Tokyo/Vietnam July 2011 - Thai Air Asia 3721 Economy Class (SGN - BKK)

***This post is part 21 of a full trip report. The index can be found here***

When I was booking this positioning flight from Saigon to Bangkok, I had to chuckle a little when I realized I was going to travel on perhaps the lowest of the ultra-low cost carriers in order to catch a flight on one of the best first class offerings in the world. Slightly ironic I suppose :)

I arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) via taxi early in the morning for the 9:45 AM departure. Lines at the Air Asia counter were already fairly long, with mostly Western backpackers ahead of me. One of the pains of dealing with ultra-low cost carriers are the endless add-on fees that you end up paying if you don't plan ahead. Literally everything costs extra aside from your actual seat on the plane. Unfortunately, a few ladies in front of me didn't realize this and had to pay an arm and a leg to get their multiple bags checked in. Things got fairly ugly as their conversation with the agent became heated and the agent proceeded to direct them to another counter and started to completely ignore them.

Fortunately I didn't have any issues as I prepaid for my checked bag online and it was far below the weight limit. Customs was a bit of a pain since I seem to always choose the line with the grumpiest officer. He gave a bunch of rowdy students in front of me a hard time, but luckily I was spared any questioning. Security was a breeze and soon I was at the gate waiting for our A320.

Thai Air Asia 3721

Airbus A320-200
Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) - Bangkok (BKK)
Monday July 18, 2011
Departure: 9:45 AM (scheduled)

Arrival: 11:10 AM (scheduled)

Duration: 1h 25m (scheduled)
Seat: 25D (Economy)

Boarding was actually fairly orderly, with row numbers called and most people lining up. Once on the plane, I think most male passengers' attention immediately turned to the young female flight attendants, or shall I say flying models. It's hard not to laugh at the absurdity of it all because it's quite blatant that every single one of them were selected mainly for their appearance. If this were in the United States, I think Air Asia would probably be facing a massive class action lawsuit from flight attendants who were fired the moment they turned 30, or from those who weren't even considered for the job because of how they looked.

The seats were comfortable, pitch was bearable for the short flight, and service was quick and efficient. I didn't bother ordering any food or drinks since I would be eating at the lounge when I arrived in Bangkok. But their menu was kind of comical as it was hawking all sorts of interesting stuff, from instant ramen to candy bars to t-shirts and hats. One other thing I noticed about Air Asia was the massive amounts of advertisements plastered all over the interior of the plane. This was literally a flying billboard in the sky. The funny thing was that all the advertisements were for Air Asia itself, specifically it's travel insurance add-on and it's new hotel and vacation booking features online.

Advertisements galore

Other than that, this was an extremely uneventful flight. Landing into Suvarnabhumi was a bit rough, but nothing out of the ordinary. Flying with ultra-low cost carriers always makes me smile, not because they're particularly pleasant, but because of how ridiculously hilarious some of the situations their business model can lead to. It's definitely a different breed of air travel, but with the proper caution and preparation, it can definitely be a very cheap and entertaining way to fly. With Air Asia checked off my list, I'll have to move on to RyanAir soon... I've heard great things about them ;)

Arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Tokyo/Vietnam July 2011 - Exploring Ho Chi Minh City

***This post is part 20 of a full trip report. The index can be found here***

In many ways, Saigon's relationship with Hanoi reminds me somewhat of that between Shanghai and Beijing. If Hanoi is the uptight, staid elder statesman, then Saigon is his rebellious and seductive mistress out on the prowl. Saigon exudes confidence, from the towering new skyscrapers to the mega-malls filled with teenagers to grandmas all decked out in the latest fashion. Granted, this is a city of more than 7 million people, and perhaps a vast majority of them still live within meager means, but there is the sense that Saigon is at the tip of the modernity spear in Vietnam, and despite the clampdown and torment it endured after the war, there was always an impatient population bubbling just beneath the surface.

Saigon is a thoroughly modern metropolis... chaotic, cosmopolitan, and full of charisma. This is especially true in District 1, located around the city center, where the bulk of the business, tourist, and shopping areas all converge. I would definitely recommend staying at a hotel in this vicinity so major tourist spots are within walking distance. Some of the more well-known sights in Saigon include the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum. The Reunification Palace (formerly the seat of government for South Vietnam during the war) is definitely worth a visit, since it has been meticulously maintained and almost appears to be suspended in time.

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica

Saigon Central Post Office (designed by Gustave Eiffel)

Reunification Palace

Cabinet Meeting Room

War Remnants Museum (aka American Military Equipment Museum)

One interesting thing I noticed about Saigon was that cars actually obeyed the signal lights (for the most part at least), whereas in Hanoi, a red light and a green light might as well have been the same color. Also, the wide, tree-lined streets and French colonial architecture provided a generally more pleasant atmosphere, at least in District 1.

Streets of Saigon

Of course, many people also take day trips (or longer) to experience life on the Mekong Delta, or see the Cu Chi Tunnels built by the Viet Cong. We had 3 full days in Saigon, and 2 were taken up by visiting sights in the city, so with one full day left, we decided to do the Mekong Delta day trip with Saigon River Express. This was booked directly with our hotel, and consisted of a fun speedboat ride to and from the delta area. For a day trip, this was an incredibly worthwhile tour, stopping at a Buddhist pagoda, a bustling and vibrant market, a small village on the delta, lunch at a local orphanage, and an interesting look at a Cao Dai temple. This was definitely one of the highlights of the entire trip.

