Popular Post Yesitisdakid Posted March 11, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 11, 2023 Well back from 17 days in Cambodia and Vietnam traveling with another BM here had a good trip. Some of the many photos i took posted here nothing special just random shots of the trip. Was in Siem Reap for 3 nights then PP another 3 nights Ho Chi Min for 3 nights Vung Tau for 3 nights. Back to Thailand for 3 nights in Hua Hin then home we covered a lot of miles. Siem Reap had not changes since my last trip 5 years ago Pub street still busy nightly and the town rather busy after the covid problems. PP was very very busy and has grown new buildings going up everywhere. Still a cheap place for a holiday. We stayed in a guest house very near the river walk and 136 street that had all we needed Air good internet Flat screen TV Kettle Fridge and a lock box for 13.50 a night. When in Cambodia get a Sim with a phone number not just a data Sim reason is that you will want to get the Passapp from playstore and install it. This app is similar to bolt in Thailand and they are very cheap for transport all over PP we used it all the time for getting around. The nightlife areas were packed with girls but very few customers and those customers that were around looked to be mostly Expats not so much the tourist types the girls want. I gave Secrets a pass but 3 other BMs we met up with went in for a drink and said they were the only customers in the place when they were there. But the little beer bars were ready for action and most loaded with girls. We then went on to HCMC and this was the highlight of my trip. We had a really nice room in the center of the action on the walking street. Things were cheaper here than Cambodia. We were told they do not like US dollars and have to change money but that is not the case in many places Dollars were accepted. Never saw one cash exchange booth as you do in Thailand they do exchange in Gold shops and some travel agency's we got the best rate at 23700 to 1 dollar and the worst rate was 23000 to 1 dollar for smaller bills. The large central market is a must see but you must bargain hard BM i was with needed a new duffle bag found one a North Face knock off he liked they started at 90000 Dong or 38 US and he got them down to 300000 Dong or 12.75 US big difference. I was on a quest to have a Banh Mi the Vietnamese sandwich that is so popular so research sent us to Hong Hoa shop as this was named the best in HCMC It was really nice so much so i had 4 of them in 3 days. The Viet people were very friendly and approachable. I am planning a May trip back there. We then moved on to Vung Tau on the coast Hotel was ok bit out of the way but had all the things we needed. this is a nice sleeply little town. I chose this place due to the reports of the good nightlife there but in our 3 days we or I anyway was not impressed. The beach walk is beautiful and something to see and the town has all one needs but the nightlife just did not live up to my expectations. Next trip will leave out Vung Tau and maybe add Danang. While Vung Tau is not a bad little place it was not what i expected. We then flew back to Thailand spent a night in Bangkok and then 3 in Hua Hin and back home . Some notes. We took bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap and then to PP and then HCMC. they were comfortable clean and maid stops every 2 hours and stupid cheap those 3 bus trips were a total on 92 US dollars each Bus Company is Giant Bus. Took the ferry from HCMC to Vung Tau for 17 US but would not do that again. they have a 9 seat extended Mini Van that has very large reclining seats and at only 9 US dollars that is the way to go for sure weused it on the trip from Vung Tau to the HCMC airport. Since my last trip in Cambodia they have gotten much stricter on condition of the US bills. I understand they do not want marked up bills or torn bills but this trip had trouble with them taking bills that were not marked or torn but just worn a bit still in good shape so take US in the best shape you can if going this was in Cambodia Vietnam was more lax and no problem there. One example was a pedicab driver peddled me around PP for better than an hour he quoted me 2 dollars he was a older guy like myself so i felt the little tour was worth a bit more so handed him a 5 dollar bill he looked at it and asked for a different one which i did not have I did have 2 new 1 dollar bills and offered him the 5 or the 2 ones up to him well he took the 2 ones crazy. 10 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Posted March 11, 2023 Share Posted March 11, 2023 Great report and photos. I was in Hanoi the same time you were in 'Nam as well. Hanoi is culturally very different to HCMC and Vungtau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted March 11, 2023 Author Share Posted March 11, 2023 1 hour ago, Sherlock said: Great report and photos. I was in Hanoi the same time you were in 'Nam as well. Hanoi is culturally very different to HCMC and Vungtau. Might be where I go next 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted March 11, 2023 Share Posted March 11, 2023 Thanks for the write up @Yesitisdakid really enjoyed the read. Pictures are absolutely brilliant, you guys really did cram a load into a very short time. I'm just too damn lazt😀 Later this year I will follow your advice and use the Giant Ibis bus, BKK-SR-PP. Hard to believe HCMC city is even cheaper than Cambodia, that's piqued my interest. Might give that a shot, only been to Hanoi and wasn't fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted March 11, 2023 Author Share Posted March 11, 2023 55 minutes ago, Lemondropkid said: Thanks for the write up @Yesitisdakid really enjoyed the read. Pictures are absolutely brilliant, you guys really did cram a load into a very short time. I'm just too damn lazt😀 Later this year I will follow your advice and use the Giant Ibis bus, BKK-SR-PP. Hard to believe HCMC city is even cheaper than Cambodia, that's piqued my interest. Might give that a shot, only been to Hanoi and wasn't fan Some things are more expensive in ho chi Minh but I found things to be slightly less expensive than Phnom Penh of course everyone else is mileage may vary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karon steve Posted March 11, 2023 Share Posted March 11, 2023 I recently went from Siem Reap to HCMC where the plan was 7 days there and then to Vung Tau for another 7. I stayed 2 nights which I had pre-paid for then got on a plane back to Siem Reap as I couldn't stand HCMC. Almost certainly