Vungtau Tourist

Finally found a travel company doing daily tours to Vung Tau. Even Sinh Tourist doesn't do Vung Tau tours.

Address : Vungtau Tourist, 275F, Pham Ngu Lao, District 1

Normally, I have to hire a mini-bus or take the hydrofoil to Vung Tau. I heard that there's a local bus route between Vung Tau and HCMC (naturally!) at one of the local bus stations but knowing the local bus standard, I'd rather keep away.

Here are the details :

As of today, cost is 399,000vnd (US$19) per person. The bus brings you from HCMC to Vung Tau and drops you at their 2-star hotel along Back Beach. Lunch is included in the price. You even get free use of the chair and umbrella at the beach!! (For info, you need to pay for these when you go to the beach). Picks you up at the end of the day back to HCMC. If you stay a night, the price is double (US$38) but you get accommodation at the 2-star hotel which they claimed is by the beach.

Disclaimer : I don't know what kind of bus they provide until I try it out. I also don't know the standard of the hotel. The company also deals with other tours but it seems to be a rather small company from the looks of it, so service might not be up to standard.

The small office with one staff

The exterior

Note : It shares office with Mekong Express Bus Service; the latter providing bus services between HCMC and Cambodia.

Mekong Express

Just booked 4 tickets from Mekong Express (MKE) this evening. HCMC to Phnom Penh (PP) - each ticket costs US$12. Their exchange rate was bad - 22,000vnd to US$1 but no choice, we had a lot of dong with us. Apparently Mekong Express seems to be the No 1 bus service to PP. Most reviews have been positive unlike the reviews for Sapaco, Mai Linh and some of the rest. They gave us US$1 off if we booked a round-trip with them, so we did. US$23 for a round trip.

I've had a hard time looking for the MKE office; surprising for such a supposedly reputable bus company, and I'm no stranger to Pham Ngu Lao. Finally found it tucked away in one small shop at 275F. It shares the same office as Vungtau Tours, and there's only a tiny inconspicuous signboard outside the shop advertising itself - another surprise.

This is the small MKE office.

It is found inside this Vungtau Tourist shop.

275F, Pham Ngu Lao, District 1

More of MKE after our trip next weekend...

Adel's Visit

After Nicole comes Adeline from 26 Feb to 5 Mar 2011. Adel comes here with a busy schedule, meeting her ABC classmates, bringing her god-parents shopping and having a short trip to Nha Trang with Timon. Looks like we have to take a number in order to go out with her...

Watch dealer @ Lucky Plaza

When we get this urge to splurge on a new "branded" watch, we will go to our friend "Army" who has a stall at Lucky Plaza. His is not a big stall, but he has a big heart and a bigger smile. Always jovial and polite, he's never one to put on that "face" if you don't buy after browsing. Army will be the proud father of a baby girl next month (Mar 2011). Congratulations, my friend.

Shop HL 03

Watches - Sunglasses

Lucky Plaza

38 Nguyen Hue/69 Dong Khoi

District 1

Mobile : 0938471846

Lucky Plaza is also known as "Trung Tam Thuong Mai Lucky Plaza" in Vietnamese.

There are 2 addresses because there are 2 entrances, one on each street.

Nicole's visit

Nicole came over from 16 to 20 Feb 2011. Reason? To extract her wisdom tooth.
Cost : 530,000vnd (S$33) vs "from S$600" quotation from Singapore.
The price is all-inclusive - x-ray, extraction, medication, an English-speaking dentist, a proper dental clinic (like any in Singapore) ... the whole works. After deducting VN dental fees and airfare, she still has S$200-300 for shopping compared to having it done in Singapore. So who wants to go next??

Dinner at MK Restaurant - Vincom Center

"Great" experience for Nicole at Aldo (shoes) in VINCOM Center. It goes like this :
Size 36 is a bit small. Do you have 37?
Yes, please wait a while ... here it is.
Size 37 seems a bit big, can I try the other side of Size 36?
Er ... sorry ... we lost the other side.
Oh dear. Never mind. Can I try the other side for Size 37?
Er ... sorry ... we also lost the other side!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We couldn't help falling over laughing as we made our way out. Can you beat that?

Ben Thanh Night Market - Update

The bad news - it's true, Ben Thanh Market has closed down. The good news - partially!! About half the stalls are gone now - the food stalls are still there but the souvenir, t-shirt and others stalls along the 2 side roads are gone...and along with it, a lot of the fun and spirit that used to be associated with Ben Thanh Market. So tragic! However, the permanent stores are still there - probably the reason why the night stalls have disappeared. There were rumours about complaints by shop owners that the night market stalls were taking away business from them. See map to see what I mean.

Back in HCMC

How fast does time fly? Very ... it seemed like yesterday that we came back home to SG and now we're back at our "second" home in HCMC - all in the twinkling of an eye. It's been a good 2 weeks. We had a good reunion with many old friends and acquaintances.

Let me just list down who I met (for my own reminiscence when I'm 75!!).
There's Mr Chow, Chee Hoong, Ah Fong, Hong Seng, Leslie, Bee Hwa, Hui Min, teachers and staff of CHR, Chee Seng, Chee Meng (the Chee's are not related ... hmmm ... that didn't sound quite right!!!), Raj, Clarence, Desmond, Vincent, Lucy & family, Jeremy & Joanne, Irene Lim, Wan, Abby, Cassie, Mr & Mrs Poh, Poon and of course the families on both sides.

It's back to school tomorrow but with more visits to look forward - Nicole and Adeline this month, Mum and Dad next month and Mum- and Dad-in-law in Apr. It's a good time to come to HCMC now as the VN dong has been devalued ... yet again (sigh, sigh) and things will be even cheaper than before for visitors to Vietnam.