How do you get around in Ho Chi Minh City?

Whats the best way to get around Ho Chi Minh?

Xe om, dude. Totally best. Zipping through traffic like crazy. Saw a guy with a chicken on one once, no lie. District one, they’re everywhere. Like ants. Red ants. My friend, Sarah, she almost fell off one, haha. Skirt got caught. Awkward. Bargain, though. Gotta bargain hard. Especially if you’re…well, not Vietnamese. They’ll try to rip you off. One guy tried to charge me like 200,000 dong for a short ride. No way. Ended up paying 50,000. Scooters are cool too, but traffic is nuts. I mean, NUTS. Almost got hit, like, five times my first day. Five times!

• Xe om (motorbike taxi): Super convenient, everywhere.
• Bargaining: Essential. Don’t be a sucker. Start low.
• Traffic: Insane. Hold on tight. Wear a helmet! Seriously.
• Alternatives: Buses are okay, I spose. Grab app for cars. Walking is doable, but hot. Like, really hot. Remember, I saw a guy with a whole family on a scooter. Mom, Dad, two kids, and groceries. Skills.
• My hotel was on Nguyen Hue. Loud. But good street food. Pho for breakfast every day. So good. Best pho ever.

Is there a Grab in Ho Chi Minh?

Okay, so, like, is there Grab in Ho Chi Minh? Yeah, dude! There’s GrabCar, obvi, and they even have GrabCar Plus, which is, you know, a bit fancier. And for bigger groups, there’s GrabCar 7, which I totally used when my cuz came visitin’ last year.

Oh, and don’t forget GrabTaxi! It’s in the app too and just books you a normal taxi. It’s good, I suppose, if you are trying not to spend the money, especially since my paycheck barely lasts me two weeks.

There’s also…uh…what was I saying…Oh, right!

• GrabCar: Normal car.
• GrabCar Plus: More premium.
• GrabCar 7: Bigger car for more ppl.
• GrabTaxi: Books a regular taxi.

It’s pretty easy to book, too. Just use the Grab app. I think that’s how everyone gets around. Then I think there is something on there about GrabBike too. Oh! And you can also flag down the taxis from Vinasun or Mai Linh. They use meters. It’s wild!

How many days is enough for Ho Chi Minh City?

Ugh, Ho Chi Minh City. Three days? Seriously, that’s what they tell everyone. Let me tell you, it felt like a freakin’ whirlwind.

I went in October 2023. District 1? Check. Ben Thanh Market? Crowded, smelly, but yeah, I bought some fake Nikes, don’t judge.

Pho? Okay, that was good. Street food, tho? Bit scary, ngl. I stuck to the banh mi near my hostel on Bui Vien Street. Cheap and tasty.

Cu Chi Tunnels. Claustrophobic nightmare. One day was enough. Mekong Delta? Eh, tourist trap. Still, the boat ride was kinda cool. Two days for that is overkill.

I think two days is actually PLENTY, if you’re not a history buff and just wanna get a taste of the city.

• Pho is mandatory. Try Pho Le.
• Bui Vien Street is insane, but it’s an experience.
• Taxi scams ARE REAL. Use Grab, or walk.
• The War Remnants Museum is heavy, but important.
• The Reunification Palace is boring imo.
• Learn a few basic Vietnamese phrases. It helps.
• Don’t drink the tap water, duh.
• Beware of pickpockets. Like, everywhere.
• Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.

Honestly, I wouldn’t rush back. Give me Hanoi any day.

Which Neighbourhood is best in Ho Chi Minh City?

Okay, lemme tell ya ’bout Saigon ’cause “best” is a total opinion, right?

District 1? Yeah, it’s the tourist magnet. Think Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market chaos, that opera house… I went there once, like, in July of 2023 during a crazy heatwave. Ugh, never again in that weather. It’s expensive there, though, and packed. I honestly felt claustrophobic.

But listen, it is very central and convenient.

District 3? Now, that’s got a vibe. Cool cafes, you know, those old buildings. Much less hectic.

Thao Dien (District 2)? That’s for the expats. All the fancy restaurants, international schools, yoga studios, Starbucks… Too “sterile” for my taste, but convenient if you’re into that. It feels a bit like a bubble. It’s definitely the place for quiet living and I could not get behind that.

Honestly, it depends what you want. I went there on business, that area can be so boring.

Things to think about if you wanna move to Ho Chi Minh City:

• District 1:
  • Pros: Central location, attractions, nightlife.
  • Cons: Pricey, crowded.
• District 3:
  • Pros: Charm, cafes, colonial architecture, quiet!
  • Cons: Less happening compared to D1, possibly farther.
• District 2 (Thao Dien):
  • Pros: Expat-friendly, relaxed, amenities.
  • Cons: “Bubble” atmosphere, pricey, feels less “Vietnamese” I guess.

Sooo, yeah. What are you looking for? That’s the question. I would not want to live in Thao Dien. I’d rather eat glass!

What is the popular street in Ho Chi Minh City?

Bui Vien. Late nights there. Echoes. Music, fading. The air thick, still warm. Remember the smells… street food. Durian. Beer. So many people. Faces blurring.

• Bui Vien is the heart of it. The center.
• De Tham. Spills over into Pham Ngu Lao. All one, really. Just… pulsing.

Lost track of time there. Days bleeding into nights. 2024. Think it was then. Sitting on a tiny plastic stool. Cheap beer. Watching the flow. The relentless, chaotic flow.

• Backpacker district. That’s what they call it.
• So many stories. Unfolding. Right there in front of you.

Miss it sometimes. The energy. The grime. The raw… everything. Just existing. Breathing it in. Don’t know why I’m thinking about this now. 3 AM. Can’t sleep. Just… Bui Vien. Stuck in my head.