Job Discussion Forums

tsotsa · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 11

Hello everyone!
I'm just wondering what those of you based in Ho Chi Minh do in your free time? I'm quite an outdoorsy kind of person, and don't enjoy sitting in pubs or bars.
I'd love to hear what the city has to offer!
Cheers!

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:21 am Post subject:

You can do pretty much whatever floats your boat Cool

. I know people who participate in rugby (both codes), cricket, Aussie Rules, football, rock climbing, martial arts, boxing, softball, basketball, tennis, yoga, pilates etc, etc....

If you want to try something extreme there is a beach town only a few hours from Saigon called Mui Ne where there is really good kite surfing (apparently the best in South East Asia). It's also a really chilled place - I love it there.

For hiking etc Vietnam's premier national park, Cat Tien, isn't that far away. Haven't been there myself yet (waiting untill I get a trail bike) but have heard good things. The Mekong Delta is also close by.

You may also want to check these guys out:

http://www.saigonh3.com/

I'm not a Hash Harrier but apparently it's a really friendly club. Thinking of giving it a try myself when the cricket season is over.

Also don't forget that flights out of Saigon are cheap. So if, for example, you want to go away for a few days to Phu Quoc Island and do some bush walking and scuba diving (although admittedly the diving is only 'so-so') it's only about $50 each way. It's also usually no problem if you want to take some time off and check out parts of Thailand, Malaysia, etc.

Good luck to you tsotsa, but I'm sure you'll be fine. Like my wise old mother used to say - only boring people get bored Wink

.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Outdoor HCMC is not really that great, in my opinion. I have tried to go to every park, and those are where I mostly go when I cannot get out of the city and I want to try to walk. This is a very difficult city to walk in, even some of the parks have motos running past you. Of course, you know what the sidewalks are like everywhere in the city, the pedestrian has the least rights to the sidewalks. I find that the best fun is getting outside of HCMC proper into the rural areas, some of which can be accessed within less than an hour of drive time from the center of HCMC. Of course, driving a moto is the best way to travel, you have to be free to stop where you like, and then you can take paths that cars cannot even get down. While the traffic "rules" remain pretty much the same, the amount of traffic is so much less, and the aggression is also less, so the experience is much better. Of course, you see things outside of town that you do not see in the city, and most of the things you see in the city are pretty much the same things over and over. I guess it is no secret that the less the VN people see foreigners, the friendlier they are when they do see us. They rarely see us in the boonies, and so they are very nice to us out there. District 1 it seems like we are often considered targets and chumps. I do not think HCMC is much of a tourist location, but it does have its charms and advantages. Unfortunately, trash, rubbish and pollution is at about the same level outside of HCMC, although the air certainly must be cleaner.

toiyeuthitmeo · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 213

It's been ages, but I once had an absolute blast at the water park in Saigon. There are a few, the one I went to was called Dam Sen in district 11. Went with a group of teachers in our 20s, though I suspect an older crowd could have just as good a time.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Dam Sen park may be the best park in HCMC, depending on what you are looking for. No motos running you down there either. The dinosaur ride is big fun. The water park is quite good. The water park cost is like 3 bucks or so, then ride til your head starts aching. No long lines to wait in, lots of "see and be seen", not too much of our western "no can do this no can do that" on the way you take the rides. I think they are closed Wednesday, call ahead to be certain. Not many western foreigners go there, maybe the Asian foreigners go there. I like that park a lot.

sigmoid · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1276

Most in Viet Nam spend their free time wandering from bank to bank trying to find a place where they can actually buy US dollars at the "official rate".

The rest they spend trying to find a place where they can somehow obtain a visa extension to stay another 3 months.

It's a great country. You're going to LOVE it! Laughing

toiyeuthitmeo · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 213

I like it Sigmoid Laughing

And I would add to our list of illustrious free-time pursuits...

Searching high and low for a "real woman", you know, who speaks a bit of English, doesn't need 5 million a month for her ailing mum, and has strikingly beautiful eyes and long, silky black hair...

