Trip report April / September 2025 – Da Nang & beyond – Research if an elderly gay retiree can live comfortably in Da Nang, Vietnam

[Travelingguy]

2 hours ago, vinapu said:

even Conan the Barbarian would be welcomed as bringing hope

Would far prefer to deal with Conan than the Khmer Rouge.

[Travelingguy]

How is the Welcome Wagon group in Pattaya?  I understand that it is not gay, per se, but as long as it is not homophobic, I think that it could be quite useful.  I also think that having non-gay expat friends (both male and female) could be less complicated.  This would be true in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. 

[tm_nyc]

Thank you @bkkmfj2648 for the excellent posts.  I paid a brief visit to Da Nang last November & really liked it.

Odds & ends:

Nha Viet Banh Mi & Coffee on Ha Chuong, the side street near the Monarque Hotel, is a popular banh mi place which I liked.

For a culture fix, the Museum of Cham Sculpture, across the river near the end of the Dragon Bridge:

https://vinpearl.com/en/museum-of-cham-sculpture-2025-tips-for-visiting-and-more

I tried the T Ten Massage Studio, one of the few male-male massage shops in Da Nang.  It was a small shop on a residential street. There was only one very average looking masseur available, the massage he did was decent but no more than that.

[jason1975]

@bkkmfj2648 glad that you are settling down nicely in Danang. you went at right time to experience the 50th anniversary of Reunification. My regular guy kept sending me videos of celebrations in Vietnam. He's very proud of his country. Thank you for your wonderfully detailed trip reports!

[bkkmfj2648]

Day 6 in Da Nang – 29 April 2025

 

Eat breakfast at home and hang out in my condo during the morning because at 2pm I will attend the Social Samy meet-up at 2pm.

at the  Aussie Bistro

https://www.facebook.com/people/Aussie-Bistro/61565831309808/

The Aussie Bistro is a popular sports bar that is frequented by the local expat community.  It is quite large, has big TVs to watch the games, and a big pool table.

In attendance, we are about 10 people, all foreigners, except for Samy’s wife, who is Vietnamese.  Each person orders his/her drink and/or food – I order a watermelon drink with a cheeseburger with egg to eat.

It is an enjoyable meeting where the focus is to mainly discuss where to find what each person was querying about in Da Nang and to get to know each other.  Some people were from Australia, USA, and Europe.  Also, a big topic of conversation was the recently increasing prices for rentals – as Da Nang is gaining as an expat destination, due to all of the positive press that Da Nang is receiving from the many YouTuber bloggers that are here promoting Da Nang.

To date, I have seen 5 distinct YouTube bloggers just walking around in my My An / My Khe neighborhood.

Around 4:30pm I leave and I grab a take-away salt coffee (yes I am addicted) and go back to my room for a nap – what else do retirees do all day?  Hahahaha

Later in the evening I return to my favorite BBQ restaurant,  and there is another concert already underway as part of the ongoing 50 year National Reunification celebrations.  So, I got to enjoy good food and good music.

While eating I have a very LONG chat with one of my Thai friends back in Pattaya about the break up with my ex-Thai boyfriend.  These chats are good for me from a healing point of view.  I can vent my frustrations and disappointments with someone who knows my ex very well.

Afterwards, I take a walk along the beach promenade and I see that the bars are full of patrons drinking – as Da Nang is now very full of people for the long 5 day weekend.

Back to my room and I call it a night.

 

End of day 6 in Da Nang – 29 April 2025

 

[bkkmfj2648]

8 hours ago, Travelingguy said:

How is the Welcome Wagon group in Pattaya?  

One of my favorite heterosexual YouTube bloggers in Pattaya is Trevor from Buzzin Pattaya - and he and his organization, they organize "Bar Crawls" which act as a "Welcome Wagon".    

https://buzzinpattaya.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/discover/buzzin-pattaya-pub-crawl

I have personally met Trevor when he started his YouTube video series, "I can't Get it Up So What Can I Do?".  Trevor is a great down to earth personable guy.

 

It would be really nice if we had a "Welcome Wagon" equivalent in Pattaya / Jomtien for us gays.

 

 

[vinapu]

14 minutes ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Back to my room and I call it a night.

 

End of day 6 in Da Nang – 29 April 2025

 

still alone, sigh

[bkkmfj2648]

2 minutes ago, vinapu said:

still alone, sigh

yes, unfortunately.

Matters of the heart take time to heal.

The last time that I brought a guy into my bed here, I started to cry and the same was also occurring back in Pattaya.

It is quite embarrassing for me to have to explain why tears start to flow out of my eyes when I start to be intimate with someone who does not even know me.

