[Brodiaga]

Cyclone:

Man, that really is cheap. Bump that to $1000/month and you live like a king. Where is the catch though? Is there a catch? What are the disadvantages compared to other popular places in SEA for location independent guys? For example, compared to Bali, Cebu, Davao, Phuket?

[RichieP]

Just looking at your budget Cyclone I get the sense that's really on the "budget" end...

Like, if someone wants to eat at nice non-plastic-chair-on-street places, and drink in places where they might actually meet somewhat classy hotties, they're gonna be spending alot more than $55/week on food and drinks.

Still, cool finds on the rooms though. That's definitely an area you're gonna get more value for money in than in HCMC. And always good to hear about how low you could keep the costs down if you tried.

[WanderingSoul]

What does this $5 per day food portions look like? For me a bowl of Pho is nothing. I need 1-2 bowls plus a good sized chunk of protein on the side like grilled chicken. Maybe even two pieces. Could you really eat 3 normal sized meals for $5 per day?

[skptc]

I spend about 200-250k daily here. Maybe 2500ish calories and 150-180 grams of protein from beefs/eggs/chicken/bacon.

Breakfast: 72K
BALT Baguette w/ 2 eggs (Bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, eggs)
Coconut Shake (no sugar)

Post-workout: 44k
Steak and Eggs with baguette (banh mi op la)

Lunch: 20k
Banh mi with chicken (extra chicken)

Dinner:
Vietnamese BBQ where I eat a lot of meat 80-150k

[Cyclone]

(04-06-2015 10:53 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

Cyclone:
Man, that really is cheap. Bump that to $1000/month and you live like a king. Where is the catch though? Is there a catch? What are the disadvantages compared to other popular places in SEA for location independent guys? For example, compared to Bali, Cebu, Davao, Phuket?

There's no "catch" - absurd amounts of supply drives prices down for everyone. Laos is more expensive. The disadvantage compared to Bali/Phuket/etc, is that Da Nang is still pretty hectic and not much comfort to be found. It's difficult to relax. Everyone's always on the move. I have always said that VN has more in common with China than Thailand.

(04-06-2015 11:41 PM)RichieP Wrote:  

Just looking at your budget Cyclone I get the sense that's really on the "budget" end...

That's why i provided the $270 reference for when i lived in northern VN, for proof. And I had a blast there.
Note that I also "bumped up" a lot of the costs to accommodate for moderate splurging. Again we're talking living here 6 months - you're not going to be acting like a tourist at that point. Anything above 450 is purely optional

(04-07-2015 01:07 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  

What does this $5 per day food portions look like? For me a bowl of Pho is nothing. I need 1-2 bowls plus a good sized chunk of protein on the side like grilled chicken. Maybe even two pieces. Could you really eat 3 normal sized meals for $5 per day?

I agree that Pho sucks, a "normal sized meal" in VN really is $2. So $1+$2+$2 = $5. If you're bigger and generally throw in protein you can factor that in. Breakfast should be made by you, just a slice bread w/ slabs of peanut butter and bit of jam, comes out to like 20 cents

   

Left: a more exotic dish, it was 50,000 = $2.5
Middle: the most typical DN dish, My Quang, $1.
Right: the well-known Banh Mi, a GOOD one is just over $1. Outside my university gate it was 50 cents
.

[atlant]

So for just a short visit of 1-2 weeks for beaches, nice food, some partying and girls I assume skipping Da Nang and just going straight to Hoi An is the better choice?

[Vacancier Permanent]

Fantastic post Cyclone!
Regarding cost of living in Da Nang, from the first page Papi Rico on his excellent data sheet wrote that for 1200$/month you can live well there and for 1500-1700, you'd be living luxuriously.

Looking at the prices Cyclone posted, looks like Da Nang is like Chiang Mai on the beach. Alternating between the 2 would be a fun thing to do. Especially when the burning season hits CM.

[Papi Rico]

(04-07-2015 06:03 AM)atlant Wrote:  

So for just a short visit of 1-2 weeks for beaches, nice food, some partying and girls I assume skipping Da Nang and just going straight to Hoi An is the better choice?

Where did you get that intel?

