Sometimes, it is hard to fathom how things work until we see it for ourselves. This weekend, I planned a trip (just a week in advance) to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam, where I learned much about the culture, government, and people. I also have started getting into a good routine after a slow recovery from my sore throat. There is no better way to start one’s day than a pre-work gym session. The only minor pitfall I have discovered is that it is still dark until several minutes after 7 am, making it hard to get a morning run in without being in the dark. Even though I have my neon yellow jacket, I would have to wash and dry it after each run, making it hard to use consistently. Plus, wearing layers outside in the heat would be even more tedious. Regardless, the hotel gym still works well for my needs, including the exercise equipment to do some lifting. It is nothing fancy, but it fits my needs nicely!

My job at CLA Global TS has been going well. While my workload has not picked up as much as I thought, I have learned much more about the many different statements and documents my department uses to communicate with clients. It is also fun getting into the office in the morning and seeing where each day takes me. I am starting to get a rhythm for my work, and it has been super awesome being with my team. Although I do not travel much as a tax intern, it is nice knowing I will not have to navigate as many new places or locations with commuting. My roommate, Paul, had a last-minute two-day trip to Malaysia for work, which is quite the feat as a new(ish) intern! Speaking of Paul, we have gotten to know each other a lot more, and he is truly an awesome friend! We definitely hope to plan a few trips or excursions together before our time in Singapore ends. I still want to visit many places too, including the Slingshot ride by the Singapore River.

Department Dinner

On Thursday after work, my colleagues and I ventured off to an outdoor dinner venue where we ate at four different tables. After some back-and-forth talk about how we wanted to structure the tables, we eventually put all four circular tables together (leaving a small gap in the middle). I was new to cooking in this fashion, so my colleagues helped showed me the ropes. I have had hibachi dinner multiple times in my life, but never have I had the experience of cooking on a pan in front of you. This pans we cooked from were surrounded by circular disks where you can cook ramen and other food items such as celery and corn (in the soup). In short, we were given multiple huge trays full of different foods (all raw) that we collectively cooked. It was a free-for-all where everyone would contribute to the cooking but also be free to help themselves.

After a few minutes of getting used to the cooking process, my supervisor asked me a very intriguing question. The question was if I wanted to crawl under the table and stand in the middle. After hesitating because I was unsure if anyone else wanted to be in the hot seat, I agreed. I must say, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience standing in the middle of all my work friends! I never expected to be surrounded by twenty of my colleagues cheering me on and handing me food. It was awesome, and I learned a lot about what cooking is like in the Asia Pacific. It is not always about the end result. Sometimes it is the camaraderie and the process that make or break the dining experience. Looking at the second picture below, you will see all the ingredients we had to choose from to cook. Some of my favorites were the crab, scallops, and the clear-thin noodles. Although I spent almost the entire dinner standing up, it was super cool being in the middle. Even when I was thinking about leaving to see if someone else wanted to take my place, my co workers insisted I stayed which is super kind of them! I spent a good hour and a half spinning around and helping with all four pans. Indeed, it was an unforgettable dinner!

Ho Chi Minh City

On Saturday morning, I left for Ho Chi Minh City. Being the first time I had ever traveled completely alone by plane, I was eager to gain experience with solo traveling. After taking about 45 minutes on three MRT lines, I made it to Changi Airport, where I checked in at the international terminal. Overall, the check-in and navigation process was smooth. I am proud to have improved at navigating airports such as Changi. The only aspect that confused me was that there was no security line to get to the shops and hallways where you usually sit down and wait for your flight. Perplexed, I grabbed a quick lunch and went to the gate. As it turns out, they do the security checks right before you get to your flight gate. After a bit more waiting, I boarded the aircraft and got to my seat. However, after reaching my row, I realized I struck the jackpot. I was sitting in the window seat and the exit row! Although my bag could not be placed by my feet, this seat was incredible and allowed me to stretch my legs the whole flight while having a great view outside. Once we arrived, I made my way to the immigration line, where I had to wait almost 30 minutes before getting my passport checked and being free to go.

As I reveal some of my favorite highlights of my short stay in Ho Chi Minh City, here are a few important and helpful things. Some of these pointers are also good for other countries; nevertheless, good judgment is crucial.

1—It is best to avoid buying food or souvenirs from the airport; Tan Son Nhat International Airport often up charges customers by using American dollars instead of local currency. On top of this, countless people tried to get me to buy a (most likely) high-priced taxi rides as soon as I stepped outside the building. Knowing better, I ordered a Grab on the mobile app, so I knew I would be paying a competitive price!

