KUL > SGN > Can Tho > Chau Doc > Ha Tien > Phu Quoc > SGN > KUL
Air ticket: Kul > SGN (return) RM252.08 (including luggage) pp
AIG travel insurance RM58 pp
Info:
Vietnam time is one hour faster than Malaysia
Flight duration from KUL > SGN is 2 hours
The data speed of Viet is not so smooth and the Google maps sometime doesn’t function normally (you can’t search the location; or you can found several different location with an address), so “star” all the locations that you wanted to go before you travel
All the public transport will suspend after 6.30pm except bus 109 (airport line)
Beware of robbery, hold your phone tight when you using you phone on the road
Bring disposable raincoat if you traveling during raining season (Sept – Nov)
Download Grab and insert “VNMAP” promo code to get 50,000VND free credit as first user, even though you are not first time user, Grab had cheapest fare in town
Day 1 HCMC
08:05 Touched down HCMC
There is few stall selling sim card in the airport. Keep calm, collect your luggage and leave the hall first.
At the entrance, there is a row of travel agency selling travel packeging, sim card and taxi service. These stall selling exactly the same product with different price, then why not go for the lowest one? We chose Mobifone 3GB.
You have 2 choices to go to town by public transport
Bus 109: yellow bus to Ben Thanh bus station for 45 minutes to town - 20,000 VND per pax
Bus 45: 60-90 minutes - 3,000VND per pax excluding luggage (which mean you have to pay extra for your luggage/kg)
A lot of taxi is queue-ing in front of the entrance and the public bus is waiting at the forefront of the "queue". Allow some waiting time for bus to depart as they will not leave immediate after you on board.
Have our first meal at Bun Mam Phan Boi Chau
......raining......
Buy some time and not so typical Vietnamese food at Pho 2000
Please note that some of the attraction would have noon break time. We crash with all the non-visit time due to raining so we buy some time at Starbucks, the matcha expresso is so nice! Also available at Malaysia.
CITY SIGHT SEEING JOURNEY
Reunification Palace
War Remnants Museum
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica
Central Post Office - they provide free post card!
HCMC People’s Committee
Saigon Opera House
Café Apartment
Bitexco Tower
The entrance fee to go up to skydeck, 68 floors high cost 200,000 VDN per pax, thus we chose Eon café, 52 floor high with a drink cost from 150,000 VND. The waitress told us we can go out to the helipad but when we go up, the door was pasted with [For Authorised Personnel Only] signage. I think the waitress is trying to say the helipad is allocated at the same floor as their cafe. This disappoint us alot.
Mr Loke travel to do list - BHG Cinema
Dinner at Pham Ngu La
From Pham Ngu Lao we take taxi to Phuong Trang (Futabus) pick up point at Le Hong Phong. The security guard of Pullman helps us to communicate with taxi driver. Only take Mai Linh Taxi or Vinasun Taxi to avoid fraud.
Then, we hop into Futa shuttle bus (free) to transfer to Ben Xe Mien Tay to take bus to another town.
+ Turtle lake
Not enough time for me to visit due to raining. Visit at night time for street food.
+ Binh Quoi Village
This buffet is recommended by local. The buffet is from 5pm-8pm, I missed the timing due to raining
Summary
Mobifone (3GB) sim pack - 160,000 VND
Bus 109 - 20,000 VND per pax
Lunch at Bun Mam Phan Boi Chau - 94,000 VND
Lunch at Pho 2000 - 137,000 VND
Starbucks - 85,000 VND
HCMC city sightseeing entrance fee (as in sequence)
Reunification Palace - 30,000VND
War Remnants Musuem - 15,000VND
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica - FOC
Central Post Office - FOC
HCMC People’s Committee - FOC
Saigon Opera House - depend on the puppet show
Café Apartment - depend on cafe
Eon Cafe at Bitexco Tower - 436,590 VND for 2 drinks (minimum expenses per pax)
BHD Cineplex - 85,000 VND per pax
Dinner at Pham Ngu Lao - 50,000 VND
Taxi to Le Hong Phong - 50,000 VND per car
Stay: Futa sleeper bus
It is an open (no curtain) air conditional double decker sleeper, a small pillow, blanket and a bottle of water were provided. You have to take off your shoe before you onboard but no worry for your smelly foot and dirty shoe, the driver will pass you a plastic bag and wet tissue.
