I need somewhere I can pay daily because I won't be in town long.

Garage gyms are just fine for me - no air con needed, and the only equipment I really need is a pullup bar, dip bar, and some free weights.

I prefer not paying over $5 for a one-day visit. Can swing $10 if it's a must, but I doubt it is in a big city like HCMC.

That all sounds familiar

Viet gyms (no ac, ghetto ass equipment) are scattered throughout and may be accessed for around 2-3 USD / visit. Beware: some of these are gay gyms, so don't be surprised if you've got sweaty, shirtless dudes attentively studying your hammer curl technique. My go-to was on the corner of Nguyen Khac Nhieu and Vo Van Kiet in D1. Everybody was friendly as hell (no homo).

Some other places, FYI:

In District 1:

Caravelle Hotel: Hands down the best service, pool, and steam room/sauna facilities of all the gyms I visited in HCMC. Also the priciest and limited free weights. 375 USD / 3 months

New World Hotel and Renaissance Hotel: Solid alternatives and slightly cheaper than Caravelle. New World has a bigger pool with great steam rooms. Both are at around 80-120 USD.

Rex Hotel: Adequate free weights/machines and rooftop pool. Great opportunities to network with the members here. 60-75 USD / month depending on plan

Mach's gym: Best free weights and machines of the non hotel gyms. But no gym or steam/sauna. Around 40 USD / month

The Cali fitness chain is definitely worth checking out and offers modern equipment / facilities but for longer terms. A new one right across the bridge in D4 opened up and is reportedly offering competitive deals. Don't give out your real number or email to the staff because they are trained to harass the living daylights out of you.

In Dis 2: NUTRIFORT in Dist. 2 and Thao Dien Pearl is top of the line with very professional service (rare in Vn) and great classes.

In Dis. 7: Avoid Crescent Wellness. They are offering shit ass facilities and services for around 200 USD / month, and will only negotiate their pricing with locals.

Have to do visa run already since they gave me express category D when I was entering country :/

Need to take bus to Cambodia with my latter of approval tomorrow morning, anything I should know about this? My first visa run ever

They said bus goes from Ben Than market every 30min all day, is this correct ? I assume I can just pay there and that's it?

Quote: (11-19-2014 04:24 AM)ballybally Wrote:  

Have to do visa run already since they gave me express category D when I was entering country :/

Need to take bus to Cambodia with my latter of approval tomorrow morning, anything I should know about this? My first visa run ever

They said bus goes from Ben Than market every 30min all day, is this correct ? I assume I can just pay there and that's it?

Yep, the bus service should take care of everything for about $25 if they know what they're doing. Just be a little bit careful at the Vietnam-Cambodia border. It's not so much dangerous as it's just disorganized and sketchy. If you ever wanted to disappear from the grid, that border crossing would be a pretty good choice.

BB, most of the ghetto gyms are 50k per day. My monthly membership is 170k. I've also heard good things about Rach Mieu in Phu Nhuan district, but I personally haven't been. Can't add much more to what Papi Rico said, he pretty much nailed it.

Anyone coming from the States to Vietnam in the next couple weeks?

Today is Vietnamese teachers's day, it's an opportunity if you're into young female teachers or college students since generally they don't have school today, just let you guys know.

Quote: (11-20-2014 12:54 AM)Felix88 Wrote:  

Today is Vietnamese teachers's day, it's an opportunity if you're into young female teachers or college students since generally they don't have school today, just let you guys know.

It's also yet another opportunity for Vietnamese girls to demand gifts from you. "But I teach you English!"

If anybody is interested I might give good apartment for 50% off (for 2months, you can extend or cancel contract after)

Signed just 2 days ago(contract has 1 month cancellation period) and I paid rent+deposit(which converts to last rent) ... It's 12mil deposit + 12mil rent for first month. I'd pass it on for just 12mil ($550)

Apartment is in central garden(5min to Ben Than market), it's 2br, big kitchen/living room. 4th floor with balcony. Normal modern furnish.

Reason for this is because I found out yesterday there is high chance I have lymphoma(my luck...signed apartment day before), and since my travel insurance doesn't cover expensive biopsy(kinda last confirmation test), I will have to fly back to EU to have it done there and very likely stay there for treatment. Explaining this so it doesn't look like there might be something wrong with apartment and I want fast way out. Can provide medical proofs

Still not exactly 100% this will go trough(waiting for final words from insurance comapny) but close to it. If somebody is interested, pm me.

^ Sorry about the health problems.

I'm in HCMC right now and that's a tempting offer. When would it be possible to move in?

Quote: (11-25-2014 11:44 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

^ Sorry about the health problems.

I'm in HCMC right now and that's a tempting offer. When would it be possible to move in?

I'll know for sure if I will need to leave today or tomorrow. If I'll have to go then in 2-4 days from today.

Sorry to hear about the health issue ballybally! Wish you a speedy recovery man!

Can anyone comment on the repercussions (if any) for breaking a lease in Vietnam? It's in my (ex?) girlfriend's name and I don't want her to get fucked if I leave early, while at the same time I don't want to get fucked if I stay. Done with the noisy city, moving on to Da Lat or Da Nang.