Da Nang has more beaches, more food options, more partying, and more girls in comparison to Hoi An. I wouldn't spend more than a day in Hoi An if solo, or a couple nights if with a chick. Hoi An is just to walk around for a couple hours, buy some custom jackets/shoes, and gtho. Otherwise, the backpackers are going to kill your vibe hard.

Edit: Ah, just read Cyclone had a blast. Personally I couldn't adapt to the 9:30PM bar closing times and tourist traps. Yes, the food is great and there may be a scene on certain occasions, but it all seems tourism-catered. So while Hoi An is certainly more aesthetically pleasing, I would dispute that it is more authentic than its larger neighbor. In any event, it's like a 45 minute bus from Da Nang. Check both out and see where you're more comfortable.

[Papi Rico]

Cyclone, great write-up. I'm glad to see you were able to adapt quickly and enjoyed yourself. It's a fascinating part of the country which I hope we inspire more guys to check out.

I'm not at all surprised by your cost calculations, as most Vietnamese manage to live off considerably less. Without getting into the whole "spending vs saving" debate, it's important to highlight Da Nang's relative value for all classes of spenders. No matter your budget, you're getting more bang for your buck in Da Nang than in most SE Asia cities (or at least those I've visited) in terms of housing, food, and nightlife.

[crisj]

Nice write up Cyclone. I've been in Da nang now since November last year and agree with everything said.

In regards to the women situation here-I got lucky and managed to land myself a legitimate 8+ who speaks perfect English my second week here and was in a short relationship with her until about 2 weeks ago.

My friend, good looking white guy who i share an apartment with who has a decent level of game has only been laid once since November. It's definitely not an 'easy' place to get laid as there's a small town mentality but there are plenty of beautiful girls here and more and more traveller girls passing through all the time.

The bars here are hit and miss and like much of SEA it helps if you can play pool! The locals love it hear and it's a good way to break into sets at the bars.

I find the language barrier really restrictive however compared to Saigon. There is a huge 'thirst' to learn English here like most of SEA, but the cost to do it is prohibitive for most as the average wage for a local is around 2.7 mill VND or $125 month.

A lot of expats are leaving due to the visa restrictions imposed since Jan throughout Vietnam. It now costs $300+ to renew your visa for 3 months in country, or you have to leave and come back at a similar cost.

It's not all negative though! The beach is great at the moment and the weather is fine, it should be a good summer. If anyone is in town message me and we can meet up for a beer and ill show you the sights.

[mau man]

(04-08-2015 09:26 AM)crisj Wrote:  

Nice write up Cyclone. I've been in Da nang now since November last year and agree with everything said.

In regards to the women situation here-I got lucky and managed to land myself a legitimate 8+ who speaks perfect English my second week here and was in a short relationship with her until about 2 weeks ago.

My friend, good looking white guy who i share an apartment with who has a decent level of game has only been laid once since November. It's definitely not an 'easy' place to get laid as there's a small town mentality but there are plenty of beautiful girls here and more and more traveller girls passing through all the time.

The bars here are hit and miss and like much of SEA it helps if you can play pool! The locals love it hear and it's a good way to break into sets at the bars.

I find the language barrier really restrictive however compared to Saigon. There is a huge 'thirst' to learn English here like most of SEA, but the cost to do it is prohibitive for most as the average wage for a local is around 2.7 mill VND or $125 month.

A lot of expats are leaving due to the visa restrictions imposed since Jan throughout Vietnam. It now costs $300+ to renew your visa for 3 months in country, or you have to leave and come back at a similar cost.

It's not all negative though! The beach is great at the moment and the weather is fine, it should be a good summer. If anyone is in town message me and we can meet up for a beer and ill show you the sights.

Thanks for the input as well.

Have you been to Hoi An? If so, how would you compare the two, in terms of English proficiency in the general population, cost of living, hookup culture for travelers, etc.?

I ask, because I'll be making my way through Asia at the end of the year, and I'll be looking for a place to settle down for a month, rent a pad, and get a ton of work done, bolting down and just working out a ton, working online, and gaming at nights.

I loved Vietnam when I was just passing through about five years ago and had my sights set on Da Nang, but the lack of English speaking ability, and lack of nightlife/hookup chance is a bit of a downer.

What other possibilities could you recommend for a guy like me? Not sure if it matters, but I'm a good looking white guy who's willing to part with 1500 or so for the month.

