How to prepare for arriving in Saigon (HCMC) - Q & A

Vietnamese Tiếng Việt
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This thread is for asking questions about how to prepare for arriving in Ho Chi Minh City (locals prefer to their city Saigon) Vietnam. I and the rest of the LTL Saigon team will be answering all questions, so please go ahead and ask whatever you want to know. There are no bad questions, just go ahead.
Here some first tips

Apps

  1. Facebook: People in Vietnam use Facebook for pretty much everything. Many businesses and organizations only have facebook pages and no website. They often expect people to contact them via Facebook Messenger too. Get a Facebook account and Messenger

  2. Zalo: This is the Vietnams most popular messaging app. It works similar to WhatsApp. Make sure to install it to be able to chat with local people.

  3. Grab: Grab is the most popular taxi app in Vietnam. “Be” is their main competitor and its worth downloading that app too. In Vietnam you can always choose between a car or motorbike taxi. Motorbikes are faster and cheaper, but also a bit more of an adventure. Cars are safer.

Weather:
It is either hot or warm in Saigon. During rainy season from June to October it usually rains in the afternoon for about half an hour to an hour.

Airport Arrival
Taxi:
ONLY take Vinasun and Mylin taxis. The people asking you at the front of the taxi queue to join any other taxi services are a scam and will severely overcharge you. A ride into town should not cost more than 300k VND.

Any other questions, please ask.

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Totally agree the Grab app for taxis is an absolute must! Adds so much peace of mind knowing that 1) You’re definitely going to the right place and 2) You won’t need to worry about negotiating a price

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I did this and can second the advice. Look out for those Vinasun and Mylin taxis which are at the back of the taxi queue.

Go left outside the airport and keep walking away from the people who approach you for a taxi.

You’ll see these two brands appear.

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Totally agree! Grab is SO useful and super easy to use as well :star_struck:

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  1. Exactly, only grab a Grab (Pun intended) :joy:
  2. Do not use phone on the street nonchalantly, be a bit careful
  3. Carry a lot of water, especially if you will go around the city during the day
  4. Don’t hesitate to try local restaurants, they have the BEST food
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