What's Vietnam like?
>>969373
really good, it's like other parts of SE asia but more chinese influenced and less corporate (outside of saigon that is)
I would recommend Saigon though because you get treated a little better by the locals (don't forget that some vietnamese still hate white people because of the US).
Probably my favorite country. Awesome outgoing population that will try to scam the shit out of you if you let them, beautiful scenery (seriously beautiful, I've never seen better), everything is cheap and even the cheap things can be haggled. I hope I can live there some day.
>>969452
The buses are sketch no matter what. I had a guy drive us through several miles of closed roads under construction on a mountainside and often lingered uncomfortably long in the wrong lane, but it seems worse than it actually is. We didn't have any real issues and I spent most of the trip traveling by bus.
I would so much rather take a bus than do another rickety plane getting from North to South. And no fucking way would I hop on a moped. You shouldn't have anything to worry about.
>>969459
Gotcha. Just a few more questions before I stop annoying you. Is Hanoi/Da Nang worth it? And the best beaches on Tonkin/Ho Long?
And the Viet Cong tunnel tours are cool (as opposed to underwhelming)? Thanks
>>969461
*And *are* the best beaches around the Gulf/Ho long, I meant
>>969461
Gonna be honest, don't know much about the beaches. When I went, we just stopped at whatever beach looked cool and had food.
Hanoi is interesting but a lot of people won't recommend it. It's a lot less scenic than some of the areas down south and the people are a lot more conservative and therefore rude. It's kind of just one big ugly crowded city. That being said, to me I thought it was still really charming and there's a lot of stuff to do. My recommendation is just to check out the Lonely Planet or Wikitravel guides to Hanoi. If nothing is really popping out at you, you can skip it.
I really loved Da Nang, but didn't spend much time in the city itself. I loved the Marble Mountains, but be warned as I got severely ripped off there and then almost immediately afterwards had money straight up snatched from my hand. But that's a problem anywhere in Vietnam, and both of those occasions were my fault entirely. I think it's worth a stop, especially since it's on the way to Hue which I fucking loved.
The tunnel tours are pretty neat, but I'm a sucker for touristy things. There's not a whole lot to actually do there, but the experience is worth having and like everything else it's insanely cheap so why not.
>>969473
Yeah, Hue sounds neat. Thanks for answering.
See tanks
>>969452
>Are the busses to be trusted getting between Ho Chi and Hanoi/Phnom Penh?
Why on earth would you want to take a bus from HCMC to Hanoi? It's the slowest, most dangerous and most uncomfortable way to make the trip. Even poor Vietnamese don't take the damn bus for that. Flying is cheap and safe and takes 2 hours instead of 2 days. If you're going to places in between then I'd take a train, only taking buses when absolutely necessary. It will be much more comfortable, and safer, because it's harder to fall asleep and drive a train off it's tracks. Between HCMC and Phnom Penh I would still go with a bus though, because it's a much shorter trip (~6 hours), there's no train, and I was too cheap to pay to fly. Just don't take the night bus if you value you're life too much, lol.
>>969459
>I would so much rather take a bus than do another rickety plane getting from North to South.
So much lol. I lived in Vietnam for a year and flew between HCMC and Hanoi every 3 weeks for work. Usually flew Vietjet, sometimes Vietnam Airlines. All the planes were semi-modern jets, the only real issues were they were usually pretty full, and the seats are a bit cramped for tall westerners, but it's a short flight. Never fly Jetstar though, they delay the flight until they fill all the seats like it's a cheap minibus lol.
same poster as >>969768
>>969461
And the best beaches on Tonkin/Ho Long?
I'm assuming you mean Ha Long? And the answer is no. Ha Long Bay is really cool and you should go on a boat trip there if you go to the north, but all the good beaches are in the south or middle of the country. I only went to the beach at Nha Trang, and it was fine, but there's probably better. Phu Quoc island in the south near Cambodia is nice I've heard, but a bit out of the way.
>Is Hanoi/Da Nang worth it?
