Discover Vietnam: A Vietnam Podcast

" The problem is I've had better." How good does bún chả have to be to impress someone from Hanoi? I'm back in Hanoi filming Vietnam Explained for VTV, and I've dragged my colleagues Luan and Trang out for lunch between recordings. We're trying one of Hanoi's most famous dishes, bún chả. I already think this little restaurant is fantastic, but Luan has some surprisingly high standards! We get into what makes great bún chả, why the quality of the pork matters so much, and the secret to getting that dipping sauce just right. Then I head off to explore the surrounding neighbourhood, where old Hanoi and modern Vietnam sit side by side. Key Takeaways What makes Hanoi-style bún chả different and how to recognise a good one. Why the grilled pork, meat patties and dipping sauce make or break the dish. Why Luan gives our lunch just 7.5 out of 10! A wander through a Hanoi neighbourhood and some thoughts on what we call "authentic" Vietnam. Timestamps 00:00 A lunch break from filming Vietnam Explained 01:00 Bún chả in Hanoi and its different variations 03:00 Finding a good local restaurant 04:30 What makes great bún chả? 08:00 The secret to the dipping sauce 10:00 Why Vietnamese food has so much flavour 13:00 Our verdict. Is it really that good? 14:00 Exploring the streets of Hanoi Have you tried bún chả in Hanoi? Where's the best place you've eaten it? Let me know in the comments! "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

“I started recording a podcast in 2019 with one microphone, which was shit, and it broke after a few months.” Now I’m hosting a television show on VTV. I still can’t quite believe it. Join me on the back of a motorbike through Hanoi as I share how Discover Vietnam led to something I never imagined: hosting Vietnam Explained on Vietnam Today. It started with an invitation to appear as a guest on Eyes on V. That evening, back in Saigon, I said to Adrie, “Imagine one day they asked me to host a TV show.” The next morning, a producer messaged me. But I didn’t immediately say yes. Between Hanoi traffic, a battery problem and a ride towards West Lake, I explain how it happened, why I had to think about the offer, and how we made it work alongside running Seven Million Bikes Podcasts and Saigon Podcast Studio. I also talk about the people who make all of this possible. Especially Adrie, whose support goes far beyond cheering me on, and the production team who do so much of the work behind the camera. What started as something to fill a Sunday has changed my life. If you’ve ever listened, watched or shared an episode, you’re part of that story. In this episode One microphone and a free Sunday: How Seven Million Bikes began and became Discover Vietnam. The invitation that changed things: Appearing on Eyes on V and the message that arrived the next morning. Why I didn’t immediately say yes: Balancing an incredible opportunity with the business I’d already built. Making television in Hanoi: Monthly trips, batch filming and a new appreciation for the city. Who makes it possible: An honest thank you to Adrie and the team behind Vietnam Explained. Chapters 02:00 – How the podcast started with one microphone 07:00 – The invitation to appear on Vietnam Today 09:00 – “Imagine they asked me to host a TV show” 10:00 – The message that arrived the next morning 11:00 – Why I didn’t say yes straight away 12:00 – Making monthly filming trips work 15:00 – Why none of this happens without Adrie 16:00 – Thanking the team behind the camera and being part of the story Have you ever started something just for fun that ended up changing your life? Leave a comment and tell me. Follow Discover Vietnam for more stories of people connected to Vietnam. "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

“I was actually born in Russia.” I wasn't expecting that revelation when Trang took me for my first Russian lunch in Vietnam! From her unusual childhood in Russia to Vietnam's Soviet connections, VTV producer Trang and I explore a side of Vietnamese history I knew very little about. Over dumplings, cabbage rolls and grilled meat, we chat about Hanoi vs Saigon, why Vietnamese people don't do small talk, and what really happens behind the scenes at Vietnam Explained . And somehow, we end up discussing Korean beauty standards and the Kardashians! Key Takeaways Growing up Vietnamese in Russia Discovering Russian food in Hanoi Cultural differences between Vietnam and the West Behind the scenes at VTV Gen Z beauty trends and pop culture Timestamps 00:00 – My first Russian lunch in Hanoi 02:00 – Chang's surprising Russian childhood 05:00 – Hanoi vs Saigon 07:00 – Why Vietnamese people don't do small talk 10:00 – Exploring Russian food 19:00 – Behind the scenes at Vietnam Explained 28:00 – Korean beauty trends and the Kardashians Have you ever tried Russian food in Vietnam? Let me know in the comments! Subscribe to Discover Vietnam for more stories, conversations and adventures across Vietnam. "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

