Solo travel: Saigon edition

My first experience as a solo traveler was better than I had hoped and expected. After suffering the biggest loss and heartbreak of my life, I had found it difficult to pack my bags and leave. But I did anyway and, I have to admit, it was exactly what I needed.

Eleven days isn't that long, but it was enough time for me to find out a few things about myself. Who knew that I would actually enjoy eating and drinking alone? That I would gladly spend an entire bus ride talking about life with someone whose name I didn’t even get to ask? That I wouldn't feel tired after walking around Saigon for five hours with a friend I had met in Phuket? That I wouldn't mind getting lost? That a simple hug would almost make me cry?

I had eleven days. Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon was my first stop. I wasn't really able to plan this trip properly because I had spent more than a month in the province and because of what had happened to my dad. I just knew that I wanted to go to Mekong Delta and to Cu Chi Tunnels.

Since I was staying at Eco Backpackers Hostel, I decided to look at the tours they were offering. I had nothing planned for my first night yet, so I booked the night/motorbike tour with Saigon Adventure. It is not cheap (VND 880,000 / around PHP 1,800), but definitely worth it. Hung and Ha were great guides. They were so fun to be with and very friendly. I felt welcome and we made a genuine connection. We went to some places I wouldn't have normally gone to, so that was great. We had several food stops, which I really enjoyed! If your budget isn't too tight, then you know what to do.

I also booked the Mekong Delta Day Tour through my hostel for only VND 210,000 / less than PHP 450. Make sure to bring a lot of change because there are quite a few stops and people will be asking for tips. I quite enjoyed it and got to meet a lot of new friends. And guess what? I actually tried a fried worm lol. Next time I'll probably book the Mekong Delta Overnight Tour, so I can try the homestay experience and visit the local floating market, which unfortunately isn't included in the Day Tour.

Cu Chi is a couple of hours away from the city centre. Entrance fee is only VND 110,000 / less than PHP 250 and the tour I booked VND 90,000 / less than PHP 200. Since the complex is now a tourist destination, visitors get the chance to go down the tunnels (our group did the longest route; if you're tall, it's gonna be harder for you.) and see how the Vietnamese made their weapons and used traps.

Staying around Bui Vien / backpackers' area is ideal because you can easily walk from there if you wanna visit The War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, HCMC Square, and Saigon River. A friend, whom I had met in Phuket, and I decided to tour the city on foot. It took us around five hours. Good thing it wasn't hot, so it was quite a pleasant afternoon.

If it weren't for the people I met, I would have probably found Saigon not too exciting a city. Unlike Siem Reap, which is home to hundreds of temples--meaning if you were to travel solo you wouldn't mind being alone since you'd be too busy admiring your surroundings, HCMC is more enjoyable in the company of others. By joining several tours and staying at a nice hostel, I was able to meet new friends. Except for a full day dedicated to cafe' hopping, I was never alone in Saigon. The rooftop of the hostel played a crucial part in making the trip more memorable. We'd buy cheap beer at the convenience store and go to the rooftop to enjoy the cool breeze and exchange stories about everything and anything. I even decided to skip sleep on my last night and stayed on the rooftop till 4am (my bus to Cambodia would leave at 6am).

Meeting new friends when you're solo traveling is not surprising and pretty much expected, but before leaving for Vietnam, I was seriously convinced and okay with the thought of being completely alone throughout my trip. I thought I'd have a hard time making friends because I don't seem too friendly and I can be quite an introvert (people who know me well don't believe it, but I can be pretty shy, okay?! lol). Well, I'm glad I was wrong.

Ever since I came back, I’ve been getting random messages from different people asking me about my solo travel experience. I’ve also met a few people who almost couldn’t believe it when I told them about it. For some, solo travelling isn’t that big of a deal anymore, but for others it still is. And if you really wanna know what it feels like, I say: DO IT. You won't regret it. You might find out it's not for you, but even then, you'd have an incredible time. 

I think it's pretty obvious that I had a great time solo travelling and I definitely plan to do it again! I'm already waiting for cheap tickets to Hanoi and/or Yangon. If you have suggestions on where I should go next or if you have questions, leave a comment below! :)