[AIESEC HCMC][iGIP] Intern Guidebook

AIESEC HO CHI MINH CITY, VIET NAM
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INTERN GUIDE BOOK
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CONTENTDE BOOK
TABL
GENERAL OF HO CHI MINH CITY F CONTENT ENERAL OF HO CI MINH
1. Ho Chi Minh city history
2. Weather
3. Architecture
GENERA
USEFUL INFORMATIONL INFORMATION
1. Accommodation
a) Renting
i. Apartment
ii. Room / Studio
b) Home stay
2. Common Vehicles
a) Bus
b) “Xe ôm” ( motor taxi )
c) Motorcycles
d) Taxi
3. Currency
a) Vietnam Dong
b) Credit Card
c) Open bank account
HO CHI MINH CITY ENTERTAINMENT H CITY ENTERTAINMENT
1. Ho Chi Minh city cuisine
2. Shopping
a) Shopping Center
b) Supermarket
c) Markets
3. Coffee shop
4. Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh city

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a) Seafood Restaurants
b) Chinese and Asians Restaurants
c) French Restaurants
d) Japanese Restaurant
e) Korean Restaurant
5. Bar, pub and discotheque
6. Travelling in Ho Chi Minh city
a) Reunitification Palace
b) The War Remnants Museum
c) Cu Chi tunnels
d) The City Hall
e) Chinatown
f) Vinh Nghiem temple
g) Dam Sen park
h) Suoi Tien park
i) An Dong plaza
j) Ben Thanh market
k) MUST-HAVE Ao Dai
VIETNAM PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
1. Tet – Lunar New Year
2. Vietnamese women’s day
3. Hung King’s anniversary
4. Reunification Day / Victory Day
5. National celebration
6. Mid-Autumn festival
7. Vietnamese Teachers’ Day
8. Christmas
TIPS
1. DOs
2. DON’Ts
CONTACT US
1. Our Local Committee contacts
2. Hotlines and Embassies in Ho Chi Minh city

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WELLCOME TO AIESEC
HO CHI MINH CITY

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GENERALOFHO CHI MINH CITY
Ho Chi Minh city, or sometimes still called Saigon, is a bustling industrious city
where the vibe of the Vietnamese modern life is concentrated. Apart from being the
economical heart of the country, the city is also its cultural and historical site.
Among the hectic metropolitan atmosphere, the spirit of an ancient culture and stunning
past can still be felt and traced back in time.
City: Ho Chi Minh City
Country: Vietnam
Area: 2,095 km2
Population: 6,239,938
Districts: 24
Language: Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese
DISTRICTS
Ho Chi Minh City has been recently divided into twenty-four administrative
districts, of which five are suburban districts and the remaining nineteen are inner
districts. Only seven of those urban districts have names while the rest carry the
numbers from one to twelve. Apart from the main division, the city districts are also
divided into wards, communes or townships. Ho Chi Minh City's attractions are
spread among districts 1, 3 and 5.
 District 1 is the official central district of the city and is still referred to by the
locals as Saigon, the previous name of Ho Chi Minh City. The new name is used
to refer to the rest of the districts except for the central one. District 1 is the main
tourist destination for all the visitors because here are most of the city's places of
interests, as well as hotels, shops, bars and restaurants. Here are also the
backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao and the central Ben Thanh Market.
 Cholon is the largest Chinese district in the country that consists of District 5 and
District 6 west of the Saigon River bank. Its name in Vietnamese means "big
market", probably because of the huge Chinese Binh Tay Market situated in the
area. Apart from that, many old Chinese temples are also located here.
 District 3 is famous for many French architectural-style buildings found in the
area. One can also visit the War Remnants Museum and some beautiful pagodas.

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MAP OF HO CHI MINH CITY
- In case you go out or wanna come to one particular place that you cannot
contact someone in Ho Chi Minh LC.
- Step 1: Type in google in “diadiem.vn”.
- Step 2: Type key words of the address of particular place you need in the
white space on the top of the web.
For example: “17/7 Doan Nhu Hai street (Duong), Ward (phuong) 12, District
(quan) 4, Ho Chi Minh”.

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Ho Chi Minh City History
Saigon was originally part of the kingdom of Cambodia and, until the 17th century, was
a small port town known as Prey Nokor. As more and more settlers moved south it was
absorbed by Vietnam and became the base for the Nguyen Lords.
Saigon was captured by the French in 1859, and named the capital of Cochinchina a
few years later. The city served as the capital of the Republic of Vietnam from 1956
until 1975, when it fell to advancing North Vietnamese forces and was renamed Ho
Chi Minh City by the Hanoi government.
The symbol of Ho Chi Minh city is Ben Thanh Market since it has been there for
almost 178 years – first known as Gia Dinh citadel.

