Footslogging around the city is a great way to see the sights and experience the environment, but if you don't want to be a hospital statistic pay close attention to a few pedestrian survival rules, especially on the streets of motorbike-crazed HCMC.
Foreigners often make the mistake of thinking that the best way to cross a busy street in Vietnam is to run quickly across it. This does not always work, and could get you into trouble. Wherever possible, try to find a gap in the traffic. Then cross the street slowly and steadily - sometimes very slowly - giving the motorbike drivers sufficient time to judge their position and your speed so they can pass on either side. They won't stop or even slow down, but they will try to avoid hitting you. Just don't make any sudden moves.
Vehicles are less likely to slow down so be extra wary of buses, taxis and private motor cars, especially at intersections.
Motorbike users are slowly getting the idea of following road rules (if there are any!) Don't assume that, if the lights are red at an interesection, it means you are safe to cross the road while the traffic is stopped. Many motorcyclists use the "free right turn" policy and will quickly shoot around the corner catching you offguard. A popular action seems to be motorcyclists riding up on the footpath to go around the corner especially when there is a lot of traffic at a standstill obeying the lights.
Since there are so many motorcyles about, they all need somewhere to park. That normally means across the pavements. They will clog the pavements outside shops and bars often making walking passage impossible, forcing you to walk out onto the road. If it is raining, you might have to walk further out into the road to avoid gutters and puddles. Beware of road traffic!
One saving grace is that, with the number of motorbikes and other taffic on the roads most traffic does not move very fast.
One final point about walking around the city. Since the pavements are also the main parking areas for motorbikes, the curbing is usually sloped to allow bikes to climb up onto the pavement. Therefore expect the curb areas to be sloping, often quite steeply, and difficult to walk on, very slippery when wet, and very easy to twist an ankle on. Pavements are very haphazard with all types of tiles, concrete paving stones, coverings and obstacles. That means nothing is ever even and smooth. Solid toe shoes or boots are recommended if you don't want to be constantly stubbing your toes!
At some busy intersections in the central city you might find green uniformed traffic police. If you feel it may be extra difficult to cross the street approach one of these chaps for assistance. They have the authority to stop traffic and it is part of their job to assist people crossing the roads at the busiest intersections.
Walking around the streets at night is generally safe, though not a practice to be recommended very late at night or early morning. Take a taxis!
Saigon still has numerous tri-shaw style cyclos though it is government policy to see these dissapear from the streets eventually. If you really want to have the experience of being peddled around through constant traffic, in fumes and dust, then go for it! Most sensible people will give this a miss though. Also beware as this transport is mainly a major ripoff. Cyclo drivers regard themselves as a "tourist attraction" and charge exhorbitant prices. Whereas a short trip by moto might cost 20,000 VND ($1.25 USD) a similar trip by cyclo might want to charge 100,000 VND or more. Best give this experience a miss!
You will find motorcycle taxis everywhere around HCMC and in the towns and cities of Vietnam. They frequently congregate around the corners at intersections, outside major shopping centers and at the ends of sidestreets. They are a cheap and easy way to get around, sometimes making for a rather exciting experience, and once you get used to riding around through the hectic traffic, the moto will become one of your main means of travel. Wherever possible make sure you agree a price before setting off. Typically most destinations within District 1 and the city center will cost around 20,000 VND ($1.25 USD) for the 10-15 minute trip. Expect to pay 20,000 to 30,000 VND to the edges of District 1 and also to pay a little bit more late at night. For greater distances always negotiate a price. Most moto drivers will start charging by the half hour for longer distances, typically 100,000 VND ($7 USD) per half hour.
Since January 2008 it has been compulsory for all motorbike riders to wear safety approved crash helmets. All moto drivers should have a spare helmet for you to use. Make sure you wear it otherwise traffic police can stop you and charge you a fine.
Riding on the back of a moto can be a exciting way to get around. Just remember basic safety considerations and protect your personal belongings. Because you will be riding in close proximity to many other bikes make sure you position shoulder bags in front of you and not to the side or behind you where they might get ripped off, either intentionally or unintentionally. Also be careful of having large wallets in back pockets where they could easily be snatched. There aren't many such problems but it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you choose to use motos at night be extra careful. For late night transport it is much safer to use a vehicle taxi. There have been instances early in 2008 of unwary (drunk!) foreigners taking a moto from a niteclub and being followed and robbed by other people on motorcycles.
Taxis in HCMC must be among the best value in the world! Recently (late 2007) the local authorities have tightened up on the quality of taxis and also frequently check that their meters have not been tampered with. There are many taxi companies and all apear to have modern vehicles, are air conditioned and quite comfortable and safe.
Flagfall will typically be between 12,000 VNC and 15,000 VND depending on taxi company and time of day. Expect to pay the higher rates during peak traffic hours and later at night.
The best thing is that the flagfall charge also includes the first 3 kilometers or 15 minutes whichever comes first. That means you can often get from A to B within the central city or District 1 for the flagfall charge or not too much more. After the flagfall period charges rollover at about 1,800 VND per 3 minutes so taxi charges can climb steadily expecially if you get caught in traffic.
The longest distance you might want to travel by taxi is to or from the airport. This is a distance of just over 32 kilometers and can take half an hour. Typically a taxi fare would be about 85,000 VND ($5.50 USD) and perhaps slightly more during peak hours or late at night. That's still remarkably good value. Taking taxis from the airport beware of drivers trying to charge you the "tourist" rip-off price normally $12 to $15 USD.
