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MBA Graduation: Reflection, Gratitude, and Adventure
What to do when you graduate from your MBA in the middle of winter and want to celebrate? Take an adventure trip to Lapland!
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Welcome
Thanks for visiting Expat Heather! I’m an international educator, writer, and expat mom currently living in South Korea. On this site you’ll find things about living abroad, teaching in international schools, travel, hiking, and expat life.
Vietnam’s tourism industry is booming. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism recently revealed that 658,325 international travelers flew into Vietnam in July alone, representing an increase of 28.5% from the same period during the year before.
Travelers from other China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan made up the bulk of the country’s visitors. It appears, however, that visitors and tourists from Australia showed the largest year-on-year increase with over 50% more visitors from Australia coming in during the July 2013 period compared to July 2012.
Remember when I had to go to London for a one-day black tie event? I was a finalist at the Cognita Awards for Excellence as a secondary teacher.
Cognita is a network of international schools that includes ISHCMC American Academy in Vietnam. While the majority of Cognita schools are in the UK, they also have schools in Spain, Thailand, Singapore and Brazil. In total, Cognita employs about 3,500 teachers.
I’m often contacted by people wondering what to pack for a move to Vietnam. Here is a list to get you started. At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a printable, editable Excel sheet packing list you can use.
If you’re moving abroad with a toddler, check out my more extensive list of 50 Things we Packed or Shipped to Vietnam.
Personal Care Items
Taking a walk down the shampoo aisle at Metro in Ho Chi Minh City can leave you reeling from the strong fragrances. It is difficult to find soaps, shampoos and lotions that are affordable and don’t have a strong smell. Most local products also contain parabens and other toxins.
You can buy some natural soaps and other products at Herbal Way to Beauty on Xuan Thuy in District 2 Saigon, however it is probably cheaper to stock up on your favorite products from home. One of my colleagues looked all over for hand soap that didn’t have a strong smell; she ended up bringing some back from the U.S. Regular worldwide brands such as Pantene and Finesse can be found in local markets.
Curly Hair Supplies
Naturally curly hair is not common, so it is difficult to find hair products to keep down the frizz. I have found one type of mousse for curly hair at An Phu Market in District 2, and that’s it unless you want to buy expensive salon products.
Kitchen Items
Baking and cooking items not typically used in Vietnamese cooking can be very expensive and hard to find in Vietnam. If you like to cook and bake, you should ship or pack necessary items from home. If you are allotted a shipping allowance, remember it goes by volume and not weight, so you don’t need to worry about the extra cost of sending heavy items like a pizza stone and a Dutch oven.
*Note: You can buy non-toxic non-stick pans and skillets at Metro. We have two that have held up well over 8 months already.
Here are some of the things we packed that we haven’t been able to find here, or that have been double or triple the price:
1. Pizza peel
2. Pizza stone
3. Pizza cutter
4. Dough hook
5. Dough cutter
6. Measuring cups
7. Measuring spoons
8. Metal cooling racks
9. Metal cupcake trays
10. Mini cupcake tray
11. Pastry brushes
12. Round metal cake pan
13. Rolling pin
14. Glass pie pan
15. Assorted seeds (I buy in bulk from Atlantic Spice Company)
16. BPA-Free Kitchen containers
17. Large glass salad bowl ($2.99 at Ikea)
18. Kitchen scale
19. Coffee grinder
20. French press
21. Pyrex 8 x 8 with lids
22. Pryex bowls with lids (Shop World Kitchen has the best prices on Pyrex)
23. Mixing bowls
24. Cast iron griddle
25. Cast iron skillet
26. Cast iron Dutch Oven
27. Mortar and pestle
28. Kitchen timer
29. Butter bell
30. Bread knife
31. Western spices (I buy from Atlantic Spice)
32. Immersion blender
33. Cookie cutters
Printer, Scanner, and other Electronic Items
Printers and scanners are about twice the cost in Vietnam as in the US due to the import tax. Same goes for digital cameras and most other electronic items. You will also want to buy some voltage converters, because the ones found in Vietnam are large and bulky. I bought one Simran converter on Amazon for about $13, and I wish I’d bought 5 or 6 instead of buying the large ones here.
