We recently needed to make an urgent weekend trip to Ho Chi Minh City. As we did not want to use too much cash during this trip, we did some intense calculations to find a way to minimise our spending. In the end, we managed to redeem some KrisFlyer miles for our return trip and further redeem a complimentary hotel stay.
We redeemed Singapore Airlines business class tickets from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City for our flights. For our return journey, we redeemed Singapore Airlines economy class tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore. The total cost of our return air tickets is as follows:
SQ178 (Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City): 48,000 KrisFlyer miles + S$130.40
SQ185 (Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore): 27,000 KrisFlyer miles + S$58.17 (VND1,092,000)
For our one-night accommodation, we used the complimentary hotel stay we have from American Express. As a holder of the Amex KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card, we have a complimentary hotel stay at selected Hilton properties in Asia Pacific annually. Since this was a last-minute trip and we know how tough it can be to book a property in Singapore, we booked a stay at the newly-opened Hilton Saigon! The total cost for our hotel stay at Hilton Saigon is as follows:
One-night stay at Hilton Saigon’s King Guest Room: S$0.00
We were ultimately pleased with this massive savings. Join us as we embark on a 36-hour trip to run some errands!
Saturday
8.00 am:
We arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 2. After checking in our luggage, we headed straight to the lounge as we were starving. We all know how beautiful the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge at Terminal 3 is. We have been there quite a few times and always loved the window seats at the end of the lounge.
However, as we were catching a morning flight today and the flight time was 9.45 am, we really did not want to rush about and risk missing our flight. Therefore, we headed to the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class Lounge at Terminal 2 instead.
While it is ascetically not as pleasing as the lounge at terminal 3, this lounge definitely did its job right. It has all the essentials one might need in a Business Class lounge. For us, we were all about the food since we were starving. Similarly, the food options are not as plentiful as the one in terminal 3, but they were not lacking. There was an assortment of dim sum, a live noodle station, fresh fruits, pastries, and other Western breakfast options. The famous laksa is DIY here, so it is an added benefit to relax at the Terminal 2 lounge instead. You can decide what ingredients to put into your laksa bowl before filling it with the delicious broth. We had multiple servings of this delicious bowl of laksa.
We also had the stomach to enjoy some dim sum, a semi-American breakfast, and noodles. Thereafter, we could relax just a little and have some well-needed caffeine. Admittedly, since this lounge had no aeroplane view, we headed out after breakfast. All in all, a good start to our weekend!
9.45 am (SQ178 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City):
Boarding was uneventful; as usual, we were among the last few to board the plane. In fact, we received a call that the flight was leaving soon. After hanging up, we rushed down as quickly as we could to the boarding gate! Our plane for this journey was an A350-900, and it was meant for long-haul travel, as seen from their long-haul business class seats. We were grateful for this plane as this meant we had a more spacious seat and did not need to face any awkward sleeping arrangements since this was just a 2-hour flight. Yay!
One of the perks (cost) of travelling as a couple is to snag the middle seats. This means you do not need to look out the windows to catch some fantastic views of the cities below. You also do not need to cloud surf as you watch the plane fly through clouds. And so, we do not have too many runway views. Nevertheless, I enjoyed what I managed to snap after all!
Breakfast was soon prepared, and I already knew what would be served. I “Book the Cook” before the flight and ordered a Singapore Style Fried Carrot Cake. I usually order the satays, but I wanted to try something different this time. I was happy I did, as Singapore Airlines was really generous with the amount of prawns in the dish. I totally enjoyed the second breakfast I had for the day. Besides the main dish, I also downed a muffin, a bowl of fresh fruits, and a cup of yoghurt and washed it all down with a cup of coffee. It is safe to say that I was completely stuffed by this point. Kudos to Singapore Airlines for two delicious breakfasts!
She also “Book the Cook” and chose a meatless option. She picked the Nasu Dengaku, which, according to the Singapore Airlines website, is a Japanese-style eggplant with miso glaze and is baked in the oven. It is served with vegetables and flavoured rice. Although she usually prefers eating animal protein, she enjoyed this meatless meal. She found the meal flavourful and did not feel like something was missing. It was a complete and well-balanced dish. She also enjoyed a yummy bowl of fresh fruits as part of the breakfast service.