So, I prefer to go it alone, to avoid that embarrassment, until I feel that my heart is in a better condition.

How long?  I do not know.  Is there a pill to speed up the broken heart process?

 

[floridarob]

1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Is there a pill to speed up the broken heart process?

Distance, time  and something/someone to keep your mind/body occupied ....

[khaolakguy]

17 hours ago, vinapu said:

possibly but can be seen in the movie they play driving you to Chuong Ek Killing Fields if you take a tour, hardly piece of Khmer Rouge propaganda.

Unpopularity of  Lon Nol regime at that  time can't be discounted and even Conan the Barbarian would be welcomed as bringing hope. 

 

With apologies to bkkmfj2648 for the diversion to Cambodian History. 

The confusion over the welcome that the Khmer Rouge received on entry to Phnom Penh was created by:

 

Quote

As the Khmer Rouge entered the capital, a small group of soldiers and armed students, styled as the MONATIO and led by Hem Keth Dara, began driving around the city welcoming the arrival of the Khmer Rouge. MONATIO was apparently a creation of Lon Non, in an attempt to share power with the Khmer Rouge. Initially tolerated by the Khmer Rouge, MONATIO members were later rounded up and executed

 

Some residents thought this group were the Khmer Rouge and that they were more benevolent than expected.

This whole period is covered in an excellent film, The Killing Fields, that was shot in Thailand.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Phnom_Penh

[Raposa]

15 hours ago, tm_nyc said:

For a culture fix, the Museum of Cham Sculpture, across the river near the end of the Dragon Bridge:

https://vinpearl.com/en/museum-of-cham-sculpture-2025-tips-for-visiting-and-more

 

Excellent suggestion! @bkkmfj2648 please try to visit and only if you feel like it, report back your impressions. Most people don’t know it, but southern Vietnam was once the kingdom of Champa. A Hindu kingdom with a culture similar to that of the rest of south east Asia. They were conquered by and forcibly assimilated by the Dai Viet into a sinisised state. Those people who retained the Cham identity largely converted to Islam and went to live in other countries such as Cambodia and Thailand.

Jim Thompson made his slik business on the silk weavers of the Cham people in Bangkok.

[bkkmfj2648]

Day 7 in Da Nang – 30 April 2025

 

Wake up to the 50^th anniversary of the NATIONAL REUNIFICATION DAY (1975 – 2025).  The vast majority of the Vietnamese citizens are dressed in the national flag t-shirts – especially at my An Food breakfast place.

 

Above generic photo from the internet – I regret that I did not take some photos at breakfast – they

were all dressed like in the above photo but without the salute.  It was truly beautiful and patriotic.

I eat my usual Bò né yummy breakfast with my usual salt coffee.

Today is the BIG day that I go to make merit to my mom, as today would have been her 80^th birthday.  So, I look in front of my condo for the guy that I rented a motorbike from last year – but there is now a construction site where he was located 1 year ago.  I see someone that looks like him descending into the hotel garage and I wait to see if he would come out.  He did and I introduced myself and he remembered me.  So, I rented a nice red Honda Vision 110CC automatic scooter from him for 150,000 VND (around 5.80 USD) per day for 3 days (as I still need to decide what I shall do in day 4).  He wanted to keep my passport and I told him no, and we instead agreed that he could keep my Thai car driving license in lieu of my passport.  In this way, I can keep my passport and drive with my Thai motorbike driving license accompanied with my IDP (International Driving Permit) issued by ITA, where the signatories agreed to the 1968 Vienna Convention of Road Traffic – which is valid here in Vietnam.  The version of the IDP that I have is valid for 3 years.

My International Driving Permit (IDP)

I had to wait quite a while to obtain my motorbike and when it arrived, I understood why – one of his cute Vietnamese assistants had just finished washing it so it looked spanking new.  He fits me to a Vietnamese helmet – these are midget helmets when compared to their Thailand counterparts – but we are not allowed to drive more than 40km/h here in Vietnam – which is strictly enforced and 99.8% of the population wears a helmet – so I am much more relaxed about driving here in Vietnam than I am back in Thailand, where the Thais drive at any speed they choose and without helmets.

My freedom motorbike

Of course, at that price, the gas tank is empty and I go and fill it up for 80,000 VND (around 4.85 USD).

My riding itinerary for today

As it is 12noon when I depart, it is super hot and my head is boiling.  The journey out of the city limits is uneventful but the traffic is intense due to the 5 day holiday.  I arrive at the Lady Buddha, where I hire a photographer to take my picture with the Lady Buddha in the background and me holding a picture of my mother and I, as well as her funeral rites card.

