Yes it's simple to get a 3 months visa.. First many days before to move here, you apply online to have the papers for your visa, here for ex. Then after 3 months you just extend (3 months again) your visa with a local agent. With the new law, you can extend your visa max 3 times then you have to leave the country (visa run) and come back with a new tourist visa. So you can stay : visa tourist (3 months) + 3 x extension (3x 3 months) = 1 year

For the apartments, very easy, it's like Thailand. You can rent for ex monthly with just one month deposit.

For the location, Saigon, Nha Trang, Da Nang, you can check too Vung Tau

best methods of withdrawing from stars? (for viet person).

I was assuming skrill card w/ ~2% currency vig, but would direct to local bank be a better option? Any specific banks recommended? (for viet student of mine, so docs shouldn't be a problem...lol at vietnamese ppl not normally having bank accounts)

Ok, I will try this again : any of you guys have ANY useful info about APT Vietnam, specifically Ho Tram Strip?

I have booked my flights and will be there on November 16 (TR to come with useful/practical tips) ; this said, a few things I would like to know :

- Seems like the games will be played in US$... am I right? Talks were about 1-2 and 2-5, so I will bring a few thousand in US$, yet what would be the best way to have access to fast dollars (can you get at least 500-1000 US$ from ATMs?).

- Is there widespread HSBC in Vietnam (or at least 1 in Saigon?)? I guess those are my 2 principle short term concerns...

Thx all!

def saw at least 1 HSBC in Saigon.
ATMs have very nitty policys. mostly giving out 2-5mm dongs w/ mastercard. dunno about HSBC tho.
no info on Ho Tram but i would think they'd be running at least a couple 1-2 games during APT (locals are banned unfortunately) and would think that it's run in $.

One of those tour guides that have a book with lots of good reviews about him told me he has a friend that will let you use your cc to withdraw 10 million dongs at 6% fee.

I'm just a little bit scared of getting skimmed or something like that?
Don't know anything about how it's done.

Hi guys, I have question regarding opening bank acct. I read that you guys mention to open two acct. #1 being in Euro and the other is VN acct.
this option is available at HSBC VN bank?

Any vietnam live poker reg in this thread?

Was searching for a song that I heard when I was checking out china town in hcmc and I found this instead (it has English subtitles):



He also made an English version but it's really a different song but it's still good and on the same subject.




Viet Nam rap
It's not just a good song with a good message though..
It's creating some movements apparently, will be interesting to read more about it as it develops.. read more more about it here:
http://www.globalpost.com/article/66...-viral-vietnam

Hey guys, APT Ho Tram for November has been cancelled, which I am really bummed out about.

http://www.worldgamingmag.com/en/pok...led-by-ho-tram

I still plan on spending the majority of my winter in Vietnam and now that I have some extra US$ on me, here is my question :

- I have yet to play live in Vietnam, are all the venues played in US$ currency? I think it is in HCMC, but I plan on staying close to Da nang, is it the same there?

Thx, will exchange my US$ if I cannot use them for poker...

Guys is it possible to use Skrill mastercard in Vietnam? I will be visiting also Cambodia, Laos and Thailad if you had some experiance with using Skrill card in this countries please share. Thanks in advance!

Not really sure where to go, considering Vietnam.

I would like to stay rather calm, not much need for partying, but decent supermarket and some places to eat nearby would be nice.

Also grindable internet obv and beach would be decent as well.

Can I rent apartments with like 1bedroom(not studio) short term (1month)? Will I be able to get that for ~500$?

If anyone can recommend some places for my needs, that would be cool!

Yes you can.

You can easily rent ~500$ 1 br apartments for short term, avoid just to book online. For the place, Da Nang or Nha Trang, both have decent beachs.

Ok nice . Ty.

Many poker players in Da nang ?

Even online you can find decent 1 bed apartments close to beach in Vietnam. A quick google search will show you some for even $300. I think it's best to go there in person though and just ask where the local realtor is. Online prices might be jacked up a little bit. Also don't send money online not before you have seen the property beforehand. Danang is not very touristy, mostly Vietnamese live there, there is a small expat community there but it's not like some other places where Westerners are more established. It is still probably the place I would go if I was choosing between beach cities.

From what I have read Nha Trang is full of Russians (not a bad thing but something to consider) and I think more touristy, which again might not be a bad thing. Other places you might want to consider are Mui Ne ( beach more for surfing, not so much swimming), Hoi an ( very touristy ) nicer beach(es). Just check out a map, some pretty cool spots in Vietnam, just google a few cities to find out more.

Anyone got any info on the costs of extending the 3 month visa? Used to be hella cheap but they changed that to a whopping $250, just wondering if it has been put back down in price?

I extended my visa for 3 months, a week ago, it costed me $130.

Just at an agent I presume? O and where? That's actually a more realistic price too!!

With an agent yes, he's living in Hoi Han. Never paid with him more than $150 for a 3 months extension. You can ship him your passport by post and then he ship you back your passport with your new extension. I send you his number by pm if you want.

Send passport by post?
How long does that take?
Guess you would need to start applying for extension a month ahead of time?
I got bad experiences using post service in these third world sea countries.

Do you or anyone else know alternative options in hcmc or nah thrang?
I think the bus trip to phnom penh don't sound too bad actually and then you can stay there a couple nights and play some live poker before going back.
If you do the bus trip then I can apply for a 3 month visa again from the same website that you linked earlier?

Not really by post, by a travel company (sinhcafe). 1 day to ship in Hoi An for ex, it costs only 20'000 dong for the shipping. Everytime I need an extension, I contact him 2 weeks before the end of my visa/extension.

For alternative options in Saigon or Nah Thrang, imo you should join an expat group (for one of this city) on fb and ask.

If you do the bus trip to Phnom Penh, yeah you can apply again for a 3 month visa online on the same website that I linked earlier, no problem.

Where in hcmc district1 can you watch cinema movies.. i wanna go look the last witch hunter?

Can you give me something that I can type into google maps please?
walking distance would be great.

Check out my location reviews for Nha Trang and Da Nang. Both great cities.

If you want to live somewhere more laid back then try Hoi An or Vung Tau.

Nha Trang has the most tourists and nightlife out of those choices. Mostly Russians there. Da Nang is beautiful and clean. Nice beaches, not many tourists.

Hoi An is a really nice town but there's ZERO action going on there. Don't go if you get bored easily. But Da Nang is a thirty minute ride away.

Vung Tau is nice. Laid back, cheap there's a beach. Plenty of beer bars if you need some female company. Saigon is a one hour boat ride up the river. You can stay in a decent hotel for $10 a night. Negotiate for a monthly rate once you're on the ground. Have fun!

which of those locations is the cheapest? i really like nature so i hope its not saigon but i love women so it may be worth it to live there

please advise