This is the most emotional episode of Seven Million Bikes and a must listen. AJ Miller is a Jersey Girl in ‘Nam. She is a fitness trainer, artist, singer and comedian in Saigon. A daughter of a Vietnam (American) War Veteran. She came to Vietnam exhausted and angry at the world after spending 3 years taking care of her dad through Agent Orange induced Leukemia. She had his memoirs and wanted to see, hear and feel these memoirs in the country where they were experienced. She has done live readings of her father’s memoirs on-line to spread awareness of PTSD in soldiers. Spent last two years healing/exploring/developing herself in the unique magic and freedom that is Vietnam. Misses snow and snowboarding desperately. Check out her Facebook Page RED17 . "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

I head just around the corner from Saigon Podcast Studio for one of my most-repeated favorites on this whole series: bún chả Hà Nội. Before I even get to the food, I go down another Google Street View rabbit hole, tracing this block back through the years to see how much has changed — including a brand-new bank building that wasn't even there two years ago, sitting right next to faded Chinese characters marking what I think used to be a Cantonese laundry service. At the table, I finally get the real history from the shop's owner, whose mother started the business all the way back in 1994, and I get a proper answer on what's actually in that addictively good dipping broth I've been eating for years without really understanding. I also talk a bit about Adria and our eating habits, my monthly trips up to Hanoi for VTV's Vietnam Explained , and the very relatable mistake of buying a bottle of this shop's sauce, getting way too excited about it, and then letting it go bad in the fridge for six months. 5 Key Takeaways This bún chả shop has been run by the same family since 1994. The dipping broth isn't just fish sauce — it's nước chấm. Google Street View only goes back to around 2017 in Vietnam. Even people who don't eat much meat make an exception for good chả. You really don't need to take Vietnamese condiments home with you. I Timestamps [00:00:00] Intro from Saigon Podcast Studio, plus a shoutout for free trial sessions for anyone watching in Saigon [00:02:00] Going down the Google Street View rabbit hole — tracing the block back to 2017 and spotting the new bank building next door [00:04:00] Ordering at the counter and walking through what's on the plate — chả, rib meat, rice vermicelli, and the herb plate [00:11:00] Talking to the shop owner, confirming the 1994 history, and finally breaking down what's actually in the nước chấm [00:13:00] Mentioning the Hanoi trips for Vietnam Explained and teasing future lunch walks filmed up north "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

Born and fled South African Comedian Devin Gray, one of the top rising stars in comedy. With appearances on Comedy Central, International Festivals and pretty much any local bar with a stool and a microphone Devin is sure to set the pace for a whirlwind of hilarity. And circuituos is a word! I just didn't say it right. cir·cu·i·tous /sərˈkyo͞oədəs/ Learn to pronounce adjective (of a route or journey) longer than the most direct way. "the canal followed a circuitous route" "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

