Suoi Tien Theme Park

Went to Suoi Tien Theme Park (STTP) today - sometimes called Suoi Tien Cultural Park. STTP is the larger of two theme parks in HCMC, the other being not-so-well-kept Dam Sen Park. Both have modern and mythical themes to it and are rather similar. Dam Sen looks rather run down nowadays, so a better bet for the kids (and adults) would be STTP; the only setback being the distance and time taken to travel there. One can spend a whole day there - it can be quirky at times but it provides an interesting insight into how Vietnamese spend their leisure. Entrance fee is 35k (adults), 20k (kids) and you pay additional for the rides inside.

Click on both these maps for a close-up look


























It's been a year or so since I was last there. The new shopping centre/supermart VITIMART is up - really fast work. The park is being spruced up even as I write and there have been several upgrades since I last visited. Joyce wanted to have a look at the Southern Fruit Festival which is suppose to highlight VN's special fruits. It's a pretty long festival, lasting 3 months from 1 Jun 2008, and some of the fruits on sale there are really cheap. We were lucky to catch the "March of Giant Fruits", a colourful parade of giant fruits and mythical beings - a visual treat through somewhat tacky.

















We took a public bus (No 19) there (from Saigon Bus Station next to Ben Thanh) - cost us only 3,000VND per person. However, it took us 1hr 15min to get there and 1hr 30min to get back - tiring, esp the return journey. The last time I took a cab from there to town cost me 180,000VND - it'll can only cost more at today's petrol prices.

a sampling of artificial fruits
















































Golden Unicorn Mountain? That's what this place is called.














View from ferris wheel (15k/pax)














so-called the Octopus Ride - but where are the tentacles?














Looks of terror...



















Fruit Sculptures ... many were submitted for the competition














Note the English














Cheap rambutans



















Joyce with a monkey spiritual being - I really don't know what to call it















Parade of floats, mythical creatures & fairies ..."March of the Giant Fruits"














More participants of the procession



















hi there, piggy being














Giant fruits and waving fairies














more striped participants