Vietnam: Ben Thanh Market (Day)

Day 5 of Ho Chi Minh Trip ^_^

Last day in Ho Chi Minh and we decided to visit the day time Ben Thanh Market to get some local food for breakfast and also to do some last minute shopping for souvenirs. I've visited Ben Thanh Market at night on the third day of my trip (Click here to read about it). Ben Thanh Market in the morning is more energetic I would say, they have more varieties of products. At night, most of the stalls sell souvenirs like key chains and t-shirts. In the morning, you can see stalls selling coffee, dried fruits, clothes, traditional clothings, etc etc... 

For myself, I prefer morning market. Maybe because it is indoor and I feel safer as compared to walking at night by the roadside with lots of motorcycles. 

The entrance of the morning Ben Thanh Market. 

First, there's a lot of stalls selling clothes. 

I am quite interested with their traditional clothes but I have too few VND in my pocket. Hence, it helped me to save money. Not to see, not to buy. 

Here's the section where you can buy dried fruits, coffees, and a lot of interesting stuffs. 

For me, I am only interested with the coffee and dried fruits. In order to buy souvenirs, I went to a money changer to change some VND for me to do some shopping. Then, I spent all my VND in buying dried fruits and souvenirs. I even owe my friends money and  returned them in MYR instead. Too much shopping.. Tsk tsk....... 

Lesson of the day: Change enough money and spend wisely. Spending all VND makes me feel terrified. Luckily I have some extra USD which allow me to change at the money changer. Without the extra money, I think I will have problem coming back to Malaysia. 

Our Breakfast: Crab Noodles (one for RM5)

This is really good and cheap!

These attracts me! Fancy desserts. 

We bought some spring rolls to try too! Normal and fried ones.

The sauce is special and goes so well with the fried spring rolls. 

Vietnam: Wrap & Roll Restaurant

Day 4 of Ho Chi Minh Trip ^_^

We were thinking really hard on what we should have for dinner on our last night of Vietnam trip. We wanted to have Pho 24 but the stall that we were searching for has been moved to elsewhere. Due to extreme hunger, we decided to hunt for another restaurant instead of catching a cab to nearest Pho 24. Then, we saw Wrap & Roll Restaurant, which is a restaurant we had considered of trying on the first day. Without thinking much, our hungry tummy directed us into the restaurant. 

We ordered a few main dishes to be shared and also drinks/desserts for ourselves. Walking around the city for the whole afternoon was really tiring. Getting older and stamina is getting lower day by day. 

First thing that was served - our desserts. It is something like ice kacang but a little more special. On the left of the photo is green beans + red beans + coconut milk. On the right is red beans + purple rice + yoghurt. Personally, I prefer the one on the left. More acceptable taste. The one with yoghurt is a bit too sour and it feels like I am eating fermented purple rice. However, it is very appetizing with its sour taste. 

We consulted the table next to us before we order our main dishes. So, they are all very nice! 

The fried spring rolls. Nice nice.... 

BBQ Pork. Served with rice paper, rice noodles and vege.

Crispy rice served with salad. This is one of my favourite. The rice is so crispy that I can munch all of them by myself. XD

Everyone's favourite. Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and Fried Spring Roll. It is so good! 

It has to serve with the sour sauce which makes the whole bowl of vermicelli perfectly. 

Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Day 4 of Ho Chi Minh Trip ^_^

After a heavy lunch at 4P's Pizza (click this link to read about it), we decided to have a stroll at the city. After 4 days in Ho Chi Minh, we haven't been to the tourist spots in the city. We have a little sense of urgency to visit them as we are leaving HCM the next day. 

Hence, we walked under the hot sun to look for Saigon Opera House a.k.a Municipal Theatre. Saigon Opera House was built in 1897 by French architect Eugene Ferret. The 800 seats building was used as the home of the Lower House assembly of South Vietnam after 1956. It was not until 1975 that it was again used as a theatre, and restored in 1995. It is a smaller counterpart of the Hanoi Opera House which was built between 1901 and 1911, and shaped like the Opera Garnier in Paris. (Read more on Municipal Theatre at Wikipedia here)

The opera house with the bright blue sky.