There's a decent beach at Da Nang, and it's right next to the old city of Hoi An which is worth looking into. About Hanoi - I lived there for a year or so off and on and didn't really enjoy it, at least not compared to HCMC, but I also couldn't imagine going to Vietnam and not going there. To me it feels like the place where Vietnamese culture is most pure and concentrated without much outside influence, for better or worse lol. I do think it's a pretty and interesting city, with a lot of "forgotten by time" charm to it, but like others have said the people are a bit unwelcoming to outsiders, even to other Vietnamese not from Hanoi. It's a harder, colder life in the north and the attitudes reflect that.
>>969441
>don't forget that some vietnamese still hate white people because of the US
Maybe possible, but extremely rare, even in the north. They have much more hate and focus on China than on the US. I was there for almost 2 years and can't remember a time I was treated bad specifically for being white. Usually it was the opposite, and my job depended on it, lol.
>>969783
I believe Da Nang is considered to have better beaches than Nha Trang, though NT is good too.
Nha Trang is great for scuba, really cheap and there are some nice things to see, especially in summer.
>>969441
>some vietnamese still hate white people
I've been to Vietnam several times and have never experienced this. Shit-loads of scams but not actual hatred or anything.
Generally, people are either friendly to foreigners (the usual), scam foreigners (pretty common) or are bored by them.
>>969935
I don't smoke, but I'd guess the Circle K brand convenience stores, since it's a major international chain. You can get cigarettes absolutely fucking everywhere, but I have no idea if they're counterfeits or not.
>>969941
Can you still smoke them in bars and can you still drink alcohol on the street and/or in public...not that i want to denigrate my country by walking around Vietnam like a drunken slob
ITT Anons trying to troll me by implying they're so pleb that they skip pic related
>>969943
>smoke in bars
Yes, most places are sort of open-air with the storefront open or an open balcony. I think it'd be rude to smoke somewhere with bad ventilation, but I don't think anybody would stop you most places.
>drink alcohol on the street and/or in public
Yes, I think I did the majority of my drinking there outside. Just walking down the street anywhere there you'll find places with little plastic tables to sit down and drink beer and eat. People don't really walk down the street with drinks in their hand though.
Anybody reading this have tefl experience in Vietnam? Willing to share experiences?
>>969994
I taught English there but to their military. They are funnyeople and working with the adult
students was a lot of fun. Do it.
>>970004
How did you get that gig? Recommendations on getting tefl certifications in Vietnam?
>>969452
We went through the whole country with buses. Use the red buses in the south, a korean company... dont remember the name, they were all good, clean and service was good. Closer to north where they dont run the buses were ok, but the service was shit. If you are under 180cm you can sleep okay in them, we travelled by night. Roads are bumpy and you wake up, but still they were okay.
>>969927
Avoid Nha Trang at all cost, unless you want to go to the russian riviera. All the signs are in russian, people speak russian to you if you are white. And lets face it, they are the worst tourists.
>>970036
You don't go to Nha Trang for the city, you go for the water sports. The city is just where you hang out while you're waiting for the next morning when the scuba boats go out.
There's heaps of Russians but it's not as bad as you make out. People still speak English, you can get by in Vietnamese, you just buy Banh Mi on the street and stay in cheap hotels and go scuba diving and/or surfing.
>>969441
>don't forget that some vietnamese still hate white people because of the US
you do know the US saved their shit hole of a country right? The people there are grateful to Americans
>>970106
>you do know the US saved their shit hole of a country right?
uhhhhhh, am I too high to grasp what this guy is
>implying
>>970118
I think he's the high one.
Are Road and street side food stalls are generally safe to eat from (rural and/or metro areas) and are there telltale signs if they're sketch?
>>970127
We ate for 3 weeks from everywhere, stalls, restaurants, backstreet stall and no problem anywhere in Vietnam. We might have been lucky but the people i met there also had no problems.
Anybody ever get dental work over there? Wouldn't mind getting a cheap cleaning and checkup as long as I can avoid hepatitis
>>969373
I thought it was great
overated:
markets
temples
"dragon" anything
anything your bus stops at on the way to somewhere else
vietnamese girls
communist properganda
underated:
mountains (with trees)
mountains (no trees)
backpackers
currency conversion rate
local beer
city of lanterns
anything that sounds like an authentic cultural experience is a waste of time, making friends with locals is a waste of time
cleaning shoes before entering shops is a waste of time
Considering visiting Vietnam this summer for about 3-5 weeks I think.
