A Long BUT Comfortable Bus Ride to Siem Reap with the Mekong Express Bus

"Welcome to the Mekong Express Limousine Bus",

that was the steward's greeting to us on that day. Hearing the word "limousine", you might think that it is a fancy bus. Aside from having a toilet on board, it is just like any other bus.  In fact, it is more expensive compared to Sapaco since we paid 23 dollars for the tickets. Later on, I learned that you were not paying extra for the facilities. You pay extra for the service.

My mom and I were impressed from the time a Mekong Express staff came to pick us up.in Nguyen Khang Hotel around 6:45 am. Both of us were worried on how to carry our heavy bags along Pham Ngu Lao! Fortunately, we did not have to worry. The staff immediately carried our bags without hesitation. By the time we boarded the bus, we were oriented about the trip and were given immigration forms to fill up. Not only that, there were also free cool towels, snacks and bottled water. What I like the most is having a steward who you can ask regarding the trip.

I was surprised that the Moc Bai border is just near Ho Chi Minh! I know, I know, it is 2 hours already but for me it is already fast. I guess I am just used to commuting from Cavite to Manila during my college days, hehe. :D We arrived there past 9:00am. There were no other people inside so the process was very fast. Just a tip though. You need to carry your bags when you go through the Moc Bai Immigration so prepare your things as soon as you catch a glimpse of the immigration.

We had a funny experience when we went past the Ba Vet Immigration in Cambodia. The officers in the quarantine section saw that we were Filipino and started asking us, "saan kayo pupunta?" ^_^ If I did not know that they were Cambodians, I would have thought they were also Filipino too because we look alike.

What is noticeable when you arrive in Ba Vet, Cambodia is that there are so many casinos near the border.  Wow! I think my aunt would enjoy traveling here. :) We stopped for a 15 minute break in Flowery Restaurant. You will also stop in the same restaurant when you go back to Ho Chi Minh.

We were not even halfway through the trip so I tried my best not to get bored. I tried to catch up on some zzzzzzs and just spend idle time gazing by the window. I love the scenery as it is just like here in the Philippines.

I was surprised when the bus suddenly stopped. I thought that there was something wrong but no, the bus just had to cross the river via a ferry. :) Here is a picture I took of the river on the way  back to Ho Chi Minh. I saw a man swimming there even though it is a rainy day.  I wonder how deep the river is.

We arrived in Phnom Penh at about 1:30 pm to have our lunch break and ride a bus to Siem Reap. Fortunately, there is a Mekong Express office so we were able to leave our heavy strollers there. I had an upset stomach in Vietnam the previous day and was still feeling sick at that time so we looked for a familiar food. We were lucky to stumble upon a nearby KFC. :)

After our almost 1 hour break, we had another six hours of travel to Siem Reap! Fortunately, there was no idle time because we met Kuya Jr, a fellow kababayan who is currently working as a teacher in Phnom Penh. My mom and I got to chat with him, learning about his life in Cambodia and just exchanging point of views on certain issues. Chatting is such a good way to pass time that we almost did not notice that we were already near the last stop over, Kampong Thom.

We had another break in Kampong Thom then back on the road again. It was getting dark at that time and I was already excited to arrive at the destination. I think it took a lot of patience to survive the last few hours, hehe. Can you guess what time we arrive in Siem Reap? We arrived at 8:40 pm. If you count our travel time from 7:00am to 8:40 pm, it would be 13 hours and 40 minutes! I never would have thought I can last that long sitting inside a bus nursing a stomachache! I am thankful for that. :)

I am also thankful for a safe journey. Nowadays, there are news of bus accidents like what happened  to the bus that fell in the skyway and the night bus accident. :( As passengers, we rely on drivers to take us to our destination safely. I saw how careful the drivers of Mekong Express were in both our long trips. I felt safe and sleeping was comfortable because I did not feel like I was in a rollercoaster like how some reckless drivers like to drive.

To sum it up, the bus ride from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap (and vice versa) was very long but it was a comfortable one. If you have enough time, I recommend that you take a bus to Cambodia. The difference between a plane ticket ($100+) and a bus ticket ($23) is high. Not only will you get to save money but you will also get to savor the views and the culture of the country as well.^__^

5 Things to do in Vietnam w/ a Limited Time

5 Things to Do
Limited Time does not mean Limited Destinations ;)

Since we are finished with the walking tour of Ho Chi Minh in my previous post, here is another post about things to do in Vietnam. We only stayed for a few days so this post will be about things you can do with a limited time. Hope that this blog post will somehow be helpful to you.

