Vietnam

[Henabi]

Anyone went vietnam for dental treatment? Heard is substantially cheaper over there.

What kind of treatment? Yes it is relatively cheaper for most dental services

 

[awhw]

Anyone went vietnam for dental treatment? Heard is substantially cheaper over there.

I have relatives who went there for major treatment (implant, crowning, etc). Alot of people does that as well, especially those who can live there for extended period (3, 4 or more weeks). I've only done cleaning/scaling before (about 3 years ago). I can't remember the price, but it was really cheap (maybe around $20).

 

[paladin]

There are good dentists around Ben thanh market. But I think it’s more worth it if you do expensive things like crowns or extraction. Scaling and polishing can reimburse from company and not worth to take vacation leave to go dental cleaning unless you have nothing to do.

 

[camelnut]

Hi all. Any recommendation for sleeper bus from hanoi to sapa?

 

[bendi85]

guys do u use credit card for payment at hcm? Is it easily acceptable at most places?

 

[Henabi]

guys do u use credit card for payment at hcm? Is it easily acceptable at most places?

Yes, as long as they have the machine

 

[paladin]

guys do u use credit card for payment at hcm? Is it easily acceptable at most places?

Hotels, restaurants and shops at malls have the machine
boutique shops, not all of them have the machine, can email/Instagram message to check if it’s a significant sum, like tailoring a suit
hawkers don’t have them, this applies to the regular banh mi and pho joints.
Grab can accept credit card at HCM now.

just to add, my wife can spend 8-10 million vnd at any single boutique shop that she likes, and some do not have the machine, so carry lotsa of cash when you know you are going shopping at boutique shops in your itinerary , note HCM has a lot of such shops ( shopping streets) by Vietnamese and Korean designers and the prices are one third to one tenth the prices from big brands in Singapore, there were more than one occasion when both of us ran out of cash and had to return to hotel prematurely to take more cash. I can write a post on shopping streets in HCM next time…haha

 

[bendi85]

Hotels, restaurants and shops at malls have the machine
boutique shops, not all of them have the machine, can email/Instagram message to check if it’s a significant sum, like tailoring a suit
hawkers don’t have them, this applies to the regular banh mi and pho joints.
Grab can accept credit card at HCM now.

just to add, my wife can spend 8-10 million vnd at any single boutique shop that she likes, and some do not have the machine, so carry lotsa of cash when you know you are going shopping at boutique shops in your itinerary , note HCM has a lot of such shops ( shopping streets) by Vietnamese and Korean designers and the prices are one third to one tenth the prices from big brands in Singapore, there were more than one occasion when both of us ran out of cash and had to return to hotel prematurely to take more cash. I can write a post on shopping streets in HCM next time…haha

Hi what are the big malls with branded boutique in HCM? Is there any way we can draw cash in vietnam?

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

use revolut to withdraw from the local atms.
revolut can withdraw $350 without charges every month, if go past that then a small fee applies
revolut rates are as good as google rates/ben thanh market rates. some days are even higher. but weekend got extra 1% surcharge for transactions.
do note that local banks have a withdrawal limit of 2 to 3m per transaction and some banks have a 30k vnd transaction fee.
I have been using revolut for my grab rides/payment via CC. its a god send to me since i stay here long term

 

[Henabi]

Hi what are the big malls with branded boutique in HCM? Is there any way we can draw cash in vietnam?

malls with Branded boutiques as far as I know has three
1) is connected to Rex hotel hcmc, with stores like rolex, chanel, burberry
2) is Union Square with stores like YSL, Hermes
3) is Opera View Building with LV
These three are nearby and along the Nguyen Hue walking street

takashimaya hcmc on the other hand… carry more wider range of brands from common brands likes fila converse to kate spade, Furla, love moshino

to withdraw cash from ATM, just make sure your card has MASTERO/CIRRUS (for master credit/debit) or PLUS (for Visa credit debit) and you must activate your specific credit/debit card for overseas ATM withdrawal.

take note that overseas ATM charge a certain fee per withdrawal. Iirc in vn it is around 30K to 50K VND per withdrawal.
some banks charge less, some charge
The fee depends on the Vn banks

thats on the VN bank side, it doesn’t include service fees, admin fees and dcc fees imposed by local sinkie side

So, it is best to check with your own credit card and bank regarding overseas withdrawal and the relevant fees imposed for each withdrawal transaction and the amount limit per withdrawal

 

[Henabi]

use revolut to withdraw from the local atms.
revolut can withdraw $350 without charges every month, if go past that then a small fee applies
revolut rates are as good as google rates/ben thanh market rates. some days are even higher. but weekend got extra 1% surcharge for transactions.
do note that local banks have a withdrawal limit of 2 to 3m per transaction and some banks have a 30k vnd transaction fee.
I have been using revolut for my grab rides/payment via CC. its a god send to me since i stay here long term