11.05 am (local time):
We touched down ahead of schedule and headed straight for the immigration counters. As we travel to Ho Chi Minh City quite often, we know how busy the airport is. For those who might not know, immigration at Tan Son Nhat International Airport can take up to 1 or 2 hours. I always brought a book to pass the time while queuing up. Thanks to Klook, I learned about the immigration fast-track service that allows travellers to skip the queues and join a much shorter line. This easily shaved off 1.5 hours of pure waiting time.
This time, we similarly bought the immigration fast-track service from Klook ahead of time. This helped us skip the queues and enjoy the city sooner. The total time spent from disembarking from the plane to collecting our luggage took less than 15 minutes! This is truly a lifesaver for those travelling to Ho Chi Minh City. Find out more about this fast-track service here!
Klook Fast Track Service: S$80.60 (S$40.30 per person)
Click the widget below to bring you directly to Klook and book the fast-track service immediately! Hot tip: Klook offers fast-track services for both departure and arrival! If you are in a hurry to enjoy your lounge or shop for duty-free products when leaving Ho Chi Minh City, make sure you book this service as well!
11.15 am:
We cleared immigration and booked a Grab to head to our hotel. Thankfully, the traffic was not too bad, and we arrived in around 40 minutes.
Airport transfer via Grab: VND144,560 (S$7.86)
12.10 pm:
We arrived at the beautiful Hilton Saigon and quickly took the elevator to the check-in counters. After travelling for half a day, we decided to rest for a little while. After taking all the necessary room photos, we headed back out. Check this out for our hotel review of the lovely Hilton Saigon King Guest room!
1.30 pm:
We arrived at Binh Tailor to make a suit. We had an event coming up, and I needed a suit quickly. After checking all the prices back home in Singapore, I could not justify making or buying one. After doing some intense research on Google and checking out reviews on various social media channels, we decided on Binh Tailor.
While Binh Tailor usually requires around 48 hours to make a suit for you, there is an alternative if you do not have time. They can guide you through the process via FaceTime as they instruct you on taking the various measurements. I did a first-round measurement back home. However, we later decided that since we were not too rushed for time, I could do a second and proper measurement at Binh Tailor. Thankfully, the tailor mentioned we were not too far off from the original measurement. This is also why a second measurement is beneficial: it allows you to make a really fitting suit.
One thing I love about Binh Tailor is how you can tell them your budget, and they will advise you on the clothes that can be chosen. For example, they will let you know which materials you can choose for a VND1.4 million suit, a VND2 million suit, and so on. The last figure I heard was for a VND7 million suit. I simply asked for a VND1.4 million suit, the cheapest available, and he showed me the different materials. I love how simple and transparent the whole process was. I also wanted to make a white shirt, and the process was similar. They will let you know the different price points, and you can choose the material you want from the price point you choose.
It took all of 15 minutes to do the measurements and confirm the materials again. After that, we were on our way to our next destination!
Website: https://binhtailor.com.vn/
Information: https://g.co/kgs/2id3eu8
2.00 pm:
We next headed to Bridetobe, a bridal shop in District 10. My partner actually made all the measurements on her own beforehand. She did all the relevant research, checked the reviews, and decided on this shop. She made arrangements with the store and did the measurements on her own with assistance from the store. Similar to how I did it, she worked with the store using FaceTime. When we arrived at the store, it was only to try out the gown. As it turned out, it was perfect! We were truly thankful for the expert tailors in Vietnam!
Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/bridetobe.vn/?hl=en
Information: https://g.co/kgs/HThJVVQ
2.30 pm:
After about 30 minutes, we were done. As the gown was brand new and we did not want to carry it around, we booked a Grab back to the hotel to drop our things first before heading to a late lunch!
