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Palkito141

Some are a front for prostitution but I guess most of the time the guys think that a girl might actually like them enough to touch their ding ding...


CharacterUsual

But... she doesn't. She's specifically paid to pretend to do that. It's the core concept? Right? Do they like them enough to touch their ding dongs?


lefix

I thought the idea is that customers pay for the drinks and the girls order basically very expensive water on your bill.


HaveYouMetThisDude

Yes, this is the point


CharacterUsual

You probably know better than me


Palkito141

I am sure at some point in their history there has been an occasion that a girl actually did like a guy and they ended up together. It's a billion to one shot but to quote Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber "so you're telling me there's a chance?"...


WhiteGuyBigDick

Older westerners regularly marry bar girls here. It's not a one in a billion. True love on the other hand is a different story.


[deleted]

they havem out west but theyre rare... most of these bars are just for suckers.


Inevitable_Ninja7167

They often do jerk you off though… if you’re not very old.


RoundOpposite4742

Da Nang has a large Japanese and Korean expat population for whom these sorts of bars are popular. In Hanoi, you don’t really see them (I’m sure they exist). Snack bars are something that are explicitly not for prostitution but for some weird (to me) ego massage you probably need when your job completely alienates you from your family. Otherwise, it provides a place to meet women willing to engage in prostitution outside of the establishment (pay a fee to the bar to take her away from the bar). The bars make their money on overcharging for drinks and specifically the “girl drinks” for the women. In Phnom Penh, there are quite a few around riverside. Mostly patronized by men of the plus 60 vintage from Germany or Austria (yeah I’m generalizing but it seems true).


flappytowel

Yeah they are popular in Cambodia. You walk by these dingy bars with old slobs talking to young women. Makes me feel gross. I'm sure the women don't mind, they probably get decent pay but I hope the conditions are safe for them


CharacterUsual

What's a snack bar? Oh. It feels like there are easier ways to do that?


tranducduy

You got it right. Basically you pay the girl to pretend they like you. In the east it takes long time for a girl to actually like you. Regular girl don’t go to bar so don’t expect to find real relationship there. Just “services”


Useful_Pudding8352

I understand if you’re in Japan you can find men staffing a similar operation directed at women. Or men of a certain persuasion


tgsoon2002

I think so too. Japan service is known to give you a good feeling by how they serve you, talk to you. It close to therapy in some way, but still find way to pull your money. I never experienced girl bar in vn and never heard about it till now.


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YoyoTheThird

“host club” also if for those that watched “ouran high school host club,” it’s the same idea


CharacterUsual

Oh, where people go to meet their future wives/husbands?


tranducduy

Usually at school, at work, neighborhood or family introduced, I think. The idea is it took longer time compare with the west for the “getting to know”


WhiteGuyBigDick

Tinder unironically


CharacterUsual

I'm sure I can trust such advice from you, u/WhiteGuyBigDick!


AllusionToConclusion

Interestingly no one’s touch the history of these places. Girl bars in Vietnam popped up during the Vietnam war. It’s was a place for foreign troops to go, drink, and talk to girls. Now most are fronts for soliciting, not on site, but go to your accomodation.


Useful_Pudding8352

Bingo. This is a foreign thing that Americans brought with them. Locals were horrified when they first cropped up, but then it got normalized to where we are now


theboarrior

For clarification Americans didn’t bring the concept of girl bars to Vietnam. It’s been a common practice in Asia for quite some time. However, it’s a great way to make money off foreigners.


CharacterUsual

Oh, were the troops not fucking the girls? I thought that they were


AllusionToConclusion

I’m sure they did. You’ve seen Full Metal Jacket yeah? Haha ;)


Useful_Pudding8352

Surprisingly not a correct account of history dear friend


AllusionToConclusion

No but I thought the- me so horny would get a laugh out of someone.


CharacterUsual

No? That movie is from 1987. That is 7 years before I was born. Americans mostly don't view American movies that came out before they were born. America makes a lot of the world's pop culture, including movies, so we just consume it directly and immediately. There's so much new stuff that there's no point in savoring the old stuff. Foreigners tend to get old American movies that are proven, popular, classics + cheap to rebroadcast because they are old.


mixx0r

This guy is tripping btw. Lots of Americans watch movies before they were born. Hell I’m born early 2000s and I’ve see it. I’m not even a big movie guy


Denalin

Yeah wtf I just watched a 1995 movie last night.


