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Having lived most of my life in Europe, an illusory world where free health care and a state of good health reign supreme, getting medical attention was never one of my worries. In fact, I traveled for a long time around the world without even thinking about the need to get health insurance.
It wasn’t until I moved to Asia that I realized the luck I had had during my trips. [Read more…]
Do you live or plan to move to Vietnam and currently look for health insurance?
Nowadays, you can find many international hospitals in Vietnam that cater to foreign expats and visitors. There are also plenty of brokers (more about that later) and insurance companies available that offer tailor-made insurance packages.
Finding an insurance provider might not be the most difficult task on hand, but there are plenty of other things that are worth knowing. What kinds of hospitals are available in Vietnam? How can I seek medical attention in Vietnam?
These are just examples of questions that you should ask yourself before you even more here. In this article, we cover the most important topics for foreigners who need robust insurance packages offered by some of the most credible companies in the market.
P.S. If you are plan to just travel for a short period in the country, then you can read our guide dedicate to travel insurance in Vietnam.
Do you live in Ho Chi Minh and want to visit an international obstetrician or gynecologist?
Ho Chi Minh is the home to a handful of international hospitals that are mostly foreign-owned. In the past years, we have also seen some local brands popping that cater to foreign residents.
Most of the hospitals offer services in obstetrics and gynecology. In this article, we have listed the top international hospitals available. We explain their accreditation, history, services, and where you can find them. [Read more…]
Do you currently live in Ho Chi Minh City and look for an international pediatrician?
As the expat community grows in Ho Chi Minh, we’ve seen many clinics popping up in the past years. You have no issues finding English-speaking doctors that have a long experience catering to locals and foreigners alike.
To give you a helping hand, we have written this article where you can find some of the top international hospitals with pediatricians in Ho Chi Minh. If you have any further questions, feel free to write a comment below or contact us. [Read more…]
Vietnam is on the rise and one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. Ho Chi Minh City leads the pack as it serves as the country’s financial hub, has the largest population, and the biggest number of foreigners.
As Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City continue to develop, we see increasingly more foreigners who relocate to Vietnam as expats. Many also look for local job offers or pursue studies.
If you live in Ho Chi Minh City or plan moving there, it can be good to identify clinics and healthcare facilities before you need to visit them. In this article, we list some of the most renowned and reputable ophthalmologists and eye clinics in the city. Let’s get started. [Read more…]
Vietnam is witnessing rapid changes in population and social structure. Vietnam’s population has increased to about 97 million in 2018 (from about 60 million in 1986) and is expected to increase to 120 million by 2050. Currently, 70% of the population is under the age of 35.
The young labor force is very large and shows no sign of decreasing. In addition, the country has invested a lot of resources in education. Therefore, in addition to health, young Vietnamese workers are also skilled.
Finally, salaries in Vietnam are very competitive, even for skilled workers;
Ho Chi Minh City has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-growing and most interesting cities in Asia at the moment. Along with this, we also see a greater influx of expats and other foreigners who are in a need of finding international dental clinics.
This bustling city is the home of plenty of dental clinics that have many years of catering to foreigners. In this article, we present some of the most reputable and leading clinics that offer a wide range of services.
Let’s get started. [Read more…]
Vietnamese food gets increasingly popular and it’s well-known for its fresh vegetables and distinctive flavors. Common seasonings include mint, lemongrass, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, chili, Thai basil leaves, and lime.
All the way from the North to the South, you’ll find tasty dishes like Pho (noodle soup), Com tam (broken rice), Banh mi (Vietnamese baguette), and Bun Cha. Along with the increase in the popularity of Vietnamese food, we also see an increased demand for online cooking courses.
Therefore, we have written this article where we list some of the most popular online Vietnamese cooking classes and YouTube channels where you can learn how to make Vietnamese food.
Do you live in or plan to move to Vietnam and wonder how you can open a local bank account?
There are plenty of benefits of opening a local bank account and oftentimes it’s needed for you to stay in Vietnam long-term, at least if you work there.
In this article, we explain why you should consider opening a bank account in Vietnam, what documents you need, what banks we recommend, and more. Let’s start and review why you should open a bank account.
Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world at the moment and we see skyscrapers popping up here and there in Ho Chi Minh City. As living expenses become more expensive in China, we also see increasingly more foreigners relocating from the Middle Kingdom to Vietnam.
Some of the reasons are that living costs are lower, the weather is warmer, and you’ll be close to other Southeast Asian nations, like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and more.
As a result, increasingly more foreigners look for local jobs in Vietnam. Therefore, we have written this article where we explain how you can find a job in Vietnam, the requirements, about local salaries, the best job searching websites, and more.
The online dating scene has exploded in the past 5 years, something that used to be tabu has become completely normal. Vietnam is not an exception and we’ve seen both international and local dating apps that are gaining more and more traction in the country.
