Ho Chi Minh City - General Info

[Nullnull]

Team,

Any advice on which airline is most flexible with frequent trips back and forth from Hong kong to Saigon?

Also, for cell phone I got turned onto Viber app which is free calls international. Anyone use it in Saigon?

You can save a few bucks by flying with Jetstar or Tigerair. If you don't want to lose much time I would nevertheless recommend Vietnam Airlines with at least three direct flights a day.

Viber is very popular with Vietnamese girls. They use Zalo App as well but this is a a bit of a mess if you don't speak Vietnamese.

[TomSf]

Just search "flights from Hong kong to ho chi minh city" in google. 4-7 non-stops a day, on CX, Vietnam, and United. So probably wouldn't recommend this routing, unless you can add on the HCMC leg to an existing ticket (eg, USA. HKG. SGN).

Viber uses data to place VOIP calls, so it will work anywhere. But of course, that means you need data locally, so if you want to use your smartphone, buy a local SIM- less than $10 with data.

Thank you Friendly Planet! I actually just joined viber. I am curious if when I put a sim card in my phone if when people call me from the states they will know I am in China? I doubt international ring tone. I want to try to push my China trip to Vietnam. Mainly depend on how busy my work gets in the states. I will say to make viber work you need you internet on. With no sim card your roaming fees would be huge.

[FriendlyPlanet]

Team,

I want to do a Hong kong and Vietnam trip. As some of you may know the prices of airfare are much cheaper if you book while in asia compared to booking in the states. I need to be flexible in Asia so if I need to rush back to states for work I can. My plan is to fly to Hong kong first. In China tickets must have a departure date so I can't by one way. If I buy Hong kong to viet from states it will cost more.

Any advice on which airline is most flexible with frequent trips back and forth from Hong kong to Saigon?

Also, for cell phone I got turned onto Viber app which is free calls international. Anyone use it in Saigon?

Just search "flights from Hong kong to ho chi minh city" in google. 4-7 non-stops a day, on CX, Vietnam, and United. So probably wouldn't recommend this routing, unless you can add on the HCMC leg to an existing ticket (eg, USA. HKG. SGN).

Viber uses data to place VOIP calls, so it will work anywhere. But of course, that means you need data locally, so if you want to use your smartphone, buy a local SIM- less than $10 with data.

[Moon Shadow10]

I am a recent subscriber but have lived in HCMC for 10 years and Hanoi for 5.

I have been looking through the posts and have only seen one reference to one of my favourite bars in D1 and none on the other so I thought that I would share these.

The first is Pulse which is located on Thi Sac (I think No. 11) next to a Japanese place and down from Apo. And it rocks. You can choose your own tunes from YouTube and volume is not a problem. Pool table on the ground floor and comfy BJ rooms upstairs. I have seen BJs done on the ground floor too if that is your thing. I prefer a little more privacy. The girls are generally great and not too pushy. Take outs available. Standard bar fine.

Great music and "smoker" friendly if that is what you like. I have also met some of the most interesting guys in the bar which is sometimes a good break from mongering.

The second is Snow Bar on Dong Du opposite 2 Sisters and next to an Italian restaurant called "Ciao Bella". A bit classier than Pulse but same deal except the pool table is upstairs in a large room which is good for groups. Like Pulse, the gals are friendly and not too pushy so you can sit on 1 beer all night if you are not in the mood.

Hope this helps and have fun. BTW, I have no financial interest in either place!

[Snake304]

Hello,

This will be my 6 or 7th time in HCMC during April to May. I will be chilling here for 1 month. I won't monger as much because of my gf, but I would like to monger once in a while. Hehe. Anybody want to go mongering together in the discos or bia oms? I will rent a motorbike. I will be there in HCMC from April 15 to May 15, 2014. PM if you want to chill. I know some locations but not a lot.

