After Phnom Penh, HCMC is rather pleasant. It is a little less humid and there are sometimes even breezes. The center of town is a mix of French Colonial and more modern buildings. There are parks and tree lined streets. The bus dropped us off right in the center of the tourist area with hotels everywhere. It was a fairly easy country transition compared to some others we've been through. The bus was direct, stopping at the border for a lunch break. The passports were taken care of by the bus company (we had also paid them a few bucks to get our Vietnam visas). It was a pleasant surprise when the bus dropped us off in the center of the tourist area when most other buses go to bus stations farther from the center.