Motorcycle and Bicycle Helmets
Helmets available in Vietnam are mostly lower quality and used simply to meet the legal requirement that all motorbike drivers and passengers must wear them. You’re better off bringing a high-quality helmet with you than trusting the locally available ones.
Sports and Camping Gear
You can find sports shops here, but high-quality imported gear and clothing is not cheap. You can often buy knock-off versions of sports clothing in local markets, but if you want something with real UV protection or other features then you should bring it with you.
Soccer is popular in Vietnam, so you can find a good variety of soccer clothes and gear, but for other sports consider bringing your own gear.
Women’s Underwear and Bras
If you are bigger than B cup, don’t count on finding bras. Also, in the US I am usually a small for underwear, here I am XL. I am usually a size 4-6 in the US, just to give you an idea what an “XL” is in Vietnam. You can find some C and D cup-bras in Saigon Square, however the choice is limited.
If you need nursing bras or tops, you should pack those as well. Sometimes you can buy secondhand maternity clothes and nursing bras from other expat moms who don’t need them anymore, but if you need nursing clothes right away then bring them with you in your suitcase.
Comfortable Shoes
It’s tough to find comfortable women’s shoes made for walking all day. I’d suggest bringing good summer shoes from home. I thought Saigon would be like Bangkok with lots of inexpensive malls and a huge variety of affordable work shoes and sandals, but the malls here are almost exclusively high-end brands with high-end prices to match.
Cookbooks
English cookbooks aren’t cheap here, so if you want to have something for your cook or yourself, bring a stash with you. I brought along two years’ worth of Cooking Light magazines which are packed with recipes and not as heavy as books.
Towels and Bedsheets
For some reason, towels and bedsheets are expensive here. In Pakistan, I was able to get custom-made bedding at a low price, however I spent two months looking around Saigon and I couldn’t find similar services. Most of the sheets are not 100% cotton and end up feeling itchy in the heat and humidity. The cotton ones available at Metro are good value, but there is not much variety and it is difficult to read the labels because they are only in Vietnamese. Translation = you don’t necessarily know what type of sheets or what size you’re getting.
We packed two sets of bath towels that I got on sale at Walmart, and I’m so glad we did because towels here cost two or three times the price.
Editable, Printable Packing List
Download this Excel sheet packing list to get started. You can add or delete items as you like to make your own packing list.
I’ll be adding to this list and I think of more items! Please add any suggestions in the comment section below.
This list is directed toward expats moving to Vietnam with toddlers, however you may find it a useful starting point for other destinations.
In July 2012, my husband and I moved from the US to Vietnam with our 18-month-old son. Here are some of the things we’re glad we packed OR we wish that we had packed! The feature photo is our son in his Kitchen Helper, one of the bigger items we shipped.
Some of these may seem odd (toothbrushes?), but we are very conscientious about toxins in plastics, personal care products and food. Also, I went back in and added a few things, so you’ll see there are now more than 50 items on the list.
Essentials
Stroller with Weather Cover
Combi Cosmo stroller
Before moving to Vietnam I spent a good amount of time reading reviews of travel strollers, and I finally decided on the Combi Cosmo. Due to the smaller wheels it is not pleasant to push on an unpaved surface, but the wheels have held up fine even after being pushed on bumpy roads. The storage space in the bottom is limited, but we’ve solved the problem by putting a large bag over the handlebars. The sun-canopy is sufficient and the stroller folds up quickly and easily. It’s small enough to fit in the front seat of the car or the trunk of a taxi.
I also like the carrying strap for quick carries in the airport. It’s light enough to pick up and carry up stairs by two adults. Overall, I’ve been really happy with it.
The only thing I wish that I had done is buy the weather cover immediately, because Vietnam has a long rainy season and we weren’t prepared for it.
