Vietnam Places & Things to see & do

[watcharacters]

9 hours ago, simple1 said:

Massage by blind people. Living at...

 

http://www.visitnoosa.com.au/regions/noosaville

 

 

 

Your link didn't appear to deal with  a massage from blind people.   I appeared to be a promotion to a resort.

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Mario666 said:

Just as a matter of interest did you get any negatives from the North....as in hangover from the War?

Not me, nor in the South where there was also a great deal of destruction and death. Hoi An is interesting as old architecture still intact as it wasn't attacked by US forces, through villages in the surrounding area were. Checkout if the French guy is still doing day bicycle tours of the surrounding area, fairly interesting.

[tutsiwarrior]

10 hours ago, Mario666 said:

So why did you decide to live in LOS and not VN?

 

one place came before the other...I've often thought that if I had visited VN first I wouldn't be in Thailand now...

 

 

[Mario666]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

Not me, nor in the South where there was also a great deal of destruction and death. Hoi An is interesting as old architecture still intact as it wasn't attacked by US forces, through villages in the surrounding area were. Checkout if the French guy is still doing day bicycle tours of the surrounding area, fairly interesting.

Many thanks!

[Mario666]

21 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

one place came before the other...I've often thought that if I had visited VN first I wouldn't be in Thailand now...

 

 

I love Thailand  despite the politics and bullshit, but I am also a wanderer and adventurer seeker....I was thinking about Panama as heard good things, except I don't speak Spanish ...I only speak English, French, German and "TInglish" Kao Jai?

[weegee]

27 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

one place came before the other...I've often thought that if I had visited VN first I wouldn't be in Thailand now...

 

 

I was in Vietnam many years and made the mistake of coming to Thailand after being there....Vietnam fantastic country, and the places to visit far outscore the rubbish ridden ones here....It sure was the wild west though in the mid nineties.

HCMC is alive with places to see and enjoy any hour of the day....Vung Tau, is the place to visit in the South, where the Seafood is fresh and plentiful....and not a ripoff.

 

[Rimmer]

An off topic post about the US and Trump has been removed

[Mario666]

Just now, weegee said:

I was in Vietnam many years and made the mistake of coming to Thailand after being there....Vietnam fantastic country, and the places to visit far outscore the rubbish ridden ones here....It sure was the wild west though in the mid nineties.

HCMC is alive with places to see and enjoy any hour of the day....Vung Tau, is the place to visit in the South, where the Seafood is fresh and plentiful....and not a ripoff.

 

Dude...I am 90% sold....How does the cost of living compare to Thailand?

[tutsiwarrior]

5 minutes ago, Mario666 said:

I love Thailand  despite the politics and bullshit, but I am also a wanderer and adventurer seeker....I was thinking about Panama as heard good things, except I don't speak Spanish ...I only speak English, French, German and "TInglish" Kao Jai?

Panama is no great shakes...a friend bought a retirement home there after doing the necessary diligence, speaks passable spanish, etc and she sold up and returned to California after a year...the usual hassles, corruption, etc...

 

 

[weegee]

7 minutes ago, Mario666 said:

Dude...I am 90% sold....How does the cost of living compare to Thailand?

Been away from Vietnam a fair while now (8yrsApprox)...But even then it was cheaper than Thailand. 

But dont be fooled, if you let yourself into a wrong place...You will get ripped.

If you like looking at beautiful women, and being left alone until you want company...Then dont hesitate.

If you go to Vung Tau (Seaside resort) make sure you stay a couple of days, and check out everything, it alive with scenery, Museum (a definite), and it's nice and cool from the seabreeze in the evening, enjoying a coldie.

[chrissables]

4 hours ago, Mario666 said:

Thanks mate....you guys have helped immensely.....I know Vietnam is a large and diversified country and as such I didn't know where to start.....now I know I will do a month in the South on this trip and then look in central and North next time.

 

Just as a matter of interest did you get any negatives from the North....as in hangover from the War?....I am English, but they won't know that!

 

No problems anywhere regarding the war, i went to a few of the places that had bad things happen and nothing but smiles and politeness. Including Hue, My Lai, Khe Sanh, hamburger hill etc.

