Pattaya Versus DaNang and the winner is?

[marcusarelus]

On 7/26/2019 at 4:23 AM, Ron jeremy said:

nice mix of bars, expat and local, with no hookers bothering you

by far the most beautiful woman in th world. Classy well dressed sophisticated woman, unlike the Thai trash

not throwing themselves at the unkept scumbags frequenting pattaya

I know Ron Jeremy.  Do you know who he is and why are you pulling our leg.?

[brokenbone]

if they make it for europeans as for americans,

so i merely have to walk into the immigration office once a year for another year worth of visa, i will take as many pain killers as it takes to do the move, but its then going to be nha trang for me

[drbeach]

On 4/28/2019 at 4:33 PM, AlexCanada said:

Da Nang can be cold depending on when you go.  It actually snowed on the top of Ba Na Hills when we were there in the Winter.  I had to buy a winter jacket since I made the same mistake as you assumed that it would be as warm as Pattaya.

 

 

Snow on bana hills? At only 700m? While I agree that Danang can get downright cold at times, the only places in Vietnam that I've heard of snow falling are along the Chinese border: Sapa, Fansipan mountain and Ha Giang province. If it could snow on Bana hills then why hasn't it snowed on Doi Inthanon, at 2565m yet? I suspect you thought you were seeing snow, but it was probably just biting cold drizzle.

 

As far as comparing the weather/climate of Pattaya and Danang is concerned there are a few differences:

 

Pattaya: every day of the year the max. temperature is likely to be 30 degrees or above. Off the top of my head - December to January in Pattaya, av. night time temps about 22-24 degrees C, daytime 31-33. Mar-May 25-28 at night and 35-38 during the day.

 

Danang: Dec-Jan mostly cool and miserable - mostly cloudy with lots of rain and the chance of a passing typhoon (though typhoon season is generally around August-October, sometimes you can get one passing later in the year).

Av. minimums around 17-20 degrees, maximums 21-25. When the sun comes out, can get up to 30 but usually just once or twice during either month.

February - starts to become sunny, temperature range 21-27 degrees. March-April warm but not nearly as hot as Pattaya - usually 22-32 degrees (similar to Pattaya winters). Hottest months June-August - min. 25-29 and max. 35-37 degrees on average, but occasionally up to 40 with stifling humidity. North-central Vietnam and Hanoi are similar.

 

Water temperatures in Danang noticeably cooler than Pattaya, especially between November and March, when few locals go to the beach because it's "too cold" for them. First time I went to Danang some years ago was in early February. My local friend and I were the only people at the beach, which was experiencing rough surf and water temperature rather cool (felt like around 20 degrees). As I'm a surfer and body boarder, I loved it, though the weather wasn't really up to it - mostly cloudy with a bit of drizzle and air temperature not much warmer than the water.

[drbeach]

On 4/30/2019 at 3:03 PM, PingRoundTheWorld said:

I dunno about that. Bangkok has pretty good nightlife, and it's walking distance from condos. Saigon has terrible nightlife, and you'd have to get quite a bit away from it to get a nice condo. It's mind-blowing to me that a city with 8+ million people is completely dead on most week nights, and the weekends aren't anything to get excited about either. Been there 3 times and vowed I will never be back. 

 

 

I haven't been to Da Nang, but reading up about it, doesn't seem like it has much nightlife either, so that would be a pass from me.

 

Nha Trang does seem more interesting. Do the clubs go on till morning or close early? Is it dead on week nights or party all week long? I actually don't like Pattaya much, but I've enjoyed Angeles City (which is the equivalent in the Philippines) quite a bit on a recent trip.

Pham Ngu Lao lane is pretty happening. Don't know where you stayed but Saigon is pretty good when it comes to nightlife these days, certainly better than it's ever been. Was pretty boring back in 2003 when I first went there but it's definitely made up for it since.

As I have a family now nightlife other than having a beer at a bar doesn't interest me much anymore. Though correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Bangkok nightlife all but dead after 1am these days? Thought that the previous 3am or later closing of clubs has been stifled by the authorities. Remember RCA used to be happening back around 2008, not sure about now though. That stupid drinking law also gets in the way - no alcohol can be sold after midnight (or 1am at bars). Nothing like this exists in Vietnam, though the commies have always been well known for ruining a party even without any similar laws on the books. However, they seem to have mellowed in recent years so more is being allowed than there used to be.

