South Vietnam is easy to navigate without getting lost.

Greetings to all my fellow review readers! Today, I'd like to share my solo travel experience in Vietnam. This country is a popular destination for first-time travelers, and I, as a novice myself, decided to follow in the footsteps of others who have documented their journeys there. While my photos may not be as impressive due to my limited experience and solo travel, I welcome any feedback you may have.

This time, we started our journey on October 24, 2017, at the end of last year. On the way there, we traveled by Thai Lion Air, flying at 5 am and arriving at almost 7 am. On the way back, we took Nok Air flight at 8:45 pm and arrived in Bangkok around 10 pm. The total price at that time was 3259 baht round trip. This price is good, but some people have seen better prices. Let's go fly!

We arrived at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. We were so sleepy that we forgot to take pictures of the airport atmosphere. Oops! I forgot to mention that you don't need to fill out an immigration form to enter Vietnam. It's very convenient. Just wait for your passport and then go out and buy a SIM card and exchange money at the airport. The SIM card here is great, with super fast internet for 150,000 dong. How much is that in our currency? Let's try to calculate it. We exchanged 150 dollars for Vietnamese dong. Oh, don't forget to exchange dollars in our country first. Thai baht cannot be exchanged here. It's very rare. And when we got out of the airport, the first destination we had to go to was Pham Ngu Lao Street! Getting there is not difficult. Just walk out of the airport and look across the street. You will see green buses waiting in line. The bus we need to take is number 152. Let's go! The fare is only 5,000 dong. Just tell the conductor "Pham Ngu Lao" and sit back and enjoy the ride.

If unsure, observe Western tourists and join forces. This experience will definitely require survival skills. Haha! Excitement all around!

Rumors were flying! The sights and sounds were overwhelming. The loud, extravagant honking was a shock, and the sheer number of people in the city was astounding. It seemed like everyone had mastered the art of levitation. Crossing the street here required serious skill. People would casually walk across the road with cars whizzing by just half a meter away, completely unfazed by the traffic. We were both excited and terrified, realizing we had to spend another three days in this chaotic city. We could barely breathe!

And finally, we arrived at our destination, the bustling transportation hub of the Snake Farm. Anyone traveling to other cities must purchase their bus tickets here.

The highly recommended company according to various reviews is here. We will buy tickets here to travel across the city by air-conditioned sleeper bus to our first destination of the day, Mui Ne. The journey takes approximately 4 hours with a stopover for lunch along the way. The ticket price is only 130,000 VND. Please note that the office of this air-conditioned bus company has two sides. The first side is as shown in the picture. We need to contact and inquire about the bus schedule to various destinations at this side and purchase tickets. After that, we will cross to the other side as shown in the picture.

We will cross the river to wait for the company van to take us to the passenger drop-off point outside the city, where we will board the sleeper bus with air conditioning.

The sleeper bus with air conditioning was surprisingly comfortable! It really added to the travel experience. At first, we thought it would be difficult, but now we're starting to understand and adjust. See you in Mui Ne!

We have arrived at our hotel in Mui Ne for the night. We booked two nights at the Mui Ne Hills Hotel through Booking.com for 800 baht. It's a great deal, especially considering the beautiful atmosphere. Some people have found even lower prices, but for this price and the ambiance, it's an excellent value. If you're visiting Mui Ne, I highly recommend this hotel. It's fantastic!

The hotel has a swimming pool. When we arrived in the afternoon, there weren't many people around. But as dusk fell, the place came alive. Where did all these people come from? Apparently, they have pool parties here. We didn't come on a party day, but we met some fellow travelers who were going on a desert tour the next morning. They were foreigners.

When visiting their area, you must try it.

The evening atmosphere here is quite romantic. It's a pity that I'm alone. It would be amazing if I had someone to share this with. Hehe.

A wide variety of souvenir shops are available, such as this one for wine lovers. The prices are a bit high, but I'd rather save my money for the hotel's beer promotion tonight.

