For years, Kaye and I had been trying to plan a trip together, but it always stayed as just plans. Finally, last year, we actually booked it. Of course, my husband came along too. It was our first trip together, not technically just the two of us since Asis was the third wheel, but you know, as frennies, it felt even better because it was an international trip.
We couldn’t decide where to go at first. There was a seat sale, so we had to book quickly. We were torn between Bangkok and Hanoi, but Hanoi was out of budget. Since I had just been to Bangkok (and still want to go back), we went with Ho Chi Minh instead. Even with six months to plan, we still ended up sorting everything out just a week before flying. We were all too busy and kept putting it off. Still, it turned out to be such a fun trip, not exactly a chill one but worth every bit of the tiredness.
April 30, Wednesday – May 1, Thursday
Our flight day came fast. I rushed home from work, did some last-minute packing, and got ready since it was going to be rush hour. We got to the airport around 20:00 for our 22:30 flight to Ho Chi Minh City, which took roughly three hours. Vietnam is an hour behind the Philippines, so we arrived past midnight. The immigration line was insane, and there were only a few officers on duty. Thankfully, booking a Grab was easy. We dropped off our bags at the Airbnb, withdrew some cash, and went out to look for food. Luckily, there was a 24/7 Family Mart nearby. We grabbed some snacks, unpacked a bit, and finally got a few hours of sleep.
We started our day quite early despite the lack of sleep. We were out by 08:00 with no exact itinerary — spontaneity at its finest. Most of our plans came from my Google Maps pins. Our Airbnb was in District 3 (not too crowded but still close to the main area), so we just went wherever the nearby pins (or our moods) took us.
Day 1 spots:
- Phở Hòa Pasteur – our first phở in the city! It was so cheap, and the serving was huge!
- Tân Định Catholic Church
- Little HaNoi Egg Coffee (Yersin) – tried their Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung) and it was so creamy!
- Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum
- Ben Thanh Market
- Phở Việt Nam – pho #2
- Ho Chi Minh City Book Street – the post office was closed, so we just wandered around the area instead.
- Quán Ốc Vũ (Vĩnh Khánh Street in District 4) – a popular local night food street. We had dinner at this seafood spot and it was the bomb! The dipping sauces were insanely good, and one of the staff was really funny and accommodating.
- Nguyễn Huệ Boulevard – we saw the famous Café Apartment! We didn’t go up though. The boulevard was packed with locals and families since it was a holiday.
- BẢN Cà Phê – a cozy little café we stumbled upon. It was our last stop for the day.
It was a looooong and hot day of walking, but we still managed to squeeze in a short nap around noon — siesta is important, y’all. We used Grab cars to get around since they were super convenient. Most streets were already open again after the holidays: Reunification Day (April 30) and Labor Day (May 1). We got lost a few times, which honestly is my favorite part of every trip because that’s when you find hidden gems. Traffic was crazy, so we had to look for a spot where Grab drivers could pick us up. Oh, and crossing the streets with all the motorcycles? Wild. We finally got home around 22:00, dead tired. What a day.
hazygrains 
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