Ho Chi Minh City - Massage Parlors

[Carl Raze]

So I just returned to Vietnam a few days ago. Today I went to the place on NPK next door to the barber shop that closed down and got the usual. On my way out I was expecting to pay 200VND without much hassle but they pushed and pushed for 300VND. I know the local currency is significantly weeker so not wanting to be the ignorant foreigner who gets in a fight because he doesn't know what's going on, I caved. So anyway, if I go back, what is the right price? 300 is steep, as it is a 50% increase.

FYI I have RTFF. I am wondering if anything has changed recently and I don't want to help drive up the price for foreigners. I'd appreciate an answer from someone like Johndao who knows what he's talking about as opposed to someone who just quotes a price from an earlier post.

Thanks guys!

[Tio Rajo]

This was a few days ago. It looks like the landlord is renovating the building. I saw the mamasan from Thanh out front in the street and she said they had relocated to the hot toc next door. Something Tam (pink and white sign).

I had gone to this one when it first opened a few months back, but never found it as comfortable as Thanh. Now there's not a lot of choice. I've been a few times since and all the regular girls are there. The layout is three tables to a room and they have several rooms.

Here's a new wrinkle. They have a "VIP" room but it's an extra 100k, making it 200k to the house and 100k to the girl. Okay, I tried it once. The main thing this offers is privacy. Walls instead of curtains. It's more spacious, too. Great for a more energetic session.

My pick of the litter is Huong. She has good skill and a degree of enthusiasm not found in many of the others. She can take things fairly deep and really knows how to give Junior a good workout.

[Nutty Smith]

Did the 200, 000 include the tip? I usually pay 100, 000 for the ticket and 100, 000 to the girl on NPK.

Yes. 200k for everything. 100 entry + 100tip. Seems fair.

[Flipp]

Just went to Benny.

Still the same price. 220k including tips. Even though the gasoline just went up yesterday. LOL.

Well, not the best blow job I ever had. The girl I pick have small breast. Well I'm not really into big one.

Not really the best service anyway. Her name I think is chien or ching or something. Don't pick that girl. Trust me.

She's short, skinny and probably around 24-27 years old.

Well, not my lucky day it seems.

Actually I went to hot toc place next door also, forget the name. May tien, is it? The girl is so old. And they have only 3 girls. So I went back to benny, and the girl that suppose to be my reserved gone already. Someone took her, and there's another girl I like, but she's been taken.

I'll try another time. But it still quite worth it. 10$ for blow job. Where else you can get it.

Thanks for the tips in this forum anyway.

Cheers

[Milkweed]

Cruised through NPK a few days ago. Around 9pm. Very quiet. A guy on the street pulled me in."$20 US for massage?". I offered 200k VND and off we go into the back. Several girls lounging around and one looks particularly good to me. I nod to her and off we go upstairs to a large empty room set up with massage tables each with a hair washing basin."Phuong" picks the table at the far end of the room and draws a curtain. No boom boom! She says most emphatically. A thorough cleaning with baby wipes and the massage begins. Nice and slow, bra up, panties off took my hand and started riding my thumb. Highly enjoyable. Will repeat.

NS

Did the 200, 000 include the tip? I usually pay 100, 000 for the ticket and 100, 000 to the girl on NPK.

[Nutty Smith]

Cruised through NPK a few days ago. Around 9pm. Very quiet. A guy on the street pulled me in."$20 US for massage?". I offered 200k VND and off we go into the back. Several girls lounging around and one looks particularly good to me. I nod to her and off we go upstairs to a large empty room set up with massage tables each with a hair washing basin."Phuong" picks the table at the far end of the room and draws a curtain. No boom boom! She says most emphatically. A thorough cleaning with baby wipes and the massage begins. Nice and slow, bra up, panties off took my hand and started riding my thumb. Highly enjoyable. Will repeat.

NS

[Tiger 888]

...Bennys asked for 150k ticket + 100 tip for the quick blowie, and were adamant on the price. Having done the same earlier for 200k total, and knowing the service would be no better I refused...

I went there yesterday and paid 120k to the house. If you ask, it may be more.

[Flipp]

First post here.

Went pass by DBP couple times this week. But haven't got the chance to go inside the B&G place in DBP.

Any suggestion which girl should I look for at Benny? Not really into big breast. LOL.

Also, did anyone went to Festival recently? Seems like the last report been a while already.

