Vietnam good for IMers?

Jun 15, 2011
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Thinking about going to vietnam for a few weeks. read that HCMC and Ha Noi are good IM places. Also read that my phone will get stolen, my bag will get snatched, everyone will try to scam me, i'll have to bribe almost all government officials to just do their job, etc.

So, is it worth it?
 


Sounds like a lot of places. Stick to touristy spots and bring only the bare essentials. Usually, high traffic tourist areas like Hue, Hanoi, and many parts of Saigon are safe. Keep your wits about you when in crowds though.

With all that said, VN is a great place to visit. A great value and really a travel gem because it isn't as SATURATED and commercialized as THAILAND. Regardless of what you do, make sure you check out HA LONG BAY.
 
Give 'er a whirl!

I had a hotel booked & paid for a week. Lasted 36 hours in Hanoi before I was back on a plane.

What an absolute shit hole.
 
I didn't like Vietnam much when I was there.

People generally don't speak English compared to SEA.

There is a shit-ton of Ruskies - and not the good kind of Ruskies.

HCMC is massive turd of a disorganised city.

The only placed that was ok was Mui Ne because I could do windsurfing there. It's generally a surfing place so it attracts a better type of crowd.

Have fun :)
 
I have several years of being a "digital nomad" (hate that term btw).

I've lived all over the world. Out of all the places I've been Saigon is in the top 3. I'm here right now actually, have spent in total over a year of my life here, and don't plan on leaving for a while.

Being A Tourist:
Vietnam in general is boring as shit if you're doing the tourist thing. The beaches suck (and like was mentioned a lot of Ruskies there). It's not that pretty IMO, and there aren't many sites that are jaw dropping besides the biggest caves in the world.

Living Here Though...
- The quality of life here is unreal if you learn the right place to live. I'm not a peasant, I can live like a king anywhere in the world and yet I still find the quality of life here hard to beat. A huge Japanese population, so the japanese food is of the highest quality. It was a former colony of the french, so the french food is amazing. As crazy as it sounds I don't really eat Vietnamese much.
- The people are great overall. MUCH MUCH MUCH genuinely nicer than Thailand, and they are definitely not always trying to fuck you over 24/7 (except for backpacker areas which I avoid). The people just generally don't get worked up about anything ever. English is good all around in the district 1 area (expat area).
- I find the women particularly great. They are Asians with curves, and have class. The thais all look like ugly dudes, while Vietnamese have a very classy and feminine look. Usually well educated. The entire city is young, motivated and full of energy.
- Cafe Culture: Without a doubt the best cafe culture in the world. Good solid internet most of the time, great cafes literally several on every block, and it's completely normal to spend 10 hours a day on your laptop in them. Possibly the best part for me, as I find I'm always hyper productive when here.

Downsides: If you are not a city person, stay the fuck away. This isn't Chiang Mai, it's a bustling city and is always noisy. It doesn't bother me, but there are plenty of people who can't stand it. Also "motorbike bag snatchings" are a very real thing. There is practically zero crime, and definitely nothing ever violent. But if you put your bag or phone by the street it will get taken, especially in the tourist areas.
 
If you're getting the travel bug, and want to check out somewhere new, head over to Bali. Ubud, to be exact. Seriously, it's amazing out there. It's simply an awesome atmosphere out there, the people are beyond friendly, and genuine as well. Honestly, it's probably one of the best places I've ever visited in my life.

In Vietnam, you're going to constantly be battling people trying to fuck you over. It's just such a headache, it's not even worth it. Everyone will be out to fuck you (this is assuming you have white skin -- they haven't forgotten the Vietnam War, you know), little 90lbs ladies in straw hats will stalk you and follow you around for like 5 blocks trying to sell you shit, if you get lost people will just laugh at you instead of trying to help you, etc.
 
Went to Vietnam twice about a month or so ago...once as a direct trip and once as part of a cruise. Enjoyed it both times. Wasn't really tempted to live there, but it's cool if you pick a decent area.
 
I spent 3+ weeks in southern Vietnam. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is great!! Tons of internet cafes and it's definitely a hub for internet entrepreneurs so you'll meet some cool people most likely.

You won't get sh1t stolen. It's very safe compared to other parts of the world. Almost no violent crime. No firearms, etc. Just don't flaunt your wealth and don't leave your laptop sitting out in the open on a park bench and you'll be fine.

My only complaint about Saigon- the fucking smog/polution in the air from the motorbikes. I spent 4 days in the city and then decided to GTFO because my lungs felt gross from breathing all that shit. I don't know how people stay for a month +
 
I will be holidaying at the southern islands next year, hopefully they will have apartments and good enough internet for a future long-stay. Why not try there instead? The islands are Con Dao and Phu Quoc and they have the paradise island vibe. Short flights from HCMC to both and you can get from one to the other same day. Won't have a digital nomad community there if that's what you are looking for. Northern Vietnam will be cold soon

I think Bali rainy season starts soon until April. That sounds like the best location as it has it all, with a base in Ubud.
 
I spent a month in Saigon in the spring, my overall experience was good except the fact that it doesn't have a BTS/MRT system like Bangkok so you can't really get anywhere during rush hour. You should stay in Disctrict 1, also check out the street "thi minh khai 18a" tons of cheap and nice appartments there and a lot of the people who live on that soi(hem) are Internet marketers.
If you do go to Saigon make sure to check out this amazing BBQ place called Quan Ut Ut - Quan Ut Ut, Ho Chi Minh City - Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - TripAdvisor
 
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Surprised no one beat me to this. But you can beat meat to this