What I Learned from Our DIY Trip to Ho Chi Minh

My daughter and I recently embarked on a do-it-yourself trip to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. With a limited budget and only our bags on our backs, we took our first trip to the land of pho and banh mi with much enthusiasm.

Instead of availing any of the tours, we created our own itinerary after researching online and reading recommendations from travel bloggers. As we took a DIY tour of the city, I learned some things that I feel are worth sharing. Here they are:

The statue of Ho Chi Minh with the
city hall behind it

Learn how to read a map, whether it's on paper or on your gadget. I rarely consulted a map in my previous trips because during those trips, I was either with people who knew where we were going or there was no time for me to explore the city by foot. My daughter and I walked for some 20 minutes from District 3 to District 1 and had to constantly look at the map and the names of the streets. Map reading is a skill any city explorer should have to find the way to a city's gems.

Notice not just the places you visit, but the people you meet. Of course, we made sure we passed by the famous landmarks of Ho Chi Minh (still popularly known by its former name, Saigon) like the Saigon Opera House, Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Saigon Central Post Office. We also bought tickets to enter the Independence Palace (Reunification Palace) and the War Remnant Museum to get insights into the history of the country, especially the Vietnam War.

Saigon Opera House

But several people we met made an impression on me too. Like the two septuagenarians, sisters in their 70s who are still traveling by themselves for some sightseeing; the French tourist with an atlas who showed us the way to the Notre Dame, a Romanesque structure constructed by his countrymen who colonized Vietnam; and the elderly vendor who helped us cross the street when we were obviously intimidated by the throng of roaring motorbikes (well, actually, it was me, and not my daughter, who was hesitant to cross the street). I realize that as you travel, it's not just the landmarks that amaze you; the individuals who inspire and help you surprise you too.

The Notre Dame Cathedral

Even with less money, you can travel outside your country. Of course, you have to be patient, resourceful, and willing to move out of your comfort zone. After staking out at Cebu Pacific's website for months, we were able to book a flight on a promo fare six months prior to our travel date. We also found a private room through Airbnb for only 30 euro (around P1,600.00 including other fees). It is not a hotel, but we had the basic necessities like a good bed, air conditioning, wi-fi, toiletries, even free bottled water. Plus, we had the chance to have conversation with our local hosts.

Food in Vietnam is unbelievably cheap yet truly savory. We ate street food, but also savored Vietnamese dishes in restaurants and cafe, and sipped ca phe sua da and drank tea many times! (Instead of serving water, restaurants usually serve tea with your order) Except for a few mien, candies, and postcards, we didn't buy souvenirs. Call us frugal, but we went home rich with experience.

Our breakfast of bun bo hue (soup with rice vermicelli and beef)
at a Saigon eatery

Banh mi at 15,000 Vietnamese dong (PhP 31.00)

We also had an unpleasant experience with two motorbike drivers, but after that incident, serendipity led me to this quote written on the wall of a cafe where we had our lunch: "Freedom is not worth having if it doesn't include the freedom to make mistakes." We can't have a perfect trip no matter how carefully we plan, but we can decide beforehand to have a right perspective to enjoy what's at hand.