Do NOT make these mistakes in HO CHI MINH CITY | Vietnam Travel Guide

Ep.82 We knew very little about Vietnam before we spent a month there and we made a couple of big mistakes. Before visiting, watch this video to make the best choice about where to stay and visit in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. ❤️

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Chapters:
00:00 - Start
00:51 - Vietnam Cities to Visit
01:26 - Mistake #1
02:38 - Good Decision #1
04:27 - HCMC District 1
04:57 - HCMC District 3
05:31 - HCMC District 4
06:04 - HCMC District 5
06:45 - Mistake #2
10:03 - Good Decision #2
10:56 - What we paid
11:20 - Our Recommendations - Would we return to Vietnam?

Finding Gina Marie is where we share our lives as full-time travelers and the connections we make along the way.

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📹 VIDEO EQUIPMENT
* Primary Camera: Sony FX30
* B-Roll Camera: iPhone 14 Pro
* Editing: Final Cut Pro X on a 16" M1 Max MacBook Pro
* Key Light: ZHIYUN MOLUS X100 Bi-Color 100W COB Video Light
* Diffuser: ZHIYUN Quick Release Mini Softbox
* Vocal Microphone: Sony ECM-B10

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[FindingGinaMarie]

We have used See You In Vietnam tours in Saigon and Hoi An and have had excellent experiences on every occasion. If you're in either Saigon or Hoi An, we encourage you to use them. We make no money from recommending them, but they are passionate, knowledgeable guides who have put together truly outstanding tours. They'd love your support, and we'd love this small, local business to succeed! ♥—Judy & Kevin

[sien-venmenjivar]

I’ve been to HCMC many times and crossing the street always feels like we’re playing froggers. Two tips to cross the street: 1. Find a local and follow them. When they cross, you cross, 2. Proceed at a steady pace. The cars and bikes will work around you, but don’t do any sudden movements that are hard for them to predict. Hope you’ll have a better time next time you visit HCMC! The food there is amazing.

[tanphongnguyen]

As a Saigonese, I appreciated you guys had taken time visited the city and shared many useful information for us. Actually, you two have a very deep understanding of the city more than many foreign expats as well as local residents. Thanks a lot.

[trauden]

Absolutely come back for another visit. I went in March 2023 and will be coming back again this coming March after Japan. This will be my 4th trip to Viet Nam in the past 10 years and felt like I have not seen a fraction of what it has to offer. You will need at least a month to really hit just some (not all) of the most popular sites. Keep in mind that different regions can have different weather patterns, food and traditions. Even their pronunciation and slang change so much it sounds like different languages. Of all the cities, Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon) would be my least favorite. If you must, then stay outside of district 1. Most businesses inside district 1 have moved out in the last few years due to high rent and congestion. My top 3 places not to miss in Viet Nam would be Hoi An, Ninh Binh (Tam Coc), and Fansipan (in that order). Hope you have a chance to come back for another visit soon.

[murab]

You two are an amazing couple. Thanks for this useful information. I have been to Saigon twice but still find this worth keeping in mind.

[andreafritz]

I went to Hanoi, Vietnam in 1994 and fell in love with the country and people. I finally was able to visit again in 2017 with my husband. Our favorite stop was to Hoi An and i can't wait to visit again.

[owlscoffeecats]

😊 wonderful video! Thank you both for showing this. Love how you show about mistakes too or what you would change next time. Many YouTube videos don't show this😊Thank you both again!

[JuliaGonzalesTravels]

Happy New Year! Congratulations on 10, 000 subscribers you are killing it!! I love watching your adventures, Safe Travels!

[seeyouinvietnam]

Thanks for featuring our '3 Coolest Neighborhoods' tour in the video! We're glad that you had a good time exploring those areas. Yeah, Saigon is not as easy to walk around compared to Ha Noi, which makes it a bit tough to take it slow and enjoy the city at your own pace, the city definitely needs a better public transport system. The Mekong Delta and Cu Chi tunnels are awesome to check out, and Central Vietnam has a lot of cool diversity. Let us know when you're planning your next trip, and we'd love to give you some tips to make the most of your time here. Have a great time in Cambodia!

[erinaustin]

I’m saving this video for future reference! Thanks. Very interesting and common themes for full time travel. Selecting an Airbnb is a gamble for the first visit everywhere. It looked like the weather was a little more comfortable than some times of the year.

[HueNguyen-shdv]

Love your video
Flying into saigon in next few days
Looking forward to it.
Will definitely check out the spots you mentioned.

[davesivirn]

It is large country and there are so many different regions. i personally find central and northern areas to be my favorites. Da Nang, Hue, Dalat, Tam Cuc, ect ect. Go back, you'll love it. I also agree with you regarding tours. But frankly the scooter tours are great, and safer than you think.

[CKology]

Fabulous video! Hope I can get to interview you both one day for my channel! If you are ever back to Malaysia and Singapore let me know

[_days]

Well, this will be interesting. We are staying in almost the exact same location where you stayed in HCMC 😂. We will only be there there for a few days after we leave Chiang Mai so we'll try to make the best of it before we return to Thailand for our epic journey south to Malaysia and Indonesia. We have the same issue with travel planning that you described. We just don't have the time to deep dive on every location, and sometimes you just need time to rest and recover. We are currently doing that in Chiang Mai which has a totally different vibe - much more relaxed.

We discovered that hotels in Vietnam may be a better value as they all seem to offer complimentary breakfast which has been really quite good. We are actually planning to return to Vietnam later this year and will probably use hotels rather than Airbnb simply because they have been more convenient.

Thanks for sharing all these tips. They are definitely helping us and validating much of what we have learned during our time in Vietnam. Taking a tour is definitely a great way to learn a new city, however, we will be skipping the motor bikes. We are both too risk averse.

Best of luck. Maybe we'll see you on the road.

[Jen-n-Tom]

Thank you for sharing these excellent videos! I wholeheartedly agree with the valuable information you provide from each district. Your dedication in creating and sharing these videos is truly appreciated. It's a tremendous help for those planning to visit Saigon, Vietnam. We are following you now 🙂

[portalkey]

Loved my Hanoi visit last year. Thank you for sharing your experience in Ho Chi Minh, will remember this when considering another travel to Vietnam.

[bw]

Love the tips and the honesty. Btw, I got the travel scale based on your suggestion. It says to keep it level, but that is impossible in a suitcase. What have been your experiences traveling with it? District 3 it will be for me! Interesting about the cooler weather too. thx u

[nineseven]

Im going in January, you should make a video of what to pack when going to Saigon.
Something to help solo travelers like myself.

[bepbe]

Thank you for your detailed suggestions. Love your channel. New subscriber!❤

[Motorallyrider]

I visited Hanoi just before the Covid lockdown, staying in the Old Quarter, took a 4-day trip to Sapa, it was the highlight, could have stayed longer. Going back to Vietnam in March for 10 days in Ho Chi Minh City.