 

As for Danang, true, not much nightlife. Very few westerners visit Danang - it's mostly Koreans and to a lesser extent, Chinese, followed by Thais and Singaporeans (so many Thais visit Danang that some airport employees there can even speak the language!!) Most westerners in the area visit Hoi An instead. Not sure about nightlife there, other than drinking at local restaurants and bars. I didn't see anything resembling a nightclub in Hoi An on my last visit back in December, but then again I wasn't looking. I came with my family.

 

Nha Trang is pretty much a party town and some clubs seem to go well into the night but not sure until how late. Pretty much every night is a party; other than the weekend influx of locals from Saigon and to a lesser extent Hanoi, I couldn't tell there was much difference in terms of party vibe on a weekday compared to a weekend. I used to live in Nha Trang and have also visited upwards of 10 times on other occasions.

[drbeach]

On 4/28/2019 at 5:04 PM, 4675636b596f75 said:

 I was there for a week and I never saw one policeman

I second that but away from Danang the police are everywhere in Vietnam and constantly patrolling the highways. Unlike their Thai counterparts, they are fierce and any car driver caught speeding will be dealt with accordingly (think BIG fines, like $100-150) not just a paltry 400 Baht (which can usually be bargained down to 100 Baht or even nothing) like in Thailand. Motorcycles are also regularly impounded for traffic offenses, as you can tell by the flatbed trucks along the road.

 

I have driven both cars and motorcycles in Vietnam and always feel a little on edge when driving a car there. Danang was pleasant because there was no police - however, the police in Mui Ne catch foreigners for riding without international or local rider's licenses all the time and unlike the Thai police who you can pay off by giving them a backhander, the Vietnamese police will take your bike from you and it all becomes quite messy. Granted the Vietnamese police usually don't hassle foreigners too much, but it all depends on the official. Some are nicer than others. Vietnamese customs are a law onto themselves - they will have a go at you for driving a car into their country, which they absolutely resent (unless you arrive on a tour with mandatory guide).

[drbeach]

On 4/28/2019 at 5:34 PM, sawadee1947 said:

The winner is DaNang. Better safety rules and enforcement. Less fights between Vietnamese and foreigners. No stabbing for nothing. French flair and cuisine. 

That's anecdotal. You certainly have your fair share of fights between Vietnamese and foreigners when things go wrong. Almost happened to me once in 2003 when I was ripped off and didn't want to pay the exorbitant price for seafood they were charging (no price on the menu) at some market stall in Saigon's Cholon district. The store owner came after me but I left after things started becoming heated without much incident, though he started jeering and acting like a spoiled brat because I knew I was getting scammed.

 

I have since learned to be a bit more discerning when it comes to selecting restaurants but if you think that fights between Thais and foreigners happen all the time while nothing of the sort happens in Vietnam you have become jaded, not being able to discern between reality and fiction.

Fact is, fights between foreigners and Thais are rare (despite what you might think from reading TV articles or watching the news) - they generally only happen when a hot-headed westerner (or Chinese or whatever) starts shouting and throwing punches and then things escalate. I'm not saying there aren't fights started by Thais, but in the vast majority of cases it's possible to avoid trouble, as I have. One time this jerk (who used to be a friend) got offended by something and we had to hash it out, but it never got to throwing punches, just a bit of shouting (mostly on his part, less so on mine). My then girlfriend and another friend were also present. Everything ended peacefully, even though I missed my flight as a result though I could have left earlier - but for some reason I wanted to work things out first. That was years and years ago and these days I would never consider making company with someone like that or wasting my time - let alone missing a flight over it. I don't care - friends come and go, I could care less about someone like that I wouldn't be friends with now anyway, even if we had never had any issues then. I'd rather have fewer good friends than trying to please everyone. However, I never pick fights or cause trouble, therefore, in over 10 years my life has been completely trouble-free. Even before then, it was more a case of minor cultural misunderstandings than anything else (as I pointed out in both my Thai and Vietnamese examples).

