Depart Ho Chi Minh City using Malinh bus.

Most bus tickets for the 6:30am, 7:00am and 8:00am to Phnom Penh,Cambodia were sold out one day before departure but I was lucky to get hold of Malinh bus the night before.

 The fare price was US7.00 which is the cheapest among all other companies.
 If you ever wish to travel out of Ho Chi Minh City to neighbouring Cambodia,always buy ahead as tickets were easily sold out.

 Ever since from day one while I was here in Ho Chi Minh City,the weather condition was not so friendly to all travelers.Either you walk with the raincoat on or choose to be a water buffalo.The moment you thought the rain has stopped,another intermittent downpour started again.It's a free shower practically this month of July and August.

 Vietnamese have rich folklores and fairytales.The local people were already capable of predicting the current month weather. It was about two lover,Nguu Lang and Chuc Nu.
Both were so deeply in love that the Jade Emperor diapproved their courtship thus separating both of them and forcing them to live on opposite side of the Milky Ways.
Their whole-hearted love thus made the Jade Emperor touched.
Both the couples were allowed to meet each other once a year on the 7th July (Chinese Lunar Calender).When they were united,they weep all day long in July so that's why it's a wet,wet ,wet month.






The vehicles here are all heading towards Ben Thanh market area and will subsequently turn right to the bus terminal.

From the vehicles oncoming directions,you can also walk to the terminal in less than 10 minutes.

This is Pham Ngu Lao Road and I'm standing near Malinh Office which is just beside the corner to De Tham Street.

 The zebra crossing is hardly being complied by almost all vehicles to and fro.One needs to just cross the road even if the vehicles were just inches away,just raise your hand and be your own self made traffic warden.

 Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) main green lungs right up to the junction where Tran Hung Dao Street and Le Loi Street meets.

So if you were to stay around Pham Ngu Lao area,it's just right at your doorstep. Joggers will be the early bird of the day while later in the evening,the locals will be having some sports activities. There are two section,one as in the photo is just across Ben Thanh Bus terminal where it has been partially turned into a motorcycle parking lot while the other section in front of Pham Ngu Lao Street is the main highlight area.

  Inside the Malinh bus the seats were equally comfortable and the compartment for hand luggage is not that big.
The bus has good suspension so won't feel the bump. I was allocated the middle seat at the far end despite booking a day earlier.
Most of the Vietnamese people book a seat via telephone call so that's why it was very fast taken up. There were three Filipinos onboard while the rest were local residents.

 Malinh Head Office at 201,Pham Ngu Lao Street,Tel:(08)39202929 while their ticketing offices are also at:
+15,Dao Duy Anh Street.Phu Nhuan District. +293,Tran Phu Street,District 5
+64-68,Hai Ba Trung Street,District 1.

 Daily Departure: Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh: 6:30am,7:30am,8:30am,13:00hrs:14:30hrs.

 Just in case you need a light snack for morning breakfast,a stall selling Vietnamese baguette sandwiches is available.

They are called Banh,a perfect Frence influenced in their cuisine. Delicious French-styled baguette are enriched with flavorful meats and are garnished with crispy cucumber slices,marinated carrot,daikon salad and ciliantro leaves.
The price range from 8,000 VNDong to 10,000VNDong.







 Sorya Bus was further down infront of their office at Pham Ngu Lao Street.
The previous night I tried to make a ticket purchase but early morning seats are all fully booked except for the 11:30am trip.
The fare was USD10.00 and the journey would take around six hours.

 It was a brilliant idea for the local tourism authorities to put up a signboard displaying all the guesthouses inside the alleys.

 Lookout for the alley which was just in between some the shops.

Example are Rainbow Guesthouse,Ngoc Linh Hotel,Red Sun Hotel,Ngoc Minh Hotel,Tan Ah Mui Apartment,Nguyen Khay Hotel,Lin Phuong Hotel,Saigon Cafe Guesthouse and Tan Loc Hung Hotel.
 The range are normally between USD8-USD12. Staying at the guesthouse among the alleys is a wonderful experience to be close to the Vietnamese families as they are the main operators of the premises.

 The lifestyle of the people are very interesting as they do operate small shops inside here as well.
Only the motorcycles are accessible but do not create any noise pollution.It is a very quiet neighbourhood. At times there will be peddlers on bicycle selling foodstuffs and singing to their best tones.

