Arrival/first days in HCMC

It might help if you let the folks reading this know what district,they are numbered more or less radiating out from the city center, you will be working and staying in....they could then provide local knoledge of supermarkets,shops,restaurants,accomadate rental and the bus routes,if any, that are serving your area.
For the buses,which are very cheap to use,I have seen a route map which shows the route and bus number serving individual routes which might be handy initially....I guess you could pick one up at the main bus station opposite Ben Thanh central market in district 1.....the bus station is on the other side of the roundabout from the market building itself.
You might need to arrange transport yourself.....2 wheels....I hired a moped,about 40 Gbp a month from Tigit Motorbikes...Google it...the page will give you Jon,,the owner,s number.I have hired 2 bikes for 2 months on separate occasions and found the bikes to be in good condition....Jon is English so no problem to communicate and he and his wife are very helpful.....a word of warning.... if you are to hire a bike,and there will be lots of others reading this who agree....keep your speed down...the locals drive like lunatics!!!...You cannot break any rules on the road because there are no rules on the road.....as the locals see it!.....Accident Insurance needs to be thought about if you are to spend a length of time here.The tourists do not bother,in the country for 2/3 weeks and gone.....if you are to drive a moped you will see for yourself what I am talking about.To get insurance you require a Vietnamese motorcycle licence,to get a licence,if you have not got an Uk motorbike licence,you need to take the bike test in District 10.....I can if you wish give more details on that...you can drive without a licence,lots do,but you run the risk of falling fowl of the cops....having said that been driving myself here for 6 months and I have not been stopped...that,s not to say I won,t be in the future but now I have a licence.
Lots of expat bars in the city center with generally your age group.You will find generally the Vietnamese are more friendly that people from the Uk....I know I  might be open to criticism here for that line but I speak on a personal basis of my experiences but same as anywhere in the world be careful of the sharks in town.
A map of the city might be handy...look for the Fahasa bookshops....a city map there is about 50p....hope this gives you some thought and help

Couple of additions to what Gareth UK has already said ....

First time in SE Asia, that too in Vietnam where traffic is a complete mess ... honestly, I won't suggest you hit the road on a motorbike straightaway.
Better, sit on the pillion in your first few days and get used to the surroundings.

Installing Grab or/and Uber apps on your handset could be a good idea in your initial days in HCM.
They have both car and bike services .... dependable, affordable (if not cheap) and most importantly, haggle-free.
Most of the Grab drivers (bikes) understand basic English and are friendly.

In case you prefer city buses to commute, here's a handy app I recently found on Play Store. It has an English interface. It gives you real-time information on movements of city buses around HCMC.... and tons of other information related to bus routes, destinations, bus numbers etc. etc.
HCMC Bus Map

Welcome to Vietnam!

There will be culture shock. I would spend the time just exploring, getting comfortable with the city and food and newness.

At the airport, in the exit lobby, there are ATM machines. Use your good ATM card that supports lots of networks and take out at least 1,000,000 VND = $US45. Bring cash, like  $1k too, for emergency like when your ATM card breaks. Bring a credit card too with a chip, that you can pay online from your checking acct. It works in big stores.
At the airport, have written on a piece of paper the hotel name and address. Avoid people who approach you. Give it to the person at the head of the taxi line, insist on a Vinasun (veena-soon) taxi, they will understand. Will be less than 200,000 VND.

A decent smartphone is a must. You can get a sim card for $5 I think, and phone/text/data 3g (4g?) for about $5 a month. Your hotel will tell you where to go. Then that includes google maps, email, good phone camera, alarm, calculator. Get apps: google translate, skype to reach back home, XE for currency conversion, Trail wallet if you want to track expenses, World clock, Agoda for hotels, etc.  Grab taxi (=motorbike) guys are everywhere, get that app, best way to learn the streets is by motorbike.

Bui Vien street is gross with all the backpackers, but easy to use English there and find food. Then expand your range to Nguyen Hue street downtown, and the blocks north of Ben Thanh market. Because of the culture and heat (you are coming in the hottest month) the Vietnamese stay out of the sun, but nighttime (and dawn) is when the locals are out doing stuff. Only tourists walk around in the daytime.

And before you come, get comfortable with the currency conversion, and pick up some Vietnamese. [rant: I don't see how English teachers can teach without at least understanding how vietnamese pronounce things.] Greetings and numbers are very useful and not difficult. Google "learn vietnamese donna" for easy lessons on youtube.
Have fun!

Thanks so much Gareth, senwl and gobot for such thoughtful and in-depth responses. You've given me a lot to consider.

Good call Gareth - my school is in District 3 so I will probably be looking for accommodation around there. I'm trying to edit my original post to mention this but I can't find the button for it.   

