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Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:03 pm
by Luigi
Why not give an equal opportunity forum to our lovely neighbors to the east?
Maybe a slow start as they do not have the hedonistic venues of Bangkok or Pattaya but have much to offer. A diverse culture, delicious food, beautiful CLEAN cities & towns. Lovely ladies & friendly natives. Efficient airports & other transportation that run on time 90%.
On & on it goes.
Many of us travel there. What do you all think?
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:09 pm
by bolueeleh
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:57 pm
by ExPenhMan
Not a bad idea Luigi. Hello Hanno!
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 6:09 am
by hanno
Luigi wrote: ↑Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:03 pmEfficient airports
Really? HCMC airport is way past its capacity and a couple of weeks ago it took me two hours to check in and go through immigration.
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:10 pm
by Luigi
hanno wrote: ↑Fri Mar 10, 2017 6:09 am
Luigi wrote: ↑Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:03 pmEfficient airports
Really? HCMC airport is way past its capacity and a couple of weeks ago it took me two hours to check in and go through immigration.
Really hanno, that's the best or worst case scenario against a VN forum?
Yes two hrs. is a lengthy process. Only used SGN aeroport 6 times & never more than 1 hr usually 1/2 hr domestic or international. Not including wait time once past all security check points. But it is only 6 kliks from elcentro.
Many many ports are 20 sometimes 30 klicks from town. SHV is 20 to the lions.
Anyway that would be a piss poor reason not to have a Vn forum.
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:52 pm
by hanno
Don't get me wrong, as a lot of my work takes me to Vietnam (currently in Chau Doc) I am all for a Vietnam forum.
Nevertheless, flying into HCMC during high season has become an absolute nightmare. I believe the airport handled 24 million passengers last year, it was built to handle 15 - 17 million....... And I have taken well over an hour to get from District one to the airport, meaning that the Da Nang flight (50 minutes) actually takes a total of 4-5 hours of time door-to-door.
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:08 pm
by ExPenhMan
As for other Viet forums:
1. Thaivisa's VN subforum is almost dead, as is the rest of it.
2. Pattaya-Addicts' is a mongers' board.
3. There are many FB "Expats in xxxxx Vietnam". Some are great, like the Hoi An-Da Nang one. Some like the HCMC ones are snake pits.
4. There are expats.com and Internations but there's barely any traffic and they're boring as f*ck.
Otherwise, there's not a single Viet forum worth the name.
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:13 pm
by hanno
Some like the HCMC ones are snake pits.
Agreed, I think many of its members have been in VN too long.
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:24 pm
by bolueeleh
when i started going to HCM about 8 years back, the immigration line is usually just 2 or 3 people deep (and that is with only 7 or 8 counters open) now all counters going at almost full tilt (with 20+ counters open) the line is 15+ people deep, other wise the prices increases by abt 10 to 20% (road side stalls) high end restaurants prices increases by abt 40 to 70% (maybe due to more exotic dishes available too i.e. Ume, foie gras etc)
all in all, u still can get loads of fun in HCM with only 20 to 30$ per day
Re: Vietnam News & Discussion
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:04 pm
by ExPenhMan
bolueeleh wrote: ↑Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:24 pm
when i started going to HCM about 8 years back, the immigration line is usually just 2 or 3 people deep (and that is with only 7 or 8 counters open) now all counters going at almost full tilt (with 20+ counters open) the line is 15+ people deep, other wise the prices increases by abt 10 to 20% (road side stalls) high end restaurants prices increases by abt 40 to 70% (maybe due to more exotic dishes available too i.e. Ume, foie gras etc)
all in all, u still can get loads of fun in HCM with only 20 to 30$ per day
Was just in Saigon. Several places where we ate were as expensive as in Bangkok: Game On, l'Usine and Phatty's in Saigon. Meals were 180K-240K (250 to over 300 baht) for some rather ordinary western items. Kind of scared me off. Went to Vung Tau and came back to earth, with meals running 70K or thereabouts and beers 10K to 25K, and at Red Parrot, buy one, get one free, even prime liquors. Woohoo!
