Hey there Reader

Xin chào from the vibrant chaos of Saigon!

We're back in Ho Chi Minh City and honestly, it feels like coming home.

This place has our hearts – the food that makes your taste buds dance, the coffee culture that puts Melbourne to shame, and most importantly, the friends who welcome us back like we never left.

There's a magical sweet spot here where absolute madness meets surprising comfort, and we're soaking it all in.

Well... we're soaking it in NOW.

Our first 24 hours? That's a different story altogether.

It started at Tan Son Nhat Airport, which has apparently decided to test how many humans can be crammed into an immigration hall without causing an international incident.

With Vietnam's generous new visa policies, travelers are pouring in – which is fantastic for the country but absolute mayhem at border control.

The lines? Let's just say we had time to contemplate our entire life choices while inching forward.

But that was just the warm-up act.

Remember that delightful apartment we booked through Booking.com and saved an absolute bundle? I talked about it in the February 6th Newsletter.

Let's just say what followed was a masterclass in accommodation shenanigans that would make even the most seasoned traveler's eye twitch.

Having been through a similar (but not quite the same) situation during our last visit, I came prepared this time.

What followed was a 24-hour chess match with booking agents that tested every ounce of our patience – but friends, sometimes persistence pays off in ways you wouldn't expect.

Not only did we end up with a suitable place to call home, we actually SAVED money in the process. (I'll tell you exactly how we pulled this off in a minute – it might just save your sanity on your next trip to Vietnam.)

Below, I'll share the full saga of our booking battle royale, plus this week's money-saving tip for long-term travelers, news about those pesky new flight taxes in France, and some deals too good to miss.

But first – anyone need a step-by-step guide to surviving accommodation bait-and-switch tactics in Southeast Asia? Because we've just earned our PhDs in that particular art form...

Here's what we're covering this week…

In This Week's Issue:

​The Great Saigon Swindle - And How We Came Out on Top​

​Time-Sensitive Travel Deals From Our Partners​

​Travel Competitions Closing Soon​

​As France Raises Taxes, Is It Time to Rethink How We Travel?​

​Travel Tips for Long-Term Trips: Finding the Perfect Long-Stay Accommodation​

​Travel Tools That Saved Us Money This Week​

​How Our Travel Plans Are Shaping Up​

​Travel Bloggers, Websites & Newsletters You Might Like​

The Great Saigon Swindle - And How We Came Out on Top!

This week's newsletter brings you the latest installment of our Saigon accommodation chronicles - a tale that proves some lessons are worth learning twice!

The "Too Good To Be True" Deal

We kicked off the planning for our Saigon stay by scoring what seemed like an incredible bargain - a lovely apartment in one of the city's most desirable neighborhoods for just 1,780 AUD per month. According to Booking.com, this represented a whopping 74% discount from the original price.

While we weren't naive enough to believe the apartment was truly worth the inflated "original" price, our familiarity with the area suggested we'd still landed a genuine bargain. Following our booking, we connected with the property managers via WhatsApp (knowing that Booking.com's messaging system can be rather clunky).

Lessons From Last Year Applied

After last year's experience (detailed in our December '23 and January '24 newsletters) where local property managers essentially forced us to cancel our Booking.com reservation and book directly, we came prepared this time.

I confirmed all payment options upfront 'ON ARRIVAL' - bank transfer, cash, and credit cards (with a 3% surcharge for the latter).

I also verified our access to amenities like the pool and gym.

The Pre-Arrival Bombshell

Just one day before our flight, the games began. We received this message:

"Unfortunately, your apartment had been notified that a previous guest used stimulants and has been sealed for inspection yesterday. And we have to inform you that we don't have another apartment to replace for you. Can you cancel your booking and rebook with another place, please? Hope you sympathize with us."

My response was simple: "NOPE. You cancel."

Of course, everything in the area had gone up significantly since I first booked.

I immediately contacted Booking.com customer service with screenshots of this message.

They confirmed in writing that our booking remained valid and confirmed.

While I anticipated issues upon arrival, I knew better than to cancel myself - that would have left us without support.

The Arrival Runaround

We arrived at the apartment block around 7:15 PM and called our contact number. They promised to send someone down, much like the many other representatives doing the same for other guests in the foyer. (My guess is these people were only staying a few days, not a month.)

After giving my name to the contact when they rang, we waited... and waited... for 10 minutes with no sign of them.

When I called back, they mumbled something about contacting Booking.com and hung up. From then on both contact numbers stopped accepting my calls - a clear sign things were about to get complicated.

Booking.com to the Rescue

We are Genius III level rewards on Booking.com which gives us priority support as long as you can submit the booking confirmation number and PIN provided when you make your booking.

