Ho Chi Minh City - General Info

[Wanderer2005]

Ok so I have lived in HCMC for 4 months now.

What have I learnt?

Hai Ba Trung and the girly bars.
Ex U2, bar 49, 51 and others
Some very cute girls.

This is the trick. Go in, scan the area quickly, select the girl, talk with her for 5 minutes and GET OUT. Else you will be hounded for drinks, food and chewing gum. I am not kidding when I say hounded, consider this, their sole goal is for you to stay and buy them drinks and divest you of your money.

The women here are the most aggressive I have ever seen. Nothing like philipines or Thailand where they will let you have a drink in peace. I had a friend who was told to have his drink outside the club if he did not plan to talk with a woman.

If you have a good eye, you can zone into a newbie, difficult I must admit, to identify when its dark in the bar. Hahahaha. If you have time in Saigon, tell her to meet you after the bar closes or call you.

Apocalypse

It wasn’t for the music, I would never go there. Too many foreigners, incredibly expensive drinks. The women are pro’s well seasoned and relatively expensive, in the $100 range. But there are many local fish but this takes time, at least 3-4 dates before 1st base. But many many many locals, just smile and move!

Liquid, Volcano, Rainforest and most of the techno VN clubs (8 others)

90% do not speaks English. So hunting is poor, very beautiful fish, non pro available but it takes a while to make progress 3-4 dates. These are regular VN girls looking for rich husbands, foreigners rarely go to these clubs, so u will be an oddity that they will avoid.

Level 21 (Sheraton)

Many seasoned pros, $100 range, live band, very expensive booze, did not like the music or the fish. Not too many locals come here

Royal (casino) + Catwalk

Designed for the Japanese, Koreans and Singaporeans. Very beautiful women but $100+ and up. Like shooting fish in a barrel, so don’t expect a GFE experience, its all business baby!

Saloon 17

Good club, live music is good, very few working girls here but lots of locals, harder to approach because of the club design.

Yang.

Some seasoned working girls, higher class of locals, harder to reach them. More of a yuppy crowd here

TMK road near the bridge

Always available, lots of nice fish. I drive thru this road to go home all the time. $500K. Not too bad and the quality varies from night to night.

Since I live here now, it is easier to hook up with locals. Must admit, the women here can be as much fun as Brasil or Philippines but it takes much more time to get to know them. Many coffee’s and dinners.

So for the short timers, picking is very slim, unless u are unusually lucky. Stick to Hai Ba Trung street and the girly bars. Choose quick and get out, don’t expect GFE status, you will not find any, very business oriented.

Overall for a short timer, Vietnam is not really a good place for mongering like Philippines or Thailand. Too many restrictions and many money hungry people trying to rip you off.

As of the safety, I always travel at night alone, One one major rule. Take your own transport (taxi or moto) and never go where THEY want you to go.

In Vietnam, if you are a foreign mongerer, someone WILL ALWAYS try to rip you off, everyone from the taxi driver to the local side road noodle stall. Ask the price from a local before getting into or buying anything……..

[Celeste]

Will be in HCM city next month but really have only one free day(and it will be more like an afternoon) to have fun. Can anyone suggest how to make the best of my one chance.

Thanks

[Goderos]

Come out the front door of Carravelle, turn right, and then right again into Hai Ba Trung St and i'd be surprised if you don't get pulled into a bar with pooltables and girls that want to play strip pool, go upstairs for a BJ (if not right there at the table), and go out to a mini hotel (or your hotel if not too late in the evening) for some Boom boom.

Girls there from mid afternoon onwards. Can't remember the name but was dragged in around 4pm during a vist to HCMC this recent January. At that time approx 6 girls there with one particularly attractive name "Sun"

Good luck!

add-on to Ozirob: out Caravelle turn right and you'll see the Hyatt(the new High End hotel) Then on to Hai Ba Trung. Within two to three blocks here are the 49,51's and U2 mentioned in the previous post. It's foreign friendly. Also meaning that they will gauge you if they can. Three blocks down and right there is a good wonton noodle stall. Cheap and nice food. 10k VND(.65 cents) for a bowl. There are hotels around here that are girl friendly.

[Ozirob]

Come out the front door of Carravelle, turn right, and then right again into Hai Ba Trung St and i'd be surprised if you don't get pulled into a bar with pooltables and girls that want to play strip pool, go upstairs for a BJ (if not right there at the table), and go out to a mini hotel (or your hotel if not too late in the evening) for some Boom boom.