If you have never visited the Lady Buddha and Linh Ung Pagoda grounds – they are well worth it.  The grounds are enormous, with many temples to visit, beautiful landscaping, and amazing views of the Da Nang city skyline.

https://ahoyvietnam.com/lady-buddha-da-nang/

 

This YouTube video is more or less what I experienced today

After the photo process was completed, I walked to the back of the grounds so that I could be alone and pray to my mother and make merit to her – as part of the reason as to why I could retire early is that she left me a small inheritance.  Before she died, she implored that I protect her assets to respect her wishes – so when the Thai government decided in 2023 (effective for the 2024 tax year) to start to tax us tax residents of Thailand when we transfer funds into Thailand – this is the primary reason that I decided to implement a tax minimalization plan to allow me to honor my pledge to my mother before she died – as it was not foreseen when she died in 2021 during covid, that the Thai government would change its tax regime.

Hence why I am in Vietnam – so I was proud to tell my mother that I am still doing everything in my power to honor her last wishes.

After about 1.5 hours here I decide to continue up the mountain coastal road to where the road ends at the InterContinental resort.  There are great views here and even wild monkeys running around.

View of Da Nang looking back from the hills of Son Tra

Actually, the road does continue, but only for more powerful motorbikes that are not automatic – there is a security guard there to block the road – as it is too steep for automatic scooters and motorbikes.

Maybe I can find a butch macho Vietnamese guy to take me beyond - so that I can see the very end of the Son Tra peninsula one day. 🤞🤩

I head back to the city and park my motorbike at my condo and then I walk over to  to eat my dinner, which was a plate of delicious rice, beans, and sausage.

 

Before returning back to the condo, I stop at the  bakery to pick up 2 desserts:

  

Melon cake and Tiramisu

I peruse the internet and munch on my melon cake and then call it a night. 

Today is the first day that I am starting to get out of my heartbreak funk – as today was dedicated to my wonderful mother.

 

End of day 7 in Da Nang – 30 April 2025

 

[vinapu]

19 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

 

Is there a pill to speed up the broken heart process?

 

Yes, it's in liquid form and its called 'gin'

[bkkmfj2648]

Day 8 in Da Nang – 1 May 2025

 

Before going to have my usual late Bò né breakfast place, I am chatting in the apps and I book a 2 hands massage with Shjn from Grindr at 3:30pm.

I can eat these Bò né everyday without getting bored - like Vinapu with Chicken with Cashews

 

After breakfast, I take a walk on the beach promenade and I see this perfect sales truck that would be great for @Olddaddy to open a beach side business here in Da Nang.  He does not even need to change the name of the business.  What do you all think?

Business opportunity for our @Olddaddy ?? 🤔 🤑

 

Shjn (the massage guy) and I, we later on move our conversation from Grindr over to Zalo, and I give him the address of my condo and we meet in the lobby.  He looks more or less like his Grindr profile picture, which is good. We enter my condo and he drinks some water and we chit chat for 5 minutes.  He really likes my 33^rd floor view and he is updating his social media from my balcony.  I get naked and he massages me only in his underwear.  His massage is very good – perfect medium strength with nice kneading stroking movements.  When I turn over, he takes off his underwear and he is now completely naked.  Unfortunately, his attributes were not very appealing, so I just closed my eyes and let him perform the 30-minute slow edging session that I pre-negotiated.  I caressed his nice body and nipples.  I have to stop him 3 times – as us edgers – we don’t like fast orgasms.  Moment arrives and all is blasting everywhere – it has been too many days without an orgasm like this.  I think that all went well because this is the first time in like 1 month where I did not cry in silence due to the break-up with my ex Thai boyfriend.  Hopefully, this is a sign of more good fun to cum…

He cleans up and leaves.  I shower and as it is now 5:15 pm, I jump on my motorbike to go up the mountain coastal road – as I want to try to catch the sunset.  Unlike Jomtien, the sun sets behind the city – as opposed over the sea – as the East Sea (aka South China Sea – but NEVER say this in Vietnam – as you will be chastised) is facing east and the sun sets in the west.

As we are still in the 5 day long weekend holiday of the 50 year National Reunification celebrations, the beach road is literally blocked.  It is like a mass pandemonium – as everyone is trying to find parking and run onto the beach sand or into the sea.  It is like this for 5km, until I get to where the city limits end and the road narrows and starts to go up into the mountain.  It was very stressful driving – but in slow motion – as it is quasi gridlock.  I read in the local news that local Da Nang hotels are close to 90% occupancy for this 5 day weekend – amazing.