1. Combi Cosmo Stroller
2. Combi Weather Cover
*Some links in this article are Amazon affiliate links, so if Amazon still has the best deal, please do click through to help support this site. Thanks!
Eating
We try to buy all plastic that our toddler will use BPA-free and PVC-free. Here’s what we’ve got in our kitchen that we’re very happy we packed. The Re-Play stuff my mom mailed to me when Gabriel’s other plates and bowls got too small.
3. Re-Play Divided Plates
4. Re-Play Bowls
5. Re-Play Cutlery Set
6. Sugarbooger Silverware
7. Nuby 4-Pack Spoon & Fork
8. Re-Play Sippy Cups
We have two of these and I wish I’d bought more. They are my favorite sippy cup so far, and we have tried about a dozen different ones.
9. Munchkin Cups
10. Foogo Sippy Cup
Good for keeping milk cold on plane trips.
11. Boon Edgeless Dish
12. Lunch Sack
Many lunch bags are also coated with PVC plastic. I wasn’t sure if I could find non-PVC lunch bags abroad so I bought two SugarBooger lunch sacks – one for my son and one for me!
13. Snack Catchers
I love having these on planes and long car trips. They’re also great for going out or even just snacking around the house.
14. Thermos
We haven’t used this too much here because the school our son goes to provides a hot lunch, but if he changes schools we’ll he happy to start using it again.
15. Vitamin D-Drops
Kids probably get enough Vitamin D during the sunny months, but since we often slather our son in sunscreen we give him a Vitamin D supplement. Carlson D is one of the only ones that does not have artificial colors, flavors or other additives.
15a. Sleeve Bibs
Great for eating and for arts and crafts.
15b. High Chair
We had a wooden high chair made here, but we couldn’t get Gabriel to stay in it like in his plastic one from the US. Now he has a terrible habit of running around while it’s time to eat. You can buy this type of high chair here, but expect to spend at least $100 unless you can get a used one from another family.
Sleeping
16. PVC-Free Crib Mattress
The one big item we shipped for our toddler was a Naturpedic “No Compromise” Organic Cotton crib mattress. We had been using it in his crib, and since it was quite an investment at $220 (compared the $30 we spent for his baby crib mattress) we wanted to continue using it once he transitioned to a toddler bed (which are also hard to come by at a decent price!).
You can find good quality, sturdy crib mattresses for toddlers in Saigon, but I haven’t seen any include specific information from the manufacturer about how the mattresses are made. Standard mattresses almost always have PVC plastic in the waterproof coating which off-gases into the bedroom.
Where to Buy: Amazon – Naturpedic Crib Mattress
17. Fitted Crib Sheets
You can find crib sheets in Saigon, but the Naturpedic mattress is very sturdy and standard fitted crib sheets are often too tight for it. I’ve broken more than one fingernail trying to put on new sheets! The only fitted sheet I’ve found that fits it well is the organic fitted crib sheet from Babies R’ Us. We brought one of these and I wish I’d brought 3 or 4.
Organic fitted crib sheet (Babies R’ Us)
17a. Toddler Bed
You can buy new ones at exorbitant prices or used ones from expat families who don’t need them anymore, but if you need one right away you should ship it. Gabriel started using his around 22 months. We bought one for $30 on Craigslist which is wooden. If you want something that will hold up even better in the humidity, go for the thick plastic ones.
17b. Bed Rail
Same story as above. We shipped one and actually didn’t end up using it because our landlady had trundle beds in the kids’ rooms, but I liked to use a bed rail for co-sleeping whenever Gabriel was sick and didn’t want to be by himself.
17c. Crib or Pack n’ Play
You won’t be able to fit these in your suitcase, so try to get one from any family via AnPhu Neighbours Google Group. One thing I wish we’d shipped was our convertible crib / toddler bed, but it would have taken up a lot more space than the small wooden toddler bed.
17d. Baby Monitor
I haven’t seen these here. I bought one from the US and just took a Simran converter to go with it.