 Salam Restaurant and Lounge is located at No:280 Nguyen Dinh Chieu,Ho Chi Minh City which is quite near to the War Remnants Museum.

The entrance arch is a typical Muslim mosque architecture and this is a Muslim restaurant.

 "SALAM" is the most commonly used word in the everyday life of the Muslim which is a greetings sentence especially in most opening addresses and conversations.

 Assalamualaikum means "peace be with you" while the other party will reply as mu'alaikum salam.
Kirim salam means send my greetings.

 In Ho Chi Minh City there are also many Muslim Restaurants so Vietnam is also proud to have a multi racial society.
 Muslim Restaurants only sell "Halal" food,that is no involvement of pork products and the method of preparations are in accordance to Islamic Law.

 A list of Muslim Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City:

 1) Bombay Restaurant:- 66,Dong Du Street, near the Mosque Tel: +848 38233594
 2) Ali Baba Restaurant:-60,Le Thanh Ton Street Tel: +848 382335943.
3) Bon Mua / Four Season Restaurant:-2 ,Thi Sach Street, Dist 1 Tel: 84-8-382571864.
4) Satay House Restaurant:-35, Mac Dinh Chi Street, Tel: 090-39254755.
5) Sulayman Restaurant:-459/25/40 Tran Hung Dao, District 1,behind mosque Tel: +848-38385332
6) Tandoor Restaurant:- 103, Vo Van Tan Street, Dist 3, Tel: 84 8-39302468/ 39304127.
7) Zamzam (Taj Mahal):-26 Bui Vien Street District 1, Tel: 84-3883693638.
8) SAPHIGIAH LAN:-193 Hai Ba Trung St, Dist 3'
9) Kedai Shamsudin - Lê Hong Phong, Dist 10
10) Taj Mahal :-241, 265/1, Pham Ngu Lao Street. 11) Halal Saigon Restaurant:-31,Dong Du Street,Dist 1. Tel: 84-8-38274602





After completing all the immigration formalities at the Vietnamese side at Moc Bai,buses no matter which companies you're in will stop for lunch at a restaurant just after the border.

 This advertisement near the restaurant main road was sponsored by the Titan Group,one of the casino giants.

The Sorya bus leaving at the same time also arrived for lunch at the restaurant which was just opposite the So Nguon Inland Dry Port.
Inland dry port are actually inland custom clearance depots.

The Titan King Casino at Bavet near the Vietnam Cambodian border,about 110km from Phnom Penh.

This hotel and resort building stands elegantly tall among all the others here in Bavet.
A luxury five star hotel with built-in city of entertainment. It was opened on 26th February 2010 with over 6,000 employees.

 

Ferry crossing across the swollen Mekong River over to the other side of Neak Loeung town in Prey Veng Province.

According to Wikipedia,on August 6,1973 this town was bombed by mistake by the American B-52 Stratofortress 20-tons load bomb.

It happened during the Cambodian Civil War when the Americans were siding the Cambodia Republic and Republic of South Vietnam and having a conflict with the Khmer Rouge with their allies,Democratic Republic North Vietnam and Vietcong.




Neak Loeung Ferry Dockyard Administrative building. A ferry ride sitting inside the bus with no safety features is also a big concern if you were to think of the negative side.
 In fact there were plans to construct a bridge which will be funded by the Japanese Government to the tune of US131million.

 Ground breaking of the two kilometre bridge,the longest,biggest and most difficult to built was made by the Japanese Ambassador Masafumi Kuroki on 12 February 2010.





 Traders selling betel leaves (thai:miang khum) at the market near the ferry terminal.

 In India the betel leaves played an important role in the Indian culture especially among the Hindus.

 It also has great influence among the Burmese,Thais,Cambodians and Vietnamese.

Specifically used for chewing purpose,festivals and ceremonials. Sometimes you might noticed that the people who chewed the betel leaves have red colour set of teeth after eating them.
If one were to go back to history,the Srivijaya Empire which is a Hindu Kingdom consisted of the coastal areas of Sumatera,Java,Thai Peninsula till Ayutthya,Champa in Cambodia and the Mekong Delta region as well as the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar. So chewing betel leaves is part of everyday life because of the Indian culture influence.