Which part of Vietnam to stay in?

Where do foreigners stay in Vietnam?

Hanoi. Tay Ho.

Ho Chi Minh City. Binh Thanh.

Why? Community. Jobs follow.

• Hanoi:

  • Tay Ho. A lake district. Air quality? Debatable.
  • Rental costs reflect popularity. Pricey.
  • Expats favor familiarity. Food. Faces.
  • 2024: Construction noise. A constant.

• Ho Chi Minh City:

  • Binh Thanh. Less lake, more grit.
  • Affordable apartments exist. Search diligently.
  • District 2. Also gaining traction. Infrastructure developing.
  • Traffic. Prepare accordingly. A test of patience.

Expats chase comfort. “Ah, home away from home!” But is it? Deep down, what is home, anyway? A question for another day.

Real Estate. A game. Play wisely.

Should I go to northern or southern Vietnam?

Okay, North or South Vietnam? Ugh, decisions.

North is Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. Cooler weather tho…like, when am I even going? Is it winter? Probably not.

South: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta. Always hot. I kinda hate being sweaty. But the street food… omg. What even is good street food there? Pho? Spring rolls? I think my friend Sarah went last year. I’ll text her.

Hmm, history vs. city life. North = history, South = city. Right?

Landscapes are in the North, supposedly. Ha Long Bay looks pretty amazing in those pictures. Water is nice… I do love boats.

Activities tho. What activities?

Time of year matters a lot. Always forget that. Need to check the weather averages for both places.

I remember seeing those floating markets in the Mekong Delta…that sounds fun! Ugh. I’m so indecisive.

More Details (because I can’t just leave it there):

• Northern Vietnam (Around Hanoi):
  • Historical sites: Like, ancient temples and stuff? Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Places where old guys sat around and wrote important things.
  • Ha Long Bay: Limestone karsts. Turquoise water. Kayaking? Junk boat cruises. Instagram gold.
  • Cooler temps (Nov-Apr): Might need a jacket. Imagine THAT in Vietnam.
  • Sapa: Rice terraces. Trekking. Hill tribes. Sounds exhausting tbh, but the photos…
• Southern Vietnam (Around Ho Chi Minh City):
  • Ho Chi Minh City: Crazy motorbike traffic. Bustling markets (Ben Thanh Market!). Rooftop bars. Nightlife, probably.
  • Mekong Delta: Floating markets (Cai Be!). River cruises. Fruit orchards. Rice paddies. Snakes, maybe? I hope not.
  • Warm weather: All the time. Short sleeves. Sunscreen. Mosquitos.
  • Street food: Pho (duh). Banh mi. Spring rolls. Seafood. Get ready for a stomach ache, probably.
• Weather Stuff (in 2024, mind you!):
  • Northern Vietnam (Hanoi) average temperature ranges between 15°C (59°F) in January to 32°C (90°F) in July.
  • Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) average temperature stays around 27°C-30°C (81°F-86°F) all year round. Humidity is usually high.

Still can’t decide, lol.

Where do most foreigners live in Vietnam?

Hanoi? Five million? More like a zillion scooters, am I right? Saigon, oops, Ho Chi Minh City. Nine million? Try nine million bowls of pho slurped daily. Expats? They’re like ants at a picnic. You’ll find ’em swarming these two spots.

• Hanoi: Think ancient temples, street food that’ll make your tastebuds sing karaoke, and lakes that are more like giant bathtubs. My Aunt Mildred visited once, thought it was Disneyland for ducks. Lots of expats teach English here, probably because they can’t pronounce “xin chào” correctly.

• Ho Chi Minh City: Zoom, zoom, beep beep! This city never sleeps. Kind of like my neighbor’s chihuahua. Expats here work in all sorts of things – finance, tech, selling those weird conical hats to tourists. I once saw a guy selling glow-in-the-dark durian. Only in Saigon…

Other expat hotspots, cuz, you know, variety is the spice of life (or something like that):

• Da Nang: Beaches, bridges, and bizarre buildings. It’s like a fever dream designed by a committee of five-year-olds. Seriously.
• Nha Trang: More beaches, plus mud baths. Like a spa day for hippos. Expats like to scuba dive here. Probably looking for sunken treasure. Haven’t found any yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

So yeah, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are the biggies. But hey, explore. You might find a hidden gem. Or at least a really good banh mi.

Is it safe to live in Vietnam as a foreigner?

Yeah, Vietnam’s chill, man. Safer than a nun’s knitting circle, practically. Crime? About as common as a unicorn sighting. Unless you’re counting motorbike dodging; that’s a whole different level of adventure.

Safety Highlights:

• Low crime: Think less “Breaking Bad,” more “Breaking wind” accidentally on a crowded bus.
• Political stability: More stable than my relationship with my last-minute Christmas shopping.
• Expat-friendly: They practically roll out the red carpet, or at least a really nice woven mat.

But, let’s be real. Nothing’s perfect. Even my grandma’s prize-winning rhubarb pie had a few burnt bits.

Potential Hiccups:

• Petty theft: Happens. Like finding your socks aren’t matching again.
• Traffic: It’s insane. Think bumper cars on steroids, driven by caffeinated monkeys. Seriously, dodging motorbikes is an Olympic sport waiting to happen. My friend, Dave, almost got squashed last week!
• Scams: Tourists are targets, but with a little street smarts, you’re golden. My cousin got ripped off buying “authentic” ancient artifacts that turned out to be made in China.

Basically, it’s safe enough to be carefree without being totally oblivious. Just use your common sense. Don’t flash expensive bling, and for the love of all that is holy, learn how to cross the street.

Is Vietnam a good place to live for foreigners?

Dark outside. Streetlights blurry. Thinking about Vietnam. Safe, yeah. Felt safe walking at night in Hanoi. Even with my camera. Didn’t worry like I did in… other places. Remember the Old Quarter. Crowded, but not threatening. Different kind of energy.

Quiet now. Except for the AC. Convenience… Grab bikes everywhere. So cheap. Food delivered at 3 am. Crazy. Miss the banh mi. Spicy. Fresh. From that lady on the corner near my apartment. Gone now. Building something new there. Progress.

Sigh. Remember the language barrier. Frustrating sometimes. But people always tried to help. Smiling. Patient. Even if we didn’t understand each other. Something real there. Authentic. Missing that now. Here, everything feels… processed.

• Safety: Low crime. Respectful. Never felt threatened. Even late.
• Convenience: Easy to get around. Cheap transport. Food delivery. 24/7.
• Food: Street food amazing. Banh mi, pho. So cheap. So good.
• People: Kind. Helpful. Patient. Smiling even when frustrated.

My old apartment. Small. But enough. Balcony overlooking the street. Woke up to the sounds of the city. Life happening. Real. Here, everything’s muted. Sterile.

• Cost of living: Affordable. Rent, food, everything. Could live comfortably on a little.
• Healthcare: Good and affordable. Went to a local clinic once. Quick. Easy. Cheap.
• Visa: Easy to extend. Never had any problems.

Thinking about going back. Maybe next year. Need to feel that energy again. The chaos. The life. The realness. Here, just… existing. Not living.