3.30 pm:
We arrived at Bún Mắm Miền Tây for a local lunch! The dish, known as Bún Mắm, is a seafood noodle dish packed with so many ingredients, with squid, prawns, seafood cake, pork belly, and boiled vegetables all served. I love that the broth tastes a little sweet yet savoury at the same time. It was extremely flavourful. The seafood was very fresh, with the squid so springy. For pork lovers, you should enjoy the pork belly soaked in all the broth's richness. Vietnamese food connoisseurs will love the vegetables and lime. Squeeze some in the broth or mix it with soy sauce and chilli. However you decide, you will be in for a treat! This was a fantastic dish for our first Ho Chi Minh City meal!
Lunch: VND140,000 (cash)
Information: https://g.co/kgs/4N8XhiF
4.10 pm:
After lunch, we were, of course, craving a delicious cup of coffee. To the Cafe Apartments! It is famous and well-known for its many cafes in one building. We headed straight to the building for some well-needed caffeine.
Over at Cafe Apartments, there is one working lift that brings you to the top. The alternative is to climb the stairs to explore all the different stores. The elevator costs VND3,000 per person, and most people choose this option.
We decided to head to Po Cafe, located on level 8. We had Vietnamese salt coffee and egg coffee. We are happy to report that we loved both drinks. The ambience in the cafe was also relaxing and welcoming. We love the colour decor and how we could just chill the afternoon away sipping Vietnamese coffee. Highly recommended! Check out this Facebook to find out more about Po Cafe! Make sure you head down for a cup of coffee the next time you are in Ho Chi Minh City!
After coffee, we headed down for a stroll around the area. There were dark clouds, and for a moment, it seemed like it would rain. We decided to hop onto a Grab to do some indoor activities.
Lift: VND 6,000 (VND3,000 per person) (cash)
Po Cafe: VND104,000 (cash)
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pocafemuoinguyenhue
5.30 pm:
We arrived at Maria Nail & Spa, our preferred massage place in Ho Chi Minh City. We usually come here for a massage whenever we are in Saigon. We love how clean it is and how close to the city centre it is as well. We also love how customers are informed there is a mandatory tip included as part of the cost, so everything is done transparently.
Massage: VND700,400 (cash)
Website: https://marianailhouse.com/
Information: https://maps.app.goo.gl/VVmDgAyYefLpnUCm9
After our massage, we wandered around and chanced upon a Shopee food festival where all sorts of food were sold. It was packed, and many locals enjoyed buying and eating the different types of food. We could not resist ourselves and joined them as well. We just had a simple snail dish, and it was delicious. However, for those who are hungry, you should definitely have your dinner here as we saw many types of street food sold. The locals also had a great time enjoying their dinner here.
Shopee Food Festival food: VND60,000 (cash)
As it was near Saigon Centre, which has a large Annam Gourmet supermarket in the basement, we made our way there. It was important to buy some essentials in Ho Chi Minh City! Afterwards, we headed to the Watsons at Bitexco Financial Tower to buy more essentials back home! After all our shopping, we returned to the hotel to drop off our loot and rest for a while.
Annam Gourmet: VND418,000 (S$22.70)
Watsons: VND1,193,000 (S$64.81)
9.30 pm:
After resting for a while, it was time for a late dinner. We are still going local; this time, we headed to Cơm Tấm Cubo for a nice plate of Cơm Tấm. For the uninitiated, Cơm Tấm is a staple food in Vietnam, which usually comprises rice and pork. While there is chicken Cơm Tấm, the protein of choice is usually pork. Depending on where you get your Cơm Tấm, the dish comprises freshly cooked white rice, a huge piece of marinated pork cooked to perfection, a delicious sunny side up, assorted vegetables, and some fish sauce on the side. For those who request, you get a whole saucer worth of pork lard.
This is an incredibly delicious dish that is highly addictive. The best part is that Cơm Tấm is widely served throughout Vietnam. Of course, the taste differs from stall to stall, restaurant to restaurant. For us though, we love the version served up by this stall. Make sure you head here for a delicious plate of Com Tam!