[LongTimeLurker]

Chiu Chi (spl) tunnels are just North of HCMC and worth a visit.

 

Take the longest Mekong Delta tour you can find, definitely the 3 days at least, avoid the 2 days as I found the best things were on the third day (paddling through swamps reminiscent of scenes out of Deliverance and shopping in Ca Mau).

 

In HCMC find Hoa Vien restaurant if you like good Czech beer and food. Or Lion restaurant if you want German. And just opposite Lion is a really good Chinese restaurant.

 

Hop on the river ferry and take a round trip 'cruise' on the river.

[Mario666]

31 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

Panama is no great shakes...a friend bought a retirement home there after doing the necessary diligence, speaks passable spanish, etc and she sold up and returned to California after a year...the usual hassles, corruption, etc...

 

 

So SEA is the place then ???

[Mario666]

21 minutes ago, chrissables said:

No problems anywhere regarding the war, i went to a few of the places that had bad things happen and nothing but smiles and politeness. Including Hue, My Lai, Khe Sanh, hamburger hill etc.

Thanks so much for your information.

[Sapporillo]

There’s a backpacker’s quarter in HCMC, it’s an area full of hotels, bars, shops and a few girly bars (but just a few). It’s worth to hang out there in the evening, you can easily meet people there, mostly other tourists and bargirls of course, but there are also regular Vietnamese coming to drink there in the evening. They like to talk to foreigners to practice their English language skills.

[Mario666]

17 minutes ago, Sapporillo said:

There’s a backpacker’s quarter in HCMC, it’s an area full of hotels, bars, shops and a few girly bars (but just a few). It’s worth to ....out there in the evening, you can easily meet people there, mostly other tourists and bargirls of course, but there are also regular Vietnamese coming to drink there in the evening. They like to talk to foreigners to practice their English language skills.

Thanks Mr. Sapporillo....Gold Dust!

[smotherb]

6 hours ago, JRUSA said:

There's a blind massage place here in Pattaya also..

No, that's the dyslexic massage parlor, where you get the happy beginning.

[geisha]

Mario666, you must visit the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho on the Mekong Delta south of Saigon. Must visit very early morning so best to  overnight there.. This is an authentic market, not like the tourist infested ones of Bangkok. It’s huge, rent a boat for a couple of hours, the captain will show you around and take you to the most wonderful little waterways. Have a good camera with you. Sample the  delicious  food and soups served from the market boats directly into yours. Ask him to show you the noodle factory and rice paper producers on the little islands, tho he probably  wont need  asking. I’ve been all over Asia and i can honestly say this place left a lifetime memory. By the way, all this is very inexpensive. 

If you have time for another trip, try Hoi An and visit the Japanese houses, and beautiful covered bridge ! Happy travels. 

[Ulic]

Plenty to see and experience. I enjoyed the Cu Chin tunnel complex just outside HCMC.

Both interesting and informative. Not a gun nut but I squeezed off a couple dozen rounds

from an AK 47. The boat trip down the Mekong was also interesting. I enjoyed the lacquer

artwork, ubiquitous in Vietnam. It makes a great souvenir or gift. I also enjoyed a sleeper

car train trip to Nha Trang. No double pricing for Farang. If you are over 65 you get a seniors

discount. Didn't even have to ask. When we handed in our passports to book the trip at the

train station they told my buddy he would get a discount. We ride scooters in Thailand which

is a completely different experience in Vietnam. Still not for the faint of heart. Swarming snake of movement

See and be seen traffic rules. Lots of respect for each other with plenty of tooting to let people know

they are there. BTW. Most everyone wears a helmet. We rented scooters in Nha Trang to ride up the

coast. Eat at restaurants with no pictures or English on the menu.  Just walk around and take a

look at what everyone else is having. Ask for what they are having. There will most likely be a

Vietnamese American back for a visit, happy to help. The food is excellent, beer is cheap, people

friendly. Not much English spoken off the beaten tourist track but be adventurous and enjoy.