[Bespoke]

I agree with JD that it doesn't have to be equal.

However, regarding the haircut places, it depends. At most of the nicer haircut places (like on Hai Ba Trung) that don't have the hot girls sitting outside (like Le Duyen) , the hairwash girls make a minimal salary of 1mm / mo and rely mostly on tips. These places are low volumes most of the times so they don't get that many tours, sometimes they could go for a day without a single tour. They're expected to help out in lots of other services while the hairstylist works, but may or may not get a tip as a result. The ones I know tell me that women use the most expensive, time consuming services (color, perm, extensions) but tip the least. These women will often skip out on tipping the assistants if the girls are busy with another customer at the time of checkout, even if those girls had spent 4-6 hrs working. And these girls work 7 days a week from 9 to 8 usually.

I often ask the cute ones why they don't work somewhere that they basically get paid more for looking good, and it's often due to familiarity with the current place, or be / see their friends work there. Then there is also the fear of the unknown, be / see most of them mistakenly assume places like Le Duyen are brothels and worry about their reputation. What these poor girls don't realize is that a lot of people already think bad of all hairwashers, so they're getting the bad rap w / out the benefits of better tips. Their typical tips are 50-100k, with the price of the hairwash (60-90mins) 100-120k.

And be / see they are good looking, they can't see themselves working at a higher volume but step down in class haircut place (any of the thousands of legit places around). Those places will pay 3mm / mo salary, but the girls typically get 10-20k in tips each time. But they have to work harder and usually go several tours a day, doubling their salary to 6mm. The price of hairwash at these places is only 30-60k, which makes it easier for customers to tip vs the expensive places.

So I guess it's partly the fault of the girls for not choosing a different place to work, but if you do go into those places, keep in mind what the norms are there.

I don't agree at all that the tip should be equal to the service as a general or rule of thumb. There are cases where the tip is, or appears the same or about as same as the service, but this is more by coincidence than any rule or standard.

For example, going for a haircut, no tip is expected although it may be nice to give 10k Dong to the washer and or cutter in some places. No tip is necessary for taxi service although a few thousand Dong to round out the fare is ok. Same with restaurants.

Regarding the incident at hand, IMO (no humble) 150k Dong for a foot massage is a rip-off. At those rates managers must or should be paying staff. Foot massage is very low overhead. They need only a small room, chairs hard next to one another, no privacy needed, usually no upstairs. For the workers the work is clean (feet washed) and safe with little chance of disease and low to 0 disgust factor. Basically any 150k foot massage place is just a tourist rip-off joint and the staff at that place proved it by their actions.

JD

[Don1010ho]

I totally agree with you Johndao about tipping. I went to My Tien Benny last December, one charged 90KVND, and the other charged 100KVND, my average tips was 200KVND to my girls. But there was one girl, I tips her 300K VND each time I with her, she was special to me, because she came from the same town where I was born years ago, she still known my family named from that town through her parents fairy tail story. I even asked her to go home with me, but she can't because she has no days off, off course I did not tell her who I am, just said I have been to that town with a friend some time ago. I still learning a lots from you Johndao.

I don't agree at all that the tip should be equal to the service as a general or rule of thumb. There are cases where the tip is, or appears the same or about as same as the service, but this is more by coincidence than any rule or standard.

For example, going for a haircut, no tip is expected although it may be nice to give 10k Dong to the washer and or cutter in some places. No tip is necessary for taxi service although a few thousand Dong to round out the fare is ok. Same with restaurants.

Regarding the incident at hand, IMO (no humble) 150k Dong for a foot massage is a rip-off. At those rates managers must or should be paying staff. Foot massage is very low overhead. They need only a small room, chairs hard next to one another, no privacy needed, usually no upstairs. For the workers the work is clean (feet washed) and safe with little chance of disease and low to 0 disgust factor. Basically any 150k foot massage place is just a tourist rip-off joint and the staff at that place proved it by their actions.

Most Blow and Go's charge 200k nowadays and many figure this is 100k and 100k so maybe that's where the idea of this rule or standard comes from. The first times I went to these places it was 30k for the house and 50k to the girl (1999). This moved to 40k and 60k for 100k even by 2001. In 2005 it was 70k for the house and 80k for the girl for 150k total. Only recently have places been asking a flat 200k including all. At brothels it is 100k for the room and 500k for the girl for FS.

