Job Discussion Forums

lizarddoctor · Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 141 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

I am coming to HCMC in Sept. and have a few leads for jobs while there, but what about housing while in HCMC? The offers i have do not include any housing, but I have a huge list of hotels from my lonely planet guide. Is there any people already teaching in HCMC that have any recommendations or more importantly DO NOT RECOMMED places to live. If you ad to this post, plz put the District with your housing comments so the rest of us can find it on a map.......

Thank You

Micro67 · Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 297 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

It seems like the overwhelming majority of teachers start out on Đe Thầm or Co Bấc and then move to the Ghetto on Le Thanh Ton before they find something they like.

Spend a day or two with a good realter and you will likely find a place for less money that you like more. Before you talk to a realter though I would say have a clear idea of what you want.

countdown · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 70

We have been staying at Madame Cucs - 64 Bui Vien, D 1 - it intersects De Tham. I would heartily recommend it until you find s/t more permanent. The girls (staff) are great, the rates are $10 - 12 US / night and they give you breakfast ( tea, coffee, juice, bread, and egg), free tea, coffe and juice all day and from 6-9pm they serve noodle soup and spring rolls - all included in the price. They will do 5 items of laundry for $1. they have a DVD machine rental for $3 and there are restaurants galore all around. On Friday we are moving into a house in the Binh Thanh District - $225 a month, quiet with a small garden and fish pond, air con upstairs and down etc. If you go out of the touristy white district there are nice houses at good prices to rent - we found ours thru a teacher at our school. Good luck!

OzBurn · Joined: 03 May 2004 Posts: 199

There are three areas with lots of cheap guesthouses. The first two are listed in the Lonely Planet, Pham Ngu Lao and Co Giang alley and thereabouts. PNL has more restaurants, shops, and bars, but it's loud and dirty. CG is a bit quieter but there's still enough construction and farm animals (I am not joking) to keep a light sleeper up. I couldn't stand it.

The other area is Le Thanh Ton near Sheridan's (listed in the LP). Go into the alleys on this block, not LTT itself. This area is quieter and the deals in my opinion are a bit better, but the local restaurants are more pricey.

At this point I decided I don't want to sign a lease so I am still living in LTT. If you are willing to go long term (three months or more) you can do much better than a guest house.

Many apartments/houses do not come furnished, and be aware that *unfurnished* means no stove, no refigerator, maybe no curtains on the windows, maybe no air conditioner.

If you negotiate for a month, you can sometimes get free laundry, phone calls, etc. At one place I stayed, the Guest House California in CG, they had free meals too if you wanted.

The initial price quoted, as a general rule, is more than you need to pay. Seem uninterested and make a counter-offer. Start to walk away...