vietnam/ho chi minh help

maybe planning a holiday right after chinese new year wasn't a really good idea after all.

i have to be honest here. as much as i want to go to vietnam badly, the fear and horror about going to an unknown place is starting to creep to me. i mean, no, i won't be going alone, but this will be my first time choosing a hostel base on  reviews given by travellers who have stayed there. imagine already chosen a hostel, and then getting happy with all the good reviews that they have got, and then there's the bad reviews about the hostel transferring you to another hostel instead. the horror! so the only thing i can think of  is to book a hostel first, then have a few back up plans in case any craziness happens *touch wood*

trying to plan the itinerary wasn't easy either. i have so many questions and no one to go to as most of the people i know has went to hanoi instead of ho chi minh. googling places to eat and shop leads to addresses in district 1. the confusing part was trying to figure how big district 1 is.... is it like kl? i don't know, and google map wasn't really helpful either

le confuse.

have you been to ho chi minh? advise and suggestions are greatly appreciated 

thank youuuu so much in advance.

:)