The Saigon Opera House. 

Was contemplating if we should go in for a show. But, due to time constraint, we decided not to. If not, we will not be able to drop by the Central Post Office and Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral. 

Found a nice garden on our way from Saigon Opera House to Central Post Office.

While walking, I saw Trung Nguyen Coffee opposite the road. 

Then, I pointed and said, "Friends, can we go there?" I promised myself to have a try of Trung Nguyen Coffee before heading back Malaysia. Now it is just right in front of me, and surely I will not walk pass and wait for another chance. Hence, we de-route to Trung Nguyen Coffee. Yeah! =)

Some other friends are still buying souvenirs while I can't stop myself from walking towards the coffee shop. Vietnamese coffee is so attractive... 

Ordered a cup of Hot Sang Tao No. 2 and friend ordered Iced Sang Tao No. 5. Surprisingly, they served us with their new item - banana pancake for FREE! So sweet of them! Back to coffee, so whats the difference between the numbers? According to the worker, different number has different kind of aroma, ranging from mild to strong. But their numbering did not go according to the level. So if you're not sure, please kindly consult the workers. They are very helpful in explaining =)

Trying to take a hipster photo for my coffee. XD seems a bit fail though...

For my cup of hot coffee, I tried a bit and decided to ask for ice. It is too strong for me and I still think it goes better with ice. I need the ice to melt slightly to make it a little thinner, which suits my taste better. The banana pancake is surprisingly good though. Crispy pancake with sweet banana inside. Me likey, especially it is free! =D

Close up of the pancake. Looks good right? It was served with sliced ginger which neutral out the sweet taste of banana pancake. 

After having our coffee, we bought some coffee as souvenirs in the shop. Surprisingly, the price of their coffees aren't expensive for such a branded coffee shop in Vietnam. I realized that their price is affordable when I was in airport. Why so slow? VND is merely just too confusing. Too many zeros and I thought they are expensive. Too late to realize! Aikzz.....

Ok, back to my Ho Chi Minh City Tour. After a half an hour detour to have a cup of coffee, we proceed our journey to Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathetral. It is not too far from the coffee place. Didn't expect it to be so near. We were a bit lost at first and thankfully we have Waze to guide us to the place. =) 

Here we are at Notre Dame Cathetral and Central Post Office. They are just beside each other and you definitely won't miss either of them. Notre Dame Cathetral is so beautifully constructed that your eyes will definitely stare at it for a while whereas Central Post Office is so striking with its yellow paint that you won't missed out too. 

Notre Dame Cathedral.

Saigon Notre-Dam Basilica, officially Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City. It was established by French colonists, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has 2 bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet). All the original building materials were imported from France. (click here for more information)

This cathedral is so beautiful! Can't stop taking photos of it. Makes me feel like as if I'm in Europe. Such a beautiful building. So glad that it is still well maintained and I have the chance to visit it. 

We were there on a Sunday evening and they are having Sunday prayers. It is quite a grand prayer as a lot of people were standing outside the gate to join because inside was full! We managed to take a look inside and was amazed by the interior design. 

Vietnam: Banh Mi & Cu Chi Tunnel Half Day Tour

Day 4 of Ho Chi Minh Trip ^_^

After a great rest in our AirBnB unit, we woke up early to join Cu Chi Tunnel Half Day Tour at 7.15am. We reached the Sinh Tourist early and we decided to settle our breakfast. Saw a food stall opposite the road selling Banh Mi. We had been in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) for 3 days and yet to try any Banh Mi. Without thinking much, we walked across the road to get our breakfast. 

What is Banh Mi? 

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread. The word is derived from banh and mi (wheat). Bread, or more specifically the baguette, was introduced by the French during its colonial period. The bread most commonly found in Vietnam is a single-serving baguette, therefor the term banh mi is synonymous with this type of bread. The banh mi is usually more airy than its Western counterpart, with a thinner crust. It is sometimes metonymous with a food item known as a "Vietnamese sandwich", for which banh mi serves as the bread wrapper. Vietnamese sandwich sometimes called a "banh mi sandwich" combines ingredients from the French (baguettes, pate, and mayonnaise) with native Vietnamese ingredients (cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno, pickled carrots and daikon), Classically, it is served with various Vietnamese cold cuts, such as sliced pork or pork bellies, pork sausage, head cheese, along with the liver pate and vegetables. (Information from Wikipedia)

The small food stall that sells coffee, noodles and banh mi sandwich all in one. 