“Every day I’m walking around this neighbourhood, I’m learning something new.” What started as a hunt for lunch turned into another deep dive into one of my favourite parts of Saigon. In this episode of Lunch Walks , I head back to Tôn Thất Đạm, the Old Market street , looking for lunch and end up with a 40,000 VND bowl of bún thịt xào, while uncovering even more of the history hidden in the streets around Saigon Podcast Studio. Along the way, I stop at a distinctive 1973 South Vietnamese modernist building on Nguyễn Công Trứ , designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm , and take a closer look at its unusual “double skin” design. The building was designed specifically for Saigon’s climate, helping protect it from the sun and rain while improving natural airflow. Then I head into the Old Market, a neighbourhood shaped by generations of Cantonese, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian and Vietnamese communities. The more I explore this area, the more I realise just how much history is hiding in streets I’ve walked down hundreds of times. There’s lunch, Vietnamese sweets, freshly ground coffee, QR payments, another mystery modernist building and plenty more evidence that you can live in Saigon for years and still discover something completely new around the corner. Key Takeaways Why my Lunch Walks are gradually turning into Saigon history walks The story behind a 1973 South Vietnamese modernist building How the building’s double skin helps deal with Saigon’s tropical climate Exploring Tôn Thất Đạm and the Old Market The different immigrant communities that helped shape this neighbourhood Finding a 40,000 VND bún thịt xào for lunch Trying a traditional sweet made with sticky rice, shredded coconut and mung bean Buying freshly ground Vietnamese coffee from an old neighbourhood shop How quickly Saigon has shifted from cash to QR payments Discovering another building using the same distinctive modernist design Timestamps 00:00 Another Lunch Walk begins 03:30 A 1973 modernist building on Nguyễn Công Trứ 05:00 How the “double skin” design works 10:00 Arriving at Tôn Thất Đạm and the Old Market 14:30 Finding bún thịt xào for lunch 17:00 Vietnamese sweets and a chat with the seller 21:30 Buying freshly ground Vietnamese coffee 24:00 The affordability of living in Vietnam 27:00 Discovering another mystery modernist building 30:00 Back at the studio for the final sweet treat "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

“This is why I’m just loving these Lunch Walks. I’m getting obsessed with them now. I’m finding out so much amazing information about this neighborhood.” What started as a simple lunch walk has turned into something much bigger. In this episode, I leave Saigon Podcast Studio and head to one of my regular lunch spots in the Nguyễn Thái Bình neighborhood, a place I’ve probably eaten at around 50 times since opening the studio. The original plan was cơm tấm, but as usual in Vietnam, things don’t quite go to plan. Instead, I end up with hủ tiếu bò kho, a rich Vietnamese beef stew with noodles, soft carrots, fresh herbs, lime and bánh mì for dipping into the broth. It’s one of those dishes that still feels massively underrated compared with phở or bánh mì. But the food is only half the story. Right next to the restaurant is Al Rahim Mosque, on a site that has reportedly been home to a mosque since 1885. The current building was rebuilt in 2009, but the history of the site opens up another fascinating layer of this tiny part of central Saigon. We’ve already explored Cantonese influence in this neighborhood and touched on Tamil migration from India through the French colonial world. This time, I start looking at the Malaysian and Indonesian Muslim communities that also helped shape the area, and why there are still halal restaurants clustered around the mosque today. Then, completely randomly, I bump into two visitors from Australia and New Zealand who had come specifically looking for halal food. That turns into a conversation about the mosque, the neighborhood, Vietnamese food, riding motorbikes in Saigon and trying to do business in Vietnam. These Lunch Walks were supposed to be about lunch. They’re slowly becoming history walks instead. Key Takeaways Hủ tiếu bò kho combines noodles with Vietnamese beef stew, herbs, lime and bánh mì for soaking up the broth. The halal food around this part of District 1 is closely connected to the Muslim community surrounding Al Rahim Mosque. A mosque has reportedly stood on this site since 1885, although the current building dates from 2009. The Nguyễn Thái Bình neighborhood reflects layers of Cantonese, Tamil, Malaysian, Indonesian, French and Vietnamese history. Some of the most interesting history in Saigon is hidden between modern banks, offices and buildings you can easily walk past every day. These Lunch Walks are increasingly becoming a way to understand how food, migration, architecture and local history all connect. Timestamps 00:00 Why Lunch Walks are becoming History Walks 02:00 Halal cơm tấm and the story of Al Rahim Mosque 04:00 Change of lunch plan: hủ tiếu bò kho 08:00 Meeting two visitors searching for halal food 10:00 The history of Saigon’s oldest mosque site 14:00 Exploring more hidden history around Nguyễn Thái Bình 17:00 Why I’m becoming obsessed with this neighborhood "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