Shjn and I, we move our conversation from Grindr over to Zalo, and I give him the address of my condo and we meet in the lobby.  He looks more or less like his Grindr profile picture, which is good. We enter my condo and he drinks some water and we chit chat for 5 minutes.  He really likes my 33^rd floor view and he is updating his social media from my balcony.  I get naked and he massages me only in his underwear.  His massage is very good – perfect medium strength with nice kneading stroking movements.  When I turn over, he takes off his underwear and he is now completely naked.  Unfortunately, his attributes were not very appealing, so I just closed my eyes and let him perform the 30-minute slow edging session that I pre-negotiated.  I caressed his nice body and nipples.  I have to stop him 3 times – as us edgers – we don’t like fast orgasms.  Moment arrives and all is blasting everywhere – it has been too many days without an orgasm like this.  I think that all went well because this is the first time in like 1 month where I did not cry in silence due to the break-up with my ex Thai boyfriend.  Hopefully, this is a sign of more good fun to cum…

He cleans up and leaves.  I shower and as it is now 5:15 pm, I jump on my motorbike to go up the mountain coastal road – as I want to try to catch the sunset.  Unlike Jomtien, the sun sets behind the city – as opposed over the sea – as the East Sea (aka South China Sea – but NEVER say this in Vietnam – as you will be chastised) is facing east and the sun sets in the west.

As we are still in the 5 day long weekend holiday of the 50 year National Reunification celebrations, the beach road is literally blocked.  It is like a mass pandemonium – as everyone is trying to find parking and run onto the beach sand or into the sea.  It is like this for 5km, until I get to where the city limits end and the road narrows and starts to go up into the mountain.  It was very stressful driving – but in slow motion – as it is quasi gridlock.  I read in the local news that local Da Nang hotels are close to 90% occupancy for this 5 day weekend – amazing.

At the overlook point that I had in mind, it is already packed – but there is still enough room to park my motorbike and I start to take some pictures and some selfies, when this young Russian guy, Nikita offers to take my pictures.  Nikita is cute in a kind of Russian way.  He tells me that he is able to sustain himself in Da Nang on only $1,020 USD per month – I am impressed.

Sunset from Son Tra mountain coastal road – too many clouds made the sunset hazy

Nikita is super friendly and he is alone here in Da Nang.  He is madly in love with his girlfriend (he shows me some pictures of her – and she is absolutely beautiful) but she only wants a friendship with him.  We talk for quite a while, but it is getting dark and I want to get back into the city, as I don’t feel comfortable driving in the dark mountain roads with my motorbike.

I forgot to mention in yesterday’s trip report update, that while I was at the Lady Buddha temple grounds – I was trying to take some selfies of the city view when this very sexy young  Italian guy from Verona, who asked me to take his pictures – which I did – but only if he reciprocated the favor.  I had a strong feeling that this guy was a possible “friend of Dorothy” (i.e., gay), but he was with a tour group and when him and I were becoming super friendly, his tour guide called him away from me.  Also, I was pretty much focused on my mother’s birthday yesterday – so I was not in the right frame of mind for some fast cruising.

I head back to the city and the pandemonium is still underway – but now in the reverse with a gazillion people trying to leave the beach and randomly crossing the 6 lane beach road (3 lanes each way) to get back to their cars, hotels, or over to the other side of the Han River into the proper Da Nang city center.  I manage to get the motorbike back to my condo but my nerves are frazzled and I head over to my favorite place for dinner,   and I order my favorite dish, the Houston Platter, with an ice cold Saigon beer.

Afterwards back to my room and after about 1 hour I am already sleeping.

 

End of day 8 in Da Nang – 1 May 2025

 

[floridarob]

1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

  I get naked and he massages me only in his underwear

I was thinking you were using his underwear.....new kink?

 

 

1 hour ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Shjn (the massage guy) and I, we later on move our conversation from Grindr over to Zalo, and I give him the address of my condo and we meet in the lobby.  He looks more or less like his Grindr profile picture, which is good. We enter my condo and he drinks some water and we chit chat for 5 minutes.  He really likes my 33^rd floor view and he is updating his social media from my balcony.  I get naked and he massages me only in his underwear.  His massage is very good – perfect medium strength with nice kneading stroking movements.  When I turn over, he takes off his underwear and he is now completely naked.  Unfortunately, his attributes were not very appealing, so I just closed my eyes and let him perform the 30-minute slow edging session that I pre-negotiated.  I caressed his nice body and nipples.  I have to stop him 3 times – as us edgers – we don’t like fast orgasms.  Moment arrives and all is blasting everywhere – it has been too many days without an orgasm like this.  I think that all went well because this is the first time in like 1 month where I did not cry in silence due to the break-up with my ex Thai boyfriend.  Hopefully, this is a sign of more good fun to cum…

He cleans up and leaves.  I shower and as it is now 5:15 pm, I jump on my motorbike to go up the mountain coastal road – as I want to try to catch the sunset.  Unlike Jomtien, the sun sets behind the city – as opposed over the sea – as the East Sea (aka South China Sea – but NEVER say this in Vietnam – as you will be chastised) is facing east and the sun sets in the west.

