Ho Chi Minh, Cambodia and Bangkok Chronicles: Summary and Expenses

Finally, I am at the end of the road. I haven't blogged in a while, too busy on work.

Anyhow, here's the last entry to cap off our Indochina trip.


Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Although we were not able to visit all HCMC has to offer, we really enjoyed our trip there - from understanding their history on war to food trip and shopping. Ho Chi Minh has still a lot to offer and we would definitely be back there (and hopefully, visiting Hanoi too).

Cambodia

Phnom Penh has these sad clouds hovering over it - literally and figuratively. This history on Khmer Rouge is a lot more than what Philippines experienced during the Martial Law. Its saddening, however, Khmers were able to rise above it and they became one of the most hospitable people in the places I have visited.

Siem Reap, aside from Angkor Wat that captured our hearts, has still a more to offer - from its floating villages and food. We made sure that we will visit Cambodia soon again, now on the cultural sides.

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is probably the best shopping destination - without even leaving Khao San Road. Food, dresses and tshirts are everywhere. Khao San Road is definitely the best place to be in Bangkok. Just like the first two destinations, we will be taking another trip in Bangkok, visiting its historical sites.

EXPENSES

I will let the following pictures tell you on how much we spent for each country.

Ho Chi Minh City Expense Summary

Phnom Penh Expenses Summary

Siem Reap Expense Summary

Bangkok Expense Summary

YES! WE DID IN ON OUR PHP 25,000.00 budget. Our total pocket damage: Php 21,542.00. 

This includes the roundtrip tickets (MNL - HCMC, BKK - MNL) at P5,700.00, Philippine Travel tax of Php 1620.00 and Terminal fee of Php 550.00.



International trips will be next year, however, I have few more local trips for the last quarter of the year. :)

Day 1 (Morning). Cu Chi Tunnel Tour

August 19, 2012
Day 1.

With barely no sleep as we come from a red eye flight, we still want to make the most of our remaining  days in Vietnam. By the end of the day, we should be packing again and start moving to our next destination which is Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The day started with a free breakfast from Seventy Hotel (aside from the genuine smiles of the hotel staffs, naks!). Upon arriving in the early morning, we asked the receptionist if we can have the Cu Chi Tunnel tour at 8:30am, and he said yes. Unfortunately, none of us was able to go down at 8:30 (overslept) and we were left behind. Good thing, a travel agency is located at the lobby, and we decided to check their packages. With a little haggle, we were able to snatch a Cu Chi Tunnel tour for USD 42.00, with driver and sort-of-tour guide.

We drove off to Cu Chi Tunnel by 9:30am and after more than 1.5 hours on the road, we arrived at the Cu Chi Tunnel, located outside the main city.


The CU CHI TUNNEL

The tunnels of Cu Chi was the revolutionary base of Military Region Committee Saigon and all the Cu Chi People, to front and fight enemies. The  present Cu Chi underground relic is preserved in 2 areas of Ben Duoc and Ben Dinh, offers the past of the Vietnamese war, including actual experience of the tunnels itself.

Entrance fee to the Cu Chi Tunnel is 90,000 VND (Vietnamese Dong), about USD 4.50. Upon entrance, you will be traversing in an underground tunnel where ticket inspectors checked your tickets. Moving forward along the road, small underground huts can be found. This is the start of the actual tour, an insightful video presentation of the Vietnam war and the life at Cu Chi. Once the video has ended, or you chose not to finish it, personnel will ask you if you have a guide, and if you don't have, they will assign you on a tour group, which include a tour guide.

Road sign to Cu Chi Tunnel

Our info guide

One of the tunnels Vietnamese soldiers used. 

One of the traps used by soldiers

Foot trap

By the end of the tour, we were treated to a Vietnamese tea and cassava, a first hand experience of soldier's food. 

After more than an hour in Cu Chi, we decided to go back to the City and have the walking tour of the rest of spots Vietnam has to offer. But before anything else, its Lunch time (food will be given special entries for this trip, because we really enjoyed them)!