“They’ve been doing it since 1938. It better be good.” This Lunch Walk starts as a food mission and ends up sending me even further down the rabbit hole of my own neighbourhood. I’m joined by my friend James Green , who lives nearby, as we walk through the streets around Saigon Podcast Studio in search of bánh mì vịt quay , or roast duck bánh mì. But before we even get to lunch, we uncover a few stories hiding in plain sight. We talk about how Pasteur Street was once a canal , discover that one very old-looking cafe façade is actually much newer than it appears, and stop outside the building that once housed the first American Embassy in Saigon . Then we finally reach the main event. The roast meat shop says it has been operating since 1938 , and this time I’m able to ask the family directly. The woman serving us tells us her Cantonese grandfather started the business , her mother took over after him, and she is now the third generation . Her grandfather came to Saigon from Hong Kong around the 1920s, creating another direct link between this neighbourhood and the generations of immigrants who helped shape it. And the food absolutely delivers. Crispy roast duck, juicy meat, bánh mì, chilli, lemongrass and sauce quickly turns into us ordering even more duck because one sandwich simply isn’t enough. The more of these Lunch Walks I make, the more I realise how much history is sitting right outside the studio, on streets I’ve been walking and driving through for nearly a decade. Key Takeaways Exploring the neighbourhood with my friend James Green Discovering that Pasteur Street used to be a canal Why some of Saigon’s “historic-looking” buildings aren’t actually historic Visiting the former American Embassy in Saigon The Cantonese influence on this part of the city Finding a roast meat shop that has been operating since 1938 Meeting the third generation of the family running it How her grandfather came from Hong Kong to Saigon in the 1920s Trying an incredible roast duck bánh mì Why these Lunch Walks are becoming as much about Saigon history as Vietnamese food My growing idea for an off-the-beaten-path walking tour around the neighbourhood Timestamps 00:00 Lunch Walk with James 02:00 Pasteur Street used to be a canal 04:00 The historic-looking building that isn’t historic 07:00 Saigon architecture and neighbourhood stories 10:00 The former American Embassy 13:00 Cantonese immigration and our lunch destination 15:00 Finding the 1938 roast meat shop 22:00 Meeting the third generation of the family 25:00 Trying bánh mì vịt quay 30:00 Ordering even more roast duck 31:00 Could this become a Saigon walking tour? 42:00 Wrapping up the Lunch Wal "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

"Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

“I love this country. I was about to head back to the mall. I’d given up hope, but I knew this country always pulls through at the very last second.” This Lunch Walk takes me out of Saigon and onto the streets of Da Nang, where I’m hunting down one of Central Vietnam’s most famous dishes: Mì Quảng. At least, that was the plan. I set off looking for a highly rated local spot, only for Google Maps to send me to what appears to be a car lot. Add in Da Nang heat that feels close to 40°C, a complete lack of suitable clothing after coming straight from winter in Australia, and a growing temptation to give up and hide in an air-conditioned mall, and this quickly becomes more of an actual walk than expected. But just as I’m about to admit defeat, Vietnam delivers. I finally find a local Mì Quảng place and get to compare the dish in Da Nang with the versions I regularly eat back in Saigon. We talk about its lighter broth, peanuts, noodles, the differences between food in Central and Southern Vietnam, and why Mì Quảng deserves far more attention outside the country. And, as often happens on these Lunch Walks, the food is only part of the story. A random conversation with another customer turns into a chat about Saigon, Ha Long City and his former life working as a bartender on a cruise ship in Ha Long Bay. Key Takeaways Mì Quảng is one of Central Vietnam’s most famous regional dishes. Unlike many Vietnamese noodle dishes, it usually comes with only a small amount of broth rather than a full bowl of soup. The Mì Quảng I’ve eaten in Saigon tends to have more broth and feel heavier and oilier than the version I try here in Da Nang. Vietnamese food changes significantly by region, with Central Vietnamese cuisine often associated with stronger and spicier flavours. Da Nang continues to modernise rapidly, with new malls, roads and developments sitting alongside traditional streets and local food stalls. Sometimes the best moments while exploring Vietnam come from completely unplanned conversations with strangers. Phở and bánh mì might dominate the international conversation about Vietnamese food, but there are countless regional dishes like Mì Quảng that deserve much more attention. Timestamps 01:00 Searching for Mì Quảng and my confidence in Vietnamese food after 10 years 05:00 Giving up on the original Mì Quảng restaurant 07:00 Almost settling for cơm tấm 08:00 The Da Nang heat starts winning 09:00 Giving up and heading for air conditioning 10:00 Finally finding Mì Quảng and getting rescued by a fan 12:00 Trying authentic Da Nang Mì Quảng 14:00 Meeting a local customer and attempting some Vietnamese 16:00 My verdict on the Mì Quảng 18:00 Why Vietnam has so much great food people rarely talk about "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