Quote: (05-28-2014 12:10 PM)Elim Wrote:  

from a place with almost every young woman is available, loves foreigners, and speaks pretty decent English ...and going to a place where many of the hotties are apparently swooped up when they are young, not nearly the same amount of availability, English proficiency is lower, and not as many of them are interested in foreigners.

With all of this which I am sure is quite true, my big questoin is, wth would there even be a thread and interest in gaming in this country? If the Phils is so much better in all these respects, what is it that motivates anyone to put interest in it and not have everyone hop right over to Philippines threads? The only thing that would draw anyone to a different country as quality, but as you can see, with the much greater availability here, you will get the quality ones here too. I really wonder what someone would be doing buying a plane ticket to Vietnam when they can land in Philippines instead. In that list, I think you forgot to mention online dating logistics as yet another huge benefit here. It seems like most girls that are available, especially outside of Manila, are on filipino cupid. So it is all here!

Quote: (11-27-2014 11:17 PM)mindanao Wrote:  

Quote: (05-28-2014 12:10 PM)Elim Wrote:  

from a place with almost every young woman is available, loves foreigners, and speaks pretty decent English ...and going to a place where many of the hotties are apparently swooped up when they are young, not nearly the same amount of availability, English proficiency is lower, and not as many of them are interested in foreigners.

With all of this which I am sure is quite true, my big questoin is, wth would there even be a thread and interest in gaming in this country? If the Phils is so much better in all these respects, what is it that motivates anyone to put interest in it and not have everyone hop right over to Philippines threads? The only thing that would draw anyone to a different country as quality, but as you can see, with the much greater availability here, you will get the quality ones here too. I really wonder what someone would be doing buying a plane ticket to Vietnam when they can land in Philippines instead. In that list, I think you forgot to mention online dating logistics as yet another huge benefit here. It seems like most girls that are available, especially outside of Manila, are on filipino cupid. So it is all here!

Personally I prefer the look of Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Malaysian girls to Filipinas. Not to mention girls aren't the sole or even main reason for visiting or living in another country.

In addition to what SP said above, which of course is quite true, as JFK said, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard." I don't want to live a life walking just in the well-treaded path of those before me. I want to live and do some things that not so many have done before. I'm not so naive to think that my chosen path is unique, but it is not one defined by the opinions, successes and failures of those before me.

Quote: (11-27-2014 11:17 PM)mindanao Wrote:  

Quote: (05-28-2014 12:10 PM)Elim Wrote:  

from a place with almost every young woman is available, loves foreigners, and speaks pretty decent English ...and going to a place where many of the hotties are apparently swooped up when they are young, not nearly the same amount of availability, English proficiency is lower, and not as many of them are interested in foreigners.

With all of this which I am sure is quite true, my big questoin is, wth would there even be a thread and interest in gaming in this country? If the Phils is so much better in all these respects, what is it that motivates anyone to put interest in it and not have everyone hop right over to Philippines threads? The only thing that would draw anyone to a different country as quality, but as you can see, with the much greater availability here, you will get the quality ones here too. I really wonder what someone would be doing buying a plane ticket to Vietnam when they can land in Philippines instead. In that list, I think you forgot to mention online dating logistics as yet another huge benefit here. It seems like most girls that are available, especially outside of Manila, are on filipino cupid. So it is all here!

Quote: (11-28-2014 01:57 AM)Sweet Pea Wrote:  

Quote: (11-27-2014 11:17 PM)mindanao Wrote:  

Quote: (05-28-2014 12:10 PM)Elim Wrote:  

from a place with almost every young woman is available, loves foreigners, and speaks pretty decent English ...and going to a place where many of the hotties are apparently swooped up when they are young, not nearly the same amount of availability, English proficiency is lower, and not as many of them are interested in foreigners.

With all of this which I am sure is quite true, my big questoin is, wth would there even be a thread and interest in gaming in this country? If the Phils is so much better in all these respects, what is it that motivates anyone to put interest in it and not have everyone hop right over to Philippines threads? The only thing that would draw anyone to a different country as quality, but as you can see, with the much greater availability here, you will get the quality ones here too. I really wonder what someone would be doing buying a plane ticket to Vietnam when they can land in Philippines instead. In that list, I think you forgot to mention online dating logistics as yet another huge benefit here. It seems like most girls that are available, especially outside of Manila, are on filipino cupid. So it is all here!

Personally I prefer the look of Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Malaysian girls to Filipinas. Not to mention girls aren't the sole or even main reason for visiting or living in another country.

Indonesian / Malaysian people are genetically a lot closer to Filipinas than they are Vietnamese.

Vietnamese girls are hot though. In Australia, the second generation Viet girls have the hottest bodys you will ever see on an Asian. But Vietnamese people are not gentle by nature, they are loud and aggressive and thats why I am not a fan of them. It is a beautiful country with great food though.

