Travel: Flights to Ho Chi Minh

Tan Son Nhat (IATA: SGN | ICAO: VVTS) is Vietnam's largest international airport. Immigration is notoriously strict and can be time consuming, but if your papers are in order you should be fine. Note that the all-white departure cards are only for those without the 'yellow paper' received upon arrival.

The recently introduced No. 152 air-con airport bus is the cheapest way into the city, and will drop you off on the west side of the Pham Ngu Lao area, or at the bus terminal on the south side of the Ben Thanh Market roundabout. The price was recently increased to 3000 dong - still a bargain by any measure.

Taxis from the airport to the city centre take 30 minutes and cost USD3-5; make sure the driver uses the meter. However, if you want to avoid the trouble of bargaining and negotiating, you can just buy a "Taxi coupon" near the exit of the airport terminal for USD5.

You can change money at the airport, but you're probably better off paying for your first trip with USD and exchanging in the city as the exchange in the airport may charge a commission as high as 3%.

Taxi drivers get commission for taking customers to certain hotels so when arriving at the airport be explicit about exactly which hotel you want to be taken to. This may be harder than expected if the hotel is one that doesn't pay commission.

When going to the airport, taxi drivers often attempt a scam involving an airport entry tax; it's their job to pay it. As of November 2006, international departure taxes should be included in the price of your ticket. Check with your airline before leaving, however, as some tickets (including any bought before the November 2006 change) do not include the tax, and you'll find yourself faced with a 240,000 dong suprise at the check-in counter.