Recorded pre-quarantine, pre-lockdown this episode was intended to be the first of Season 3, recorded at Waves studio. As you may well know, season 3 became the Quarantine Season and I haven't been able to record any more episodes yet for season 4. So to celebrate one year of Seven Million Bikes I dusted down the file off the shelf and am releasing it for your listening pleasure as a bonus episode to start Season 4. Look out for new episodes as soon as I am able to! Frances is a travel blogger with the well-know blog So The Adventure Begins . She is also well-known for her pink Honda cub she is often seen driving around Saigon. She has been living in Saigon now for three years and is the first Scottish guest to join me on the show. Don't worry, you can understand us! We talk about her not being an influencer, why she started a blog, breaking up and dating in Saigon, out homeland and of course Scottish accents. There is the unplanned ubiquitous shout out as always for Matt Ryan! And his deep-fried Mars Bars. "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

Welcome back to Lunch Walk #5! Starting from Saigon Podcast Studio on Pasteur Street in the Nguyen Thai Binh neighborhood (District 1), we go down a history rabbit hole — a vanished canal, a 150-year-old bridge tied to Gustave Eiffel's company, and the wild engineering behind the Thủ Thiêm Tunnel — before finishing up with a bowl of bún bò at a historic building on Ton That Dam Street. Key Takeaways: The lost canal: Pasteur Street (formerly Pellerin) once ran along a canal through the heart of Saigon, filled in decades ago. A look at the shophouses and Cantonese and Tamil immigrant communities that once lined the route. Cầu Mống ("Rainbow Bridge"): Built around 1880, ~150 years old, and engineered by a company linked to Gustave Eiffel. Originally a road bridge connecting District 1 and District 4, later dismantled and rebuilt during tunnel construction. The Thủ Thiêm Tunnel: Finished in 2011 (years behind schedule thanks to unexpectedly soft riverbed soil), built using the "tube tunnel" method: four ~26,000-ton tubes dredged into a trench under the Saigon River and connected with millimeter-level precision. A functional building with character: The unassuming structure managing the tunnel's ventilation, drainage, and lighting — designed to actually fit the neighborhood. Lunch stop: Bún bò at a historic building on Ton That Dam Street, now home to cafes, vintage shops, and cocktail bars tucked above a street of Vietnamese-only menus. Timestamps 00:00 — Intro from Saigon Podcast Studio 03:07 — Cầu Mống, the Rainbow Bridge & its Eiffel connection 09:16 — How the Thủ Thiêm "tube tunnel" was built 13:56 — Arriving at the lunch spot on Ton That Dam Street 18:33 — Plans for a "Discover Vietnam" series & walking tours 20:33 — Bún bò arrives "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

This was recorded via Skype from quarantine, you may have to turn the volume up. For no other real reason than I haven't spoken to Jay in nearly a month and is one of my favourite people to talk to, I call up JK Hobson to have a chat about the state of the world today, life on the outside and how he is coping with quarantine. "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

