Saigon traffic chaos - where to buy gps? - Ho Chi Minh City forum

Saigon traffic chaos - where to buy gps?

3POSTS

11 years ago

i just moved here from California and want to purchase a moto. But, I need to get some sort of gps system or I will be circling the same roundabout for days on end....lol.
Any suggestions on ways to navigate Saigon with gps, where to buy, etc?
Thank you so much!

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Guest2023 Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

Drive around and get a feel for the place,if you really get lost use a smartphone.When I first moved to Saigon 7 years ago I just drove around,I got lost plenty of times, but I also found some places I would never of found without doing that.

1 member reacted to this post

Fred Indonesia Expert

30549POSTS

11 years ago

Also, grow a pair of eyes in your arse.
If the roads are anything like they are in Thailand and Indonesia, you'll need the extras.

Guest2023 Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

It is no more difficult to navigate than any big city.

Major Streets
The difficulty arises from it not being a North-South city like Toronto or New York. HCM was designed/aborted by the French. They love traffic circles/roundabouts so their military could, with one gun, control many streets running from the traffic circle.

If you look at you will easily determine the major streets - learn these and you are half-way home!

Wards and Phuongs
Key to locating things is the ward (辫丑瓢峄渍驳) in Vietnam it is an urban sub-district. For example, if you follow DIEN BIEN PHU from the SaiGon Bridge that separates Quan 2 from Quan Binh Thanh you will find the numbering is duplicated/repeated as you follow it to the LY TAO TO ROUNDABOUT in Phuong/Ward 1, Quan 10. (GPS: 10.767720, 106.674374).

The only way to figure which set on numbers is the one you want is by using the Ward or Phuong number.

Hem Numbering
Hems are narrow side streets.

656/52 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street is a side street at 656 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street and the 52 refers to the house number. But this one is tricky!

Start www.DiaDiem.Com and enter 656 Cach Mang Thang Tam in the search field. You will see this single exit from CMT8 actually splits into 656 and 658!

However, there could have been an equally acceptable way. 656/44/21 Cach Mang Thang Tam could equally be treated as the side street at 656, with another side street at #44 (of 656) and then house 44.

But, if you want to go the high-tech route the Garmin Dealer and Service Station is:
THANH QUANG CO LTD [b](GPS: 10.768669, 106.651474).
56, 7A Street - Cu xa Binh Thoi
Ward 8, District 11, TP HCM[/b] (Ask them to load detailed maps in free)

Distance : 4.88 mi; Duration : 23 min
聽聽 Depart REX HOTEL, Nguy峄卬 Hu峄�, District 1
聽聽 At roundabout, take 2nd exit onto 膼漂峄淣G L锚 L峄
聽聽 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 膼漂峄淣G Tr岷 H瓢ng 膼岷
聽聽 Bear right onto 膼漂峄淣G Ph岷 Ng农 L茫o
聽聽 Turn right onto 膼漂峄淣G Nguy峄卬 Th峄� Ngh末a
聽聽 At roundabout, take 2nd exit onto 膼漂峄淣G C谩ch M岷g Th谩ng 8
聽聽 Turn left onto 膼漂峄淣G Nguy峄卬 Th峄� Minh Khai
聽聽 At roundabout, take 3rd exit onto 膼漂峄淣G H霉ng V瓢啤ng
聽聽 Keep straight onto 膼漂峄淣G H峄搉g B脿ng
聽聽 Turn right onto 膼漂峄淣G L媒 Th瓢峄漬g Ki峄噒
聽聽 Turn left onto 膼漂峄淣G Nguy峄卬 Ch铆 Thanh
聽聽 Turn right onto 膼漂峄淣G L锚膼岷 H脿nh
聽聽 Bear right and then turn right onto 膼漂峄淣G B矛nh Th峄沬
聽聽 Arrive at DUONG Binh Thoi 7A, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Simple - it's in ChoLon. (I love our new mapping software!)

jimbream Serial expat

693POSTS

11 years ago

dirkbeszia wrote:
i just moved here from California and want to purchase a moto. But, I need to get some sort of gps system or I will be circling the same roundabout for days on end....lol.
Any suggestions on ways to navigate Saigon with gps, where to buy, etc?
Thank you so much!

Try buying a map of the city.And buy a pen.
If that fails,do what " test that allows your doctor to look at the inner lining of your large intestine" has told you.
-Use your smartphone.They have Google maps and with the power of 3G technology,will show you exactly where you are.
Buy a motorbicycle and ride it-

cvco Malaysia Expert

1237POSTS

11 years ago

Dirk,

In VN I used my Garmin Nuvi and free maps from 聽 That website is a bit confusing to look at but basically what you are doing is clicking on the areas you want maps for, like HCMC, and click Submit and someone on the other end will build the file for you and email you a notice when its ready, like 3 hours later and then you download and install the maps. Its very easy and works with no problems. Ive gotten tons of maps from them.

In my Garmin experience in Saigon, sometimes it can be more than an hour to catch a satellite but once you have the signal its fine after that. Previously I had created waypoints of places I needed to know about and then when I installed the maps i just navigated to them and the maps are accurate.

I brought my Nuvi to VN, I dont know where in Saigon to buy one. Someone else can help on that one.

Guest2023 Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

cvco wrote:
In my Garmin experience in Saigon, sometimes it can be more than an hour to catch a satellite but once you have the signal its fine after that.

I brought my Nuvi to VN, I dont know where in Saigon to buy one. Someone else can help on that one.

VN, being practically on the equator, has fantastic satellite coverage often within range of 12 satellites. The units without external antennae, like the Nivi, have reduced signal sensitivity.

The authorised HCM Garmin dealer is listed above.