[drbeach]

On 4/30/2019 at 12:37 PM, DrTuner said:

What's the level of Russian invasion in there, on a scale of 1 to 10? So far I know of one Norwegian couple who went to Vietnam and came back with never again. They are basically allergic to russkies.

That's pretty ridiculous. I don't know if I'd want to associate with people with that kind of xenophobia. Granted, I think that visiting places with large groups of tourists of any one nationality (whether Russian or Chinese, or could even be Australian, German or American for that matter) can be problematic because you tend to get the drunks, the loud-mouths and the other uncouth types all in one place, I would never avoid somewhere just because of that alone. I think one has to look at the merits of a place like crowds vs. not many tourists, things to do, value for money, safety etc.

 

Nha Trang is full of Russian tourists, though there are about as many Chinese visiting these days. Mui Ne remains mostly Russian territory, reportedly also Vung Tau (where i haven't visited). Quite a few Russians also in Phu Quoc, but overall the place has many nationalities so Russians don't dominate. It's more like Pattaya where you have quite a few Russians, but also a lot of other nationalities. Not many Russians visit Danang - perhaps too cold for them in winter? Koreans seem to prefer it.

[atyclb]

3 hours ago, drbeach said:

Snow on bana hills? At only 700m? While I agree that Danang can get downright cold at times, the only places in Vietnam that I've heard of snow falling are along the Chinese border: Sapa, Fansipan mountain and Ha Giang province. If it could snow on Bana hills then why hasn't it snowed on Doi Inthanon, at 2565m yet? I suspect you thought you were seeing snow, but it was probably just biting cold drizzle.

 

As far as comparing the weather/climate of Pattaya and Danang is concerned there are a few differences:

 

Pattaya: every day of the year the max. temperature is likely to be 30 degrees or above. Off the top of my head - December to January in Pattaya, av. night time temps about 22-24 degrees C, daytime 31-33. Mar-May 25-28 at night and 35-38 during the day.

 

Danang: Dec-Jan mostly cool and miserable - mostly cloudy with lots of rain and the chance of a passing typhoon (though typhoon season is generally around August-October, sometimes you can get one passing later in the year).

Av. minimums around 17-20 degrees, maximums 21-25. When the sun comes out, can get up to 30 but usually just once or twice during either month.

February - starts to become sunny, temperature range 21-27 degrees. March-April warm but not nearly as hot as Pattaya - usually 22-32 degrees (similar to Pattaya winters). Hottest months June-August - min. 25-29 and max. 35-37 degrees on average, but occasionally up to 40 with stifling humidity. North-central Vietnam and Hanoi are similar.

 

Water temperatures in Danang noticeably cooler than Pattaya, especially between November and March, when few locals go to the beach because it's "too cold" for them. First time I went to Danang some years ago was in early February. My local friend and I were the only people at the beach, which was experiencing rough surf and water temperature rather cool (felt like around 20 degrees). As I'm a surfer and body boarder, I loved it, though the weather wasn't really up to it - mostly cloudy with a bit of drizzle and air temperature not much warmer than the water.

 

 

dec and january in danang can be heaven for surfers.  a wetsuit shorty works well as air and water temp drops a bit. have seen some double overhead days with some of the the outside and biggest sets rideable but would need to be towed out by jetski because the wash inside is an impossible paddle out.

 

i have never seen snow on the mountains in danang

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, drbeach said:

As for Danang, true, not much nightlife. Very few westerners visit Danang - it's mostly Koreans and to a lesser extent, Chinese,

It was packed with Chinese last month, 100s of coaches filled with em.

Mostly on the beach and in the restaurants at sunset.

[Ron jeremy]

I don't know which Danang you visited, many high end nightclubs as well as expat bars etc. No it's not Miami nightlife, but anything from boring, and there is a decent number of western tourists, things are changing there very very quickly.

[DrTuner]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

It was packed with Chinese last month, 100s of coaches filled with em.

Mostly on the beach and in the restaurants at sunset.

Not exactly an image inviting to visit the pristine beaches.

[BritManToo]

43 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Not exactly an image inviting to visit the pristine beaches.