If you live in Vietnam and would like to know what are the most popular dating apps, don’t look any further. In this article, we list some of the best and most popular dating apps in Vietnam.
Do you plan to travel to Vietnam and wonder whether going by bus is the right choice for you?
Vietnam has become an increasingly popular tourist destination and doesn’t only attract backpackers, but regular travelers and retired couples. Nowadays, more and more travelers choose to go by bus, especially with distances that take less than 6 hours.
In this article, we explain the pros and cons of traveling by bus in Vietnam. You’ll also learn how you can buy bus tickets, what bus types that exist, about bus schedules, and some general suggestions.
Let’s start and review the pros and cons of traveling by bus in Vietnam.
Do you plan to travel to Vietnam and want to buy a prepaid SIM card? In this article, we list the different options you have to get access to the internet while traveling in Vietnam.
Later, we will list different service providers that offer local prepaid SIM cards to foreign travelers. The companies are the biggest in Vietnam in terms of users and they offer robust data plans.
If you don’t want to wait until you arrive in Vietnam to buy your SIM card, we will also present a couple of other options available. First, let’s start and review the types of SIM cards that are available for Vietnam.
Do you plan to move to Vietnam and want to know more about general living costs? Don’t look any further.
In the first section of this article, I will explain the general living costs in Vietnam. Here, we will not review detailed numbers, you’ll get a better understanding of why cities like Ho Chi Minh City have become more expensive in the previous years.
In the second part, I will go into more detail and present prices for rents in the city center and outskirts, inexpensive and mid-range restaurants, SIM cards, alcohol, transportation, and more. After, we continue and review the average salary in Vietnam as a whole, for you to get a better understanding of how much you can expect to earn as a foreigner.
Finally, I’ll give you some tips on how you can save money in Vietnam.
If you have any information that you would like to share about the cost of living, feel free to drop a comment at the end of the article!
In this article, we will list several moving companies for sending your goods to Thailand or Vietnam (if you are moving there) or from Thailand or Vietnam (if you are planning to leave the country).
Also, via the form below you will be able to get up to 5 free quotes from trusted moving companies chosen by our moving service partner.
Security online is one of the things that we should start to keep in mind, especially when we are traveling or moving to another country. Another thing that we should keep in mind is whether access to the Internet is restricted or not.
In Vietnam, there exist multiple cybernetic laws which are theoretically aimed at preventing information leaks, promoting security in the interchange of information, and permitting secure transactions. However, these laws have mainly been used to block, filter or monitor the use of the Internet in the country. Many websites in Vietnam are blocked or have restricted use, including sites as popular as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, the BBC, and WordPress, following the lead of countries such as China.
Despite this, recent reports indicate that Vietnam is among the countries with the highest risk in the world for cybernetic attacks along with Thailand.
To improve security online and to avoid potential restrictions on access to certain websites, one of the most useful tools is the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), as you will see in the following sections.
This article is a complete guide with all the information necessary to apply for a visa for Vietnam (if you need one).
In this article I’ll explain how and where to book a hotel (or hostel) in Vietnam. If you’re interested in booking a hotel in a specific city, click here to read our reviews.
If you need firsthand information on how plan your travel in Vietnam, click here to read our complete guide.
Despite the existence of many online portals that allow you to book one or more hotels, in my opinion for Vietnam the best are without a doubt Agoda and Booking. [Read more…]
This article is a complete guide with everything you need to know about enjoying a tour in Vietnam. Below, you will find the subjects that we will cover in this article.
Located in the Gulf of Thailand, 500 kilometers from Koh Chang and just 50 from the Vietnamese coastline, Phu Quoc is an excellent destination for those looking for warmth and tropical beaches all year long.
Thanks to its geographical position, Phu Quoc isn’t much influenced by the seasons, making it a place to visit 12 months out of the year. The best time period however is from December to March, when the weather is drier compared to other months and temperatures reach a high of 28 degrees, with calm seas that are ideal for fans of diving.
April, May and June could also be considered a good time to visit the island. During these months temperatures rise to as much as 35 degrees and the humidity is constant, though these factors make it possible to more easily find lower prices on hotels and flights.
Even though it’s a rather big island at almost 600 square kilometers, Phu Quoc isn’t a very well known international destination. This has kept the beaches from being overrun and you can still enjoy the local Vietnamese atmosphere.
90% of the island is covered by forest, and 70% is made up of a national park protected by Unesco and the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve.
The Phu Quoc district is made up of a good 28 islands, the majority of which are uninhabited. Up until the midway point of the 18th century, the island was scarcely inhabited even by the local population, who supported themselves by selling so-called sea cucumbers to the Chinese Emperor, which are invertebrates that live on the sea floor and are today considered a species threatened by extinction.
Various nations, including a few European empires, have occupied Phu Quoc from the 1800’s onward. In 1869 the island was occupied by the French and passed under the Cochinchina administration, a region in the south of Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City as its capital, considered to be a French colony. [Read more…]