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February 13, 2020

Ho Chi Minh City Landmark Tan Dinh Church

When Saigon delivers it sure does deliver!! Tan Dinh Church has so much charm and is a must-see when exploring the landmarks of Ho Chi Minh City.

Tan Dinh Church famously known as the “Pink church” is a relic to be seen. It is the second biggest church in Ho Chi Minh City, after Notre Dame Cathedral. It certainly has an important story in Saigon’s history. Unfortunately, some might just see it as a cool image to put on Instagram. However…there is actually a lot more interest to this landmark than that!

It was built in 19870 in the French Colonial Era of Vietnam. It is a Roman-style church that has bold Gothic and Renaissance features. Fun fact: the church was not always pink, according to Tim Doling, a historian based in Ho Chi Minh City. It was not until 1957 that the church was painted in its current amazing pink colour. Through all my research I have not actually discovered why they painted it pink? I would love to know!

Tan Dihn Church, Pink Church Ho Chi Minh City

Above all, the charm of its history lies in that in 1877, Father Donatien Éveillard invited the Sisters of Saint-Paul de Chartres to set up an orphanage and boarding school beside the church.

Further more, the facility housed over 300 young people over three years. A little later they added a publishing house to the cathedral grounds. This is where disadvantaged children could learn the publishing trade. At the time of the father’s death in 1882, he was buried beneath the nave of Tan Dinh Church to commemorate the love the community of Ho Chi Minh has for him.

To find out more about must-see landmarks in Ho Chi Minh be sure to visit here.

Getting there:

Address: Nhà thờ Tân Định, 289 Hai Bà Trưng, Phường 8, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

Telephone: 84 (0) 8 3829 0093

E-mail: vovananh@hcm.fpt.vn

Website: http://www.giaoxutandinh.net/

Opening hours: By permission of Father Võ Văn Ánh, from 8 am-11 am, 2 pm-4.30 pm Tuesday – Saturday

September 16, 2020

9 Must-have Apps for living in Ho Chi Minh City

These must-have apps will definitely make your life easier living in Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam in general. The Vietnamese are certainly good at providing great door to door service.
They are all easy to use and most delivery apps you can link to your bank account or pay C.O.D.

Facebook

The granddaddy of them all!! Facebook is not only for social use but is used heaps for communicating with all types of businesses here. Whether it be asking questions about a product or placing an order for take away dinner. It can be used for so many things.

There are heaps of local one-man suppliers. People that bake cakes to people that propagate plants to people that make their own products like jewellery.

A shortlist of my favourites include:
Saigon Pharmacy if the best for all your pharmacy needs. You can order over messenger and get it delivered to your door.
Blerry Lekka Pies for homemade delicious pies!
Korpe makes the best baklavas!!
An’s Goodies has fresh organic fruit and vegetables.

It is also an amazing resource with local groups. With endless information about living here. You can post a question or search the group for common topics already discussed. Foodies Saigon is a group to keep up to date with the best food in the city. Along with other Expat groups that help each other with any issues that arise. These include Saigon International Families and Expats in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Vietnam

Grab

Grab is the major transport app of Vietnam. The equivalent to Uber in South East Asia. You can order a motorbike or car service to get around the city using their simple interface. It is really easy to use. You can also arrange pick up and delivery of items as a courier service and they also have a food delivery service, GrabFood.
You can pay with cash, card or your virtual wallet that you top-up in advance.

Other Transport Apps include Vinasus Taxi App and Gojek (formally Go Viet)

GoDee

A new must-have app on the scene for living in Ho Chi Minh is GoDee. Go-Dee has an amazing philosophy and is different from the other transport apps. It is a minivan that you book and rideshare with other people.

The app is easy and simple to use. You book the ride, get to a Godee stop, wait for the minivan to pick you up and share your drive with up to 15 people. You can us the app to can check how far the van is from you and you can also book,change and cancel your ride if you need to. To change the booking it costs 30,000 VND.

