it was so much fun getting lost in the city. Like literally getting lost, my friends.
Yes, we were so lost! Ha! But eventually, we found our way. Thanks to GPS, we found our way after an entire day of walking around. I swear I could barely feel my feet from all the walking. But if you know me, my trip wouldn’t be complete without street photography. So going around the city, although exhausting, was a pure delight to the shutterbug in me. Yay!
About Ho Chi Minh City
Formerly called Saigon, Ho Chi Minh is a city in the south of Vietnam. It played a very crucial role during the devastating Vietnam War. It’s where the Vietnam War Remnants Museum is located as well as the famous Notre Dame Cathedral which was made completely of materials from France. Also, just beside the cathedral was the 19th-century Central Post Office.
I originally preferred going to the picturesque city of Hanoi, and the towns of Sa Pa and Mui Ne up north; however, I really wanted to go to Siem Reap, Cambodia to visit Angkor Wat. Ho Chi Minh is nearer to the border of Cambodia so we opted for it instead.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport
It’s supposed to be the largest and busiest airport in Vietnam but it was like a ghost town when we arrived. Maybe it’s because we arrived at around 2:30 am (Vietnam time). It was very quiet and we were a bit hesitant to even whisper.
So off we walked to the arrival area where the immigration officers were waiting to stamp our passports. They wore uniforms that look similar to the ones soldiers wear.
District 1, Ho Chi Minh
If I were to describe Ho Chi Minh, I’d say it’s a vibrant and lively city with so many different stalls of street food and cheap finds. District 1 is said to be their central urban district where all the buzz, tourists, and backpackers are. Think Colon – if you’re in Cebu. The streets are very clean, by the way.
One distinct characteristic of Ho Chi Minh is the obvious existence of motorbikes. I’d say it’s the easiest and most convenient mode of transportation for the locals. With so many around, I felt like it was their birthright, or it was like as soon as they can pedal, they should own a motorbike.
I generally suck at crossing the streets until I realized years back that it’s an important life survival skill next to breathing. But crossing the streets of Ho Chi Minh was so different!!! At first, we were so comfortable walking around. We felt safe from any raging vehicles until we didn’t anymore.
We would always laugh when it’s time to cross. We even likened it to that of Super Mario because we had to go through several obstacle courses to get the princess or to reach our destination.
There were soooo many coffee shops lining the streets too. We were also trying to count how many Starbucks we see along the way. Just for the heck of it.
Everywhere we went, we had to remind ourselves to look left, right, front, and back because motorbikes could be everywhere! The worst part was they wouldn’t pause or slow down at all. It’s like they’re not seeing human beings crossing the street. Most of them were beating the red light too. It’s literally breathtaking. LOL
The traffic situation in Cebu is probably no different but the main difference I’ve noticed is that… in Ho Chi Minh, the motorbikes and cars have a life of their own, haha. And they’d never slow down. I even held up my hand once to signal that we were crossing but eehhhh, nothing happened. I think they have a Vietnamese sign for that?
We couldn’t differentiate which was the sidewalk and the real road. 😉 But I actually loved these fruit bikes (below). I have lotsa photos of them. And I loved that signature Vietnamese hat too.
Something Pretty
Just to get a nice photo of the City Hall, I unknowingly stepped on a puddle of mud and I was wearing white shoes. Ahhh, the things we do!
Notre-Dame Cathedral & Central Post Office
Vietnam is a largely Buddhist country. The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, officially known as the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception, is one of the remaining fortresses of Catholicism in the country.
It’s also a famous landmark for tourists but we didn’t go inside the cathedral. The Romanesque architecture is a sight to behold though and if you’re like me who love buildings with so much personality and character, you’ll love it too.
The Saigon Central Post Office was built in the 19th century which makes it one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh. The interiors and exteriors are both fascinating. You will feel like you’re transported back to the colonial era because of its French features – high ceilings and stunning pattern-tiled floors. It’s big, spacious, and grand.
Meanwhile, outside the Central Post Office, you will see this (below). I have to say it’s a pretty unique way of selling donuts.
Food Stalls All The Way!
My friend, Alic, loved their Banh Mi – it’s the Vietnamese word for all types of bread. It’s typically like a sandwich filled with meat and vegetables. I’ve never tried it (boo!) because… okay, I will tell you in my next blog post about Ho Chi Minh. 😉
I ate something familiar though. They’re like different kinds of empanadas. And the obvious donuts. If you see the ones that look like squid’s arms, we don’t know what they call those, LOL! But they’re like breadsticks.
And interestingly, they have their own version of pungko-pungko too, yes??? Pungko-pungko (or squat) is what Cebuanos use to describe a dining style where customers are made to sit on low benches or chairs. They’re all over the streets of Cebu.
We often spotted locals and some foreigners drinking traditional Vietnamese iced coffee in the streets. Morning, afternoon, and evening – locals were all over.
These are only 1/4 of all my photos and I don’t wanna make this blog post burst so this is it for now. I hope you somehow got a feel of what the city is like. For me, the vibe is really like that of Cebu, only with different people and different languages.
Ultimately, the comparisons I made here are not meant to point out which city is better than the other. It’s just that when you embark on a journey to another place you haven’t been to yet, there’s this human nature of searching for something familiar or something that speaks a little or a lot like home.
If you don’t want to go the DIY route like we did, you can always book tours conveniently via Klook.
The prices are reasonable and fair, and the entire process of booking is hassle-free.
Klook.com
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