Beach is empty during the day (when we would use it).

Lifeguards only there at sunrise and sunset.

 

[BritManToo]

11 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

I don't know which Danang you visited, many high end nightclubs as well as expat bars etc. No it's not Miami nightlife, but anything from boring, and there is a decent number of western tourists, things are changing there very very quickly.

Yep, we must have gone to different Da Nangs,

All the expats I met there were single sad losers (teachers), and a few miserable western married couples (retired).

Maybe 1 in 1,000 western to Asian tourists.

[lamyai3]

19 hours ago, drbeach said:

Though correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Bangkok nightlife all but dead after 1am these days? Thought that the previous 3am or later closing of clubs has been stifled by the authorities. Remember RCA used to be happening back around 2008, not sure about now though. That stupid drinking law also gets in the way - no alcohol can be sold after midnight (or 1am at bars).

Very far wide of the mark. Bars mostly run later these days than they ever did under the Purachai era, and clubs very late most nights, with no need to seek recourse at some dodgy 4th floor lock-in. The nightlife still thrives - the negative is the prices nowadays. 

[Uptooyoo]

You won't like Da Nang if you like open spaces, maintained parks, clean streets, clean beaches, clean water, and clean air.

[Ron jeremy]

Yes, different crowd no doubt, , , educated people you can carry on a conversation with, professionals, being from pattaya, I can understand your problem being around such people, stay in pattaya.

and you talk about a city full of losers? Pattaya is world renowned for that!

[RoadWarrior371]

45 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Yep, we must have gone to different Da Nangs,

All the expats I met there were single sad losers (teachers), and a few miserable western married couples (retired).

Maybe 1 in 1,000 western to Asian tourists.

 

Sounds like a blast, count me in..... ????

[Ron jeremy]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

It was packed with Chinese last month, 100s of coaches filled with em.

Mostly on the beach and in the restaurants at sunset.

It is Asian summer holidays hence the crowd on the beach.

danang has a different high.season in the summer months catering to Asians, lots of Koreans in the winter months.

[BritManToo]

33 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Very far wide of the mark. Bars mostly run later these days than they ever did under the Purachai era, and clubs very late most nights, with no need to seek recourse at some dodgy 4th floor lock-in. The nightlife still thrives - the negative is the prices nowadays. 

N-Pub,

I never made it past happy hour (5-7pm) buy one for 20Kvnd, get one free.

Then home to watch a movie (my apartment had Fox Movies) in bed.

[drbeach]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yep, we must have gone to different Da Nangs,

All the expats I met there were single sad losers (teachers), and a few miserable western married couples (retired).

Maybe 1 in 1,000 western to Asian tourists. 

I agree.

 

We were among the few westerners visiting the city last December. Went to a seafood restaurant in town. Other table had Singaporeans there but clearly the owners see few westerners there as evidenced by the very attentive service we experienced.

 

Lots of westerners in Hoi An and also using Danang airport, but relatively few in town itself. Most of the ones you do see are expat English teachers.

[drbeach]

Anyway just to settle this question of which one is better Danang or Pattaya?

 

First of all, like a number of posters have stated, it's not really a fair comparison. A closer equivalent to Pattaya would either be Nha Trang or Vung Tau. Nha Trang because it is a bit of a party town, has an international airport (as does Pattaya) and lots of Russian and Chinese visitors (same as Pattaya) and some form of nightlife involving sex workers (though it's a bit less open than in Pattaya).

 

Vung Tau is probably closer though, lots of prostitutes there and a bit more open about it too, though I've never been there.

 

If we are going to decide which one is better here are some things to think about (some of these points I've already made as have others, but I'll try to summarize some of the main ones here):

 

Visas:

 

Vietnam - easier with long-term visas, especially if you're unmarried or don't work. This could change at anytime, but doesn't look like it is likely anytime soon. Over the years they have gradually reduced the availability of the 1-year visa down to 3 months (except for Americans or if you're willing to pay a heap of money to an agent), but this is extendable at least twice (possibly 3 times?) before a visa run is required. However, unlike in the past, a 3-month or longer validity business visa (not a tourist visa) is required to apply for a local driver's license. It's not as easy as it used to be just a few years ago. In Thailand you can still apply for a 2-year temporary driver's license on a tourist visa, provided you can get an address verification from immigration or your embassy (the Aussies no longer do it so if you're Australian only immigration is an option now).

