What is the ideal destination for a digital nomad in Vietnam?

Although, they can be stigmatized for having individual autonomy and beating to a different drum to the rest of society, the benefits of the lifestyle are clear.

It is seemingly inevitable more individuals will opt for this freedom in the near future and countries will have to adapt by creating more digital-nomad visas, in a similar vein to Portugal, Croatia and Spain who all offer specialist entry for these type of workers.

A direct consequence of Vietnam's 90-day tourist visa being available to 80 different countries is that it has allowed tourists to slow down and enjoy more of the country and attract those who work and travel simultaneously.

It begs the question, which location in Vietnam is most suitable for a digital nomad in 2023?

Hanoi

Foreigners celebrate the New Year's Eve on Ta Hien Street in Hanoi, Dec. 31, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

The capital of Vietnam boasts many benefits that other locations around the country lack. Firstly, it has a rich ancient history and easy access to the mountainous north, with a selection of the country’s most stunning rice terraces just a few hours away. Additionally, if you are a newcomer to Vietnam, you have the exciting prospect of Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island all on your doorstep.

Another advantage of being a digital nomad in the capital is that it’s generally considered to have a lower cost of living compared to Ho Chi Minh City. For example, if you’re renting a one-bedroom apartment in Hanoi, it will cost as little as $350 (VND8.5 million) per month with many of the basic amenities included.

Despite these positives, Hanoi's air quality is significantly worse than many other major destinations, especially compared to coastal cities such as Da Nang and Nha Trang. One of the key contributing factors to the pollution is the millions of motorbikes as more citizens migrate to the capital for better work and study opportunities, further worsening the traffic and chaos compared to elsewhere.

Overall, I would score Hanoi 7/10 due to the abundance of cafes and convenience of transport to other regions, however the poor air quality and crowded nature of the city are deterrents.

Ho Chi Minh City

We move onto Vietnam’s other major city over 1,500 km south of the capital, Ho Chi Minh City.

The advantages for a digital nomad here are similar to its northern counterpart with countless spaces for people to work remotely. In fact, there has been a notable increase of 24-hour cafes in Saigon in recent years, allowing individuals to work around the clock for any deadline they may have.

Foreign men drink coffee on a sidewalk in HCMC, October 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Khoa Lai

The urban sprawl of the city is much greater compared to Hanoi and encourages more pockets of western neighborhoods, contrasting the capital, where the majority of expatriates are concentrated around Tay Ho.

Furthermore, it may be easier for a digital nomad who is new to Vietnam to adapt as many citizens speak English at a higher level compared to anywhere else in the country, particularly in restaurants, cafes and social spaces.

The drawbacks of being a digital nomad in Ho Chi Minh City are similar to Hanoi with the wider roads doing little to stem the flow of seemingly endless traffic and despite the pollution being a slight improvement compared to the capital, an individual may find themselves craving a sea breeze or fresh air from nature, that is harder to reach compared to the north.

Vietnam's most populated city scores 6/10. One of the contributing factors is that despite possible trips nearby such as Vung Tau, Tay Ninh or Dong Nai, perhaps they do not fill an international visitor with the same awe and wonder as northern destinations, such as Ha Giang, Sa Pa or Ninh Binh, which are all accessible from Hanoi.

Hoi An

Next on the list is arguably the most popular tourist destination in the country. The centrally located city offers a lot more than just the overcrowded, popular ancient town these days.

Although it cannot compete with Hanoi and Saigon for cafes per square meter, the view of rice fields or soothing waves at your feet whilst working on your computer is the picturesque, instagrammable landscape one imagines when dreaming of becoming a digital nomad.

Foreigners walk in Hoi An, March 14, 2020. Photo by Do Anh Vu

Here, you are also more likely to find like-minded individuals who have chosen to pitch up in this relaxing setting instead of the hectic cities elsewhere. Moreover, there are countless Facebook groups specifically for people who work remotely and want to connect with others, whereas in Hanoi and Saigon the large majority of expatriates are teachers who are opportunistically working at schools which offer higher salaries compared to elsewhere.

For the reasons listed above, Hoi An scores an impressive 9/10 on the scale with perhaps a slightly less reliable internet connection and a smaller area resulting in more repetition and lack of stimulus compared to the unpredictability of the major cities.

Da Nang

Travel just 40km north of Hoi An and you arrive at Vietnam's largest central city, Da Nang.