It is super affordable and in most cases with be cheaper than a Grabbike! Not only is it affordable and convenient it is good for the planet. Give it a go and download the app here.

We want to provide Vietnamese daily commuters with a transportation option that combines the comfort and efficiency of ride-hailing services on the one hand, and the cheap costs of public transportation on the other.
– GoDee

Chopp

This is a grocery delivery service. You can order from all different food stores around the city. You get assigned a “Chopper” (haha…get it shopper vs chopper!!). This “Chopper” goes and does your shopping for you. Bliss!!! You can select them to call and ask questions if something you want is out of stock. Then it is delivered straight to your door.
This a great service the only downside is that sometimes certain items are out of stock. It always happens to be that one thing you need for that night’s dinner recipe!!
Other grocery apps include MarketOi and Farmi (organic goods).

Vietnammm

Another App another amazing name!! Mmmmmmm! This food delivery app is a must-have. You enter your address and it shows up with restaurants close to you. All types of restaurants are on there from local casual eateries to fancy fine dining restaurants. Order, track your meal and wait for it to arrive!! Simple!! Mmmmm…..
Also check out Foody, NowVN and of course McDelivery for other food delivery apps that are a must-have in Ho Chi Minh city!!

Lazada

You can pretty much find anything on Lazada. It is kind of an equivalent to Amazon or eBay in the west. Most of the vendors are located in Vietnam and China, so products arrive pretty quickly. Great for kids toys and board games, household items and everything really! You can use the phone app or the website. Often the website is easier to use because google translates the text. You can link your bank account or pay C.O.D. They also have a really easy and reliable returns service. Incase something shows up and it is different from what you expect.
Also, check out Tiki and Shoppee other great shopping apps.

Ding

This app is super convenient to use to top up your phone credit. Simple and easy to use just add your phone number, the amount you want to top up and pay with Paypal or credit card. It tops up the phone straight away. You can also top up other phone numbers that aren’t your own for family and friends. Download it here.

AirVisual

AirVisual up to date pollution levels with this awesome app. Unfortunately, the pollution is pretty bad in Ho Chi Minh City somedays. By using this app you can see that current reading of pollution in your area, past readings and a forecast for the coming days. It helps you to decide your plans for the day and whether or not it is safe to play outside. It is a great app for wherever you live. You can see the levels for most countries around the world.

Culture Trip

Culture Trip is one you can use all over the world. It is a travel website and app and they have the best articles! So well written and they don’t always show the really common places to go. It shows you places that are popular with locals and tourists alike and highlights places that are on the road less travelled! Be sure to check this one out!

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out more tips on living in Ho Chi Minh City, here.

August 6, 2020

Outdoor Fun in Ho Chi Minh

Here are some great options for outdoor fun in Ho Chi Minh City!! Get away from the hustle and bustle and let the kids run free!!!!!

Tao Dan park, “Bird Park”, Saigon

The park is one of the largest green spaces in the city and is located just behind the Reunification Palace in District 1. This 10-hectare space is a great place for a walk but mainly its best for people watching! It is best to head to the park nice and early in the morning to catch all the action!

People come to socialise, take a walk, practise Tai chi, play badminton, dance and more. There is really no shame here, life is lived in the public domain.

My favourite is the gathering of men that bring their birds to the park. They hang the cages up beside a cafe, fondly known as “bird cafe”. So it’s the perfect place to grab a coffee and watch the magic scene in front of you.

I have been told that they gather together so all the birds can learn new songs from each other 🎶 🎶 This gathering mainly happens on the weekends between sunrise and 8 am, so get there nice and early!

Be sure to check out this park, it is awesome. In fact, I think I’m due for another visit.

How to get there:

Trương Định, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. (Map)

Binh Quoi Tourist Village

Bình Quới Tourist Village, Ho Chi Minh City

Bình Quới Tourist Village is a great place to have some outdoor fun in Ho Chi Minh City. Only about 20 minutes from District 2, it is very easy to get to by taxi. It is lush and green and is a perfect spot to soak up some time in nature.