As we are still in the 5 day long weekend holiday of the 50 year National Reunification celebrations, the beach road is literally blocked.  It is like a mass pandemonium – as everyone is trying to find parking and run onto the beach sand or into the sea.  It is like this for 5km, until I get to where the city limits end and the road narrows and starts to go up into the mountain.  It was very stressful driving – but in slow motion – as it is quasi gridlock.  I read in the local news that local Da Nang hotels are close to 90% occupancy for this 5 day weekend – amazing.

Shjn and I, we move our conversation from Grindr over to Zalo, and I give him the address of my condo and we meet in the lobby.  He looks more or less like his Grindr profile picture, which is good. We enter my condo and he drinks some water and we chit chat for 5 minutes.  He really likes my 33^rd floor view and he is updating his social media from my balcony.  I get naked and he massages me only in his underwear.  His massage is very good – perfect medium strength with nice kneading stroking movements.  When I turn over, he takes off his underwear and he is now completely naked.  Unfortunately, his attributes were not very appealing, so I just closed my eyes and let him perform the 30-minute slow edging session that I pre-negotiated.  I caressed his nice body and nipples.  I have to stop him 3 times – as us edgers – we don’t like fast orgasms.  Moment arrives and all is blasting everywhere – it has been too many days without an orgasm like this.  I think that all went well because this is the first time in like 1 month where I did not cry in silence due to the break-up with my ex Thai boyfriend.  Hopefully, this is a sign of more good fun to cum…

I got deja vu .....scrolled back up to see if I was losing it 😆

[bkkmfj2648]

14 minutes ago, floridarob said:

I got deja vu .....scrolled back up  to see if I was losing it

Damn - the edit button is already expired, so I canno fix the duplication of text.

Not sure how that happened.

 

Anyone here in this forum know why there is this rule that we cannot edit our own posts after 15 minutes?

It is very annoying....

[Keithambrose]

On 5/1/2025 at 3:07 AM, bkkmfj2648 said:

Day 6 in Da Nang – 29 April 2025

 

Eat breakfast at home and hang out in my condo during the morning because at 2pm I will attend the Social Samy meet-up at 2pm.

at the  Aussie Bistro

https://www.facebook.com/people/Aussie-Bistro/61565831309808/

The Aussie Bistro is a popular sports bar that is frequented by the local expat community.  It is quite large, has big TVs to watch the games, and a big pool table.

In attendance, we are about 10 people, all foreigners, except for Samy’s wife, who is Vietnamese.  Each person orders his/her drink and/or food – I order a watermelon drink with a cheeseburger with egg to eat.

It is an enjoyable meeting where the focus is to mainly discuss where to find what each person was querying about in Da Nang and to get to know each other.  Some people were from Australia, USA, and Europe.  Also, a big topic of conversation was the recently increasing prices for rentals – as Da Nang is gaining as an expat destination, due to all of the positive press that Da Nang is receiving from the many YouTuber bloggers that are here promoting Da Nang.

To date, I have seen 5 distinct YouTube bloggers just walking around in my My An / My Khe neighborhood.

Around 4:30pm I leave and I grab a take-away salt coffee (yes I am addicted) and go back to my room for a nap – what else do retirees do all day?  Hahahaha

Later in the evening I return to my favorite BBQ restaurant,  and there is another concert already underway as part of the ongoing 50 year National Reunification celebrations.  So, I got to enjoy good food and good music.

While eating I have a very LONG chat with one of my Thai friends back in Pattaya about the break up with my ex-Thai boyfriend.  These chats are good for me from a healing point of view.  I can vent my frustrations and disappointments with someone who knows my ex very well.

Afterwards, I take a walk along the beach promenade and I see that the bars are full of patrons drinking – as Da Nang is now very full of people for the long 5 day weekend.

Back to my room and I call it a night.

 

End of day 6 in Da Nang – 29 April 2025

 

Is that good food?

[vinapu]

10 hours ago, bkkmfj2648 said:

Anyone here in this forum know why there is this rule that we cannot edit our own posts after 15 minutes?

 

my guess will be because it's 1/4 of an hour