JC’s Road Trip – Vietnam Pt 2 – HCMC Saigon

Well for all the fans sick of seeing Thailand, here you go we are in HCMC (Saigon)!
We are in a different SE Asian country this time, Vietnam. In part 2 we will continue to cover what it costs and what is it like to live in Vietnam? We will try to answer the question can a category 1 RIPper (Retiree In Paradise) live well in Vietnam? Well I am off finding out. We will see what the upsides and downsides are to living in a Communist country. This video is a little intro and some comments.

In this video we are still in Saigon. Or should I say HCMC. Which name should you use? Well not sure really. Here are some considerations for using Saigon:
• The airport code for Ho Chi Minh City is still SGN.
• Saigon is still used as a label for District 1, the center of Ho Chi Minh City.
• New hotel developments often opt for ‘Saigon’ in their name rather than ‘Ho Chi Minh City.’
• Some bus stations still label signs and tickets with ‘Saigon.’
• The river flowing through the city is still named the Saigon River.
• Vietnamese people living overseas who fled at the end of the war usually say Saigon for political reasons.
And some considerations for Ho Chi Minh City:
• In Hanoi and the north, you’ll more often hear ‘Ho Chi Minh City.’
• All government publications and productions use ‘Ho Chi Minh City.’
• All official documents and writings use ‘Ho Chi Minh City.’
• Places in the province surrounding Saigon, far from District 1, are often referred to as being in Ho Chi Minh City rather than in Saigon.
For those not up to speed on Vietnam and it’s history here is a little background info. Its real name is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and their motto is, "Independence – Freedom – Happiness". Vietnam is a socialist one party state with a population of about 92 million people.
Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest and Cambodia to the southwest.
Vietnam was part of Imperial China for over a millennium and the Indochina Peninsula was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century.
Vietnam had Japanese occupation in the 1940s, the Vietnamese fought French rule in the First Indochina War, eventually expelling the French in 1954. Thereafter, Vietnam was divided politically into two rival states, North and South Vietnam. Conflict between the two sides intensified, with heavy intervention from the United States, in what is known as the Vietnam War. The war ended with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
Vietnam was then unified under a communist government but remained impoverished and politically isolated. In 1986, the government initiated a series of economic and political reforms which began Vietnam's path towards integration into the world economy and as a result free enterprise is in full effect!

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[enthaa]

Great interview JC. I have been waiting for more videos of your Vietnam trip. I hope you are doing well.

[jhoward]

Great video and great insight, JC. I've seen a thousand vids on Vietnam and it's nice to get a non-biased look at things, there, especially as a newcomer. I love it and look forward to your journeys, there. Thanks!!

[ronmarsh]

I know this was filmed awhile ago, but I've just discovered your channel recently and I've gotta say I'm impressed. Good info, good editing, great camera work by Nat, and I love the way you explain so many things with a mostly objective eye.

[ericeverson]

That was a great interview. Very instructive. Thanks.

[dariodibattista]

loved your vlog, your honesty and feelings towards your travel experiences..Its great for me has a retire and near future traveler to Asia to learn what to encounter.looking forward to many more of your vlogs,

[FirstLast-irgz]

That's why I am focused on Thailand for retirement. Land of Smiles! I Love Thailand!

[crispernator]

Hi JC you brought back some memories when you mentioned the security gaurds in the phillipines outside every store that spun me out when I was there, the tooting of horns was a reminder as well don't get close toot toot toot toot.

[AmazingPhilippines]

Great video JC. All your effort is appreciated as it helps the rest of us be better prepared for these trips. Also, thanks to the many people who add to the information through the comments here.

[JohnJones-kjle]

You have to try the French bread in Saigon, it is probably the best bread I have tasted in my life..

[steve]

Here in China that 'shuttlecock' game is very popular in the parks . Quite often 3 generations of a family group will be playing and the grannies are really good at it . Younger guys can very athletic at it with fancy side kicks and back kicks .
Horn honking in China is also minimal with whatever honking being polite and not aggressive .

[nikyyo]

Hi JC, I was listening to what you were saying about the peeps getting angry if you don't buy things and maybe attributing it to being in the city. I just got back from Thailand and spent a fair amount of time in BKK. I thought the people were wonderful there, better than Phuket even. I had Vietnam on my radar but I may give it a second thought now.

[cruzer]

I loved Vietnam and Saigon in particular.You get inerred to the noise to a major extent and once you get "No thanks" in the right tone (helps if you can say it in Vietnamese) then they generally leave you alone.There is no doubt though that the hassle and noise is worse than Thailand and something to take into account.I think price, security and cleanliness was a step up from Thailand and Cambodia though so it's pick your poison or as I would say pick your paradise.I think it may be Hoi An for a couple of years for me then Kampot/Kep in they change their laws in Thailand by then and I can give that a go for awhile.Love your work JC...keeping me motivated. :)

[bannertraveller]

I've been to Thailand and the Philippines. Horn honking doesn't bother me at all. It's like the rooster or dogs barking after a while you just get conditioned to it. It's all part of the experience.

[myassessmentadres]

This guy is very pragmatic he knows how to adapt. Kudos for him. He is still strong clever and energetic. Not sure if this big city would be for a regular retiree. He did not choose for Europe.

[Mr-tlsg]

I kind of got the feeling from the videos that Vietnam still has some more maturing to do. Probably needs 5 to 10 more years to get a new generation of merchants who are more able to connect with foreigners.

[heidilock]

Hey JC, I was going to recommend shopping in Saigon tax Trade Center as it was way cheaper than the markets and you don't get harassed, it had a grocery store and there were a large range of clothing inside. Unfortunately I have just read that the 134 year old building is being destroyed for a skyscraper. Go figure. Found a lot of the shops had fixed prices but were still cheaper esp. kids toys etc. Also found that flying Air Vietnam was great, $60 one way HCMC to Dalat per person, super clean and fast and no hassles.Can't wait to see more of your trip.

[JohnJones-kjle]

The market in Saigon is pretty much over priced for clothes, hats, sun glasses.. they have a whole section there with fixed prices and the small stalls tend to haggle a little bit but you will still be over charged as it is a tourist market. I bought a Ladies Vietnamese traditional outfit there for my GF and they were all charging about the same price, 300, 000 dong. We got talking to a Vietnamese lady and her husband later on in a street bar and she told us that the Vietnamese pay 100, 000 dong for the same thing if they buy them off a vendor, so 3 times the price for a tourist. Went to a restaurant in Nah Trang and they thought my GF was Vietnamese so gave her the Vietnamese menu and gave me the western tourist menu in English. When they found out she was not Vietnamese they tried to take the menu back but I had a look thru it and it was 30% cheaper than the tourist one for the same things.We did find many Vietnamese places though that did not rip us off and charged us the same as the Vietnamese..so not all bad. I enjoyed your interview section..very good indeed. Thanks.

[frankphan]

The subject is great, very helpful.
Remember, the Vietnamese are nice, genuinely nice, not acting nice, you don't see this in many countries though - do you?

[somedudeonyoutoob]

instead of ben thanh, i suggest going to saigon square as items are cheaper and they wont rip you off as much. items are usually tagged with prices already. i've been to vietnam a few times and its a whole different beast. this is why i choose to spend my money in thailand rather than vietnam. vietnam tourism industry does the BARE minimum where as thailand tourism industry goes above and beyond to earn your dollars.

[janetsellers]

Hi...Your video has excellent clarity...what kind of camera do you use?