Hoi An, Vietnam

Living in Hoi An

Hoi A feels like a place where your life simplifies in a way that’s almost suspiciously easy. It’s small, walkable, and built around a rhythm that doesn’t really care about urgency.

You can live very cheaply here, eat incredibly well, and fall into a routine that feels balanced without trying too hard. A lot of people split their time between working a few hours, grabbing local food, and spending time by the river or the beach nearby.

The downside is that it can feel a bit too small after a while. The expat scene is tight-knit, which can be great or limiting depending on your personality. It’s less of a “build a big life” place and more of a “reset and breathe” place. If that’s what you need, it works almost immediately.