Vietnam… A retirement destination?

Nap time

When a person is considering retirement, a lot of things pass through the mind., and affordability of a good life is a big one. Some people choose places like Florida, Costa Rica, or others with mild climates close by. I think that a lot of people should come to Vietnam for a visit and then seriously consider the benefits of retiring here. A large expat community already exists here. Many of them are here because the pensions the receive at home will only give them a meager existence, whereas the same pension paid here can have a person living like an upper class businessman. In NhaTrang there is quite a variety of foreigners who have decided to call this place home. There are many Canadians, Americans, Europeans, Brits, and French. I am sure there are others, but I have not met them yet. They are all men. I have not as of yet met a single woman that has retired here from another country (unless they are Vietnamese). That is not to say that they are here for the girls, or they dislike the home country….. It is that many of them have had some kind of

Nap time

 past experience in this country, and this IS a country that a person cannot forget. After a bad divorce or being widowed, or even just experiencing the culture can draw a person back here. It did me! Sooooo… what are the benefits of retiring in a Country like Vietnam? Let us discuss that.

First of all, your dollar goes a long way. A person can have a basic life with comfort for 500.00US a month. For 700.00 you can have a good middle class existence. Anything over that is a bonus and you begin to live high on the hog. (sorry to my Vietnamese readers for the Idiom… It means Very good.) So you now have enough to pay for a nice house, eat good food, and enjoy any entertainment you might desire. On top of the ability of having a

A pretty beatle

nice home, comes the ability to afford to hire full time helpers. A cleaning person to come in 3 daily might cost 15 dollars a month, and a full time cook perhaps the same. You will never eat so good and so healthy. When you want to go out, you can call your personal driver that also is available at a low cost. If you wish, there are also many easy ways to be mobile here. You truly do not need a vehicle.

Next is the climate. In the Center where I live the mean temperature only varies by about 3 of 4 degrees all year round. Since coming here, all of the aches and pains in the joints have disappeared. There is no need to bundle up

Fruit orchard

 in layers of clothing, A Tee shirt and shorts will do just fine all year around. The air is not as humid as one might think and even the hotter temperatures are easy to deal with. Both in Saigon it can be more humid and sticky hot, but is that not what air conditioning is all about?

Most of the modern conveniences available at home are also available here. Power Water, Cable TV, high speed internet, and now even reading material. Shopping for personal use items never gets boring as I am constantly surprised at how much less it costs here. Some things are the same though.

Street food

Computers, cameras, and Televisions are a few examples.

 And what about drugs and medical care? I wondered about that very same question. First of all, I have as of yet not found any drug that we needed unavailable. Almost anything can be purchased from countless pharmacies located in abundance throughout the cities. Most and possibly all drugs can be purchased over the counter without a prescription, but the approval of the pharmacist themselves. Unless a person goes to a foreign owned doctor or hospital, medical service is not very expensive. IF there are serious issues, a person can go to a foreign held hospital for what is still an affordable price, or jump a short flight to Thailand where the medical care there is among the best in the world, for a very low cost. There is one problem I can see here that could put a damper on things. Roadside Emergency assistance seems almost non existent here. If you are prone to seizures of any kind, this would not be the place for you unless you can recover unassisted.

 Lastly….   You will not be alone!! Besides a large community of expats, there are a lot of people who know that befriending a westerner can benefit their lives. Whether financially, or their desire to improve English, or even just to hear about the rest of the world, you will not be alone. If you are a single male of any age, there will be women……. Some very nice women… that will want to look after you and keep you in good health in order to have a more secure and stable future.

The only big drawback to retiring here is leaving your family behind, but then… What a great reason for them to have an exotic Asian holiday

Some random pics

Why Visit Vietnam?…. Part 2

A view from Chau Doc

Vietnam is a beautiful country. From the watery delta of the Mekong with its breathtaking shades of green, speckled by the bright color of flowers and fruit, To the jagged tranquility of Halong Bay and it’s amazing rugged sights. The country is filled with history. There are Ancient Cham ruins to explore, and beautiful Buddhist temples to visit. White choral sand beaches, and misty mountain top get aways. There is a lot to see and do. After this introduction, I will be pasting information provided by other sources because there are people out there who have done a much better job than I can to inform you of specific areas. I will add my impressions where I feel needed. 

Back to the culture shock…. When you first start touring Vietnam, you might get the impression that it is a dirty place. In the past it was so, but they have become much better over time. The main reason it may look messy here to many it that there is always construction and building improvements

An Ancient cham

 everywhere. There are also houses built against all of the roads as the people here can open some king of business and try to make a living. The combination of demolition waste, building materials, home built structures and businesses, along with the street side industries can look a little messy. Try to ignore and look beyond and you will see the natural beauty of this country, or better yet…. Look at all the activity as part of the charm as I do. So now you have decided that Vietnam might be the place for an exotic holiday different from any you have taken before. Tou may have a few questions such as: 

Is it Safe? 

Vietnam is one of the safest countries in the world to travel. The government has asked that the foreigner be treated well and what the government here wants, it usually gets. The people in their ever industrious ways have learned

Developement on the end of NhaTrang

that is easy to make money from a tourist by providing a good service, so you will find no lack of friendly people willing to help you. Like any other place, there is petty crime. Snatch and Grabs, pick pockets, and other minor scams to get at your money. Actual muggings are rare unless you are silly enough to walk down the quiet streets in a foreign and poor country drunk at 3am. Just use common sense and do not draw extra attention to yourself with bulging fanny packs and the like, and you will be fine. I myself was a victim of laydyboy pick pockets. ( see blog (see post A sucker born every minute). So do not worry about walking around tightly grasping your packs and wallets. Generally you will be fine. 

Will I get sick? What should I take? 

Before you come here, you should consult with your local travel inoculation centre. The recommended shots are typhoid, Japanese Esephalitis, yellow fever and Hepatitis a and b.

You really do not need to worry about malaria unless you are going to spend time deep inland, and there is nothing you can take to

Hon Chong beach

 prevent dengue fever. But what about the local bugs?

Our bodies have a bit of trouble adapting to the bacteria that is in the water here. It is generally best to avoid consuming even small amounts of the local water. A person can do this by always keeping a golden rule. “If it is boiled, or if I can peel it, it is safe to eat”. If you keep this rule in mind, you should never get sick from the food. People are sometimes concerned about the condition of the food. They see it sitting in the sun in open air markets. All of the food is fresh and will be sold in the morning. By noon it is all gone and does not sit there for the next day. I have not seen people suffer from food

Hslong Bay

poisoning, even though it may look like it can happen. It is also a good idea to always check the ice in your drink. If it is round or has rounded edges, it was made with purified water and is safe. Most restaurants now serve this kind of ice as they are as much on a clean water kick as us. If the ice in your drink looks jagged as if broken off a block, be very wary. Ask if you can about the source of the water. If you cannot determine it is safe, do not drink it. The water here can sometimes cause some very bad bouts of diarrhea. It is a good idea to bring some Imodium or other such anti-Diarrhea product just to be safe. 

Tomorrow I will start to write about specific destinations and what there is to see. And do.

Kids on a swim