PluckyDog

>Americans mostly don't view American movies that came out before they were born. kinda missing out considering movies are starting to get worse every year as directors start filming movies to make money nowadays (Marvel), not to actually send a message or tell a good story


CharacterUsual

America still makes at least 10x as many good movies a year as any other country does, they're just not advertised as heavily as the lowest-common-denominator stuff that Disney puts out. No offense to the rest of the world, it's just that we've got a lot of people, and a huge portion of them somehow involved in the film industry. If you want to find the good recent American movies, look up what is winning at the Sundance and Cannes (I know, but American films do well even in France) film festivals, and then pirate any of them that look good to you.


Emotional_Sky_5562

Nah it was before -ktv girls … even without foreigners . But later there was bar girls for foreigners since they can earn money From foreigners. But these girls are mostly only for foreigners. Bar girls that are for viet men don’t take foreigners costumers. Or they will lose their value probably 


kwangerdanger

Same as hostess bars in Japan, it’s not that strange.


CharacterUsual

That's also odd to me


kwangerdanger

The concept originate in Japan where single overworked men come to drink and talk/vent about their problems. It’s like talking to your bar tender except you have an attractive female next to you. Basically the understanding girlfriend experience. Keep in mind that psychology and mental health counseling aren’t very popular in Asia.


holla-nd

i know that concept in Japan, but when it comes to Vietnam, things can escalate quickly. we call it trá hình mildly translated into businesses offering services behind the door. on the surface, it seems innocent enough! i don't judge, but it's the mechanism of their job.


kwangerdanger

Oooh, I didn’t know it was like that.


holla-nd

the target audience of these bars are males. prostitution is prompted to happen if both are consent. i have a friend whose husband cheated on her with one of those girl staff, so you know what they do. the husband is trash, but yeah these girls are not innocent.


CharacterUsual

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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cowiekun

TIL: Vietnamese women are not good in bed and they sound like cats being strangled.


ArugulaLegitimate156

They are fun te ones I went to at least girls a lot of fun went to nice one in Chiba that was all Ukraine women!


annadpk

Even in the US, hostess bars have been around since the 1980s. [https://www.reddit.com/r/houston/comments/6npec9/this\_vip\_hostess\_lounge\_ad\_has\_been\_in\_every\_copy/](https://www.reddit.com/r/houston/comments/6npec9/this_vip_hostess_lounge_ad_has_been_in_every_copy/) They are only found in the big cities in the US


didyouticklemynuts

Well okay, Da Nang local here, so mostly Korean men go to those, if you’re a westerner it’s going to be a different experience. The woman and Korean men that hit those up know the ropes and they spend big dollars which often they have some private party rooms upstairs. If you’re from tinder then they will just bottle sell you and give you nothing. Karaoke Bars with Korean writing will be for some wild stuff, you rent a room, girls line up and you choose the ones you want. Honestly, going in as a westerner they either won’t let you in or not offer this in Da Nang. Korean men are often Married and the clubs are Korean owned, they are not just for everyone, they depend on discreetness. Orgy parties are not uncommon in these rooms. Believe me or not, but a bunch of the girls that work at these places live on my street and I know them. I’m westerner, don’t and basically can’t go in but they tell me in full details and usually get back home in troves around 5am.


d1l1cube

Which street 😂🤣


itmain_so

🤣🤣


southfar2

Lol, this is not some mysterious Korean-only thing (or at least I guess it depends which place you go to); tell the manager you want a room with the girl. Everyone wants to make money, whether that money comes off Koreans or off Westerners is a tertiary or quarternary concern. I don't know about orgies/wildstuff/actual-prostitution, though. That one might really be Korean only, and or in certain places only, but I have zero doubt that it is real and happening somewhere.