We also spent time in my mothers birth town of Dalat. A few hours from Nha Trang. A lot cooler

and also a much different vibe than the beach. I look forward to a third trip to Vietnam in September.

Have a great trip.

 

[MyFriend You]

On 4/7/2018 at 10:11 AM, simple1 said:

Just visited for 4 weeks when living in Thailand. Loved the place, lot cleaner than Thailand. One memory in HCM was waking at 4:00AM and walked to the main market, sitting with an old Viet lady drinking the fantastic Viet coffee together, in silence, people watching in darkness till the early morning sunlight - no one hassling - perfect

 

In Nha Trang see if the blind people massage place is still there, interesting experience, no sex.

The Blind Massage place is still there, right next to a Sheesha Pipe Bar,  around the corner from the City Fast Food place run by a Dutch expat that has been in Nha Trang for 15 years or so.  I go to Nha Trang beach a couple times a year since 2000.   Thinking about buying a Condo there, but waiting for the property bubble to burst  -  which it will eventually. 

[poanoi]

17 hours ago, Mario666 said:

The nurses do F* ALL except administer IV Drugs (in my case for 2 hours each session 3 times a day) or ask you if you have had a shit or a piss and take your blood pressure.

 

They sometimes eat the leftovers that are put on a trolley at the end of the ward (for disposal).....But the food is so crap that not only will poor Thais not eat it, but even the Mutts and Moggies turn their noses up at it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i can relate to the part where all they do is pumping me full of drops

but due to sedation i cant pee it out to keep up,

but the western food i got at sirikit was about the best western food i

have tried in thailand.

i have a really annoying memory from a private hospital when the nurses thought it was more important to ask if i had pissed and shit than to give me toilet paper

Edited April 8, 2018 by poanoi

[lawley]

Hi,  I don't normally post as I just like to keep informed of that which may be going on in Thailand. I have traveled a little in Vietnam and possibly my favourite location was Dalat. A very nice City/Town up in the mountains South central Vietnam. Has a mild temperate climate, and some lovely attractions which include a magnificent Buddhist monastery about 5 mins out of town set alongside a beautiful large lake/reservoir and pine forest. Lovely buildings, temples and gardens. Very tranquil. Dalat is inland from Na Trang and an easy half day travel.

I rode a small scooter  (125cc) around Vietnam and was very impressed with how clean the country was, hardly saw any rubbish at all along the side of the many roads I traveled. Accommodation was very cheap. 

[JRUSA]

14 hours ago, smotherb said:

No, that's the dyslexic massage parlor, where you get the happy beginning.

That was funny... but there really is one I was on a baht bust with 3  blind ladies all wearing blind massage institute shirts..

[smotherb]

1 hour ago, JRUSA said:

That was funny... but there really is one I was on a baht bust with 3  blind ladies all wearing blind massage institute shirts..

Yes, I know, blind massage is very common in Asia. It is especially common in the PI--many of the larger shopping centers, shipping companies and airports employ them.

[Mario666]

21 hours ago, geisha said:

Mario666, you must visit the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho on the Mekong Delta south of Saigon. Must visit very early morning so best to  overnight there.. This is an authentic market, not like the tourist infested ones of Bangkok. It’s huge, rent a boat for a couple of hours, the captain will show you around and take you to the most wonderful little waterways. Have a good camera with you. Sample the  delicious  food and soups served from the market boats directly into yours. Ask him to show you the noodle factory and rice paper producers on the little islands, tho he probably  wont need  asking. I’ve been all over Asia and i can honestly say this place left a lifetime memory. By the way, all this is very inexpensive. 

If you have time for another trip, try Hoi An and visit the Japanese houses, and beautiful covered bridge ! Happy travels. 

Great info.

 

Many thanks!

[LongTimeLurker]

15 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Thinking about buying a Condo there, but waiting for the property bubble to burst  -  which it will eventually. 

Just like it has in Pattaya :-))

[MyFriend You]

16 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Just like it has in Pattaya :-))

Yes, I bought mine in Jom Tien for 1.5 Mil LESS than what it sold for four years ago.......biding my time in Nha Trang, the inevitable will happen.