We travel from one state to another state by Futabus. Either is sleeper or seater mode and the sleeper bus is way too awesome! Convenient and cheapest in town. Average 100,000VND from states to states. Online ticket only open for sell one week before the travel date. Futa provide shutter bus from your hotel to bus terminal and from bus terminal to your hotel for FREE (within 5km). The staff at HCMC can speak English, (not all though) but it's a bit hard to communicate if outside HCMC.
Day 2 CAN THO
03:30 Arrived in Can Tho Bus Station
03:45 Futa free shuttle bus to hotel (5km from the bus station)
Futa bus had biggest counter at every bus terminal. Ask whoever you can to get into shuttle bus. Outside of HCMC, not everyone can understand English. Even if, our pronunciation is different with them, so just point where you want to go on the maps or show them the landmark photo. We are so lucky to meet with a city guy who travel here to visit his sister, he helps us to communicate with the driver.
04:00 Early check in at Tay Ho hotel
Hotel is closed at this hour (of course). The reception uncle (also a guard?) sleeping at the living room waken by the sound when we trying to open the locked door. We dont have mutual language to communicate until I show him the hard copy hotel voucher.
05:00 Cai Rang Floating market. Yea, we failed to ask for a single cent discount as the price fixed since early of 2016. According to internet review, this market open at 5am and it start to return to peaceful after 7am. But in my point of view, I think 5am is too early so I think 6am is the nice time as after 7am may be too hot.
07:00 We simply walk around after come back from floating market. The wet market is too cruel and the doggie is so cute.
09:00 Sleep
14:00 Lunch at Nem Nuong Thanh Van
Ong Temple (under renovation)
Sense city – Higland coffee
Dairy Queen Ice cream
Café Phuong Mai
18:30 Movie at CGV Cinema - I can say this cinema is better than any cinema in Malaysia.
Ninh Kieu Whaft night view
......raining......
Dinner at Du Thuyen in order to shelter the rain
+Munirensay Pagoda
I can’t search at Goggle map so I give up
+ Can Tho Musuem
It’s closed on that day I visit.
+ Night Market
It’s closed due to raining
Summary
Shuttle bus from Le Hong Phong - FOC
Ben Xe Mien Tay to Can Tho - 100,000 VND per pax by Futa bus
Can Tho bus station to hotel - FOC
Tay Ho Hotel - RM60
Boat to Cai Rang floating market - 300,000 VND for 2 hours
Lunch at Nem Nuong Thanh Van - 85,000 VND
Highland coffee - 68,000 VND
Dairy Queen ice cream - 54,000 VND
Cafe Phuong Mai - 30,000 VND
Leisure game at play station - 24,000 VND
Strepsils (for sore throat) - 6,000 VND
Stay: Tay Ho Hotel
Old but cheap, clean and comfortable.
Day 3 CHAU DOC
05:30 waiting Futa shuttle bus to pick us up
*We asked the receptionist to help us to call for Futa to arrange shutter bus pick up at hotel
06:30 bus depart to Chau Doc
Our mission once we alight at Chau Doc bus terminal is to look for bus ticket to Ha Tien. But most of the ticket counter is closed at the time we arrived. Futabus's staff find us a travel agent who has package to go to Phu Quoc.
Vang’s Package By your own self
VND 440,000 VDN 350,000
from your hotel to Chau Doc bus terminal Included 30,000 (xe om)
Ha Tien bus ticket Included 60,000
Ha Tien bus terminal to ferry terminal Included 30,000 (xe om)
Ferry to Phu Quoc island Included 230,000
Notes:
There are only 2 bus to go to Ha Tien, 7.30am or 9.30am. Basically you still can go by your own! Get your bus ticket at Chau Doc bus stop (I saw one counter is open and selling Ha Tien bus ticket), stay at a hotel nearby the bus stop so that you will not need to take xe om the next day. Once arrive Ha Tien bus terminal, take xe om or walk to Ben Tao Ha Tien (Ha Tien ferry terminal) to take ferry. Walking is a bit far.
......raining......
After lunch >>> Tra Su Forest
Google map will show 3 routes, just follow the default route (55 minutes) and DO NOT CHOOSE THE SHORTEST ROUTE. The shortest route can only be access by motorbike via few villages by muddy road and old wooden bridge but the thing is, the villagers CANNOT SPEAK ENGLISH. They don’t even know where exactly you want to go even though you pointing Tra Su map or photos. So, we turn back to the main road and we spent 3 hours to reach Tra Su Forest as others just spend 1 hour.