2– Beware of tourist traps; not all schemes involve higher prices. Some involve different tactics. In Ho Chi Minh, locals can be pushy to get people to buy their products. Example) I fell victim to one of these “traps” when I did not attempt to avoid two locals who started cleaning my shoes on the side of the street while I was waiting for the crosswalk. While my shoes were quite filthy, they charged me 450,000 (about $17-18 USD) for their service. How ridiculous is that!? Although I paid all that money for five minutes of their time, I reminded them that their business practices were very shady and that they should be careful as they could easily anger tourists with their questionable business tactics. Although they did not understand English very well, they got the message and apologized. As in any city, it is always best to be prepared and use body language and phrases like “No thank you” to signal disinterest.

3– The exchange rate between Vietnamese currency and American dollars as of March 31, 2025, is 25,575:1. It is best to be familiar with different prices early on to avoid paying too much for something. The bills commonly used are in 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, and 500,000 denotations. You will find that you have a ton of buying power in Vietnam, especially as an American. For example, the Grab Bike I ordered at home Saturday night lasted around 27 minutes and cost me about $1.50 USD!

4—Do not drink any water other than tap water to avoid the chance of getting sick. It is simply not worth the small price of buying water bottles.

5– When crossing the road, you should raise your hand to signal your crossing and walk consistently and predictably to the other side to allow motorists to go around you. It is to be mentioned that everyone drives on the right side of the road and that the steering wheel is on the left side (for the few cars and trucks that are on the roads there). You will also notice that traffic lights have countdown timers to tell drivers when the light will turn green or red which is also super cool.

6—Take advantage of all the remarkable areas and sites to see. There is a lot to learn about Saigon’s history. I recommend going on a food tour, but you can easily find some good options by walking around. One of the places I wish I went to, but did not quite get to was the War Remnents Museum, located in District 3. Also, bargaining is quite common in Ho Chi Minh, which means you can negotiate with sellers to get a better deals!

Saigon Food Tour

On Saturday evening, after checking into my hotel and exploring the area a bit, I got picked up by my tour guide on a motorbike. After a brief safety introduction, we were off! This was my first time on a motorized two-wheel vehicle, and it was awesome. Although I was a bit nervous getting on, I was confident that that my tour guide would be a good driver. For a bit of perspective, driving in Ho Chi Minh can be simply described as orderly and chaotic. Although there are lane markings on most roads, they are often faint and not heavily followed by drivers. Sometimes I think of the traffic here as just a big game of Mario Kart.

In Ho Chi Minh City, about 80% of the vehicles on the road are motorcycles, making them the dominant mode of transportation in the city. This is supported by the fact that public transit is not hugely developed. Most recently, the city opened its first metro line just three short months ago. The ride to the first food venue took about 30 minutes. My hotel was located in the Phu Thanh District. I remember when I first was looking at places to visit and I saw Ho Chi Minh City and immediately thought of the Hunger Games movies because of the way they name their towns (or districts). Many of the districts in Ho Chi Minh are named by number and further separated by “wards.” I have attached a general map that shows all the districts (the map would be a little messy with all the wards, so those are not included). Also, the airport is in the Tan Binh district.

We got to enjoy a delicious soup dish once we got to the first location. It was similar to Pho and tasted really good. We spent some time here before heading to our second location. One highlight of the tour that I remember was when I was chosen to smash open a whole bunch of tortilla-like chips. It was an awesome snack and there was even leftovers the tour guide let me take home! We also tried a cool juice and some other small dishes. The Vietnamese sandwiches are definitely a fan favorite of mine. Maybe not the chili that was in mine though since my tolerance for spice is somewhat low. The tour lasted over three hours although it felt a lot shorter than that!

One interesting fact they told us about is the richer people tend to be on the lower floors because that is where the shops are located. On top of that, many Vietnamese accommodations have ramps in the middle of their staircases to allow cycles to ride up and down them quickly (see the last photo below). That is most certainly something I would not do without years of biking practice. Continuing on, we also visited a market area that was full of flower vendors! I have never seen so many flowers in street markets in my life! Furthermore, we learned about an entrance that they open at 3 am for some special ritual. It was only at 3 am they did the ritual because that was the middle of the night with the least amount of people active. Despite this, Ho Chi Minh is active all night in some regards. One street vendor we visited on the tour was open 24/7, which is quite impressive!

Content Warning) (next paragraph)

During the last part of the tour, we saw a statue of Thích Quảng Đức, a famous Buddhist who protested the government prosecution of other Buddiasts in 1963 by setting himself on fire. The burning lasts for over 10 minutes and occured in the middle of a busy intersection. Countless people came to watch it, and it is a very historical event in Saigon. I had never heard of this event before the tour, so it was interesting to hear about it. This was the last part of the tour too. This location is a place where ongoers can stop to light a candle and pray. The tour guide even showed us a video of the event unfolding as well.