The commercial and educational hub of central Vietnam has several UNESCO World Heritage Sites within 100 km, including Hue Imperial City, My Son ruins and the Old Town of Hoi An. It also offers a delicious range of famous fresh dishes such as banh xeo (sizzling pancakes), nem lui (grilled fermented pork rolls) and mi quang (thick noodles soup) to satisfy your tastebuds.

For a digital nomad, you can find a community of similar people in expatriate neighborhoods such as Son Tra and My An, however with a population of over one million people, it is easier for nomads to socialize with locals compared to Hoi An.

Da Nang also possesses co-working spaces with fantastic internet connection and larger cafes compared to other cities, some of these even have a spectacular view of the pristine My Khe Beach.

People enjoy sunbathing at My Khe Beach in Da Nang on May 6, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

To conclude, Vietnam's fifth largest city equals Hoi An's score of 9/10 with many similar benefits, however the monsoon season that floods the city for several months of the year should be avoided if possible for any digital nomad considering the city.

Phu Quoc Island

The fifth destination on the list of considerations for digital nomads, is away from the country's mainland. Vietnam’s largest island situated in the Gulf of Thailand is still unexplored by many international visitors as direct flights slowly increase, but are much less frequent compared to other destinations.

On the face of it, the island with many five-star hotels and delightful resorts should be a paradise for nomads who want the perfect work-life balance. However, the island has repeatedly faced issues with littered public beaches and the cleaner, white beaches are restricted to the more expensive hotels.

People walk near the beach at the back of a resort in Phu Quoc. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

On the other hand, an undoubtable benefit for digital nomads is that since March 2014 Vietnam has allowed all foreign tourists to visit Phu Quoc visa-free for a period up to 30 days. However, the development of the island has seemingly been more focused on deserted theme parks and large, tacky spaces that do not appeal to international visitors whatsoever.

Away from the beaches, approximately 70% of the island is the evergreen national park, but many of the trails are quite difficult to discover and the information available is rather difficult to access for a foreigner who is new to Vietnam.

I would give a score of 5/10 for Phu Quoc as a possible destination for digital nomads. Initially, one would assume that endless coastlines and untouched jungle would be a dream for nomads wanting to work in a beautiful setting and explore in their free time, however the reality is slow internet, large areas of unfinished construction and a much smaller community compared to the previous destinations.

Nha Trang

The soundtrack of waves continues in the popular southern coastal province of Khanh Hoa, where thousands flock to the beach to enjoy blues skies and seas to match. Similar to Da Nang, Nha Trang offers a moderate-sized community of expatriates who enjoy the benefits of working with the soothing sounds of the ocean offering a stress relief from any deadlines.

Digital nomads here can also enjoy activities such as scuba diving and other water sports to wind down after finishing their work. Alternatively, they can also take in a slice of history by visiting former sites from the Kingdom of Champa, such as the famous Po Nagar Towers.

A group of South Koreans visit Po Nagar Tower in Nha Trang on May 2, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Toan

Nha Trang ticks many boxes for digital nomads and if one easily becomes restless being stuck in one place, there are other places nearby such as Mui Ne, Vung Tau and Cam Ranh to explore on the weekends. Ultimately, it has a lot to offer and scores 8/10 with few drawbacks such as crowded tourism, especially during peak season and an area where noise pollution is potentially worse than other coastal destinations.

Da Lat

If you travel three hours west of Nha Trang, you will arrive at the largest city in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. Da Lat is extremely popular with domestic and international tourists due to its far-reaching forests of pine trees and cooler climate.

Sunshine over a road long pine trees in Da Lat. Photo by Nguyen Ngoc Ga

The former French settlement is located 1,500 m above sea level and is known to have four seasons in a single day. The life of a digital nomad here would be a stark contrast compared to the noisy cities or stunning beaches. Instead, a usual working day would likely start at a quirky cafe with a view and fresh air in abundance. One could even have a break from their computer with a hike or chasing a waterfall in a nearby forest. The capital of Lam Dong Province also offers a much cheaper cost of living compared to other destinations on the list.

However, there are numerous disadvantages of residing there, such as very limited public transport options and a much greater necessity to drive a motorbike. There are also very limited options for nightlife and entertainment, where a digital nomad would enjoy meeting others and making friends with the aided social lubricant of alcohol.

Similar to the aforementioned Nha Trang, the crowds during peak tourist season are relentless, as many residents from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City look to escape the chaos. For those reasons, Da Lat scores 6/10.