Its a really lovely space for the kids to run around and explore. Start by taking a walk through the grounds. then head to the Lakeview restaurant for some lunch and a spot of fishing.

How to get there:

Binh Quoi Village, 48/10 Điện Biên Phủ, Ward 22, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam (Map)

Vinhomes Central Park, Landmark 81

Completed in 2016, the 40-hectare Vinhomes Central Park is inspired by the famous Central Park in New York. It is full of wide-open spaces for the kids to run wild along with an amazing adventure playground.

The lovely Koi fish lake and Japanese garden are one of our favourite parts of the park.

Vinhomes Central Park is a modern, green, clean and beautiful park with tons of outdoor fun to be had in Ho Chi Minh City.

Getting There:

Ben Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City (Map)

Family Garden

A little oasis in the heart of Thao Dien, District 2. Family Garden is set on 3 hectares and has vegetable gardens a kids playground and cafes. It also houses other businesses such as a beautiful yoga studio called Yoga Pod. It is a bit of a miss-match space but its fun to walk through, explore and grab a juice.

They also run school and family groups. Educating the community on the importance of sustainable living. You get to taste the amazing freshly picked produce, feeding the sheep and rabbits, or even catch some fish.

Getting There:

No. 28 Thao Dien Street, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Find more information on their Facebook Page.

Saigon Pony Club

Saigon Pony Club is a great place to introduce your kids to the joy of riding ponies and horses. They have ponies and stallions of varying size to suit everyone. With foreign teachers that are experienced at instructing riders of all ages, the facility provides excellent classes for children and also adults. Set up 10 years ago, the Saigon Pony Club is the best riding school in Saigon.

How to get there:

38, Duong So 42, Le Van Thinh, D2 (Map)

Phone:+84 91 373 3360

Other places for outdoor fun in Ho Chi Minh:

Suoi Tien Theme Park
Open Sun-Sat 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Address: 120 Hanoi Highway, Tan Phu Ward, Dist. 9, Ho Chi Minh City 70000 Vietnam (Map)

Dam Sen Water Park
Opening hours – Sun 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM Mon 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wed – Sat 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: 03 Hoa Binh Ward 3, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City (Map)

Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Opening Hous- Mon – Sun / 7AM – 5.30PM
Address: 5, 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, D1 (Map)

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more of my posts on Discovering Ho Chi Minh City and Ho Chi Minh City for Kids.

Comment below to let me know your favourite outdoor spots in Ho Chi Minh City.

June 11, 2020

Travel Mui Ne, Vietnam with kids

We had the best little adventure in Mui Ne just after lockdown from the Corona Virus was lifted. It is a coastal town that is just under a 4-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City. A perfect travel destination with kids.

Victoria Phan Thiet Beach Resort & Spa

We absolutely fell in love with this place. We got a beachfront bungalow and it was just perfect for the four of us. Large double bed and fold away bed for the kids. A big bath and outdoor shower.

The resort has 2 pools, a great restaurant, private beach and pony rides for the kids!! Also kids club, outdoor playground, day spa, and various sports courts.

Getting There:

Telephone: +84 (28) 6290 9720

Address: KM 9 Nguyễn Thông, Phú Hài, Thành phố Phan Thiết, Bình Thuận

Website: Victoria Hotels

Fairy Stream Mui Ne

During our stay in Mui Ne, we set off on a magical little adventure to Fairy Stream. This is a must-do with kids. They loved splashing about in the water and sand and all the while searching for real fairies.

As you walk through the stream you see natural red and white sand dunes on one side and lush greenery on the other. It takes about 30-40 minutes and then you reach a cute little waterfall at the end.

It is mostly feet deep and is only knee-deep in a couple of small places. Very easy for the whole family to do.

Getting There:

49B Huỳnh Thúc Kháng, Phường Hàm Tiến, Thành phố Phan Thiết, Bình Thuận 800000 – Really close to the main part of town!

