I flew out of Australia with VietJet Air, and the ticket cost me less than $300. Before boarding, the doctor gave me a couple of painkillers. I took them right after takeoff, and within twenty minutes I was fast asleep. I only woke up about half an hour before we landed in Ho Chi Minh City — perfect timing.
As soon as I landed, I knew exactly what to do. I headed straight to the limousine bus area in the car park. For Australians, the bus fare down to Vung Tau is only about $8. From there, it was a smooth ride directly to my hotel.
I got an absolute bargain on the room. The normal rate was around $1,200 AUD per month, but I managed to secure it for just $454. I’ve been treating the hotel manager well, and they’ve now offered to let me stay indefinitely at the same price. I’m on the top floor with beautiful sea breezes, strong air conditioning, and fast internet (100–110 Mbps).
The room itself is surprisingly comfortable. I have a big, hard-as-concrete Vietnamese bed (which suits me perfectly), a nice modern bathroom with hot water 24 hours a day — something that’s not always guaranteed in Vietnam — and a large rain shower head. There’s also a little fridge, a kettle, and all the usual hotel amenities, so I can make my own tea and coffee whenever I like.
I’ve already made the room feel like home, and I’m very happy here. I’ll be staying for at least the next three months. After that, instead of doing the usual visa run that many travellers do (which is technically illegal but widely overlooked), I want to do everything properly. I’m planning to stay in Vietnam long-term, possibly permanently. In June I’ll fly to Bangkok, stay long enough to get my e-visa back to Vietnam. That the legal way to do it.
The proper way forward seems to be either marrying a local or setting up a business. Interestingly, you can actually register a company here even while on a tourist visa. With around $5,000 in legal fees, you can then obtain a work visa that’s valid for 12 months at a time. That’s my current plan. Further down the track — maybe in the distant future — it would be nice to meet a lovely lady and settle down, but that’s just a bonus for now.
The weather in southern Vietnam is exactly what you’d expect: hot and very humid, much like Cairns in summer. At 3 a.m. it can still be 31°C with humidity through the roof. I’m going through three t-shirts a day because I sweat a lot more than the locals, but the air conditioning helps a lot.
I’ve been getting around mostly by Grab — Vietnam’s version of Uber. It’s incredibly cheap and convenient. You can hop on the back of a motorbike and get almost anywhere for as little as a dollar. Food delivery is just as good — for an extra 40 cents or so, I can have fresh, healthy Vietnamese food delivered straight to my door instead of going out every night. You simply couldn’t eat this well for the same money back in Australia.
My rent here is roughly $100 a week, and that includes electricity, fast internet, free bottled water (you can’t drink tap water), free shampoo and body wash, and weekly room cleaning. The staff do a great job — the room always smells fresh afterwards.
The photo attached to this post is the hotel.
One strange thing is that I’m still waking up on Australian time — around 3 a.m. every morning. I’m sure my body will adjust soon, but for now it’s a bit odd.
Overall, I’m feeling very comfortable and content. This little setup in Vung Tau is working out better than I could have hoped.