Having come all this way, we decided to party hard, forgetting that we had to wake up at 3:30 am for our early morning desert tour to watch the sunrise.

As night fell, foreigners began to arrive to enjoy the water. We joined in the fun, of course. There was no way we were going to miss out on this opportunity. Boom! We ended the night with a view of the surrounding scenery. We'll head to the desert tomorrow.

The atmosphere during the shoot on the balcony of the room was amazing, with a cool breeze and stunning views.

The hotel recommended a desert tour package for us to choose from based on our preferences and suitability when we checked in. We opted for a half-day desert tour with a minibus that took us to a designated location where we joined a group of other tourists. Notably, we were the only Thai person in the group, surrounded by Westerners.

On the morning of the 25th, the tour began early in the morning. The minibus picked us up from the hotel to watch the sunrise at the White Sand Dunes. The total cost of the trip was 80,000 dong, which we paid upon arrival at the hotel.

The tour began in the early morning when the air was still cool. Upon reaching the desert, we opted to hike to the summit for photographs, as renting a vehicle was prohibitively expensive. Walking seemed the more sensible option.

The sky began to clear, revealing the landscape.

And we're looking for a good angle to take a picture, what are we waiting for?

Everyone started looking for a good spot to enjoy the sunrise view, but we couldn't see the sun at all.

Nearing the climax.

We watched the sunrise. Uh, where's the sun?

The sun has not yet risen.

Despite the absence of a sunrise, the photographer persevered, capturing the beauty of the pristine white sand.

Give me some cool angles, please. Hehehehehe

The journey was tiring, but it was worth it. The 80,000 dong tour took us to the white sand dunes, the first stop to watch the sunrise. It was like a mountain, but with a sandy surface. I wonder how it was formed. The next stop is the red sand sea. Let's go!

After spending some time on the white sand dunes, let's call them sand dunes, we got into the car and went to the red sand dunes. It was time to let loose. There were broad slides to rent and play on, but I decided to take some pictures instead.

If you enjoy water slides, this is a must-try. However, be aware of the prices, as the vendors here can be quite aggressive.

Sea view

It takes a lot of patience.

The atmosphere on the mini-bus tour was acceptable for us, as it was very affordable and covered all the major tourist attractions. Let's move on and let the pictures tell the story.

This is a fishing village. Come and see the way of life of the fishermen here. We will be a strange-looking boat that looks like a large basin floating on the sea and capsizing near the beach. If you want to buy cheap and fresh seafood, you must come here.

350 Thai Baht per kilogram. Very good, they say. Hehe, I didn't buy it.

Here is our school's minibus that brought us here. We won't be here long, and then we'll board the final bus, which is...

Fairy Stream: The Red Creek

This translation aims to be concise, accurate, and maintain a simple, informative tone.

Entrance to the Red Stream: Upon arrival, the entrance fee is only 1000 dong per person. Very cheap.

This stream has red water, which looks delicious, but don't drink it. It's nothing special, really. It's similar to the Ghost Town Goat in our country, where a stream runs through a mountain crevice. You can walk along it, taking pictures, and then walk back. I didn't study the natural features, so I don't know how it formed. I'm just sharing some impressive pictures.

The Swedish girls seem happy. We are lucky to be with this group. You are very fun to talk to.

Let me take a corner shot. I was so engrossed that my memory was full and I couldn't take a group photo with them. I'm so heartbroken!!!

After a leisurely stroll and taking photos, it was time to return to the hotel. The fatigue of the day vanished, and the solo travel experience proved to be worthwhile. The trip concluded around 10:00 AM. Upon arrival at the hotel, we had breakfast with our fellow travelers before parting ways for individual activities. We arranged a farewell poolside party for the evening before continuing our journey to Dalat the next day. See you in the resort town of Dalat!

Oh, almost forgot! When checking in at the hotel on the first day, we purchased a tour for that day. We were able to request the hotel to book a car to transport us to Dalat. The hotel staff arranged the car schedule, allowing us to choose our preferred time slot and pay in advance. This conveniently shifted the budget responsibility. We opted for a morning departure at 10:00 AM, arriving in Dalat at 4:00 PM.

