Single Male visiting Vietnam a little diff then normal posts i hope :)

Last activity 11 January 2016 by Fred

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vinnyirl1Member06 January 2016 20:30:35

Hi everyone Vinny here and hopefully i am in the right place for advice for Holidays in Vietnam.
Well i am a 43 year old single guy and its a lifelong dream to visit Vietnam.
So here i am hoping to travel in the next few weeks with loads of questions that hopefully some of ye will try and help me with.
Well here go s,

I have never took a holiday before on my own so its a bit of a worry traveling solo but basically i am a normal guy not long single and i have all the vices like drink smoke partying but this is def not a sex holiday for me.
For me i want to go see all the sight s from back in the war times am not a camera trigger happy tourist but just like to explore and see for myself how life was like back then and how people lived.
I presume their is tours you can do for all this but is their private tours you can do where you can get a private guide to show you around so i am not tortured with the normal day touristy thing if that makes sense like sitting on a open top bus that takes hours to go around or having to endure all the happy couples ohing and aweing at every single thing.
So any advice on this is def needed.

Then i like my comforts so a good hotel that not overly expensive but would be a four star or better in a good area close to the pubs and clubs.
So need advice on that too.

Prob what i should have said first is i live in london so will be flying from there and hate long flights 5/6 hours is enough for me so where would be a nice place to stop off for a day or two on the journey to vietnam and same for the return journey would prefer two different places.

Next is am i best to go straight to Ho Chi Minh City and base myself there or else go there and then move on somewhere else or vice versa.

I was also considering a few days in thailand have been there before so can visit too if not to expensive for flights by the ways not into hours of train or bus travel unless its def very comfortable.

And last would be for night life as a single guy for this i dont want to be sitting in a bar or club all night on my own and def dont want to be sitting in my hotel room on my own same goes for nice meals out would prefer to have company to share the food with and the bottle s of wine rather then dining solo but i must emphaise the sex thing although can be nice its not a major factor in my life.Been there done all that in my younger years.

I would be really greatful of any advice on the above and am sure i will have loads more questions

thanks in advance

vinny

gobotViP09 January 2016 07:09:24

1430

Your post is a little different, Vinny, in that your questions are too broad. You will get more responses from short, to-the-point questions that volunteers can answer in a few minutes. Make sense? Also search the forum (and internet), many answers will be there.

I don't know about Vietnam War tours, a topic I would prefer to forget about. Did you google "vietnam war tours"? There are lots of battle site in Central and South. You could spend months doing that. Make a list of where you want to go, then find a tour when you get here. I don't think you will have to endure happy couples in open top buses in the jungle, more like vets and/or their families finding peace. Should be Vietnam Vet websites with referrals too. I dunno.

You don't say how long your trip is. Don't base yourself in Saigon if you're in Hue or Mekong for weeks.

You can meet people on this forum, in different cities, reach out to people who say they are new here, go to events, organize an activity, offer to exchange English conversation for Vietnamese. There are also facebook groups like Saigon International Friends that are very active.

FredIndonesia Expert09 January 2016 11:22:53

28170

vinnyirl1 wrote:
I have never took a holiday before on my own

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 05#1918726

That post is for Indonesia, but most applies anywhere in S E Asia.
Take special note of the sleeping bag and the weight of the rucksack.

I've seen poor sods lugging massive rucksacks or even suitcases around, struggling like crazy everywhere they go.
If you can keep it below check in size and weight, you'll be able to sail through airports whilst most are hanging around waiting for luggage.
Easier with security and no lost, interfered with, or stolen bags.
A smaller bag is also a godsend on local transport.

Teacher MarkSerial expat10 January 2016 09:53:52

978

Errr...I was about to recommend the "Castaway Island" tour, because I've spoken with a few solo travelers that booked with them. I wish I'd been able to hear this one's tale of woe in person, because it's quite entertaining:

Castaway Island: The Party Island from Hell

Don't forget to read the comments...

FredIndonesia Expert10 January 2016 10:26:15

28170

Teacher Mark wrote:
Errr...I was about to recommend the "Castaway Island" tour,

Remind me to give that one a miss until I take up getting drunk and obnoxious again.

gobotViP11 January 2016 03:05:06

1430

Fred when was the last time you flew international? Even flights across the pacific are limiting carry on baggage. Budget and major carriers like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific limit to 7 kilograms, plus a unweighed purse/manbag/camera bag. Jeez an empty roller bag weighs 5 kilos. I just chose Korean Air because they allow 12 kilos, but they weigh the carry on and the small bag. I'll be stuffing my pockets with batteries, chargers, camera lens...

FredIndonesia Expert11 January 2016 04:33:00

28170

gobot wrote:
Fred when was the last time you flew international? Even flights across the pacific are limiting carry on baggage. Budget and major carriers like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific limit to 7 kilograms, plus a unweighed purse/manbag/camera bag. Jeez an empty roller bag weighs 5 kilos. I just chose Korean Air because they allow 12 kilos, but they weigh the carry on and the small bag. I'll be stuffing my pockets with batteries, chargers, camera lens...

I know, but I can easily do a week on 7kg ... if you read the post.
I was quite clear in suggesting a small frameless rucksack because they weigh almost nothing, leaving most of your weight allowance for actual clothes.
Obviously, if you intend to carry heavy camera equipment or the kitchen sink, you'll need more.

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