Exactly seven years ago today, I embarked on a Malaysia-Cambodia-Vietnam sojourn. Let me zero in on Vietnam as I recently received inquiries from friends as to where to go for shopping and dining in Ho Chi Minh City, visa requirements, Visa on Arrival services, a good place to stay, and other information they would need for a travel to Vietnam.
I gladly responded to their queries and pointed out certain places that they can also include in their itinerary. I also shared some of my favorite attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, which are:
1.) District 1
This is the backpackers’ area. There are rows of hotels and inns, as well as tour agencies and operators, shops, and restaurants. There is a large park where one can walk around and watch the local scene before you.
2.) People’s Committee Hall
The building is quite impressive, with a touch of European (probably French) architecture and design. The statue of Vietnamese leader, Ho Chi Minh, can be found in front of the building. The hall’s façade is intricate, with arches and relief carvings.
3.) Notre Dame Cathedral
A short walk from the People’s Committee Hall is this beautiful cathedral, with the peaceful image of the Regina Pacis. The cathedral has similar architectural style as those of the churches in Europe.
4.) Ben Thanh Market
This is a shopper’s haven where you can find most of the local goods. It is spacious with many stalls selling different kinds of items.
We also visited the war museum and explored the city on foot. Just be careful when you cross the street as there are motorbikes everywhere. Be on the lookout for North Face and Kipling bags at a good bargain! You can read my post on Ho Chi Minh City for details of my trip there.
Incidentally, another group of friends went to Hanoi and Halong Bay a few weeks back, which I still need to visit soon. This made me think of the various attractions in Vietnam that I still have to see and experience myself:
- Halong Bay
- Hanoi (and its old French quarters)
- Hoi An (and the ancient city there)
- Hue (the former Imperial capital)
- Phong Nha-Ke Bang
But I’m not worrying when I can next visit Vietnam because traveling to this country is a breeze, based on my experience like when we crossed the border to Vietnam, as we didn’t need to have visa as tourists. But that was because we belong to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) wherein entry visa requirements are waived among member nations. Now, how about those outside of ASEAN who wants to visit Vietnam?
The good news is that for those going to Vietnam by air, there is a Visa On Arrival Service, which you can easily access online. Application is very convenient and time-saving as you don’t have to line up and go through the bureaucracy to get your visa approved. Even those who have availed of such service speak of how easy it was for them and left their reviews in the Vietnam-visa Facebook page.
Among its advantages is that there is minimum visa refusal risks, plus there is legitimacy and trustworthiness. The fees are also reasonable, most especially with the newly approved stamping fee by the Vietnam Ministry of Finance, Visa on Arrival fee can even be reduced.
For more details, visit http://www.vietnam-visa.com/ where you can also chat with their staff members who can assist you with your queries and visa application concerns.
You can also contact their office at +84.946.583.583, or +84.437.925.339 (ext. 221), or +1 (559) 922-2468 (Ext. 1), or e-mail them at support@vietnam-visa.com.
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