my fault as I stayed in District 5. No bars but hundreds of coffee shops and I found the people to be unfriendly and not at all welcoming. I doubt that I could have bought a smile which after the Khmers was a big surprise. I will return to Vietnam but try Hanoi and Da Nang or similar next time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemondropkid Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 12 hours ago, karon steve said: I recently went from Siem Reap to HCMC where the plan was 7 days there and then to Vung Tau for another 7. I stayed 2 nights which I had pre-paid for then got on a plane back to Siem Reap as I couldn't stand HCMC. Almost certainly my fault as I stayed in District 5. No bars but hundreds of coffee shops and I found the people to be unfriendly and not at all welcoming. I doubt that I could have bought a smile which after the Khmers was a big surprise. I will return to Vietnam but try Hanoi and Da Nang or similar next time. Interesting. Had a very similar experience in Hanoi 15s years back. Booked for a week, travelling with a pal. Day 2 we were in Air Asia office looking for the first flight out. Unfriendly, incredibly polluted. My pal went back and spent 2 months teaching there, said it didn't improve any. Guy had live and worked all over Thailand, Singapore and HK. Have heard its improved in recent years, but interesting to hear your experience 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nampla69 Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 I really liked Hanoi for 2 or 3 nights lots to do and see. Totally different vibe to HCMC and found some nice hairdressing shops eventually !!!! Food in Hanoi is much better too French influence. Hue is my favourite city in all of Vietnam by miles loved it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggles Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Hi Larry, thanks for the info. In Vung Tau which area would you recommend for a couple to stay for any night life? Been 4 times to Nha Trang, which we liked a lot but looking for a change. Also thinking about Da Nang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sangsom Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 What the crack with taking girls back to your room in HCMC? Read that it’s illegal and you need to pay for a separate room for the girl. Is this nonsense or are there workarounds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 7 hours ago, biggles said: Hi Larry, thanks for the info. In Vung Tau which area would you recommend for a couple to stay for any night life? Been 4 times to Nha Trang, which we liked a lot but looking for a change. Also thinking about Da Nang. Vung Tau was just a little bit too slow for me I really like ho chi Minh I'm definitely going back there those are the only two places I've been in Vietnam so far what action there is in Vung Tau we found closer to front Beach so get a room in the front beach area and not the back beach area if you want a little more nightlife 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andycoll Posted March 14, 2023 Share Posted March 14, 2023 Just a word of advice for those thinking of going to Danang. Whilst l likeit and go there regularly, just got back from a week there last Tuesday, it does not have a great night life. Great beach, yes, very cheap, yes, great night life, no. If you do go stay in the An Thoung tourist precint. 2 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesitisdakid Posted March 14, 2023 Author Share Posted March 14, 2023 1 hour ago, andycoll said: Just a word of advice for those thinking of going to Danang. Whilst l likeit and go there regularly, just got back from a week there last Tuesday, it does not have a great night life. Great beach, yes, very cheap, yes, great night life, no. If you do go stay in the An Thoung tourist precint. Thank you very much for the tip on where to stay in denang much appreciated it's little things like that that can make or break a person's trip 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 By the few trip reports from Cambodia I have read in the last few years it seems the girls in Cambodia are expecting top dollar for their time...A fair bit more than Thailand.......It seem guys are voting with their feet regarding the $$ the girls are now expecting... Cambodia seems to have fallen far out of favor with guys... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillearly Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 10 minutes ago, fforest said: By the few trip reports from Cambodia I have read in the last few years it seems the girls in Cambodia are expecting top dollar for their time...A fair bit more than Thailand.......It seem guys are voting with their feet regarding the $$ the girls are now expecting... Cambodia seems to have fallen far out of favor with guys... Last trip in March , the girls were okay with $100 LT , and $60 ST .. same as I'd paid on previous holidays ... 🤷♂️ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Stillearly said: Last trip in March , the girls were okay with $100 LT , and $60 ST .. same as I'd paid on previous holidays ... 🤷♂️ But Cambodias draw for guys in the past was that the girls were cheap cheap cheap.....With the new prices guys are not bothering making the trip there... Edited April 8 by fforest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillearly Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 4 hours ago, fforest said: But Cambodias draw for guys in the past was that the girls were cheap cheap cheap.....With the new prices guys are not bothering making the trip there... March 19 was my first time to PP , but as I say prices haven't really changed .... I must have missed the period you are talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegrogmonster Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 Back in the early 2000s I seem to recall th girls were going for $20. That may have been short time but I think a lot of them stayed the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 4 hours ago, thegrogmonster said: Back in the early 2000s I seem to recall th girls were going for $20. That may have been short time but I think a lot of them stayed the night. Yeah, and you'll probably recall it wasn't too much earlier that the fare in Thailand was 500 Baht, the purple persuader. In PP where US dollars are more welcome than Cambodia script in the tourist areas they used to call the fare the Jackson. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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