The Heat Is On In Saigon! - Part 3: Sassy!

Of course I always plan my outfits whenever I'm going on a vacation.  For my trip in Vietnam, I've decided to bring some summer outfits because just like in the Philippines, Vietnam is a humid, hot country (with slight rain showers).  I made sure I look fresh and sassy all through out my vacation.

 

glasses: calvin klein

scarf: promod

top, jeans and bag: forever21

shoes: toms

hat: sm

shirt: regatta

shorts: forever21

sunnies: sm 

 

 top: forever21

jean bermuda shorts: refuge

bag: bought in ben thanh market

accs: forever21

 

 top & jeans: forever21

 

 just enjoying the rest of the day!

 

The Heat Is On In Saigon! - Part 2: Trippin'

What to do in Vietnam?  Here are some of the photos we had while we were in Ho Chi Minh.  Browse through them and you might be able to get a few ideas on what to do or where to go while you're there. Enjoy!

1. visit the post office. great architecture and there are two souvenir shops on each wing.  some of the items in the souvenir shops are cheaper than in the market.

2. go to notre dame and take pictures.  the facade is so grandeur it's nice to take a souvenir photo with the cathedral at your background.

3. to know the vietnam war history, go to war remnants museum. 

4. if you're willing to travel in a bus for 2 hours, you may visit the biggest temple in Ho Chi Minh, the Cao Dai Temple

5. another educational tour, would be to see and experience the Cu Chi Tunnels

6. ben thanh market. they sell local delicacies and goodies made and produced in Vietnam.

coffee galore!

fruits locally produced in vietnam

hats!

cute and colorful vietnamese dolls

7. stroll along dong khoi street. lots of european inspired infrastructure

New Collaboration: Versace for H&M

Ok, so before I post another of my Vietnam extravaganza, just read in my Twitter that another designer-retail collaboration is in the works.  H&M announced that the legendary brand Versace will collaborate with them for Fall 2011! Hmmm, this is going to be interesting! I know some of us can't afford to buy from the Italian luxury brand, but hey,  this is a chance for us peasants to own a Versace designed piece right?  

and

What do you think of this collaboration guys?

Food Trip in Saigon!

Here are some Vietnamese food we've tried while we were in Ho Chi Minh.  Most of the cuisine are quite healthy, with lots of steamed veggies and fish.  We've tried the Vietnamese food chain called Pho 2000 and Pho24, the rest were random restaurants we chose while we're on the road or while we're shopping.

famous vietnamese food chain pho 2000, 

this is where former pres bill clinton ate during his visit in ho chi minh

ordered for lemon soda, they gave me lime :(

hmm... vermicelli noodles with fried spring rolls!

i like how they presented the coconut

pho galore!

of course, i have to try the famous saigon beer!

The Heat Is On In Saigon! Part 1

As I mentioned in one of my posts, I'll be at Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam last weekend. Here are my thoughts and realizations during my trip: 

- Weather in Vietnam is quite hot, be prepared and bring a hat or umbrella and Wet Ones to cool you down

- Vietnamese are generally friendly, always smile and they will smile right back at you

- Vietnamese food is great! And VERY cheap!

- There are a lot of motorcycles in Ho Chi Minh, according to our tourist guide it's like for 1M people there is an equivalent of 5M motorbikes!

- The area we stayed in is quite clean and fairly cheap (Vien Dong Hotel). 

- We always take a cab to go around the city, it's also very cheap.

- There's no pollution despite of a lot of motorbikes.
- There are also policemen at almost every corner of the area, they will help you cross the streets as there are a lot (as in a LOT) of motorbikes - you will be amazed how many they are!

- Vietnam currency is Vietnamese Dong or VND.  Lowest currency is 1,000VND, highest (I think) is 500,000VND.  Be careful with the zeroes, it can be confusing when you compare 10,000 vs. 100,000 bills.  $1 is equivalent to about 20,000VND.  So if you have $100, you will have 2millionVND!  We were practically millionaires in Vietnam!

- Vietnam is quite educational.  Visit the tourist spots: Reunification Palace, Opera House, War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple.  We were not able to do the Mekong Delta Tour and the Ha Long Bay tour - we didn't have enough time.  I suggest, before you go to Cu Chi Tunnels, visit the War Remnants Museum first so that you will better understand why they had to do the Cu Chi Tunnels.  

- There are a lot of travel agencies along Pham Ngu Lao (Backpacker's district), the tour we took is only priced at 6$! It's a whole day visit to Cao Dai temple (larget temple in Saigon) and the Cu Chi Tunnels.  We left for the tour at 8am and came back at 7pm.  

- When visiting the War Remnants Museum, do it in the morning.  This museum is not for the faint hearted - you will see and feel the difficulty during the Vietnam War, I felt depressed after.  If depressed, shopping and eating will make you feel better. :)

- Infrastructure in Ho Chi Minh has a lot of European influence, especially along Dong Khoi St.

- Shopping is quite cheap, you just have to know how to haggle for lower prices, start at 50% off!- We went to look for shopping areas where they sell overuns: Zara, Forever21, Dorothy Perkins, Nike, Adidas, Michael Kors etc. We also went to the Post Office and Ben Thanh Market where they sell Vietnamese goodies (Lacquer stuff, coffee beans, hats and handmade bags). I will have a separate post on shopping soon!


Vietnam is a nice place to visit, don't expect that it would be like Singapore or Hongkong where you will see a lot of big malls and sophisticated business people. Vietnam is a steady place where you can just relax, sit and enjoy Vietnamese coffee (to die for!).  Educational travel is what I think of Vietnam - include this country in one of your travel plans.

I will be showing pictures on my series of posts on The Heat Is On In Saigon!

good morning saigon!

saigon sky

notre dame cathedral

grandeur facade of notre dame 

post office

european lamp

coffee available on a motorbike

highlands coffee, popular coffee chain in saigon