I'm somewhat worried about the weather. Lots of rain and very hot in July and August from what I hear. Anyone with some anecdotal evidence for Vietnam weather in july/august? Is it doable or am I going to be soaked 24/7?
My plan is to visit the Son Doong cave, the world's largest cave. The cave is just recently surveyed so there is zero infrastructure there. Its not too far from a major road though (~6km) and I noticed a nearby village on Google Maps.
Is it at all realistic for me to just go to that (very small, rural) village and try to arrange some food and a bed for a night?
How does Phu Quoc island visa waiver thing work, do I just fly to the airport and theres no immigration?
I emailed the Vietnamese embassy about it and all they said was that as long as I flew there directly I dont need a visa for 30 days
>>970259
why so jaded anon?
>>970236
>dental work
Thailand is the place for that.
>>970274
The cave is located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park but tours cost like $3000. There are alot of other massive caves nearby that you dont have to pay huge sums of money for though. The town nearby is called son trach and has loads of guesthouses and a hostel or two so accomodation is no problem.
>>970396
Just cough up 17 bucks for the visa and and go explore the rest of Vietnam as well
>>970505
Philippines is as good service and bit cheaper
>>970517
Are you sure we're talking about the same cave here? As far as I know there are no tours to this cave.
We aren't talking about the same village. Mine doesn't even show up with a name on Google Maps but there are clearly some houses and fields there.
Would a local vietnamese farmer be willing to feed me and give me a bed for the night, possibly in exchange for cash?
>>970608
He is talking about the same cave as you. I was interested in it too when I was in Vietnam until I found out about the price.
Hell, I just searched "Son Doong" on bing (not even google) and a bunch of tours popped up...
Anyway, as for your last question, yes they would be willing to do so. Most people would be extremely happy to host you for say, $20 or so. Just don't expect anything fancy of course.
>>970611
I don't see anything stopping me from going in on my own. Its just a hole in the ground after all.
More worried about the weather. If its raining 24/7 in the summer, it probably wont be very safe or fun.
>>970617
>I don't see anything stopping me from going in on my own.
Just the Vietnamese military or police.
>Its just a hole in the ground after all.
Exactly. You can't just go walking around in caves unprepared. For the other large caves in Vietnam they've built infrastructure for tours (steps, guard rails, LIGHTS, etc). For caves without infrastructure you need to bring you're own safety gear and lighting, and have some sort of map of the place.
How easy are the girls there? I've heard one night stands are pretty rare, they require a few a dates before you sleep with them, and regular Viet girls don't go to bars or clubs. Does that ring true?
How do girls compare to say, chinese girls (pretty easy) if you're white, tall, and decent looking?
>>970742
>How easy are the girls there? I've heard one night stands are pretty rare, they require a few a dates before you sleep with them
That's about right I'd say. I did fuck a few on the first date, but it was usually the second or third date. Don't worry about it, just date multiple girls til you're sleeping with at least one of them. Most of them are pleasant to hangout with and show you around, so whatever. Some expect you to pay everything, some don't.
>regular Viet girls don't go to bars or clubs
Lol, that's not true. You are more likely to run into some slutty party girls and hookers/pseudo-hookers in some bars, but a lot of normal girls go with their friends just to hangout and dance. I'd say it's just more traditional or poorer girls that don't go to the bars often, and more middle class or higher that do.
Are you going to Saigon or Hanoi? I was mostly talking about Saigon, it's a lot more conservative and traditional in Hanoi, with black or white attitudes to if a girl is a good girl or bad girl. I actually think the girls are prettier in Hanoi, but I didn't have as much luck dating them because everything moves so slow, and they tend to have a ton of family commitments and less free time, and I'd only stay for 3 weeks at a time before going back to Saigon. If you're looking to marry a beautiful traditional asian girl and stay forever it's ok I guess.
>How do girls compare to say, chinese girls (pretty easy) if you're white, tall, and decent looking?
I don't know about Chinese girls, but yeah, you shouldn't have much trouble.
>>970818
Not sure if I'll go there yet, but I'll probably check out Hanoi or Saigon. I've heard Hanoi people are a little ruder and don't like whites or tourists or something though. I'm also considering moving there for cheap cost of living and just working online. What did you do there?