I do plan on eventually getting a motorbike but from what I've seen of the traffic I think I will indeed spend some time getting used the mayhem first, as per what senwl said (and I am already learning new words - I had no idea what a pillion was until today).

Gareth UK wrote:

To get insurance you require a Vietnamese motorcycle licence,to get a licence,if you have not got an Uk motorbike licence,you need to take the bike test in District 10

I have a full UK driving license. So, in the UK I would have to take a CBT test to then ride any motorcycle. Am I right in thinking the test in D10 is simply the Vietnamese equivalent of this - i.e. I wouldn't have to sit the CBT here first? And do you know off-hand how much it costs, roughly?

senwl wrote:

most importantly, haggle-free.

This is really appealing at this early stage. I know there is a haggle culture in Vietnam, which of course I am going to have to get used to. But intially it would be nice to not have to worry about this aspect of daily life too much, especially when I'm just trying to get around.

I've downloaded the bus map app and it looks really useful. It's reassuring to have multiple options for navigating. Honestly we could do with something half as comprehensive as this app in my hometown.

gobot wrote:

A decent smartphone is a must. You can get a sim card for $5 I think, and phone/text/data 3g (4g?) for about $5 a month.

As with much of what I've heard of HCMC, these prices seem extremely reasonable.

Do you think I am better buying the handset itself in Vietnam, where it will already be configured for the country, or just bringing my own iPhone from home and getting it unlocked? I'd obviously rather avoid spending lots of money on a brand new smartphone, but it's going to be crucial to my living in the city so I'd be happy even grabbing a second-hand 'Vietnam phone' if it were to make my life significantly easier.

Thanks also for the Youtube lesson suggestion - I was actually searching for videos and podcasts this morning. I totally agree that having a basic understanding of how the Vietnamese speak will make it easier to teach them, especially when their language is so phonetically confusing for us westerners.

Thanks again everyone. I genuinely appreciate it.

Bring your iphone, I have an antique 5s works great. But have it unlocked before you come so it is ready to use when you need it. Electronics, actually most imported stuff is more expensive here. That is a whole other topic, what to bring to Vietnam. Google this for old threads:

site:expat.com what to bring to vietnam

For your current Uk driving licence I assume it is a car drivers licence...If not and it is a motor bike licence( up to 150cc) then  you need to transfer it to a Vietnamese bike licence....I think I can give you the address if this so but you will need someone to translate for you.If  it is a car licence,and to obtain a Vietnamese bike
Icence,you will need to take the practical test in District 10.....you are not required to take the theory test....I see you mention a Cbt....I am not sure how this will affect the licence... I do not think it will change anything here....perhaps others could give comments .I have recently taken the test and have posted under a previous thread " motor bike licence" about a month ago how to go about it.If you cannot find the previous thread I have already sent you a private message with my email address...I will send you a screen shot of the passage as it is quite long on the relevant thread as I cannot see on this site how to quote from one thread to another.
If you wish me to take you to the test center initially then let me know,you will need someone who speaks Vietnamese.....again I have said the same to the gent in the previous thread..but you would need to get some practice done first before going there....District 7......there are some very  quiet roads there.
I don,t see any problem using your Uk phone,buy a local sim when you arrive,brought 2 phones from the Uk which  wife and stepdaughter use daily.
Don,t drink the water unless it's bottled...it will make you ill.If you have a kettle in your room,boil the water,leave it cool...it's safe to drink.For the same reason be careful with salads or non cooked vegetables when eating out...they have probably been washed in tap water....the water is ok to drink in the larger hotels.

As with any big city, and especially around the backpacker area keep your wallet in your front pocket. Watch your belongings and have them in site in that area or they will walk. I have lived in VN for a little over 4 years now and never had a DL. Have been stopped twice by the police in HCM and paid them $5 an was on my way. In Nha Trang and DaLat Westerners are off limits to the police and I have never encountered the police. When you do get to the stage of leasing a place to live insist on a notarized lease if the lease is to be over 6 months. You can run into a host of problems later on with other transactions if you do not have a valid notarized lease. Landlords here hate to here you ask it because they then must pay their taxes. Which people here don't like to do. Have someone experienced with the English schools help you with that contract and get you started o  the right foot. Have had many friends that entered into nightmare situations. There companies too, do not like to do things on the top and up.
   To me you can not learn to ride a motorbike here or walk across the street by setting on the sidelines watching. The rule for both is to not make sudden moves and to make eye contact with the next approaching vehicle. Once they recognize your eye contact they will let you know their next intentions. When walking across streets DO NOT MAKE SUDDEN MOVES, RUN, OR BE UNDECIDED. Really you could walk across the street with your eyes closed or blind and do very well if you go slowly and smoothly. Have a great time and enjoy all that Vietnam has to offer. You will get tremendously rewarded and frustrated. And just looks he other way while they pick their nose at the dinner table, they won' think you are rude if you don't watch.