 

Weather:

 

Danang has a sub-tropical climate with warm to hot weather between March and November. It's rather cool and rainy between late November and early to mid February, then comfortably warm and sunny for a few weeks before it starts heating up. Danang is vulnerable to tropical storms and typhoons, which can cause torrential rains and flooding. Just a few days before I traveled there last year Danang was inundated with record breaking rain - 763mm fell in one day! Aside from heavy rain showers blocking drains, Pattaya is relatively sheltered from weather extremes. It's also warm year-round and you can swim in the sea at anytime of year. Sure, it's not the cleanest water but it's about as good as Nha Trang, just warmer. In Danang, the beaches become very dirty after a storm, with garbage coming ashore all the way from China. Stayed at a beach resort there in December, water too rough for swimming and beach full of trash, mostly from China. Lots of "Nongfu springs" water bottles. So Danang is definitely not a year-round destination. It's pretty good for 9-10 months of the year, rather miserable for 2-3.

 

Infrastructure/housing:

 

Wide roads along the beach in Danang, smaller congested streets inside town. As is typical in Vietnam, many lane ways are too narrow for cars and only suitable for motorcycles. Cars are very expensive in Vietnam, even more so than in Thailand and much less convenient to drive around in. The Vietnamese government recently decided to increase the excise tax on pickup trucks by 30%, because there were "too many" on the streets! You gotta love the convoluted way commies think! I mean, Vietnam has only a fraction of the cars on its streets as Thailand does (about 2 million compared to 16-17 million in Thailand) yet apparently that's "too many". Granted their infrastructure is bursting at the seams, but that's because there are something like 37 million registered motorcycles and scooters in the country, compared to Thailand's 21 million or so and they have lagged behind in road building.

Vietnamese vendors often like to charge drivers of cars more than people on motorcycles, the assumption being if you have a car, you're rich. This mentality doesn't exist in Thailand. Roads in downtown Pattaya congested, but good highways to other parts of the country such as the Bangkok-Chonburi-Pattaya expressway and next year, the extension to Rayong. Also Sukhumvit road which leads to the Burapha withi elevated tollway.

 

Lots of good hotels and apartments going up in Danang. Nice typically "skinny" Vietnamese houses in the suburbs, but little chance of a yard. If you prefer space, Pattaya has better options, ranging from high-rise condos to spacious houses with large gardens located in housing estates in the suburbs and outskirts of town.

 

Dual pricing:

 

Used to be very common in Vietnam until 2002. Up until that time, most hotels and domestic airfares/train fares were more expensive for foreigners compared to locals. Then the government hastily abolished it and now it's mostly a historical footnote. Myanmar still practices it. Thailand generally doesn't practice dual pricing for hotels except in a few rare instances from what I've seen. Doesn't apply in 99% of cases though. A much bigger problem is dual pricing at tourist attractions - Pattaya floating market, 200 baht for foreigners, free for locals. However, expats should be able to get in for free. National parks - 10 times more expensive for foreigners, including expats. Smaller ones may allow expats in for the Thai price upon production of a Thai driver's license, larger ones generally not.

In Vietnam, dual pricing even at tourist attractions tends to be rare. It's still in place at the Imperial Palace in Hue (80km north of Danang), which charges a 55,000 Dong entry fee for foreigners and 35,000 for local Vietnamese. Also heard it applies at a couple of other tourist attractions in central Vietnam but not sure where. Overcharging foreigners seems to be more common at markets and certain restaurants in Vietnam than in Thailand in my own personal experience; especially when it involves seafood and at wet markets. Dual pricing is rare at Vietnamese tourist attractions otherwise - most smaller temples either offer free entry or charge around 15,000 Dong for all. The Buddha on the Danang peninsula is very popular with local and Asian tourists and does not charge anything for entry.