1. Be a Millionaire for a few days!

Do not be surprised when you exchange your dollars and then become an instant millionaire. o_O The currency is really high in Vietnam so you will be eating food worth 20,000 and your taxi fare will be worth 15,000. Don't worry. These rates are all in Vietnamese Dong. :D

♫ I wanna be a millionaire, so freakin' bad ♫

2. Stay in the Backpacker's District of Pham Ngu Lao

Are you looking for cheap accommodation? Then just go to Pham Ngu Lao area and have your pick from the abundance of hotels. Another advantage of staying in this area is that there are lots of tour companies. Tour group pick up is usually in Pham Ngu Lao so you would not need to go far.

We stayed in Nguyen Khang Hotel and the place is very clean for only 20 dollars/night. Here are some pictures of the twin room that we booked:

Comfy Twin Room

Very clean bathroom! ;)

If you are arriving from a red eye Cebu Pacific flight, do not be surprised to find your hotel closed.  It is usually the norm there. This is there reason why it is advisable to book accommodations in advance so that the hotel owner would be aware that a guest will be coming that night. Also, there are some accommodations like Nguyen Khang Hotel where you need to take off your shoes before entering. If you do not feel comfortable with walking barefoot, you can prepare socks in advance. :)

3. Watch the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Show
A good way to spend the afternoon or early evening is to watch the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Show. The show is held everyday with two time schedules: 5:00pm & 6:30 pm. It will last for 50 minutes with no intermission.

Cute statue ^__^

Mom in front of the theatre.

The show is in Vietnamese language but no need to worry. There is a pamphlet given out where you can see the program acts. There are 17 scenes beginning with the Raising the Festival Flag and ending with the Dance of the Four Holy Animals. You can book tickets at the hotel you will be staying at.

4. Try Vietnamese Coffee.

One of the specialties in Vietnam is coffee. You can see iced coffee being sold in a sidewalk stall or in cafes like Highlands Coffee. My mom & I tried the iced coffee in Highlands and it was pretty strong! If you are a coffee lover, do not leave Vietnam without trying out the coffee. ;)

Mommy

If you want to bring home coffee, you can buy some at Ben Thanh Market. You can choose from different brands and type. If you buy coffee beans, you can have them grind it. You can also buy a box of Trung Nguyen Coffee with sachets inside. To make your coffee experience richer, you can buy coffee filters like in these images.

5. Go on a Cu Chi Tunnel Tour

Do you want to experience going inside a tunnel? If you are looking for a simple thrill, the Cu Chi Tunnel Tour is for you. Step back to the past and experience going inside the underground tunnel which Viet Cong guerillas  used as not just hiding spots but living quarters as well.

Tired and sweaty from the duck walk inside the tunnel, hehe :D

The tunnel was enlarged to accommodate visitors.

Apart from going inside the tunnel, there are also other activities like the film showing before the tour and checking out the traps. If you want to try a hand at shooting, you can try shooting real guns at the firing range. The cost of the activity depends on the gun that you will choose.

We were lucky that we had Mr. Binh, our half Filipino and half Vietnamese tour guide. He had interesting stories to tell being a war veteran. We learned a lot even while we were still inside the tour bus on the way to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Just a tip though. Try to book your Cu Chi Tunnel tour in advance if you plan to do it on your first day. We wanted to go on the tour on our first day but then it was already fully booked. We had to change it to our last day.

If you have more time to spend in Vietnam, you can try other interesting activities. First, you can  immerse yourself in the village with the Mekong 2 days tour. Also, you can spend time in Mui Ne where you can visit the red and white sand dunes. Going to Hanoi is a good option to try walking down the old quarters and book a Halong Bay tour or Perfume Pagoda tour. :)

EDIT as of August 23, 2011:  
More suggestions from Ian = hunting girls in Ao Dai as a pic with them will complete your Vietnam experience... They are quite fascinating! You also try Saigon River Cruise. I would love to try it on a future visit to HCMC.