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Weather
Located on the southern of Viet Nam, on the right bank of Sai Gon River, Ho Chi
Minh City has a tropical climate.
There are 2 main seasons in the city:
 Rainy season: Starts from May and lasts until late November. Downpour
becomes heavy from June to August.
However the shower is usually sudden and stays for a brief period. So even during
the rainy season, the reappearance of sun occurs fairly quickly. The average
rainfall of the city is around 1800mm. July and November is the time for
typhoons, so you should always bring an umbrella or a rain coat in order not to
get wet.
 Dry season: Temperature goes down a bit from December to April. The average
temperature during dry season stays around 28 degree. The temperature may rise
up to 37 degree around noon during late April. However it may drop below 20
degree during the morning hours in late December.
 April is the hottest month and December is the coolest month of the city.

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USEFUL INFORMATION
1. Accommodation
a) Renting
i. Apartment
An apartment usually offers full facilities such as internet, water supply,
washing machine, air conditioner and other things. It is larger in size and more
comfortable to stay in, but of course, more expensive. The advantage is that you can
share this type of accommodation with other people to reduce the cost.
Renting fee
This varies, but is often more than 500 USD / month. You can negotiate
price with the house owners if you prefer (but usually if you are to stay for
more than 3-4 months).
This type of accommodation can be found in any residential buildings such
as: Sky garden, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Green View garden, Saigon Pearl…….
ii. Room/ Studio
Small room in an apartment or a studio itself, cheaper in price but not as good
facilities, smaller in size of course. The advantage is that you can save more money
when renting this type of accommodation.
Renting fee
This also varies, but often fluctuates between 180 USD to 250 USD per month.
You can also share this with your friends if you wish, but keep in mind the size of
the room is often less than 25m2
. Cheaper rooms with less than 120 USD /
month can also be found but they would be empty (which means no
bed, weak internet connection, unsafe, distant area…….)
NOTE: You have to pay the deposit of about 1 month rental price in advance (for
any damage) and sign in the contract (conditions will be updated when you decide
to rent the room, but pay attention to exchange rate and duration). The deposit will
be returned when you leave the room. If you break down any conditions in the
contract, you may loose the deposit money.

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b) Homestay
The best way to discover and enjoy Vietnamese culture is to stay with
Vietnamese family. If you want to stay with a Vietnamese family, please tell us,
AIESEC will help you to find the most suitable house for you. Staying with
Vietnamese family, you not only learn Vietnamese better than ever but also learn how
to cook Vietnamese dishes (I bet that it’s the thing that attracts you most).
Notice: This is not an offer, just a recommendation when you don’t bring
much money. You may have to share the room with a family member, which means
you don’t have your privacy, and have to follow rules of your host family.

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2. Common Vehicles
a. Bus
Bus is the most popular way for travelers on a tight budget to choose: 4000 - 5000
VND / time
Bus in Ho Chi Minh city
Tips
You can find the bus lines in the travel map of Ho Chi Minh city
(10.000 – 15.000 VND / map)

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b. “Xe ôm” (motor taxi)
For single travelers, rides on the back of motorbikes (actually low-
powered scooters) are popular too (known as “xe om”, literally meaning
motorbike-hug).
Xe ôm – motor taxi
Tips
Negotiate the price before you hop on. Often 4000 VND – 5000
VND / km.

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c. Motorcycles:
Can be rented for around US$5-6 / day, o r U S $ 6 5 / m o n t h . This is good for
making lots of trips around the city for individuals or duos, but be careful.
Transportation in Ho Chi Minh city is quite complicated, especially in rush hours, so
make sure that you are brave enough to drive motorcycle here. We suggest that
during your first one or two months, you should ask a friend to go with you. We
don’t offer this option, however if you require, AIESEC Ho Chi Minh City can
give you help or suggestion where to rent a motorbike.
Motorcycles
Tips
Ho Chi Minh city traffic is very difficult place to sharpen motorbike skills. Park
on the sidewalk with other bikes, and be sure to lock the front wheel. Locals will
help arrange the bikes near their stores.

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d. Taxi
The best way to travel long distances, but the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to
make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi
company have not been standardized.
TAXI
Tips
The recommendation is to only use the reputable and reliable taxi companies.
These are Mai Linh taxi (38.38.38.38) and Taxi Vinasun (38.27.27.27). And pay as
the diameter says.

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3. Currency
Vietnamese currency is called Vietnam Dong and abbreviated as VND. Notes
are available in paper denominations of 5.000 VND; 10.000 VND; 20.000 VND;
50.000 VND; 100.000 VND; 200.000 VND and 500.000 VND. Besides VND, US
dollar is widely accepted.
a) Vietnam Dong
VND is the official currency in Vietnam.
Current paper notes include: 500.000 VND; 200.000 VND; 100.000 VND;
50.000 VND; 20.000 VND; 10.000 VND; 5.000 VND; 2.000 VND; 1.000 VND;
500 VND. Coins include 5.000 VND; 2.000 VND; 1.000 VND; 500 VND and 200
VND.
50.000 VND; 100.000 VND and 500.000 VND