A sudden five-minute monsoon just poured down before I even got moving today, so this one starts in blue skies and puddles. I'm walking along Hồ Tùng Mậu — once an actual canal until it was filled in back in the 1920s — and finally sharing some proper research I did on this neighborhood I keep saying I love. Along the way I point out a cluster of hundred-year-old shophouses, a hidden alley bar, and buildings I really hope survive the next wave of glass-and-concrete development. I also grab a rare bag of tofu with fermented shrimp paste (tofu nắm) before finally sitting down for a bowl of mì gà a few blocks from the studio. Key Takeaways This neighborhood has real history behind it: Hồ Tùng Mậu was once a canal, and many of the surrounding shophouses date back to the early 1900s — built with tall windows and shutters designed for the heat and rain, long before AC existed. Preservation is informal, not guaranteed: None of these century-old buildings are officially protected — some survive mostly because they're awkwardly wedged between other structures, not because anyone's actively saving them. One inspiration for wanting this area preserved: George Town in Penang, Malaysia, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The good stuff is easy to miss and easy to lose: Tofu nắm is a favorite that's genuinely hard to find — worth buying on sight rather than waiting until after lunch, because the seller might be sold out next time. Big personal update, worth knowing: After a year since an MS diagnosis and a strong initial recovery, a second round of treatment two months ago has brought lower energy and more frequent illness — though the latest MRI brought good news, with no new lesions and existing ones inactive. The podcast keeps growing in unexpected directions: The YouTube channel just crossed 950,000 views, and the "how's your accent understood on national TV" comments keep coming now that the VTV show is underway. Chapters and Timestamps 00:00 – A surprise monsoon, then blue skies along Hồ Tùng Mậu 02:00 – The canal-turned-street history and hundred-year-old shophouse architecture 06:00 – A hidden alley bar and why some old buildings quietly survive 12:00 – Penang as inspiration for preserving this kind of neighborhood 20:00 – Podcast milestones and life on VTV's Vietnam Explained 24:00 – Sitting down for mì gà and talking through the meal 28:00 – Wrapping the walk, more neighborhood history, and heading back in the rain "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

A Saigon resident, Lawrence Young has worked in the finance industry worldwide for 30 years, currently with Holborn Assets and created the non-troll Facebook group Ho Chi Minh Expat Group Saigon . Now at nearly 10,500 members in just 14 months. He has seen the market go up and down over the years and is confident we will come out of the current crisis stronger but different. We talk about what life has been like in Saigon and what it's like today after the latest guidance, starting April 1st, from the Prime Minister - 2 metre distancing, only leave for your home for essentials, groups of no more than two people outside and only essential services open. He also gives us his take on the state of the financial market, why we shouldn't panic and why it matters to everyone. Whether you own stocks or not. If you would like to reach out to Lawrence for advice you can email him at lawrence.young@holbornassets.com or message him on LinkedIn . "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

Lunch Walks continues, and this time I've got company — Te from Saigon Podcast Studio joins me, since Carrie had to duck out after we wrapped a Vietnam Content Marketing episode together. It's pouring rain in Nguyễn Thái Bình, but we push on anyway to a fried chicken and rice spot I only found a couple of weeks ago, tucked down a back alley I hadn't explored before. Along the way we talk about the neighborhood getting recognized by Time Out as one of the coolest in the world (or Vietnam — details are fuzzy), the nonstop construction that's part of daily life here, and why Vietnamese people always seem thrilled to end up on camera. Then the rain really sets in, and getting back to the studio turns into its own adventure. Key Takeaways This neighborhood has fans beyond just me: Nguyễn Thái Bình has apparently been named one of the coolest neighborhoods around by Time Out — and between the mix of old buildings, cocktail bars, and hidden local spots, it's easy to see why. The best finds are the ones you almost walked past: This fried chicken and rice place had been on this street the whole time, but it took a few passes before it actually got noticed and tried. Not all rice is created equal: The rice here isn't broken rice (cơm tấm) — it's fried separately, which gives it a different color, texture, and flavor that's worth asking about if you don't recognize it. "Developing country" hits different when you live it: Watching construction happen in real time — new buildings going up constantly, the sound of drilling as a daily backdrop — makes the textbook definition of a developing economy feel a lot more real. Rainy season doesn't wait for you to finish lunch: What starts as a light rain can flood a street within minutes, turning a short walk back to the studio into a full production — sandals over sneakers, camera tucked away, and a lot of patience. Chapters and Timestamps 00:00 – Heading out with Tay after wrapping Vietnam Content Marketing, rain already falling 02:00 – Nguyễn Thái Bình's reputation, and the neighborhood's mix of old and new 04:00 – Arriving at the fried chicken and rice spot, ordering fish sauce and garlic chicken 08:00 – Talking construction, development, and life as a foreigner watching Vietnam grow 11:00 – The bill, and Vietnamese love of being on camera 13:00 – Flash flooding on the walk back and sheltering from the rain 16:00 – Back at the studio, wrapping up the episode "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

