Vietnam

[dede1217]

Go there and change. If you worry about changing at the goldsmith shop, you can try those money changer with bank. I usually change mine at Eximbank money changer at the right corner along Dong Khoi street with one of the small lane.

dong khoi is around japanese area ...
there have few stores that u can change ur currencies ...

was thinking why not change in singapore
save the trouble going there to search for which store gives the best rate ...
u wont enjoy the process ...
holiday is to relax and enjoy, not to hunt for shop just to change ur currency ...

 

[MrTheROCK]

If scare, just change at hcm airport, rate still better than the arcade

Sent from the rock using GAGT

 

[rayban]

haha me change in local bank ...

why no change at goldsmith shop? scare rob?

 

[rayban]

If scare, just change at hcm airport, rate still better than the arcade

Sent from the rock using GAGT

i know rate better at hcm , but i going in 2 weeks time, scare by then rate drop liao might as well change some since now rate good

 

[MrTheROCK]

i know rate better at hcm , but i going in 2 weeks time, scare by then rate drop liao might as well change some since now rate good

That's why u can hedge against sgd $ weakening by exchanging to usd first. Becos vnd is peg to usd. Then when u r at hcm, u can use the usd to exchange to dong at airport or bt Goldsmith shops. Exchange dong at the arcade really lose out alot.

Sent from the rock using GAGT

 

[kitkat2]

saying that using vnd is better than usd in vietnam for us ...
cox usd price would be more expensive, if convert to sgd ...
tats my experience in hcm for 4 times

not always. major businesses in vn like hotels and travel agents, set their prices in usd protect themselves from dong devaluation. dong devaluation was a common practice in the past but hasnt happened for last many years.

whether it's better to pay in dong or usd depends on the exchange rate used. always ask for quotes in both vnd and usd and determine for yourself.

i was in hanoi once and the hotel quoted me usd15. the official exchange rate was 22300 dong per usd. when i asked to pay in vnd, i was quoted vnd 345,000.

 

[dede1217]

not always. major businesses in vn like hotels and travel agents, set their prices in usd protect themselves from dong devaluation. dong devaluation was a common practice in the past but hasnt happened for last many years.

whether it's better to pay in dong or usd depends on the exchange rate used. always ask for quotes in both vnd and usd and determine for yourself.

i was in hanoi once and the hotel quoted me usd15. the official exchange rate was 22300 dong per usd. when i asked to pay in vnd, i was quoted vnd 345,000.

so far hcm better to use in vnd ...
have checked prices for restaurants and several shops ...
maybe hcm and hanoi practice different ?

 

[koala2004]

got meh? goldsmith give me in 500K one

Ya where got 10K, all give 100k or 500k....I change at BT goldsmith so many times, never see 10k notes before.

 

[mlam84]

I don't think they will give you 10K note, need one thick stack for $100. I was given 500K, 200K before.

 

[dede1217]

Ya where got 10K, all give 100k or 500k....I change at BT goldsmith so many times, never see 10k notes before.

Lol I changed at some random store along the street lol ...
some currency exchange store
they also gave us one stack of 500 note ...

 

[koala2004]

Lol I changed at some random store along the street lol ...
some currency exchange store
they also gave us one stack of 500 note ...

Walau...500 how to dispose...1K I already find it hard to use liao...only once got 500 or 200 from hypermart as loose change which I just throw away, totally waste paper to me.

 

[MrTheROCK]

Lol I changed at some random store along the street lol ...
some currency exchange store
they also gave us one stack of 500 note ...

I think they wanna scam u, that's why give you many D10K! They so bad

Sent from the rock using GAGT

 

[rayban]

Walau...500 how to dispose...1K I already find it hard to use liao...only once got 500 or 200 from hypermart as loose change which I just throw away, totally waste paper to me.

500 - 200 rare liao haha, give 10k tip also too little

 

[Alpaca]

Walau...500 how to dispose...1K I already find it hard to use liao...only once got 500 or 200 from hypermart as loose change which I just throw away, totally waste paper to me.

Wa you throw away ? I usually give those spare as additional tips

 

[rayban]

Wa you throw away ? I usually give those spare as additional tips

you give that as tip you later kana chao kan

 

[mlam84]

some supermarket used to give sweet instead of 200 or 500 dong for change. Then people complained and they were obliged to give those small change.

 

[koala2004]

you give that as tip you later kana chao kan

Ya lor...too little lah, vn people not so cheapo leh...don't insult them. Hotel tips usually 50K, massage 100k.

 

[koala2004]

some supermarket used to give sweet instead of 200 or 500 dong for change. Then people complained and they were obliged to give those small change.

LOL...didn't know got such thing in the past..wife never tell me.

 

[dede1217]

I think they wanna scam u, that's why give you many D10K! They so bad

Sent from the rock using GAGT

haha tat was last time few years back when went hcm for the 1st time ...
now is my 5th time going there soon lol ...
already know what to do there lol...
relax relax relax lol ...

not much shopping unlike in bangkok lol ...
hotel there even 4* sometimes also have difficulties understanding english.

 

[dede1217]

Rooms in hcm , normally they "upsize" their room size...
so that people would believe their room is big, and would book with them

For example, a hotel with room size 35m2, may turns out to be just 25m2.
so better to book hotel with bigger room size...

If your hotel room is 21m2, then most probably your actual room size is about 14m2 to 16m2, which is abt 5m x 3m with a toilet inside ...

tat is common pratice in most hotels.
my guess would be at least 90% of hotels in hcm does that ...

Even for 4* hotels that have stayed before, their room size claimed to be 28m2. however, having stayed at such room size, definitely feel the room to be about only 24m2 ...