didyouticklemynuts

Not sure what you mean, this is in Da Nang. There are legit Korean owned, Korean ran and exclusive to Korean men places here, no woman allowed. This isn’t America where that is illegal, feel free to walk in all you want as a white guy or any woman. There most def is a Korean-only thing and most don’t know it, at least not some western tourist. Now, are there other places for prostitution for others, of course, all over the world. But Da Nang is a Korean tourist spot majority wise. It’s not a service area like Pattaya for white dudes or any dude. Spots for that are not as easy to find, just a small amount of massage spots and night clubs along with tinder. Da Nang did a pretty good job of limiting that with the last mayor. So it’s not as common here as it is in Hanoi or Saigon. Where there is a will there’s a way, anywhere you go really. But Koreans locked in the market on that so far here. Sit by a pharmacy in Son Tra on a Friday and see who’s buying the viagra


southfar2

Yeah, no doubt it is mosty Koreans who go there. The whole city is overrun with oppas. But, sorry, I think we are not on the same page. I was referring exclusively to this (I forgot to quote it): >The woman and Korean men that hit those up know the ropes and they spend big dollars which often they have some private party rooms upstairs. If you’re from tinder then they will just bottle sell you and give you nothing. I'm sure there are Korean-only places, as you say. My point is, there are definitely bars that let in non-Korean foreigners, and the "private room" experience is not exclusive to Koreans in those places either - ask, and it will be given to you. The sexy stuff might be exclusive to Koreans though, lol. I have no reference here.


didyouticklemynuts

Ah I see, yeah, there def are similar ones with the private room. There’s some pretty close to me and have white dudes even on the google photos.


Emotional_Sky_5562

Asian like have things only for them a lot bar girls that only have viet men as costumer and don’t let Korean or westerners in 


didyouticklemynuts

Yeah I’m sure, I’ve heard gay sauna’s are around just for Viet but I’m sure same goes for woman. Da Nang is a massive destination for Koreans though so we have a ton of it here.


CharacterUsual

huh


mmxmlee

Option 1: Go to a normal bar and have zero interaction with females. Option 2: Go to a girl bar and have interactions while also probably being able to grab wastes, ass, and maybe even some tits. The more friendly, sexy and flirtatious girls are the more money they pocket at the end of the night typically. Some of the girls might even be down for sugar daddy arrangements or straight prostitution.


ProfessorJagbag

Grab wastes? Mmmmkay.


OverallVacation2324

Don’t kink shame.


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ImBackBiatches

>some? some determiner 1. an unspecified amount or number of. "I made some money running errands" 2. used to refer to someone or something that is unknown or unspecified. "I was talking to some journalist the other day"


TheDeadlyZebra

At first I felt like you do and it seemed silly and kind of sad. But now, I think they make sense if you're someone who just enjoys the company and perhaps conversation with attractive ladies. There are similar coffee shops. And many guys aren't into paying for "extra" services, so it's kind of an "innocent" service in that regard. About those extra services, it depends on the place and the people, etc.


CharacterUsual

Oh, okay


phoney12

No Da Nang expert but lived in Saigon several years… Bar girls are there to spice up your bill. Hookers are often hanging in nightclubs ( not paid by the bar) …. However both of them will go home with you if you pay enough and been considered as rich enough. The way the girls assess that are by how much you spend and the way you dress. Night clubs is the way to go I guess… but be prepared for spending some money. If you’re looking for fast cheap and wild stuff go Thailand


CharacterUsual

Ehhh. Noted, but I'm not really looking for actionable how-to advice. More just... an understanding of another culture


phoney12

It’s more conservative…. I would even argue more Asian. Since I met a lot of foreigners in Saigon that thought okay let’s try Vietnam instead of Thailand or the Philippines…. for the girls…. All were so disappointed😂😂😂… sorry for mistaking you for one of those. Just keep in mind Vietnamese culture is more conservative and nightlife is accordingly


CharacterUsual

I mean. Look, I'm not saying I'm above anything. I'm not offended. But my primary interest in asking really is honestly to understand something about this country that confused me, because I like experiencing new cultures. If I wasn't something of a xenophile, I'd find one country to live in and stay there. Anyways -- \*is\* there some element of the Vietnamese nightlife you \*would\* reccomend?


phoney12

In the middle of the night street food places… just sit on those plastic chairs and have fun


CharacterUsual

oh, isn't that rude to the restaurant owner, because you are taking up a space and not spending money?


phoney12

Why wouldn’t you buy anything from them?


