Parkroyal Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

Exotic City For Those Who Want Something Different

Advantages: Exciting culture, new sites and smells, beats the old humdrum cities
Disadvantages: Very hot in April

I was a little worried when I was informed that I had to go to Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam on business. I was brought up in the far east and I knew this place as Saigon. Sometime in the seventies Saigon became Ho Chi Min City. ***FIRST IMPRESSIONS*** My first impression was that it was very hot and dusty and had a strange sickly smell. Most foreign airports strike me that way when I first get off the plane, so this isn't something peculiar to this place. There were still soldiers, military vehicles and anti aircraft guns scattered about the place, just as they had been more than twenty years ago. I just hoped that the rest of the city had made progress. ***AIRPORT*** Everything looked crowded and dusty as we left Tan Son Nhat International Airport which is right in the heart of the city. There has actually been some ...

jan007 10.11.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Saigon the rebel

Advantages: an unforgatable place
Disadvantages: pollution

At the time of my stay of 3 months for professional reason in Vietnam of mid January to mid April, I have had the luck to be lodged on Saigon. The city is a little rebel following Viet government because when the country decided to enter marked economy the capital Hanoi hesitated staying on the basements of the comunism when Saigon rushed in the new openings and got the mains markets. Lived and impressions on the city: Tentacular city and bruillante. Constant animation in the city decreasing the night slightly to start again even more in the small hours. From my room at 8eme stacks the attenuated rumbling noise of the trafic, occured mainly by mupets and motorcycles and its overnight appearance in the avenues made one think of an enormous snake . He wake up in the small hours and increase crescendo ...

krakakoutas 09.09.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Saigon

Advantages: Loads of restaurants and accommodation for foreign backpackers
Disadvantages: Little kids waiting to rob stupid foreigners

I have been to Bangkok before so I was ready for Ho Chi Minh City. I was aware of the dangers in the city but still I am a sucker for little kids on the streets and this time it cost me 600 US dollars. There are many young children living on the streets and they wait outside foreign clubs and pubs to beg for money. I decided to buy them some food instead and as I was doing my Mother Teresa thing and handing out breakfast, a 5 year old kid who was so short he was basically standing under my bag without me noticing and snatched my wallet! They are everywhere so you'll stop feeling sorry for them after the first couple of days. If you have the chance to help one of them, great, just be carefull ! ...

Dorita83 25.11.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)