My first two weeks in Vietnam - Sharing thoughts and questions

1willy1 wrote:

Hey guys

so I finally made it, been 2-3 years of desiring to come here and now im typing from ho chi min city !!!!

Pretty amazing experience, coming out of the airport was like walking into a whole new world lol

So , I sort of hated it at first and that's mainly due to the jet lag, (16 hour trip to hong long, 9 hour layover, 2-3 hour trip to ho chi min ) also the air quality, it affected me pretty badly, that was solved by me wearing a mask now when im out walking around .

It took me 4-5 days to actually start to like the place, and after 2 weeks I think im in love with it, dabbling with the idea of making a second home here.

First thoughts , the women are absolutely beautiful, and they are everywhere. the air quality is beyond horrible lol,, id say it would be so bad that living here full time could very well end in an early grave.

Few questions , is anyone here actually making money here? Is it possible to open a small restaurant, shop or garage? Say auto mechanics, bike mechanics? spray painting? or any other legitimate service or sales that a person might think is worthwhile?

The residents actually seem quite nice for the most part, and the other ones mind their own business and stay out of your way. But has anyone had issues with starting a business here? \locals angry? police issues? I would imagine a westerner opening a company that is stealing business from the locals might be frowned upon? Not sure

With me, it's the other way around.
The longer I live in HCMC, the more I hate this city and its inhabitants.

"First thoughts , the women are absolutely beautiful, and they are everywhere."
You have to leave the tourist places and visit a street market there.
Curious if you still say the same thing. 

Yes, foreigners can operate a business here, usually restaurants and bars.

Here's a recent thread on the topic:
"Starting a business in Vietnam as a foreigner"
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=814436

Also,, this page:
"Setting up a business in Vietnam"
https://www.expat.com/en/guide/asia/vie … etnam.html
including the link at the bottom.

Yes, you can taste the air in downtown Sai Gon, possibly one of the most densely populated places on the planet. Look into outlying suburban districts (7, 2, Go Vap, etc.) or get out altogether. The are a number of smaller cities that are growing and have cleaner air and less competition. Have a look around.

what do you hate most about the city and its inhabitants Andy ?

Also where did you live originally? that matters too I think 

thanks

Thanks, yes there are so many areas to discover here, its never ending

I heard danang and up north the cities there are not as bad , so I may check those out in my next trip

In order for me to pull this off I need to find a way to make some income

Thanks for the info

My first visit.
camduckhanhhoa.wordpress.com/2019/02/04/pilgrimage/

To add to what JohnRoss23 said, there may be room for western ownership particularly in the niche market of western type restaurants.  I don't think you want to be opening a Bun Bo Hue place.  As far as the idea of a shop for any type of mechanical repairs, you need to forget about that fast ass you can.  Just look around you, at least outside of District 1.  There are hole in the wall repair shops, with waste oil staining the sidewalk, in every neighborhood.  It's not that the government won't let you compete with them.  It's that you never could.

Hey Willy, I think it's great that you're living the Saigon adventure. I myself lived in Saigon a few years back for almost a year. It's something that's fun once in my opinion, but the high level of pollution and noise and heat will probably get to you at some point, and then you can contemplate a few places that are much less busy, less touristy, much cheaper and with better air quality. I suggest you get into learning Vietnamese seriously, at least the basics, then it will allow you to get away from central places and have a grand time. I'm planning on living in Rach Gia (near Phu Quoc) for about 6 months in a couple of months, but first need to try to convince my boss to work remotely.