Open daily – 6AM – 6PM

Cost: 15.000 dong for the entry for adults

Other things to do in Mui Ne with kids

Visit the Red and White Sand dunes

Plenty of tours operate to help you check out these amazing natural wonders but also very easy to check them out for yourself. The Red Sand Dunes are a little easy to tackle so would recommend these with kids. Go at sundown for a magical experience.

Getting there:
White Sand Dunes, Hoa Thang, Bac Binh District, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam.
Red Sand Dunes, 706B, Mui Ne, Phanh Thiet, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam.

Mui Ne Fishing Village

A great way to see the daily local life. Recommended to go in the early morning before the heat sets in.

Getting there:
7km north of Mui Ne Town
Mũi Né, Thành phố Phan Thiết, Bình Thuận Province

Po Shanu Cham Towers

Magnificant 8th Century temple ruins

Getting There:
Ong Hoang Hill, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet

Enjoy the local restaurants and fresh seafood!!!!

It goes without say that it is a must to try the beautiful fresh seafood on offer.
Some to check out

Mui Ne Deli Restaurant – delicious and reasonably priced. Offers a great variety of authentic Vietnamese dishes and seafood.

Sindbad for some Middle Eastern fare. First Dõner Kebab in Mui Ne since 2011. Now thats something to be proud about!

Strawy Restaurant – Beachfront views and a variety of international, Vietnamese, and local cuisines for you to enjoy. It is a bit difficult to find if you come in from the street. Go in through Bamboo Village and head all the way to the beach!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to follow my daily adventures and find more family travel ideas here.

May 26, 2020

The Holy Trinity- Icons of Saigon

The holy trinity – The Saigon Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon and Book Street. These icons of Saigon are a must-visit for all and they are all within a stone’s throw of each other.

Saigon Central Post Office

The Saigon Central Post Office is one of the main landmarks of the city. There is no doubt as to why. The architecture is just stunning.

It was built from 1886-1891 and the city maintains it beautifully as it still operates as a full functioning post office and tourist attraction. Additionally, it stands out with its epic yellow facade and French colonial architecture. Its interior boasts magnificent arches and ornate tiles floors. The post office holds some amazing old relics including two huge painted maps that were painted in 1892. One showing the telegraph lines of Southern Vietnam and Cambodia and the other a map of Saigon and its surrounds. There are also some stunning original phone boxes that hold a reminder of an era long gone.

The Saigon Post Office was designed by Alfred Foulhoux. In fact, it is widely thought that Gustav Eiffel did (a famous architect of the Eiffel Tower, Paris). Even me…I have been telling people this every time we visit.

The best highlight of visiting the post office is not only its iconic architecture but a gorgeous old man that has been working at the post office for over 30 years. Mr Duong Van Ngo is in his 90’s and works as a writer and translator at the post office. The writes letters in Vietnamese, French and English.

Getting There:

Address: 2 Công xã Paris, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 7 am – 7 pm and Weekends 8 am – 6 pm

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

The Notre Dame Cathedral was built in the 1880s as the French Government wanted a prominent place of worship for the French Colonialists. Today it stands as one of Saigon’s most well-known icons. Besides that, it is absolutely stunning!

I have lived here for over two years and have sadly never stepped inside. The city has undertaken a huge restoration of the Cathedral which started in August 2017. Hopefully, we are still living here for the reopening!

It does however currently does hold regular mass, including Sunday service in English at 9:30 am.

Getting There:

Address: 01 Công xã Paris, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh

Book Street

To me, this is one of the most charming spots in the city. A small street tucked away around the corner from The Post Office. Certainly a must visit for locals and tourists alike.

The tiny street is lined with book stores and cafes. Most books are in Vietnamese but you can find a few stores that have English books. There is also a lovely second-hand book store and an exhibition space. It only opened in 2016 so it is relatively new to the city. It effortlessly blends with the old and new Saigon.

