According to Wikipedia, Tet is on Feb 19th this year, and the celebrations began two weeks before the tet. I assume on Feb 23, Monday, almost all shops and restaurants will be open. Is my assumption correct?

Quote: (01-11-2015 06:47 AM)peloozoid Wrote:  

Saigon and big cities will be almost dead, and the rest of vietnam like beach towns full of people, because there will all Vietnamese people go.
In Saigon most stuff is closed, but a few shops and restaurants are still open

Quote: (01-11-2015 10:13 AM)lynoslo Wrote:  

What are the best beaches/beach towns in Vietnam? I went five years ago and remember seeing lots of beautiful beaches going south from Da Nang to Saigon, but I never actually stopped at any of these places. I'm planning to go to Vietnam in around 3 weeks, and would like to start off with some tranquil beach time for a few days. Currently I'm consider Phu Quoc, but it seems to be a bit expensive, has anyone been there? Any other places in Vietnam where you can get idyllic beaches, and which are not perhaps as expensive (and boring?) as Phu Quoc?

Also, it seems like Tet is something to avoid altogether? How many days before and after does it take before things normalize?

Thanks

I've spent time at Nha Trang and Mui Ne two years ago. Would say to pass on Mui Ne, beach is virtually non existent when the tide is up. Nha Trang has nice beaches and a decent nightlife. I also liked Hoi An, but that place is alway flooded with tourists.

So for decent nightlife and a nice beach go to Nha Trang.

I just returned from a few days in Phu Quoc. The beaches are nice and it's not overly developed. I paid around $60/night for a beachfront hotel and brought a girl from Saigon. If you want female company, I'd say it's best to bring a girl. I had a nice time and having a VN girl means you can find cheaper food and generally get better prices for everything. Seafood there is very good. There is a local population on the island in Duong Dong, but I think you'd have a hard time finding women due to the language barrier. The island is also popular with the backpacker crowd. If you go I recommend staying on Long Beach and checking out Sai beach for day (it's the most beautiful). Snorkeling/boat trips are around $15-17/day and a motorbike is around $7-10/day.

Quote: (01-11-2015 10:13 AM)lynoslo Wrote:  

What are the best beaches/beach towns in Vietnam? I went five years ago and remember seeing lots of beautiful beaches going south from Da Nang to Saigon, but I never actually stopped at any of these places. I'm planning to go to Vietnam in around 3 weeks, and would like to start off with some tranquil beach time for a few days. Currently I'm consider Phu Quoc, but it seems to be a bit expensive, has anyone been there? Any other places in Vietnam where you can get idyllic beaches, and which are not perhaps as expensive (and boring?) as Phu Quoc?

Also, it seems like Tet is something to avoid altogether? How many days before and after does it take before things normalize?

Thanks

Tell me about District 7.

How is it living there? How far is it to District 1? Is it difficult to get a taxi back to 7 from 1 late at night?

^ Whatever, Rio. You're not going anywhere. You're as bad as me.

I would advise against Tet holiday, since at that time people will be with go back to their families (pussies included), it's tradition.

Quote: (01-13-2015 04:03 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  

Tell me about District 7.

How is it living there? How far is it to District 1? Is it difficult to get a taxi back to 7 from 1 late at night?

District 7 is quieter and cleaner, it has the new city feel as opposed to the old city vibe of D1. You'll see a lot more foreigners there, especially Koreans. I lived there for a month but got a little bored and moved into the craziness of the center which I liked better. You can get to most of D7 in about 15 minutes by car/motorbike unless traffic is heavy; sometimes taxis can be a problem to find late at night because Saigon just isn't a late-night city compared to most cities of that size.

Tet holiday is from Feb 15 to Feb 23 in 2015 according to this website.
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/vietnam/

I can only assume that things will be back to normal on Feb 24th but this should be verified by a Vietnamese or a seasoned RVFer.