I’d suggest buying a monitor with two parent units like this one from Graco, as many houses are quite vertical (3 or 4 floors) and it’s a pain to move the monitor and the converter every time you switch floors.
Personal Care
We are also conscientious about personal care products for the whole family. We like products that don’t contain artificial colors, harsh chemicals or parabens. I haven’t been able to find anything here that is made specifically for kids, however you can buy some natural bar soaps at Herbal Way on Xuan Thuy Street in District 2.
18. Chemical-Free Shampoo and Body Wash
Most soaps and shampoos here have a very strong smell and include many chemicals, including carcinogens. Johnson and Johnson is available and widely used, however we don’t trust their ingredients since they are different in different countries and some mixes do contain carcinogens.
The best value for money that I’ve found is California Baby’s basic shampoo and body wash. If you get the larger bottle, it ends up being about 50% the cost of other natural baby body washes. It also makes decent bubbles.
19. Weleda Baby Toothpaste
1 tube lasts about 3 months when brushing twice a day.
20. BPA-Free Baby Toothbrushes
We bought 5 for the year. The link above is for the toddler size. Buy the baby size ones here: Pure Baby BPA-Free toothbrush
21. California Baby Citronella Bug Spray
We use this for the whole family and bought two bottles for the year. It’s fairly strong, but it doesn’t contain DEET. We put this on Gabriel’s feet and arms at night so he doesn’t get bitten.
Playing
22. Kitchen Helper
The Kitchen Helper is a safety stool so that toddlers can help out in the kitchen. I’ve really just started using it now Gabriel is two, although it’s good for 18 months and up. He just now started having the attention span to stand in there long enough to do something at the counter. I went with this model over other brands because it folds for storage and was less expensive.
Before ordering online, look around for a used one in your local area. You can buy regular step stools in Vietnam, however they aren’t really tall enough to reach the counter and most are flimsy plastic.
23. Cake Decorating Set
I couldn’t find one in Saigon so I had my mom ship me this inexpensive one from Amazon.
24. Step 2 Play Kitchen
My husband and I had several arguments over the play kitchen, which I bought for $100 from Walmart and had shipped with our shipping allowance. I am so glad that I “won” the arguments and did end up shipping the kitchen, because it gets used quite a bit when Gabriel’s friends are over.
I went with the Step 2 Kitchen because it was BPA-free, came with 100 pieces of plastic play food, and was a lot less expensive than the wooden Melissa and Doug kitchen I was eyeing. I also had a look at second-hand kitchens selling via AnPhuNeighbours, the local Saigon Google Group, and saw that they were selling for equal to or more than new models available in the US. A few play kitchens went up for the sale on the Google Group this year, and they were sold within 24 hours!
25. BPA-Free Play Food Set
Best value is to buy it with the kitchen from Walmart.
26. Little Tikes Toy Box
Any durable kids furniture is expensive in Vietnam due to the import tax. We shipped a Little Tikes toy box that was a hand-me-down from my brother. You could ship one and fill it up with stuff.
27. Easel
Our landlady left us an easel and we’re so glad she did. They aren’t cheap in Vietnam. A good value one is the Step 2 Easel linked above.
28. Toddler Tricycle
I wish I’d brought a tricycle. Here the prices for new ones are almost double what you’d pay in the US, and any used ones get bought up in a snap on AnPhuNeighbors. Link just goes to a search page on Amazon for Toddler Tricycles.
29. Little Tikes Car
Same story as the tricycles. I saw one in Babies R’ Us last year for $29.99. I am still kicking myself for not buying it and having it shipped, because the lowest prices I’ve seen here was over $100.
30. Indoor Ride-On Toy
We brought a LeapFrog ride on school bus that Gabriel loves. It was at his grandma’s house and he liked it so much she let us take it. He uses it pretty much every day, and his friends always ride it too.
31. Musical Instruments
You can buy some things here at toy shops, you just end up paying two or three times as much as you would in the US.
32. Craft Supplies
You can get a lot of basic craft supplies in District 2. I brought Melissa and Doug non-toxic finger paints, non-toxic watercolors and safety scissors. I also bought an assortment of brushes in different sizes.