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b) Credit Card
Most major credit cards such as Visa, Master card and American Express are
very usefully in the big cities and some tourist sites too. Those cards can be used in
the most mid-range to the high-end class hotels and some luxury restaurants. You can
also get the cash advances from ATMs of the almost Vietnamese banks especially
Vietcombank.
Banks in Vietnam has developed a large number of ATM networks but it is not
recommended to trust completely in ATM because sometimes you cannot get cash
from them especially during lunar New Year. Furthermore, many shops and
restaurants don’t accept credit cards as a payment method.
ATM machine
ATMs can be found in various locations, especially in the main tourist areas.
Normally you will find an ATM m a c h i n e e v e r y 1 - 2 k m w a l k i n g , o r i n
f r o n t o f a n y b a n k s . I n t e r n a t i o n a l c r e d i t c a r d s a r e a c c e p t e d ,
such as American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, Cirrus or Diners Club.
Withdrawal charges may be made by the user’s bank or card issuer.

AIESEC HO CHI MINH LC, VIET NAM
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c) Open bank account
One of the first concerns about moving to Vietnam is financial management. If you
plan to stay in the country for more than 2 months, it might be wise to open a bank
account because (1) it is expensive to make a withdrawal from an ATM all the time (2)
your home country bank may charge you unfavorable rate for currency exchange (3) it
might be hard to find an ATM where you can withdraw money.
The good news is that you can apply online for your Vietnamese bank account as easy
as one mouse-click. Here are instructions to open a bank account with the most
popular banks in Vietnam:
Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) is one of the best in the country with regard to card
services. To apply for an ACB current account, you will need to submit your passport
with Vietnamese visa stamp and ACB application form to open a new bank account.
The minimum deposit is VND 100,000. More information can be found here or call
ACB tollfree number: 1800-577-775
ANZ bank now maintains online application to open a bank account. To apply, click
here for the application form. ANZ maintains a 24-hour customer service line:
18001559 should you have any questions.
Techcombank also offers competitive services. To apply, you need to present a valid
passport or ID card and a signed application form. Techcombank hotline number is:
1800-588-822
Vietcombank has the most extensive network of branches and ATM machines. The
cons is that its customer services could do some improvements. For foreigners to open
a bank account with Vietcombank, you need to submit 3 copies of the application for
account, passport with the Vietnamese Visa stamp (with a duration of at least 6
months). It is also required that you maintain a minimum balance required by the bank
and a letter of recommendation from supervisor if you want to checks. To find out
about the application form and how to fill the form, click here. Vietcombank contact
number is(+84-4) 38-248-281
Further readings: Banking system in Vietnam

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HO CHI MINH CITY
ENTERTAINMENT
1. HCMC Cuisine
You can find most of food from the North and South of Vietnam in HCMC.
Vietnamese food is not just delicious but it also mesmerizes your ears, your eyes, and
your tongue. Therefore, we list here some traditional dishes and restaurants that
you MUST try – the flavors of life you’ll never forget!!!

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Phở (Noodle soup)
Pho is thought to come from Hanoi. Pho is a simple rice noodle, often eaten as a
breakfast dish at home or at street cafes, but also served in restaurants as a meal.
There are two kinds of Phở: Beef Pho and Chicken Pho.
Recommend:
Hoa Pho: 260C Pasteur Street, ditrict 3, 40.000 – 50.000 VND / bowl
Anh Pho: 8-10A Ky Dong Street, district 3, 25.000 – 40.000 VND / bowl
Pho 24: www.pho24.com.vn, 55.000 – 70.000 VND / bowl

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Cơm Tấm (Tấm: broken rice grains, Cơm: cooked rice)
It is usually served with grilled pork (either ribs or shredded) plus the Vietnam dish
“bi” (thinly shredded pork mixed with cooked and thinly shredded pork skin) over
broken rice. The rice and meat are served with various greens and picked vegetables
, along with a prawn paste cake – steamed egg, and grilled prawns. Typically,
restaurants will serve this with a small bowl of fish sauce / soya sauce.
Recommend:
Com tam Thuan Kieu: www.thuankieu.com, 30.000 – 50.000 VND / dish
Com tam Moc: www.comtammoc.com, 30.000 – 45.000 VND / dish
Com tam Cali: www.comtamcali.com.vn, 45.000 – 60.000 VND / dish

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Hu tieu Nam Vang (Nam Vang noodle soup)
Soup ingredient: wonderful fat free chicken and pork broth. This soup has minced pork,
squid, roasted pork, quail eggs, shrimps and pork heart; plus bean sprout, scallions, chives,
slices of limes, chilly peppers and salad. Traditionally, this soup has pork liver.
Recommend:
Hu tieu Lien Hua: 312 An Duong Vuong St, district 5, ~ 60.000VND / bowl
Hu tieu Hong Phat: 93 Huynh Man Dat St, 50.000 – 60.000 VND / bowl

