Sao Nam Hotel

This is another overdue post. My family, friends and myself have been staying at Sao Nam Hotel on and off for the past 2 years. It's a nice and decent budget hotel and cost between USD20 to 25 per room per night. You can't find it on the internet (unless you come across a posting by me or someone else). It is conveniently located in Pham Ngu Lao (backpackers' area) in District 1.

Hotel Sao Nam

175/5 Pham Ngu Lao

District 1

Tel : +848 3920 6471

The 2 main reasons why it is my preferred hotel :

1. Clean and well-equipped for the price we pay - refrigerator, air-con, cable TV, sheets are changed everyday, attached toilet and there's a lift in this budget hotel so that you don't need to lug your heavy luggage up. Even if there isn't, the staff will still help you with your luggage.

2. Convenience - it is less than 10 minutes walk from Ben Thanh Market and 15 minutes walk to reach town. Sinh Cafe, the budget tour company that I always use when I travel out of HCMC to nearby destinations, is 5 minutes walk away. Restaurants and cafes are all within 5 seconds to 10 minutes walk - western, Italian, Mexican, Vietnamese, vegetarian, halal, Thai and even Singapore noodles (which can never be found in Singapore) - you name it, they have it in Pham Ngu Lao. Lots of shops to while your time and money away too. What more can you ask for?

3. Nice staff, nice boss - Ms Thi and Ms Phuong are 2 of the nicest Vietnamese receptionists that I've met in HCMC. They speak English well so no problem with language, and they're always so polite and willing to help. Mr Hiep, the boss, is a nice and humble man who has managed to send his children for overseas studies - that speaks loads of how hard he has worked.

Here are some pix of the hotel :

For those who must see a satellite photo, here it is

A closer view

Hong Seng's Visit

Fetched Hong Seng to TAIK today. Had him for free labour as he spent the afternoon doing up our invoice and receipt template in his super duper Excel way. Thanks, buddy...appreciate it loads.

Hong and me...

Free labour @ work!!

TAIK Opening Day

Finally, the day has come after all these agonizing months - opening day of The Alpha International Kindergarten. It was a quiet opening, no fanfare except for our dancing puppet in the artificially created wind. Some light snack and drinks and lots of appreciation for our visitors.

Our first student Bao

Our second student Ngoc

Mr & Mrs Poh, Cassie, Thuy & friend

Kim Ngan, Son, Vy Anh and Bidan

TAIK Update V1.3

Final update before opening day on 8 Dec 08. The name and address are up in front, making it look more like a school. Drilled so many holes in the wall to put up the holds for the rockwall - the walls are just a brick thick, we drilled thru the wall!!! and the owner is making noise about that. Will have to patch up for him.

The teachers are decorating their classes so that parents have something to see when they come for enquiries. The Promethean Activboard is up, the comp lab tables are done and the class chairs and tables are in. Looks like we're 80% ready for business.

Huong Xuan - Local delicacies

I putting this here cause I always forget the address.

HUONG XUAN
991, Ben Thanh Market
Right side of the main aisle - somewhere in the middle next to a fruit stall - if you enter from the front.


We been buying the following from here for ages :

Coconut Candy
Soursop sweet - best in the world, cannot find elsewhere...yet! - 100k/kg
Cashews - 180k/kg
Pistachios - 180k/kg
Roasted lotus seeds - found only in VN - expensive - I think 300k/kg
Lots of other types of sweets like banana & "asam", dried goods, coffee and tea. They also have dried meats - you can try exotic ones like deer meat and rabbit meat. Not sure, but I think there's a horse meat too.

Vietnamese are CHAMPION...

...busybodies. Worse than Singaporeans. No offence to my VN friends, but it seems to me that Vietnamese love to witness quarrels, accidents etc. I just came back after ploughing through a massive jam at District 4 - only to find that an accident had occurred on the opposite side of the road and it seems mandatory that every VN driver or biker must stop and stare for a few seconds (actually many seconds) before moving on. Hordes of kaypoh on-lookers gathered to stare at I-dun-know-what (as I wasn't looking but speeding off).

Black Taxis

Many have been taken for a "ride" literally by the "black" taxis of Saigon. These are unlicensed taxis whose meters have been tweaked to "Top Gun" speed. Even locals get taken in. I was ripped off once or twice in my early days here. Have known better since it hurts the pocket. But the following is really something ...




















The best 2 taxi companies are Mai Linh and Vinasun. Just look out for the 2 numbers and you'll be quite safe - and there are enough of them around so you don't have to wait long.

Mai Linh - 83 262626
Vinasun - 83 272727

Just remember the last 6 digits... and look out for fake Vianasuns 272777 - dressed up to look like the real McCoy ... they are the ones with meters running faster than the cabs!!!









Their most frequent haunts are outside Ben Thanh Market and in front of Diamond Plaza and the Saigon Tax Trade Centre.