My library's Lonely Planet (not the latest) says the airport money changers keep bank hours, but the latest Rough Guide says they are open till IIpm. I'll be arriving about 5pm (hopefully!) so it's after bank hours , and need to know, to change my Aussie dollars. A transfer, bought here, costs $26A, and from this site, a taxi costs about $10A - a much better deal, but I don't think I can use Aussie dollars at all in HCMC. Or can I????

I don't know if they will accept Aussie money -- but do know they readily accept US Dollars so I would recommend getting some of that before you leave and you should be in good shape. We brought lots of single $1 bills and they go pretty far for taxis, tips, etc.
Make sure your taxi is metered.
Have a great trip!

There are also ATMs at the airport.

My experience with the airport money exchange desk is that it is open when international flights arrive (and is not tied to "bank" hours). If you have a question about hours or your ability to exchange Aussie currency, I would suggest emailing your hotel in Saigon (HCMC, to be politically correct) and asking them to get answers to your questions. They should be able to do so. You might also want to email Saigon Tourist (travel agency in Saigon); the email address is [email protected]. Good luck.

If you opt to excahnge money rather than use ATMs, any bank or exchange booth will accept aussie dollars for exchange. US dollars are accepted by many taxi drivers from the airport and some merchants. Your hotel will likely accept Aussie dollars, but at a poor excahnge rate.

Thank you, Butch, Kathie and WSL! I have a few $100 US notes left over from my last USA trip, but no small ones - that was my problem - and I thought I'd keep them for exchanging for Euros, and use Aussie dollars in Vietnam. My hotel is already paid for, so I probably wouldn't spend $100US in only four days. The ATM at the airport sounds a good alternative, but it may be better if I buy, say $25 single dollars here?

You don't "need" US dollars in VN, not the way you do in Cambodia, say. You can use dong for everything, and you'll likely get a slightly better price. The ATM is probably the best way to go. Do remember that dong are worthless outside of VN, so spend or change everything before you leave VN. I was able to trade the last of my dong for dollars at a duty free shop at the Hanoi airport - not a great rate, but better than carrying worthless currency.

Thanks, Kathie. Have just finished reading Graham Greene's "The Quiet American" , set in HCMCity in the 50's, but still very relevant for today. I read it for Vietnam insight, but kept thinking of Irak.

Carrabella, on another thread I mentioned Phil Noyce's film of "The Quiet American" - if you have time it's worth renting, IMO. Very good performances from Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser, although Caine was too old for the part and had the wrong accent for a '50s "Times" correspondent.

BTW, just got home from seeing the documentary "The Fog of War", featuring former US Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara, a depressing reminder of how the US became mired in Vietnam. Yes, parallels with Iraq to be sure - both then and now, leaders ignore history at their peril (or more often, others' peril).

Interested to hear McNamara say that none of America's allies had supported the US in Vietnam. So much for the Australian and NZ deployments in Vietnam.

I thought the same as you did over McNamara's speech, Neil.I can't remember where I heard it though. So much for our "insurance policy" politics. One would think that our leaders should not have to make their own mistakes to learn from them. (Bush is such a slow learner!)

I do intend to watch "The Quiet American" -
may leave it till just before I go.