All taxis are able to take 4 adults so the fare can be spread a bit. Even better value. Many taxis are "people movers" i that they have a good amount of space for luggage or shopping!
If you want to travel to suburbs out side of District 1 or the central city you might consider the local "green" buses. These ply routes to suburbs and operate reasonably frequently and are cheap. You do however, need some local assistance to find out timetables, routes and charges as available information from the main bus stations is generally not geared to foreigners. So find a helpful local and get accurate information ahead of time. Local buses have improved recently from the frequently crowded, non air conditioned, and uncomfortable seats of the old buses. Nearly all have been upgraded to modern, larger, air-conditioned buses and are far more pleasant to ride in now.
Buses leave from one of four bus stations around the city, the main terminus being in the square adjacent to the Central (Bin Thanh) Market. Buses follow routes through the city towards the suburbs. There are bus stops along the way, some of them distinguished by bus shelters on the pavement, but most stops are not as easily identified. Again, ask local advice. Locals and resident expats using buses generally make use of monthly travel cards. If you must take individual trips ensure that you know the correct price and have the exact money to hand.
As an example, many resident expats live out in suburbs such as Phu My Hung (District 7) which is about a half hour drive from the city. To travel this distance by taxi would cost about 100,000 VND or more. The local green bus runs every hour, every half hour during morning and afternoon peak times, and costs about 8,000 VND for the 45 minute trip. Buses to other adjacent districts are similar.
If you are going to be around Vietnam for any time you will probably consider traveling to other areas outside HCMC. There are many travel agents and tour operators offering inexpensive trips to beach areas, further north up country, and also across to Cambodia.
Buses are generally modern and air conditioned and are a similar style to tourist buses you see all over Asia. Most are reasonably comfortable though few have toilet facilities onboard. That is why trips have frequent stops along the way and journey durations can be quite long. Also, it might be advisable to take along a supply of toilet paper since the quality of roadside stops can sometimes be "variable".
One difference in some buses here that you might not be used to are the "sleepers". For overnight and long journeys many operators use sleeper coaches. These are double deck layouts within a normal coach shell. Headroom is low, and seats are small flat beds. If you are over 6 foot tall you will have trouble getting comfortable, but they are not such a bad way of tackling a longer journey.
One point to note about longer coach trips is that most traffic accidents involving buses usually relates to buses out on the main highways and their (unfortunately quite frequent) encounters with trucks! For longer journeys you might consider train travel!
Some tour buses depart from the larger northern or southern bus terminals, some from the central Bin Thanh terminal, while many of the tour operators you might book tours through have the buses pick up passengers directly in front of the travel agencies office. This is particularly useful for travellers. Most of the tours booked through tarvel agents located in the popular Pham Ngu Lau district have their buses depart direct from their offices on De Tham Street.
Bus transport prices vary depending on company, length of journey, and tour package offered. You can make "transport only" arrangements though many of the best deals are the small tour packages available. For example, a 4-5 hour trip to Phan Thiet and the beaches of Mui Ne (about 150 km north of HCMC) might cost $5 - $6 USD. A 6 - 7 hour journey across to Phnom Penh in Cambodia is $12 USD. HCMC to Da Lat takes about 7 hours, while a bus trip to Nha Trang takes up to 10 hours.
Vietnam has an enormous number of rivers that are at least partly navigable, but the most important by far is the Mekong River and its tributaries. Scenic day trips by boat are possible on rivers in Hoi An, Danang, Hue, Tarn Coc and even HCMC, but only in the Mekong Delta are boats used as a practical means of transport.
From HCMC there are regular ferry boats operating to the coast, the Vung Tau hydrofoil ferry being a popular 2 hour trip down through the Mekong delta to the coastal resort town. Departures from HCMC are about every half hour, 6am to 5pm daily.
There are numerous sightseeing and dinner cruises operating from the wharves in HCMC. These are a pleasant way to see a different aspect to the city, meals are good, and some of the special sunset entertainment cruises are very popular.
The trains and railway system in Vietnam are very good. Travellers wanting to see the countryside and travel up country generally opt for train travel. The raiway system follows the coastal areas and runs between all the largest cities right through to Hanoi.
There are about 6 departures daily from HCMC to Hanoi (or vice versa) and there are about 12 other services each day to other destinations. Be aware that if you contemplate doing the full journey through to Hanoi it normally takes about 34 hours. Make sure you book a comfortable air conditioned sleeper berth!
Vietnam has a very good, and improving, air connection network between the main cities of HCMC and Hanoi, and provincial cities and towns. Vietnam Airlines are the main operator while recent additions of Air Asia, Pacific Airlines and various international operators has opened up the market considerably. New internal routes are being considered all the time.
Like elseware thoughout Asia, flights to domestic destinations can sometimes be expensive though specials are frequently offered. HCMC to Phu Quoc island takes about 1 hour and costs $35 USD. Flights to international destinations such as Phnom Penh, Bangkok and Singapore are often very competitive and are a great way to move around the region. Recently (October) Air Asia has been offering $15 and $20 USD (one way) flights to Bangkok.
With Vietnam becomeing a tourist destination attracting much more interest cruise ships arriving along the Sai Gon river and groups of tourists wandering the city are becoming a more frequent sight. Most cruises originate out of Singapore or Hong Kong.
(Effective Date: October 10th, 2008.)