Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [53]
To get from A to B when you don’t fancy walking, the xe om is the most prevalent and practical mode of transport, though taxis are also inexpensive and worth considering if only to avoid interminable haggling over fares. Cyclo routes are sadly limited, being prohibited from several central streets, though for many visitors a leisurely ride around some of the city’s main sights adds a uniquely Vietnamese touch to the experience.
Ho Chi Minh City and around | City transport |
Cyclo
Cyclo are a dying breed in Ho Chi Minh City, since the local government plans to phase them out. Already they are forbidden to enter many key streets in the city centre, so if your rider seems to be taking a circuitous route, he is probably not doing so to bump up the fare. Despite these difficulties, a ride in a cyclo is usually a memorable experience, if only for the close encounter with the city’s crazy traffic; about $3 an hour is the normal rate, though initially they will ask more than double this. Though it’s feasible to ride two (very small) passengers to a cyclo, the corresponding rise in cost and lessening of comfort make this a false economy.
Ho Chi Minh City and around | City transport |
Taxis and xe om
Taxis are easy to flag down on the street, though it’s just as easy to call for a pick-up wherever you are (see "Listings" for numbers). The flag fare of 12,000đ goes up after dark but you can still traverse a decent chunk of the city for 30,000đ, so they are well worth considering, especially given the horrifying pollution levels of the city’s streets.
The motorbike taxi or xe om is a faster alternative to both taxi and cyclo. Translated, it means “motorbike embrace”: passengers ride pillion on a motorbike, hanging on for dear life. Wearing helmets is compulsory for passengers as well as riders. Xe om are much more prevalent than cyclo, so you’ll probably find yourself using them at some stage, but beware of riders who double up as pimps and drug dealers, of which there are many. If you find a reliable driver, take his phone number so you can call him again. Prices are about 10,000đ for a short ride, or $2 an hour.
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Ho Chi Minh City and around | City transport | Taxis and xe om |
Tour agents
There are hundreds of tour agents in Ho Chi Minh City, but many of them are fly-by-night set-ups, and we receive numerous reports of inefficient and unscrupulous companies, so it’s worth choosing your agent carefully. Those listed below have good reputations for consistent, reliable services.
Ann Tours 58 Ton That Tung 08/3833 2564, www.anntours.com. Highly recommended, it offers good-value, tailor-made tours.
Atlas Tours 267 Ben Chuong Duong 08/3838 5033, 08/3920 0261. Organizes tailor-made tours for niche groups such as gourmets or divorcees.
Buffalo Tours Satra House, Suite 601, 58 Dong Khoi 08/3828 0702. This Western-managed set-up specializes in customized tours throughout Indochina.
Delta Adventure Tours 267 De Tham 08/3920 2112, www.deltaadventuretours.com. Highly recommended for its boat tours to the Cu Chi tunnels, the Mekong Delta or all the way to Phnom Penh.
Exotissimo Travel Saigon Finance Centre, 9 Dinh Tien Hoang 08/3825 1723, www.exotissimo.com. Has an extensive tour programme that includes special interests, Laos and Cambodia add-ons.
Innoviet 158 Bui Ven 08/3295 8840, www.innoviet.com. This newish company runs popular bike and boat tours of the Delta as well as half-day city tours.
Kim Travel 270 De Tham &08/3920 5552, www.kimtravel.com. A veteran of the independent travel scene, it offers open-tour buses, flight and rail bookings, car and minibus rental and guides.
Saigontourist 49 Le Thanh Ton 08/3829 8914, www.saigontourist.net. A state-run operation that tends to guide tourists