===============================================

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Jackson

[OzzieSuds]

Team,

I want to do a Hong kong and Vietnam trip. As some of you may know the prices of airfare are much cheaper if you book while in asia compared to booking in the states. I need to be flexible in Asia so if I need to rush back to states for work I can. My plan is to fly to Hong kong first. In China tickets must have a departure date so I can't by one way. If I buy Hong kong to viet from states it will cost more.

Any advice on which airline is most flexible with frequent trips back and forth from Hong kong to Saigon?

Also, for cell phone I got turned onto Viber app which is free calls international. Anyone use it in Saigon?

Hong will be your worst option because of CX dominance. Try Chinese cities like Shanghai and Guangxhou serviced by asian airlines. Or Bangkok. If you are in Shanghai then you must try the 'red rope' massage at the Shanghai hotel. Search in here for it. As for cell phones I just buy local sims.

[TomSf]

Team,

I want to do a Hong kong and Vietnam trip. As some of you may know the prices of airfare are much cheaper if you book while in asia compared to booking in the states. I need to be flexible in Asia so if I need to rush back to states for work I can. My plan is to fly to Hong kong first. In China tickets must have a departure date so I can't by one way. If I buy Hong kong to viet from states it will cost more.

Any advice on which airline is most flexible with frequent trips back and forth from Hong kong to Saigon?

Also, for cell phone I got turned onto Viber app which is free calls international. Anyone use it in Saigon?

[L L T0]

Those places like the ones you are saying are only beauty shops, and you will not get nothing unless you go there for a few times, and make friends with one of the girls. They use to dress this girls like that to attract tourists, but that is as much as you will see there. But it will be as expensive as if you went to a Hotel Spa, where you can get your HJ / HE as a standard procedure without so many visits and in the same D1. Of course the fee for the massage on the hotel spa will run between 200,000 VND to 350,000 and tip varies between 300,000-500 000 VND, but the good thing is that if you don't like the treatment on the hotel, don't tip, and just get out. They will be mad, but next time don't ask for that girl. They have to work hard and nice to get a tip.

Good luck there.

I was in Ho Chi Minh City for a few days. Only had brief moments where I could get out and look for some simple action. So, a block or two from the market in D1, on a medium busy street there was what appeared to be a hair and massage place. There were about 10 girls seated inside by the door but clearly visible from the sidewalk. All were dressed like bar girls from Soi Cowboy or Nana Plaza in Bangkok. So, I figured this must be a place for some fun. I went in (around 4pm) and all the girls jumped up and greeted me. The mamasan came over and showed me a menu that included legitimate hair and massage services. I chose a one hour oil massage and shampoo thinking this would be my best bet and it was 170K or 240K (I can't remember). The mamasan snapped at one of the girls and she jumped up and took me back. So they started by washing my hair and then put some kind of cucumber facial thing on my face. I was not in a private room but it was a dark area with sinks like a beauty shop. Then they took me to a room and told me to change into some shorts and a short robe. Then took me to a massage room with 6 or 8 tables next to each other. No curtains. Girl commenced to giving me a decent oil and Thai massage. She finished and offered nothing extra and no happy ending. But she said I had to tip her at least 200, 000 VND! Perhaps I should have gone for the VIP treatment the mamasan offered me but it was 2 hours long and 300K +, and I didn't have a spare two hours. So even though the girls were dressed like hookers and looked like working girls...

[Dragonfly22]

Fla Mike, the old saying goes "if it looks like something is going on, chances are, it's not"! On some rare occasions I have gotten a HJ at some of these legit places but ONLY after I have been there a few times. They take you to a secluded massage room usually on the 3rd or 4th floor. You can usually forget the places handing out flyers as they are tourist traps and usually nothing going on there.

[TomSf]

I was in Ho Chi Minh City for a few days. Only had brief moments where I could get out and look for some simple action. So, a block or two from the market in D1, on a medium busy street there was what appeared to be a hair and massage place. There were about 10 girls seated inside by the door but clearly visible from the sidewalk. All were dressed like bar girls from Soi Cowboy or Nana Plaza in Bangkok. So, I figured this must be a place for some fun. I went in (around 4pm) and all the girls jumped up and greeted me. The mamasan came over and showed me a menu that included legitimate hair and massage services. I chose a one hour oil massage and shampoo thinking this would be my best bet and it was 170K or 240K (I can't remember)...

