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Vietnam is a young and energetic country that has a lot to offer.
Expats enjoy a high quality of life at almost unbelievably low prices. Mobile phone and internet coverage is excellent and extremely affordable. Rents can vary considerably, but even a five-star luxury lifestyle will cost far less than you might expect.
Trains run almost the entire length of the country, connecting the bustling and historic capital city of Hanoi in the north to the modern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Highways are improving and, in both cities, light rail lines will be operational soon.
Vietnam has three main international airports, where non-stop flights to many Asian and European destinations are available. There are direct flights from Australia to Ho Chi Minh City too. Several budget airlines offer inexpensive domestic and international flights.
Although France’s lengthy occupation of Vietnam is long over, their legacy has lived on. Beautiful French mansions and public buildings are located throughout the country, parks are abundant and trees line the city streets. Pavement bistros sell deliciously rich coffee and French-style baguettes.
The Vietnamese people provide the most compelling reason to live in Vietnam. They are hard-working and determined, but above all, unfailingly polite and welcoming. Earnest and curious, they will often approach foreigners in the hopes of practicing their English skills or learning about the outside world. It is not difficult to integrate into the Vietnamese culture, as these interactions seem to have a way of turning into lifelong friendships.
Vietnam is a long country that stretches from China in the north to the Gulf of Thailand in the south. Beach lovers will enjoy exploring more than 2,000 miles of coastline.
It is also a mountainous country, with many stunning waterfalls, mighty rivers, extensive cave systems, mysterious karst towers, verdant terraced rice paddies and spectacular scenery.
The south enjoys warm and tropical weather year-round, while northern Vietnam has four distinct seasons. It may occasionally snow in the northern mountains.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is Vietnam’s largest city, home to over eight million people. It has an ultra-modern feel—a hub of commerce and development. Huge shopping centres, pedestrian-friendly walking streets and plenty of museums give it a cosmopolitan flair.
Although English is not an official language, it is widely spoken and understood. Vietnam is considered one of the top Asian countries for English speakers. Even in the most rural villages, there is likely to be someone who is proficient in English.
Tens of thousands of foreigners have settled in Vietnam. Many of them live in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, though smaller populations have found homes throughout the country. Expats in Vietnam tend to be quite social and welcoming. Smaller cities where plenty of expats can be found include Nha Trang, Hoi An, Da Nang, Vung Tau and Hue.
Vietnam has one of the most diverse and healthy cuisines in the world, which has put it on the map as a top culinary destination. Yet people who want a break from local food can rely on a huge array of international restaurants and imported food shops.
A couple can live comfortably anywhere in Vietnam on a budget of less than $2,700 per month. Smaller cities, such as Nha Trang, Da Lat and Hoi An, are affordable and expat-friendly. A monthly budget of $1,300 or less can be enough to provide a couple with a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle in these areas.
According to Standard Chartered Bank, Vietnam has the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia. Foreign investors have taken advantage of low local wages, a highly educated workforce and a business-friendly environment. New skyscrapers tower over traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Global restaurant chains, along with well-known high fashion clothing, jewellery and accessory shops, have sprung up in glittery new shopping centres. Despite all the development, the heart of the city is still dominated by small, family-owned stores and wandering vendors. Hanoi remains an even more traditional city, with an abundance of historic temples and pagodas, yet even here, new highways, skyscrapers and international brands are slowly making inroads.
In so many ways, there has never been a better time to come to Vietnam.
When my partner and I decided to move to Barcelona many years ago, I spent some time planning what I was going to do with my time out there. He was a musician and travelled a lot. I needed something to make some income and also a way to meet people.
“Living in Da Nang is fun!” says Carol Mitchell, a 63-year-old counsellor who moved to this progressive central coast city in 2015. She and her husband Dan, a family practice physician, lived for a year in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, before relocating to Da Nang—a decision they are both happy they made. Dan works in Read more...
By Vietnamese standards, Vung Tau’s 500,000 residents don’t really constitute a large city, but this popular weekend retreat by the sea punches well above its weight when it comes to what it has to offer. From a sleepy southern fishing village, Vung Tau has grown rapidly. Over the years it has served its time as Read more...
It looks at visa and residence programs, healthcare, entertainment, climate, infrastructure, buying and renting, the ease of fitting in and more besides in its analysis of the world’s best retirement havens.
Vietnam has one of the finest, most varied and healthiest cuisines in all of Asia. The serious Vietnamese cook strives to excite all the senses. Presentation attracts the eye, the snap of fresh vegetables and crunch of crispy crusts pleases the ear, aromatic herbs and spices tantalise the nose and textures – tender, chewy, smooth and rough – engage the diner’s tactile sense...
From the mountainous northern border with China, Vietnam stretches some 1650 kilometres to the southern coast at the Gulf of Thailand. Geographically, it has three different climate regions, temperate in the north, a mix of both in its central region and tropical in the south. This is on account of the long north-south shape of the country.
Nha Trang is widely considered to have one of the most beautiful bays in the world. The broad, golden-sand beach is wide and inviting; a beachside promenade stretches for several kilometres, filled with palm trees, grassy parks, topiary, volleyball nets and playgrounds...
One of the best things about my role as IL’s Vietnam Correspondent is the like-minded people it’s brought me into contact with and the opportunity it’s given me to share with them all that Vietnam has to offer. Everyone I’ve met who has come to Vietnam has been surprised—in a good way—by what they’ve found...
Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi offers mystery around every corner. Just wandering through the Old Quarter, you’ll discover hidden temples, fantastic street food, exotic markets, traditional Chinese medicine dispensaries stocked with enigmatic herbs and beautiful French-colonial mansions coloured with the patina of age. Hanoi’s mysteries go far beyond the Old Quarter, but it’s the perfect place to begin your exploration of the city...
While most of Southeast Asia experiences sultry tropical weather year-round, Hanoi is a pleasant exception. There are four distinct seasons: it’s mild in the spring and autumn, hot in the summer and chilly—or even cold—in the winter. Hanoi rarely gets all-day rains at any time of the year; the wet monsoon that prevails farther south doesn’t extend all the way to the north and though it’s humid...