[crisj]

(04-08-2015 02:27 PM)mau man Wrote:  

(04-08-2015 09:26 AM)crisj Wrote:  

Nice write up Cyclone. I've been in Da nang now since November last year and agree with everything said.

In regards to the women situation here-I got lucky and managed to land myself a legitimate 8+ who speaks perfect English my second week here and was in a short relationship with her until about 2 weeks ago.

My friend, good looking white guy who i share an apartment with who has a decent level of game has only been laid once since November. It's definitely not an 'easy' place to get laid as there's a small town mentality but there are plenty of beautiful girls here and more and more traveller girls passing through all the time.

The bars here are hit and miss and like much of SEA it helps if you can play pool! The locals love it hear and it's a good way to break into sets at the bars.

I find the language barrier really restrictive however compared to Saigon. There is a huge 'thirst' to learn English here like most of SEA, but the cost to do it is prohibitive for most as the average wage for a local is around 2.7 mill VND or $125 month.

A lot of expats are leaving due to the visa restrictions imposed since Jan throughout Vietnam. It now costs $300+ to renew your visa for 3 months in country, or you have to leave and come back at a similar cost.

It's not all negative though! The beach is great at the moment and the weather is fine, it should be a good summer. If anyone is in town message me and we can meet up for a beer and ill show you the sights.

Thanks for the input as well.

Have you been to Hoi An? If so, how would you compare the two, in terms of English proficiency in the general population, cost of living, hookup culture for travelers, etc.?

I ask, because I'll be making my way through Asia at the end of the year, and I'll be looking for a place to settle down for a month, rent a pad, and get a ton of work done, bolting down and just working out a ton, working online, and gaming at nights.

I loved Vietnam when I was just passing through about five years ago and had my sights set on Da Nang, but the lack of English speaking ability, and lack of nightlife/hookup chance is a bit of a downer.

What other possibilities could you recommend for a guy like me? Not sure if it matters, but I'm a good looking white guy who's willing to part with 1500 or so for the month.

Hoi An is very different in that there's many many more Westerners, both backpackers and run of the mill tourists. You're more likely to hook up with travellers passing through in Hoi An as they tend to stay here longer and still see Da Nang as more of a transport hub, although this is changing albeit slowly.

English proficiency is generally low in Da Nang, and it can be a hassle sorting out bills etc if you don't have a vnmese friend to do the talking for you. You'll always meet people in bars however who will attempt to chat to you in English and of course there are the tourists.

I'd say the bars are slightly better in Hoi An. Although if you're going to be staying a while Da Nang is still worth a shot especially if you're willing to put in the work and are looking for a longer term girlfriend. In terms of SNLs and hooking up i'd say Da Nang is a poor choice however. The problem is everyone knows everyone here, and it's easy to get a reputation and i'm sure the girls realise this. Money wise with $1500 you could live very well in either Da Nang or Hoi An.

[Cyclone]

Sorry for the lag yall, went on a last minute 4-day reunion in northern Vietnam

(04-07-2015 02:49 PM)Papi Rico Wrote:  

(04-07-2015 06:03 AM)atlant Wrote:  

So for just a short visit of 1-2 weeks for beaches, nice food, some partying and girls I assume skipping Da Nang and just going straight to Hoi An is the better choice?

Da Nang has more beaches, more food options, more partying, and more girls in comparison to Hoi An. I wouldn't spend more than a day in Hoi An if solo, or a couple nights if with a chick. Hoi An is just to walk around for a couple hours, buy some custom jackets/shoes, and gtho. Otherwise, the backpackers are going to kill your vibe hard.

Edit: Ah, just read Cyclone had a blast. Personally I couldn't adapt to the 9:30PM bar closing times and tourist traps. Yes, the food is great and there may be a scene on certain occasions, but it all seems tourism-catered. So while Hoi An is certainly more aesthetically pleasing, I would dispute that it is more authentic than its larger neighbor. In any event, it's like a 45 minute bus from Da Nang. Check both out and see where you're more comfortable.

Yeah, you would actually get incredibly bored in Hoi An even for 1 week, unless your goal is to do some type of meditative retreat. IME it's just a handy supplement to Da Nang. At first glance the food options in Hoi An are better but certainly if you live in DN a couple weeks you'd find superior options. Hoi An only feels more authentic in the sense that that's what most visitors "picture" in their minds of what Vietnam is like (vegetable gardens, teahouses, temples, architecture..)

i like to tell people the real Vietnam is more like this:
   
...which is still cool in its own way.