And a hint for navigating the roundabouts, albeit a bit off topic, just stay to the outside of the roundabout you will pass through in a flash unimpeded. The locals always rush to where the masses are so they can be first. They never realize there is a clear way to get through just a few feet to the right. Try it and you will see. I have made believers even out of locals that ride with me. Even in HCM where they can be very crowded you can breeze through.

Most has been said. However, one member recommended to bring cash around 1K.

I'd bring more, several grand, perhaps 2k USD + 2K Euro. Most ATM's are limited withdraw at around 5-10mio and daily max of 20mio (less than 1K USD).

Many ATM's have a 3-5mio limit and on weekends they can be out of cash or broken.

You can bring in 5K cash without declaring and like I said I'd bring as much as you can.

Once in town, go around some of the expat bars where you'll be able to catch up with various people who can give you tips and ideas. I'd check out some bars around Pasteur (No5 bar, Phatty's, Gameon etc. or the girly bars), as well as places on Dong Khoi, Hai Ba Trung street to get to know the expat folks. There are also various places in other districts where predominantly expats hang out (District 2; Bia Craft, D2-Sportsbar, Buddha Bar..., Or Sky Garden area in District7). Check out Bui Vien (backpacker area), but keep in mind that lot's of expat scum and losers hang out there. It can be fun but also lot of BS, so watch advice you collect in that area with caution.

just my opinion.

Hi everyone. Sorry I have taken so long to thank you all for such useful and practical replies, have had a few problems logging in to the site, and of course it turns out moving to SE Asia isn't exactly straightforward, so very busy too.

gobot - That's great. Mine is an old 5s too. I'm going to get it unlocked this week so I can buy a sim in my first day in HCMC.

Will search some of those old threads tonight after work, as I'm planning to get my suitcase list sorted this week too and start buying clothes.

Gareth and Diazo -  thanks for the advice about the water and nose-picking, I'll definitely keep it in mind. It's these little things I'm trying to find out as much as possible about now to make the culture shock a little easier. 

As for the motorbike - I was actually going to ask about what you both mention. As you say Diazo I'd rather not be the kind of scared expat who sits at the side and thinks 'some day'. But apart from a few shots of my friend's scooter when I was about 16, I've never really ridden a moped or motorbike.

The license mainly appeals to me so I'll covered insurance-wise if I get hurt. While I'm arranging it, I want to get some practice as soon as possible so I can buy my own bike  - so do you think the best course of action would be to rent a bike in, for instance, D7 and just ride around the streets until I feel confident on it?

I'll keep your roundabout method in mind too. Keeping a bit outside the masses is my preference anyway.

snake - so do you think Euros and USD would be better than GBP? Having never really been outside Europe this whole aspect confuses me slightly. I understand it's tricky to buy VND outside of Vietnam, and I'm told the USD is becoming much less prominently used in the country, but is the idea that will it be easiest to buy VND with those currencies?

As for the bars, thanks so much, those are exactly the kind of recommendations I need. I'll be as wary as I can about shady characters. This might be an idea for one of my first nights. Generally, knowing these shady characters exist, would you say the expats (/locals) are quite welcoming to single people on their own? It sounds a bit daft but, although I'm a sociable person, I've never really been in this kind of scenario before where I'll be making all my friends from scratch so I'm trying to think how's best to approach it.

A final question that is still just about on-topic - Boots recommend that I get some anti-malarial medication for Saigon. I'll need to arrange some in the UK for before I leave, but is it easy enough to acquire/affordable in Vietnam?

Thanks again everyone. Three weeks on Wednesday - very nervous but I can't wait.

@OP
Perhaps you could get a better idea on the motorbike riding conditions here if you pulled up a YouTube video e.g. "Motorbikes riding Saigon". You sounds as if you have no current experience. While you can get an automatic, and with your experience I would suggest that. My word, what to tell you. There are few areas out in D& that don't have real busy street ( I can think of one short street near FV hospital where you could and should go out and acquaint yourself with the bike for a few days. Once you venture out into the real traffic the trick here is just as it is with walking across the street. Put your eyes on the next oncoming. Once they see you looking at you they will show you where they are committing to go next. Rapids moves are not suggested when driving or walking. In confuses the vehicle traffic because they are use to the predictable eye contact. Stay to the right until you feel more comfortable. The left is reserved for vehicles anyway. It is really quite fun and relaxing. Once you can text and make and receive phone calls you are considered good. And you will have accidents, roundabouts are the where they are most likely. I drive up and down the entire country of VN and have never had any serious problems. Good luck and enjoy your stay.