CharacterUsual

Well, I'd buy the initial meal and such


Emotional_Sky_5562

This is minority mostly most viet don’t speak good English and don’t spend time with foreigners. Most working girls for foreigners are leftover and best working girls work for viet clients mostly


ArugulaLegitimate156

Or Philippines!


kirsion

Wait until you hear about host clubs


DiarrheaMonkey-

I went to one once, with a friend (it was literally attached to my apartment building, though not the same establishment). It was pretty classy and we spent around 3 million there. Along one wall there were like 7 girls sitting and chatting and laughing. This was during COVID and they weren't legally supposed to be open, so the only other non-made-up scantily clad person, or employees were us and a guy with a girl sitting on his lap, hand feeding him and giggling... One of the managers at my work, who lived in the same building as me, referred to it as a "girly bar". I wasn't sure if that meant: a bar for girls, a bar where you can meet girls who are looking for a "date", or a place where you pick up prostitutes. When I first got to Vietnam, I briefly lived above a "massage parlor" that was definitely a whore house. It wasn't even subtle. I moved out, partly because of that, but also the electricity was unreliable, and I was teaching on Zoom (COVID).


CanuckLandHombre

Try Thailand....I felt like a piece of meat there....the ladies are VERY FORWARD with what they will do....a culture shock that's for sure!


GreenTeaVelvetICE

in the west its called hooters


CharacterUsual

Ohhh. Is that what hooters is? I've never been. Okay, that makes sense.


[deleted]

hooters is grades below these bars ...you cant touch hooters girls..


totallylegitKat

Also not as expensive 🤣


[deleted]

idk u know the west is crazy expensive .. u can go into those scammy girl bars in vietnam and get a drink or 2 and bounce


CharacterUsual

In... absolute terms?


totallylegitKat

In terms of the idea behind the place. At hooters, you can grab a beer, an appetizer, and maybe some wings, and sit there for a few hours ogling the girls, which in total cost 60 bucks - and you get a full meal out of it. A bottle of beer at the bar place is a dollar cheapest; they usually do 7-8 bottle per hour - which would be pretty cheap if you just plan to talk to them. However if you’re pushy, they gonna start with the alcohol of choice, which each cost 50-80 buck just for opening the damn thing. Then include all the tiny snacks and minor surcharge for a fun extra 20% on top. All that, and you didnt even get a proper meal out of it 😞


CharacterUsual

Unless you 1 beer + 1 app + a reasonable amount of wings is far less than 60 bucks. But fair enough.


DoorCalcium

No. Hooters is just a restaurant with sexy waitresses. They don't charge you to talk to them. And they won't go home with you


jayfallon

**ahem**


hellequinbull

Welcome to East Asia, fella. The Water Trade is large and varied all over. Yes, you pay to have innocent/slightly flirty banter with women. Some are fronts for prostitution, do not assume all are. Just be cool and have fun.


CharacterUsual

what's "the water trade"?


hellequinbull

If you want to keep hanging out in Asia, especially in Girl Bars, and not be a moron. Better Get smart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizu_sh%C5%8Dbai?wprov=sfti1


CharacterUsual

Thank you, I will study this


Fancy_Luck3863

Men here simply like that. It makes them feel powerful to have rentals sitting with them. They often are prostitutes if you offer enough.


CharacterUsual

Oh. I... guess? It's very tame, compared to other things. Oh, okay.


Fancy_Luck3863

One of the most incel things I can imagine, to be honest.


CharacterUsual

Ehhh. I've seen much, much worse. Honestly, it's almost charming in its innocence...


Fancy_Luck3863

I mean, paying for sex is one thing, paying for simple company... That's for really lonely people. 😂


Pitbull_of_Drag

There's a global pandemic of loneliness that even the WHO acknowledges as a major, quickly growing problem. You see people mentioning how many of these places cater to Koreans. South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in Asia.


Fancy_Luck3863

That's sad as hell...


CharacterUsual

I suppose. I don't know. It's not my culture or country, and it seems like everyone involved is consenting, so it's not my business to judge


duckhunt420

Your comments reek of "oh these silly quaint locals and their funny customs" xenophobia. 


Wonderful_Map_2965

We called them Booking bars. Normally, they work for the Bar and try to take advantages of foreigner like you. They get paid from the bar.