 

Shopping/malls/restaurants:

 

There is one mall in central Danang, but it's rather small and would be boring for a repeat visitor. OK for stocking up on supplies at the supermarket or grabbing a coffee at Highlands Coffee. Another smaller mall with a few upmarket boutiques also has a Highlands Coffee though the mall itself closes early (like 6pm). Pattaya with Central Pattaya mall is definitely way better. Also Foodland (2 stores) open 24/7.

 

Good seafood restaurants in Danang, but for anything western or international, you either have to dine at a beach resort such as Centara or the Hyatt or head down to Hoi An, 30km south. In Pattaya you're spoiled for choice. However, Hoi An is fascinating and amazing in it's own right so if you want a varied dining scene, Danang is OK in the sense you have Hoi An nearby. Therefore I would say for restaurants, Pattaya and Danang are about the same, but mainly because of the presence of Hoi An.

 

Services/facilities for foreigners/expats:

 

Danang isn't that much used to foreign tourists or expats, particularly westerners. There are definitely far more westerners visiting or residing in Pattaya. Even so, there are travel agencies that can offer tourist services but for most anything that tourists require, you are better off heading to Hoi An, where you can find anything you are looking for. Most visitors to Danang itself are Asian tourists. Koreans are number one, followed by Chinese. Thais and Singaporeans also like Danang, further down the track you'll find Russians (though not many compared to Nha Trang or Mui Ne) and a smattering of westerners of various nationalities.

 

Special rules:

 

Foreigners aren't allowed to cohabit with a Vietnamese person of the opposite sex unless they're married. This law is selectively enforced, but I'd be careful. Many hotels require proof of a marriage certificate otherwise you have to book 2 rooms. No such silly rules on the books in Thailand.

 

Foreigner registration:

 

Like Thailand, Vietnamese law requires foreigners to be registered at immigration or by the police when they stay in a private residence (hotels do it automatically and often require passports to be deposited throughout the period of stay). When I rented an apartment in Nha Trang a few years ago the landlord took my passport details and submitted them to the competent authorities.

 

Banking:

 

As a foreigner living in Vietnam, you aren't allowed to deposit money to your own account, without showing proof of where the money came from!! Yes, this is what I encountered when I used to have bank accounts in Vietnam. Transferring money by SWIFT into the country works, as does withdrawing money from an ATM (as long as you have funds available) but not making deposits! Now I don't know if these rules applied because they were foreign banks operating in Vietnam (Commonwealth Bank and ANZ) both of which have now been sold and ceased to operate or if this rule applies across the board to all foreigners.

 

In Thailand, once you have a local account, very easy to do what you want. Don't even need to go inside a bank to deposit funds, just use an deposit ATM machine.

[DrTuner]

29 minutes ago, drbeach said:

hotels do it automatically and often require passports to be deposited throughout the period of stay

Really? That sounds like some human trafficking setup.

[atyclb]

34 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Shopping/malls/restaurants:

 

There is one mall in central Danang, but it's rather small and would be boring for a repeat visitor. OK for stocking up on supplies at the supermarket or grabbing a coffee at Highlands Coffee. Another smaller mall with a few upmarket boutiques also has a Highlands Coffee though the mall itself closes early (like 6pm). Pattaya with Central Pattaya mall is definitely way better. Also Foodland (2 stores) open 24/7.

 

let me say any mall in bkk already boring and uninteresting except perhaps pantip plaza for tech stuff. if i go to mall usiually for food court thai food. siam paragon has ferrari and lamborgini dealers inside, yawn. i have zero interest in visiting the latest bkk luxury mall at river

 

vincom mall in danang has wide food assortment in food court, ice skating and movies.  big c just like thailand. lotte mart mall has good food court that includes some western stuff and pizza.

 

there is a store akin to makro also that is good for shopping.  downtown danang has an it area where you can find lots of computer and tech stuff.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g298085-c2-Da_Nang.html .  western food

 

 

not much girly stuff out in open but i can take it or leave it, so not a dealbreaker

[atyclb]

8 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

37 minutes ago, drbeach said:

hotels do it automatically and often require passports to be deposited throughout the period of stay

Really? That sounds like some human trafficking setup.

 

have seen that dissipating. they did it for security but also like a guaranty of room payment. if i prepay easy to get passport back and some places dont even retain it anymore.