Quote: (01-10-2015 04:19 AM)atlant Wrote:  

Can anyone shed some light on whether visiting Vietnam over Tet / CNY (around Feb 20 - Mar 2 or so) is a good idea at all? I've read that there's actually lots of celebrations and stuff going on, but also some saying that lots of shops and places will close up for a few days just like in Chinese countries. Any advice? Would be planning to hit Saigon and Da Nang.

who is in Saigon at the moment?

I'm in Ho Chi Mihn for the next two weeks but considering coming back for a few months. Let me know if anyone is around and wants to meet up.

Planning to be there from Early April for a month.

Will be asking you guys for recommendations for apartment rental, etc.

I have only been there briefly before in 2011.

Quote: (03-08-2015 03:15 PM)Antipodean Wrote:  

Planning to be there from Early April for a month.

Will be asking you guys for recommendations for apartment rental, etc.

I have only been there briefly before in 2011.

Antipodean. Are you only going to be in HCM city? Below I linked a few other RVF Vietnam related threads that may be helpful and with fairly recent posts. Are you going to be in Vietnam for vacation or any specific business purpose? Do you want to or need to be near any particular area of HCM? If you plan to have a scooter, you can get around pretty easy from district to district (that is if you dare to drive in that scooter intense system... hahahahaha)

http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-1617.html


http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-41638.html

http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-41506.html

JJG >

Thanks for the links.

Mainly vacation. I can take care of business so long as I have internet.

Probably just HCM and environs. Tempted to go to Da Nang, but it seems that having an apartment and time for multiple dates will improve game chances considerably, and renting for a month in the one place is simpler. Probably stay with district one or close.

A scooter offers great flexibility, but I'm more confident for my safety when I race on a track than being on a bike on the roads in SEA!
Figures I heard were 20,000 road fatalities pa for VN.
Last time there I pretty much learned how to cross the roads safely on foot.

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.

Buddy, I'm moving there on a 2 year contract in July for work after spending the last 2 surfing and banging 5-8's (and hookers) in Costa Rica. I would love to have a wingman mate out there. My work nexus looks mostly like married dudes. I'm good looking with great social skills and solid game-on top of the fact I'm a well traveled dude, lecturer, and authority on western civilization who can talk his ass off on a multitude of subjects. Though there are always things I need to improve upon overall (abs, getting 8 hours of sleep per night, over-drinking in the field) I'm a winner baby! Lets get in touch.

-FC

I am currently in Saigon and will be here for at least 3 months probably a lot longer if I enjoy it here.

I arrived here 2 days ago and I am already basically set up. Renting a room in Dis 1 with another Australian and bought a used Nuovo 3.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet up. Keen to build a big social circle here.

Quote: (03-11-2015 07:23 AM)skptc Wrote:  

I am currently in Saigon and will be here for at least 3 months probably a lot longer if I enjoy it here.

I arrived here 2 days ago and I am already basically set up. Renting a room in Dis 1 with another Australian and bought a used Nuovo 3.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet up. Keen to build a big social circle here.

I take it that a Nuovo 3 is some kind of a scooter. What kinds of features does it have? like is it automatic or manual shift, and how much did you pay for it? did you find it easy to buy, and was there any kind of licensing process?

Quote: (03-11-2015 03:30 PM)JayJuanGee Wrote:  

Quote: (03-11-2015 07:23 AM)skptc Wrote:  

I am currently in Saigon and will be here for at least 3 months probably a lot longer if I enjoy it here.

I arrived here 2 days ago and I am already basically set up. Renting a room in Dis 1 with another Australian and bought a used Nuovo 3.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet up. Keen to build a big social circle here.

I take it that a Nuovo 3 is some kind of a scooter. What kinds of features does it have? like is it automatic or manual shift, and how much did you pay for it? did you find it easy to buy, and was there any kind of licensing process?

A Yamaha Nouvo is a step through automatic with a displacement of 110cc IIRC. When you buy a bike all you have to do is to make sure that the original blue ownership card is passed to you. This apparently proves ownership.