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Banh Xeo (pancakes)
Banh xeo are Vietnamese savoury pancakes made of rice flour, water, turmeric powder and
in the southern of region, include coconut milk, stuffed with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp and
bean sprouds and then pan fried. They are served wrapped in mustard leave, lettuce leave or
rice paper, and stuffed with the mint leave, basil, fish leave and/or other herbs, and dipped in
a sweet and sour diluted fish sauce.
Recommend:
Banh xeo Muoi Xiem: 225-227 Nguyen Trai St, District 1
50.000 – 160.000 / pancake for 2 people
Banh xeo An La Ghien: www.anlaghien.com.vn
50.000 – 100.000 VND / pancake for 2 people

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Banh Khot
Rice, cold rice after being cooked or rice crust at the bottom of the pot, shrimps,
Ground drief shrimps fish sauce and vegetables are the main ingredients of the
dish.
Recommend:
Banh khot Co Ba Vung Tau: 258B Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1
~ 65.000 VND/ 10 pieces

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2. Shopping
a) Shopping center
+ Vincom Center 72 Le Thanh Ton Street, district 1
+ Diamond Plaza 34 Le Duan Street, district 1
+ Parkson 35 Bis-45, Le Thanh Ton Street, district 1
+ Sai Gon square Ton Duc Thang street, district 1
If you need something luxurious, these places are the best ideas. However, the
goods in these centers are extremely expensive and sometimes they are not worth
with their values. So supermarkets will be a good idea if you want to buy
everything with the real price and do not have to bargain.
b) Super market
There are lots of super markets ranged from medium to large size all over Ho Chi
Minh city, but we recommend you 2 highly regarded super market systems where
you can buy all kinds of food and personal hygiene facilities.
 Big C: 202B Hoang Van Thu Street, Phu Nhuan district
 Coop Mart: 189C, Cong Quynh street, district 1
168 Nguyen Dinh Chieu street, district 3
497 Hoa Hao, District 10
Besides, there many small and medium supermarkets around HCMC like:
 Vinatex (specialize in cloths: All products made by Vietnamese Vinatex
Group)
Address: 48 Street, Ward 3, District 4.
 Maximark:
Address: 3C, 3 thang 2 Street, Ward 11, district 10;
15-17 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh district.
 Tax Department store.

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c) Local market
In Ho Chi Minh city, markets appear everywhere from the small and crowed
quarters to big ones. In each district where you stay, in the area of 1km2
, there’s
probably 1 local market where you can buy fresh food (early morning) with
cheaper price than super market (but need to have bargaining skill !).
d) Shopping street
Ho Chi Minh is full of street shops selling clothes, bags, hats, handicrafts, etc.
Some famous streets for cloth which have reasonable price are:
 Pham Ngu Lao street
 Lê Văn Sỹ street (clothes)
 Sai Gon square
 Lê Lợi Street ( Silk, handmade gift)
 Night market: outside Bến Thành market, in every Saturday and Sunday
night, the streets become the giant shopping street where you can find
many interesting and cheap things.

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3. Coffee shop
Again, thousands of coffee shops rise in Ho Chi Minh city, from small size
to garden coffee, from pavements to roof floor coffee shops. And of course
the price is different! So we recommend you which are the most visited and
where you feel most relaxing!
Mien Dong Thao coffee: 221A Nguyen Trong Tuyen street
Phu Nhuan District
Price: 25.000 – 40.000 VND / cup of coffee
50.000 – 70.000 VND / cocktail

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Angel garden coffee: 40 Vo Van Tan Street, district 3
Price: 40.000 – 50.000 VND / coffee

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Han Thuyen coffee (coffee park): opposite to Notre Dame.
Price: 10.000 VND / coffee milk
Coffee park is a distinguished culture of young people in Ho Chi Minh city.
Sitting in a fancy coffee shop is not always the choice of coffee drinker. In this
coffee park, you can either enjoy coffee at cheapest price or listen to singers on
pavements who sing just for fun of life. There’s sometimes you might be in the
rain, but who cares, going in the rain is the way you feel a tropical country!!!

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4.RESTAURANT IN HO CHI MINH CITY
a) Seafood Restaurants in HCMC
Ngoc Suong restaurant
19C Le Quy Don St., District 3,
Ho Chi Minh city.
Tel: (08) 39304209
Ngan Dinh restaurant
18 An Duong Vuong St., District 5,
Ho Chi Minh city.
Tel: (08) 38308888
Din Ky Sea food restaurant Bien Dong restaurant
50 Le Thi Hong Gam St.,
District 1, Ho Chi Minh city.
Tel: (08) 38294112
357 Dien Bien Phu St., Ward 15,
Binh Thanh district, Ho Chi Minh
city.
Tel: (08) 38999430
b) Chinese and Asians Restaurants in HCMC
Hoang Thanh
77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
Dist.1 Ho Chi Minh
City VIETNAM
Phone: 3821-7815
Crystal Jade Palace
Legend hotel, 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang
Dist.1 Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
Phone: 3823-3333
Golden Phoenix
Euqatorial hotel, 242 Tran Binh
Trong
Dist.5 Ho Chi Minh
City VIETNAM
Phone: 3839-0000
Lucky Star Chinese Restaurant
38 Nguyen Hue
Dist.1 Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
Phone: 3822-8323
Maxim
13-15-17 Dong Khoi
Dist.1 Ho Chi Minh
City VIETNAM
Phone: 3823-0644
Dynasty
New World Hotel, 76 Le LaiDist.1, Ho Chi
Minh City VIETNAM
Phone: 3822-8888

