Vietnam, is better than most of you think!

[vnman]

IтАЩm mainly discussing Ho Chi Minh City here... and with better I mean for the people who prefer sex over a gay "party" scene.

I read some posts about Vietnam on this forum that really made me laugh. DonтАЩt get me wrongтАжI absolutely hate living in Vietnam, but what has been written here is absolute nonsense.

Sure, there are scams going around. And yes, locals (especially in Hanoi) will try to overcharge you. But is this limited to Vietnam? www.bangkokscams.com (http://www.bangkokscams.com) Like everywhere, itтАЩs all about common sense.
The only reason IтАЩm in Vietnam is because of the money IтАЩm making. I could care less about the culture or food, which is by the way the worst of any of the Asian countries IтАЩve been to.

There is only one gay bar dancing in HCMC. But who cares when there is the internet. What you probably donтАЩt know is that you find the gay boysтАжNOT on gayromeo or gaydar or gay.comтАж

I think the best kept secret of Vietnam is www.VIETFUN.com (http://www.VIETFUN.com) just click on chat and then pick the vietfun or quehuong channel. This is where all the gays of Vietnam hang out between all the breeders. You can find gays by looking for the obvious gay (something) nick, but better yet, look for the nicks that start with BOY. These are all gays that really are or pretending to be masculine. The word gay in Vietnam means feminine and boy masculine. Also hundreds of gay profiles there. Be careful because there are too many younger boys there, claiming to be 18.

Like everywhere, some of them will be hookers, but most are not. And if you were to find a hooker, and let me calculate in bath here, 400 to 500 will usually do the trick.

You can go to any swimming pool and you will find that loveтАжI mean sex is all around. The showers are full with young hungry boys. When you decide to have a fling in the showers; the only thing between you and whole families is a thin plastic curtain. Only in Vietnam!

Cruising, there are some outside places. The one I think is most popular is behind the Parkson on Hung Vuong Street. ItтАЩs in a few streets that are parallel with Hung Vuong Street. Pham Huu Chi Ba Trieu, this will put you in the area.

Cinema, O my God! This really blew my head off. There is a cinema in district 10, Ba Hat Street that is totally crazy. The movies they play are Vietnamese, but no one is watching them anyway. As soon as the lights go off itтАЩs all about action. Really crazy place, but a must see. It looks like a normal cinema from the outside, but believe me itтАЩs not.

As for hotelsтАжpick anyone in the bag pack area and youтАЩll be fine.

For everything ells, be prepared, because Vietnam is not as cheap as Thailand.

Happy to answer any questions and offer some help if I can.

Me

I could care less about the culture or food, which is by the way the worst of any of the Asian countries IтАЩve been to.

Haven't been to the Philippines, have you?

[Dboy]

Hi, thanks for the post on Vietnam. It's certainly on my list of places to visit but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Not going there for guys really, but would like to see what that country is all about. As an American I'm very interested in Vietnam. Surprised you don't like the food though. We have a large Vietnamese population in my home town (Dallas TX) and the food I've sampled here is really good.

dboy

[vnman]

Hi, thanks for the post on Vietnam. It's certainly on my list of places to visit but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Not going there for guys really, but would like to see what that country is all about. As an American I'm very interested in Vietnam. Surprised you don't like the food though. We have a large Vietnamese population in my home town (Dallas TX) and the food I've sampled here is really good.

dboy


Hi dboy...The reason you like the Vietnamese food in the US is because its specially made for the American taste. Same with the Chinese food i love in my country, i wouldn't touch it here.

The only thing i eat that is Vietnamese is PHO (noodle soup).

Chao Na: Philippines was on my list but Cebu air doesn't seem to want my money. That bad ej?

[Bob]

Spent five days in October in Hanoi and surrounding area and it appears that I am in the minority as I really liked the Vietnamese food there....especially, as noted, various varieties of the local pho (noodle) soup. Actually, I thought the food was one of the highlights of the trip.

I would note that nothing I had was very spicy at all and it'd be my guess that Vietnamese cuisine (at least up north) is much closer to Chinese than Thai or Indian.

[TrongpaiExpat]

Spent five days in October in Hanoi and surrounding area and it appears that I am in the minority as I really liked the Vietnamese food there....especially, as noted, various varieties of the local pho (noodle) soup. Actually, I thought the food was one of the highlights of the trip.

I would note that nothing I had was very spicy at all and it'd be my guess that Vietnamese cuisine (at least up north) is much closer to Chinese than Thai or Indian.

Bob: Can we expect a trip report? I guess posted in the Any Other Country forum, where this should be as well.

Many of us are planing or thinking about a trip to Hanoi now that Air Asia goes there from BKK, so a fair and balanced report with a lot of details would be appreciated.

As for Vietnamese food, I love it. It's a little expensive in Bangkok and not authentic as well, they make for Thai taste. When I was living in farangland I had a Vietnamese BF, so I know authentic. I find that US gets closer to authentic than Thailand but whether Americanized, authentic or Thai-ised, I like it.

[Bob]

Well, not sure that I could give a very interesting report and I certainly can offer no information regarding
any gay life there (I was there with my Chiangmai bf and we were only in the tourist mode and neither looked
for nor visited any bars or whatever). But I'll think about it (I do have hundreds of photos I'm trying to organize).

I would note that I found the Vietnamese in Hanoi to be rather friendly. We stayed in the old quarter at
the Church Hotel (about two blocks from the main lake there) and the scariest part of the entire trip was
trying to walk across any significant street (you just walk steady into traffic, don't make any sudden moves,
and pray to god/buddha that you make it across). There were no traffic signals or stop signs in the old
quarter area that I saw.