......raining again......
Street food
Dinner at Jolibee
+ Khmer & Kinh village
I don’t know how to go as not display on Google map but I believe it just along the road towards Tra Su
+ Chua Hang Temple
I can’t manage to go due to raining
+ Sam Mountain
I can’t manage to go due to raining
+ Cham village
I can’t manage to go because the motor have to be return at 7pm.
Summary
Vinamilk (local famous milk) as breakfast - 5,000 VND for one
Hotel to Can Tho bus station - FOC
Can Tho to Chau Doc - 100,000 VND per pax by Futabus
Package - 1,300,000VND for 2 pax
Hotel Thanh Mai (one night at Chau Doc)
Bus from Chau Doc to Ha Tien (60,000 per pax)
SuperDong Ferry from Ha Tien to Phu Quoc island (230,000 per pax)
Motor rental (return at 7pm)
Lunch (mix rice) - 60,000 VND
Tra Su Forest - 150,000 VND for a boat
Street food - 18,000 VND
Jolibee - 145,000 VND set meal
Medicine - 4,000 VND
Stay: Hotel Thanh Mai
Not so close to bus station (not walk able). Just a very basic hotel. See pictures.
Day 4 HA TIEN > PHU QUOC Island
07:30 Bus depart to Ha Tien bus station
10:00 Breakfast and miggle around for 3 hours (and it's super boring)
13:00 Ferry depart
*Actually there is a shutter bus from Bai Vang port to Dong Duong town by SuperDong, cost only 5,000 VND for the local. When I am ready to pay, they ask for 30,000VND. I dont like this kind of feeling so I didnt take it.
15:00 Check in Praha hotel
CANNOT FIND DOG FARM
Bai Ong Lang
......raining......
Dinh Cau Temple
Dinh Cau night market for FRESH SEAFOOD. It is a must if you come here! The advantages is you can order in small portion! No minimum order. We tried various of seafood.
+ Lunch at Nam Ninh Fish Village
We didn't go because, firstly, there is some distance from the pier. Second, it's raining. Third, a taxi drive sincerely fetch us back to our hotel.
+Ganh Dau
Hotel receptionist not advise me to go because the entirely access route is dirt route (muddy), addition it's raining
+Nguyen Trung Truc Temple
We didn't go because we wake up late. Haha. This is the best place for sunrise.
Summary
Simple meal at Ha Tien port - 73,000 VND
Motor ice cream (taste like condense milk) - 5,000 VND (if not mistaken)
Motor rental (3pm to next day 3pm) - 200,000 VND
Petrol - 30,000 VND
Street food: hot dog - 10,000 VND
Dinner at Dinh Cau night market - 895,000 VND
Stay: Praha Hotel ***RECOMMENDED***
3 star hotel but 5 star services!!! I find out I booked the wrong date 3 weeks before I travel and I wrote in email to Praha hotel to have a date change. They couldn’t change for me since I booked through Agoda.com. But with the Praha manager’s email, I changed my date without single cent charged. In additional, they provide FOC airport transfer! And their friendly staff <3
Tip: If you really dont wish to miss any Phu Quoc attractions, book a local tour.
Day 5 PHU QUOC > HCMC
Coconut prison
Sao Beach
Nothing much, just want to tell you that when you go into Sao Beach by yourself, motorbike I mean, make sure your bf or your driver got guts, this dirt road is not a joke. Now I understand why the receptionist stopping me to go to north part of Phu Quoc.
Domestic flight back to HCMC
Take bus 109 back to town
Medicine at HCMC is as cheap as sweet. Not to curse you to be sick, JFYI =D
Summary
Lunch at Italian pizza - 369,000 VND
Alinas cafe - 130,000 VND
Tipping to hotel - 40,000 VND
Airport transfer - FOC
Bus 109 - 20,000 VND per pax
MCD - 140,000 VND
Grabcar back to homestay - FOC
Medicine (again) - 42,000 VND (5 types)
Motor rental - 150,000 VND per day (24 hours) + 100,000 delivery fee
Passion fruit juice - 60,000 VND
Stay: Domino homestay
Nice homestay nice people but abit far from city. Shared toilet but 24 hours clean! There is no motor rental at this area. The host tried her best to source for us at a low rate. The host can speak and read English well =)
Tips: Airbnb offer credit if you suggest to your friend and you earn, he/she earn. I register through my friend profile and I earn RM96 at my first trip =) So, we stay 2 nights for paying only RM55 for 2 nights. Click the link below to get credits!