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c) French Restaurants in HCMC
Le JARDIN
178B, Hai Ba Trung
Tell: (08) 38214566
L’etoile
180 Hai Ba Trung Str, Dist 3
Tel: (08) 3829 7939
Au Manoir De Khai
251 Dien Bien Phu Street,
District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Tell: (08) 39303394
La Taverne
30 Vo Van Tan Str, Dist 3
Tel: (08) 39308779
ANNAMITE
21 Tu Xuong Str, Dist 3.
Tel: (08) 62778332
L’Olivier
Sofitel Plaza Saigon Hotel
17 Le Duan St., Ben Nghe Ward,
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: (08) 3824155

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d) Japanese Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh
HANAJUKI
21C Ton Duc Thang Str, Dist 1
Tel: (08) 3829 0305
THE SUSHI BAR 1
2 Le Thanh Ton Str, Dist 1
Tel: (08) 3823 8042
e) Korea Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh
Seoul House
37, Ngo Duc Ke
Tel: 38294297
Chú Tùng
E002. Mỹ Phước, PMH
Tel:08-4120478
Korean VIP
68-70 Dong Du
Tel:38242260
7-Stars
28-34 Pasteur
Tel: 3829594
Viking
SB6-1. SA7-1, My
Khanh, D.7
Tel: 34124000
Mì Hàn Quốc
94 Hàm Nghi
Tel: 39141565

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5. Bar, pub and discotheque
These bars are quite common with the foreigners:
- Catwalk 36 Le Lai street
- Palace 56-66 Nguyen Hue street
- Baroco 264Bis Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
- Volcano 148, Cong Quynh
- X (030) 30 Nguyen Cu Trinh
- Liquid 104 Hai Ba Trung
- Aqua 7 Pham Ngoc Thach
- Lush 2 Ly Tu Trong
- LU club 77-89 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
- NEMO 100-102-104, 23 street, district 6
- LEXY 1 Cao Thang

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6. Travelling in Ho Chi Minh city
As a city with a long history, Ho Chi Minh has many places of interest to intrigue
its visitors with. Among all of them, there are several landmarks that should not be
excluded from your itinerary.
 Reunification Palace, sometimes called the Independence Palace, used to
be the South Vietnam's Presidential Palace. It is famous because this is the
place where the Vietnam War ended in 1975 when a tank crashed through
its gate. Today, the tank can still be seen on the front lawn. Inside the palace
that is turned into a museum can be seen the downstairs control room,
underground tunnels and other office equipment. There is a nice coffee shop
on the outside garden where tourists enjoy a short rest.

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 The War Remnants Museum is one of the must-visit places in Ho Chi Minh
where the cruellest deeds of the Vietnam War done both by Americans and
Vietnamese are displayed. Those atrocities were not revealed in the media but are
shown on photographs; there are also a simulated "tiger cage" prison, captured
American weapons and many other remnants that depict the real story, the one that
you cannot read in textbooks or encyclopedias.

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 Cu Chi Tunnels are a network of around 200km underground tunnels that were used
by the Vietnamese soldiers to hide from Americans. Situated in close proximity to the
city, the tunnels can be seen by signing for one of the many day tours offered in the
city. Inside the tunnels can still be seen shelters, underground hideouts and entrances
to other tunnels. Bomb caters and traps used against the Americans remain outside the
tunnels.


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 The City Hall is still a working government building. Built in French colonial
style, the hall is a definitely worth seeing even though inside tours are not allowed.
Lit at night this so called today People's Committee Hall is a beautiful sight even
for the native tourists. In the front garden stands a statue of Ho Chi Minh reading a
book to a child in his lap.

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 Chinatown: Cho Lon, Binh Tay Market - Chinatown, Saigon. Cho Lon,
Saigon’s Chinatown, is one of the oldest, mysterious and most interesting parts of
Saigon. Cho Lon literally means ‘big market’ and the vast Binh Tay Market lives
up to that reputation.

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 Vinh Nghiem pagoda: Saigon has many Buddhist temples. These aren't just
tourist attractions; the locals actively worship there weekly and on holidays.
Buddhist temples are remarkable for their openness; anyone can enter as long as
you observe the customs, such as taking off your shoes at the door and refraining
from taking flash pictures during ceremonies! There are donation boxes for the
faithful, which you may or may not contribute to. Many temples are several stories
high, reaching toward the heavens.