Quote: (11-25-2014 11:38 PM)ballybally Wrote:  

If anybody is interested I might give good apartment for 50% off (for 2months, you can extend or cancel contract after)

Signed just 2 days ago(contract has 1 month cancellation period) and I paid rent+deposit(which converts to last rent) ... It's 12mil deposit + 12mil rent for first month. I'd pass it on for just 12mil ($550)

Apartment is in central garden(5min to Ben Than market), it's 2br, big kitchen/living room. 4th floor with balcony. Normal modern furnish.

Reason for this is because I found out yesterday there is high chance I have lymphoma(my luck...signed apartment day before), and since my travel insurance doesn't cover expensive biopsy(kinda last confirmation test), I will have to fly back to EU to have it done there and very likely stay there for treatment. Explaining this so it doesn't look like there might be something wrong with apartment and I want fast way out. Can provide medical proofs

Still not exactly 100% this will go trough(waiting for final words from insurance comapny) but close to it. If somebody is interested, pm me.

I am in EU now, apartment is empty and deal is still on $500 now for 1 month and 3 weeks

Quote: (11-30-2014 11:26 AM)ballybally Wrote:  

Quote: (11-25-2014 11:38 PM)ballybally Wrote:  

If anybody is interested I might give good apartment for 50% off (for 2months, you can extend or cancel contract after)

Signed just 2 days ago(contract has 1 month cancellation period) and I paid rent+deposit(which converts to last rent) ... It's 12mil deposit + 12mil rent for first month. I'd pass it on for just 12mil ($550)

Apartment is in central garden(5min to Ben Than market), it's 2br, big kitchen/living room. 4th floor with balcony. Normal modern furnish.

Reason for this is because I found out yesterday there is high chance I have lymphoma(my luck...signed apartment day before), and since my travel insurance doesn't cover expensive biopsy(kinda last confirmation test), I will have to fly back to EU to have it done there and very likely stay there for treatment. Explaining this so it doesn't look like there might be something wrong with apartment and I want fast way out. Can provide medical proofs

Still not exactly 100% this will go trough(waiting for final words from insurance comapny) but close to it. If somebody is interested, pm me.

I am in EU now, apartment is empty and deal is still on $500 now for 1 month and 3 weeks

Damn that is tempting. If I had definite plans this month I would snap that up in a heartbeat.

Is someone of you here in HCMC at the moment and doing game regularly?

I am coming in a few days but cannot do night game due to hearing loss and tinnitus from too many clubs..So I will have to relay on any where NOT loud or the personal sites..My cell here in BKK is 66--0910 --492-443--Dave

Quote: (03-09-2014 10:30 PM)Elim Wrote:  

I had to come here after reading so many people online saying this was their favorite place in Asia, or the worst. I had some things to work on with my computer for the coming months in 2014, so instead of doing these things at home in my home country, USA, I thought I could leave for a "vacation" for awhile and come here, and maybe tour Asia a bit.

Why am I here?

I wanted an Asian destination, and I wanted it to be cheap. The cost of living here is great if you do it right. Meals for a few dollars, and hotels for 10. I'm still figuring this place out, but there are several threads on this site already if you want to get more info on what it's like here. I have my own apartment (not in the central district - D1) but if it's not rush hour traffic, I can get down there in less than 15 minutes by motorbike, and mine happens to get 88mpg, so it's cheap to get around. Taxis are OK, too, if you won't be here too long, and especially if you are living and staying in District 1.

Anyway, I'm going to be here for awhile (with possible excursions in SEA) so I should be getting to know this place relatively well in time. I previously met up with Scotian in Philippines, and that was my first trip outside of my country. Honestly, I think it's a terrible place to visit. If you just wanted notches, and are happy with 6's that all look the same, horrible food, and the most boring conversations of your life, it might be a good place for you. I'm not exactly here for notches, but of course I wouldn't mind some fun.

The best option you have here is truly on the internet, but despite what others have said, the quality is not the same between the internet and real life. I rarely see a really hot girl on any of the sites and apps (I have pretty high standards) and, trust me, I have been on all the sites and apps. I think the best options for the hotter girls are going to bars/clubs, or working your way into social circles. Obviously you won't have a lot of time to get a social circle if you're visiting for a week or 2, but I will see what I can do that with my extended stay.

If you're a decent guy, I'd be happy to help you if you want to come here and hang out. That means inviting you into my social circle (not sure what that will be looking like yet) and being your wingman in the bars/clubs.

Please get in touch with me or post here if you're interested in coming for a visit, or have any questions.

This might have been posted already, but what's the visa situation looking for a long-term stay in Vietnam? Seems to be some conflicting information floating around online.

I have the same issue in Bangkok---women are buried with 1+ shitty jobs, family, school, friends etc etc

Quote: (12-07-2014 01:43 PM)Enigma Wrote:  

This might have been posted already, but what's the visa situation looking for a long-term stay in Vietnam? Seems to be some conflicting information floating around online.

you can get a 5 years visa for 200$

Quote: (12-07-2014 01:36 PM)newarrior Wrote:  

I am coming in a few days but cannot do night game due to hearing loss and tinnitus from too many clubs..So I will have to relay on any where NOT loud or the personal sites..My cell here in BKK is 66--0910 --492-443--Dave

than maybe online dating is the best?
so far I find day game very inefficient, (language barrier..and girls too shy)