I read recently that foreigners with an international drivers license are actually legal now to ride in Vietnam, although you probably need a motorcycle endorsement on your drivers license. For those who don't know, an international drivers license is just a card with a translation of your drivers license into different languages.

In the past, people have done what I did - just go to Vietnam and ride. Cops seem to make a special effort to not have interactions with foreign motorcycle riders.

Quote: (03-11-2015 06:32 PM)1818Steve Wrote:  

Quote: (03-11-2015 03:30 PM)JayJuanGee Wrote:  

Quote: (03-11-2015 07:23 AM)skptc Wrote:  

I am currently in Saigon and will be here for at least 3 months probably a lot longer if I enjoy it here.

I arrived here 2 days ago and I am already basically set up. Renting a room in Dis 1 with another Australian and bought a used Nuovo 3.

Let me know if anyone wants to meet up. Keen to build a big social circle here.

I take it that a Nuovo 3 is some kind of a scooter. What kinds of features does it have? like is it automatic or manual shift, and how much did you pay for it? did you find it easy to buy, and was there any kind of licensing process?

A Yamaha Nouvo is a step through automatic with a displacement of 110cc IIRC. When you buy a bike all you have to do is to make sure that the original blue ownership card is passed to you. This apparently proves ownership.

I read recently that foreigners with an international drivers license are actually legal now to ride in Vietnam, although you probably need a motorcycle endorsement on your drivers license. For those who don't know, an international drivers license is just a card with a translation of your drivers license into different languages.

In the past, people have done what I did - just go to Vietnam and ride. Cops seem to make a special effort to not have interactions with foreign motorcycle riders.

Thanks for that.

I get the sense that in Vietnam you do NOT need any license... because there are all kinds of weird people and ways of driving motorcycles in vietnam.

Surely, you are probably correct that the do NOT want to deal with foreigners, however, when I was there, I was a white guy with a vietnamese GF on the back.

When I was pulled over for speeding, 60km in a 40km zone, they waived me on, but i was in an area with hardly any foreigners. When I was in the tourist district of HCM city (District 1), I got pulled over for going on the wrong street (cars only), and they had a real attitude problem and were inclined to make trouble in order to get a bribe (1million dong - about $50). It took about 20 minutes to get out of that, but I pretty much refused to cooperate, and after a while my gf discontinued cooperating too. I mean I spoke with them and everything, but I said that I was NOT paying them anything... They said that I needed a vietnam license and then whatever, they let me go... but they were very frustrated and reluctant because they came at me seeming ready to really play hard ball.

The Nuovo and Honda's competitor the air blade are non-step through automatics. I find riding with the automatic to be much easier for city life.

Do not stop for the police in Vietnam. Yes, I know that goes against everything you've ever been taught, but there is no chance of some sort of police chase. The guys there are low on the totem pole, and don't have the means to chase you down. My best analogy is that they're akin to America's version of mall cops.

Licenses aren't necessary until you kill or maim another Vietnamese person. All bets are off at that point, especially if you've been drinking. Many people see drinking and motorbiking as a sport here - including some expats. Don't be one of them.

When I've had to speak with any sort of police here, I've gone into Spanish. Some know enough English to keep a conversation. Spanish? Forget it. They won't do anything if you just drive off in the middle of a Spanish sentence.

Quote: (03-11-2015 07:05 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:  

Do not stop for the police in Vietnam. Yes, I know that goes against everything you've ever been taught, but there is no chance of some sort of police chase. The guys there are low on the totem pole, and don't have the means to chase you down.

The beige-uniformed cops with the white batons are real cops.

That said, I don't disagree with the advice to not stop for them. They hold authority over Vietnamese citizens and they spend all day shaking them down for small bribes. But they don't speak English so I think that stopping tourists sets up a situation where the cop loses face.

