Hanoi

[Surfer]

Even BEFORE you open your mouth, they KNOW. They know people from Central or Southern VN too. Granted understanding the language helps reduce the risk SOMEWHAT, but I am told VK are considered particularly good targets for robbery because they are ALL showing off how wealthy they have become overseas (unlike backpackers who rarely wear jewelry or expensive watches and do not carry wads of cash to impress local girls the way the VKs do).

Violent crime against foreigners is NOT common, contrary to what JT would have you believe, because the police come down PARTICULARLY hard on them as they REALLY want to encourage tourism. For example, Japanese no longer need visas and it may be expended to other nationalities next year.

VN has MANY summary executions (the exact number is a state secret) and NOBODY screws around with the police. NOBODY. And the word is out not to attack foreigners (overcharge them yes, but use violence No).

I think the risk of being victimized by violent crime is MUCH less in VN than in the US so don't let JT's attempts to scare you away succeed. YES fleecing the foreigner is a national pasttime, but it is VERY rarely accompanied by violence by all accounts I hear (and I have two friends who have lived here for several years).

I DO agree that anything that sounds too good to be true probably is.

[Silly Puppy]

then it is a scam. Do not listen to anyone (pimp) who lures you with craps such as cheap price + beautiful girl, they just don't go together. Do not go with motobike girls because the chance to get rip-off is high. Always bring girls back to your hotel OR only go with someone you know well and who knows the area very well. I myself am very confident in my knowing of the country, act like a local and in fact was in trouble couple times. I know some foreigners (backpack tourists) got robbed and beaten up so badly because they refused to give the robbers money. That said ... please play safe. VN is a jungle and you may venture with extreme caution.

[Kuber]

There used to be a massage place just across hilton. You can get a decent massage ($6) and hand job and roaming for $15. I wonder if it is still there.

I took a stroll from the Hilton down to the lake a few blocks away. On the way back, I had 3 or 4 motobike girls either slow down or stop next to me. Trouble was, being winter now, they were all bundled up as if the snow was coming, so it was impossible to tell how they looked.

I'm not even sure what the deal is in terms of price or even where to go. I dont think I'd want to drag one of them into the Hilton.[/QUOTE]

[Asia Rocks]

Brandon,
The motobike girls will want to take you to mini-hotel which is a scam waiting to happen. I've been scammed twice, although able to reverse one with threat of violence which would actually have been a bigger problem than losing the money. You just don't want to go there.
Cheers, AR

I took a stroll from the Hilton down to the lake a few blocks away. On the way back, I had 3 or 4 motobike girls either slow down or stop next to me. Trouble was, being winter now, they were all bundled up as if the snow was coming, so it was impossible to tell how they looked.
I'm not even sure what the deal is in terms of price or even where to go. I dont think I'd want to drag one of them into the Hilton.

[Surfer]

the Central region was unbelievably cold and wet. Hanoi has been in the mid to high 60s which is pretty comfortable. I found a VERY GFE freelancer through a taxi driver but she speaks ZERO English (and he VERY little). But it turnmed out great and as soon as she saw the camera she stripped down and started posing suggestively. What a welcome change from times when you have to battle to get a risque foto (plus pay extra). Given that VN is a totalitarian police state, I will not post pictures showing faces on this board. I will post some with faces obscurred, however, upon my return.

New Century disco is THE hotspot, but you bette have a high tolerance for 3 digit decibel levels and second hand smoke in concentrations that boggle the mind. Plus VERY unfriendly bouncers and tremendous crowds of people bumping into you all the time. I HATED it, but there ae some lookers there for the taking to be sure. Free lockers outside are a nice touch for storing your fannypack or whatever. Beware fleecing by taxi drivers on the way home late at night (seems to close at 1am despite local rule requiring miodnight closure).

[Silly Puppy]

freebie's are pieces of cake. Many guys, especially Caucasian, just use their charm and lure these young beautiful Viet girls into their fishnet arms. Keep hoping if you have TIME. If you don't then your chance is 1/1mil. How much time do you have?

[Brandon88]

I took a stroll from the Hilton down to the lake a few blocks away. On the way back, I had 3 or 4 motobike girls either slow down or stop next to me. Trouble was, being winter now, they were all bundled up as if the snow was coming, so it was impossible to tell how they looked.
I'm not even sure what the deal is in terms of price or even where to go. I dont think I'd want to drag one of them into the Hilton.

[Soccer Mate]

Hello Friends,

I am supposed to go to Hanoi and Hochimin for work next month. which place is better in terms of getting some good action? As I could plan my weekend around the place I go last. Also hows the pick up/ freebie scene in town? Havent read much about internet pick up in Vietnam!

Thanks all,

Soccer

[Surfer]

The Vietkieu girls in California are, on average, WAY better looking than those here in the country who are really quite underwhelming in apearance. I DEFINITELY think LOS, Indonesia and the PI all offer better looking women both in the water trades and among civilians. Quite a surprise I must admit. as I expected much better.

[Asia Rocks]

Club Q at Daewoo Hotel, Boss at Fortuna Hotel, Club at Hanoi Hotel (can't remember name), New Century Club, 10B Trang Thi St. Happy hunting.

Thanks AR. Any particular clubs come to mind?

[Brandon88]

Easier to get into the new Hanoi Hilton than out of the old one. Careful of the MB girls. You can hook up with a girl at one of the clubs and take her back to the hotel or have her visit you at the hotel, but easier at 10:00 than 12:00.
Cheers, AR

Thanks AR. Any particular clubs come to mind?

[Co Van My]

but the Southerners are SO much better looking than the Northerners...

It's certainly a matter of opion. I tend to lke the southern girls more myself, but many of the Viet kieu I know sing the praises of the fair-skinned northerners.

The last time I was in Halong, there were many very pretty girls in the karaoke places, and also in the hotel massage operations. Don't know about availability on Cat Ba.

Personally, I would feel very encumbered by bringing a girl up from the south. To much baggage, if you will. A local girl would be easier to divorce.

[Surfer]

but the Southerners are SO much better looking than the Northerners that I now think it better to bring one from the South to Halong Bay (rather than finding one in Hanoi, Haiphong, or Halong City). I read that there are available girls on Cat Ba itself, but convenitional wisdom would say that selection and price will be inferior (like Ko Samui or Phuket vs. OPattaya, Boracay vs. Angeles, Bali vs. Jakarta etc etc). Anybody here have opinions on point to share? Tam Biet.

[Asia Rocks]

Easier to get into the new Hanoi Hilton than out of the old one. Careful of the MB girls. You can hook up with a girl at one of the clubs and take her back to the hotel or have her visit you at the hotel, but easier at 10:00 than 12:00.
Cheers, AR

Guy's, for the record, I love Vietnamese as much as any other national identity. What I need to know is, how the scene is looking around the Hilton these days. Where to go, can they come to the hotel, etc etc. Please give opinions.

By the way, as I noted in really old posts, the Daewoo allowed girls to come with you as long as you paid the 'guest fee' of around $50 for the night. This was on 2002.

[Burty]

Around the Hilton in the evenings plenty of girls driving around who will approach you and offer to go to a close-by Nha Nghi (crappy hostel).

However, I would be more interested in actual Nha Nghi's or hotels where you can just walk in and find girls. Any suggestions?

B