I contacted support, who contacted the property and told them we were waiting to check in the foyer. Cornered, they confirmed to customer support they couldn't accommodate us.

This allowed Booking.com to cancel our booking in the system fee-free and begin searching for alternative accommodations for us.

Booking.com agreed to credit us 50% of our original booking (860 AUD) PLUS cover any price increase for our new accommodation.

I won't lie. Dealing with customer support was tedious—calls dropped, and I had to repeat our story to multiple support officers. Tim was fuming and I was hanging onto politeness by a thread.

But all of them were trying to do the right thing for us. And, because I knew they should compensate us, I was determined to persist.

Eventually, we booked another apartment in the same building for 2165 AUD with assurances Booking.com would cover the difference.

But by then it was past the 11 PM check-in deadline and no one was answering the phone. Seriously frustrating!

Note - It was also past the cancellation time so I made sure to notify Booking.com support staff that we were actually in the building trying to check in, so it wasn't us who was the problem.

And, we still hadn't laid out a cent.

So, it was pointless to do anything else but find a nearby hotel for the night and tackle the situation fresh in the morning.

Round Two of Shenanigans

The next morning, I contacted Booking.com and tried to change the dates on our second booking to reflect our new check-in time.

That wasn't as easy as it should have been, as the property had 5 days to respond to the change request!!! Absolutely ridiculous.

I contacted the rep for the new apartment and arranged to meet that morning for check-in.

Initially sympathetic, they quickly revealed their own agenda - claiming "system problems" and asking me to cancel on the platform so they could adjust our dates and "upgrade" us to a larger apartment in compensation for our inconvenience.

Again, I refused and contacted Booking.com with screenshots of this conversation. They were appalled, immediately cancelled our reservation at no cost, and found two confirmed available alternatives.

They also committed again to covering any price difference between the original booking and the one we chose.

Meanwhile the property contact insisted the only way to get our money back was for me to tell Booking.com I was a "no-show" - seemingly unaware we hadn't paid anything yet!

LOL - I would have liked to be a fly on the wall when they got my message that it was all sorted and I'd sent screenshots of our conversation to Bookings as evidence of what was really going on!!

Resolution At Last

From the two alternatives presented to us, I chose the one in the same area (across the street) with similar amenities, that costs 2,450 AUD.

At that point, I just wanted a resolution and since Bookings was paying the difference, I didn't give two hoots about the cost.

I was able to pay in VND with a bank transfer with my WISE account, saving me 4% (yes higher than the first quote) in CC fees.

After checking into a temporary apartment for one night, we moved to our final accommodation the following day and the booking dates now reflect our stay.

While the decor doesn't match the original listing (and I've had to submit a long list of requests to get the kitchen adequately stocked), we're finally settled in for the month in a comfy apartment, in a great location, with access to a nice pool and well-equipped gym.

The Financial Upside

The silver lining?

Booking.com has already processed the credit for half our original booking (860 AUD), and once we check out in a month, we can request the difference between this booking and the original one (another 584 AUD).

So, in total, our month-long stay should cost just 940 AUD when all is said and done!

NOTE: I'm still a little skeptical about that last refund...but even without it, we are still paying less than the original price with the first credit.

Lessons Learned

1. Achieving Genius III level on the Booking.com platform is worth its weight in gold just for priority support alone.
2. Even though customer support is clunky, it should work out in your favor if you persist and understand what you are entitled to.
3. Never (EVER) cancel a booking yourself when the property is trying to get out of their obligations. I think they have two main aims: one, remove evidence of your booking (See the article below.) I'm wondering if the owners ever know you've stayed or if the agents are just pocketing the fee. And two, avoid the not insubstantial commission charged by the Booking.com platform. They need the marketing and access as it would be almost impossible for the average person to find these places directly, but don't want to pay for it.
4. Document everything with screenshots, especially information communicated off the official platform.
5. Give the person trying to scam you enough rope to hang themselves. The obvious plus with not meeting face to face or taking a call was that I had all their demands in writing.
6. Persistence pays off - literally!

The Legal Twist

And now the kicker which ALMOST explains some of the shenanigans.

Yesterday a friend of ours sent us this article about HCMC banning short-term rentals in apartment buildings. The exclusion is Condotels (properties specifically designed and legally designated for both residential and hotel-style accommodations)!

I have no idea how you're supposed to know what's what. If it's advertised on an international platform you should be able to have confidence the arrangement is legal.

There are certainly plenty of others renting short-term in this building and all of the surrounding ones. We also went through the usual ID checks and registration you would anywhere else in Vietnam. So I'm assuming it's all good (and pleading ignorance if it's not.)

