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Somewhere near D7

Hello everyone,

My wife is Vietnamese. She was born and raised in Saigon and her family immigrated to the US around 15 years ago.

We are coming up on our 6 year anniversary next year and i would love to surprise her by learning Vietnamese. Of course, over the years i have picked up some of it but it is not enough to hold a conversation. I’ve tried using books and online courses but the dialect is different and what I learn ends up not being right.

Does anyone know any good places for me to learn?

8 years of living in Vietnam.

It's always the same, if you want information for a few options and a little while to decide they get all grumpy, rude and sometimes even ignore you.

I have stopped myself spending a lot of money at some shops because of the attitude I get when asking about a different option near the end of sale.

My wife (Vietnamese) says it's normal.

I find it strange because it has stopped us both from spending quite a bit of money

Hey everyone,
We were riding from Hanoi to Ha Giang on a rental motorbike (with valid International Driving Permit) when we had a rather strange experience with the police.
About an hour before reaching Ha Giang, we passed a police checkpoint without any issues. Around 2 km later, a police car followed us and pulled us over. The officers told us we had been speeding at 71 km/h in a 50 km/h zone.
They told us to follow them back to the checkpoint to discuss the fine. Once there, an officer informed us that the violation carried a fine of 7 million VND. (All the interaction with Google Translate).
Between the two of us, we only had around 800,000 VND in cash in our pockets which we offered to pay. The officer said that wasn’t enough and told us that we either had to pay the fine immediately or they would keep the driving licence at the police station and the fine will stay the same.
We then asked whether there was any possibility of reducing the fine. The officer lowered the amount to 5 million VND, so at that point, we realised that the amount was apparently negotiable.
In the end, we gave them 1.8 million VND plus €40. That comes to roughly 3 million VND (around US$115).
He accepted the money (without writing any ticket or reciept), and shortly afterwards, they finished their day and left. Also he said that if we were caught speeding again the fine might be even higher and the bike can be impounded.
Looking back, a few things seem strange to us:
We were never shown any evidence of our alleged speed, in the stress and mess of the situation we forgot to ask for it.
We weren’t aware of the speed limit at that particular spot, so it’s possible we were speeding. If we broke the law, we accept that there should be consequences.
However, the fact that the fine went from 7 million to 5 million and ultimately to a payment of around 3 million VND seems suspicious.
Our motorbike barely reaches 80 km/h, so we’re also unsure whether we were actually going as fast as 71 km/h.
The amount still seems incredibly high for Vietnam, although we don’t know the exact penalties for this violation.
We’re trying to understand whether this was a legitimate traffic enforcement situation, potentially involving an unofficial payment, or whether we were specifically targeted because we’re tourists on a rental motorbike.
We don’t want to suggest that we were definitely innocent or that every police officer is corrupt. We’re simply trying to understand what happened and whether this is a known practice in the area. Did we still overpay?
Any experiences or advice would be appreciated!

This is a grilled meat noodle shop including guava leaves and very delicious dipping sauce in Ho Xuan Huong street - Hanoi

Can anybody help find vivo phone (blue) lost during checking in to hanoi in the delayed flight which started boarding in 2:30 pm yesteday 15th October in the da nang airport.
Plz plz my parents are first time international travellers .. iam not with them .. the phone has indian sim.iam not with them to help them

Is it better to get a guided tour from hanoi to sapa or to travel on your own to Sapa for a solo traveller?

Hi everyone, planning on withdrawing money from a US bank and wanted to check on what everyone is using. I heard that TP Bank has silently introduced fees to their ATM. Wanted to hear if there are other great choices in 2026 and if the TP bank rumor i heard is true.

Where can we save the most for exchanging PH Peso
Vietnamese dong?

ATM machine or debit card, cask or other cards?
Or convert PESO to USD then to Dong in jewelry shop in Ho Chi Minh?
Or pay using G-cash or something else in Vietnam shops
Or no foreign exchange fee credit card but Vietnam shops charge 2-3% surcharge fee

As a Filipino, I was honestly hesitant to do the Ha Giang Loop because I thought it might not offer something new, coming from Southeast Asia. We have mountains and rice terraces too, so why go somewhere similar?

But doing this loop was one of the best decisions I’ve made this year. Ha Giang has its own charm - the adventure, views, history, and people. I told myself I could finally stop going to Vietnam after this, but it only made me crave for more!

My BEST travel experience yet! Should I go to Cao Bang next?