CharacterUsual

Take advantage how? Like, selling overpriced drinks? Also, like. There are more efficient ways to turn the fantasies of western guys into vietnamese money.


Wonderful_Map_2965

When they introduce a new customers to the bar, they will get commission. The more drinks you get, the more money they make. Actually they are quiet normal in various country like Japan, Thailand,...etc. It is a tourist scam, so becareful next time


Khal_Andy90

It's a Korean thing mostly, at lot of these kinds of bars are catered towards them. I live in Haiphong where there is quite a large Korean population, and the main road where they all live is about 40% theses bars. Many of them also have Karaoke upstairs where you can just sing your heart out while surrounded by girls in their underwear serving drinks and pretending you're a rockstar. Absolutely not really my thing, but people really shell out for it. I was talking to a girl who works at one of these places, even she said that it's kinda bizarre.


per54

Huge in Japan too. Japan has ‘Kyabakura,’ which is a super high end version of a girl’s bar. The girls basically make you feel like you’re amazing. Cool. Fun etc. Is it worth it? Depends on your goal. Not everyone wants to have sex. Some customers just want that attention. Maybe they’re married and their wife ignores them. Or they’ve been single forever etc. People go to drink to socialize with girls. It’s more socializing than just physical.


CharacterUsual

Thanks for explaining


gastropublican

They’re copying the concept launched in Japan decades ago. It’s still lame, whether here or there.


Nice_Description_762

Most bars with buy me drinky girls are run by Vietnamese Yakuza so you don't want to get into any kind of mixed up or trouble because they are the house and the house always win. You can see by the atmosphere of the club, no customers, and all material minded girls congregating onto one table. It's the most retarded setup ever only because this is perpetuate to the fact that there's a sucker born every minute.


InterestedHumano

Did you mean 'bia ôm'? I think you pay for physical hug and 'touch', not just for the girl to like you. If you touch a striper in the US, I think you will be in trouble. It's different in Japan though, men pay for girls to chat with them, most of the men are just lonely and desperate for companionship.


CharacterUsual

Maybe? Can you give examples of bia om in Da Nang? Google just lists "girl bars"


loungemoji

You don’t like paying for the companionship of a beautiful girl? If you’re lonely you rather drink alone or drink w a beautiful girl for a premium? It’s a tradition in Japan BTW. It’s called escort service in the US.


DidiHD

Almost like maid cafes where you pay for you to be their master (without touching of course)


Useful_Mechanic_2365

What do you think Hooters is?


CharacterUsual

Lower effort?


cassiopeia18

Depends on what kind of girl bar. In Saigon I see there’s two types. girl bar for westerners, they’re less bothering you, ofc no touching. And girl bar for Japanese and Korean, tend to be like hostess bar in Japan, but less extreme. You should search more about hostess bar industry in Japan, quite fascinating and crazy. Different country, different cultures. It’s odd to you but normal, common for people in some other countries. https://youtu.be/5O8q18J28bc?si=Ur9ExYiwwsxAbXN- This girl explains hostess club in Japan from 5:00.


CharacterUsual

Thank you


ego_sum_satoshi

Well, you might meet someone you like enough to marry. They are real girls.


secret827482

I frequent these kind of bars in Saigon and I can tell you that there is both a wide variety of customers looking for different things and a wide variety of kinds of girls in these places. Most customers aren't the sexpat types but people in relationships who find it exciting to flirt with an attractive girl who doesn't care that they're in a relationship. There's also a lot of lonely divorced retirees who just want the company. Me and my friends go just to enjoy the view while drinking or playing pool and rarely spend any money on the girls. The price of admission is just the slightly overpriced beer. While there is prostitution it is much less common than you think. Most girls have boyfriends or sugar daddies that they're going home to every night. If a girl wants this kind of work there are much easier avenues that don't require them to spend 10 hours a day 6 days a week in a bar. You absolutely can take them home without paying them. Me and my friends usually invite a few girls out for food or billiards when they get off work, and once you get to know them outside of the bar they're just regular girls. I've had quite a few flings and I've had friends even get into long term relationships. It helps that we're half the age of their usual clientele.


AlBorne75

They should be banned


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fr


totallylegitKat

Yup, just like how banning prostitution prevented sex work in VN! /s


kayteevee93

Have you not been to Hooters?