Girls there from mid afternoon onwards. Can't remember the name but was dragged in around 4pm during a vist to HCMC this recent January. At that time approx 6 girls there with one particularly attractive name "Sun"

Good luck!

[Butt Ugly]

Arrived HCM yesterday evening and have not been able to find a bar with take out. Looking for someplace reasonable not to expensive and not a rip off. Any suggestions. BTW, I tried reading the last four pages for HCH and couldn't find good info.

Thanks!

[Autumn Lover]

Just spent Lunar New Year in HCM. Incredibly noisy and busy at certain times in certain areas, esp around the main hotels. Most massage joints closed, however. Did manage to find a couple of places, including the Saigon Hotel, near the Sheraton. A previous post mentioned the Bong Sen Hotel, which is also near the Sheraton, but I think it has recently been renovated, and there was no sign of a sauna. There is a non-hotel place opp the Sheraton, but it looks pretty grubby from the outside. My advice for both here and Hanoi would be to stick to hotel saunas, as the independents seem rather poor.

However, my experience was that the girls here give very good hjs. Perhaps it's because FS is not really allowed in many places. Certainly I only had one standard oily tug; the rest all showed some innovation and care, I'm pleased to say!

AL

[Goderos]

If I remember correctly. If CR is beside the R... Hotel. Then it has a huge lift and 3or 4 levels. One of whch is the Karoake with the girls. The girls are some of the best I'd seen in Vietnam. But it is very much a Asian Loa Ban hangout. Everything on the high end. Including prices. Not really a place you just drop in and check out by yourself.

[Goderos]

rip off alert... just be warned. it will happen to you. the moment you arrive till you leave. there are people who will try to scam you. it will happen often and it will happen everyday you are here. so beware. u think i am exagerating, perhaps. perhaps i am being funny, maybe. But I assure you someone, somowhere will try to rip you off.
First off. there are four girls(one may be a tranny, or at least looks like one) on two motorbike and possibly another male accomplice that circle the Pham Ngo Lau area NIGHTLY. The locals there know who they are and so do the cops. I have seen, met and heard about them. Not making things out. I met a really, really nice brit who had his phone stolen. He already has a GF here and knew about this girls. This was a nice man and was approached by the girls and he already knew the scam girls but he was drunk. So they pick his pocket. And same thing happend to an american guy the nite before and probably another the following nite etc etc.... Everyone here knows about them but nothing is done about it. I was approached by them several times. Grabbing me and touching, unprovoked. They are not alone.
The first time i got scamed was innocent enough. It was the books they sold. I overpaid. I had a local with me from the hotel. but the girl yelled at my guide to tell her not to say anything. so when I asked my guide what a fair price for the book was. she just froze and said nothing. anyways i paid more than double what u hould have. This wasnt the only time i got scamed
Even the police tried to make me pay 10x the normal bribe to him. All because he could. Let's leave it at that. Final note: the locals pay 5000 vd for a moto bike ride. i always pay 5000 vd as well. and will tip him if he was honest and allright. you will be quoted 20000 vd for even the shortest ride. he will take you around the block to m ake it seem like it was further. it happens everyday.....
i know someone that did not know the area, and only needed to go down half a block on the side street to the sheraton. moto taxi took him for a ride and only charged him 30000 vd. how nice.....
i asked a for directions once and was pusposedly shown the opposite direction. walked 15 minuted before i realized i was going in the wrong direction. Not a courtoues move at all.
And the the answer is no i dont think it is fair or right. There should not be two, three, four different rates for locals, vietkieus, foreigners, etc..etc... .

Freeebie action. pretty limited with the local girls. its hard sometimes when you go to bars as there are a lot of working and freelancers. so you never know is they are after the money or not. best bet are the foreigners that are visiting. some are horny and want the same hot action as you. i managed a few. French and Rusians but really wanted the locals. The locals are nervous about going to the hotel rooms. The shame is unbearable.... :-D . I had to make out in Taxis and once in her chauffered driven B'mer. Was a very hot girl. Damn. She wanted it too..... AArrgghhh!!! crap.
My experience with freebie was not that great. They all want to take time and always ask "how long you staying?". Back home it's different, its alway "what do you do?" and "what do you drive/how did you get here?" lol...
And when I did find the freebies, my hotel always refused them! WTF
crap country......
Vietnam, NOT a free country............................................. yet!

it's really too bad. it's a beautful country with some amazing and wonderfull people. some rotten eggs shouldnt change anything. hofefully things will work out for this country. it is ripe with potential. but has no identity and still a mystery for now.