Getting There:

Address: Đường Nguyễn Văn Bình, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh

Opening Hours: 7 days 8 am – 10 pm

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to follow my daily adventures and find more must-see icons in Ho Chi Minh here.

August 30, 2018

Packing Up and Moving our Little Family to Vietnam

Thinking of moving to Vietnam with your family? Do it!! It’s amazing!! Take a look inside our journey to pack up our lives and start a new life in South East Asia. It is quite the journey but well worth it.

We are coming up to our 2 year anniversary of moving from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I thought I would take a look back at our journey in those early days

The Opportunity Arises

Back in 2017, the opportunity to move to HCMC with my little family came by and we jumped at the chance. My husband works for a design agency and they wanted to expand and have an office in South East Asia. With a lot of hard work and countless trips back and forth from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City, the business was set up and established and we were ready to take on this adventure in June 2018. The experiences we would be able to have does not compare to our life at home in Melbourne Australia. I absolutely love my home but it will always be there. Our home will always be home.

A new life where we could meet new friends, travel South East Asia and of course the taste all the delicious food. It was a relatively easy decision. It was the decisions that we face once we moved to Ho Chi Minh that would prove more difficult.

Our New Life Begins

Once we arrived we were bombarded with our new environment. The sights and smells smack you in the face! Not only that but you have to navigate a new way of life with the kids. There are not as many parks and natural environments to let them roam free and it is often too hot to be out in the middle of the day. You slowly discover another way for the kids to be kids. We enjoy loads of swimming, visits to play cafes and indoor play centres for children and restaurants. I later discovered that there are playgrounds and outdoor spaces to take the kids. It just takes a while to settle in and find them! I will explore and share all of this in upcoming posts.

Finding a Place to Live

Amongst getting used to our new city the pressing task of finding an apartment and a school for the kids was at the top of our list. We had already decided on the suburb of Ho Chi Minh that we wanted to live, Thao Dien. Thao Dien is in district 2 is only 15 minutes for the city and is littered with other ex-pat families. It has amazing schools, restaurants and gourmet grocery stores. The other main area of the city that many ex-pats decide to live in is District 7. It is not as convenient to get to the city centre but a lot of people prefer it as is a little quieter and has a slower pace than District 2. It is a more modern suburb with tree-lined wide streets, modern apartment options and great international schools. For us, the proximity to the city and the village atmosphere of Thao Dien won us over.

We Found It!

We rented an Airbnb for two weeks and hoped to secure an apartment within this time. So off we went seeing a handful of apartments. We all know how exhausting this is and we also had to drag the kids along for the ride. There are huge apartment complexes throughout the area all with their pros and cons so you just have to way it all up. Most apartments have a pool, playground, indoor kids room and gyms. Pretty amazing compared to our little townhouse in the suburbs of Melbourne.

In the end, we decided on a great apartment at Tropic Garden. It is in the quiet end of Thao Dien and the apartment was nice a big for the kids to play and muck around. A year down the track we decided to more as the commute to the kid’s school was a bit of a mission. We are now living at The Vista An Phu which is closer to the school and freeway to D1.

Deciding on a School for the Kids

Then the daunting decision of what school to send the kids to. I had done a lot of research before we came so I had narrowed it down to two schools which made it much easier. It was still the hardest decision we had to make. Above all you always want your kids to be happy! In the end, I decided on Aurora International School of the Arts which is Reggio Emilia inspired school. It is a beautiful school and I am so happy with this decision.

The decision to pack up our lives and move to Vietnam was an easy one. We were so up for the adventure. Our little family has settled in and we are definitely making the most of being in this incredible country.

Tips to make the process easier:

Do your research before you move (Facebook groups and the web) this is also a fine line because sometimes the more information you have the more confusing. The main Facebook group for families is Saigon International Families.
Talk to new friends about their experiences.
Always go with your gut instinct.
Always know that if it’s not the right decision you can always change it later. Try not to stress over it.

To find out more about must-see landmarks in Ho Chi Minh be sure to visit here.