I wish I’d brought a collection of different sponges for sponge painting; I’ll pick some up at a craft shop this summer. The link above is for Amazon, but I bought most of Gabriel’s stuff on sale or with coupons at Babies ‘R Us so it was cheaper.
33.Toddler Scooter
I ended up buying a “Cars 2” one at Vincom Center which is lower quality and cost slightly more than ones in the US. They fold up nicely so you can pack 1 or 2 of them with your shipping allowance.
A friend of ours recommended Micro Scooter as a good quality brand that will last through several children. The “mini kick scooter” is the cheapest model and comes in two colors: blue and pink. It was also on sale in different colors for the same price ($85) at the time of writing.
You can also buy cheaper, Chinese made scooters through the Disney Store or Amazon.
34. Toddler Bicycle Helmets
There is not much variety here and the only place I have found them is at “Toon Store” in Vincom Center (District 1). Before finding that one, I bought two that just didn’t fit correctly.
Getting Better
It is also difficult to find homeopathic medicine or anything without artificial colors or preservatives. We shipped a supply of our most-used medications. For most products, the cheapest option was to “subscribe” from Amazon for a couple months to get our desired number of each product. That way the shipping was free and we got an additional discount.
35. Little Fevers
36. Little Colds
37. Umcka
38. Hyland’s Teething Tablets
39. Hyland’s Teething Gel
40. Similsan Mucus Relief
Gabriel has had difficulty getting over colds. I wish I’d shipped more than one bottle of this! We ran out and had to get some strange blue-colored prescription.
Swimming
41. Flotation Device
You can buy PVC-plastic swimmies here, but they are not quality and they do off-gas toxic fumes when they are new. We bought a Stearns puddle jumper that I absolutely love. Several moms have asked me if you can buy them here in Vietnam, but I haven’t seen anything like the puddle jumper for sale in Saigon. With the puddle jumper, Gabriel can swim in the pool without any help; it’s a lot more stable than the arm bands most toddlers use. I also bought Schlori Swim Cushions on Amazon, although I haven’t used them yet.
42. Swim Diapers
For pools it’s nice to have re-usable swim diapers like these ones from iPlay. You can buy them here at Amazon, although I found the cheapest price to be on MySwimBaby.com. Get the ones that are on sale for the best deal.
43. Sand Toys
Most of the ones I’ve seen here are low-quality plastic and break easily. My mom mailed us some of my brother’s old toys that are a more durable plastic, and they are holding up much better. Since it’s warm weather year round and many playgrounds have sand, you’ll be using them a lot more than you would in a temperate climate. Melissa and Doug and Green Toys have high-quality BPA-free plastic beach toys.
44. Sunscreen
In Vietnam you won’t find a huge variety of sunscreens. To get something with low toxicity, check up on Environmental Working Group’s latest sunscreen database. Some options for babies are toddlers:
California Baby Fragrance Free Sunscreen
45. Water shoes
I haven’t been able to find them in Vietnam. I picked up three pairs at PayLess for around $7 a pair. Many pool surfaces and terraces are slippery, so we use them all the time.
Tip: Buy one size bigger than your toddler is wearing for shoes. Gabriel is currently wearing size 5.5 to 6.5 shoes and size 7 water shoes are difficult to get on his feet.
46. Sun Hats
You can buy tons of hats here in Vietnam, but you can’t find the ones that cover the ears and neck. We have one from iPlay. Another brand to check out is Flap Happy. Gabriel has four hats, and we are constantly using them and putting them in the wash. I’ll probably buy a few more this summer, along with bigger size rash guards with UV protection.
Miscellaneous
47. Sandals
Another expat mom warned me that kids’s shoes here are often too narrow for Western kids’ feet. I picked up sandals in different sizes at PayLess for between $5 and $10 a pair. You can buy toddler shoes at some stores in VinCom Center (PayLess included), but you will pay $30 or more per pair here in Vietnam. The best shoes for all weather, including rainy season, are Crocs. Gabriel has some faux-leather sandals and sneakers, and he almost never wears them! I’d only bring sneakers for small toddlers just learning to walk.