(04-08-2015 09:26 AM)crisj Wrote:  

Nice write up Cyclone. I've been in Da nang now since November last year and agree with everything said.

My friend, good looking white guy who i share an apartment with who has a decent level of game has only been laid once since November. It's definitely not an 'easy' place to get laid as there's a small town mentality but there are plenty of beautiful girls here and more and more traveller girls passing through all the time.

A lot of expats are leaving due to the visa restrictions imposed since Jan throughout Vietnam. It now costs $300+ to renew your visa for 3 months in country, or you have to leave and come back at a similar cost.

Wow dude, what is your friend doing here?? That is why i'm glad I was on a campus back when I lived here. I hope he's still getting action on some level. And regarding the visa restrictions, I completely forgot about that, that's why there are so few foreigners now? Bit pissed that the government would do that, seems like the opposite of what the country needs..
.

[RIslander]

I'm bumping this awesome thread because its convinced me to move to Da Nang.

You can rent a sick place like this for only $1900: http://cvr.com.vn/en/listing/dune-golf-v...-for-rent/

Is anyone currently in Da Nang? I'm going to drop in later this month to check the place out.

[Papi Rico]

(10-05-2015 05:07 PM)RIslander Wrote:  

I'm bumping this awesome thread because its convinced me to move to Da Nang.

You can rent a sick place like this for only $1900: http://cvr.com.vn/en/listing/dune-golf-v...-for-rent/

Is anyone currently in Da Nang? I'm going to drop in later this month to check the place out.

You can be the Dan Bilzerian of Vietnam expats with a pad like that

650 sq m lot size, gotta put that pilot's license to use!

Looking forward to updates.

[TheBulldozer]

Da Nang is a great place. I try to get in once every month-six weeks or so.

I wouldn't move to that spot though, as it's a bit far from the action - but yes life is pretty cheap there.

[crisj]

You can get a nice place here for $350 a month, you don't need to spend much more than that...you can get something a lot cheaper as well, but it's harder being a foreigner as many landlords just want to rent to Vnmese.

I've been here for nearly a year now so if anyone's ever in town and wants a beer let me know.

Cheers

[Ashcroft]

I have to say, thank you Papi Rico, and all the other commenters for the advice on Da Nang.

I just moved here from Chiang Mai to escape the burning season.

I'll be here for the next 3 months, so if any of you RVF people are in the area and want to meet, just send me a message

My plans for the next 3 months:

Lift weights
Stack Cash
Get Girls

I just moved here, so I'll post my thoughts on the city as I learn about it.

[Cr33pin]

Heading to Da Nang next week... will be there for at least a month.

[CocoBoy]

Nice to see some of you guys are coming here, I've been here on and off for the last 18 months and it's such a fantastic and very underrated place. You got the beautiful beaches and scenery, cheap but fantastic new serviced apartments near the beach (my current one is $450 a month and it's a beast), fresh and cheap seafood, vietnamese cafe culture for working, all the conveniences of a city and even a bit of nightlife thrown in. Then of course the girls, like most Vietnamese girls are incredibly cute, sexy and feminine.

I've had a girlfriend most of the time here, who is a solid 9 in my opinion, great curves for an Asian girl. The short time I have been single I've found it very easy to date and pull girls. I even managed to get an 18 year old who didn't even speak English (I speak a little Viet), she loved it and was so loud I'm sure the whole hotel could hear how much she was enjoying herself.

I'll be here for another month, drop me a message if you want any advice or to hangout.

[Papi Rico]

(02-20-2016 12:55 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

Heading to Da Nang next week... will be there for at least a month.

Will probably need to write up a new, post-Cr33pin data sheet.

[RedGuard]

Will be in Da Nang from tomorrow (14th April) onwards for about 1 week. Anyone in town please hit me up.

RedGuard

[RustyShackleford]

Got here this morning. Will be here until the 26th when I'll by flying to Hanoi for 10 days. PM me brother's if you're around

[John Michael Kane]

I'm going to be headed there possibly later this year. Any of you gentlemen currently in the city, start dropping more reports please. Venues, hotels, etc.