Vietnam Cu Chi Tunnels Tour

On Sunday, I explored the Cu Chi tunnels with a tour group. The drive there was under an hour and a half, but it was worth it. I was constantly looking out the window at all the businesses and buildings in Ho Chi Minh. It is a vast city and very different from Singapore. On our way there, we took a half an hour stop at a place where they paint and do incredible artwork. There were many historical roots to the work, but I bought a lovely flower vase that would go well at my home in the States. After our stop, we continued to the site, where we saw different military vehicles and explored the tunnels. Our tour guide also let us try the raw potatoes the soldiers used as food (in addition to the peanuts, you can dip the potatoes in as an added source of protein). For some reason, I liked the potatoes. Take that with a grain of salt, though, since that was my first time trying it. I can only imagine consuming this food for months or years on end. We also saw some traps set up during the war that had lethal consequences for anyone who encountered them. I have included a short video clip of one of them as well. Although the turf grass is easy to see in the video, someone could easily hide the trip in the war with no chance to escape for the opposing side once one steps on the trapdoor. This was only one of the many deadly traps we learned about that was used in the Vietnam War.

We walked through numerous tunnels when we were there. The tunnel networks covered about 400km in distance and were crucial component in the Vietnam War. We learned that the South Vietnamese and the U.S. soldiers often used German Shepherds to pick up the scent of the tunnel’s whereabouts. To stop this, the Viet Cong army often used scents like chili to prevent the dogs from tracking where the tunnels were. However, this usually led to the dogs sneezing, which raised clues on where the tunnels were for the U.S. and Southern Vietnamese soldiers. The actual experience crawling or squatting through the tunnels was one of a kind. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to do this for long periods of time, especially with enemies close by. It must have been such a scary experience for all the soldiers. Also, getting into the tunnels was a bit of a challenge. See below for the video clip of me attempting to do it. I should have tried to balance more leaves on top of the lid (oh well!)

Other Takeaways of Ho Chi Minh City

Although I am not a huge history nerd, I did learn more about the Vietnamese government by walking around and listening to the tour guides. The Vietnamese government today is a one party state led by the Communist Party of Vietnam. One thing that is very prevalent in many of the districts is the unarmed security guards stationed around the city. They never appear to do much, but I see them everywhere, which is bizarre. I also saw many Vietnamese flags around the city, including my cup and napkins when I went to dinner on Saturday evening. That shows that the propaganda is there, and you will notice it just walking around Ho Chi Minh City. Another observation I have made is that many Districts lack sidewalks, which means you sometimes have to walk on the side of the road oftentimes. Also, there is a lack of development in many buildings and infrastructure in Vietnam. That being said, my hotel was small and only had four floors. Next time I book a trip like this, I will plan it better since I stayed at a very small and quite low-priced hotel. Although it was nice paying only 20 USD per night, I had some skepticism on the amenities including the ringing of a peculiar bell twice in one night (Saturday night). Could it be propaganda?! Perhaps I will never know.

Next time I visit Vietnam, I want to try a five-star hotel. Cities such as Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are well known for having the world’s cheapest five-star hotels, with options available for under USD 100 a night in some places. Also, as I briefly mentioned, I have noticed that the traffic lights here have countdowns, so you know exactly when the light will turn red and green. This makes it more imperative to not try to “make the light”, but it also makes planning easier (much less indecisive drivers). For example, knowing exactly when the light turned green allowed me to take my phone out to snap a picture while on the food tour without worrying about the light turning green by surprise. Another observation I have made is that people tend to park their motorbikes wherever is most convenient.

Most of the parking garages I have seen have been exclusively for motorbikes. They even accompany the entrances to supermarkets and convenience stores for motor bike drivers (such as the warehouse area where people parked to enter a supermarket I visited). Another thing I did that was super cool was I ordered a Grab Bike. As many of you may know, Grab is a popular food delivery and Rideshare service in Southeast Asia. I however, did not realize you could order a grab bike driver to drive you to your destination (similar to ordering an Uber). In short, you are given a helmet and can hand the driver your bag/purse if you have one. You then hop on the back, signal the driver that your ready, and then your off! It was a super cool ride home. I never knew motorcycles would be this much fun, and now I kind of want one. Oh well, it is too bad they are not as popular at home, but it is for the better.

Foodie Favorites (1)

What is trending on Colin’s favorite meals this week? Let’s take a look and see which dishes have made the roster!

Thanks for tuning into week 11. Soloing Ho Chi Minh City was quite an adventure! Stay tuned for next week, when I will try cooking a few Singaporean dishes and get the opportunity to compete in a 5k race! I can’t wait to see where else the 12th week takes me. Take care.

-Colin