48. Cod Liver Oil
We give Gabriel cod liver oil every day as it’s great for brain development and has essential fatty acids not found in American or Vietnamese diets. We ordered four bottles of the strawberry flavor directly from Nordic Naturals as that was the cheapest option at the time. You can also order on Amazon here: Arctic Cod Liver Oil.
49. PVC-Free Raincoat
Most raincoats for kids I have seen here are made of toxic PVC plastic. For a waterproof coat that is PVC-free, bring one from your home country. Here is a list of options on Evergreen Mom.
50. Towels
Towels are expensive here, especially kids’ towels and beach towels. If you have room in your suitcase or shipping allowance, you can save money by buying your towels at home. I bought two sets of bath towels at Walmart and spent about one-fourth of what it would have cost me here. I wish I’d bought kids’ beach towels as well.
51. Safety Gates
We shipped two of these, an extra-tall one and an extra-wide one, however before they arrived with our shipment we had a local carpenter make a wooden one to match the stairs in our rented house. If Gabriel had been younger, we probably still would have used the extra gates, but at 18 months we really only needed the one stair gate. If you plan to live in District 2 I can give you the contact info for the carpenter.
52. Organizers for Toys
When we were living in Massachusetts I hit up Ikea for foldable toy organizers. The Ikea small storage items are AWESOME for toys, and they are so easy and light to ship. We were able to fold them up and take them in our luggage on the plane, so when we arrived we were able to organize Gabriel’s toys just like they had been organized in Massachusetts. It was really nice to give him to continuity with his toys and bedroom things.
53. Organizers for Clothes and Laundry
We also brought three of these Ikea laundry baskets which are great when carrying laundry up and down multiple flights of stairs. They fold up easily.
The Ikea SKUBB shoe organizers are the perfect size for baby clothes. Many rental houses have wardrobes, so you can hang these up in the wardrobe for clothes organization.
Printable, Editable Packing List
Download my packing list as an Excel file below. You can add and delete items as necessary. There are columns to note where to purchase the items and where you packed them.
Toddler Move Abroad Packing List
Thanks to Emma and Joyce for answering all my questions when I was packing last spring!
When booking family vacations, I obsess over finding good value accommodation that’s both interesting for adults and practical with young children. I found Van Lan Riviera Villas on Agoda, where it had high ratings but only 3 reviews, one of which was in German. The property had no website and no contact email listed, but the price was good and the place looked gorgeous: I decided to risk it, and I’m so glad I did!
Van Lan has 3 one-bedroom villas and 2 two-bedroom villas. At the time of writing, the one-bedroom villas cost $43 per night on Agoda and the two-bedroom villas cost $72 per night. The rate includes bicycle use, WiFi and breakfast. The two-bedroom rate is good for up to 4 adults.
I booked a two-bedroom which has a townhouse layout. The top floor is the master suite with an open-plan bathroom, bedroom and living room. There are curtains for privacy in the shower and toilet. The living area has coffee tables and ottomans. The couches aren’t incredibly comfy on their own, but the throw pillows and ottomans make them a good place to chill or check email.
It is split level and the steps are difficult to see, so I didn’t let my son up here very much. The split level makes it interesting, however with young kids it’s a bit dangerous. I tripped myself a few times. I wouldn’t let toddlers or crawling babies sleep on the top floor as there is a precarious staircase and a balcony.
For adults though, the room was gorgeous and had a lovely view of the pool from the terrace. The entire unit has 3 air conditioners, one upstairs and two downstairs. We had some trouble the first night we arrived with the fuses being tripped and the power going out. This was frustrating with a toddler as it was past his bedtime and we were trying to give him a bath and get him off to bed. My son just wanted to wander the grounds, and every time the lights went out we had to go outside to get the staff.