It really should be up to the authorities or Booking.com to clean things up. We're not going anywhere this time, and I don't think it will stop us trying to book a similar place next time we are back. Although I will be checking the latest rules and confirming the apartment is allowed to rent short term in writing.

However, next time I think I might come in a couple of days early and sort things out before Timbo arrives to save him some mental anguish.

He's still a bit scarred and grumpy about the whole ordeal, with good reason, I guess.

I'm just happy to put it all behind me and enjoy the rest of our stay.

Share Your Story!

Have you ever had a similar booking nightmare that turned into a win? Or do you have questions about navigating Booking.com's policies?

Drop us a line at timshazz@catchourtravelbug.com or post your experience to help others in our Facebook Group - we'd love to hear your travel accommodation adventures!

Time-Sensitive Travel Deals From Our Partners

All of the following deals end sometime either before the next newsletter or very soon after.

As usual, you can find all the ongoing deals on this page.

These are the time-sensitive ones for March/April

​Radical Storage - 5% Discount

Visting a destination an don't want to drag around all your luggage?

​Radical Storage provides travellers with luggage storage solutions so they can enjoy their holiday to the fullest, giving them the opportunity to eliminate problems with early arrivals or late departures from the home/hotel.

The service operates in over 70 countries and 500 cities with more than 5000 storage points. Each piece of luggage is covered up to 3000 €/$/£.

Their new promo code, gives customers a 5% discount on luggage storage services in cities worldwide.

Promo Code: TPO5​
​Valid Until: April 30, 2025

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​TourRadar - March Specials

TourRadar (the largest platform for extended tours) has several time-sensitive specials in March. This one is valid now until the 11th.

St. Patrick’s Day Sale (March 4-11)
​In celebration of St. Paddy’s Day, they're offering exclusive deals across Ireland, the UK, Scotland, and more with up to 50% off!

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​GAdventures - Up to 25% off Tours in February

OFFER 1: Save 15% on select trips worldwide ​

SALE DATES: March 3 - March 31, 2025

TRAVEL DATES: by October 31, 2025

​
​OFFER 2: Up to 25% off select Antarctica 25/26 Departures​
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​SALE DATES:3 Mar 2025 - 31 Mar 2025
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​TRAVEL DATES: 22 Nov 2025 - 13 Mar 2026

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​We Go Trip - 20% OFF

​WeGoTrip is a self-guided tour app powered by AI. They have some impressive Audio tours with included attraction tickets, all-in-one for independent travelers..

Use promo code: SPRING25 to get 20% off any tour booking or balance top-up for future custom tour creation!

Offer valid until March 10.

Travel Competitions Closing Soon

Unless you all think otherwise, I think I'm going to get rid of this section.

My analytics say that none of you are clicking through to the competitions, so I'm going to assume you're not interested.

If you do enjoy the competition information and are disappointed it's not here - reply to this email and tell me, and I'll put it back in next week.

As France Raises Flight Taxes, Is It Time to Rethink How We Travel

France's new aviation tax increases are prompting us to reflect on the true cost of travel and how it might reshape our future travel decisions.

From March 2025:

• Economy tickets within Europe will increase from €2.63 to €7.40,
• Long-haul business class passengers will pay €120 per ticket. And
• Private jets will bear the heaviest burden, at €2,100 for long-haul flights.

That last one is unlikely to impact us. However, as perpetual travelers always seeking the best value, this news raises interesting questions about the future of travel accessibility and environmental responsibility.

While a €5 increase might not deter most travelers, what happens when these taxes inevitably climb higher?

At what point does the cost outweigh the convenience?

The French government's justification is thought-provoking: 20% of the highest-income population accounts for over half of air travel spending. This raises questions about travel equity and luxury versus necessity.

Should frequent flyers pay more?

Is this truly about environmental protection, or is it just another way for governments to fill budget gaps?

Consider this: Would a €40 tax on a long-haul economy flight make you:

• Choose an alternative destination without such taxes (like Spain or Portugal without a similar tax (at the moment.))
• Opt for train travel where possible.
• Save longer for fewer but more meaningful trips
• Avoid specific destinations altogether.

The ripple effects of this new tax could be significant. Airlines are already threatening service reductions - Ryanair has said it might cut service to ten French airports, impacting smaller cities and regional connectivity in particular.

But with other European countries like the UK also planning tax increases, we might be seeing the beginning of a broader shift.

As travelers who've embraced alternatives like trains, buses, and bicycles when practical, we understand that flying isn't always optional. Coming from Australia, there aren’t too many options for most people to travel overseas.