Many non-sex massage places charge $15 or $20 or more for massage (male and female) is spa-like surroundings. Certainly it is not necessary to tip an equal amount.

JD

[Johndao]

Thank you for clarifying. This is completely unexpected and peculiar to Vietnam. I haven't heard of such practice (mandatory tip = service fee) anywhere else. I thought the HotToc extra BJ fee (the 100k tip) was because the ticket only covers the massage and not sexual services (similar to Thailand where oil massage is 300 baht, and special services are on top of that). For the regular massage or a haircut, I thought no tip was required (but that 20-50k was appreciated).

AH45 certainly knows much more about Vietnam than I do. However, it would still be interesting to hear other opinions from old hands on the tipping issue. Is it really mandatory to tip same amount as service and when?

I don't agree at all that the tip should be equal to the service as a general or rule of thumb. There are cases where the tip is, or appears the same or about as same as the service, but this is more by coincidence than any rule or standard.

For example, going for a haircut, no tip is expected although it may be nice to give 10k Dong to the washer and or cutter in some places. No tip is necessary for taxi service although a few thousand Dong to round out the fare is ok. Same with restaurants.

Regarding the incident at hand, IMO (no humble) 150k Dong for a foot massage is a rip-off. At those rates managers must or should be paying staff. Foot massage is very low overhead. They need only a small room, chairs hard next to one another, no privacy needed, usually no upstairs. For the workers the work is clean (feet washed) and safe with little chance of disease and low to 0 disgust factor. Basically any 150k foot massage place is just a tourist rip-off joint and the staff at that place proved it by their actions.

Most Blow and Go's charge 200k nowadays and many figure this is 100k and 100k so maybe that's where the idea of this rule or standard comes from. The first times I went to these places it was 30k for the house and 50k to the girl (1999). This moved to 40k and 60k for 100k even by 2001. In 2005 it was 70k for the house and 80k for the girl for 150k total. Only recently have places been asking a flat 200k including all. At brothels it is 100k for the room and 500k for the girl for FS.

Many non-sex massage places charge $15 or $20 or more for massage (male and female) is spa-like surroundings. Certainly it is not necessary to tip an equal amount.

JD

[Kodanana]

Recently I've been to the few Hot Toc places at DBP (Dien Bien Phu).

Bennys asked for 150k ticket + 100 tip for the quick blowie, and were adamant on the price. Having done the same earlier for 200k total, and knowing the service would be no better I refused.

Benny was asking 120K entry fee + 100K tips as usual last week, this applied for Vnmese, so I guest they getting from you the extra DONG but if you're insist on 120K, they will have to accept, drinks also remain at 20K.

[MutantChicken]

Recently I've been to the few Hot Toc places at DBP (Dien Bien Phu).

Bennys asked for 150k ticket + 100 tip for the quick blowie, and were adamant on the price. Having done the same earlier for 200k total, and knowing the service would be no better I refused.

Second place, same story. 150k + 100 tip. I did this too a month previously for 200k. Did they really increase the prices for everyone, or are they just trying it on?

Finaly, in the third place, I was quoted 250k, but when I started walking away, they called me back and accepted 200k. The girl was super pretty, but the place upstairs was so damn dark I couldn't see the massage table let alone her face. Why, oh, why do the Viets always turn an event that could be a memorable moment of joy into a worst-we-can-come-up-with sperm letoff? It's *same* work for the girl and would take the same time if they actually made the customer somewhat comfortable and unconstrained by stupid rules. Does the darkness and pants-around-ankles make it legal or what?

The feeling I get from the Viet scene is increasingly "it's cheap, but no matter how little you pay, they'll make every effort to deliver far less".

I'm afraid this is what happens when too many foreigners go to a place from what I'm told those places on dbp also are frequneted by local men and the price there is still 200k, just as how I went to the nude bng in d7, that was spoken about here the owner there had the gall to tell me that the price is now 300k for foreigners and 200k for locals after being told that there was a overall price increase since tet but I disputed that since I told them my local friends was charge 200k just the other day. I'm viet kieu and was silly enuff to speak english with another vk firned so that serves me right. Over all I would suggest a boycott of all dual pricing establishments as tehre are planty that offer similar service for 200k or less

[Alwayshard45]

. I thought the HotToc extra BJ fee (the 100k tip) was because the ticket only covers the massage and not sexual services. For the regular massage or a haircut, I thought no tip was required (but that 20-50k was appreciated).