Thanks for the info
Has Vietnambro ever been back or did he actually die in that motorcycle accident?
>>970122
Not really. The war wasnt solely the US vs Vietnam.
It was the US and southern Vietnam forces vs northern Vietnam(viet cong) and communist backed leaders.
82% of vietnamese people polled said they had a positive view of Americans as of 2013. The last year a government survey of its kind was conducted.
If the Vietnam war never happened, vietnam would be a communist shit hole much like north korea.
You should research things before giving your opinion if you know nothing about what you are talking about.
>http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War
>>970826
w-what happened to him this time.
seems people always start rumors about him dying, then he comes back
>>970823
>I've heard Hanoi people are a little ruder and don't like whites or tourists or something
It's no so much that they don't like whites or tourists, it's more that they just sort of look down on anybody that's not from Hanoi, and the culture isn't very open and welcoming to outsiders, including other Vietnamese. Being a white foreigner is still seen as a good thing, but you'll just have a harder time getting involved in people's lives since they're much more attached and dependent on family and friends they've known their whole lives. They also have much less exposure to foreigners than in Saigon, and will have a harder time understanding your perspective and concerns about things.
>I'm also considering moving there for cheap cost of living and just working online
That can work, I met a few people that did that. Internet is generally reliable, although they occasionally DNS block facebook in some places, but it's easy to get around. Do you already have online income? You will need to get a visa, I've heard they're getting a little tighter about it, but I wouldn't worry too much since you won't need a work permit. Do you know how to ride a scooter? It's possible to get by without one in Saigon, but it's better to have one. I think it's necessary in Hanoi because I don't trust the taxis there.
>What did you do there?
I was a fake doctor at a super luxury medical spa. I sold and performed fake stem cell treatments, and other fake luxury skin care magic. I was also in ads for the company in magazines and on tv/youtube. It probably averaged to about 1 hour a day of real work with customers, and I could spend the rest of the day shitposting on 4chan. Since the company I worked for had a clinic in Saigon and Hanoi I was given a free place to stay in both cities and airfare between them about every 3 weeks. It paid pretty well, but was just incredibly slow and boring since there weren't all that many people that could afford our insane prices.
>>970881
Haven't you had people come after your neck for that?
>>970835
>Not really. The war wasnt solely the US vs Vietnam. It was the US and southern Vietnam forces vs northern Vietnam(viet cong) and communist backed leaders.
I'm sure everyone here grasped that tautology going into this argument.
>82% of vietnamese people polled said they had a positive view of Americans as of 2013. The last year a government survey of its kind was conducted.
Which is not evidence supporting your claim the the US saved that country. A self-contradictory statement on your part, since you call it a shit whole.
>If the Vietnam war never happened, vietnam would be a communist shit hole much like north korea.
That's a laughably facile assertion fallacy, flying in the face of the US leaving, South Vietnam unifying with North Vietnam, and socialism occurring there without being even remotely similar to DPRK.
>>970891
>Haven't you had people come after your neck for that?
Not really. The police did come into our clinics several times, a few times at random, and a few times after a women died during a boob job in another similar type of clinic and they were cracking down on all the shady beauty spas. I never got in any real trouble though, a manager would always tell me to go leave or hide or take off my lab coat and just say I was one of the employees boyfriends hanging out there. The inspections were always a bit lazy and half-assed and were probably more looking for a bribe than to arrest anyone.
As far as customers being upset, yeah it happened occasionally, but they were middle aged Vietnamese women, usually wasting their husbands money, and couldn't really say much to me since I don't speak more than a few words of Vietnamese. It's not like our treatments were totally ineffective, they just didn't do nearly as much as we'd say, and they were probably about 10x more expensive than they were worth.
>>970707
>Just the Vietnamese military or police.
Why would the military or police try to stop me from entering a cave? Why would they be in the middle of nowhere, guarding a cave?
Are you basing your posts on anything or just trying to put me down for no reason?
I most certainly can enter a cave unprepared. Doesn't mean I will though. However the whole point for me is that the cave does not have infrastructure. That's what excites me about it.
Pic related. I don't need some fucking guard rail or a paid tour to enjoy that view.