[Goderos]

Asian Rain ... you were in HCMC? Wish I knew. Would have loved to buy you the beer I promised. You are one hell of a guy. Wish I possess your mongering talent.
Anyways, just a follow up on the last few posts here. I am at an internet cafe and dont have my HCMC info map with me, so my details are a little sketchy.
Several observations: I agree with many of the comments on the reports here. This is not a good mongering city. Certainly not good value. The hot girls are mostly overpriced and the local talent are hard to come by esp. if you dont speak the local language. Maybe its a supply and demand thing. There isnt enough to go around.
Just a note: I checked out 70% of the places mentioned here in the last two years. Because of the lack of new info and so many people reading this board and using the details here. Some of the places were a bust. My best bets were with locals taking me there. NOT moto taxis. Even the expats(some here for 8 years) get gauged for much more money.......................
I rented a motobike and went up the street where mitsubishi dealershipis heading towards the bridge and the zoo on the right hand side. In the few nites and day I drove by. I saw a total of 1 maybe 2 girls that were 8's. One i think I saw a week later and she no longer looked like an 8, maybe a 6.5. The rest were were between 2-6 ages 19-33. Maybe saw 10-15 girls total. There were a few younger looking ones but normally with mama. It is the same girls working the same scene when i was there. Whether I was in Hai Ba Trung, TMK, Pho Gu Lau or Karaoke, It was always the same talent. This is before tet so that should be no excuse to the lack of quantity and quality.
I spent a lot of time and money in HCMC. So I will share only info that is already posted here. No point sharing new info as no one returns the favor. So if you've contributed and want new info message me.
You can get FS ST with room for 150K - 300K vd and BBBJTC for 90-120k vd in hcmc. This is mainly for the local. So expect to pay more if you are a foreigner. I had a tough time with zero vietnamese spoken. The girls are sweet and 3-7's ages 19-26. The higher class girls, the 8's and 9's for $50-100USD. This ones are really hot and good looking. By far and away some of the prettiest girls I saw on my trip. Real stunners not the U2 or 49-51 HBT variety. There are local destinations outside of district one with some nice girls. Many on the 5-8 but prices vary. But HCMC still not a good place for mongering. I ALWAYS had problems with bringing girls to my hotel. I stayed at 5 different hotels of different varieties. ALL gave me problems. Including the ones that are normally girl friendly. Maybe its just my bad luck or just more money hungry cowards. Maybe its my timing, i spose its not normal to bring 2 girls back at 2 am in the morning here. Crap city!. Hope things will change in this city.
There are many sweetheart girls here, but just as many crooked many hungry man and woman. It is corrupt to the core. I will get flamed for such a blanket statement.... :-( But there is truth to it. I wish I could detail more about my experience but this is a public board. So just leave it as my POV.
It is dangerous here esp after midnight. I sometimes love to party all night but finding fewer cities to do it in now. Mind you Vietnam never was a party kinda town. This is certainly NOT a party destinations. Neither is BKK now. Was taken to the lamest after hours place with my date. Sigh!..... HK only good on weekends and only sometimes.... Where can you find a good city to party in ASIA? Have not been to Manila lately... but hears that is declining too.
Anyways, your best bet here is to stay more than a week. Find a girlfriend early and stick with her through your entire trip. Take her with you everywhere you go. Pretty boring stuff but good if you like GFE. Pay her about $100usd per week plus all cost associated for the trip.
If you got a shorter time and can afford it(OK it's not that much for some of you, but you are paying a girl more in one night than half the populations monthly wage) go to the higher destinations not named Apocalypse Now or Sheraton. Did not see one knockout freelancer in the nights I was there.
Maybe it's just me, but most of this girls cant dress, dance or talk well. So i don't think they deserve the big bucks. Same thing can be said in China. I am sure its a process. And they will be better in the future I hope. Sorry I am rambling... . Why cant girls be more like girls and woman more like woman. Ok I am rambling now. Cost usd$50-100 per nite but YMMV. Depends on girls. Sometimes they wont go with you. Sometimes they wont leave you alone.
Or for a quicky, get a local to take you to the fake shampoo stalls. You can even get two girls for a reasonable price. Or the rent a room and a girl place. AKA the truckers stop. Pick a girl you can ask to see if she will go bcak to you hotel. Between 90k VD to 300k vd or less than $18usd........