Oddly, my close Vietnamese female friend (middle class, no connection to tourist industry) pays zero in tips in any situation (restaurants, taxis, hotel etc.). First time I asked there about tips, she literally said "Tip? What does that word mean?" (BTW, what's the Vietnamese word for it?). Of course, she doesn't visit sex establishments.

Also, on two occasions I had a hot toc BJ for 150-160k (paid in advance to the girl directly once, to mamasan the other time). Afterward both times a girl went away quickly and didn't wait around for any extra money (let alone ask). WTF is going on.

At the BnGs, the price for entry is 100k and the other 100k is for the girl for doing whatever it is she did for you. Even if you just give 200k to the house, the girl will get her cut at some point. (I have no idea when, assumable the same day).

For the massage and haircut tips, it depends on where you go. If its the barber outside on the street, then of course no tip is required or expected. However, if you go into a beauty salon the tip for the barber is not expected but greatly appriciated. Tip depends on the price of the haircut, but 20-50k is good enough. However at the Beauty salon parlors with hot girls in short skirts / dresses the tips that I was referring to were to go to the girl who helped you, not the barber. Those girls expect 150-200k VND.

As far as other times to tip. Taxi's no you are not required to leave a tip, but leaving small change (a few thousands) is the general norm. Example, the fair is 47, 000 vnd, leaving 50, 000 VND. However, if you have a driver for a long period of time or you ask them to wait for you for an extended period of time, then yes a tip is expected. Hotels, never tip. Restaurants. You're not required, and never expected to leave a tip when you're eating food on the street or small store front type of restaurant. However, the "Nha Hang Hai San" (expensive seafood places) , or restaurants with girls running around in shorts skirts, you are expected to leave a small tip. Around 5% is acceptable. Now days at the larger chain or western restaruants they charge you the 5% gratuity in the bill when you get it, even if you're going alone. Like how its done in the US for larger parties of 8 or more people. Example, Hard Rock Cafe.

Other services such as motorbike repair, if its minor and done in just a few hours or less, no tip is expected. However, if it takes a couple of days or heavy work to be done a tip ranging from 20k-100k is a good idea. Especially if you are living here because you will most likely need to return in the future for something and the mechanic is your bike's best friend. Haha.

Like I stated earlier, the girls don't wait around because they get the money from the mamasan later. No need to collect from you. They go back and clean up and continue eating their lunch or whatever.

Maybe I'm just an idiot and paying too much for things I shouldn't. I would have no idea. But this what I've come up with over the years through my various Vietnamese friends. Its been a long process. I remember when I first came here I was tipping the cabbie like a dollar (15, 000 vnd) for each fare and same to the motorbike parking guys even though the parking was free. Haha.

[Crocodilexp]

Again the rule of thumb in Vietnam, for everyone not just tourists and expats, is that the tip for such services as massage, haircuts (hot toc. Legit places) , BnGs, nail maintenance, etc. The tip is equal to the house fee.

Thank you for clarifying. This is completely unexpected and peculiar to Vietnam. I haven't heard of such practice (mandatory tip = service fee) anywhere else. I thought the HotToc extra BJ fee (the 100k tip) was because the ticket only covers the massage and not sexual services (similar to Thailand where oil massage is 300 baht, and special services are on top of that). For the regular massage or a haircut, I thought no tip was required (but that 20-50k was appreciated).

Oddly, my close Vietnamese female friend (middle class, no connection to tourist industry) pays zero in tips in any situation (restaurants, taxis, hotel etc.). First time I asked there about tips, she literally said "Tip? What does that word mean?" (BTW, what's the Vietnamese word for it?). Of course, she doesn't visit sex establishments.

I once had a haircut for 20k (normal barber, a guy) and he didn't show in any way he was expecting a tip. Also, on two occasions I had a hot toc BJ for 150-160k (paid in advance to the girl directly once, to mamasan the other time). Afterward both times a girl went away quickly and didn't wait around for any extra money (let alone ask). WTF is going on?

AH45 certainly knows much more about Vietnam than I do. However, it would still be interesting to hear other opinions from old hands on the tipping issue. Is it really mandatory to tip same amount as service and when?

Learning the local language always helps, that's good advice. But Vietnamese is so damn ambiguous and they're not particularly patient. Frankly, I gave up when they gave me fish instead of chicken. English is safer for me.