Location wise, this country is the easternmost country in the Indochinese peninsula. The country has an estimated population of around 97 million and is still rising.
The country is one of the most populated countries in the world and stands in the 15th position in the world’s most populated country. The country has its capital at Hanoi and the country is widely known for its beautiful cities and Buddhist pagodas.
Cities of Vietnam to expatriate or retire
The country of Vietnam has over 87 cities and it is widely known for its beaches and beautiful surrounding. The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi and the country has a dense population. Guillaume from Movetoasia shares his feedback and perspective on this article about the best cities to live in Vietnam as an expatriate :
Broadly speaking Vietnam has 2 cities which inhabit more than one million people, 33 cities with a population between 100000 and 1 million and 52 cities having a population between 10000 and 100000 people. Some of the famous cities if Vietnam is mentioned below.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) : the vibrant city in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh city is popularly known by its ancient name of Saigon. It is the largest city in Vietnam and it has a population of around 8.9 million people. The city is located near the southeastern part of Vietnam and it is been surrounded by the Saigon River. The country is around 2061 sure kilometer in the area and is one of the most densely populated cities of Vietnam. Earlier this city was scarcely populated and did not have many people living in them, however after the Vietnamese settlement, the population of the city rose rapidly and now it is one of the most populous cities of the Vietnam country.
Da Lat : mountain, waterfall and nature
Da Lat is another beautiful city in Vietnam. It is the capital of the Lam Dong province of Vietnam. Da Lat is the largest city in the central highlands in Vietnam. The city is located on the Langhian plate which is at least 1500m above the sea level. The city has a large number of pine woods which has made this city popular worldwide. Apart from that, the city also has many twisted roads that are full of marigold in the winter.
“Early Mist” by Le Nguyen Huy, taken in the Central Highlands resort town of Da Lat.
The aerial photo shows the Pedagogical College of Da Lat and its surroundings bathed in sunrays drenched mist. The building, designed by French architect Paul Moncet, was built in 1927.
The city attracts several tourists in winter due to the beautiful landscape that is created here. Da let is not only popular for these two things. Apart from these, the city is popular for housing the nuclear physics research that is going in Vietnam. The city is the only place in Vietnam where nuclear physics study takes place. Apart from nuclear physics, a lot of biotechnology study is also going on in this part of the city.
Nha Trang: a famous costal city for foreigners
Nha Trang is the capital of Khanh Hoa Province and it is a coastal city of Vietnam. The city is present in the southern coastal area of Vietnam. The city is one of the most densely populated cities in Vietnam. It has around 392000 inhabitants living in it and the area of this city is around 12.96 sq. km.
The city is a popular amount of tourists who come here to spend their time and enjoy life. The Nha Trang bay is the pride of this city and it is popular all around the world. It is also counted as the most beautiful bay in the world.
Phu Quoc: living on an island in Vietnam
Phu Quoc is an island in Vietnam and it is popular for its beaches and popular water landscape. It is a part of the Kien Giang province and it has an area of about 574 sq. km. The city has a relatively low population of about 103,000 people. The city is located in the Gulf of Thailand and it is one of the islands that is part of the 21 islets of Vietnam.
Phu Quoc island
The city has several hotels and restaurants to house the tourist to come to this city to spend their time and holiday. The country is the fastest-growing Vietnam country in terms of fishing, agriculture, and tourism. Thousands of people visit this city every year to see its beaches.
Hanoi: capital, culture and food
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and it is the second-largest city of Vietnam. The city has an area of 1297 sq. miles and it houses around 8 million people as of 2019 census. The city is located in the center of the red river delta and it is also known as the culture, commercial and educational center of Vietnam.
Hanoi by night. Photo: @ the_prabster
The city comes after the Ho Chi Minh city in terms of productivity and GDP. The city has a GDP of 3.8US billion dollars and it is the second most contributing city towards the growth of Vietnam. Earlier the city was known as the Thang Long which translates to the “Ascending Dragon”.
Find a city fitting your expectations in Vietnam
We could not cover all the cities in which expatriates would like to live to find work or spend their retirement. Some people will look for a quiet area while others will expect dynamic and vibrant cities.
Here are other cities that expats also consider while moving to :
- Vung Tau: a coastal city in the south located less than 100 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City with a decent expatriate community.
- Hoi An: the charming lantern city very popular among tourists
- Da Nang: dynamic and costal city in central Vietnam with plenty of work opportunities with the low cost of living
- Ha Giang: very rural city in northern Vietnam for mountain lovers thanks to green landscapes and great hiking paths.
Whatever your tastes, there is a city that can meet your expectations in Vietnam : chaotic and bustling cities with plenty of opportunities, seaside destinations where the cost of living is affordable to spend your retirement or other destinations behind the crowds for lovers of quietness, landscapes in lush forests.
What about you, in which city would you like to move to Vietnam?
