Exploring Ho Chi Minh City: A Visitor’s Honest Experience and Tips

📢【Vietnamese Airport Adventure: Queuing to the Point of Doubt, Spending Until Your Wallet Closes Itself】🇻🇳✈️
Hey everyone! I just got back from Vietnam and can’t wait to share my experience! This trip truly made me understand the saying “time is money” in a very literal and painful way. 😭 (Check out the real-time photos of the airport and some US dollar-priced goods below)

⏰ **The Enchanting Vanishing Act of Three Hours**
I was all set for my 19:35 Cathay Pacific flight, arriving at the airport three hours early at 16:30. But little did I know, the adventure was just beginning…
✅ Check-in took 1 hour and 10 minutes: The counter staff moved at a snail’s pace, watching the conveyor belt as if it were performing an elaborate mechanical ballet.

🛃 Customs took 1.5 hours: The two lines felt like a scene from “Train to Busan,” with each small step forward feeling like a high-stakes game of Squid Game.
🔍 Security took 30 minutes: My belt and shoes were checked three times, making me wonder if “suspicious person” was tattooed on my forehead.
The final dash to the boarding gate was more embarrassing than a fangirl sprinting for the front row at a concert!

💸 **The Thousand-layered Trap of US Dollars**
After customs, I wanted to grab some souvenirs and stumbled upon a clever scheme:
✨ All products were clearly marked in US dollars!
✨ But at checkout, they insisted on giving change in Vietnamese Dong!
For example 🌰: A $3 bottle of water, paid with 100,000 VND (about $4.3 according to the real-time exchange rate).
The change directly absorbed a 30% exchange rate difference, a move that even Wall Street wolves would admire!

⚠️ Blood and Tears Experience Summary:
1️⃣ Arrive at Ho Chi Minh City airport 4 hours early as a basic precaution.
2️⃣ Prepare small change in US dollars (down to the cent if possible).
3️⃣ Turn and run if you see prices in US dollars.
4️⃣ Bring a folding stool and power bank for survival in the customs area.

💎 Truly Fragrant Guide:
1️⃣ Download Grab for transparent taxi fares.
2️⃣ Don’t hesitate to try street-side baguettes and coffee.
3️⃣ Must visit Hoi An for stunning night photography.
Finally, a split soul: My mouth is ranting wildly, while my photo album is desperately recommending! This is probably the magic of Vietnam~ If you’re heading there, take this guide and embrace the pain and joy!

Final soul-searching question: Is this a national-level efficiency art? Or a tourist survival game with full public participation? 🙃 Families heading to Vietnam, please take this guide to avoid my blood and tears history, okay!