Hi Chi Minh or Vung Tao

[cleobella]

I am wondering if anyone out there has an opinion on which excursion would be best for first time visitors at the the port of Phu My in Vietnam? We have a 9 hour day there. Would the trip to Ho Chi Minh be more interesting and have more to see then the Vung Tao countryside? Also, would it easy to do Ho Chi Minh on our own if we arrange drop off at city centre?

 

[Milhouse]

I think how easily doing HCMC on your own is dependent on how seasoned of a traveller you are.  I don't want to discourage you to DIY, as we didn't run into any major problems on our own in HCMC (knock on wood) but there are challenges.

 

We've done a few land trips there on our own in the past decade and it's pretty chaotic.  We did a lot of walking and things that stood out for me as challenges were:  scooters parked all over the sidewalk, scooters driving on the sidewalk, risk of thieves on scooters, and trying to walk across four to six lanes of traffic (not unlike in Naples; follow a local 😃 ).  Distances between some key sights in and around District 1 can be a bit of a hike but is walkable.  Humidity makes walking less enjoyable though.  Taxis are a reasonable option though as they are generally really cheap but you should to stick with two main brands:  Mai Linh and Vinasun, as using other brands (some lookalikes) open you to med/high risk of being overcharged.  You'll also likely have to figure out how to explain where you are going as most drivers don't speak english.  Language shouldn't be a barrier for lunch/a meal but bargaining at markets and street vendors might be.  

 

 

[cleobella]

Great info, thank you! Any opinion on doing a shorter ride out to Vung Tao sights for a more low key day, maybe with a local guide or ship group? Also what do you think about doing Hoi An as a DIY? From another port obviously! 

[Milhouse]

I don't have any experience with Vung Tao.  We did do a day trip out to the My Tho area to check out the Mekong delta, vendors on boat, etc.  We enjoyed the landscape but parts of the experience was a bit underwhelming for typical reasons to be cautious of when selection a tour:  Crammed into a crowded mini-bus for part of the tour, stops to tourist traps selling you stuff, etc. Be selective if you plan on doing a tour.

 

Definitely recommended for DIY if you can get dropped off in the main part of the town.  The touristy areas of Hoi An are compact, flat, and very walkable/bikeable.  Still have stuff like scooters parked on the sidewalk and stuff in some areas but it's less chaotic, with some tourist parts like along the riverfront with limited/no motorized traffic.  We stayed 15 mins out of the main part of town and comfortably walked in every day.  Bonus if you can stay after sunset as the town is really nicely lit up along the riverfront, accented with hanging and floating lanterns.

[cleobella]

Thanks again, very helpful! I really appreciate this forum and kind folks like you sharing your experiences 🙂.

[iancal]

We have spent five winters in Thailand/ Vietnam/Malaysia.  All were independent travel.  Lots of time in Vietnam. It is wonderful.  People friendly, very safe, great food.

 

Very, very easy to do on your own.  Your challenge will be the 9 hour time constraint.   Very different from when one is spending a month touring the country

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by iancal

[John Bull]

Cruise ships used to berth at Vung Tau before the cruise facilities were built at Phu My.

It was a tedious drive of about 2.5 hours from Vung Tau past Phy My to Saigon (HCMC) - but the switch to much-closer Phu My plus the vastly-improved highway has brought the port-to-Saigon time down to under an hour.

 

To me, the very very obvious choice would be to head to Saigon - there's so much to see, so much to experience. Can be done as a ship's tour or "on your own" transfer, or private tour or ttransfer. In the early days of Phu My,  private tours or port to city transfers were a bit unreliable.  I don't know how much that's improved, but if you choose to go private I suggest you search out genuine reviews and pre-book.

If your ship overnites at Phu My, do consider  a hotel in central Saigon - the cost will be balanced out by avoiding double-transfers, the extra time in Saigon, and the opportunity to see Saigon by night. Choose a hotel within a ten-minute walk of the Rex Hotel, which is pretty central. 

 

I think of Vung Tau as a destination only for those with some special interest or those who've already visited Saigon and want something different.

 

Just MHO as always

 

JB 🙂

[cleobella]

That is very helpful, as usual, JB. I was worried that Saigon would be too long of a drive, was expecting a couple of hours from Phu My, so this info is welcome and we will consider Saigon for sure

[ROCruiser]

We have been to Vietnam a few times. As cruise port, we did Vung Tao in 2016 on a private tour and then in 2019 did HCMC, both from Phu My port. I'd say if you have not been to HCMC, take a trip there. Much more to see. Yes, just be watchful of your time. I personally would not DIY.