It's Cambodia's Water Festival, and that meant a week-long holiday for me. I decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City alone for a vacation.
I booked my ticket three days before my departure. I wanted to ride Giant Ibis, but when I went to the station to book, they told me their buses were already full. Since it was a week-long holiday, many were going out of Cambodia for a vacation. I was worried that I might not get a ticket, but thankfully when I went to Mekong Express, there was only one seat available.
I'd previously taken the Mekong Express, so I felt at ease. The bus attendant collected our passports minutes after our departure. She asked whether we needed or we had a visa for Vietnam. I felt sad for a guy because he didn’t have a visa, and he was asked to get off the bus. I wasn’t sure of his nationality, but it’s a reminder to always check if you need a visa or not to enter the country you are going.
We arrived in HCMC at around 4 pm. I already planned what to do. Before going to the hotel, I need to buy a sim card and exchange my money. We were dropped off in front of Lac Hong Tours. I was familiar with the place because I had been there before. They offer money exchange, so I was happy I didn’t need to find a bank. I decided to book my bus going back to Phnom Penh through them. Giant Ibis was full. Mekong Express was full! The lady recommended the Dhan Dhan bus. She said they have single seats. Great! I wanted to sit alone. She called the bus office, and she was told there was only one seat available. I was so glad that I wanted to cry. I paid my ticket for 12 dollars and went my way. I walked for a few minutes and found a shop selling sim cards. I bought one and used a Grab ride to go to the hotel. After checking in, I decided to go to Jollibee for dinner. It was superb. It reminded me of home.
After eating, I was conflicted about whether to go back to the hotel or visit some places. It was nighttime, and I was alone, and a bit scared, but I thought I could do it. Conquer the fear! I decided to go to Nguyen Hue Walking Street. Nguyen Hue Walking Street is one of the famous tourist areas in HCMC. You can stroll around and take pictures of the interesting sights or maybe visit a café or a restaurant. Accordingly, it is best to visit the place on the weekends.
After spending my time walking around and taking photos, I went to Boo Café on the famous No. 42 Café Apartment just next to Nguyen Hue Walking Street. The Café Apartment was once an abandoned building turned into a trendy place. There are a lot of shops and cafés you can visit. Each is unique from the others and Instagram-worthy!
I went to the night market after hanging around Boo Cafe. Not finding what I intended to buy, I decided to head back to my hotel. I checked Google Maps, and the hotel was just near the market, even though scared, I decided to walk. After walking through the alleys, I couldn’t find the hotel so I booked Grab Moto. It was a fun ride to the hotel.
The next day, I woke up early to grab breakfast at Little Hanoi Egg Coffee. It took me around 15 minutes to find it. Google Maps indicated that I was in the right place, but I couldn’t find it. After walking back and forth in the area, I felt stupid because it was just in front of me. The shop sign was small and almost hidden. You need to enter a small alley to get to it. I ordered their combo that day. It was an egg coffee and an avocado egg sandwich.
After eating, I headed for Bitexco Tower. I thought this was the most exciting part of my trip. I paid 200 000 VND(around $9) for the admission ticket. Bitexco Tower offers a panoramic view of HCMC. It was exciting to see the whole city and locate the famous tourist spots. From the sky deck, you can see the tourist spots like Ben Thanh Market, Independence Palace, etc.
My next destination was Jade Emperor Pagoda. Here are some photos.
I went to the Independence Palace after. It was close. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that it closes at 11:00 and opens at 1:00 pm. The good thing was there was a park nearby where I spent more than an hour waiting. Here are some photos.
Feeling hungry, I went to Cocodak for my late lunch.
It was a long yet fantastic day!
Traveling alone can be intimidating but also liberating. You will learn to navigate and deal with things on your own. You’ll discover more about yourself when you confront various situations while traveling. Solo travel is a form of self-discovery, self-development, and empowerment. Just keep in mind that when traveling alone, you must always be cautious and make wise decisions.
Thanks for Reading!
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