Dinner: VND145,000 (cash)
Information: https://g.co/kgs/FhxfzrU
10.00 pm:
As it was our only night in Saigon, we did not want to waste it heading back to the hotel. To Starbucks it is! We went to one of the most popular branches in the city, at Starbucks New World. It is large and crowded, with many locals hanging out here on a Saturday night. We bought our drinks and headed to the second floor for a relaxing time. We also got some light bites to enjoy Saturday the right way!
Starbucks: VND295,000 (S$16.02)
11.30 pm:
Believe it or not, but we wanted to take a stroll after a whole day of eating, so we decided to walk back to Hilton Saigon. It was not particularly far, with Google Maps saying it should take approximately 25 minutes to walk there. Add in a more leisurely pace, and we had fun checking out the city at night. After arriving at the hotel around 11.30 pm, it was time to shower and rest!
Sunday
9.00 am:
Rise and shine! It is a beautiful Sunday morning and there is no time to waste. Head straight to the shower!
9.55 am:
We arrived at Bò Né Thanh Tuyền for the best breakfast in the city. Bò Né is a hot plate beef dish that is served with baguette. A Vietnamese dish that comprises freshly cooked beef slices, fried egg, and pate, you mix it up with onions, tomato slices, and lettuce. When the food arrives, you tear up the baguette and dip it into the gravy. In between pieces of the baguette, you scoop up the beef slices and pate or mix it up with the baguette and eat it all in one go. This place is one of the best versions in the city. Until today, I dream about returning to this eatery for another meal of Bò Né. Check out the various TripAdvisor reviews of this place, and you know it is the real deal. Be there or be square!
When you are there in the morning, be prepared to queue. However, the line moves fast as people usually do not hang around after eating. The staff are also experts in cooking up the dishes quickly. As a result, you should not need to wait long to get your breakfast. For those wondering, yes, they have an English menu. Fret not! One more thing though. They are only open in the mornings between 6.00 am and 11.00 am. Hence, night owls need not come. Or, get a good night’s rest and start a new healthy habit!
Breakfast: VND119,000 (cash)
Information: https://g.co/kgs/9ns1vWw
10.30 am:
What’s breakfast if a cup of coffee does not accompany it? For our final morning in Ho Chi Minh City, we decided on a famous coffee chain: Phuc Long. It is a local favourite and serves up your usual suspects. We ordered our coffee and relaxed and people-watched on a Sunday morning.
Phuc Long: VND135,000 (S$7.33)
Brand website: https://phuclong.com.vn/
11.15 am:
By now, you should realise our travelling style and how we like to break things up daily. This means we are heading back to the hotel for a shower and check out before continuing the rest of our day!
12.30 pm:
After enjoying our final shower in Ho Chi Minh City and checking out, we returned to Binh Tailor. I had a second fitting session with him, and unlike the previous day, we tried to be on time. We made sure to leave ample time so we did not need to rush. Of course, this means we had some spare time to kill, which we did at Phê-La. A local cafe with multiple branches throughout the country, we ordered their famous iced teas. It is a great place to relax and people-watch, especially at this branch next to Ben Thanh Market!
Phê-La: VND137,454 (S$7.46)
Brand website: https://phela.vn/
1.15 pm:
We arrived at Binh Tailor right on time at 1.15 pm. We had another quick session where the tailor put on the half-made suit for me for a second fitting. He did his magic, and he seemed delighted with the result. If he is happy, I am happy. As we were flying back that afternoon, he would deliver the completed suit to us by airmail. We just needed to pay for the shipping, which was an additional VND. He then passed us the hanger and garment bag for our safekeeping first. As if he was happy we were on time for our appointment, he gave us a complimentary tie! I was definitely very happy with the service at Binh Tailor! As usual, we were in and out of the store within 15 minutes!
1.30 pm:
At this time, we were still too full from breakfast and could not eat lunch just yet. We also just finished tea, and our tummies were full. What should we do next? Time for another massage, of course! We walked straight to Maria Nail & Spa for another pampering session.
