We had the opportunity to work and live in the expat neighbourhood of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, when I accepted a two-year contract at the Canadian International School. (2017-2019). This amazing experience also allowed us to travel around Asia and Australia during school breaks. We managed to visit 8 other countries during our 2-year residency.
Working overseas is a great way to experience “Slow Travel.” We were part of the local expat community and enjoyed socializing with the other 100+ Canadians. Many dinners out and weekends away were available to explore Vietnam and neighbouring countries. We have maintained several friendships from this experience.
Daily Life in Ho Chi Minh City, D7
The Canadian International School I worked in was in District 7. This is a popular expat community. We chose to travel by taxi during our 2 years despite the availability of motorbikes. We felt it was safer to be in a car rather than a bike in the city’s chaotic traffic! My commute to work was an 800m walk along a beautiful residential street!
We enjoyed visits from family and friends during our time. My parents came for Tet (Vietnamese New Year), and then our daughters each came for a month to see us in our new home. It was an excellent way for us to explore places and share the experiences with family. District 7 is a growing community with several high-rise complexes, schools and shopping malls. There were many restaurants and activities to try, all within D7. We also enjoyed travelling in the main downtown, called District 1, to experience more of the city and its millions of residents.
Exploring HCMC -City Tours
We explored the city on our own, with friends and with hired tour guides. Most of our organized tours were booked through Viator. Our full-day city tour included a cyclo tour of Saigon’s Chinatown, which was exciting and a great way to see the bike street and electronics street too! We tried banh xeo, which are Vietnamese pancakes, and they were very tasty. We toured the palace, the war museum, a memorial and a pagoda with a knowledgeable guide, Tiger.
We booked this tour during the New Year holiday, called Tet, while my parents visited. Part of the Tet celebrations includes extra flower markets and displays, which we saw up close and from several famous rooftops. The Rex, the Caravelle and the Heli Bar on the 51st floor of the Bitexco Tower were perfect places to view the crowded flower street.
More Opportunities to Explore Vietnam and Beyond
Not only did we explore the massive city during the week and weekends, but we also travelled throughout the country. We took long weekend breaks from the city to places like Vung Tau and Cat Tien Park.
We also travelled north to see the capital, Hanoi, and the northern Sa Pa area of Vietnam.
Our Expat Explorations to other countries
Ho Chi Minh City is a great hub for travel. While living in Southeast Asia, we took advantage of cheap and short flights to visit many nearby countries. We travelled to 8 different countries, including Australia, while I was employed with CIS!
These are links that describe some of our travels made as expats while residing in Vietnam:
- Cambodia https://lifeafter50travel.net/2024/03/20/siem-reap-phnom-penh-cambodia/
- Australia https://lifeafter50travel.net/2024/07/18/southern-australia-in-july-melbourne-adelaide-canberra-and-tasmania/
- Singapore https://lifeafter50travel.net/2024/06/27/tbt-short-trips-to-singapore-easy-to-tour-and-travel/
- Thailand https://lifeafter50travel.net/2024/08/01/elephant-encounter-in-beautiful-chiang-mai-thailand/
- Malaysia https://lifeafter50travel.net/2024/04/17/tbt-flora-fauna-trip-in-malaysia/
I took my first flight at 6 months of age and I have continued to plan trips and travel to more than 50 countries. Now as a middle age traveler we have learned some travel hacks and budget saving ideas that we are happy to share. Follow our posts for ideas and tips to stretch your travel budget in your gogo years!