Building boom along Saigon River

Riverfront shanty towns

Everything is transported by water here...

... and I mean everything

Local market

I think the pig is smiling

One of the smaller tributaries along the delta

Delicious fish for lunch (cool presentation too)

Cai Dao Temple

One of the more interesting (and colorful) religions I've come across, combining the powers of Buddha, Jesus, Confucius, Laozi, etc.

There is plenty of nightlife in Saigon, and some of the bars and clubs there reminded me of the large venues I've visited in Los Angeles or New York. Plenty of pricey drinks, bottle service, reserved booths, and other status symbols for sale if that's your cup of tea. And I must say, the younger Vietnamese sure know how to dress these days... I felt like a slob in the club compared to most of them!

Saigon is definitely a city I'd like to visit again someday. In another decade or two, it may be well on it's way towards becoming the next Shanghai.

Tokyo/Vietnam July 2011 - InterContinental Asiana Saigon

***This post is part 19 of a full trip report. The index can be found here***

Let's start by saying I had fairly high expectations for the InterContinental Asiana Saigon. Virtually every review I read about this hotel had high praise for it, and it's ranked #2 on TripAdvisor for hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, right behind the Park Hyatt Saigon... not too shabby.

I compared a number of different booking sites trying to weigh my options when planning this 3-night stay. There were a couple of different factors at play here, first of which was cost, of course. Being a Priority Club Platinum member, I logically reasoned that I should book directly with the hotel so I could earn points on the stay, though I also had enough points to book a "points + cash" stay. But if I did that, they probably wouldn't honor any status benefits... although there wouldn't be any status benefits anyways since I'm not even an InterContinental Ambassador. Then to make things even more complicated, I had just received an email offering me an Ambassador challenge... I only had to stay 3 qualifying nights at any InterContinental Hotel within the next 3 months, and I would earn Ambassador status. Man was I in a pickle.

Ultimately, I narrowed my choices down to 2 options: book the best available rate directly with the hotel (which was close to $200/night) and earn both points and Ambassador status, or book the Friends & Family rate (which was the cheapest anywhere at $140/night) and not receive any points nor Ambassador status since it wouldn't be a qualifying stay. It was a tough choice, but I finally went with the cheap rate since I didn't feel like it was fair to put the extra cost burden on my friend (nor did I want to pick up the cost difference myself). Either way, I didn't expect to receive any benefits with my lowly Priority Club Platinum.

Wow, was I wrong on just about every front!

We arrived at the InterContinental Asiana Saigon by taxi, and I was immediately impressed with the service. There was a gentleman in traditional Vietnamese garb who opened the door for us, then several bellmen took our luggage and directed us to the front entrance, where a well-dressed woman opened the doors for us. It certainly felt excessive for me, but in a very good way. I was still in my local hotel do-it-yourself mode I guess. The lobby was beautiful, extremely modern and very personal, but not really grand in any way... though I preferred this to a grand, opulent entrance I must say. We were directed to the check-in counter and I was helped by a friendly gentleman. After taking my information, he called up another woman and told us to follow her. I was confused.

So follow her we did, up to the 14th floor, then down a corridor and finally into our room. When I looked in, I realized we had been upgraded one category to a deluxe corner room with beautiful views of the city. Then I also realized we were completing the check-in process inside our room... and not only that, I had been given most of the Ambassador benefits as well, including free breakfast or internet (I chose internet, which I later regretted), fresh fruit at arrival, 2 pieces of complimentary laundry per day, and also late check-out. I was blown away, having expected none of this at all. It was definitely a great way to start the stay! The only thing I was slightly bummed over was not being able to try the club lounge, which I've read great things about.

The room itself was very nice, with spectacular views of the city and the Notre Dame Basilica two blocks away. The bed was probably the most comfortable out of all the hotels I stayed at on this trip. There was an efficient work area, large flat-screen TV, and a very spacious bathroom with a large soaking tub and separate shower.

Everyone at this hotel was very friendly and welcoming, and service was top notch. I used the concierge desk a number of times to set up tours to the Mekong Delta and for other recommendations, and the lady could not have been any nicer or more helpful. Unfortunately, we didn't get to try the restaurant since there were so many places to eat in Saigon... but I definitely regretted not choosing the free breakfast earlier. The place was packed all day, so I assume the food there must have been pretty good.

I also tried out the gym and pool, which were decent, but not as nice as the Sheraton Nha Trang. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the pool, but it was interesting in that it's elevated, and two of the sides are made of clear glass... so you can see everyone swimming in full view. That definitely made me feel a little self-conscious while doing laps :)

I must say the InterContinental Asiana Saigon was an absolutely spectacular hotel, from the front door service to the check-in process to the concierge to the beautiful room to the super-convenient location (walkable to all the major tourist sites in Saigon), everything was virtually perfect. I can't recommend this hotel highly enough.

View from the room

And as if all that weren't enough, I have a small postscript to add. About 2 weeks after I had returned from my trip, I was randomly checking my Priority Club account, and I literally shrieked like a little girl. I noticed that I had achieved Ambassador status with InterContinental! So not only did I book the cheapest Friends & Family rate, but apparently it also qualified me for the Ambassador challenge! I was definitely not expecting this at all especially since I had called in prior to booking, and it was confirmed to me that the F&F rate would not qualify for the Ambassador challenge. I guess the InterContinental Asiana Saigon is just full of surprises! :)