micromousez
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the Grab app we downloaded in SG can be use in VN?
Vietnam
- Thread starter jqpooling
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the Grab app we downloaded in SG can be use in VN?
sumo_clone
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Hi, anyone been to phong nha before? how do i get there from hoi an. any advice please! thanks in advance
I heeded your advice and created my Vinaphone web account, although it's a challenge. I downloaded the app and registered an account.it was supposed to SMS me my password but the SMS did not came.only some SMS in Vietnamese came and I do not understand,even using Google translate. I have to call the English speaking customer service and the guy ask me to read the SMS to him. Huh ?read the Viet SMS ?? He then SMS me with his personal number and asked me to forward the SMSes to him which I did. Ding dong here and there, eventually I used the web to Request for a new password then managed to get it done. Ha ha. Bought a few top up cards. intended to top up to extend it when due.
yes, vietnam is not less unsafe than other countries. just exercise common sense. you will be suprised to see how many vietnamese sports the latest iphone's
rayban
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i been so many times to vietnam bring my iphone 6s plus and samsung s7 edge leh....
yes, it's the same app
just need to edit your profile with your VN mobile number (they will send an SMS confirmation) -> so that the driver can call you if they cannot find you
remember to change back when you're back in SG
actually when on roaming, you just need to make a short call or sms every 2 months (to any number, maybe your own SG number) and the expiry date will be extended by 2 months
no need to make any top up
Tried both Grabcar and UberX for 4 seater (get UberBlack if you need 7 seater ones). Uber more popular in HCMC, price usually 40-50% cheaper than normal taxi flagged on roads. Uber is also cheaper than Grab in HCMC. Unlike SG, odd hours like early morning harder to get uber as still not many on roads yet, so still have to rely on booking normal cabs. Uber cars all very new, their requirements very high standard, only cars 5 yrs and below can qualify (upon inspection of car condition).
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For Vung Tau, any recommended hotel, good location and not too exp one?
Planning to go Long Hai beach and Binh Chau hotspring, which are nearby. Any other nearby places worth visiting? Any recommended food outlets? Thanks bro!
Planning to go Long Hai beach and Binh Chau hotspring, which are nearby. Any other nearby places worth visiting? Any recommended food outlets? Thanks bro!
imbecilelight
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Anyone just changed SGD to VND? What's the current exchange rate in HCMC?
password can be obtained or reset by texting MK to 333.
if your web account is working now, you can use sms online at vina's homepage.
there are 2 radio buttons at the bottom: ban tim mien phi and ban tin tra tien. mien phi means free and sounds similar to cantonese. tien means money. make sure you select tien because if no deduction is made, the validity wont be extended. then send sms to yourself or some unsuspecting vn friend every 60 days!
using reload scratch cards works too. using this method you need to reload every 90 days (60 days active + 30 days grace)
they do have GrabCar and Uber in VN
safety? -> I guess just like Spore, it may still be unsafe, there's a possibility, but generally it's safe, at least most of the times, you just make your own judgment whether to go or not...
cheaper? -> GrabCar and Uber are supposedly cheaper than normal taxis, but things can change
for GrabCar, you can see the price before you book (if you like the price, then you book)
for Uber, you can see an "estimated" price as it would also depend on the actual distance + time travelled, there may also be "surge pricing" when in high demand (e.g. rain)
for GrabTaxi, it's just normal taxi, usually Mai Linh Taxi but maybe can see other brands as well (but never Vinasun which is "at war" with GrabTaxi) -> for me, I don't see any benefits in using GrabTaxi, as you can easily flag a Vinasun or Mai Linh on the street, so why need GrabTaxi anyway?
(unlike in Spore where it's much harder to flag a taxi like that)
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micromousez
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16130 @ arcade yesterday
Last weekend, at hcm airport is 1.59xxx
At local goldsmith shops (not ben thanh) is 1610000 to 1620000.
password can be obtained or reset by texting MK to 333.
there are 2 radio buttons at the bottom: ban tim mien phi and ban tin tra tien. mien phi means free and sounds similar to cantonese. tien means money. make sure you select tien because if no deduction is made, the validity wont be extended. then send sms to yourself or some unsuspecting vn friend every 60 days!
using reload scratch cards works too. using this method you need to reload every 90 days (60 days active + 30 days grace)
Because the registration is not done properly, so even if I send MK to 333 also no use. So the app registration is not reliable at all.
I didnt activate the roaming. Now then I decided maybe I will need it. But no way to activate over the web or app.
Thanks for explaining the part on web SMS. I was wondering if sending web SMS would allow my number to be extended.
When I came back, used Google to translate the web page，found that I could actually use D5 plan for 1 gb data instead, instead of D7 1.2gb. 2k dong cheaper. ha ha.. I used it mainly for map since I need the navigation when I ride motor bike. I used less than 200mb everyday.
registration only allows to you to fill in your personal particulars. when you are still connected to vinaphone's network, login to app is automatic and doesnt require a password. perhaps this is why you were not aware of the need of a password.
sending a sms from web is way better than sending a roaming sms. the former doesnt require roaming to be activated, costs a mere 220 dong and can be deducted from bonus balance which is pretty useless and cannot be used for data. the latter eats into your main balance and if performed in singapore costs 7000 dong each.
d5 didnt work for me and i had to subscribe to d7. maybe my card was very old and d5 is open to newer cards only. do try d5 first and see if it works for you.
to activate roaming you need to have a min balance of 100k dong. to reload from singapore you need to use ussd and roaming needs to be activated. but i heard if you dont meet the min balance requirement, you could call customer service to temporarily enable roaming for you. short code sms doesnt work over roaming so you cannot obtain password this way.
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Rate here not as good, I rather change at Ben Thanh, as I change few K, so difference is substantial. Anyway, after each trip, I keep about VND8m to 10m for next. I go often as visiting ILs.
imbecilelight
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Seems like not much of a difference between changing in Singapore and in HCMC.
Always thought changing in HCMC will get far better rate.
Thanks grapewall and micromousez!
invisible999
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Flights to Hanoi and Saigon
Vietnam Airlines currently has promo of direct flights from Singapore to Hanoi and back - $235 in Economy.
For some people here it might sound too expensive, but consider that it is direct, non-stop 4h flight (flight from Singapore to Saigon is shorter than from Saigon to Hanoi) and it is full service airline with food/snack and 25kg luggage allowance. The only other alternative with non-stop flight currently is with SilkAir/SQ and they want... $800 for return flight for the same days. No joke.
As for flying to Saigon, if you depart and come back to Johor, instead of Singapore, you can save a lot with flight on AirAsia which has non-stop JHB-SGN flight. And contrary to JetStar promos which you need to snap within 1h of announcement, those flight are running on a average price of MYR 240 return, or SGD $80. The only disadvantage is that flight leaves on 7:25AM from Johor, so you need to think about transportation.
Vietnam Airlines currently has promo of direct flights from Singapore to Hanoi and back - $235 in Economy.
For some people here it might sound too expensive, but consider that it is direct, non-stop 4h flight (flight from Singapore to Saigon is shorter than from Saigon to Hanoi) and it is full service airline with food/snack and 25kg luggage allowance. The only other alternative with non-stop flight currently is with SilkAir/SQ and they want... $800 for return flight for the same days. No joke.
As for flying to Saigon, if you depart and come back to Johor, instead of Singapore, you can save a lot with flight on AirAsia which has non-stop JHB-SGN flight. And contrary to JetStar promos which you need to snap within 1h of announcement, those flight are running on a average price of MYR 240 return, or SGD $80. The only disadvantage is that flight leaves on 7:25AM from Johor, so you need to think about transportation.
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