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 Dam Sen Park: Dam Sen Park belongs to district 11 in Ho Chi Minh City, at the
corner of Lac Long Quan and Hoa Binh streets.The park’s infrastructure is divided
into 30 parts and features several activities, restaurants, and shows, including a
smaller reproduction of the Giac Vien Pagoda, the Thuy Ta floating restaurant, a
lake similar to West Lake in Hanoi where one can fish, a puppet show, a bird
garden, a water park, a sports center, and the Nam Tu Royal Garden.

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 Suoi Tien Park: The Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise and Phoenix which is supposed to
bring safety, happiness and good luck to you and your family. Suoi Tien has become
one of the most attractive parks in the country and is on the way to join the rank of
international - standard cultural parks in the world.
 An Dong Plaza: shopping center on the lower levels is comprised of
hundreds of small shops and outside beer garden.

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 Ben Thanh market: Shop and eat at Ben Thanh! This is the biggest market in
HCMC. You can practically get everything here - clothes, food, utensils, arts and
crafts, souvenirs, meat and vegetables, coffee powder, etc etc. It's open air - you can
move through the many galleries gaping at how many things are being sold here.
Bargain hard before you buy anything and watch the world go by...as long as you
don't mind the chaos going around you. So things are getting expensive and we got
slightly burned at Ben Thanh market buying some local delicacies. Later, we
actually go to their supermarket which was a lot cheaper!!"...

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Last but not least, you have to get an Ao Dai: When in Saigon you must be
fitted for an Ao Zai, the Vietnamese Traditional Dress, if you are female. These
are very beautiful garments made out of the most wonderful silks. Make sure you
demand that they dry clean the garment before you purchase it. There are many
tailor shops in HCMC, especially in areas like Dong Khoi and De Tham Street that
will tailor an ao-dai in 24 hours or less. there are a number of good tailors in De
Tham St, you can go to "Nha May Cuong" owned by Mr Cuong. He has shops at
59 Ly Tu Trong and at 247 Le Thanh Ton. Best of all, this tailor will escort you
to Ben Thanh Market to help you select the fabric first. Another fine choice is
Albert Thanh, whose shop is at 22 Vo Van Tan Street District 3.

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1. Tet – The Lunar New Year
Around ending Jan or early Feb (based on Lunar Calendar)
It’s the most important and biggest festival of the entire Vietnamese nation.
Spring arrives, the Vietnamese, wherever they may be, are excited with the
advent of Tet. They feel an immense nostalgia, wishing to come back homeland
for a family reunion and a taste of the particular flavors of Vietnamese. Tet is
perceived to wrap up the misfortunes of the old year and to open up a new year
of good opportunities. Tet also is a chance for the household genies to meet
those who have helped during the year, namely the Craft Creator, the Land
Genie and the Kitchen God, and deceased ancestors.
The Giao Thua is the most sacred point of time, the passage from the old to the
new year. It is popularly believed that in Heaven there are twelve Highnesses in
charge of monitoring and controlling the affairs on earth, each of them taking
charge of one year. The Giao Thua is the moment of seeing off the old chieftain
upon the conclusion of his term and welcoming in the new one upon his
assumption of office. For this reason, every home makes offerings in the open
air to pray for a good new year.

83
2. Vietnamese women’s day
October 20th
Mar 8th is the international women’s day whereas Oct 20th is Vietnamese
women’s day. On this day, Vietnamese women often receive beautiful flowers,
lots of gifts with the best wishes from their boyfriends, lovers, husbands, male
colleagues, friends or relatives. On this day 20th of October 1930, a group of
Vietnamese ladies formed a women association of anti-colonialism which was
initial form of Vietnamese ladies association nowadays. Therefore, this day was
chosen to be Vietnamese ladies’ day.
3. Hung King’s anniversary
March 10th
(lunar calendar)
The Hung King's Temple is located on the Nghia Linh Mountain, Hy Lang
commune, Phong Chau district, Phu Tho province, 85 kilometers northwest of
Hanoi. Every year, a national festival called Hung King's Temple Festival is
held to worship the Hung Kings, who were instrumental in the founding of the
nation. In every Vietnamese’s mind, the Hung Kings' Temple Festival and Hung
Kings’ Death Anniversary are a symbol of the nation’s spiritual and religious
ethos and represent its unity. The festival not only allows visitors to participate
in traditional cultural activities but is also a sacred pilgrimage back to the origins
of Vietnamese culture.
4. Reunification Day/ Victory Day
April 30th
This day in the year of 1975 is the day that Viet Cong and North Vietnamese
troops captured Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh city). This ended the Vietnam War,
and started the transition period toward reunification. After this day is
International workers’ day May 1st, so 2 days can be a big holidays in Vietnam,
a lot of Vietnamese have a long happy holidays in these days.

