Days 1-8 in HCMC, Da Nang, and Hoi An, Vietnam (8/20/23-8/27/23):
-Surprisingly my Vietnamese is better than I remember. I can still haggle with the best of them.
-Vietnam has developed significantly over the years. Walking streets, newly paved roads, and more well-known brands.
-However, there seems to a be a heavy Korean influence that takes away from the charm of Vietnam and makes it appear more geared towards Korean tourism.
-Vietnamese food is still, I think, some of the best in the world.
-Would I move back to Vietnam? My impression is yes, but it’s not quite the Vietnam I remember. I’m disheartened that almost all of the local watering holes I used to spend my time in are gone or completely different now.

-Hoi An was always a bit of a touristy town, but now it’s a tourist trap. To me, it’s lost its charm that made it known for being romantic and quaint.

-Da Nang just seems flooded by Koreans, touristy walking streets/night markets, and girl bars. Most all of the local watering holes are long gone and, for me, it doesn’t seem as much of a hidden gem as it used to be.

-Ho Chi Minh City seems so much more developed. The road are cleaner and repaved, there is a MRT being built, and just an overall big dose of moderness being added. It actually seems much more livable than when I lived in Vietnam back in 2017-2019.