However, these increasing costs might force us all to be more intentional about our travel choices. And, perhaps that's not entirely bad. Maybe it will lead to slower, more meaningful travel experiences, rather than flying around for a quick getaway.

While we support environmental initiatives and fair taxation, the key question is whether these measures will actually achieve their stated goals. Or, will they simply make travel less accessible to ordinary people while having minimal impact on those who can easily absorb the costs?

What's your take? Would these increased taxes influence your travel decisions? At what price point would you start reconsidering your destination choices or mode of transport?

We'd love your thoughts on balancing budget, convenience, and environmental responsibility in your travel planning.

Feel free to either:

• Email us at timshazz@catchourtravelbug.com or
• ​​Join our Facebook Group and post your thoughts about the topic.

Travel Tips for Long-Term Trips - Finding the Perfect Extended Stay Accommodation

If you've just joined our Travel Bug Community, you can find previous tips on getting ready for long-term travel on the newsletter archives page.

So far in our long-term travel tips series, we've covered the fundamentals: How to:

• Define your travel goals and bucket lists,
• Set your baseline,
• Create and refine your budget
• Find extra income streams while traveling
• Identify your support crew, and
• Performing an annual banking review

One of the major differences between a short holiday and long-term travel is that we tend to stay in interesting locations far longer.

And as our recent Saigon apartment saga demonstrates, finding the right accommodation for those longer stays can make or break your experience!

While short-term travelers might tolerate a less-than-perfect hotel room for a few nights, we long-termers need spaces that function as actual homes.

After our recent booking platform battles in Vietnam (which thankfully turned out in our favor!), I thought it would be the perfect time to share our hard-won wisdom about securing ideal long-term accommodation.

Whether you're looking to save money, find authentic local experiences, or just avoid the kinds of booking headaches we recently endured, these strategies have served us well across dozens of countries and countless extended stays:

So here’s this week’s tip…

Travel Tip N7 - Finding the Perfect Extended Stay Accommodation

After years of extended stays around the world, we've learned that finding accommodation for a couple of weeks or longer requires an entirely different approach than booking a quick vacation.

Here's how we secure the perfect long-term base:

House Sitting - Our Top Pick!​
This is by far our most cost-effective strategy for long stays. We've saved hundreds of thousands while staying in beautiful, fully-furnished homes in THE BEST locations.

• Platforms like Trusted Housesitters connect us with homeowners who need someone to care for their property and pets while they're away.
• In exchange for looking after their home and animals, we get completely free accommodation - often in locations and properties we could never afford otherwise.
• The bonus? Most homes have everything you need to live comfortably since someone lives there full-time. We've had over 90 extended stays in luxury homes across North America, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and Asia this way, all for a very modest annual membership fee.

You can find a heap of FREE housesitting resources over on our Resource Page, including some exclusive discount codes to save you heaps.

Start with Platforms, Then Go Direct if Beneficial​
If housesitting isn't a realistic option, we usually begin our search on:

• ​Booking.com,
• ​Airbnb (rarely nowadays due to all the added fees),
• ​Agoda (not keen on the hidden fees but occasionally a good deal), and
• ​VRBO (has some crazy expensive prices so yet to book through these guys!!!) to identify promising properties.

But we don't book immediately.

Once we've found potential places, we search for the same properties on Google to see if they have direct booking options.

Occasionally, you might find 15-30% by bypassing platform fees, especially for stays over 30 days.

However, recent experriences in Bali and Nanjing with trying to book direct revealed Booking.com has by far and away offered the best deals because of our Genius III discounts.

Don't Overlook Specialized Options​
There are a couple of new platforms on the market specializing in long-term accommodation.

A good example of this is Flatio, which specializes in mid-term rentals from 1-6 months. The platform is designed specifically for digital nomads and long-term travelers, with most listings already equipped with work spaces and monthly rates.

We haven't booked through them yet, as we typically have housesits in the destinations we want to visit and some of the prices look quite high.

However, they do remove a lot of the hassle and have processes to filter out the shonky operators.

• Every reservation comes with a lease agreement valid for proof of address or visa purposes
• Wifi speed and workstation verified properties, to make sure they're suitable for remote work
• The price includes all bills, no deposits and AXA insurance included (that covers from wifi issues to a broken oven)

Unfortunately, they don't have any listings in Ho Chi Minh City yet, but I look forward to when they do!!!

Join Local Facebook Groups​
This approach has been a goldmine for us in Saigon when we lived here while teaching!

