Any good Viet Nam (HCMC) forums?

[dummy_plug]

Just wondering if there's any good Viet Nam forums someone can recommend me - something along the lines of this, but for Viet Nam and more specifically HCMC. Would like to get to know some nightlife/entertainment spots, accomodation info, etc...

Thanks in advance!

DP

[deepthroat]

Welcome back, haven't seen you 'round these parts for quite a while!

Yours was the very first trip report I ever read. Still stuck in my head.

Sorry I can't help with Viet Nam info, but someone should be ambling along with answers any moment now...

[dummy_plug]

Thank you for the kudos! I've been quite busy with work, so not much time to kill (sadly). But I've freed up a bit so I'll be poking my head around here more.

Can't believe no one has any insider info!

[f0xxee]

Hi DP,

I work there still although I live in Thailand... and I am scratching my head trying to think of a decent forum... and cannot.
Sorry!

[JaiDee]

sorry  DP, haven't been to HCMC for 5 years.

  At that time and for years and years prior the hot spot was the Apocalypse Now bar, which was always pretty cool.......has helicopter blades hanging from the ceilings and a real ex-pat vibe, but with cute hookers spread around the place.  I took a few really cute ones out of there in the past  

          One law which may or may have not changed;  westerners can not [could not] bring back locals to their rooms.  The hookers know where to find local short-time hotels who accept bribes to use their rooms for 2 or 3 hours so it can be done but it's all very dodgy.

 Never met or a even saw a ladyboy in all my trips there, not that I know of anyway..... the gay/LB scene there is very underground, those commie police don't fuck around and walking around in a dress could probably end someone up in jail.

   I'm really surprised you can't find a forum or 3 dedicated to hanging out in HCMC, it's a city of 5 million people!  Try Lonely Planets 'thorn tree' asia sub-forum and also enter Viet Khieu  or Viet Kieu into google....those are Viets who have moved overseas and then have gone back to live in their home country, always a good resource for getting more info on 'Nam.

        Have fun, this thread makes me want to go back and dodge all the motorbikes...every day is like the Indy 500 over there!

[f0xxee]

Hi JaiDee,

Yes Apocolypse now is still going strong with plenty of working girls... if you are going to find a LB you might find a very discrete one there called Tien (pronounced Ting) who is about 30 and a post op. About the only one I know of in Saigon.
The Sheraton has all the high class sluts in the bar on the top story: but be warned that VN girls are hard work and will try to part you from as much $$$ as possible for very little work. The street parallel to Dong Khoi down towards the river specialises in short time girls.
IF you get pissed watch out for the scooter girls late at night... they will stop you and while one is grabbing your cock the other has your wallet and mobile.
The non fraternization rule still apples: book into a cheap hotel in the Bui Vein (backpackers) and you will have no problem. Book into a 3 star and up in the CBD and they will expect you to book a seperate room for the new missus.

[guydesavoy]

(f0xxee @ May 28 2010,17:42) .. if you are going to find a LB you might find a very discrete one there called Tien (pronounced Ting) who is about 30 and a post op.

I can hear JaiDee packing his bags as we speak  

[StreetDog]

JaiDee is right on. There basically is no LB scene in HCMC. I have been going there frequently for years and there is nothing. The closet you will find is a few on motor bikes at night near district 1 and the park near New world hotel. Don't bother. They offer BJ for $10 and then rob you. They will only go to their place which is a set up. I tested them by offering a large sum to come to my place but they balked. That told me enough. I read on some other forums about this and it is true. Besides, the ones on the motorbikes are horrid at best. But when you have nothing to choose from, horrid is the best option...

Trust me, i dug for information, talked to taxi drivers and tried my best but there is nothing available.

I did hear that Na Trang has some LB street walkers at night but I have not been there yet. Dont even think about Hanoi. Not gunna happen.

There are some 1 and 2 star hotels that will allow a woman guest. That is where I usually stay as they are really not bad. They have free breakfast and free internet. You just have to know which ones will do it. The 4 and 5 star hotels will never allow a lady guest, PERIOD. Dont even try.
There are a few hotels that will allow woman guests in Downtown District 1 and then many around the Backpackers area which is near Ben Tanh Market.

When I go to Vietnam, it is all GG for me as there is no choice for anything else and there are some lovely women in the bars. I mean drop dead gorgeous women with some hot bodies.

I have had much success outside the bars just in normal life there. Just chat up women at the markets, on the street, in shops and restaurants and you can do even better than the bars with some wholesome women.
Dog

[dummy_plug]

No worries gents - I appreciate your responses nonetheless.

My curiousity in HCMC and VN in general was sparked when I met and briefly had a relationship with a Viet TS in San Francisco. She worked in the infamous Divas and introduced me to several of her friends, also Vietnamese TS. Most of them were definitely not comparable to their Thai sisters, although my ex had a lot of surgery in Korea. Anyways, to make a long story short, she said there were actually quite a few in VN and I thought by now they would have come out from the woodwork. It must be the damn commie gov't that is keeping them hidden from us!