Florida Mike,

Hope you did not give the 200,000 tip for nothing. You should have tipped $2 USD in dong. Don't let people like this rip you off just because your from out of town. People can't tell you what to tip. Why should she give you a BJ if you pay her anyway. Someone once said if it seems like something is going on it is not in Vietnam.

[FloridaMike]

I was in Ho Chi Minh City for a few days. Only had brief moments where I could get out and look for some simple action. So, a block or two from the market in D1, on a medium busy street there was what appeared to be a hair and massage place. There were about 10 girls seated inside by the door but clearly visible from the sidewalk. All were dressed like bar girls from Soi Cowboy or Nana Plaza in Bangkok. So, I figured this must be a place for some fun. I went in (around 4pm) and all the girls jumped up and greeted me. The mamasan came over and showed me a menu that included legitimate hair and massage services. I chose a one hour oil massage and shampoo thinking this would be my best bet and it was 170K or 240K (I can't remember). The mamasan snapped at one of the girls and she jumped up and took me back. So they started by washing my hair and then put some kind of cucumber facial thing on my face. I was not in a private room but it was a dark area with sinks like a beauty shop. Then they took me to a room and told me to change into some shorts and a short robe. Then took me to a massage room with 6 or 8 tables next to each other. No curtains. Girl commenced to giving me a decent oil and Thai massage. She finished and offered nothing extra and no happy ending. But she said I had to tip her at least 200,000 VND! Perhaps I should have gone for the VIP treatment the mamasan offered me but it was 2 hours long and 300K +, and I didn't have a spare two hours. So even though the girls were dressed like hookers and looked like working girls. It was a big zero. Perhaps I didn't know what I was doing.

So I tried again the next day around 1pm on the same street but a block up. Another hair place that offered massages, and had a frosted glass window / door and seemed very quiet. As opposed to the place I mentioned above. So, I thought, this place looks like it is trying to operate under the radar. Let me try it. Went in, cute girl waited on me. The menu was on the front counter and offered the normal massages, (oil, thai, etc). I chose the one hour oil massage again. Took me back to a room with lockers and told me to change into shorts and a short robe. I did and they took me to a private room (2 massage tables but I was the only one in there. And they shut the door different girl came in for the massage. Got a massage and then about 50 minutes later, she stopped massaging and said it is over. I said,"that's all?" and she replied yes. I then said, I can't get any more? I can't get anything else? And she replied no that is all. She didn't even demand a tip like the first girl.

Later I walked by another place like the first place where the girls were dressed like bar girls but was on my way to meet a friend. There were two guys outside who said,"hey you want a foot massage?" I said no and kept walking. But thinking back maybe they were touts. Also, there was a guy on a street corner handing out legitimate looking flyers for one of the hotel Spas. Maybe I should have tried that place. I also saw some nail salons that offered massages that were down some narrow alleys. But I didn't have time to check these places out. So after reading that all massage places offer happy endings as standard procedure, I am here to say that did not happen.

[LuvAsianTang]

"Area 1 barbarshops offering sex.

The shops have moved I counted 7 in total, some with 5-6 girls others with 10-12, again ranging in looks 5-7. And occasional 8. Cost 600+200, for me the best option."

I wasn't aware of these barber shops offering FS in area 1, would you like to share please?

Thanks in advance, LAT

[MutantChicken]

Summary of HCMC cheong spots.

I had a opportunity to take a gentleman on a tour explore most of the hcmc hotspots so I'll use that to formulate a summary of hcmc options in light of the current raids.

D1 Bars.

Still available but very low key, the pretty much ignore you unless you call them over and they don't offer hotel services unless you are "safe". Prices I believe 50-70 St + bf and 100+ bf LT. Over all very non viable unless you don't know better. Looks ok 5-7's. Nothing to say WOW.

