Saigon is a massive city. Districts 1, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan, 3, 5, and 10 form the "core" of tall buildings and that you'd consider the city center, but the outer districts and suburbs even further out are sprawling. Take a motorbike through the outer districts like Thu Duc, Go Vap or D7 and you'll feel like it's another world.
I live in Binh Thanh right now, a very short drive away from D1. I am on a minimalist budget, but I spend roughly $600 per month, including my studio apartment (balcony, hot water, AC), eating a ton of extra meat with every meal, coffee or beer every day, monthly gym membership, etc.
It sucks you got sick. You would have enjoyed the city a lot more if you got out of the shitty Pham Ngu Lao/Bui Vien/De Tham area. I lived on Co Bac street two blocks south of Bui Vien for 6 weeks, and even there was infinitely better than that filthy, scammy shit hole. I highly recommend Nam Chau Guesthouse for those willing to make the 10 minute walk to the backpacker area. I had the place to myself for almost the entire time I stayed. You can get a pretty big room with a balcony for $240 per month or a small room with no balcony for $200. Rooms are extremely clean, it's run by a sweet family, and it's close to a lot of cheap food. I think nightly rates were about $9 for the small rooms when I left. Miles above Saigon Youth Hostel, where I stayed for the first week.
You shouldn't pay more than 10000 to 15000 for a can of beer (333 is the cheapest, Tiger beer is pretty good, Bia Saigon is ok). Just ask for a "ba ba ba" for the 333.
One thing I didn't see you mention that I encourage everyone to seek out, are the vast number of refreshing beverages available around the city -- not coffee, beer, or green tea.
sâm lạnh -I'm told it's made with Irish Moss, but I don't know exactly. Tastes very grass-y and refreshing.
nước mía - pressed sugarcane juice. Sweet as hell, but delicious.
mía lau - the descriptions sort of get lost in translation, but this is either another kind of sugarcane juice or it's made from a tree related to sugarcane. It's brown, not as sweet, and tastes completely different from nuoc mia.
I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but it's made with tree sap. A lot better than it sounds.
nha đam - aloe vera juice. My favorite.
thốt nốt - Vietnamese call it Cambodian coconut. I couldn't find out if it was from the actual fruit or the sap. It's really good, but I could only find these near the Cambodian border (surprise)
dừa - you see these everywhere - coconuts.
I might try to make a big post about Vietnamese food and drinks if anyone is interested. My biggest expense every month is food.
I live in Binh Thanh right now, a very short drive away from D1. I am on a minimalist budget, but I spend roughly $600 per month, including my studio apartment (balcony, hot water, AC), eating a ton of extra meat with every meal, coffee or beer every day, monthly gym membership, etc.
It sucks you got sick. You would have enjoyed the city a lot more if you got out of the shitty Pham Ngu Lao/Bui Vien/De Tham area. I lived on Co Bac street two blocks south of Bui Vien for 6 weeks, and even there was infinitely better than that filthy, scammy shit hole. I highly recommend Nam Chau Guesthouse for those willing to make the 10 minute walk to the backpacker area. I had the place to myself for almost the entire time I stayed. You can get a pretty big room with a balcony for $240 per month or a small room with no balcony for $200. Rooms are extremely clean, it's run by a sweet family, and it's close to a lot of cheap food. I think nightly rates were about $9 for the small rooms when I left. Miles above Saigon Youth Hostel, where I stayed for the first week.
You shouldn't pay more than 10000 to 15000 for a can of beer (333 is the cheapest, Tiger beer is pretty good, Bia Saigon is ok). Just ask for a "ba ba ba" for the 333.
One thing I didn't see you mention that I encourage everyone to seek out, are the vast number of refreshing beverages available around the city -- not coffee, beer, or green tea.
sâm lạnh -I'm told it's made with Irish Moss, but I don't know exactly. Tastes very grass-y and refreshing.
nước mía - pressed sugarcane juice. Sweet as hell, but delicious.
mía lau - the descriptions sort of get lost in translation, but this is either another kind of sugarcane juice or it's made from a tree related to sugarcane. It's brown, not as sweet, and tastes completely different from nuoc mia.
I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but it's made with tree sap. A lot better than it sounds.
nha đam - aloe vera juice. My favorite.
thốt nốt - Vietnamese call it Cambodian coconut. I couldn't find out if it was from the actual fruit or the sap. It's really good, but I could only find these near the Cambodian border (surprise)
dừa - you see these everywhere - coconuts.
I might try to make a big post about Vietnamese food and drinks if anyone is interested. My biggest expense every month is food.
Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.