>>970902
>socialism occurring there without being even remotely similar to DPRK
It is interesting to wonder how it would have turned out if the referendum was honoured, even with the rigged results in the south. Uncle Ho won that hands down, even with the south getting more votes than people in many provinces.
How would Ho have handled things without a way? As it was, a lot of southern elites got persecuted, which is why there were cyclo drivers with texan accents for ages, because it was the only job that anyone with contact with US forces could do.
He learnt his socialism in Paris for the most part, a little COMINTERN but he wasn't an idiot and knew it was brain-washing and propaganda. If he never needed to suck the USSR's teat during a war then he'd have had a lot of independence and he was NEVER going to adopt Maoist policies since half the streets are named after heroes who fought the Chinese.
I think they had agricultural collectives that led to some famine and they did kill a bunch of people but whether that would happened with a peaceful unification is unclear. Nothing on the scale of the great leap forward or the cultural revolution.
Probably impossible to say.
>>970932
>Why would the military or police try to stop me from entering a cave? Why would they be in the middle of nowhere, guarding a cave?
If it's worth money then there are probably cops around. Maybe a rescue detail? Who knows.
>>971000
>brain-washing and propaganda
implying capitalism isn't, and I'm not even bum burned that you said this. I almost never trip, but I wanted to sign this post.
>inb4 implying I support DPRK or Iran or any other of the looney tune states. Just saying Vietnam (and to a degree Cuba) went relatively well as far as 20th century experiments in socialist transition went
>at least they didn't uphold the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie
>or yanqui imperialismo
>>971000 oh BTW nice trips, I meant to check 'em in the spirit of international revolution :-P
>>971037
Well yeah
>>970259
>properganda
you're english aren't you
ITT we try to summon Vietnambro
>>971063
and/or determine if we need a shaman to do so in response to rumors of his death
>>970881
how are english levels of the locals in Hanoi and Saigon? Which one is worse, and which one will you be less bothered by hustlers and people trying to rip you off and steal your money
>>971074
>Less English
>Less Hustlers
The answer to both questions is Hanoi.
Saigon is massively touristy, it even has a small version of Kaohsan rd. That tells you everything you need to know.
There are still old vietnamese guys there who learnt broken English from GIs and plenty of young ones who learnt it from tourists. The latter exist in Hanoi but in much smaller quantities.
Saigon is just generally a bit wild west and Hanoi is a bit more uptight, well for Vietnam anyway.
>>971074
I'm >>970881 and I'd say the English level is a little better in Saigon, but it's not a huge difference. It's not really a factor I'd make any plans based on.
>which one will you be less bothered by hustlers and people trying to rip you off and steal your money
This really depends on how long you're going to be there and what you're trying to do. You'll be approached and hassled a bit more on the street in Saigon, especially in the tourist area, but most of it's relatively harmless and easy to ignore. Where the real issues are is when you do actually need to buy or rent something. If it's something common and you know what a reasonable price is, you'll have a much easier time getting that price in Saigon. In Hanoi you'll quickly develop a nice ohthisshitagain.jpg reaction to all the negotiations you're in where people are trying to quote you prices like it's your first day in Asia, and are insistent when you make a reasonable counter-offer. Just always remember to bargain hard and don't worry about offending them, these aren't street kids begging in Cambodia, they're adults and know what they're doing. You will have to walk away from more people in Hanoi without them ever agreeing to a decent price. This shit is most common when renting a motorbike, buying clothes, electronics, taxi rides, and a few other things. You'll find fixed prices and western style service much easier in Saigon.
As far as street crime, as a guy you're biggest risk is probably hookers, or girls that act like hookers and try to touch/grope you on the street and pickpocket you. I've also heard of guys on bikes snatching bags and phones off people, but they tend to pick on women it seems.
>>971058
I'm australian-british
my spelling is poor, and I use the English language unusually.
>>969373
Horrid.
Going to stop in Hanoi for a few days. I've been looking at the LP guide and am interesting in doing a daytrip somewhere. Some possibilities that popped up are the Perfume Pagoda and Ninh Binh and the regions around it. Anyone have experience with these? Other recommendations for daytrips from Hanoi?