I also forgot to put this activity. Try Xin Chao,  a circus and acrobatics show that runs every Saturday and Sunday at 6:00-7:00 pm. My mom and I found out about it through a woman and teenager giving out flyers. Unfortunately, our puppet show schedule was conflict with the circus. :( Still, I hope you could catch the show especially if you are just staying in Pham Ngu Lao area since it is held at the park.

A Walking Tour of District 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

7 Stops in One Day
July 10, 2011 - Date of Our Walking Tour

Are you planning to visit Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam? If you are staying in the backpackers area of Pham Ngu Lao, you can actually just walk to some key tourist spots in the city. Yes, you do not need to join a city tour. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and courage to cross the busy streets! ;)

To assist you in making your own walking tour, I got this map from Vietnam Markets Website. I edited it to put markers in every stop.

As you can see, I marked two purple X on the map. This indicates where you will start. In Pham Ngu Lao, there are actually two entrances to the popular backpackers alley. The first is on the side with the Pho Quynh Restaurant at the corner. The other entrance is near the street. You might not notice this entrance at first. A reminder is that these entrance is near the ABC Bakery and travel agencies. It has a sign with names of hotels.

First Stop: Ben Thanh Market

If you are staying in the backpackers area, you will notice a park along the main road when you go outside the alley. Do not cross yet. Just walk straight along the main road for about 7-10 minutes. You will pass by establishments such as Allez Boo Bar and Highlands Coffee. There is still a park near the Statue of General Tran Nguyen Han. Cross the road to go there. Then cross another road to Ben Thanh Market.

Ben Thanh Market is just on the left side of the Statue of General Tran Nguyen Han. 

Crossing the street can be a bit difficult here so it is best to cross the road with other people. My mom and I were very thankful because a local Vietnamese girl told us to come and cross with her because she saw that we were hesitant and afraid. Thank you! :)

If you get hungry from all the walking, Pho 2000 is just in front of Ben Thanh Market! ;)

Second Stop: Saigon Opera House

Since you are already on Le Loi Street, you will go straight again until you see the Saigon Opera House. The landmark is Continental Hotel on the left and Caravelle Hotel on the right. If you want to get closer, you have to cross a main road.

Third Stop:Uncle Ho Statue and Ho Chi Minh City Hall

To go to our third stop, we need to go back a bit to Le Loi street. It is easier if you have not crossed the street yet from the Saigon Opera House. The landmark here is an elegant, white building named Rex Hotel. Just beside it is a mini park where you can find the Statue of Uncle Ho. At the back is the City Hall.

A view of the Statue of Uncle Ho and the City Hall. It is said that the view is better at night. :)

A glimpse of Rex Hotel at the back. Hope I will have the money next time to stay there, hehe. :D

Fourth Stop: Vincom Center Shopping Mall

From the City Hall, turn right to Dong Khoi street. Then, go straight until you see Vincom Shopping Center. Notable landmarks near this shopping center are Asian Hotel and Parkson.

Cute penguin trash can outside Vincom Center!

My mom is excited to go inside the mall, hehe. :D

Fifth Stop: Ho Chi Minh Post Office

Just a short walk from Vincom Center is the Ho Chi Minh Post Office. There were lots of tourists there when we arrived. If you are looking for nice trinkets, you can buy some here. :)

The exterior of the post office looks really nice.

I love the look of the phonebooths! ^_^

Sixth Stop: Notre Dame Cathedral

Just across the Post Office is the Notre Dame Cathedral.

The Notre Dame Cathedral has a beautiful structure. Too bad that we were not able to catch the mass that day.

Seventh Stop: Reunification Palace

Around the back of the Notre Dame Cathedral is a street leading to a park. Just follow the path to the park. You will see the Reunification Palace at the end.

On that day, the weather was unpredictable. Sometimes it is sunny then it rains then back to sunny again.

This was the tank that crashed into the gate of the Reunification Palace. I already feel sick at this time.

The entrance ticket, which costs 15000 VND, comes with a free guided tour. The tours are grouped according to language.

My mom and I wanted to go to the nearby War Remnants Museum but we had to cut our walking tour short because we were both not feeling well. :( The two of us just rested in Nguyen Khang Hotel while waiting for the 6:30pm puppet show. 

I hope that in someway, this walking tour post has helped you in making your Vietnam itinerary.  :) Take care and God bless to everyone. Good Mornight from the Philippines! ^______^