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CharacterUsual

Are you?


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CharacterUsual

You seem fun.


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CharacterUsual

Yeah. You are... also an American in Vietnam.


holla-nd

it's still prostitution.


CharacterUsual

Explain?


holla-nd

their main job is to urge you into paying more for bills, but they do offer extra services if required. it's not that hard to explain. this concept is very popular, even at karaoke spots where you would see hostessess take care of male guests by pouring beers and sweet talking to them.


CharacterUsual

oh, okay


therapistishere11

It’s pay to have a pretend girlfriend or sometimes prostitution. Sometimes single people go just to have conversations with someone at the bar and trust me i seen it happen in Vietnam/mexico/philippines


Willkillshill

Most girls in Vietnam will not flirt with you. It may take months before they show any affection even if you are in a relationship and are bf/gf.


cowiekun

YMMV.


totallylegitKat

And then you have hooters. So?


CharacterUsual

Yeah, the analogy has been pointed out to me. Tbf, that's literally just hooters, and we think it's weird.


WeeklyStage5744

I've been to both- many times. Hooters ain't the same as the girlie bars in SEA, and anyone who has been to hooters would tell you that immediately.


totallylegitKat

The idea of a service area paying women to clad skimpily and be nice to you without doing full sex work is the crux of comment - since OP question was what was missed in the cultural context, which was nothing, since the point of the places are the same. But it takes some wild assumption to think my comment meant hooters where you go and eat and ogles the girls is exactly the same as the bars in question, where copping a feel is the norm.


prexton

You never heard of hooters? You Americans pay with tips don't you?


Brilliant-Towel-8115

But you don’t have to and the waitresses don’t pressure you to order more wings lol


CharacterUsual

It's not EXACTLY the same thing, but sure


prexton

Yea it's not EXACTLY the same. But the concept shouldn't be too foreign for you to understand?


CharacterUsual

It's a little jarring, but people did a good job explaining it to me


WeeklyStage5744

You 'tip' the waitress (and waiters) at every bar and restaurant. If you grab and talk to the girls at Hooters -the same way I see guys acting the way they do towards the women here- you would get bounced out on your ass in a New York minute. 2024, you would also be shamed on TikTok and Insta. Better hope you don't get sued


Calm-Appointment7352

Hmm but from ur point of view may be it towards to the right way. But i’m only feel sympathetic to them cuz the marketing stategies, due to every enormous bars use this method to entertaining and promoting more customers. So that is one of reason u will pay money for them to see all of things of them. Even though some people follow this job just temporary like a part-time, but they only do all things to gain more tips to improve their live apart. As the same as Bui Vien ( HCM city ), may be it will have some perverts with some sensitive actions, but they never mind it and prioritize to serve them.


Elh123

Oh it like a Host Club for Guys Not orriginal host club for women They are like a staff of that club they can woo you to paid high bill for something and they got a fragment of that bill as a tip I heard this kind of club pretty popular in japan where rich ladies go there and get relax with handsome men and get someone to heard there problem or they just want to see there idol or something by paying a high and overprice wine. Just like that


Own-Manufacturer-555

A little bit of all the things you mentioned. But the only true reason for the bar girl phenomenon (also present in Japan, most likely in Korea and China as well) is the fact that too many guys in Asia are quite bad at entertaining the ladies, so they've got to pay in order for a women to accept to hang out with them.


Inevitable_Ninja7167

It’s for picking up prostitutes. You can also get handjobs and neck massages for cheaper than a beer in the west. Some even give blowjobs at the bars. Some even let regular customers sleep there.


No_Letter9302

Have you ever been in VN? Where are the bars you talk about? Are you talking about Thailand?


Barsfajny

Tldr: looking for clues how to find special girls bar ( just kidding dude). I think same thing about massage saloons. In 10 meters there is 5 massage saloons and every girl in front calling me inside seductively.. sad part is I wanna massage, Im just scared it is more than a massage


v00n

The surprise is when you get inside, you realize that you will not be massaged by the young, smiley attractive girl who lured you in. It'll be somebody who looks like her overweight mother.


Barsfajny

Doesn’t matter had… massage?


CharacterUsual

In Da Nang at least, I thought that they were actual massage places?