This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known to the locals as Saigon, is the largest city in the south of Vietnam and full of hostels and things to do.
If history is your thing, then there are a few must-dos for learning about the Vietnam War. On the top of the list should be the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is a forty-five-minute drive from the city center (where most Ho Chi Minh hostels are located) -- you can organize tours from your accommodation or local businesses to take you there. This network of underground tunnels used to hide the Viet Cong and infiltrate the South Vietnamese Army is several hundred kilometers long. Here you can crawl through an example of a tunnel and learn about some of the guerilla tactics that the north used to eventually defeat the south in the war. Reunification Palace, the South Vietnamese Government Building, is also wroth a visit and there are several war museums around the city that you can visit too.
If what you are after is some relaxation time, this city is full of spas and salons for you to visit for cheap pampering. You might also like to take a leisurely cruise on one of the water taxis down the Saigon River for a different kind of view of the city.
The city is broken up into districts. Most of the hostels in Ho Chi Minh City are located in District 1, which is in the heart of the urban center. Getting around is easy, and you can find taxi and motorcycle drivers everywhere. Getting around is a lot cheaper by motorbike as they can weave in and out of traffic, but make sure that they give you a helmet before you ride.
Written by local expertz for Ho Chi Minh City
Globetrotter
