Here marks the beginning of my first vacation after Covid-19, I felt so happy being able to travel again. It's a much-needed break from work, a chance to create new travel memories. I am going to resume my travel adventures, making up for the lost time and fully embracing life once more.
Once we had completed the check-in process, we walked around Terminal 1 departure hall, looking around for lunch at 11.50am. I settled for Pontian Wanton Noodle with black sauce ($7). Though expensive, the wanton noodle was nice with combination of boiled and fried wantons, each bursting with different flavours.
Waiting at the boarding gate, we were flying with Scoot with air ticket at the price of S$137.31. There was a delay of 45 minutes which was quite common occurrence with Scoot flights.
This time around, we decided to travel light. I only had a backpack and a small hand-carry cooler bag with me, especially since we were planning to switch hotels and not much things that we want to buy.
I exchanged my money at a rate of SGD1 : 17,500VND.
We touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport around 2.50pm local time in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam is one hour behind Singapore. Clearing customs took about half an hour. After we left the airport, I spent some time activating my eSIM card for mobile data and booked a Grab ride to our serviced apartment. It took a bit of time for the Grab driver to locate us because we couldn't find the specific meeting point he mentioned. Eventually, we decided to meet at the front of the location. I was surprised that the driver didn't cancel the ride when he couldn't find us, which was quite considerate.
The journey from airport to our serviced apartment was 35 minutes drive. We arrived in District 3 around 4.30pm, the fare for the ride was 112,000VND (or $6.40).
We were staying at CityHouse - Ariosa for two nights at S$100.10, it is a five storey high serviced apartment with a total of 29 rooms. The exterior gave a charming aesthetic, like an assembly of multiple wooden houses stacked on top of one another.
174 Đường Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Cityhouse - Ariosa, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Here's our standard double room with loft bed (22sqm). We were staying on the ground floor and directly the first room, we could see the view of the reception table through the small window. It was my first experience staying in a serviced apartment, it was amazed how the room was designed to incorporate a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom within such a compact space. The wooden interior and high ceiling added a tropical house ambiance, enhancing our overall experience.
The window opened up to the view of a mini courtyard featuring a small round table, two chairs, and potted plants. This outdoor space was also used by their staff as a dining area and a place for their breaks. I like the window that allows abundance of light into the room.
We decided on this particular serviced apartment because Linda wanted a room with a bathtub. Out of the three choices that she had wanted, I selected this one because it has various restaurants and cafes in the vicinity, and attractions are within a 20-minute walking distance. The other options were situated in residential areas and further away.
My initial plan was to spend just one night at this serviced apartment, as we arrived in the late afternoon and intended to leisurely explore nearby area, soak the bathtub and check out the following day to our second hotel. Therefore, the location wasn't a major concern. However, the price was cheaper than the other hotel, we ended up booking a two-night stay. The cost for each night was $50.05.
After 35 minutes of rest, we headed out to explore District 3 at around 5.05pm. In Ho Chi Minh, motorcycles greatly outnumbered cars on the road, and they don't travel at high speeds. Some of their roads do not have traffic light, so it is important to exercise caution when crossing the streets.
After 8 minutes walk, we arrived at Turtle Lake featuring a small pond with fishes and lotus flowers, along with a tall statue. Positioned at a roundabout that connects three streets, this location is popular for friends and couples who come to relax by the pond, sitting around the pond and engaging in leisurely conversations.
Turtle Lake, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
We did not have a particular destination in mind, so we just walked around and explored the nearby restaurants and eateries to find a place for dinner.
We chanced upon Banh Khot Co Ba Vung Tau and decided to give it a try for "early" dinner. It was around 5:30pm local time, though it was actually 6:30pm in Singapore.
The restaurant had an inviting atmosphere with wooden interior details against a white backdrop. Since it was still early for dinner, the place appeared a bit empty, but as time went by, more diners began to arrive.
I enjoyed a refreshing Coconut drink at 35,000VND (or $2). The coconut was served directly from its husk where I can taste the natural freshness of the coconut.
I had Egg Fried Rice at 70,000VND (or $4) which was served in a claypot with cucumber and tomato. While the rice had a delightful fragrance, I noticed that some parts of it were a bit firm and tended to stick together, which was a minor drawback.
The total bill came up to 205,800VND (or $11.76). The sky already turned dark when we finished our dinner, the sun set at around 5.45pm.
Just 6 minutes walk from the restaurant, we found a shopping mall named Diamond Plaza. However, it was a high-end department store operated by Lotte, akin to Isetan of Singapore. After a quick five-minute exploration, we decided to leave the mall.
Though it was only 6.30pm, the sky was completely dark. On our way back to the hotel, we spotted a convenience store. Linda picked up cup noodles and snack to consume in hotel as she was still hungry, she only had crab soup and one spring roll at the restaurant.
We reached our serviced apartment at about 7pm.
Since our main objective for the choice of this serviced apartment was the bathtub, I also utilised it during our stay.
We spent our night watching YouTube variety shows till midnight. It felt like a staycation to us as we found ourselves spending the majority of our time in the room, enjoying the cozy atmosphere.
This sums up our experience on the first day in Ho Chi Minh City.
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