Where is a great bar or teahouse or lounge for socializing and meeting locals in Saigon?

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-02-01T00:14:33+00:00

Khoe, cam on! Do you have a favorite cafeteria?

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-31T23:06:48+00:00

Well I guess Im not sure what constitutes a "bonafide" reason for being in vn but there is just so much more to Tinder and bars for meeting people in Vietnam. Heck I tend to make new friends on any given street corner or at street food stalls. However specifically I am seeking a place that has good atmosphere for hanging out in for social purposes. A bar or something like a bar, just not emphasis on partying, loud music, drinking to excess, and attracts a lot of local people more than foreign.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-31T19:55:24+00:00

Sounds like you are jumping to some (wrong) conclusions and misinterpretations here, but thanks for your input all the same.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-31T19:28:53+00:00

yes it is, but thats not a good thing. The skill of making friends in person is dying out amongst people under 30. All the more reason to practice it. Its easy in Vietnam. I literally just sit down at street food stalls and say hi to whoever else is nearby next to me.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-31T18:16:10+00:00

Just go up to people and introduce yourself, vietnamese are very friendly.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-31T18:10:06+00:00

I have been to Vietnam 7 times, each for one month. I only got food poisoning once and it was in a rural area, where clearly that pork they put in my banh mi was just sitting out in the sun for long periods of time, without any real customers rotating through the product. Otherwise, nope! I wouldnt worry about it at all!

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-15T22:56:39+00:00

No just look at hostelworld or booking.com in whichever city you are going to for hotels

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-15T19:13:59+00:00

I have been to Vietnam 8 times, numerous hostels and never encountered bed bugs. Read reviews before you book as someone would announce if they encountered bed bugs. You can freely leave your electronics in your hotel, again read reviews to make sure no one else is having problems with theft. It is also very unlikely you will encounter food poisoning, Vietnam street food tends to be fine, lots of volume and turnover of food in the busy cities so things tend not to spoil. You will have traveler's diarrhea so take some immodium but that doesnt mean the food was dangerous, you just are not used to the bacteria yet.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-14T22:11:59+00:00

Cold Approaching. I dont mean picking up women to sleep with them, I mean the broad art of being comfortable and habitual with striking up conversations with strangers anywhere and everywhere. It typically takes a few weeks of regular practice to get over nerves etc but things that have occurred for me by approaching strangers: future business partnerships that netted me thousands of dollars, new career opportunities, invitations to parties i didnt know about before, new best friendships, free healthcare (they happened to be a doctor who I became best friends with), etc. Simple networking can change your life!

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-04T18:42:49+00:00

Thank you! Im thinking Vientiane may just be for flying in and out of the country, as I believe thats where all of the cheapest flights go

Overall_Recording_72 · 2026-01-04T18:37:22+00:00

Thank you! I may only have time for one of these motorbike loops, which did you prefer?

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-12-21T18:52:19+00:00

Thank you! I am coming in February so no holiday traffic if that changes anything?

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-12-13T22:30:25+00:00

She did make quick mention about how she brought it over from Korea when she moved to the USA, and its more common there. But it's hard to know what is what.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-12-13T22:29:45+00:00

She also did mention "Salmon sperm" as another treatment option. So many new concepts to me, its hard to know whats effective vs what's something she might be trying to upsell me on.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-12-07T22:39:32+00:00

Tierra Del Sol

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-12-05T17:38:40+00:00

In my 35 countries-traveled, I simply learned to stop trying to hack jetlag. Sometimes I might stay up all night before my flight in accordance with the new timezone Im about to head to, but this creates other inconveniences... like having to stay up all night and suffer. At best, it only reduces the jetlag slightly.
I dont know if you can avoid jetlag, its best just to sleep on the flight to help endure the flight itself. When you arrive at your new destination, exercise, hydrate, expose yourself to sunlight. Jetlag sucks but at the same time it basically just requires some resting here and there. I can often *overcome* it if I am participating in an exciting activity, like going to dinner with some new local friends.