>>971214
>girls that act like hookers and try to touch/grope you on the street and pickpocket you
I had a guy dressed very, very badly as a girl pull that in Saigon. LP had specifically listed the scam and I was fore-warned.
>>971352
>Perfume Pagoda
I did that, it was kind of fun. Take a boat up a river then hike up a mountain (on a path, with people trying to sell you shit on the way..., not such an adventure). The top has a cave temple that is kind of cool.
>>971352
>Other recommendations for daytrips from Hanoi?
Snake village, where you can eat a cobra. You're allowed to bring friends, it's a big meal.
How long is ideal to spend in Vietnam? I have a month to a month and a half to plan a trip and I'm divided over whether to work in Cambodia, too.
>>971419
To work Cambodia into the trip, that is.
>>971419
Depends how much you want to see. I took my time and spent 6 weeks travelling from North to South, but I stopped off at a lot of places most people don't bother with.
In my opinion, 4 weeks is a good amount of time to see the main places at a leisurely pace and squeeze in a few more places that sound interesting to you.
I'd recommend popping over to Cambodia for 2 weeks too if you decide to travel for 6 weeks.
>>971423
I won't get to go abroad again until 2016 for this trip, so I'd like to get as much in as I possibly can. Do you think 6 weeks in Vietnam alone would be too much?
Went to Vietnam with a Vietnamese friend for a month back in 2013.
>flew into hanoi
>friend says slip $20 into passport to get through security faster instead of standing around waiting while they bullshit
>stayed in hanoi for the night
>next day fly to hcmc
>hour into the flight they turn around because there was a storm or some shit and we were in a small plane
>get back and take train
>gave a guy extra cash to get on the next one
>finally get to hcmc
>friends cousin is there to pick us up
>drive to nha trang
>stayed in a nice hotel right by the beach for like $30 a night
>beach was fun as shit
>except dudes hounding you to fuck hookers and shit (i did a couple times lel)
>met some aussies and brits on the beach
>partied with those crazy fuckers
>friends family lived about 30mins away
>stayed at his hometown for a week
>fucking based beer deliverly and these mothafuckas just downing shit
>best goddamn fuckin pho I've ever had
>ate at this place damn near everyday I was there
>went fishing at this lake tucked away
(cont.)
>>971485
>watched a cock fight go down
>everyone nice as shit
>then we take a bus to da lat
>on the way there bus driver stops to take a piss
>we're on the mountains
>the scene was fucking beautiful man, like a goddamn fucking painting
>and ive been to a lot of places
>nothing compares to take crisp air and that view
>finally get there
>its fun, nothing too special
>played a lot of pool/snooker
>fucking hiked to a waterfall
>it was nice but i wouldnt do it again
>there for a week, then went back
>last week in nha trang
>fun continues
>partying with other tourist and shit
>spend last couple days in hcmc
Overall a 7/10 trip. The hassle of getting to our destination and the bribing is what brings it down. I'm glad I went with my friend who did all the translating and stuff, probably wouldn't have had as much fun if I didn't. He says he going again in sometime in 2016, I'm probably gonna go again.
>>971485
>hookers
Are they easily available in Vietnam? Safe?
>>971487
ya man, there are assholes all over the beach looking to take you to them, I think they get a cut or something. It'll range from $20-$100 depending on the girl you choose, also check if they charge for the room. Me and an Aussie I was with almost got into it with one of the pimps, (charged an extra $20 each for the rooms after the fact) but my friend talked him down to just $20 for both of us.
>>971489
>going to Vietnam to fuck hookers
Well you're an Aussie... should've known. You guys give white people a bad rep. in Asia, thanks for that.
>>971490
I'm American, I just partied with Aussies who were there. I didn't go there with the intent to fuck hookers. One thing lead to another and we decided, fuck it why not. Some of the hoes were hella pretty too.
>>971451
6 weeks in Vietnam wouldn't be too much, but I would go to Cambodia for part of that instead. I thought Angkor Wat was really one of the most impressive things to see in all of South East Asia, and Phnom Penh has a post-apocalyptic / wild west feel that you don't really get anywhere else.
>>969459
Ha. I rode a moped from Hanoi to Danang (in a Tshirt I'm a retard), flew from there to Saigon, then bussed to Phnom Penh. Would do again.