[RedGuard]

Alright gents,

I just got back from my one-week trip to Da Nang.
I can't deny it's a nice place indeed and cheap as fuck.
I stayed in a spacious double room near the beach for $16 per night, rented a scooter for $4.5 per day and ate some really cheap food at restaurants (maybe $10 per day if I eat a lot). You don't spend a lot of money there indeed, probably one of the cheapest places in SEA.

However I can't fully understand all the hype going on about Da Nang among some guys here on the forum. There are a couple of reasons that would make me hesitate to move there long-term or even consider it an ideal spot for a short-term vacation.

-The whole city seems to be under construction, especially the beach side district. There are huge projects of luxurious resorts. There is construction noise and dirt everywhere, construction next door woke me up early every morning and even on the beach it's not calm. There seems to be huge amounts of money flowing into the city to make it a major tourist destination, especially for the Chinese who are already very abundant there.

-Esthetic traits which make a holiday destination beautiful are largely missing in Da Nang. I don't find the beach side area particularly beautiful. Only exception to this is the downtown area along Bach Dang street (riverside) which features a nice promenade and some fancy bridges which shouldn't be missed especially at night (Dragon bridge, rainbow bridge).

-IN MY OPINION the city is too small, therefore infrastructure and facilities are quite limited. I can imagine that especially guys who are used to live in big cities might get bored after a while. It feels more like a larger town and nightlife is very limited too.

-The aforementioned nightlife... Well, you can find crowed pumping venues along Bach Dang street every night. However Da Nang lacks of real clubs and party atmosphere. Popular venues such as Golden Pine pub are more like open bars extended on the street where poorly-dressed foreigners and non-English speaking Vietnamese would get drunk. Not exactly the places I could enjoy myself or meet and pick up cute girls.

-And of course the girls... I'd say DON'T go there if your purpose is to bang chicks. As long as you you don't lower your standards drastically (which I'm embarassed to say I did one night ) it is very hard to pull from nightgame. Vietnamese mostly turn up in groups and won't interact with foreigners, one reason is the language barrier. Since Da Nang is a small city and people know each other, girls also have a reputation to lose if they interact or even go home with a foreigner. Vietnamese culture is very conservative and many girls even in their late 20s still live with their parents and are restricted how long they are allowed to go out. It seems common that they have curfews at 11pm onwards. Your chances are better in daygame or online. I got some good responses when daygaming, but factors that didn't lead to the bang were very limited English skills and conservative culture in which the girls grew up. Especially if you are there short-term, I don't think daygaming is worth it. The pool of girls who speak decent English AND are DTF is very small and you gotta be lucky to find her.
That pretty much leaves online-game as the last resort if you want to get somewhat acceptable quality short-term. I used both Tinder and Vietnamcupid and had success on both. Just mass-message your Tinder matches and the cute girls in Da Nang area on Cupid and you should get some responses. You can easily filter out the girls who speak decent English on there.

So to come to a conclusion about the girls section. You can definitely get some pussy there even short term, but the options and quality are very limited in my opinion. This place is far from a pussy paradise, it doesn't even stand out compared to other places in Asia.
It doesn't even come close to a place like Bangkok, where I had notable success with daygame, nightgame as well as online.
However for the guys who like to take it slowly and think more long-term, Da Nang might be a good place to get an unspoilt, traditional and hot Vietnamese chick.


What I liked about Da Nang (yes I actually don't regret going there) the sightseeing around the city is pretty cool. Even though there is not much to see within the city, you can easily get to mountain places, beaches and traditional towns withing driving distance with a scooter.
Don't miss the ride over Hai Van mountain pass, Son Tra peninsula with its amazing coastline and the lady Buddha, Ho An traditional town and Ba Na Hills Mountain Resort (cable car in the rainforest and amazing views). You can also go ziplining and riverrafting in the rainforest for only about $10! I highly recommend that and will update the name of the exact place as soon as I find out where it was (forgot it).

The combination of city and beach is also pretty cool. You can have both beach-feeling and city-atmosphere (more likely big town though) on the same day. I liked walking along the beach at nighttime too, perfect place to take a date after a drink or coffee.

I enjoyed the time there, it was just not impressive. Da Nang doesn't stand out as a short-term holiday destination or even long-term base among other Asian destinations in my opinion.

RedGuard