Maybe we don’t need a travel plan, but we have to know how to get around! This article is very useful for you to be able to choose a vehicle or experience many means of transportation when traveling in the bustling urban area of Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City (previously known as Saigon).
By Taxi (traditional or tech-based)
With the typical weather in Ho Chi Minh City, a taxi is probably the first choice when traveling to this dynamic city, avoiding the sun and rain seasons, quickly and relatively safe, and not worrying about getting lost. Using taxis in HCMC in particular and in Vietnam in general (except for some unpopular places for tourism) will have 2 types of taxis:
Best way to get around Saigon – Ho Chi Minh city by taxi
Using a taxi as a companion, you should choose reputable car companies, with timers, signs and clear information such as Mai Linh, Vinasun, Phuong to avoid being tricked. If you only move in the center of District 1, the price does not exceed $6 per time.
To book a taxi, you can ask the Hotel/Restaurant Reception for support or actively contact via phone number:
Mai Linh Taxi: 1055
Vinasun Taxi: (028) 38 181818
Phuong Trang Taxi: (028) 38 181818
Currently, the above taxi companies all have applications to book a car conveniently, but the application has many errors and is difficult to use like the technology taxis below.
( Vinasin taxi is waiting for customers)
Not only traditional taxis, Tech-based taxi booking services are also very popular and cheaper, but it will be difficult to find drivers at peak hours. Fees will vary slightly between applications and depending on the weather, prices may fluctuate more than usual. Some popular applications recommended for you to use:
Grab: Grab’s fee is the most expensive, but in return for customer service, Grab’s promotions… are diverse for customers.
Be: cheaper fees than Grab, relatively good customer service.
GoJeck: The fee can be said to be the cheapest of the two applications above, the customer service is quite good.
Similar to taxi, “Xe Om” has 2 types: traditional and tech-based:
Traditional Xe Om: you will often meet at intersection corners, in front of small alleys. Usually, motorbike taxi drivers are elderly, retired people with the advantage that they are Saigon storytellers who know almost every alley; The downside is that the price may be higher than the motorbike taxi application technology.
( A xe om local Saigon is waiting for customer)
Tech-based motorbike taxi: similar to the Tech-based Taxi above, in Ho Chi Minh City, Grab, Be, Gojek, … are prominent faces in the technology motorbike taxi market. With the advantage of clearly displaying the fare, you can flexibly book using the app… this will be your companion to take you to your destination at all tourist destinations across Vietnam, not only Ho Chi Minh City.
Nothing is more wonderful than freely exploring every corner of Saigon on a motorbike in your own way, freely scheduling, stopping to find a specialty restaurant, a hidden place etc. This vehicle is suitable for those who like to experience and are passionate about moving. The price of motorbike rental in Saigon is similar to many other tourist destinations, ranging from 80,000 – 100,000 VND/day for digital cars and 120,000 – 150,000 VND/day for scooters.
Normally, to rent a motorbike, you just need to show your passport and some places will ask for a security deposit to be able to receive the car. You can rent a motorbike right at the Ho Chi Minh hotel where you stay or refer to some of the most reliable Saigon motorbike rental addresses that Jackfruit Adventure is advised by the locality below:
You can contact rental services before coming to Vietnam through popular communication applications: Viber/ Whatsapp or Zalo (common in Vietnam). Alternatively, you can suggest the rental company bring the car to your hotel.
Considered as the most delicious – nutritious – cheapest means of transport for HCMC tourists, the bus covers the whole city at a relatively low cost, only from 5,000 VND/way depending on the route and you can visit many famous attractions in this city. Buses are not only suitable for travelers with a limited budget, who want to save money, but also bring interesting experiences that private vehicles cannot.
You can download the apps below to quickly look up and find the right bus route: BusMap, Go!Bus, Bus Moovit, vBus, Saigon Bus, Buyttphcm. Jackfruit Adventure recommends some popular bus routes that tourists often use:
Tan Son Nhat Airport (Bus No.109, Bus No.152)
China Town in District 5 (Bus No.1)
Mien Tay Bus Station (Bus #No.1)
Dam Sen Park (Bus No.11)
Suoi Tien Theme Park (Bus No.19)
As a bus serving certain services, such as: airport shuttle bus, bus carrying you to visit tourist attractions… Looking at famous places from the outside, a famous brand of service bus in Vietnam is: Hop On Hop Off with 1 to 4 hours on the bus (depending on the ticket), you will be able to visit in the area of District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City.
Cyclo
Ho Chi Minh City is known as a dynamic and bustling urban area, but that’s why some people don’t think there is a cyclo here! Domestic tourists are also extremely interested in this unique means of transportation in Saigon. Cyclo will also have two types of traditional or service (tour):
With traditional cyclo, you need to ask for a specific price, only give money when you go to the right place to avoid bad experiences. Prices range from $2.5 to $5 if you move within district 1
With a cyclo tour around Saigon, you will experience the same journey with the above service bus only in the center of District 1 (although Vietnam has 24 such districts). If you need to be introduced to some famous cyclo tours, just message Jackfruit Adventure!
As a brand new means of transport in Saigon, Saigon Waterbus is painted in striking yellow – white, modern and clean, with a capacity of up to 75 passengers. The route of the Saigon River bus route is nearly 11km long from Bach Dang wharf (District 1) to Linh Dong ferry (Thu Duc district) and vice versa. Just holding 15,000 VND in hand, you can confidently explore all the famous tourist attractions located along the Saigon River, such as Landmark 81, … and freely take pictures of “virtual living”.
The Saigon Water bus route includes 9 stops: Bach Dang Central Station (District 1) → Saigon Pearl → Binh An → Thao Dien → Tam Vu → Thanh Da → Binh Trieu → Hiep Binh Chanh → Linh Dong.
By Bicycle (Bike)
If you do not find interest in the above means because: you want to actively enjoy the route, want to go further instead of just going in District 1, and especially want to protect the environment (limit dust from motorbike) then a bicycle is a perfect choice. How to get a bicycle to go around HCMC?
You can use a Public Bike but make sure you know where you want to go so you don’t get lost!
You can check out Jackfruit Adventure’s vietnam cycling tours: from just $25 you can join a Night Food Tour on bike or Sightseeing Tour in the morning on bike with the following perks:
A voyage of senses: sight – smell – taste – touch – hearing;
A ride for mental health: cycling 15 km around District 1, 3, 4, 5, 10 of Ho Chi Minh City;
A positive food experience: experiencing – enjoying – creating local drink, food and memories;
A pass guaranteeing safe-conduct to you: Jackfruit insurance
A know-it-all buddy: telling you a lot of stories by English
A full service of logistics: bike, helmet and first aid kit box
Note when using transportation in Saigon
Please bring a full passport and keep it carefully when participating in transportation in Ho Chi Minh City.
Avoid traveling in peak hours: 7AM – 9AM, 11AM – 12PM and 5PM – 6PM daily because these are times when traffic is often jammed.
Pay attention to the areas of one-way roads and traffic-limited roads such as Le Thanh Ton, Ly Tu Trong, Pasteur, Xo Viet Nghe Tinh,…
Above is a detailed summary of means of transport in Ho Chi Minh City for you to track and refer to. Hopefully with the travel experiences from Jackfruit Adventure you will have the most perfect and memorable trip.
P.S If you are looking for a bike tour in Vietnam, just drop Jackfruit Adventure a message
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