Massage: VND669,500 (S$36.36)
2.45 pm:
After an hour of pampering, we were getting hungry. We decided to have a late lunch. Whenever we are in Ho Chi Minh City, we try to make it a point to have a meal at Pizza 4P’s at least once. The food is just so good, and the long queues at all its outlets during lunch and dinner tell you something.
Thankfully, because we were having lunch at such a strange time, we only had to wait for 5 minutes before we got a table. Yay!
We always get the crab spaghetti because my partner loves it. Besides that, we could choose any item on the menu. This time, we had the following:
Parma Ham Wrap with Organic Rocket and Ricotta Cheese
Grilled Squid with Mango Salsa, Guacamole and Herb Mayonnaise Sauce (seasonal)
Crab Tomato Cream Spaghetti with Ricotta Cheese
Pizza comprising of Salmon Sashimi with Onion Ricotta Cheese Sauce and Cha Ca (seasonal)
All the food came relatively quickly, and we wasted no time indulging in all the dishes. Even though most of the items we ordered contained cheese, it did not feel heavy or overbearing. I only realised how much cheese we ordered when I was writing this article. We loved the grilled squid and the freshness of the mango salsa and the guacamole. It was a perfect dish.
Of course, you cannot go wrong with the crab spaghetti so make sure you order that at Pizza 4P’s. Each time we are here, we usually try to order a new appetiser to share. As with the previous occasions, we enjoyed this appetiser we had. Simple and delicious! The pizza was unique and we also enjoyed it. The size was just right for two people, and we were full by the time we finished the pizza.
On previous occasions, we had the chance to try out other dishes, including the following:
Assorted House-made Cheese
Mozzarella Salmon Sushi
Fried Chicken with Oriental Spice and House-made Jalapeno
Burrata with Parma Ham & Mixed Tropical Fruits Salad
We can only say that every dish was delicious, and we always looked forward to the next visit!
Pizza 4P’s: VND928,800 (S$50.46)
Brand website: https://pizza4ps.com/
4.00 pm:
After such a sumptuous meal, we returned to Hilton Saigon to collect our luggage and head straight to the airport.
4.40 pm:
Thankfully, the traffic at this time was manageable, and we arrived at the airport in less than 40 minutes. Grateful!
Airport transfer via Grab: VND223,600 (S$12.15)
5.10 pm:
After arriving too early at the airport and realising the check-in counters were not yet open, we headed to Highlands Coffee for a cuppa.
Highlands Coffee: VND125,000 (cash)
Brand website: https://www.highlandscoffee.com.vn/en/coffee.html
6.20 pm:
Check-in went smoothly, and we made our way into the transit area. Quite frankly, this was the first time we were so early for a flight that we had no idea what else to do. We had our meal before arriving at the airport and our caffeine before checking in. We wandered around the shopping areas and plane-watched before going to another Highlands Coffee for yet another cup of coffee. We also took the opportunity to have some spring rolls. Because why not?
Evening snacks: US$7.50 (S$10.13)
Highlands Coffee: VND80,000 (S$4.35)
8.20 pm:
Of course, this was one of the rare occasions when our Singapore Airlines flight was delayed. There is nothing you can do except to wait. Thankfully, the delay was for only about an hour or so. We have successfully boarded the Boeing 787-10!
9.20 pm:
Dinner is served! I chose the Western option, while she got the Oriental option. Both tasted great, and we had no complaints. We loved the dessert, however, as it was a popular Vietnamese dessert. Flan can be found everywhere in Vietnam, and locals enjoy this dessert very much. Singapore Airlines did a great job with this dessert!
Midnight (Singapore time):
We finally touched down and went straight to the immigration counters. It was a tiring but absolutely enjoyable trip!
Total cost of the trip:
Flights: S$188.57
Klook Fast Track Service: S$80.60
Accommodation: S$0.00
Vietnam airport transfers: S$20.01
Daily Transport via Grab: S$31.18
Food: S$132.54 (inclusive of VND699,000 paid in cash)
Massages and attractions: S$73.54 (inclusive of VND706,400 paid in cash)
Shopping: S$87.51
Total: S$613.95
What would you do differently?
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