[Dick Tracy]

CR is a ritzy, high end karaoke at the side of Riverside Renaissance Hotel. There is a bar (Club Latin) open KTV and private rooms. It is claimed all girls working there are at least 1.7 m tall, and there are at least 100-150 fairly attractive ladies each night on call.

Hot spot for business entertaining, particularly the da lao bans from SE Asia.

Although I have never partaken, it seems the girls there are available for take out (I even have some numbers that were pushed in my pocket...) but guess the cost outweighs the product. I am sure from the clienetle that these ladies are expecting USD 100 and up for entertaining.

[Wendella]

So what's the deal with this Cafe Royale?

Where is that? Never heard of it.

[Asia Rocks]

I went into a bar at 51 Hai Ba Trung in Saigon. A girl sat down by me. She said that she wanted to go to a hotel with me. I asked her how much for one hour. She said $50 US. She refused to go any lower. In a country where the average monthly wage is about $100 why does a girl think she can earn half that in one hour? The girl didn’t seem too friendly and made it very apparent she just wanted my money. I could tell that it probably wouldn’t have been a good experience anyway because of her attitude. So I decided to leave. She tried to overcharge me for the drinks I had bought her. She even grabbed me and tried to stop me from leaving until I had paid extra. In what other country would such nonsense happen? I think they finally let me leave because I was bigger than everybody else in the bar and they could tell that I was quite angry. I’ll never return to the bar at 51 Hai Ba Trung again. In this country, people seemed so focused on exploiting foreigners to get a few extra dollars, but fail to consider the long term consequences of their actions. If they didn’t try to overcharge people, people would be more willing to return again and spend more money.

Good instincts, assuming you were new to this as I do. Probably could have changed the girl, but not a bad choice to just move on.

[Ozirob]

Spent a few days in HCMC before going up to DaLat and NhaTrang. Was with my wife and family but still managed to get to a few bars, including Apocolypse and one of the HBT bars around the corner from Carravelle.

Apocolypse clearly had plenty of action with some fairly attractive possibilities. No lack of clear intent eye contact and touching there. In the HBT bar just around the corner found myself with a gorgeous girl named Sun, who was very sweet, no innocent, and very keen to earn some extra 50$ for boom boom. Didn't take out because of family there, but did let my fingers do a lot of walking. She was the most amazing kisser too. My beers 30k dong lady drinks 50k dong. Tip for the kissing and fondling 50k dong.

What i found most interesting was that in spite of being with family, i came away with mobile numbers and email addresses of three hotel receptionists in VN, and also a lovely head waitress at an upmarket chinese restaurant in Singapore! I never asked for one - they just gave them to me quietly!

Even though i understand they identify who has the money pays the bills, its still great for the ego!

Ozirob

[Casey2005]

I went into a bar at 51 Hai Ba Trung in Saigon. A girl sat down by me. She said that she wanted to go to a hotel with me. I asked her how much for one hour. She said $50 US. She refused to go any lower. In a country where the average monthly wage is about $100 why does a girl think she can earn half that in one hour? The girl didn’t seem too friendly and made it very apparent she just wanted my money. I could tell that it probably wouldn’t have been a good experience anyway because of her attitude. So I decided to leave. She tried to overcharge me for the drinks I had bought her. She even grabbed me and tried to stop me from leaving until I had paid extra. In what other country would such nonsense happen? I think they finally let me leave because I was bigger than everybody else in the bar and they could tell that I was quite angry. I’ll never return to the bar at 51 Hai Ba Trung again. In this country, people seemed so focused on exploiting foreigners to get a few extra dollars, but fail to consider the long term consequences of their actions. If they didn’t try to overcharge people, people would be more willing to return again and spend more money.

[Asia Rocks]

I remember that room from my trip a couple years ago. You could actually see thru the (wide) cracks to below. IIRC, whomever controlled access (you left U2, went outside then were let in thru this door to go upstairs) then basically locked you and your companion in there until done. I think I even heard and felt people walking on the floor below while I was at play.

Ahh memories. I had forgotten about the out and in entry, but the openings on the floorboard were even wider than wide cracks. They were gaps! In any event, was there again last week and renovations never happened; shocking!
So, now just a back room off the bar for BJs, but not very private. My "date" said doggie FS was doable there and when I asked about the pool table said "can". I decided to move on and submit this for reference only. Fair number of girls there, maybe 15, many attractive, but no stunners. AR