Hello everybody! I have moved to Vietnam finally and although I have asked this question already, please let me ask it again, due to certain observations. So what I’ve found out, is once certain spiritual tradition becomes supported by State, or gets a lot of money, the spiritual value of that tradition vanes, negative-proportionally to the amount of money 
So here in Vietnam, I wanted to ask for a refuge in a Theravada temple as well as to find a place for meditations. But visiting several temples I saw that they were really extremely rich, had gold everywhere, money everywhere, and I don’t think it is really Theravada Buddhism spirit. On top of that, every time anybody there saw my face, perhaps due to my foreign look, they were always scared and tried to kick me out (not too much of a buddhism either). So could someone please advise me a Theravada temple in HCM, poor one, without gold, without craving for money, where I can get a refuge and where people will not be scared of my western look. And mainly, where people think of Buddhism more than of money and golden adorations. Please help!! I know, it is sound weird, but it is what I have faced so far.
There is a Theravada temple in HCM:
Wat Candarangsi [Cambodian Theravada]
Address : 164/235 Duong Trân Quôc Thao, Phuong 7, Quân 3, Thanh Phô Hô Chi Minh
Phone : (84) 088-6435-359
The situation in Vietnam is that there are a few Theravada temples in each of the cities, but the majority of them are in the delta area south of HCM, for example Can Tho. This is because there is a Khmer (Cambodian) remnant there from a historical division of the country. These temples are Theravada, but they are more cultural than oriented towards meditation, due to government policy as everything must be directed towards a social outcome.
The only meditation oriented temple network are the Mahayana Truc Lam monasteries. The main one is at Dalat in the highlands north of HCM, and there they hold organized meditation retreats, but definitely not Theravada doctrine. A practitioner would probably be best to go to the Theravada temple mentioned and carry out independent practice, gradually building a relationship and finding out if there is any meditation happening in Theravada.
Also came across this volunteer position:
https://www.workaway.info/en/host/295259859391
Thank you for the reply, it is about what I thought myself. Thank you!!
This would be a better choice than the one I originally provided. It is a Burmese temple and provides meditation:
Review: " Ideal place for people to come and meditate. New and complete facilities, rooms for those who want to stay very clean and neat. Any questions in the study can ask directly the abbot is French Master".
Thank you Paul!!
Hi skfir, I have never been to the place I am going to mention but I do personally know the acting abbot as well as several of the monastics and what I can tell you is that the quality of the monastics I know are high from a commitment and developmental dhammic perspective, of course this is my opinion. Also the center is Theravada. The acting abbot’s facebook is http://facebook.com/tanhthuan and another monastic from their center who is currently in Sri Lanka is Xuan Hai | Facebook . If you want more info or do not have FB, then I can try to help you. The monastery is in Hue, Vietnam.
I hope this helps
Yes, thank you very much, I will get in touch with him, although I live in HCM, but hopefully he knows someone else closer to HCM. Many thanks again!
Hi, I’m from HCM too.
This is a list of theravada pagodas in Vietnam.
http://daophatnguyenthuy.com/article/danh-sach-cac-chua-va-thien-vien-o-viet-nam/danh-sach-cac-chua-phat-giao-nguyen-thuy-nam-tong.html
My personal experience is a temple in city is a very hard places for meditation (noisy/ space/…). A few places I recommend from experiences is: thien vien Viên Không in Vũng Tàu (near HCM), and chua Nguyen Thuy (district 2).
Thank you!!