A friend of ours moved to HCMC for work. He met and married a Vietnamese doctor and will remain there. We are meeting them for a day and evening while there and I want to take a gift.

He has asked us to bring some things that he is paying for but I want to bring something. Please give me some suggestions as I have no idea about their life there or what they might like.

Thanks we are leaving Wednesday so obviously not a lot of time.

Somethings that have been suggested on other threads. Coffee table book or calendar with pictures from your area. Music on CDs from local symphony or jazz. Food products local to area (candies, maple syrup, smoked salmon, dried fruit, depending on where you are from). Or small craft item local to you, such a pot, bowl, jewelry (maybe purchase at a local museum shop before you go).

What kinds of things did he ask for? That should give you an idea of what he wants and can't find in HCMC.

Wine we r already bringing 3 bottles of Cal wine , an Iphone and T gel for hair not much help

Take the iPhone out of the box, or you could be forced to pay duty. Not sure how you'll fare with the wine. They do sell CA wine in Saigon, so it must be something special for them to want you to bring it.

Hmm.. most US iPhones are locked with the carrier whom you bought the phone from - unless you've bought it unlocked? If it's locked then you should tell your friend to get it unlocked first before using it.

If you buy it From an Apple store its unlocked.

Wrong, jacketwatch!

Not really!

This is what the Apple salesman at the Apple store said two days ago.
Cheers.

Besides apple/Iphone, women over there love US/French brand skin cream, anything that protect against the SUN/strong spf or take away brown spots like those hydronquinone cream type .

iphones from the Apple store are NOT unlocked, unless you pay the full unsubsidized price, something like $600. If you pay $199, trust me, it isn't unlocked.

Thats it. Thats why its cheaper from a carrier. Obviously.

And from Apple with a contract. Just look at their website or pop in a store and ask like I did.