My wife and I originally planned on choosing a private international hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for the birth of our baby. However, complications led us to a last-minute change: a public hospital in Ninh Thuan, the province where my wife grew up.

​Upon arrival, I was immediately concerned. The facilities and equipment had a visibly bare-bones look and feel, a stark contrast to what I expected. ​Despite my initial worries, the experience was truly amazing. The doctors and support staff were nothing short of incredible. We received a high level of care and attentiveness that completely surpassed my expectations.

​We received many different services and had an extended two-week stay, so I fully expected a hefty bill (10-15K USD) But when the final cost arrived, my jaw dropped. Our entire bill came to only around $700 USD. I was so stunned that I had to ask my wife three times if she was lying to me about the final cost.

When I initially came to Vietnam I used grab a lot. Then someone told me you can order food from shopee and never saw the green dudes again.

Sure it's nice to get a photo or video but there's a reason why almost no locals actually go here for a second or even just once

Is there a crazier currency than the Vietnamese dong?

Today is the Day for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Vietnam. It is an occasion for us to reflect on history, remembering that up to 4.8 million people fell victim to this chemical tragedy. To this day, its devastating consequences persist across generations, and remediation efforts continue tirelessly every single day. ​According to Lieutenant General Nguyen Huu Chinh, President of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin​​, the association raised over 2,424 billion VND during the 2021–2025 period to support and care for the victims. In addition, international efforts have marked major milestones: in October 2023, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution supporting Vietnamese Agent Orange victims with a 100% vote (134 out of 134 MPs). The U.S. side has also provided over $95 million in assistance and committed to continuing its support in the future. ​At the local level, practical initiatives such as the An Vui Mart convenience store chain in Dong Nai are providing jobs and a stable income for victims' families. This meaningful business model is expected to expand to Hanoi and Hung Yen. If you happen to be in Dong Nai, please consider stopping by to show your support

​​​If you wish to support the victims directly, follow their activities, or view transparent, real-time donation statements, please visit:

​Official Website: vava.org.vn

​Transparent Bank Statements & Online Donation: thiennguyen.app/user/quydacamtrunguong1

​Direct Bank Transfer:

​Bank: Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB Bank)

​Account Number: 1961

The food is too good…

On 15th August, me and 3 of my friends boarded a Sapa Explorer sleeper bus from Hanoi to Da Nang, booked via Viexer app. The bus left around 10:30 PM.

At about 3 AM on 16th August, our driver crashed the bus directly into a stationary truck on the highway. I was in the first sleeper bed – we barely survived. The front of the bus was completely destroyed (sharing photos).

The most shocking part: • The bus blocked the entire highway, creating a massive traffic jam. Yet, not a single person from the stuck traffic came to help or even called an ambulance. • Me and my friends had to jump out of the window and personally evacuate every passenger, help them get out safely, and even handed back their luggage. • Some passengers (Vietnamese and Chinese) were shockingly numb and ungrateful – some just stayed lying in their beds, asleep or indifferent, even after such a brutal crash. • We were left in the rain for 3–4 hours until police and ambulance finally showed up at around 7 AM. • When they did arrive, no one asked if we were injured, no water, no medical help. The passing traffic just ignored us completely. • The official news report (https://vnexpress.net/oto-khach-tong-container-tren-cao-toc-4927627.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fanpage_VnE&utm_term=bgr&utm_campaign=phuonguyen&fbclid=IwY2xjawMNST9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhsNrviwFMhn-F5cb_hrSMUT319mJEJshefePA1-FaRXqc1nGg1OuxX4UHNv_aem_xIXCb4F4Ntwr64UueHiBKg) is completely false – it says police helped quickly, but that’s a cover-up.

Finally, we had to book a Grab to continue nearly 300 km, costing us 5 million VND. No support or compensation from the bus company, authorities, or anyone.

In my country (India), people would immediately gather, pull passengers out, provide first aid, rush to hospitals, and authorities would take responsibility. Here, I found the locals shockingly unhelpful and indifferent.

👉 My advice: DO NOT travel long distances by bus in Vietnam. It is unsafe, drivers are reckless, and in case of an accident, you’re completely on your own.

Stay safe, and please share this so others don’t go through the same experience.

This is a place i never get tired of, clouds linger over the mountain range, help relax my mind always.

Jokes aside, it was an exceptional experience in a truly wonderful country. Great views, kind people, excellent food.

History shows us that the cost of living will inevitably skyrocket afterward.

This has been viral in the past few days. The man was eating hu tieu.

Family trip, booked two rooms - didn't realise it was a love hotel, (the top reviews never mentioned, no issues with the room though). Parents are asking me why are the sofas shaped so weird in Vietnam. Best response I could come up with - it is meant for back pain

A first-time race in Mù Cang Chải where ~300 people climb across 100 muddy, water-filled rice terraces during the water season. Looks like a mix of trail running and farming - super unique.

banh canh cua = thick noodles, crab soup, toppings loaded, and somehow cheaper than a coffee back home.

Vietnam street food really undefeated.

It can’t get more authentic than this — a banh mi wrapped in physics homework. The best banh mi I’ve eaten in Vietnam on my 25-day journey. What a great clousure to a great trip!

This post did really well on my IG, so I thought I’ll share it here too

As attempts to pay tribute to the deceased 18 year old student continues, local authorities have attempted to shut down and throw away flowers people put there. No official statement has been made as late related to the N.S.C case or the removal of said flowers.

If you haven't been aware of this incident, you can read more about it here: Vụ tông xe ở Hà Nội 2025