Trip to Vietnam

[sonic692]

Hiya guys, I'm in Oz at the moment until 17th Oct, then back to LOS:P

I really wanna goto Vietnam..

Can anyone please advise where's best to stay,mongering,hotels (nice,safe and cheapish) etc?

Any information will be appreciated. I did look online re: visas, is it similar to Cambodia or do you have to get it before you depart.

 

I did get great feedback before from when I posted re:Cambodia trip, so I'm hoping this will be the same!!

Cheers

[soldiermick]

I havnt been to Vietnam for about three years now but:

 

Yes you do need to get as visa b4 you go.

 

The best place to stay in Ho Chi minh is the Pham Ngu lao area in district one, plenty of hotels from cheep to reasonable and plenty of bars and girls.

 

Beware though, it was not legal to take a girl to your hotel at night. No problem as you can book into another place with a girl but you have to pay. There were a few places where you could stay and take girls back but not many. Make sure you check first.

 

Dont worry too much though as the girls were cheep enough to make the extra room cost easy to swallow. It was about US$20 for the girl and $20 for the room. At the time it worked out about £18.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

 

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) is a great place to visit and great fun too.

[sonic692]

Nice one Mick, thanks for that info mate. Are you still in Patts? I saw Lloydie btw.

Cheers mate again.

[iballooka]

You need a visa BEFORE you arrive in Vietnam, if in Bangkok you can get one same day from the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok....If your in Pattaya for a week or so you have time to get one via a travel agent cheaper but it takes a min of 3 working days...

 

Saigon is a brilliant place to visit I arrive on the 24th Nov hotels can be a little $8 dollars a night to no limit, get down the backpacker area District 1 and you will find all you want, good bars decent food and good cheap hotel rooms...

 

The P4P scene is more discreet, find a short time hotel book TWO rooms arrive separately and no hassles, its a bit easier in Vang Tau take the hydro foil down and enjoy a couple of nights...

 

Hoi An is worth a visit, the bar scene is there but you have to find it, the beaches are superb with some great bars, find a decent Thai girl and take her with you cheaper and a lot less hassle, you can then do some freelancing when opportunity presents itself...

 

Vietnam is NOT Pattaya "big brother is watching" inappropriate behaviour is not tolerated, dress wrong and visit a temple and you will be chucked out no messing, same in restaurants your expected to dress to the standard, bars are great fun but mauling the girls or loutish behaviour equals being thrown out and worse, snooker halls seem to be the place for the girls I have been told by a BM...

 

I love the place not to everyones liking for sure, get a few miles out of the city and you put the clock back 75 years small rural villages unspoiled and the people are friendly and welcoming...

 

I always felt perfectly safe, the police are there but you seldom see them, I was approached late at night by a pimp on motorbike one the hazards, it was a ladyboy quite aggressive, I tried ignoring and walking on, but he kept harassing me in seconds two plain clothes guys appeared and dealt with situation in no uncertain manner...

 

Make the trip go with an open mind and there are lots of Aussie ex-pats in Vang Tau who have nice bars and eating places any cabbie will take you to one as a starting point...

[sonic692]

Thanks for that info iballooka

[hilly]

If you are going for mongering I would forget everywhere except Vung Tau. Plenty of action and some stunning girls who want to please. Also guest friendly hotels but do your research to avoid dissapointment. Nice beaches as well.

[Scottish Jenny]

i would also like to visit also Cambodia but was worried cause it might be unsafe but perhaps may be an option !

 

The hydrofoil sounds fun as scared of the way the Thais drive and a boat will make me sick !!!

 

[iballooka]

i would also like to visit also Cambodia but was worried cause it might be unsafe but perhaps may be an option !

 

The hydrofoil sounds fun as scared of the way the Thais drive and a boat will make me sick !!!

 

 

Cambodia is for the "experienced traveller" so be aware if your thinking of wandering around alone and hooking up with someone, I would advise that you do a lot of research before going, in particular where is safe to go and when...

 

Vietnam is quite safe and your more than likely to have no problems in hooking up with someone...

 

For clarification the hydro foil goes from Ho Chi Minh or as its better known Saigon to Vung Tau which is more open and liberal, the hydro foil once up to speed is noisy and sea sickness is rarely encountered...

 

You can go by the hi speed boat from Vietnam to Cambodia but this is "tied in" with an overnight tour to the Maekong you can get tickets but you need contacts....

[Scottish Jenny]

Many thanks for the information also was going to see the old ruined city in cambodia, think is called ankor watt

 

 

 

 

 

Cambodia is for the "experienced traveller" so be aware if your thinking of wandering around alone and hooking up with someone, I would advise that you do a lot of research before going, in particular where is safe to go and when...

 

Vietnam is quite safe and your more than likely to have no problems in hooking up with someone...

 

For clarification the hydro foil goes from Ho Chi Minh or as its better known Saigon to Vung Tau which is more open and liberal, the hydro foil once up to speed is noisy and sea sickness is rarely encountered...

 

You can go by the hi speed boat from Vietnam to Cambodia but this is "tied in" with an overnight tour to the Maekong you can get tickets but you need contacts....

[iballooka]

Many thanks for the information also was going to see the old ruined city in cambodia, think is called ankor watt

 

 

Take a 3 day Tour flying is the best option, get a good guide and you will enjoy it, stay in the tourist areas and make sure you have a guide if you stay for the sunsets....

[thebestman36]

I would highly recommend Sihanoukville as a place to hang out in Cambodia. We traveled through Vietnam, but found Sihanoukville to be our favorite. I was with my wife, so no need for the girl scene, but there certainly were more girls to be found in Sihan, than most other places we visited. Beach in Sihan was nice scene. Plenty of cheap hotels, massage, food, drink, right on the beach. You will get your unwatched stuff stolen by the sticky fingered kids, but besides that, we found the place safe enough. We stayed 3 weeks, and walked some dim streets many nights after dark withou incident. Not sure I would do the same in Phnom Penh.

Edited September 30, 2008 by thebestman36