Back for round two! I'm heading out from the Saigon Podcast Studio again, this time down Thôn Đất Đàm — the market street I'm honestly surprised is still standing given how much prime real estate around here has been redeveloped. Along the way I point out some old Chinese signage on the buildings, a newly renovated coffee spot that went from empty nightclub to permanently packed in a few months, and a 70-year-old coffee roaster where I stock up on my usual mix. Then it's on to “Bếp Võ” for my go-to order — dry noodles with chicken — before a coffee run and the walk back before the rain hits. Key Takeaways Some things in Vietnam just work immediately: The corner coffee shop that used to be a nightclub sat empty for a while, then reopened completely redone — and it's been packed non-stop ever since. No slow build, just instant success. History hides in plain sight: Old Cantonese/Chinese signage on the market buildings is a reminder of how long this street has been here — probably 50 years or more — even as everyone assumes it'll eventually be torn down for redevelopment. The best lunch spots are the ones you never have to think about: Same order every time at Bếp Võ— dry noodles with chicken, no menu needed — and it still comes out to under $5. Rainy season rules everything: No umbrella, two blocks from the studio, and still a real risk of getting stuck in a downpour — planning your day (and your route) around the rain is just part of living in Saigon. Chapters and Timestamps 00:00 – Back for Lunch Walks #2, heading out from the studio 03:00 – The market street and its Chinese-lettered buildings 04:00 – The coffee shop that went from nightclub to instant hit 08:00 – Arriving at Bếp Võ for dry noodles with chicken 11:00 – The bill, the walk to coffee, and beating the rain back to the studio "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

"This corner... I love seeing it every day. It kinda sums up Vietnam for me — an amazing juxtaposition of the old and the new." Welcome to the very first Vietnam Lunch Walks; a new series where I take you along on my actual lunch breaks around the neighborhood I love most in Saigon. This one's been a while coming: it's the first new Discover Vietnam episode in six months, after a stretch of low motivation and a busy year setting up Saigon Podcast Studio. In this episode, I walk you from the studio on Pasteur Street to my favourite halal phở spot near Bến Thành Market, order my usual (phở gà with extra chicken), and then take you on a loop through the neighborhood — past the old bank building, the stock exchange, and my favourite bridge in the world, with a few old Saigon stories along the way. Key Takeaways Consistency is hard, even for the host: Six months between episodes isn't unusual for Discover Vietnam — motivation for content creation comes and goes, and this episode is a reminder to just start again. Old vs. new is the whole vibe: The view of the old bank building against the Bitexco Tower is a favourite spot precisely because it captures Saigon's mix of old and new. Great phở comes down to small details: Good white breast meat over tough "walking chicken," a light hand with chili, and sawtooth basil are what make this order worth repeating weekly. Documenting a neighborhood before it disappears: Older buildings nearby are quietly being replaced with modern glass developments, which is part of the motivation for filming these walks now. Chapters and Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Lunch Walks: launching a new series after a 6-month break 02:00 – A favourite view: the old bank building against the Bitexco Tower 05:00 – Ordering phở gà at the halal spot near Bến Thành Market 13:00 – Walking tour: the canal, the favourite bridge, and a 2016 street story 17:00 – Watching old Saigon disappear, then back to the studio to wrap up "Send me a message!" Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !

After realising we were in the same quarantine facility online Mizuka reached out and connected with our WhatsApp group and Adrie on Instagram where they were following each others Stories from opposite buildings. After chatting for several days online Niall and Adrie finally met Mizuka in person, at a distance, on one of our walks. Born and raised in Saigon, with her parents still living here, Mizuka made the difficult decision to return to Vietnam from her final year of studies in the U.S. to be with her parents before she was locked out of Vietnam. Or her parents were locked out of the U.S. Her story is one of many similar yet unique stories around the world about how the rapid escalation of Covid-19 affected people. "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life! 🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here: 🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet! These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community !