On the morning of the 26th, I prepared to depart for Dalat.

While waiting for the car to pick me up, I took another photo with a coffee shop. Vietnamese coffee is quite famous. As soon as the car arrives, I will share some photos of the scenery along the way. Let's go!

This time, it's a mini-bus with very cool air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. It's great. We stopped at a rest stop along the way to eat. Now we are far outside Mui Ne, almost halfway there. Along the way, we are surrounded by mountains and rivers. The natural scenery here is very beautiful.

The only place to stop for a meal and rest in this area is a small roadside stall. I forgot to take a picture of the food because I was too busy taking pictures of the mountains. After this, we will continue our journey and enjoy the scenery of the mountains.

Taken from inside a minibus, thanks to the Vivo camera, it's crystal clear! If we could have stopped for a photo, it would have been even better, but we could only snap a quick shot. For us, this is still a great photo.

The atmosphere gradually changed, and the coolness began to set in, indicating that we were approaching Dalat. The rain fell intermittently, in short bursts, throughout the journey.

The rain has finally stopped. It's very normal for it to rain here. The weather is very cold. I need to buy a sweater tonight.

This hotel was our choice. We chose a shared room with clean beds. It felt private and secure. The owner was kind. We booked through Traveloka for 3 nights at 338 Thai baht. Haha.

The room looks amazing! If you want to see the full room layout, just search for the hotel name I provided. The bedspread is a very warm duvet. In this city, houses do not have air conditioners because it is cool all year round. At night, it is very cold.

Why didn't we ask the photographer with the hanging camera to take a picture for us? This is a big miss. This is a popular spot for taking pictures, and it's a night market with food, souvenirs, and a walking street.

A lake at night.

The local food was just enough to satisfy my hunger.

Dalat is famous for its yogurt, which we tried and found to be delicious. For dinner, we enjoyed some local cuisine, which was also quite good. If you visit Dalat, be sure to try the yogurt! The next day, we went for a walk and took some photos, enjoying the fresh air.

For breakfast on the 27th, I had a delicious meal. The taste was not bad, and I enjoyed it very much.

Today's meal costs 50,000 dongs.

Waking up early to capture beautiful photos, the morning air is so refreshing. A cup of coffee sipped slowly brings life to the day.

This spot is very popular among photographers.

The morning atmosphere of the lake

This is a popular spot for tourists to take photos.

There's a puppy too. It's so cute, I want to cuddle it.

Spoil her a little, she's not naughty either, so cute. Hehehe.

To conclude the day after walking around taking pictures, I have some good coffee and a good atmosphere to share with you. Tonight, I will probably just find a place to sit and relax and walk around the night market looking for souvenirs, as shown in the picture.

The night ended with Dalat ground coffee as a souvenir, and the next day we will visit the flower garden in the cold city.

On the morning of the 28th, after completing our tasks, we set off for a major tourist attraction, the Flower Garden in the Cold City. Here, there are beautiful flowers and scenic spots for tourists to take pictures. Couples should not miss this place. We came alone, alas. For this trip, we chose a metered taxi. We were very lucky to get a good driver. The people in this city are quite friendly towards Thai tourists, as far as I could see. But if anyone has had a bad experience, please share it. But we didn't, yay!

This corner is near the entrance.

A panoramic view from a high vantage point, encompassing a vast expanse.

Lake

To conclude the day, we will probably just find a coffee shop to relax in for the rest of the time. There are still many places that we didn't get to visit this time, such as the Tak Lam Temple cable car, the Datala Waterfall tram, and the Ba Dai Palace. If we come again next time, we will definitely not miss them. That's all for now. I'm starting to feel a little lonely because I'm traveling alone. Hehehe. I'm starting to miss home. Haha.

And we will end with a picture of us walking around buying souvenirs at the night market tonight before we head to Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow.

Delicious, it's like our local tofu pudding but smoother. I love it!