Or

The enduring quest for a convenient place in which to purchase Lothamilk

Or

The consumption of and contribution to the witty banter of this specific forum

Or

Stimulating and rewarding peer observations, feeding our desires to emulate the cream of the ESL crop

Or

Half-shamefully searching out companions with whom to enjoy day-late downloads of various World Wrestling Entertainment programs (Wrestlemania 27 is next Sunday, who's with me ??)

Or

Snuggling up under the covers with a fine glass of Dalat Superior and a new copy of Jim Scrivener's latest masterpiece

Or??

snollygoster · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 478

What to do in spare time?
Personally I like to count the traffic violations and see how many infringements I can see per Km- Best time is from 4-6 evenings when its bound to be 200+ per Km.
"Once a cop-always a cop".
If I got a job as a traffic cop in Vietnam, I would never have to work again.

Sudz · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 438

Personally, not much as of late.

Whenever I have something to look forward too (usually something travel related), I don't tend to 'seize the day' as much as I once did. Granted, I've been in Vietnam for some time, and have sampled a lot of what Ho Chi Minh (and Vietnam in general) has to offer.

Quite content with working my early morning/afternoon hours, staying somewhat in shape at the school gym, having Sundays (and usually Saturdays) free, and meeting up with a few buddies once - maybe twice - a week. In bed early most weeknights - a sharp contrast to my earlier years in HCMC.

I download a lot of documentaries - my personal placebo drug for not reading enough.

I enjoy driving around on Sundays (provided I'm not hungover), and looking for new nooks and crannies around the city (restaurants, street food, coffee places etc).

Used to do some grappling/kickboxing, but found it tough to work into my schedule once I started doing some distance university classes - would like to go back though.

NOT learning Vietnamese (okay I know a little). I sometimes wonder: if I'd spent as half as much time actually putting an effort into the language instead of adding to my excuse list NOT to, whether or not I could be semi-fluent by now. For newcomers, I'd recommend putting an effort sooner rather than later - too easy to become complacent.

Anyways I could add more to this, but I'm already falling asleep....

Sudz · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 438

Oh advice? (perhaps I should have actually read your first post).

Outdoorsy? I'd recommend learning how to ride a scooter and using it to get out of the city whenever you have the odd few days off. Some of my favorite times in Vietnam involved driving around the countryside. Good fun!

tmai · Joined: 02 Oct 2010 Posts: 8 Location: us

Not necessarily outdoorsy, but if you want something active to do, there are a few rock climbing places in the city (http://www.xrockclimbing.com/ to start with).

And, I don't know if you've heard of Couch Surfing, but there is a weekly dodgeball game the members hold. Here's a video of the action; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SetdxiCtP9w

It's held at: SAIGON PEARL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL in Binh Thanh district every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m.

I haven't been here that long, so that's the extent of my recreational activities that doesn't require any drinking.

ajc19810 · Joined: 22 May 2008 Posts: 214

I love photography. Brilliant city to photograph. Just be careful with your camera.

Danaa · Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 40

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:14 am Post subject:

deadlift · Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 267

Good post Sarge. I'd like to add:

Some teachers get paid in USD. For me, this was something to strive for: to get one of those rare but extant good jobs.

I don't believe we do pay dual prices on everything, or even most things. My supermarket, gas station, and regular food and drink outlets all have consistent and clear pricing.

If your savings declined by 9% overnight, it was because you were saving dong, which is foolish and something that the locals would never do.

As for the fees for 12 more weeks, this isn't a problem when you get a work permit, or find an employer who will do visa renewals for you. Again, these jobs exist.

To get the thread back on track: There's a multitude of gyms in the city, and though they're not outdoors, they're generally well equipped and comfortable. parks can be a nice respite, despite their flaws. There are several climbing walls, many sports clubs (of varying degrees of seriousness). And as others have said, there is getting out of the city, which is cheap and easy.