I am Niall Mackay, founder of Seven Million Bikes Podcasts, and an expat living in Vietnam for almost 10 years. After a long time living here, I sometimes forget what it feels like to arrive here for the first time.
Speaking with someone who had only been in Saigon for three months reminded me of just how intense, exciting, confusing, and addictive this city can be when everything is still new.
This time, I sat down with Ebru, who had recently moved to Saigon with her husband and their three-year-old son. She had lived in seven countries across four continents, most recently in Rome, and was experiencing Vietnam with fresh eyes. Listening to her talk made me pause and reflect on my own journey here, and why Saigon still keeps me excited all these years later.
The Energy of Saigon and Why It Feels Different
One of the first things we talked about was the energy of Saigon. It is something I often struggle to explain, even though I feel it every day. Ebru described it perfectly. Saigon feels alive. Things move fast. Trends appear overnight. New cafes, buildings, and services seem to pop up while you are not looking.
She shared a saying that really stayed with me. Paris is always Paris. Rome is always Rome. Saigon is never Saigon. It is always changing. That sums it up better than anything I could say myself.
When I first moved here, I did not love it. In fact, I hated it. I wanted to leave and go back to New Zealand. Over time, that changed, and I eventually realised what pulled me in was this constant movement. The feeling that things are growing and changing, and that the future still feels open. In many places I have lived or visited, things feel flat or settled. Here, it feels like anything could happen next.
Adjusting Your Habits and Expectations
Moving to Vietnam means constantly recalibrating your habits. Some things are easier than you expect, and others are harder in ways you could never plan for.
Ebru shared a simple example that made me smile because I have lived it too. She looked at Google Maps and saw that a school was ten minutes away. Back home, that would be an easy walk. In Saigon, it became a stressful thirty minute journey with no sidewalks, nonstop traffic, and a stroller in the middle of the road.
This is one of those things you cannot understand until you are here. You can research all you want, but daily life teaches you quickly. Sometimes places are too close to justify a car, but too far and unsafe to walk. You only learn that by trying.
At the same time, there are conveniences here that feel almost unreal. You can get things delivered quickly, hire help easily, and outsource parts of daily life in ways that would only be possible for very wealthy people in other countries.
Money, Banking, and Learning to Be Intentional
One of the biggest challenges for newcomers is money. Not the cost of living, but how money actually works day to day.
Vietnam feels very modern and very old school at the same time. You see QR codes everywhere, but opening a bank account or linking a foreign card to an app can be frustrating. Ebru shared how long it took them to register cards, set up payments, and feel settled financially. Even after months, some things still did not work smoothly.
Cash is still very common here, and that can make budgeting harder. It is easy to lose track of spending when you are paying for lots of small things in cash. Coffee here is cheap, food is affordable, and services feel accessible. The danger is that you start spending more simply because you can.
We talked about how important it is to be intentional. Cheap does not mean free. Those small daily spends add up quickly. Living well in Vietnam is easy, but living within your means still takes effort and awareness.
Raising a Child in Saigon
Hearing about Ebru’s experience as a parent was one of the most interesting parts of the conversation for me. Raising a child here comes with challenges, but also some big surprises.
Walking with a stroller is hard. Sidewalks are often blocked or do not exist at all. Traffic never really stops. That can be stressful, especially when you are new.
At the same time, Vietnam feels incredibly welcoming to children. Restaurants often have play areas. Play cafes are everywhere. Staff and strangers are warm, patient, and kind toward kids. That is something I have heard from many parents now, and it matches what I see daily.
Compared to places like the US, where kids sometimes feel like an inconvenience in public spaces, Vietnam feels much more accepting. Children are part of daily life here, and that makes a big difference for families.
Schools and Education Choices
Education is another area where expectations can be very different from reality. International schools in Vietnam are not cheap. In many cases, they are comparable in price to schools in Western countries.
What surprised Ebru positively was the quality. Teachers from around the world, modern teaching methods, and a strong focus on development rather than pressure. She chose a school that mixed international and local students, which helped her son integrate more naturally into life here.
From everything I have heard over the years, education in Vietnam can be excellent if you choose carefully. It is not something you save money on, but for many families, the quality makes it worth it.
Food, Health, and Small Cultural Surprises
Food is one of the joys of living in Vietnam, but it also comes with adjustments. Vietnamese food is delicious, but sugar appears in places you would never expect. Milk, yogurt, and sauces often contain added sugar, and that can be surprising, especially for people used to European or Mediterranean diets.
Ebru talked about trying to make yogurt at home and failing twice before realising the yogurt she bought did not contain live cultures, or had sugar added. These are small things, but they add up when you are settling in.
Organic food is harder to find and more expensive. For adults, you might let that slide. For children, it becomes more important, which means more planning and effort.
Healthcare is another area where things work well once you understand the system, but it takes time to learn. Finding the right doctors, clinics, and services is part of the adjustment process.
Why People Fall in Love With Saigon
What really stayed with me from this conversation was how quickly people fall for this city. I recently spoke with someone from Italy who came here planning to move on, and within days decided he was staying. He said the people made the difference, both locals and expats.
That rings true for me. Saigon has a way of pulling you in. The energy, the friendliness, the feeling that things are growing rather than slowing down. Even after years here, I still feel it.
Talking to someone new reminded me why I love living here. It reminded me why I started this podcast in the first place. To hear people’s stories, reflect on my own experience, and share what life in Vietnam is really like.
Saigon is not always easy. It can be chaotic, confusing, and overwhelming. But it is alive, welcoming, and full of possibility. And for many of us, that is exactly why we stay.