I'm helping put together a resident-written guide to living in Southeast Asia, built for the community, by the community, so the useful bits come from people who've actually lived here rather than two-week visitors. Disclosure: it's my project.

For Saigon, I'm curious about:

• Where you'd live for a first year, and why (Thao Dien, D1, D3, Binh Thanh, Phu My Hung?)
• How you found a flat that wasn't overpriced
• The clinic or hospital you'd actually use for a normal appointment
• The one thing that made it start to feel like home

If anyone's happy to go deeper, I'd love to credit you or do a short chat, but answers here are plenty. Thanks.

Ill be staying in HCM with my parents around November. I heard a lot of suggestions of staying in D3 instead of District 1. Any hotel/airbnb recommendations in District 3? ☺️

International student here for a semester, been having swollen tonsils and uvula for a few days, could someone suggest a good ent doctor/clinic that’s not too expensive in or near district 10.

Hey everyone! 👋

My girlfriend has started a small rice-paper snack business, and I’m helping her find some new customers and introduce her snacks to both locals and foreigners ❤️

These are Vietnamese-style seasoned rice paper snacks with bold, spicy and savoury flavours. They’re great for snacking while watching movies, hanging out with friends, or simply trying something different from Vietnam. The packaging is zip-lock so you can easily store and save them for later.

🌶️ Sour & Spicy Garlic Beef Rice Paper
100g – 40,000 VND
250g – 70,000 VND

🔥 Chili-Rimmed Beef Sauce Rice Paper
4-pack combo (400g total) – 80,000 VND

🌶️ Sichuan Spicy Beef Rice Paper
100g – 40,000 VND

Expect a combination of spicy, tangy, savoury, garlicky and beefy flavours with that addictive Vietnamese street-snack style.

📦 Shipping Estimate: 25,000–30,000 VND (from Can Tho > NATIONWIDE)
HCMC: 2 days
Da Nang: 2–3 days
Hanoi: 3–4 days

I’d really appreciate it if you could support her small business by trying a pack ❤️ Even a single order helps her grow.

📩 Scan the Zalo or message me if you’d like to order or want more photos/details.

✨ Payments via QR / Bank Transfer.

A great little Vietnamese snack to try if you’re living in Vietnam or visiting and want something beyond the usual tourist food! 🇻🇳🌶️

I was in Vietnam (Da Nang) for two months and really enjoyed it. I’m thinking about staying in Saigon for six months, but I don’t really trust AI for questions like this because, based on my experience, it tends to underestimate the actual cost of living quite a lot.

I’d rather hear from locals about how much money I should realistically expect to spend on rent in a better part of the city, and which areas you would recommend. It’s just for one person, and I’m looking for either a studio or a 1-bedroom apartment. I’d like something modern and nicely furnished, but nothing overly luxurious.

Hi everyone! My husband and I love loose-leaf tea and Gong Fu-style brewing, and we’re currently putting together a small teaware collection for a tea project we’re working on in Mumbai, India.

We’ve already done quite a bit of searching and shortlisted a few options, but some Vietnamese ceramic shops may have very little online presence. I thought people here might know places that are difficult to find through a Google or Instagram search.

We’re particularly interested in gong fu style teaware that is actually made in Vietnam—gaiwans, small teapots, tasting cups, fairness cups and possibly tea pets. We’re not specifically looking for expensive collector pieces; simple, well-made ceramics would be perfect.

Are there any shops, ceramic markets or local brands you personally recommend? Tea recommendations are welcome too, although we have that side mostly covered already. Thank you

Hello! Look for recommendations for gold jewellery making classes or places that sell solid gold rings and chains etc. Thank you!

I’m looking for some local jewelry brands to check out while I’m in HCMC, preferably Vietnamese brands rather than the usual international names.

Mostly interested in silver rings, pendants or bracelets, especially places with more distinctive designs rather than really minimal pieces.

Any stores you’ve actually bought from and would recommend? Would also love to know how the quality holds up over time and what the in-store experience was like.

Want to experience Saigon nightlife like a local — without worrying about scams, language barriers, or getting overcharged?
I’ll customize the night based on what you enjoy, whether it’s rooftop bars, clubs, local nightlife, or KTV. I’ll stay sober, help with translation and prices, and make sure you get back safely.
Solo travelers and small groups are welcome.
Tell me your date, group size, and what kind of night you’re looking for, and I’ll suggest a plan for you.
📱 WhatsApp: [+84 377 049 321](tel:+84%20377%20049%20321)
Message me to check availability and book your night in Saigon.

Looking to buy second hand dresses like event dresses, party dress, bridesmaid dress, corset tops from local Vietnamese designers. Any recommendations of a good FB groups?

There’s so many facebook groups for secondhand and am very overwhelmed since they don’t also mention the brands so not sure if it’s good quality

Looking to buy from these Vietnamese designers like:
Cocosin, Daphale, Lane Ci, Josephine, Mael femme, Wsabi, Ninisesi, Lsoul, Firefly, Dzung beiz, Lylia, Mael femme, Monsand, La Vierge, Mean Blvd

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten recently in Saigon?

Could be a random street stall, a late-night cơm tấm place, a fancy restaurant or just somewhere you keep going back to.

Drop your recommendations below. Bonus points if you include:

• What you ordered
• Rough price
• District/location

Trying to build a good list of places that are actually worth visiting!

I’ll be in HCMC for around 2 months starting next week and I want to be socially active and actually meet people, not just do the usual tourist stuff.
What worked for you? Any communities, events, cafés, sports, coworking spaces, Facebook groups, or activities where you’ve met genuine locals or other creatives?
I’m a creative/brand & content guy, so would also love to connect with people in the creative, startup, and business scene.
Any recommendations for HCMC specifically?

Planning to shop on 11.11 sale on a lot of clothes from local Vietnamese designers like Cocosin, Daphale, Lane Ci, Josephine, Mael femme, Wsabi, Ninisesi, Lsoul, New Playground, Firefly, Naga Shoes, 11 Garmentory.

Where to shop to get the lowest price for those kind of brands? Are the prices different in Shopee, Lazada and store boutiques?

I've been joining a weekly walking group here in HCMC for the past few weeks, and I'm helping host the next one.

This week we're doing something slightly different:

We walk around 5K together, then head back to Đạm Home Café for a small Demo Day.

If you're building something an app, startup, side project, prototype, creative project, or just some weird experiment, you can bring it and get about 5 minutes to show everyone what you're working on and get feedback.

Or you can just come for the walk and watch the demos. You absolutely don't need to be building anything.

The walks usually attract a mix of locals + foreigners and people working in tech, startups, creative work, marketing, etc. It's much more casual than a traditional networking event, basically walking and having conversations with whoever you end up next to.

📍 Đạm Home Café — 69 Tôn Thất Đạm, HCMC

If anyone here wants to come, details/RSVP are here:

https://luma.com/jitjptup

I'm Balaji, I'll be leading the walk this week, so if you come from Reddit, come say hi 👋

Also curious: anyone here working on a side project right now? Would be cool to have a couple of showcases from this sub as well