Job Discussion Forums

[Newcomber]

I'll be in HCMC soon. I found a guesthouse for around $400 a month. I saw some of the pics and it looks alright. I thought I'd splurge on a room with a balcony. I'll be taking a CELTA course at Apollo and this place is not that far away from there. All the same, I thought I'd put this information out there and see if some folks had suggestions on where to stay or maybe if I am being too lax on room rates and such. For instance, do I need to haggle pricing on the room over the phone before arriving in HCMC?

Documents: I'm bringing my original diploma and crim check all notarized at the local, state and national levels. The docs have all been authenticated and translated by the VN embassy in DC. From what I have read I have all potential WP documentation (outside of health check and translation of CV) squared away. Is this true?

And finally any last minute tips and/or pieces of advice for someone coming over fresh like this. I have a inkling of what to expect from VN as I have visited once in 1999, but never got far south as HCMC.

Peace out.

[tefl peasant]

With your notarized copies of your Bachelor's and Crim check, and you getting your CELTA, you are good to go.

As for rooms, it's always good to shop around and one rule to remember is that:

almost everything in negotiable in Vietnam.

Inflation is taking its toll however.

[Newcomber]

Negotiation. Yes I'll remember that one.

I'm making calls tonight to some guesthouses. $13-14 a night seems to be the standard for a room with some space. Most places I call the phones are answered by someone that doesn't know English. Of course I don't know a lick of VN so it's only fair.

[blateson]

$5 - $6, or $7 on the high end was the average per night until a couple years ago, and $100 a month was do-able and $150 a month was very common, but with the excuse of "inflation" or "rice shortage" or "have new baby" or any other story, combined with happy go lucky new foreigners coming in that will take anything, the prices have doubled, tripled.

[Newcomber]

[blateson]

If it's just for one night then sure up to $15 is not a big problem. Say the plane arrived in the afternoon, check in one night there, that evening walk up and down every single side street and find cheaper rooms you could check in to the next day.

Guesthouses go by the name & signage "nha nghi" pronounced "nah nee" as english equivalent.

I'm just one guy but I'd recommend starting at $8 a night or a bit more. Sure it won't be as luxurious but you don't want to eat away at your budget and end up having to run in the red or get back on a plane to home early.

Just as a side not it's also worth mentioning that some foreigners who have already been in VN are pretty much fed up with the rip off techniques and intentional inflationary tactics the locals use.

[toiyeuthitmeo]

[Newcomber]

[I'm With Stupid]

I know two people who currently live in guesthouses. One is $300 a month, and one is $280. You should be able to negotiate that sort of price for a full month. And if not, stay there for a couple of days and rent a room in a house instead. If you need a recommendation, my current landlord has a serviced room available near Apollo. And he's fluent in English.

[Newcomber]