My dos centavos:
I recommend forgetting about a motorbike for at least a month, I think I waited 3 months. Acclimate yourself first to the street anarchy, making observations by taking taxis, walking, crossing streets in a group, then just by yourself, taking rides on xe oms or Grab taxi (motorbike passenger). If you are an experienced driver in a western country, you need to unlearn many rules so as to drive predictably as viewed by a Vietnamese. Making left turns are the hairiest maneuvers (you just go and weave through the oncoming bikes).

Then when you are ready, rent an automatic motorbike. It is probably still ~ $60/month at Chi's. Best times to practice are early weekend mornings, and after 9:00 any night. It is ok to drive slowly, it is ok to do almost anything, the Vietnamese are very forgiving, as long as you don't hit anything. Buying a motorbike isn't so easy, my understanding is that you need a temporary residence card, but maybe you get that via your employer. Owning will save you some money in the long term.

It is largely a cash economy, such as for rent. If you keep money in your home country, you can use ATMs here. I bring and horde cash, just in case my ATM and/or credit card gets damaged or canceled. The banks can change any major currency.

There is no malaria in the city, probably none at all in Vietnam.
Malaria in Vietnam

I updated my tetanus and HepA. CDC has some recommendations.

Agree with both Diazo and Gabon,s points and it would probably be good not to join in the melee on the road for a couple of weeks,have a walk around and watch what happens.or ride as a pillion passenger.When you do hire a bike any rules of the road that you have from the Uk needs to be put at the back of your mind.Here there are no rules on the road,anything goes.....as the Vietnamese see it.Mr Vietnamese will pull out in front of you,he will not look at you because to him you are not there and he is the only one on the road so at all times you have to keep your speed to a minimum so that when something happens you can stop safely.

If possible, try to pay your rents (and deposit) in VND via bank transfer from your local bank a/c in VN.  Your employer should help you open a local VND a/c at the earliest.
For current exchange rates (selling) refer to Vietcombank Exchange Rates.

Gareth Uk wrote:

Agree with both Diazo and Gabon,s .

Aw jeez it's Gobot not Gabons.   
Yeah yeah Gobots were never so cool as Transformers, get no respect, grr grr grrr.

Apologies Gabot
A mistake with my 61 year old fingers and eyes on the Ipad

davidhmdon wrote:

snake - so do you think Euros and USD would be better than GBP? Having never really been outside Europe this whole aspect confuses me slightly. I understand it's tricky to buy VND outside of Vietnam, and I'm told the USD is becoming much less prominently used in the country, but is the idea that will it be easiest to buy VND with those currencies?

As for the bars, thanks so much, those are exactly the kind of recommendations I need. I'll be as wary as I can about shady characters. This might be an idea for one of my first nights. Generally, knowing these shady characters exist, would you say the expats (/locals) are quite welcoming to single people on their own? It sounds a bit daft but, although I'm a sociable person, I've never really been in this kind of scenario before where I'll be making all my friends from scratch so I'm trying to think how's best to approach it.

A final question that is still just about on-topic - Boots recommend that I get some anti-malarial medication for Saigon. I'll need to arrange some in the UK for before I leave, but is it easy enough to acquire/affordable in Vietnam?

Thanks again everyone. Three weeks on Wednesday - very nervous but I can't wait.

Sorry, was not around to check and read your answr/questions.

1. USD, Euro, GBP are all easy to change in Saigon, preferably bring 100 bills

2. The blokes in the bars are usually easy going. Just don't broadcast your entire CV on the first few days. Let people know you just arrived and are having a great time so far. The ice will break, I'm quite sure!

3. Malaria, I'd say no need to buy anything. In 20+ years I never had Malaria. I had Dengue and a few other nasty bugs, but the local docs know what your problem is and how to treat, All I'd recommend is to make sure you have insurance incl medical evac to BKK or Singapore, plus I'd bring a medical first aid kit, with the common things. Think of what you usually need/like when you have a flue, buy it and bring it with you. Also get some electrolytes and stuff against stomach issues, which will probably be something you'll encounter at some point.

Other than that, no worries, forget Malaria stuff as you're probably anyway not qualified to diagnose if you contracted Malaria or not. The local doc will be able and have meds.

Gareth Uk wrote:

Apologies Gabot

Just teasing, Goroth 

To Gabot
No problem....would not like to offend anyone

Thanks again for all the brilliant replies.

Won't bother with the malaria stuff for now, and have arranged to get all the NHS-provided vaccinations I am allowed to have (it turns out I need literally everything  ).

I also wasn't planning to actually get on a motorbike for at least a month or two, haha. I have indeed pulled up some of those videos and even I'm not reckless enough to jump straight in, first I'll settle for being able to cross a road and will build myself slowly up.

Cheers again, everyone. I'm sure I will return soon enough with even more pedantic questions (3 or 4 already spring to mind) for you all