Looking for bags to wear for parties and events. Which shops to visit or which markets or night market at a good price and not expensive

Guys what are some really strong viet curses/swear words? I know the basic dit me, du ma, but is there anything else as strong?

I’ve been thinking about this after seeing more tourism development moving toward southern Da Nang.

There seems to be a growing push to create new experiences around rural areas, traditional villages, lakes, local communities, food, and everyday life outside the usual tourist circuit.

And honestly, I think that could be more interesting than simply adding more attractions.

Da Nang already has plenty of big-name places:

Ba Na Hills
Marble Mountains
Son Tra
Hoi An nearby
My Son
Hue within reach

So I’m not sure the city’s biggest problem is a lack of things to see.

I think the bigger opportunity is creating better ways to experience the region — especially experiences that let travelers live like a local for a few hours instead of just sightseeing.

For example:

• meeting local makers instead of just visiting souvenir shops
• trying traditional crafts instead of only watching demonstrations
• joining a local family for a meal
• going to an early fish market and eating breakfast nearby
• fishing, farming, or village activities with local people
• exploring neighborhoods, cafés, and markets that are part of everyday life
• slower family-friendly itineraries instead of rushing through a checklist

Southern Da Nang could be really interesting if it develops in that direction.

Not “more attractions,” but more opportunities to understand how people here actually live.

That’s the kind of experience I think many travelers are looking for now — something more personal, more participatory, and harder to recreate by just following Google Maps or TikTok.

But if southern Da Nang simply becomes another collection of staged photo spots, Instagram cafés, or “tourist villages,” then I’m not sure it adds much.

So I’m curious:

If you had one extra day in Da Nang, would you rather visit another major attraction — or spend the day experiencing local life?

And what would “live like a local” actually mean to you?

Xin chào! I (37M) will be solo traveling to Vietnam this winter (December - February) and hope to get some input from the Reddit world! It'll be my first time in Vietnam, but I have long experience with South East Asia. I'm very excited! My main focus will be FOOD, architecture, exploring & watching the cities & urban fabric. I plan to spend my days drawing & painting. I love getting lost in cities, sketching buildings & sights, and learning history. I once was a party boy who loves nightlife and dancing... But I'm in my late 30s now and it's not as often as it once was.

That in mind, I'll be there in December, New Years, January, then experience Tết in February before I head out.

I'm tentatively thinking to arrive at Hanoi for 4 weeks for Christmas time & New Years.

Travel through Hue & Da Nang for about a week+ early January.

Then Ho Chi Minh City for 4 weeks January/February for Tết.

I figured North to South just so it doesn't get too cold for me, but I could totally flip the direction if you see otherwise.

Looking for input on the direction/dates/ and if you have any suggested spots. I'm very thankful to have the time to not be rushed, and truly spend time learning and appreciating the country!

Thank you!

I am traveling outside of the US for the first time to Ho Chi Minh City. I plan to shop for clothes, accessories, gifts, etc. How much of a hassle is it to bring those things back to the US?

Did he really set himself on fire because of losing a bet?

How good is a 100m/month VND salary and what type of jobs earn this much money?

My wife and I went to Vietnam for our honeymoon at the end of '23 and immediately fell in love with the country. The people are incredibly kind and hospitable, the culture is incredible, and the food is *chef's kiss.* We've traveled to Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong since, but Vietnam has a special place in our hearts.

Unfortunately, I happen to be from Bangladesh, which is a country rife with people in love with breaking the law. Apparently, 30,000+ Bangladeshis overstayed their visas over a 2-year period before February 2024, prompting the Vietnamese government to ban tourist visas from my country. Even though we went and came back within the limits of our visa, we're having to face this punitive punishment. We have been waiting for almost 3 years to go back to Vietnam, but to no avail.

Apparently the only way to go at this moment in time is to have some kind of an invitation from Vietnam, either business or personal. Can anyone suggest a way out of this? Pic taken in Ba Na Hills in 2023, posting for attention.

I’m currently using Vietcombank and Timo which are both fine but was wondering which banks other expats used. Only negative is that Vietcombank service at my local branch can be inefficient. Timo recently shut its sole HCMC branch in place of BVBank branches, which may be a concern.

If there are banks you don’t recommend, I’m interested in hearing about that, too.

Here’s the general use case:

-For general personal banking: shopping and rewards, withdrawals, salary deposits, domestic and international transfers.

-Good interest rate and conditions on savings account.

-A well-designed, user-friendly, and reliable app.

-Good and efficient service, including English-speaking.