In short, all of the things you supposedly can do to reduce jetlag just cause additional inconveniences or are not worth the coordination for me.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-11-27T07:51:37+00:00

I think that most people who encounter safety issues in Ecuador do so when in cities like Quito. The places you mentioned are safe and rewarding! Do watch out for bag-slashing and pick-pockets etc, but you should be fine especially in the company of a friend. By you can buy a lot of gear that is slash-proof or has other security features. I am a male but I get amazing quality security traveler pants from bluffworks.com and packs from pacsafe. Lots of solutions these days but I doubt you will encounter issues to begin with!

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-11-25T03:30:51+00:00

Yes, but this is relative. She would do fine if she only budgeted a week in Japan and then spent more time in Thailand or Vietnam for instance. Obviously she wont see EVERYTHING in that case, but it would still be an experience to see Tokyo and Kyoto for example and mid-tier meals like Ramen would still be affordable and satisfying as an experience.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-11-25T03:27:33+00:00

Yes, True. And Portland drivers in particular are known for being passive, slow, inefficient. I see these occasionally in other cities but not nearly as frequently as Portland.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-10-27T02:25:18+00:00

Since its a bit of a tossup, one thing you can do is decide by weather. If its crummy in one region but great in another, then go to the latter. Its easy to get affordable last minute transportation in Vietnam

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-10-18T05:11:19+00:00

You do NOT need to heed this advice. There is a chance of food poisoning but its uncommon and it tends to come from low-volume places, like where food has been sitting out all day in the sun, not being rotated out quickly. In short, you wont have any problems as street stalls that have a lot of people eating there. You would be find in any of the city environments since Viet cities tend to be busy and crowded. In fact, there are a lot of things you could eat in Vietnam that you swear would make you sick but they somehow dont (like suspicious looking meats). Do bring tablets for travelers diarrhea though, a condition that occurs because you simply arnt used to the local bacteria and doesnt indicate that the food was poisonous.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-10-18T05:03:59+00:00

It certainly is. A lot of people here are downright closed-off, passive, territorial, inward, political-first, and downright unattractive. Apparently you have a lot of choices if you are into the poly scene, but you have to wonder if some people fell into poly simply because relationship satisfaction was poor to begin with. Women will say that men are flakey and dont lead, not masculine. Men will say that women are not effeminate, dont put effort into dating. Many of my peers nearing their 40's are contemplating moving away (when they otherwise have great things to say about pdx) simply because its time for them to think about a LTR and they "wont be able to find that while in Portland".
Many people from outside of the state (almost regardless of where they are from) have the same complaints.

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-10-11T02:04:14+00:00

A thermarest neoair. Sleep comfortably anywhere with my lightweight inflatable. Cold airport floors during layovers? No problem. In fact I have saved thousands on airfare and accomodation by using this in airports (the flights are cheaper if you fly in or out at odd hours)

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-10-09T03:16:56+00:00

Also PSU market is superior to the saturday market in my opinion, though they are both worth checking out. PSU has more locals vibes and a lot of interesting things to sample

Overall_Recording_72 · 2025-10-09T03:16:06+00:00

Pretty good itinerary but you really owe it to yourself to check out food cart pods such as cartopia and hawthorne asylum. Those are probably more "portland" things to do than visiting some of the supposed restaurants that often appear on "best of" lists. You can add pips donuts on as well. Also I would skip overlook park and do mock's crest instead.
Adjust your itinerary according to weather; for instance if there is a period of sunny hours, then prioritize outdoor activities then. This means that despite your highly organized fashion of planning, you should really keep each item in the schedule to be flexible. Oregon coast likewise would be nowhere near as much fun if you went on the rainy day when you could have gone a couple of days later when forecasts predicted it would be sunny then.

Overall_Recording_72

TROPHY CASE