Souvenir doll

I bought a few of these for my friends, and they were quite expensive. To my dismay, I found identical ones at a much lower price while walking around Sampeng Market.

The final drink was a hot artichoke tea, which tasted great and is said to be good for the liver.

The price for a 3-night stay in a shared room at this hotel was 339 baht. See you in Ho Chi Minh City! The cost of travel by sleeper bus from Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City with Futa Bus Company was 120,000 dong. You can book tickets at the hotel where we are staying. The next day, a van from the bus station will pick you up at the hotel and you can pay at the ticket counter.

On the morning of the 29th, we traveled to Ho Chi Minh City. We arrived around 4 pm and the hustle and bustle of the city was immediately apparent. At this point, we didn't have any specific plans for the city, as we weren't focused on visiting any particular landmarks. We had just learned that the Uncle Ho Museum was closed for renovations. We simply walked around Ben Thanh Market looking for souvenirs and had a few drinks near the snake farm.

This evening, we're staying in a capsule hostel, which looks very high-tech! The price for two nights is 494 baht, booked through Traveloka. In Dalat, we also booked through Traveloka, which was very affordable and convenient. Tomorrow, we'll be heading out to explore and find some unique experiences.

Day 30: Time to grab some food and explore the area.

We will have a light meal before we start walking, as we plan to walk and not use public transportation or taxis. We will walk. If you don't like walking, I recommend downloading Grab or researching bus routes. After we are full, let's continue our journey!

This section describes a corner where the author frequently gets lost due to its confusing layout. They mention a market on the left-hand side called Ben Thanh, which offers food and souvenirs. However, the author avoids this market due to their previous negative experience with aggressive sales tactics from the vendors.

We walked until we reached the museum. We just wanted to take photos outside.

Hooray! We have arrived at the popular photo spot, with the Ho Chi Minh City Postal Museum directly across the street.

We will now enter the interior, which resembles the images in other reviewers' posts. All of the photos were taken by us.

The area was teeming with people, some taking photos and others buying postcards as souvenirs for their friends. There were many other places and activities to explore, and we plan to return to experience them all. This time, we just got a taste of what's available.

Bookselling district

There are many books for sale, including books in English.

Continuing on, you will encounter the War Museum.

The day concludes with the captivating charm of the city, where cars and motorcycles navigate with impressive driving skills. Crossing the street requires agility and finesse, or you might find yourself stranded. Tonight will likely follow the same pattern, with a light meal and drinks. Tomorrow promises a full day before departure, with a glimpse captured in these images.

On the 31st day, the 8-day survival journey in southern Vietnam has come to an end. It was a worthwhile experience to visit a foreign land and survive on my own. Looking back, I can't help but think to myself, "Wow, I'm not so ordinary after all. How did I even get here?"

Before leaving, I decided to explore a little more. Initially, I intended to visit the Go-Tech building, but after seeing the prices, I decided against it. My budget was limited, so I decided to skip this part.

May I have some, please?

After seven days, the condition will be a bit worn out.

This leaves us with enough money to grab a bite to eat and buy some souvenirs at the airport on our way back.

After checking out, I headed to the airport on the same bus route, 152. The streets were packed with cars.

This is a translation of the sentence "คงพอประทังความหิวไปได้บ้างกลับถึง กทมเมื่อไหร่จัดหนักแน่นอน" from Thai to English:

This should keep me from getting too hungry until I get back to Bangkok, then I'll definitely eat a lot.

The atmosphere at the airport while waiting for the flight back to Bangkok.

Conclusion

This solo trip to Vietnam, while not encompassing every landmark found in other reviews, has solidified my belief that Southern Vietnam is an ideal destination for first-time solo travelers. Despite not visiting every major site, the journey was incredibly fulfilling. I encourage everyone to embark on their own adventures, as it can be addictive and transform your perspective on life. You'll find yourself constantly planning trips to new locations, seeking relaxation and capturing memories to share. If you've already visited Vietnam, please share your photos! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this. Stay tuned for my next adventure! Farewell, Ho Chi Minh City!

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