Binh Quoi Tourist Village (11-12 July 2008)

Friday, 11 July 2008, we flew back from Dalat to HCMC by Vietnam Airlines (Fare was U$42.00 per person, 40 minutes fly). We reached HCMC at about 5.40 and by taxi went to Br. Can house for dinner. Tonight we stayed at Binh Quoi Resort II.

The place is nice but seems like they did not maintain it well. The TV set and remote in our room was not working. The dry bath room become wet because the shower floor was leaking... But the environment was beautiful and refreshing. Our rooms with balcony facing the river.
The next morning, we woke up early to enjoy the sunrise direct from the balcony.
After breakfast, we walked about 15 minutes to Binh Quoi Resort I.
We paid U$26.00 per room without breakfast.
This website will tell you more about this place. Their official website is http://www.binhquoiresort.com.vn

About 11.00AM Br. Tseng picked us up for lunch and then send us to airport to fly back to Singapore..........

Dalat Town (9-11 July 2008)

Wednesday, 9 July 2008, about 1PM we been picked up by the bus to go to Dalat. The cost for the bus Muine - Dalat is VND80,000 per person. The small bus (for 20 seaters) wass full and packed with passengers and luggage.The bus was driving along the main road of Mui Ne to pick up all the passengers and then go straight to Dalat via the mountain road. The bus stopped 1 time for 'natural rest room' at corn field... then another stop just for us to take some scenery pictures. About 5pm we reached our hotel in Dalat, Hotel Mai Vang. The hotel is new and clean. The room is double queen bed, too big for 2 of us... We paid U$30 per room per night including breakfast.

After dinner we just took a walk at the nearby town centre. We went to Dalat night market, near the Dalat Central Market. The weather in Dalat is very nice, about 20 degree C. We stopped at one place to have our Ice cream!!!!

The next day, after breakfast we went to Dalat Flower Park (entrance fee is VND10,000 per person). Many flowers are there........ Then on the way to Nam Ban, we stopped at a few places to see how the local people do the vegetable seedling, chrysanthemum farm, harvest the vegetables.......... We met some Nam Ban saints and having lunch together. From there, we went to Elephant Water Fall [Thac Voi]. Located in a beautiful virgin forest in Nam Ban town, Lam Ha district, Lam Dong province, Thac Voi is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Central Highlands.

To reach and enjoy the water fall, we need to do some climbing up and down the slippery rocks and pathway. It is very challenging and quite scary to go on.. but the urge to see the waterfall keeps me go on and on.. When I reached the place where I can see the waterfall clearly, the feeling was very happy.... Climbing back was another challenge. Believe me, the next 2 days I could not walked properly as my thigh were very pain!! If have a chance to visit Thac Voi, better be prepared with a proper shoes and some exercise to avoid the muscle cramp.

From Elephant water fall we went to Silk Making factory then we went to Crazy House. The entrance fee for Crazy Hous is VND12,000 per person. The ticket seller is the owner of this place, Mdm Hang Nga herself (read more about the owner).

More information about Dalat? Click here.

Sand Dunes, Fisherman Village & Fairy Stream

Tuesday, 8 July 2008

The attractions places we went during our stayed in Mui Ne were all free of charge. No entrance fee needed. If you know the location, you can just rent a motorbike and go there on your own. The other alternative is joint the local tour. They will bring you around in Russian Jeep. The charges about U$18 per person for about 5-6 hours tour. Just be prepared with the minimum facility for tourist. Sometimes we need to meet mr. bush to do the 'business', like what happened to my friend. In the middle of the road, where only bush and ocean you can see, she need to go rest room... No choice.. then she just hide herself and have 2 meetings with mr. bush to relieve herself....... Since then, we use the term "Mr. bush calling" or "need to meet mr. bush" if we want to go to rest room..........

Relax at Muine Beach (7-9 July 2008)

Monday, 7 July 2008
From Saigon we went to Mui Ne, a beach village about 200 km from Saigon (5 hours by coach). The bus depart at 07.55AM and we reach Muine at 13.00PM. The bus only stopped 1 time for rest room.

The bus driver will send the passengers to the hotel/resort that they booked. Just make sure that you know what is the hotel/resort name, so the bus driver can drive you right in front of the hotel. Otherwise is not easy to walk by yourself to look for your hotel.

In Mui Ne we stayed at Tien Dat Resort. We paid U$42.00 for 1 room 1 night, including ABF breakfast. The resort is quite nice. The room is big and clean. Behind the resort is the beach where we can play in the sea water when the wave not so strong.