Thankfully after this happened three times, they called an electrician who came and fixed the problem right away. Below is the view from our balcony the first morning.
All of the villas surround a pool. The pool is clean and shaded during the morning.
It does have steps and a shallow end that is good for taking toddlers in the pool with a flotation device. The sides of the pool were slanted inward, which was a bit dangerous for anyone as they were slippery, but I was able to keep Gabriel off of them most of the time.
The pool temperature was pleasant. Our only real problem with the pool was the rocks surrounding it, because Gabriel wanted to systematically throw every one to the bottom of the pool. I let him do it in the shallow end because I could easily pick them up with my feet, but he had a few tantrums when I wouldn’t let him throw rocks into the deep end. I think we left a half-dozen rocks still at the bottom. I wish all people who designed and landscaped pools had two-year-olds at home!
Breakfast was included in the rate. We had breakfast each day around 7:30, but it was served as late as 10:30. The menu for the “Western” breakfast was a bit strange for foreigners (it included spaghetti with meat sauce), but I ordered the eggs, toast, and fresh fruit each day. This would get boring after 3 or 4 days, but we stayed for just 3 days so it was fine. Gabriel liked the eggs and the fresh fruit juice.
They also had three Asian options for breakfast including pho soup with chicken.
Van Lan Villas is about 10 minutes’ drive or a 15-minute bicycle ride from Hoi An Old Town. I was worried about being so far from the town, but I ended up loving the location. The villas are in a riverside village in Cam Thanh hamlet. It is a rural area, and it’s very quiet.
Gabriel absolutely loved chasing around two baby chicks that were on the property. Here he is in the garden looking for the “chickies.”
The baby chicks were the only animals on the property, and I’m not quite sure who they belonged to. The villa staff was really helpful with Gabriel and were always looking for the chickens with him. A few times they caught the chicks and picked them up so Gabriel could hold them. He loved it! He woke up every morning saying “Chicky! Chicky!”
Bicycles were available to use for free, and the staff fitted one with a baby bike seat for us. That saved me a ton of money on taxis, and it was ultimately a lot more fun to travel around by bicycle.
Another great thing about the location is that it’s just a 4 to 5-minute bike ride from Red Bridge Cooking School and Restaurant. Red Bridge was featured in Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations Hoi An episode for its food. We went there one afternoon to eat (it is open until 5pm), and it was lovely. There is a riverside pool with a perfect shallow end for toddlers. I could sit at a table and enjoy coconut curry soup and chicken with cashews while Gabriel splashed in the pool. Having this toddler-friendly restaurant nearby was a big plus.
This last photo is the entrance to our villa. The first floor had a living area, kitchenette, bedroom and bathroom with shower. The tub was located upstairs. The kitchen did not have a microwave, which was a bummer, but it did have a fridge, a stove, an electric kettle and all the cooking and eating utensils we needed.
Outside of each villa is a water pot, which Gabriel loved to use to water the flowers…and himself.
I would definitely stay at Van Lan Riviera Villas again. It’s great for families with kids over 2 or who aren’t yet crawling. I wouldn’t stay here with a child between the crawling stage and 24 months because of the split level on the top floor, the stairs, and the open-plan bathrooms. Gabriel is just now old enough not to be constantly turning on the shower or trying to go up the stairs.
The one-bedroom villa also has a lot of space, and you could request an extra bed for a family of three. When we were staying there, it was mostly couples and one mother-daughter pair.
Things I loved:
Things to know:
The Verdict
I give it a rating of 9 out of 10, as the breakfast could be more varied, a microwave would makes things easier, and it would have been nice to have the place air conditioned and with the power working properly when we first arrived.
How to Book Your Stay
Click here to book Van Lan Riviera Villas on Agoda
Click here to see other Hoi An accommodation on Agoda
* I did not receive any discount or complimentary benefits from Van Lan Riviera Villas. I paid $72 per night for the accommodation via Agoda, $18 each way for airport transfers and $30 for late check out. I will receive a commission if you book through the above links. Any commission earned supports the upkeep of this site.
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