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 | Ho Chi Minh City Transportation | Tips 1 - 10 of 147 |  |
 | |  |  | Taxis: Affordable, Reliable, And Comfortable | Tip Rating:  |  |  | |  |
There are more taxicabs in Saigon than one can shake a stick at. Unless it is raining, there are plenty of cabs running around on the streets waiting to be hailed. However, the locals do not hail taxis from the street unless they do not have a cell phone at hand (and how often does that happen in Saigon?) The best way to get a taxi is ordering one from the companies of your choice. Our top choice is the blue and white Vinasun; our second choice is the yellow Vina Taxi, and our third choice? There is no third choice. Although there are over a dozen taxi companies in the city, my friends and relatives refuse to use anyone but the two afore mentioned companies. The reasons we prefer Vinasun and Vina Taxi over other companies are: 1- Vina Taxi (Tel: 8 11 11 11) is the very first taxi company in Saigon. It is owned by a Taiwanese company whose reputation of good service is sterling from day one. 2- Vinasun (Tel: 8 27 27 27) has the newest, cleanest, most quiet and comfortable cabs around. 3- Both companies have the most courteous drivers and the newest cars, the A/Cs work well and the dispatch time is quick. 4- Both companies’ cabs are suitable for four, five, and seven passengers, making it very convenient in all situations. Legitimate and licensed taxicabs are not a rare breed in Saigon, but you need to know how to distinguish them from the "taxi dù" or "taxi ma" if you are going to hail them from the streets. Look for the company's name on the side door, back door, seat covers, and dashboard. Look for the large meter installed at eye level above the dashboard. Look for the uniform-clad drivers. The meter in a legitimate cab always starts at VND 12,000 (US$0.75) for a four-passenger car and VND 15,000 for the larger vehicle. The increment is VND 3,000 for each km thereafter. Leave a Comment Theme: Other
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| | | | Cars and Drivers: Private Driver | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
There are many options available for travelling from Saigon to other parts of the country, but for a small group, a private driver is the best of them all. The cars being used for this option are mostly small vans. There is no need to hire a smaller car even if you don't need all the space since the rate is the same whether there are 4 passengers or 15. We hired a 15-passenger car for our group of nine people and paid VND 1M2 (US$75) for a two-day-and-one-night trip from Saigon to Vũng Tàu. The cost includes tolls, fuel, and parking; the drive is comfortable since the car is a newer model Mercedes. For the entire journey no matter the length, the car and driver are at your disposal, thus making it very convenient for people who do not want to deal with local transportation at the destination. The information below is direct contact number to Nguyễn Quốc Vũ, the driver we used, and whom I highly recommend. He drove very courteous, never used the horn, and his knowledge of the local history is impressive. After learning about my love of boats and fishing villages, Vũ made a few detours along the way to make sure I can shoot all the pictures that my heart desires. Vũ even tracked down a restaurant which one member of our group yearned to find but could recall neither the name nor the location. Since drivers only received a monthly salary of VND 800,000 (US$50) plus 10% of the fare, tips from passengers are the mainstay of their income. Note: There is no need to accept any restaurant or hotel recommended by drivers. The only reason drivers recommend certain establishments being their compensation received from those businesses. In driver-recommended hotels, the drivers stay free in very basic rooms sharing with other drivers. In driver-recommended restaurants, the drivers receive very simple meals without charge. If you desire to patron other establishments that do not give compensation to drivers, you should consider contributing to their needs for food and lodging. Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor HomePhone: +84 09 08 407 484
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Backpacking & travel from Saigon to Hanoi & vice versa is so convenient with Open Bus Tickets. These buses are mostly operated (should i say monopolized) by some big cafes & travel companies with extensive coverage in all touristy cities/towns. The advantage of Open Bus ticket is you're not bound by specific schedule & you can stay in a town or city as long as you want & confirming your next destination one day before you departure. Open Bus ticket valid for 1 year from the date of purchase. Leave a Comment Theme: Bus
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