If you want to, just walk a few hundred meter from the hotel and you can learn Kite boarding or just walk on the white sand.

A lot of eating place (even Ice Cream) located opposite the hotel. Also some travel agent if you want to visit some sites and attractions around Mui Ne.

Prepare the sunblock, as the sun is quite strong and burning. For travelling around the village, you can rent a motor bike for VND100,000 per day (24 hours). We rent motor bike to go around. We went to visit Red Sand Dunes, Mui Ne Fishing Village, White Sand Dunes and Fairy Stream. More information about Mui Ne with its attractions can be read at this website. Better visit the sand dunes early in the morning (before 10 AM) or late afternoon (after 4PM), as the sand can be very hot in the noon time. At Red Sand Dunes you can try the slide by renting the plastic board from the local kids. Just prepared to pay more, eventhough originally they agreed with VND10,000 for unlimited slide.

We watched sunrise at Red Sand Dunes. You need to reach the Red Sand Dunes before 5.30... because you still need to climb the dunes to get better view. From Red Sand Dunes we went to Fishing Village, where the local people do the business of seafoods. We bought about 3kg scallops and shellfish (price VND50,000) plus more than 1kg crabs (VND130,000). When we reached White Sand Dunes we asked one of the people there to cook for us with the cost VND40,000. Quite a good bargain for fresh seafood.

Some restaurant/eating place along the main road serve local vietnamese food with quite reasonable price (about VND20,000-50,000 per person per meal).

Ho Chi Minh City (5-7 July 2008), part I

The following pictures were taken during our first 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), 5-7 July 2008.

We stayed at An An 2 Hotel, budget hotel (we paid U$22 per room per night without breakfast). The hotel is quite new, clean and convenient for food and travell agent. The only thing is each floor only have 1 type of room. So we stayed at different floor from J&J, because we booked the same room...
We booked our bus ticket to Muine (cost U$5.00 or VND 80,000.00) at Sinh Cafe, a few block away from our hotel, which is very convenient for us since our bus is depart at 7.30AM. After check out and had our breakfast than we can walk going there waiting for the bus.
Some information about Ho Chi Minh City area can be seen here, my first visit to Saigon .

Vietnam Tour, 5-12 July 2008

Saturday, 5 July 2008

This morning by JetStar we are flying to Ho Chi Minh City with Jimmy/Joanie Lee.

Today is my birthday... and the officer lady in the Singapore immigration noticed that today is my birthday and wish me a Happy Birthday...

The journey was smooth, 07.25 - 08.30 (HCMC's time, which is 1 hour behind Singapore).

When we arrived, some church's brothers and sisters were there pick us up. We went to Br. Tseng Chi Hua (who stayed in Singapore many years ago) to talk about some itinerary.

After checked in at An An2 Hotel, (and again the receptionist girl noticed that today is my birthday...!) we went to Pho 2000 for lunch with Br. Tuc and Br. Leng.

Afternoon we just went out for city tour on our own. We walked from Ben Thanh Market toward City Hall, Reunification Place, Cathedral, Post Office, Diamond Plaza and passed by Independence Palace, War Remnant Museum and then back to hotel by taxi. We took a nap until dinner time..

Evening was raining... and we went out to book our bus ticket to Muine at Sinh Cafe, which is only a few block away from our hotel. The ticket from Saigon to Muine is U$5.00 or VD80,000. Then we had Pho combination for Bagio and Spicy Beef with Bread for me. Since the rain did not stop, after dinner and some shopping, we just back to hotel and I update this blog...then go to sleep.

Stella's Graduation and Visitors from Indonesia

Friday, 20 June 2008

We attended Stella's graduation day at Ritz Carlton Hotel to represent her parents, Hung & Lan.











Wednesday, 25 June 2008

My uncle's family came to Singapore for medical check up and holiday.


















My niece & nephew: Kelvin, Devina, Jessica, Moreno & Reagan.


Sunday, 29 June 2008

Bagio's niece-in-law (daughter-in-law of Bagio's cousin), Linda, came to Singapore for medical check up. We picked her with her sis at Changi airport, then direct went to Orchard for shopping. In the evening we sent them to Compassvale to her uncle's house to stay there during their visit. We went out to have our dinner at Compass Point.







Tuesday, 1 July 2008

Bagio's sis-in-law (his brother's wife), Rahma, was in town for business trip. We accompanied her for some walks and shopping. This afternoon she went back to Jakarta.





Now we are free and get ready for our own trip to Vietnam this Saturday.