84
5. National Celebration
September 2nd
This day is very important to Vietnamese. In this day in 1945, at historical Ba
Dinh square, Uncle Ho read the famous Declaration of Independence to
proclaim the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. This event marked
the beginning of a new era for the Vietnamese nation.
6. Mid-Autumn festival
15th of the 8th month (lunar calendar)
On this day, families gather to admire the full moon- the period that the moon is
fullest and largest. People celebrate with traditional moon cakes, fruits and tea.
This day is especially enjoyable for children since they usually receive many
gifts and traditional toys such as the star shaped lantern or rabbit shaped lantern.
7. Vietnamese Teachers’ day
Nov 20th
This day is to show the respect to the Vietnamese’s teachers whom have taught
us to be good people. Vietnamese, especially students often show their love to
their teachers by visiting their houses and sending them flowers and small gifts.

85
8. Christmas
Dec 24th
Christmas is one of the four most important festivals of the Vietnamese year,
including the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival.
Although the Christians observed the religious rituals of Christmas, in Vietnam,
Christmas is celebrated joyously with people thronging city roads right from
Christmas Eve, which is more important than Christmas Day! Christmas in
Vietnam is a huge event. Vietnamese Christmas celebrations here are like any other
city in the western world. The Christians in Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on
Christmas Eve and return home to a sumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas
dinner usually consists of chicken soup while wealthier people eat turkey and
Christmas pudding.

86
1. DOs
TIPS
 Greetings are no different to western countries, there are no cultural formalities
that as a foreigner you would be expected to know or practice.
 Vietnamese dress conservatively. Not only for the prevailing weather, but also
not to cause offence to the local people. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show
off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you’ll only draw stares from the
locals. Vietnamese have conservative dress codes, and it is only in larger cities
that these codes are a little more relaxed. Do not wear revealing clothing.
 Dress well when visiting pagodas. No shorts or tatty beer t-shirts.
Shoes are fine, and rarely will you have to remove them. If unsure, just follow
what the locals do.
 Drink plenty of bottled water, especially when walking around sightseeing. No
need to carry huge bottles around with you, a vendor is never far away and
no doubt they will find you before you find them. During the summer months
you should be drinking a minimum of two litters per day. If you drink tea, coffee
& alcohol you should increase you water intake accordingly as these will help to
dehydrate you.
 Only travel with trusted people. Store your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and
other valuables in a safe place. You should keep a Vietnamese note of your
accommodation address, for easier for taxi drivers or a cyclo driver when you
do not know the way back.
 Carry a roll of toilet paper in your daypack on long excursions from your base
hotel. You never know when you might need it!
 If invited into a home, always remove your shoes at the front door when
entering.
 Ask for permission when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that
they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes.
 DO NOT offer money or push the issue.
 Check on your first day whether you need to reconfirm your next flight, if so
do it then. Some airlines do not require this anymore but it is still worthwhile
calling them so that they at least have your contact details, in case the flight is
delayed or whatever.
 Bring a gauze mask whenever going out for the sake of your own health ^^

87
2. DON’Ts
 Never carry more money than you need when walking around the streets. Do not wear
large amounts of jewellery. There are two reasons for not doing this:
(1)It is considered impolite to flaunt wealth in public;
(2) It is more likely that you may become a victim of a pickpocket or drive-by bag
snatcher.
 Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare
shoulders to Temples and Pagodas. To do this is considered extremely rude.
 Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the
family altar when in someone’s house.
 Never lose your temper in public or when bargaining for a purchase. This is
considered a serious loss of face for both parties.
reciprocated with the same.
 Do not try to take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the
military. This can be seen as a breach of national security.
 Wear a lot of jewellery or take a bag with you. Violent crime is highly unusual in
Vietnam, but petty crime is more apparent. If you have a bag, or tout a digital camera
around your neck, you are a potential target.
 When taking a ride by motorbike taxi (xe om) make sure your bag, if any, is not on
display or easy to grab. Bag snatches, although still rare, are probably the most likely
crime a tourist would encounter, and it raises the probability immensely if you are
tailing a camera or a laptop in the wind.
 Physical displays of affection between lovers in public are frowned upon. That’s why you
may come across couples holding hands but not hugging or kissing.
 Remember, this is Vietnam, a developing country, and things don’t quite work as you are
maybe used to. Don’t be paranoid about your safety; just be aware of your surroundings.
 Do not carry your passport a leave it in the safe in your hotel.
A photocopy will suffice if local law states that you need to.