>>971486
How would I go about seeing a cockfight, friend?
>>971490
People don't usually travel with the intention to fuck hookers. Many will, however, enjoy the opportunity when available.
I also plan a trip to vietnam in the summer (perhaps cambodia too, as i read the thread) so i would really appreciate further insights and recommendations.
>>971705
Same. Can anyone who has been there in the summer tell what the weather was like? Very hot I assume but does it rain a lot?
>>971490
You guys give white people a bad rep. in Asia, thanks for that.
based this. my trips to Vietnam can confirm.
>>971795
>does it rain a lot?
In the rainy season, yes..
but the showers only last a brief few minutes and then the sun pops back out.. I prefer the rainy season as the weather is more tolerable.
>>969373
be wary of advice from anons that call HCMC Saigon..
>>971805
cuckboi detected
>>971806
butthurt pleb detected
>>971805
Fucking lol. I'm the dude that lived there for 2 years and Vietnamese use the names interchangeably and randomly. I've heard Saigon is only supposed to refer to District 1 now, but nobody actually uses it that way.
>>971808
As somebody from a country that had no part in the Vietnam war, Saigon is both easier to say and type.
Its like calling Myanmar, Burma. I know its wrong, but if we both know what it means then whats the problem.
>>971869
>I'm the dude that lived there for 2 years
sure, ANON
>I've heard Saigon is only supposed to refer to District 1 now, but nobody actually uses it that way
Strange you should say that, since my Vietnamese Wife uses it that way with her family. Saigon means the downtown area of HCMC.
While were anon'ing our history, I've been to Vietnam many times, our home there is in Binh Thanh district and the only people I hear saying Saigon in reference to HCMC are wanna-be-hipster-tourists.
>>971870
>Saigon is easier
True, but it isn't accurate when describing places that were outside of the old Saigon city limits.. They simply just didn't rename the city -- it was a merger with a HUGE province & the small city.. Cu Chi is now in HCMC when it was many miles outside of Saigon..
Think of it this way: Combine the city of Boston with the state of Massachusetts and call the result Liberalville.
>>971899
So your wife says she's going from her home in Binh Thanh district to Saigon? Yeah, I'm not buying that, comrade
>>971808
>>971806
Gentlemen, you are on /trv/. Act like you got some class.
>>971905
>wife says she's going from her home in Binh Thanh district to Saigon?
I'm not sure what your asking, but she hardly ever uses the term Saigon. Always HCMC between us. If you mean to travel from the house to lets say the (now gone) Tax Plaza, she would say shes going to District 1, or if she wants to go to the Cresent Mall she would say district 7.
>Yeah, I'm not buying that, comrade
lots of Anon talk shit. you're free to assume I am as well, but don't think I give a shit.
>>971918
No, I believe you from how you say she talks. I just don't believe many people actually use the term Saigon to only refer to D1, and the only people that get upset about it are autists and communist party officials. Some people do always say HCMC to refer to the whole city, some people randomly say HCMC or Saigon.
When and why did they close tax center? It was still there when I was there a year ago. It's a shame how they try to tear down or cover up all the older interesting looking buildings there.
>>971935
>When and why did they close tax center?
They tore it down around August of last year. why? no idea.
Worth it going to Hoi An?
>>972308
Fuck yes.
Assuming you want to get some clothes tailored.
>>972353
Everybody says that too. Is it just because they're better quality tailoring?
Which Viet Cong tunnels should i be going to? I heard there's a few tunnel sights and the Cu Chi ones are the most visited?
>>972456
>they're better quality tailoring?
To be honest, they're sub-standard quality tailoring but it's dirt cheap so that doesn't matter so much.
Lots of people get in the habit of taking a holiday there every few years to refill their wardrobe. That way the suit only has to last a few years and you can throw it away.
Once half the stuff you bought is falling apart...it's time for another Vietnamese holiday.
That said, some of the stuff I bought is really good quality, you have to inspect the seams a lot, make sure you're dealing with a saleswoman who understands what you want, have the time to get things adjusted because the sizes won't be right the first time.
If you're used to it all and you know which shops are decent (i.e. farm it out to a sweatshop outside town that has decent guys sewing in it) then you can get great stuff at cheap prices.