In my 7 weeks of riding in Vietnam I was instructed to pull over twice. They do this by pointing the white baton at you. Here is the more interesting of the two stories:

When riding from Vinh to Hanoi I was not paying close enough attention to the road signs. When I passed over a nice 4 lane divided highway I noticed that the highway had big signs with an outline of a motorbike, circled in red with a diagonal line through it. I don't read Vietnamese, but I get the meaning. Then about two seconds later I realize that the road I am on is a loop which puts me on that "no motorbike" road. No exit, and I don't feel like turning around and riding against one way traffic for 1/4 mile. Shit.

I get on this road and just start hauling ass. I am the only motorbike on this road and people notice me. Everybody notices me. I am not only the only motorbike on the road, but I am the biggest motherfucker that any of them has seen this week and I am wearing a fluorescent green motorcycle jacket in the heat. I have this little piece of shit 100cc Chinese Honda Win clone pinned wide open, crouched low, hoping an exit shows up soon. I was actually passing quite a few vehicles on this road, surprisingly.

I rode about 4 miles, no exits, then I see the traffic cops set up on the right side of the road. It is the same kind of setup you would see in the US, one cop out front and then a cluster of them set up a hundred yards down the road writing tickets. The cop out front gives me a puzzled look and then points the baton at me. I have a second to think and I decide to just leave the throttle pinned and dummy up if they want to chase me down. Fortunately, none of the cops in the cluster paid any attention to me and I kept going.

There was an exit about 4 miles farther. I took that and enjoyed fighting traffic going into Hanoi.

Here is a photo of the traffic cops, complete with motorcycle and white baton. These are the ones set up at the southeast corner of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. These guys wear the same uniform in the South and in the North. They have vehicles and carry sidearms. They are real cops, not mall cops.

^Hmmm.

My experience has told me otherwise. I have not had an issue both when stopping, or not stopping. I usually encounter police during rush hour, so just breezing past them has not been a particular issue for me. Everyone has different experiences, so perhaps yours was different from mine.

I have Vietnamese people I work with tell me how much they hate those cream colored cops, but have also told me never to pay attention to them.

If you've actually done something wrong and you're caught, a fair bribe is 200k. Immediately pulling out the 200k shows you know the going rate for a traffic violation and cuts down on your haggle time.

Quote: (03-11-2015 08:25 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:  

I have Vietnamese people I work with tell me how much they hate those cream colored cops, but have also told me never to pay attention to them.

Ask them whether THEY ignore the traffic cops. I am guessing they don't. They probably are giving advice to you based upon the fact that traffic cops usually don't want to mess with Westerners.

Anyway, gun + government vehicle + legal authority + government paycheck = real cop to me. YMMV.

Quote: (03-11-2015 07:05 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:  

The Nuovo and Honda's competitor the air blade are non-step through automatics. I find riding with the automatic to be much easier for city life.

Do not stop for the police in Vietnam. Yes, I know that goes against everything you've ever been taught, but there is no chance of some sort of police chase. The guys there are low on the totem pole, and don't have the means to chase you down. My best analogy is that they're akin to America's version of mall cops.

Licenses aren't necessary until you kill or maim another Vietnamese person. All bets are off at that point, especially if you've been drinking. Many people see drinking and motorbiking as a sport here - including some expats. Don't be one of them.

When I've had to speak with any sort of police here, I've gone into Spanish. Some know enough English to keep a conversation. Spanish? Forget it. They won't do anything if you just drive off in the middle of a Spanish sentence.

Hahahahaha.. I like that even better than what I did. I cooperated too much by stopping and attempting to talk with them or take them kind of seriously...

Anyone still in Ho Chi Minh? I will be there at the end of this month for a few days.

Thanks for sharing the wealth of knowledge guys. I fly into Ho Chi Min Saturday (2 days) and then up to Da Nang for a week of r&r, then back to Ho Chi Min for another 2-3 days.

Already pipelined me a cutie for dinner Saturday night due to all the great data in this thread. If anyone wants to meet in Ho Chi Min on the 18th to 20th drop me a pm.