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Travel to Saigon: Install these must-have apps!

Traveling to a country without knowing how to travel or where to eat is such a disaster! With the birth of the smartphone, taking a trip to an unfamiliar location has never been easier. But with so many travel apps to choose from, how do you know which ones to install? Here are the essential apps you should download for your time in Saigon.
Google Maps
You’ll likely have this on your smartphone already, but there are a few things you should know when using app to find an address in Saigon.
●       This city is divided into 24 districts. The districts can be either names or a combination of letters and numbers. For example, District 1 (D1 for short) is located in the center of the city while Binh Thanh is another district located northeast of D1.
●       The streets are named after either historical events or people. Sometimes two districts can have two different streets with the SAME NAME!
●       Saigon is famous for its many winding alleys. The more slashes (/) you see in an address, the greater number of alleys you will have to travel through to get to your destination. For example, let’s say you want to go to 344/22/11 Ly Thuong Kiet, District 1. First, you must go to Ly Thuong Kiet street in District 1 and find the house address 344. Then go down the alley next to it until you find the house address 344/22. Take the turn down the adjacent alley and finally you’ll reach your end destination address of 344/22/11.
●       Beware that Google Maps sometimes doesn’t display well if an address has many slashes.

Google Maps is handy, but don’t bet your life on the app. Numbers of some streets can be mixed up and you can end up at a location different from the one displayed on your phone.
GrabBike
English interface! How convenient is that! Simply type in the addresses or names of your start and end locations and the trip fees will show up (no bargaining!). If you keep the 3G on, drivers will know exactly where you are and don’t need to call for confirmation. If you are unsure about addresses with lots of slashes, just enter the exact address and drivers will know how to take you there. 
BusMap
Another app with an English interface! This is an app that maps out the city’s public bus routes for those who don’t own a motorbike or want to experience the city like a typical Vietnamese college student. Just like how you would use any other transportation apps: insert your starting point, your destination and how many buses you want to take on your journey. The BusMap app will show you the most convenient travel routes. It’s the cheap too! Bus fees are only 5,000 to 6,000 VND per ticket.
Foody
In a city that is constantly changing, Foody is a great app to get the most current information on the locations and operating hours of restaurants and coffee shops. It even has pictures of the food and menus taken by people who have been visited each venue.
Delivery Now + Vietnammm
Feeling too lazy to leave the house? Delivery Now and Vietnammm are two apps that have you covered. Whether you want street food or a full Indian Thali, you’re able to order nearly any edible offering in the city, right to your front door.
Of course, lethargy has a price and the longer the delivery driver has to travel, the more expensive your order will be. 
Note, these apps work best if you have access to 3G. If you want to use 3G services in Vietnam, you’ll have to purchase a local SIM-card.

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