The Grab App in Vietnam: Ride-Hailing & Food Delivery

A Grab driver making a delivery in Da Nang, Vietnam
Over the years of living in Vietnam and Thailand, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on the Grab app. It is, by far, the number one app to download ...
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Renting an Apartment in Ho Chi Minh City (Guide for 2026)

The Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal, viewed from my apartment in Phu Nhuan District in Ho Chi Minh City
I’ve rented over a dozen apartments while living in Vietnam. I’ve lived in several parts of Da Nang and five different districts in Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve ...
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7 Places to Buy Gym Supplements in Ho Chi Minh City

A shaker cup, protein powder and other gym supplements found in Ho Chi Minh City
My first gym in Da Nang in 2018 was a small, open-air gym with no windows, just a small waist-high gate guarding the rusty equipment. I think I ...
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How to Get Around Ho Chi Minh City for First-Time Visitors

Parking on Le Cong Kieu Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, showing my orange Yamaha motorbike and the street lined with old French achitecture
I have lived in four different districts in Ho Chi Minh City (Thao Dien in District 2, District 7, District 8, and Phu Nhuan) and have traveled throughout ...
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8 Best Supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)

Wide shot showing stacks of products, the ceiling, and staff workers inside of Mega Market in An Phu
I’ve moved between cities many times in Vietnam and always need a new smoothie blender. I have purchased the same lime green Sunhouse blender at least seven times ...
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11 Best Gyms in Ho Chi Minh City: Day Passes, Costs & Locations

Inside the first floor of Gym One in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, showing a very clean gym, with workout machines and equipment and people exercising.
I was a personal trainer at LA Fitness and Retro Fitness (both popular chains in the US) in college, and I’ve been working out for close to 20 ...
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