Day 0: Flight to Vietnam via Cebu Pacific

August 18, 2012
Day 0. Day at the Airport

We met at NAIA Terminal 3 around 6:00 in the evening, though our flight is scheduled at 10:00pm. This is to make more time in checking in, paying necessary fees and avoid horrible traffic (and more knick-knacks if you're running late). While on the taxi, news about the plane crash involving DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo circulated, however, I find myself thinking if I left important documents at home. By 6, I was at the airport and I asked my buddy to have us web checked-in since she was the first one at the meeting place (I wasn't able to do this at home since Cebu Pacific told me that they have a system failure on web check in facility). She was able to check us in and all we need to do is pay fees and get our tickets. 

AT NAIA TERMINAL 3.

1. Pay International Departure Tax at the Airport Lobby before checking in. Php 1620.00 should be paid and you must present your passports and itinerary receipts at Counter 1. Proceed to counter 2 for payment and processing. 

2. Check in at your airline. For those who used the web check in facility, you have your separate (and shorter) lane at your airline counters. Present your International Departure Tax receipts, including your booking reference number and passports to the counter and they will give you your tickets. Check in your baggage and proceed to step 3. 

3. Pay terminal fees. A Php 550.00 terminal fee is collected before you proceed to the Immigration Counter. Present your tickets and go to Immigration Counter. 

4. Immigration counter. Fill out the Immigration Departure Card that can be found on one of the tables before falling in line. Present your tickets and passports to the Immigration officer and make sure you answer his/her questions without stammering. He/She will have your passports stamped and you're good to go.

5. Final security check. Make sure you remove your shoes, belts and electronic materials on your body and have them on the xray machine. 

(Story: Since its our first time to leave the country, the Immigration officer asked us about our trip. It seemed that HCMC is not a common destination to your first immigration stamp, so we were escorted to another Immigration Officer for further questioning. They asked for our IDs and our work. I don't know kung panti-trip nya lang ito, tinakot kami since it was our first time to go out of the country and we already answered his first questions while on the counter. With a nod from the last officer when I presented my ID (he didn’t check my companions’ IDs) and he told me that the first Immigration officer worked with San Miguel Corp before (I am working in one of SMC’s subsidiaries), we got back on his counter and he stamped our passports. WHEW! Talk  about first time.) 

ARRIVING AT VIETNAM AIRPORT

August 19, 00:20H. With the many stories of how Cebu Pacific handles its flights, astonishingly, it was a good flight, from take off to touchdown. Upon arriving at the Vietnam Airport, we lined up for the Immigration and with no questions asked, he stamped our passports. Mas mababait pa sila sa Pinoy Immigration officers! L To find the immigration counters, just follow the swarm of people. ASEAN member countries do not need to fill out an arrival card and visa and can directly proceed to Immigration counter. For those who need entry visa, they need to go to the counter at their left before proceeding to the Immigration line.

Landing Visa, located at the left corner in the arrival lobby.

Immigration (girl is not an immigration officer, I think)

All Passports lane. Vietnamese have their separate lane at the airport arrival. 

Immigration check.

Check if the Immigration officer stamped your passports. For ASEAN member countries, we are given 20 days-Visa free stay in Vietnam if you arrive via air. 

We got our first stamp! We then proceeded to baggage claim and have some dollars changed at the airport. I believe this is the safest money changer as we got 1 USD = 20,000 VND conversion. We became instant millionaires!

My friend's SHARK PACK as we exit the baggage claim to money changers. 

Since Vietnam uses both VND and USD, we only exchanged a small amount, solely for convenience store purchases, entrance fees and street food. (Money changer is on your right before exiting the airport). 



ON ROUTE TO SEVENTY HOTEL

We asked our hotel to pick us up at the airport and when we got outside, we saw my name from our taxi driver. It took us about 30 minutes before arriving at the hotel, located at the backpacking district of Ho Chi Minh City.

Since it was late, we checked in, filled out information cards, “deposited” our passports and proceeded to our room. Since it was a red eye flight and nabitin kami sa tulog, we decided to get some sleep before planning our day.

To be continued...