[BritManToo]

45 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Vung Tau is probably closer though, lots of prostitutes there and a bit more open about it too, though I've never been there.

 

Many hotels require proof of a marriage certificate otherwise you have to book 2 rooms.

Was there last year, the bars were packed with working girls, and no customers.

 

I never had a problem taking hookers in my hotel room, but they didn't stay the night.

But don't worry, no need to take her to your hotel, all the massage places have private rooms upstairs.

[drbeach]

17 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Really? That sounds like some human trafficking setup.

I would describe it as being more akin to Soviet style paranoia. I have noticed that in recent years, more and more hotels are returning passports to guests and in any case on a longer stay you are entitled to request for your passport to be returned to you (usually after the 1st night).

[drbeach]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

 I never had a problem taking hookers in my room, but they didn't stay the night.

Well it's not like they have cameras everywhere. You have to be discreet about it. A lot depends on the type of hotel and the local enforcement of this rule. I doubt you would have any problems staying at some huge beach resort along the coast of Danang, with villas spread out over hundreds of meters of coastline. Hookers could easily bypass the hotel lobby and head straight for your room and spend the night. Of course if a maid or security decides to be a snitch, then you could get in trouble.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, drbeach said:

I would describe it as being more akin to Soviet style paranoia. I have noticed that in recent years, more and more hotels are returning passports to guests and in any case on a longer stay you are entitled to request for your passport to be returned to you (usually after the 1st night).

Last month, the girl at the front desk in Da Nang, held out my passport, took a photo of the ID page, and VISA page with her phone, and handed it back.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, drbeach said:

Well it's not like they have cameras everywhere. You have to be discreet about it. A lot depends on the type of hotel and the local enforcement of this rule. I doubt you would have any problems staying at some huge beach resort along the coast of Danang, with villas spread out over hundreds of meters of coastline. Hookers could easily bypass the hotel lobby and head straight for your room and spend the night. Of course if a maid or security decides to be a snitch, then you could get in trouble.

Nope, we walked in the lobby and she handed her ID (book?) to the front desk as we passed.

Receptionist at front desk took it, and put it in his drawer, they didn't speak to each other.

Sign on the wall said, "no visitors to your room after 10PM without handing in ID"

 

You're 20 years behind the time, rules & penalties about co-habitation were removed from the books in 2000.

https://family.jrank.org/pages/1744/Vietnam-Revised-Marriage-Family-Law-2000.html

 

Article II addressed the emerging phenomenon of cohabitation. Under the 1986 statue, such living arrangements were illegal. However, the 2000 reforms stipulated that although cohabitation between unmarried couples was no longer considered a criminal act, neither would such arrangements be recognized as equal to marriage between a husband and wife.

[drbeach]

18 minutes ago, atyclb said:

 

let me say any mall in bkk already boring and uninteresting except perhaps pantip plaza for tech stuff. if i go to mall usiually for food court thai food. siam paragon has ferrari and lamborgini dealers inside, yawn. i have zero interest in visiting the latest bkk luxury mall at river 

 

vincom mall in danang has wide food assortment in food court, ice skating and movies.  big c just like thailand. lotte mart mall has good food court that includes some western stuff and pizza. 

 

there is a store akin to makro also that is good for shopping.  downtown danang has an it area where you can find lots of computer and tech stuff.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g298085-c2-Da_Nang.html .  western food

 

 

not much girly stuff out in open but i can take it or leave it, so not a dealbreaker

I like malls but am not so enamored by them that I absolutely need one. Though it's nice to have a large mall somewhere for shopping, when you need things. A few years ago the shopping scene in Vietnam was so lacking it was difficult to find anything unless you were willing to live a very local lifestyle. Fortunately things are starting to change.

 

Yes the one in downtown Danang with the Highlands coffee I was referring to is Vincom. I should have pointed that out. It's a far cry from anything you'll find in Thailand though. Or Singapore or Malaysia for that matter.

 

Used to have METRO from France (similar to Holland's Makro operating in Thailand) in Vietnam but that has since been bought out by a local company. Not sure what it's called now. Similar to what happened a few years ago in Thailand - Carrefour bought out by Big C.