The making of our banh mi sandwich.

I bought one for myself and this is how it looks! 

We paid about RM9 for this. It is so much expensive as compared to the other stalls that I found after this. Sigh... Overpriced sandwich but it tasted alright. Like the crunchiness of the baguette. 

And this is how my Banh Mi looks after two bites. =)

After enjoying our breakfast, our bus to Cu Chi Tunnel arrived! Such a great timing. *claps* The journey to Cu Chi Tunnel from HCM city took us about 1 hour 15 min. I slept throughout the journey. The sleeping bus is so comfortable. XD 

What is so interesting about Cu Chi Tunnel? Apart from the tunnel, I have no idea what to expect. I read some information regarding Cu Chi Tunnel before this trip. Let me share some history of it here. 

Cu Chi Tunnel was dug by Communist guerrilla troops known as Viet Cong (VC) in order to combat the better supplied American and South Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. This extensive tunnels of thousand miles run underneath the Cu Chi district northwest of Saigon. Soldiers used these underground routes to house troops, transport communications and supplies, lay booby traps and mount surprise attacks, after which they could disappear underground to safety. Tunnels were often dug by hand, only a short distance at a time. American soldiers used the term "Black Echo" to describe the conditions within the tunnels. For the VC, life in the tunnels was difficult. Air, food and water were scarce and the tunnels were infested with ants, poisonous centipedes, scorpions, spiders and vermin. (To read more on the history of Cu Chi Tunnel, please click here for link )

The soldier showing us how to get into the tunnel. The leaves covered up really perfectly after closing it off. People will not noticed the tunnel. 

One of the traps. Different kinds of traps available in this area. 

It's a jungle area. It allows us to get a feel of the war time. 

One of the opening into the tunnel.

The tunnel is indeed shorter than a normal person's height. To enter, everyone has to squat or crawl to go through. 

Statue of the soldiers. Telling us stories of the war time. 

Notice the holes? It is there to provide air into the tunnel. 

Found this! I happily climbed up the truck. XD Our group photo in Cu Chi Tunnel area.

This is the place showing us different kinds of traps.

Vietnam: Mekong River Day Tour (Part II) & Ben Thanh Market

Day 3 of Ho Chi Minh Trip ^_^
Continue from Mekong River Trip Part 1 (click here to read more)......

After we had our lunch, then we proceed to listen traditional music and tropical fruits tasting. It was quite a chillax session where we get to listen to people playing traditional instruments and enjoy some fruits. They served us with papaya, jackfruits, papaya, banana and "ciku". 

I was sitting with a few Korean tourists and I noticed that they seem a little fascinated looking at "ciku" and jackfruit. One of them took and tried jackfruit for a bite. Then her face turned a bit sour and gave up on it. That scene reminds me that I shouldn't take things for granted, even just a fruit. Things that seem so usual for us back home may be something new for others. That's why...... we have to explore more places to try more new stuff! =D

Their traditional instruments. 

They look a bit like our traditional chinese instruments and they sound a bit special to me.

After that, we went to the coconut candy factory. We get to see how they make coconut candy and also get to try some. But because the weather is too hot, we don't have much energy to check out their coconut candies thoroughly. Instead, all of us bought one coconut to quench our thirst. Coconut is such an amazing thing in the world. It is so important when there's hot sun!

The making of coconut candies.

Meet our new friends from Taiwan! 

Really appreciate them for helping us in photo-taking and shared experience with us. They are so nice and kept asking us to visit them in Taiwan. Love is all around the world. 

The Mekong River Day Tour ended around 5pm. Finally we can check in and get some rest in Ho Chi Minh city! We booked a unit via AirBnB and it's our first time booking via this website. So, we were a little worried at first. However, with the help of the owner to text us the address in Vietnamese language, we get to reach the place successfully. =) It is actually really hard to communicate with Vietnamese taxi driver if you don't have an address in Vietnamese language. 

