Job Discussion Forums

mrjack · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 65

get some peace? How far away is the sea? is there any decent surf nearby? What is life like overall in HCMC? many thanks

Mr Wind-up Bird · Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Posts: 196

If you want peace, take a pair of headphones Smile

Seriously, HCMC is pretty hectic but the river & the rural delights of dist 10 are only a 20-min drive away. Closest beach is at Vung Tau, about 2 hrs away, or Mui Ne which is much nicer & about 4 hrs away by bus. If you want to surf, you'll need to head up to Da Nang as far as I know.

Otherwise life's good - low cost of living, easy to get around, plenty of good bars & restaurants, & life's even better if you make some VN friends & try & learn the language. Biggest drawback for me is the lack of availability of decent books, & the lack of decent live entertainment. Otherwise it's an exciting, surprising, unpredictable and fun place to be and even if you choose not to settle permanently, you'll end up with a rich store of stories for when you move on!

sigmoid · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1276

Well, there was a lot of discussion about HCMC in the the thread:
How can Vietnam pay ESL teachers so much?
You should read through that.

Having been spoiled by years of living in Bangkok I find HCMC to be dull and depressing, a veritable ghost town in most areas by 11 pm. There are a few bars, clubs and restaurants but I find myself pretty bored with going to the same places again and again and the food mostly sucks.

At the same time it has many of the disadvantages of a big city: insane motorcycle traffic at certains times, crime, pollution, etc. but none of the advantages.

As Mr. Wind-up Bird mentions even finding good books is nearly impossible.

But I wouldn't dissuade anyone from going. As our differing opinions prove one's experience in highly subjective and you might like it. Some people do and HCMC and Viet Nam are rapidly changing, developing and modernizing. The pay for teaching is above average for the region and it's easy to get work there, but not now. You'll have to wait 'til at least late FEB for schools to reopen after Tet.

Mr Wind-up Bird · Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Posts: 196

Vesuve · Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 28

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Paul John · Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Posts: 52

Vietnam isn't for everyone, there's no doubt about that.

Plusses, IMHO, include a good working environment, fun students and a pretty good income/expenses ratio. I love quality Vietnamese cooking, particularly seafood, but you aren't very likely to find this in most sidewalk restaurants.

Minuses: Oh, God, where to start? In HCMC, you've got traffic, pollution, petty crime and the sense that everybody regards you as a mobile wallet with minor appendages for ambulation. And if you're after an exciting and active nightlife, forget it.

Still, once you find your feet, it's not a bad place to work. Just as a very rough guesstimate, about a third of the people who come here hate it and leave ASAP, a third tolerate it and leave within a year and a third appreciate the positive aspects, whether they stay for a year or whether they stay longer.

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

HCMC isn't for everyone, but after having been there for couple of years I went to Singapore and now am biding my time before I return.

Back to the original question. Getting out of the city is quite easy, but it is also quite easy to fall into a rut and not leave. Phan Thiet, Vung Tau and places like that get a lot of attention and they are nice, easy escapes, but Dalat is well worth the 6-8 trip, Phnom Penh is 8 hours away by land and in-country flights to Phu Quoc, Hanoi and other places are also reasonable.

One of my favorite little finds was Ca Na. It definitely isn't a place to go if you want action and excitement, but if you want some seclusion it was a perfect pristine spot for me at least.

Mr Wind-up Bird · Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Posts: 196

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

Mr Wind-up Bird · Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Posts: 196

Is Cloudburst the one down at the bottom of De Tham, run by an English bloke? Went in there the week it opened, got so much hassle from prozzies that I never went back! That was nearly 2 years ago though so it might have improved.

CDN Gypsy · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 5

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth here. Im taking the TESL course with thoughts of HMCM. Im hoping I can get close to whatever school I will be teaching in as Ive heard the nitemare stories of traffic and such. My question is--- whats the stipulations and prices of going travelling and sight seeing to Thailand and Philippines and other escapes. I do realize that Vietnam will put me in awe and I probably wont take a flight soon after arriving but just call me curious Canuck