From the down side of things, the air is badly polluted all over the place (and it continues my sad amazement
how so many places in southeast asia are simply ruining their environment). Even 3 hours away to Halong
Bay the area was still badly polluted (which dumbfounded me but that's the way it was).

In any event, maybe I can put together something in the next month or so if I take the time and have the
motivation.....

[TrongpaiExpat]

Thanks Bob, you know we are not all sex tourists. I too will be going with my BF, not going to bars and not picking up street trade.

Not that there's anything wrong with being a sex tourist or even a sex resident expat.

[vnman]

Thanks Bob, you know we are not all sex tourists. I too will be going with my BF, not going to bars and not picking up street trade.

Not that there's anything wrong with being a sex tourist or even a sex resident expat.

I'm not sure if I understand this reply.

Is it to make us clear that your not a sex tourist?
Is it to justify you being a sex resident expat?

I do understand that I posted this in the wrong forum. The moderators are free to put this thread where it belongs.


Trongpaiexpat, I guess there are far better sites than this one for you to get information: http://www.vietnam.com/

This thread is clearly about sex tourism in HCMC.

Me

[bucknaway]

I would like to visit Vietnam, not for the guys but simply to experience something different than the USA.

Anthony Bourdain has an interesting view on Vietnam.

I truly like his tour of Thailand!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXTwGNDRJlo

[Dboy]

Anthony Bourdain has an interesting view on Vietnam.

Yes, he has also covered Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia. He also did an episode called "Asia Special", which was season 1, episode 11 of "No Reservations".

dboy

[vnman]

Over 400 views of this thread and zero comments on the Vietfun site? :-)

Me

[Wesley]

maybe it is just me but the site seemed a bit on the boring side to me

Wes

maybe it is just me but the site seemed a bit on the boring side to me

Wes

Hey Wes, could it be the images of women on their home page? As soon as I see women, I move on and look for the boys, between 18 and 99 of course.

[Wesley]

you, could not have been more right, I must be a bit prdjudiced in this particulr case!

[vnman]

you, could not have been more right, I must be a bit prdjudiced in this particulr case!

At least if you see a girl here you can be sure its one :-)

Like I said; you'll find the gay boys between the breeders.

It's just that I lived in many countries and tried just as many dating/chat sites, and besides maybe one in Mexico(wish I could remember the name) this one must be the easiest for making dates with stunning "not for money" guys.

But hey, I could be a bit prejudiced too :cheers:

[Art]

Before you drown yourself in the Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) lake where an alien knight in shining armour once terminated his heroic mission please try the Vietnamese[-French] SPICES GARDEN restaurant in the Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, 15 Ngo Quyen Street. You will eat here not only once.

http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-1555-so ... rant.shtml (http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-1555-sofitel-metropole-hanoi/restaurant.shtml)

Nearby you find the BA MIEN, the Vietnamese restaurant of the Hilton Hanoi Opera, 1 Le Thanh Tong Street.

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/H ... /dining.do (http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/HANHITW-Hilton-Hanoi-Opera-hotel/dining.do)

Then, with your new Vietnamese friend from www.vietfun.com (http://www.vietfun.com) (thanks for the link!) you can begin to explore the universe of the Vietnamese water soup. Is Bangkok better? Don't believe that LE DALAT INDOCHINE (Sukhumvit), PHILIPPE (Sukhumvit) or ZANOTTI (Sathorn) provide excellent Vietnamese, French or Italian food. They cater to dumb diners who contribute to the "Thailand Tatler". No gourmets, please.

http://www.thailandsbestrestaurants.com ... /type.html (http://www.thailandsbestrestaurants.com/2008/restaurants/bangkok/type.html)

You will have to tolerate the barren atmosphere of a colonial outpost (Five-star hotel) to enjoy fine dining. Try the THIEN DUONG restaurant in the Dusit Thani (Silom). I guess you will prefer the SPICES GARDEN in Hanoi - because it is not too Vietnamese.

Yes, I know, street food is always best, as in Hanoi. Just follow the endless catering vehicles from the Palace that line up at the food stalls to grab the very best for the chosen. How close to the people! Vive la cuisine royale thailandaise!

[usagaybear]

An earlier note mentioned a certain movie theater where no one watching the film. Any recent update on that? I love not watching the movie with a bunch of young Asian guys. How about outside of Vietnam?

[JamesII]

where are the gay friendly coffee shops in Saigon-Ho Chi Minh..?
I go there lots but they change from time to time..anyway not a problem with the
hotels with visitors if you tip the staff big time...that is what turns them on and
will not question your motive of bringing a dude back..

[vnman]

An earlier note mentioned a certain movie theater where no one watching the film. Any recent update on that? I love not watching the movie with a bunch of young Asian guys. How about outside of Vietnam?

Earlier :-) I guess you could say that about 6 years. The Cinema was still there a year ago when i left. I live In the Philippines now so I'm a little bit out of the loop. However, one thing that surely hasn't changed is that all the clubs in Vietnam that I have ever visited and have boys as waiting staff, are usually boys for hire. A fe examples:

gold club: (so crazy), we had waiters that had one mission only, finding out if we were gay and letting us know that they were gay too. Coincidence, one of the waiters just added me too Google + yesterday.

Club 8: not sure if it is still there

Papa cafe: They have some kind of Karaoke downstairs and a very cozy bar upstairs. Nice food and cheap drinks. Mainly gay.

It's like James said, people just don't question each other about their activities. That is surely a cultural thing. i'm thinking that it's something like "don't ask don't tell".

Don't forget the internet. It's really the easiest place to pick up guys.