When I went there, I went around and had a shirt made at several different places to compare quality, diligence etc. The ones that managed to fill all my requests and didn't have buttons falling off the shirts and the seams were double-stiched...I went back to.
Always go to the edge of the shopping area though, the stuff in the centre of town has seen you coming and has tourists lined up a dozen long behind you. Get someone that really needs your money because they'll take care of you better. Especially if you don't order everything up front, get one thing made, check it out, order some more things, then some more etc. If they have to milk the money out of you over a few days then they'll work for it and you'll get good results while they get paid, win-win.
If you want something really weird then they'll try but your results might vary...my leather pants didn't work out well though the vinyl ones were quite good for a while.
>>972700
Two other things...
Be aware that your size might change while travelling, I lose weight, my waist shrinks from eating better and my thighs shrink from cycling less. When I get back home, my pants don't fit as well because the waist and thighs are tight for different reasons. I could barely button up one suit I bought there.
The other thing is that Hoi An also specialises in freight, so ship all those clothes home by sea-mail then continue on your trip, they'll arrive home a few weeks after you do and it will be like christmas with a box every few days while they all come in. Your hotel can arrange that sort of stuff, so can the tailor probably...it's all cheap so I wouldn't worry about the commission too much. Some girls will come over to your place by Xe Honda with scales and boxes and packaging material and weight, pack and ship it for you.
Should I get shots against Malaria and Hepatitis?
>>972970
You should already have Hepatitis A antibodies from getting it when younger, and B antibodies from a vaccine. I'm not familiar with injected antimalarials.
>>972996
>You should already have Hepatitis A antibodies from getting it when younger
Confirmed for not white. Sorry. Only 3rd worlders get the Hep A as kids nowadays. Everybody else needs their shots to get immunity.
>injected antimalarials
doesn't exist
>>972970
Hep A, Typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, Tetnus
>>972970
Bring Malaria tablets
they're only necessary for certain areas though so do some research
>>973023
>Confirmed for not white. Sorry.
false
>Only 3rd worlders get the Hep A as kids nowadays.
emphasis on nowadays, I'm an oldfag and not in the 4chan sense
>doesn't exist
which is what I was saying in response to bro asking about that very thing
The tone of your post sucked, man, this is /trv/, chillax, burn one down if you need to.
>>972700
Thanks for the insight. Cheapass clothing here I come!
>>972996
>already have Hepatitis A antibodies from getting it when younger
Any real traveller (tm) and even a lot of more civilised backpackers will have hep A antibodies just from eating a bad meal somewhere in asia/africa.
For fuck's sake, get Hep B vaccinations though. It's easy, cheap and the disease is nasty and pretty common, it's harder to catch than Hep A but you basically get it the same way, contaminated food will do it. Unsafe sex is more common, you could get it giving oral to someone or possibly even making out with them.
>>973161
You can catch HIV off some oe from aking out
>>973174
*off some one from making out
can I find a teaching job in saigon? i am german, so either german (which i assume will be pretty rare) or english. i have a bachelors degree, but not language-related. no tefl, no anything.
>>973211
also where to look?
Hey! Does Vietnam immigration check for exit tickets?
>>973214
Airlines do.
>>973174
No you can't. Not unless they're bleeding from their mouth and you have open cuts or extensive herpes lesions.
There is exactly one documented case of someone contracting HIV from oral sex, let alone kissing, and that person had severe oral herpes as well.
>>973234
>2015
>falling for this
>>973211
There's a Deutchesinstitut in Hanoi - you're more than welcome to try, Hans!
Food
>>973223
Airlines may check, but Immigration in Vietnam doesn't care. If you insist that you'll be okay - "I'm booking a bus to Laos/Cambodia in a week" they'll let you on the plane.
However, there's only a few countries that have Visa exemptions - you have two choices for entering the country.
First, you could visit the nearest Vietnamese embassy and get a proper visa in your passport. This is your best bet. It's not difficult.
Second, you could get an agent to arrange visa on arrival for you. There's so many online that they push most Vietnamese consulate and embassy links out of the top 10 on google.
>>970106
damn nigger you are stupid
>>974336
I'm going to Vietnam in two weeks. Nordic masterrace passport, I don't need a visa. Feels good man.