88
Hotline and Embassies
in Ho Chi Minh city
a) Hotlines
 113: police
 114: fire
 115: local ambulance
 France – Vietnam hospital: (+84-8) 54 11 34 31

89
b) Embassies in Ho Chi Minh city
The general Consulate
of
Address Tell Fax
Australia 5B Ton Duc Thang,
Dist.1
(848) 38296035 (848) 38296031
Belgium The 7th
floor, Sunwah
Tower, 115 Nguyen
Hue, Dist.1
(848) 38219354 (848) 38278068
Cambodia No. 41, Phung Khac
Khoan, Dist.1
(848) 38292751 (848) 38277696
Canada 235, Dong Khoi, Dist.1 (848) 38279899 (848)38279935
China 39 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Dist.1
(848) 38292465 (848) 38275845
France 27 Nguyen Thi Minh
Khai, Dist 3
(848) 38297231 (848) 38291675
Germany No. 126 Nguyen Dinh
Chieu, Dist 3
(848) 38292455 (848) 38231919
Hungary 22 Phung Khac khoan,
Dist.1
(848) 38290130 (848) 38292410
India No. 49 Tran Quoc Thao,
Dist.3
(848) 39303539 (848) 38294495
Indonesia 18 Phung Khac Khoan,
Dist.1
(848) 38251888 (848) 38299493
Japan No. 13-17 Nguyen Hue,
Dist. 1
(848) 38225314 (848) 38225316
Laos 9B, Pasteur, Dist.1 (848) 38297667 (848) 38299272
Malaysia No. 2 Ngo Duc Ke, Dist.1 (848) 38299023 (848) 38299027
Netherlands 29 Le Duan, Dist.1 (848) 38235932 (848) 28235934
New Zealand R 909/9th
Florr
Metropole Building 235
Dong Khoi, Dist.1
(848) 38226907 (848) 38226905
Norway No. 21-23 Nguyen Thi
Minh Khai, Dist.1
(848) 38221696 (848) 38272696
Philippine No. 8 the 11th
Floor
Nguyen Hue, Dist.1
(848) 38294738
Poland No. 5 Le Loi, Dist. 1 (848) 39142883 (848) 39142884
Republic Czech 28 Mac Dinh Chi. Dist.1 (848) 38290585 (848) 38226043
Romania 33/6 Dang Van Ngu,
Phu Nhuan Dist.
(848) 39911204 (848) 38450587
Russia No. 40 Ba Huyen Thanh
Quan
(848) 39303936 (848) 39303937

90
Singapore 8th
Floor, Saigon Center,
65 Le Loi, Dist.1
(848) 38220173 (848) 39142938
Slovakia No. 64-68 Hai Ba Trung,
Dist.1
(848) 38298888 (848) 38277999
South Africa No. 25 Phung Khac
Khoan, Dist.1
(848) 38238556 (848) 38238557
South Korea 107 Nguyen Du, Dist.1 (848) 38225757 (848) 38225750
Swenden 8A/11 Thai Van Lung,
Dist.1
(848) 38236800 (848) 38244856
Switzerland No. 124 Dien Bien Phu,
Dist.1
(848) 38205402 (848) 244856
Thailand No.77 Tran Quoc Thao,
Dist.3
(848) 39327637 (848) 326002
Ukraine No.22-24 Nguyen Van
Thu, Dist.1
(848) 39104054 (848) 39104053
United Kingdom 25 Le Duan, Dist.1 (848) 38298433 (848) 38221971
United States of
America
4 Le Duan, Dist.1 (848) 38229433 (848) 38229434

91
Insurance
- Insurance is very important when you come to another country. It can
assure you all things, so you feel very comfortable to live with worries.
- If you want to buy a insurance for yourselves, in Vietnam, there are many
companies to support for you:
+ Prudential Insurance Company
Add: 115 Hồ Tùng Mậu, Bến Nghé ward, district 1.
+ AIA International Insurance Limited Company (USA)
Add: 101 Nam Ky Khoi Nghi, Bến Thành Ward, District 1.
+ AAA Insurance Company.
+ Liberty Insurance
Add: 2 Bis, Tran Cao Van, Da Kao ward, district 1
- Kind of insurance you need to buy:
+ Traveling insurance.
+ Personal accident insurance.
Age from 19-24: Male (695000/1 year), female (390000 VND/ 1 year).

92
CONTACT US
1. Our LC contacts
 Email: info.hcm@aiesec.net
 Website: www.aiesechochiminh.org
 Facebook: www.facebook.com/aiesechcm
For Evaluation Only.
Copyright (c) by VeryPDF.com Inc.
Edited by VeryPDF PDF Editor Version 4.1

93
LCP: Nguyen Dang Duy
Email: duy.dang.nguyen@aiesec.net
VP OGX: Pham Du Linh
Email: dulinh.pham@aiesec.net
VP COMM&IM: Ngo Nhat Phuong
Email: nhatphuong.ngo@aiesec.net
VP Talent Management: Pham Thi Mai Bien
Email: maibien.pham@aiesec.net
VP ER: Pham Ngoc Bao Chau
Email: chau.pham@aiesec.net
VP ICX: Jancy Nguyen
Email: ngoctram.nguyen@aiesec.net
VP Finance: Le Anh Tai
Email: tai.le@aiesec.net
VP Talent Development: Lai Van Huyen
Email: huyen.lai@aiesec.net

94
Hope this booklet is useful enough
for you to experience and enjoy
our city-HO CHI MINH CITY!

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