Day 6 HCMC + CAN GIO
Initially my plan is to see sunrise at Thu Thiem Bridge but Mr Loke falled sick so we didn’t go for it. Do not come over to this bridge for photo only because it is just a normal vehicle bridge.
Jade Emperor Pagoda
Tan Dinh Church – a must visit place for pink lover
Cuc Gach Quan - you will not want to miss this even it is a bit pricey.
Can Gio
Ride all the way from town to Binh Khanh Ferry. It is necessary to take ferry to go to Can Gio. This ferry fetch passenger, motorbikes and also cars. 15 mins intervals. Journey is around 15 mins as well. Great experience.
From the pier to Monkey Island is 35km, need around 1 hour ride. Super straight “highway” without shade, partly uneven surface. I came here for sunset but since the weather is not good so after visit Monkey Island we go back to town. Basically you can just skip this place unless you want to meet handsome guy like I met (just kidding).
...raining...
The Cresent Mall
New build shopping mall beside Anh Sao Bridge.
Anh Sao Bridge
We wait until 6pm and it's finally light on but it's totally different with what I had researched. I ask the ice cream uncle and he told me water show only on Friday to Sunday, 6pm – 8pm. We decided to come back again tomorrow.
//THUNDER//
Saigon Square
We stop our motor in front of Saigon square and ask how much for parking. He answered: "Saigon square 5,000 VND Saigon center 10,000 VND". Sorry, I laughed. I don't know how the hell he know where I go but we went into Saigon Square first then we take another exit to Saigon Center then come back to Saigon Square and exit from Saigon Square to take our motor (parking fee pay upon collection), haha!
Era cafe
I can say this cafe provide the best iced coffee in town!!! This cafe do not have any signboard but you still can reach with Google maps. Addition, this cafe do not use any florescent light, so just look for the candle light in the window. Well prepared when you go in, the smoke release from the candle might make you feel uncomfortable.
+ Can Gio Beach
If only you go Can Gio. You can have lunch/ dinner + sunset here. I skip this place due to not nice weather.
Summary
Jade Emperor Pagoda parking - 5,000 VND
Praying - 4,000 + 2,000 VND
Tan Dinh Church - FOC
Cuc Gach Quan - 525,000 VND
Can Gio ferry - 4,500 VND for motor + driver, 1,000 VND for passenger
Monkey island entrance fee - 70,000 VND per pax
Speed boat - 600,000 VND per boat can fit 6 person
Breadstory - 88,000 VND
Ice cream - 6,000 VND
Loteria - 75,000 VND
Anh Sao bridge - FOC
Saigon square parking - 5,000 VND
Era Coffee - 220,000 VND
Day 7 HCMC > KUL
Bánh Mì Hòa Mã – a must restaurant at HCMC which only have 2 dishes on the menu: Op la & Banh Mi
Binh Tay Market: Biggest among attraction market. Selling various products. You can basically get everything here. People here don’t offer discount, but their good is consider cheap.
An Duong Market: People here don’t offer discount as well. Clothes is abit old style.
HCM Fine Art Musuem
Ben Thanh Market: Bargain to half of the price
Saigon square: selling AAA counterfeit good in good quality but expensive price (if compared to Thai), they don’t offer discount regardless of how much you purchase
Anh Sao (Starlight) bridge again
Then we rush back to Domino homestay to return back the motor and the host allow us a quick shower even we checked out, then we take Grabcar to Airport. Always allow extra time if you take car, the traffic is terrible.
+ Cu Chi Tunnel
We skip this because Mr Loke do not want to go by bike, another 58km from town, about 1 hour ride. And I do not want to go buy private tour.
Summary
Bánh Mì Hòa Mã - 88,000 VND
Ben Thant parking - 5,000 VND
HCM fine art musuem - 10,000 VND per pax
Parking - 5,000 VND
Saigon square parking - 5,000 VND
Anh Sao bridge - FOC
Grabcar to airport - 155,000 VND per car
CONCLUSION: THANKS FOR ALL THE NICE PEOPLE WE MET!
WE SPENT RM1600 per pax
AND YOU CAN JUST DELETE HCMC IN YOUR BUCKET LIST =l