Search for "Expats in [city]" or "[City] Accommodation" Facebook groups before arriving. Local landlords often post there first, and you'll get recommendations from other long-term travelers. We've found all of our Saigon long-lease apartments this way. And if you sign a lease for 6 to 12 months, the rates will always be better than any platform offers.

However....NEVER pay anything until you are on the ground and have seen the property. There are plenty of shonky operators around advertising non-existent apartments. London is especially rife with scams from what I read in various forums.

Timing is Everything​
Except for our year long stays in Saigon, we've found booking 4-8 weeks before arrival typically gives optimal pricing.

Too far in advance, and owners won't offer discounts; too late, and the best places disappear.

Extended free-cancellation periods like those offered on Booking.com can add peace of mind if you're not completely sure of your plans.

Location Priorities Differ for Long Stays​
For extended stays, we prioritize neighborhoods with:

• Local grocery stores within walking distance
• Reliable public transportation
• Access to laundry facilities (if none in the property)
• Quality internet infrastructure
• Distance from excessive tourist crowds but still close enough to enjoy the destination and everything it has to offer.

Essential Questions​
Beyond the basics, you might want to clarify:

• Utility costs (Are they included? Any usage caps?) - This includes housesits.
• Cleaning service frequency and any costs
• Kitchen equipment inventory
• Work space options (desk/table height, chair comfort)
• Noise levels during working hours if applicable
• Building amenities access (gym, pool, etc.)

Trial Period Protection​
Occasionally we've only book the first 3-5 days, then extended after verifying the place meets our needs. This small upfront cost can provide some insurance against misleading listings and gives a bit of leverage to request changes if needed.

This approach can backfire however with popular properties, as was our experience in Bali when we tried to extend.

Remember, when you're traveling long-term, your accommodation isn't just a place to sleep – it's your home, office (maybe), and sanctuary for an extended period.

Investing time upfront to ensure it meets your needs, can pay for itself many times over in time, money and mental well-being.

Travel Partners That Saved Us Money This Week

The award for saving us a ton of money this week goes to 🏆​​​Booking.com AGAIN!

For obvious reasons as detailed above.

The priority support gained by being on their top Genius Level is invaluable when thigns go pear shaped!

I won't say accessing and dealing with customer support was as easy as it should be. Mainly because EVERY time you call, you get someone different and you have to go through the story again. And if the call drops out, that's a whole different level of frustration.

But if you are persistent, know about what avenues are available to you, and follow the process, the end result can make the hassle worth it!

The other partner that saved us money during the whole saga was Wise.

Because I was able to do an almost immediate bank transfer in Vietnamese Dong for the apartment we avoided the 4% fee for using a credit card. The total the fees were only 18.73 AUD instead of 96 AUD. From what I can see, the rate is marginally better too - 1 AUD = 15886 VND vs 15828.

How Our Travel Plans Are Shaping Up

A couple of fantastic updates to our plans.

1 - We scored a fabulous housesit in central Lisbon for 8 nights directly before our housesit in the Algarve.

2. We locked in for the Tbilisi sit for 20 nights in August.

Here's our confirmed itinerary for the next few months:

• Vietnam: Nearly 6 weeks of adventures
• Kuala Lumpur: 10 nights in a modern condo with a gym, pool, and three easy-care cats
• We think a quick trip to the UK (flights not yet booked.)
• Central Lisbon: 8 nights in a 3-bedroom apartment with McCloud the ginger cat.
• Carvoeiro, Portugal: 11 days of beach life with a lovely cat in the Algarve
• Fuengirola, Spain: Caring for a sweet cat in a well-equipped 3-bedroom apartment near Malaga
• Spanish Coast: Catching up with friends around Alicante and Valencia
• London/Barcelona: Potential sit in the works (if not, plenty more options constantly appearing)
• Caucasus Adventure: A month exploring Armenia and Azerbaijan
• Tbilisi, Georgia: Our newly extended 3-week sit with two cats
• Cambridge: 2 weeks in the city center

It's shaping up to be one of the best summers yet!

For more info on how to visit expensive destinations with zero accommodation costs, visit our Housesitting Resources page on our website.

Travel Bloggers, Websites and Newsletters You Might Like

Knowing we were headed to Georgia, our friend Ziggy put me onto Emily (a fellow Aussie) at Wander Lush.

She also has some fab info on a bunch of other destinations you might be interested in.

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That's all for now.

We're still busy setting up home for the month and mapping out our visits to all our favorites aroudn Saigon

More of that next week..

Happy Travels!

Tim and Sharyn

PS. If you enjoy receiving this newsletter, please feel free to BUY US A BEVERAGE. 😉 ☕🫖🍻🍷

Every $ helps keep us motivated and the show on the road.