And now you are looking impatiently at the scoreboard. Ho Chi Minh City (of course there is no airport with that name, but there is Tan Son Nhat) attracts many tourists. Charters and low-cost airlines fly here. Even the capital’s airport, Hanoi, is inferior to the Saigon hub in passenger traffic. This is understandable. Indeed, from Ho Chi Minh City it is easy to get to all the famous Vietnamese resorts: Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Fukuok Island. Airplanes fly from here to Cambodia (Siem Reap). But what awaits the tourist upon arrival? Is it possible to transit from the airport to the resort without stopping by in Saigon? And how not to get lost in the largest hub of Vietnam? Read about it in our article.
History
When did this largest airport in Vietnam appear ? Ho Chi Minh City (at that time the city bore the old name Saigon) acquired its own hub in the early 30s of the last century. It was built by the French colonial authorities in the village of Tan Son Nhat, which is why the airport bears such a name. During the Vietnam War, the runway served as the base for American aircraft. In 2007, a new terminal was built. He began to take international flights. And the old building began to serve as a terminal for domestic traffic. These two buildings are separated by four hundred meters. No free shuttle between the terminals is provided. You need to overcome this path on foot or book a transfer for ten dollars. Tan Son Nhat now receives about sixteen million passengers a year. It is planned to complete the construction of a new hub soon. Since 2015, Ho Chi Minh International Airport will be located in Long Thanh Village. At the same time, Tan Son Nhat will completely switch to serving passengers on domestic flights.
How to get to Saigon from Russia
From Moscow Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo several regular flights fly to Ho Chi Minh Airport. The departure board does not indicate the name of the hub, but the name of the city of arrival. Numerous charters depart from major Russian cities to Saigon. But this happens only during the tourist season. A number of foreign carriers offer airline tickets at a very competitive price. It will happen to fly with transfers in the cities of Europe or Asia.
Tan Son Nhat Hub Infrastructure
The capital of South Vietnam has a very comfortable, but not too spacious airport. Ho Chi Minh City separates about nine kilometers from Tan Son Nhat. You can get to the city center by public transport. The international terminal has all the amenities and services required of a hub with this status. However, some of them are located not in the building itself, but on the street (for example, a left-luggage office and ATMs). In the neutral zone there is a very decent duty free, and a shopping complex is located across the street from the hub building. Wi-Fi is available only in business rooms, but sometimes it catches well in other rooms. So what does a Russian tourist need to do upon arrival at Ho Chi Minh Airport? First you need to go through border control. Then go down to the basement for luggage. After that, you should go along the green or red corridor of the customs. And finally, go to the arrivals hall hall. All procedures usually take no more than 20 minutes. If you plan to travel through Vietnam by air, you need to exit the international terminal, turn right and walk 400 meters.
Is it possible to get from the Tan Son Nhat to the resorts
Unfortunately not. You need to leave Ho Chi Minh City Airport and get to the city bus station or train station. You may have to spend the night in Saigon. Tourists are advised to go to the famous resorts by bus. Very comfortable nightly sleeping buses depart from Ho Chi Minh City, in which the seats are equipped in such a way that they are laid out almost horizontally. There is also a tourist open-bass. The cost of tickets for buses is low, and the cars themselves are comfortable, equipped with air conditioning, a toilet. Tickets are sold at travel agencies, as well as at receptions in large hotels. You can take a taxi to nearby resorts (Mui Ne, Vung Tau and Phan Thiet). But this pleasure will cost an average of one hundred dollars per car.
Ho Chi Minh City: how to get from the airport
The proximity of the hub to the city center determines a lot of bus routes. This, on the one hand, is not bad - there is always the opportunity to get to Saigon, even late at night. Because of this, there are no hotels near the airport. But on the other hand, an inexperienced tourist can get confused and take the wrong route. Pham Ngu Lao is the most popular area among foreign holidaymakers, where many hotels are concentrated. There goes route number 152. If you are interested in the Sholon bus station, then you need No. 147. Traveling by public transport is extremely cheap. The trip will cost you less than a quarter dollar (three thousand dong). Bus parking is located to the right of the exit from the terminal. Taxi drivers will try to intercept you. An average car trip will cost about ten dollars. It makes sense to hire a taxi only if you want to get to nearby resorts. But rickshaws are cheaper. But this is a convenient option for tourists who are not burdened with luggage.
How to get back
Also by bus or taxi. Ho Chi Minh International Airport has four floors. The first two are the arrival bay. If you mistakenly got here, do not try to get to the upper floors from the inside. It's impossible. There is no passage between the second and third tiers. You should go outside and climb the overpass. Vat Refund, or VAT refund, is located in the departure lounge. After checking in for the flight, you can immediately proceed to the waiting area, go through border control and look at the duty-free shop.