Ho Chi Minh City Travel Forum

does a $200 pocket money enough in hcmc for 3 days? i got a guesthouse for $21 for 3 days..does the remaining $179 enough for food and tour and a little bit of shopping? just wanted to know so that we know how much money we'll bring thanks:)

I Think it's not enough for you to stay in HCM city because things in the city is very expensive. That's only enough if you're in Hanoi. I think you'd better bring more because there're many special things in HCM City

If you don't eat at tourist targeted or top end restaurants you can easily eat well for under 20 usd a day.

A bowl of Pho BO is usually only 1-2 usd at a cafe or small restaurant and mains can be bought from 1-5 usd at the same.

Rules of thumb for eating in HCMC, eat at places that are doing a good trade with locals (the food will be fresher and locals are in the know), if there is no english menu (which is rare in dist1)just look at what other people are eating and point at what you like the look of.

I found an excellent rooftop BBQ place (quan an nyong I think it was called) above fannys ice cream just off Nyuyen Hue, you have a bbq in the middle of the table and you order your meat or seafood and grill it yourself rice and steamed vegetable were complimentary. We had venison, frog, beef skewers and prawns a couple of beers a couple of cokes and the bill came to under 30 usd for 4. We were the only westerners and the place was absolutely chockers.

A full day trip to the mekong or the cuchi tunnels can be purchased at Sihn cafe in De Tham st for around 15 usd and some of these trips include a decent lunch.

Entry to the War remnants museum, zoo and many other attractions in dist 1 are incredibly cheap and can be walked to, or are only a dollar or 2 fare in a metered cab.

As for shopping, well how long is a piece of string? A trip to Ben Than market is a must and some of the items for sale there (Lacquerware for example)I haven't seen anywhere else in Asia, as well as the usual chinese made rubbish that you can pick up anywhere, but hey each to their own.

In conclusion I think you could have a great 3 days sightseeing, eating and drinking and maybe even enough for a couple of pairs of fake sunnies, a T-shirt with a yellow star or pic of Uncle Ho for 180 usd.

Have fun, I know you will.