Tourist bars.

The same as usual, though I have seen a few cuties, tho mostly older girls, again good for cheaper beers and friendlier girls, the cutie I asked about wanted 70usd St ie about 1.4mill. Fun for chatting and flirting though factoring ST hotel and questionable service again not my idea of value.

Area 1 barbarshops offering sex.

The shops have moved I counted 7 in total, some with 5-6 girls others with 10-12, again ranging in looks 5-7. And occasional 8. Cost 600+200, for me the best option.

Area 2.

This area is also foreigner exposed a total of 10 shops I counted older types more so than area 1 but again avg rnage 5-7 with a few 8's. Cost is 1mill +200. Given that its more expensive but the price difference is smaller ie 400k compared to the 550k or close to 100% difference. Makes this now a viable alternative.

Area 3 little foreigner exposure.

5-6 shops only some with 10-12 girls. These girls look more heavily made up but again the same types of 5-7's. Price 1mil +2-300k ticket.

As with area two it is now a viable option sincew area 1 price increase.

Bia om.

We took a look at two on LHP, we only wanted to look at girls avail for over night, these two places offered 4-5 girls each. Admittedly we came late at 8+pm and so the choice was limited with some 7's but motsly 5-6's. Not sure about the LT costs but I assume it would again bve the market of 100usd ST 1mill. The tips was 200k for girls 100k for mommy and 50-90k for the servcie staff, beers were 40k each, fruit 150k, kareoke 75k, napkins 20k. So again unless you like to sing and drink, that's not ideal.

Bia om 166.

Those in the know are aware it was recently raided so its SOP has definately changed, when asked about girls willing to go overnight was told they cannot help, you need to determine yourself, we came at 10; 30. The girls shown was only 2 and they only 5's. Seems this place has def been spolit and shoudl be avoided.

Benny.

It now looks from the outside like a eatery. The girls all 4-5's, you enter and they write on a piece of paper that the ticket is 120, tipp is 200k. 320k total etc etc so this places has been ruined by foreigners.

DBL.

This area totally shut down, there used to be area adjacent but I didn't get a chance to look.

The other BBBJ place in d1.

This place has quite a few shops with quite a few decent girls, however be aware of the private room scam. Some may call it a scam some might. Basically if you don't specify the shared room, you will get the private room at a 50-60k surcharge ie 100-120k for normal room or 180-200k for private room, and given that the tip matches the ticket, you total price should be 250-300k or upto 400k if you are scammed. Small money for some, or 60% extra for others. Overall a good option if you in the area.

Bo ke area. Also totally closed down.

Rest of the city.

For those in the know and those with transport, its possible to find massages with the BJ option for 100 ticket + 200-300 for the BJ. Or hot tocs with BJ for 150-250k inclusive of ticket and tip. The looks of these girls are non uniform, you need luck to find the gem

[WhiteBunny]

I need to know about the confirmed hotel girl friendly, I like to take the girl overnight. I did some reaches and I found out the following hotels:

1- Sophia Hotel.

2- Ho Sen 1 Lotus Lake

3- Ho Sen 2 Apollo

4- Indochine Hotel

5- Bongs sen hotel.

6- White Lotus Hotel.

You can try May Hotel in Thi Sap street. Girl friendly, but need to pay 10USD to take her up.

[Goons]

Hey guys,

I need some additional input on my situation. I'll be doing mostly touristy stuff while I'm there which means I'll have a small daypack with my mirrorless camera (concealed and in the bag) , and possibly cash and my travel documents. I may choose to go directly to a place like Benny's or a random massage or hostess club rather than going back to my hotel and leaving my stuff. Is that recommended, does carrying a bag somehow make me into a bigger target?

Also, I've been going over google maps inputting adresses I've found here, with little luck. There are at least three different results that come out for Benny's, one east of the airport, another south of it and a third. Without knowing where these places are exactly myself can I rely on the cab or tuk2x drivers to find them easily from a written address on my notepad?