French Indochina Gives Way to a Free Market Powerhouse

Hanoi, in the north of Vietnam, is the country's capital and second largest city. At over 5,000 years old, it has served as a Chinese outpost, Imperial Vietnamese capital, capital of French Indochina, and most recently, the capital of communist Vietnam.

In many ways, modern Vietnam is heavily inspired by the capitalist success of China. Democracy movements are the targets of crackdowns and all political parties must be approved. Pro-democracy activists are routinely surveilled, detained, and imprisoned. At the same time, 95% of all Vietnamese strongly support a capitalist economic system. Vietnam is changing fast, and signs strongly indicate a move towards a form of government that, if not exactly the same, is at least compatible with western ideals.

Hanoi is a thrumming city full of motorbikes, noise, smells, and above all, people. Hanoi is not the right place to come to get away from it all. Rather, come to Hanoi if you want to immerse yourself in a nation in the midst of inventing itself. Come for the food, the cost of living, and the distinct culture. Come to get a front-row seat as the new version of an ancient country is born.

In Hanoi, the free market rules (for better or worse), and development is explosive. Many expats call Hanoi home because of the rock-bottom cost of living and easy access to a skilled workforce. Finding software developers for the internet business you've been wanting to start would be a snap in Hanoi. The flip side is that corruption is a serious problem in Vietnam. Some estimates suggest that between 50-70% of every dollar spent by the government ends up misappropriated.

Despite decades of communist leadership, Vietnam has never completely shaken the influence of the French, so cafe (and bakery) culture is an important part of life in Hanoi, and in the country as a whole. In Hanoi, you are never more than a few steps away from an excellent cup of coffee and a baguette, and all of it is cheap as can be. French-influenced Vietnamese food is fresh and delicious, though it is possible to find some sources of protein that would turn western stomachs. Dog meat is popular in Vietnam, particularly in the north. Thankfully (well, thankfully for us dog-lovers, anyway), dog meat consumption is in decline as the middle class swells and more and more young urban Vietnamese begin to keep dogs as pets.

Unsurprisingly, Hanoi is hot, humid, and during the rainy season, well... rainy. This isn't much different than any of the other countries in the region, but if you can't tolerate 90-degree (F) temperatures with matching humidity-- or at least escape to an air-conditioned apartment-- then Hanoi might not agree with you.

In Southeast Asia, healthcare advice generally goes like this: you can either carry international health insurance with evacuation coverage, or you can self insure, paying for basic needs up front, since the cost of medical care is so low relative to most of the west. For serious (but non-emergency) conditions, you may wish to take an inexpensive flight to Bangkok or Singapore, where excellent and affordable clinics and hospitals abound. The advice is no different in Hanoi. For most issues, you'll get good care by visiting a local hospital such as the Hanoi French Hospital, where doctors speak English and see hundreds of expats every day. Conveniently, a lot of the prices for basic medical procedures are posted on the hospital's web site, so you'll know what you're getting into in advance.