Does your revolut withdrawal works with all vn banks?
From my recent vn trip to hanoi n hcmc, i have no issues with private vn banks such as ACB, MB BAnk, Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB), VP Bank

But even if the atm are from the above mentioned banks, I realised….
1) not all atms work
2) I was still charged atm withdrawal fee at TSN domestic airport around 55K vnd but forgot it was ACB or MB bank.
3) I tried the ATM at TSN international airport arrival hall, located at far right end… didn’t work.
Days later i needed to fly from hcmc to hanoi. I was able to withdraw from ACB and MB bank but there was a cap on the amount per transaction. I remember was 3mil

For other vietnam banks like Vietcombank, BIDV, Agribank, Vietinbank, Sacombank… it either don’t allow me to withdraw or the atm always say the chosen amount is above the withdrawal limit, even thou i chose the lowest possible which was 50K

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

Does your revolut withdrawal works with all vn banks?
From my recent vn trip to hanoi n hcmc, i have no issues with private vn banks such as ACB, MB BAnk, Saigon Commercial Bank (SCB), VP Bank



For other vietnam govt state owned banks like Vietcombank, BIDV, Agribank, Vietinbank, it either don’t allow me to withdraw or the atm always say the chosen amount is above the withdrawal limit.

Yes all banks in vn.
Provided the ATM accepts MasterCard.
I always use SCB, scaombank or bidv.
U must take note of the ATM withdrawal limit.
Local banks are either 2m to 3m per transaction
Oh and revolut has no admin fee if you are within the limit of your plan. Only have a 1percent on weekend.

 

[Henabi]

Thats good to know. Or maybe i am just suay XD

And since you stay there long term… why don’t get a local vn bank account? Won’t it be more convenient?

Before covid, i used to own a TIMO account and TIMO card and it was really more convenient for card transactions

 

[paladin]

Hi what are the big malls with branded boutique in HCM? Is there any way we can draw cash in vietnam?

Siam center
Vincom center
Union square
Diamond Plaza

 

[paladin]

use revolut to withdraw from the local atms.
revolut can withdraw $350 without charges every month, if go past that then a small fee applies
revolut rates are as good as google rates/ben thanh market rates. some days are even higher. but weekend got extra 1% surcharge for transactions.
do note that local banks have a withdrawal limit of 2 to 3m per transaction and some banks have a 30k vnd transaction fee.
I have been using revolut for my grab rides/payment via CC. its a god send to me since i stay here long term

some cards have 3-6% rebates for spending in foreign currency, up to cap of $20-25 rebate, can use for grab too. My trips in HCM, 95% only $2-5, the difference in rates is in cents.

However, yes, strongly encouraged to use digital wallet in VND for big purchases more than $300.

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

Thats good to know. Or maybe i am just suay XD

And since you stay there long term… why don’t get a local vn bank account? Won’t it be more convenient?

Before covid, i used to own a TIMO account and TIMO card and it was really more convenient for card transactions

I don't have a visa to get a local bank account.
So gotta use revolut for emergency.

 

[Dead Pirate Roberts]

some cards have 3-6% rebates for spending in foreign currency, up to cap of $20-25 rebate, can use for grab too. My trips in HCM, 95% only $2-5, the difference in rates is in cents.

However, yes, strongly encouraged to use digital wallet in VND for big purchases more than $300.

If Ur rebates out weights the FX rate then go ahead. For that I have no idea as I don't use any local Singapore cards here as the FX rates are bad. Way bad. Sometimes worst then MasterCard wholesale rates.
I just stick to revolut. Since rates are so much much better.

 

[bendi85]

Guys is gold jewellery cheaper in vietnam? Worth buying?

 

[paladin]

Guys is gold jewellery cheaper in vietnam? Worth buying?

Major question mark that you will be double taxed, ie taxed in Vietnam and taxed when you bring back because I can confirm gold jewellery is something x-ray machine can pick up easily.

Don’t think Vietnam export gold products, so I don’t think it will be cheaper. In additional, gold is denominated in USD, not VND, and SGD is strong.

 

[bendi85]

Major question mark that you will be double taxed, ie taxed in Vietnam and taxed when you bring back because I can confirm gold jewellery is something x-ray machine can pick up easily.

Don’t think Vietnam export gold products, so I don’t think it will be cheaper. In additional, gold is denominated in USD, not VND, and SGD is strong.

Maybe labour is cheaper in vietnam? If i wear it when coming back to sg, how the custom know where i bought it?