Ho Chi Minh City Travel Forum

Help needededdd....

End August would be bringing my 7 month old baby to HCM.

SOme things that i would like to know :
1. Is the tap water at HCM drinkable?
2. Is there any good and affordable accomodation to recommend? Any budget serviced apartments to recommend.
3. Would like to make day trips from HCM. Any recommendations??
4. Is it possible to do a day trip to Hoi An? with a 7 month old baby? How do i do it?
5. What are the sightings that i should not miss out at HCM?
6. Where are the places that i can get branded overuns for my child and adults??

Thanks.

Hi, I haven't been to Vietnam but am heading off in 6 weeks and from my own homework I can give you the following pointers (if I'm wrong the friendly VT's will correct me):
1. Tap water is not drinkable - please use bottled water even when brushing your teeth
2. Others can help you with this but normally like to know what price range you think is affordable so they have something to work with
3. Day Trips to consider are Chu Chu Tunnels, Mekong Delta....
4. I think Hoi An is too far away for a day trip....
Hope this helps...
Happy Travels,
Tania

Hi, answers to your questions below:
1. Tania's right - tap water is not drinkable. Most hotels have bottled water at or near reception, which they sell at reasonable rates.
2. Can only tell you where we stayed, Bich Duyen Hotel (pics among my tips on my Vietnam page), and where were very happy there. Very affordable, helpful manager, clean.
3. Cu Chi Tunnels, Great Temple of Cao Dai, Mekong Delta.
4. No, not really. Easiest way to get there is by flight via Danang. We flew from HCMC and our Hoi An hotel collected us from Danang airport.
5. Binh Tay Market, Cha Tam Church, Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda, Quan Am Pagoda, Thien Hau Pagoda, Son Hoi Quan Pagoda, Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda, Cholon Mosque, Ben Thanh Market, HCMC People Committee Building (Hotel de Ville), Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, Post Office (go inside!), Jade Emperor Pagoda, Museum of Vietnamese History, Tran Hung Dao Temple, Xa Loi Pagoda, War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Mariamman Hindu Temple. This obviously depends on your time: don't miss Ben Thanh Market, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Post Office and Thien Hau Pagoda.
6. No idea.
Hope this helps!

It's OK to brush your teeth with the tap water in HCMC. Don't worry.

Hi
1. tap water is not drinkable, can brush your teeth with it but would be carefull with a 7 mth baby.
2. Serviced apartments depend on how long your here for, but not many that you could call budget.
3. Day trips with a 7 mth old, I would avoid Cu Chi, AK47 rounds going of (at the firing range) are loud, very loud. Be very carefull also on day trips in Mekong if your their late afternoon, dengue fever is still around (don't want to scare but my friends 3 year old just got and was a bit worrying).
4. Nope Hoi Anh is half way up the country, you can fly but hardly worth it for less than a couple of days.
5. check the tax market etc
Jonny

Hi, We were in HCMC in February this year and used 3 different hotels. The best value was the Metropole and it is well located near the Ben Thant market. For cheaper accommodation you will find the local Vietnamese hotels are much cheaper. Photos of hotel rooms on my pages.

We took a day tour to the Mekong Delta, US $18 included lunch, river cruise, entertainment and mini bus trip. Details on my HCMC PAGE

We also took a 2 night private tour to Da Lat in the highlands, this was very good. You can fly there in 50 minutes for US $32.50 per person. Details on Da Lat page.

Good Luck,
Mike