Surprisingly, the unit is very beautiful! It is located at third floor and there is no lift available. Indeed, most of the buildings in Ho Chi Minh does not have lift. Luckily our luggage aren't too heavy and hence carrying them up the stairs is still an achievable mission. 

One of the rooms! So cozy!

And there's a corridor full of plants. A very relaxing place. Love it!

Selfie before heading out to Ben Thanh Market for dinner. 

Ben Thanh market is a large marketplace in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. It is one of the earliest surviving structures in Saigon and also an important symbol of Ho Chi Minh City. It is popular with tourists seeking local handicrafts, textiles, souvenirs and local cuisine. This market is developed from informal markets created by early 17th century street vendors gathering together near the Saigon River. The market was formall established by the French colonial powers after taking over the Gia Dinh citadel in 1859. This market was destroyed by fire in 1870 and rebuilt to become Saigon's largest market. In 1912, the market was moved to a new building called the New Ben Thanh Market to distinguish over its predecessor. The building was then renovated in 1985. (information from Wikipedia)

We took a cab from our place to Ben Thanh Market, which is about a 8 minutes drive. Actually, we could walk to the market instead of taking a cab. But we are a little confused with our location and a bit tired after the tour, we decided to take a cab. Taxi fare here isn't expensive and it is shared among six of us. Less than RM1/person for a trip. Not too luxurious. 

We walked into the busy street where all the vendors are, and we eyed on this! 

Colourful sticky rice! Look so yummy! Of course, we bought one to try. We ordered all in one.

After buying the sticky rice, we continue walking to explore more food and also souvenirs. 

This is how Ben Thanh Market looks like at night. Pretty much like our pasar malam back in Malaysia. There are vendors selling clothes, souvenirs and food.

Vietnam: Mekong River Day Tour

Day 3 of Ho Chi Minh Trip ^_^

Part 1 -- Mekong River Day Tour

Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia and the 7th longest in Asia and the 12th longest in the world. From the Tibetan Plateau, this river runs through China's Yunnan province, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. (~~ from Wikipedia)

Because Mekong River is too long, we can only pick points of attraction to visit. Hence, we chose the Mekong Delta tour to My Tho - Ben Tre. We departed from Ho Chi Minh to My Tho city at 8.30am and the journey took us 1.5 hours. At 10am, we reached the pier and got on a motorboat to have a look at the floating houses.

View at the pier

Look at the boats

Walking under the hot sun to get on board of the motorboat

Us on the motorboat. Look at the lady behind us, so sensitive to camera XD

Take a round at Mekong River

The Fish Farm

Then the boat make a U-turn and send us to Con Thoi Son (Unicorn Island)

The view upon reaching Unicorn Island.

We reached the island. It is full of trees and seems so adventurous! Time to explore!

We took a 3 minutes walk to the river to get on the hand-rowing boat (which is the main transportation in My Tho and Ben Tre). 

One boat can only fit 4 people and there are 2 "drivers" to row us to another part of the river. Photo taken while queuing up to get on the boat. It was 12pm and the sun was pretty hot! Really appreciate those workers who helped to row the boat. They are working so hard under the sun to let us enjoy the trip. THANK YOU!!!

There are women "drivers" to row the boat. Such a tiring job. 

The men who worked so hard to row the boat and avoid banging to the coconut trees.

And us with the other man rowing the boat at the back.

Sorry for moving too much as we were all very excited. It feels like we are entering Jurrasic World! Woohoo!!

Can't stop selfie! Too excited as the view is really awesome!

After that, we had lunch prepared by the chef living at Mekong Delta. We were served with elephant ear fish, spring rolls, some meat, fish, and vegetables. Ah! Not to forget the pot of sour soup with damn lots of vegetables. I would say, Vietnamese people are really really healthy. I don't have to worry about traveler constipation here. So much fibre, how to constipate?? XD

Huge Elephant Ear Fish. 

It is served as part of spring roll. First time having fish spring roll. Yumzzz...