07/06/2026
Chasing Barramundi in Ho Chi Minh: 3 Months of Planning, Worth Every Minute. Part 1
Some trips you just book. This one took 3 months to plan Maps, contacts, gear lists, backup spots. We wanted barramundi, proper ones, just outside Ho Chi Minh. The prep felt long at the time. On the water, it all made sense.
The Drive In
No sugarcoating it — the car rides were long. But “long” in Vietnam means watching the landscape change by the kilometer. Skyscrapers gave way to rice fields, then rivers, then those quiet stretches where it’s just road, trees, and the occasional motorbike. The scenery kept everyone looking out the window instead of at their phones. By the time we hit the water, the city felt a world away.
Fuel: Food + Coffee
If you go to Vietnam and don’t eat, you’re doing it wrong. *The Vietnamese food was outstanding, fresh herbs, grilled fish, bowls of pho at 6am that hit harder than any energy drink. Every meal felt like a reset before heading back out.
And the drip coffee... slow pour, condensed milk, strong enough to wake the dead. We’d sit with those little metal filters dripping while planning the next session. It became part of the rhythm: coffee, rods, cast, repeat.
Language Barrier? What Language Barrier
There was a language barrier, no doubt. My Vietnamese is limited to “cảm ơn” and pointing at things on the menu. But we were all speaking fishing. A rod bend, a hand signal, a shared grin when a barra blows up on the surface, suddenly everything falls into place. Instructions, tips, jokes... it all translates when you’re on the water together.
The Company Makes the Trip
Gear and fish matter, but the company was what made this trip. Good crew, zero ego, all stoke. Long drives turn into storytelling sessions. Slow bites turn into banter. When someone hooks up, everyone’s on their feet. That’s the kind of trip you remember.
On the Water: Damn Good Barramundi Fishing
Then there was the reason we planned for 3 months. The barramundi fishing was damn good. Aggressive takes, hard runs, and fish that tested every knot. There’s something special about hooking a barra — they don’t give up easy. We had sessions with rod-bending fights, missed strikes that still get talked about, and a few personal bests landed.
The scenery from the boat only made it better. Early morning mist on the water, kingfishers diving nearby, and nothing but the sound of drag screaming when one eats.
Worth It
Three months of planning. Long drives. Language we didn’t speak. Full bellies. Strong coffee. Better mates. Great fish.
Turns out you don’t need fluent Vietnamese to fish in Vietnam. You just need to speak fishing.
I’d do it all again tomorrow.
PS, & I broke my PB for this trip, it's gonna be a record for sometime..that will be in part 2
Special shout out to Zoe Le , she made sure all my itinerary was on time & I have enough Vietnam ding to spend
& of xoz my 2 crazy buddies Wadi Lah & Naw Zwan Zir . To our next session.
My guides in Vietnam, thank you for the tips, banter, gay jokes. Pls learn how to paddle the boat straight next time....whahahahaha
