Vietnam life vietnam couple who survived devastating crash together proves power of love

Nguyen Thi Mong Nghi and her husband have been working hard to rebuild their lives together ever since a traffic accident left her with a prosthetic leg.

November 11, 2011 was an unforgettable date for Nghi.

Heavy rains and slick roads made driving difficult, yet Nghi’s husband was still willing to drive his wife home from work by motorbike.

Neither suspected that short trip home would change their lives forever.

A lifelong commitment

Prior to that day, Nghi and her husband Cuong had both made a living as factory workers in Binh Chanh District on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City.

Every evening, the couple would drive home to their rented room together to spend time with their newborn son.

But life changed for Nghi and Cuong on November 11, 2011, when a truck driver lost control amid the torrential downpour and crashed into the couple’s motorbike.

It was not until Nghi was at the hospital that she finally regained consciousness and learned she had lost an entire leg in the crash.

Doctors also told her she had a fractured skull and such severe head trauma that it was a miracle she was still alive.

Fearing her injuries would be nothing but a burden to her husband, Nghi insisted on a divorce.

“She just couldn’t come to terms with her new reality,” Cuong said.

“But the idea of letting go of her never crossed my mind, not even once.

“After all that we’ve been through together, I figured out that I had already put so much effort into convincing her to date and marry me, so why give up now?”

Cuong, the devoted husband, has been by her side ever since.

Ten years on, Cuong, 44, and Nghi, 41, are still struggling to rebuild their lives, but say their love is stronger than ever.

Nghi is able to walk again and the couple now live a ‘nomadic life,’ moving between jobs in Ben Tre Province, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Nai Province.

Their son now lives with Cuong’s parents.

Nghi also runs a small hair salon at her rented room on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in Trang Bom Town, Dong Nai Province, but her already slow business was hit hard during the COVID-19 outbreaks in March and July last year.

She now has plans to sell her shop and relocate to a place with more affordable rent.

Nguyen Thi Mong Nghi, with long scars on her arm from a gruesome road crash in November 2011, rehearses a popular piece for a cabaret with her husband sitting by her side. Photo: Hoang Tung / Tuoi Tre

Relocating is nothing new for Nghi and Cuong.

Following the accident, the couple moved in with Nghi’s older sister in Binh Chanh District, where Nghi supported the family by playing keyboard at parties and cabarets.

Eventually, Nghi ran out of offers for gigs and was forced to move to Dong Nai.

“We’re like nomads,” Cuong said.

“We go where we can earn money,”

To supplement his family’s income, Cuong does odd jobs around town, including construction work and scrap dealing.

At night, he joins his wife for her keyboard gigs.

“It’s such a grind, but what keeps us moving forward is our son,” Cuong shared.

“We’re trying to save up to make a fresh start back in our hometown so we can be reunited with our son.

“It’s really hard being unable to see him grow up.”

A blessing in disguise

While COVID-19 has led to a drop in keyboard gigs and hairdressing customers, Nghi’s confidence is growing as she slowly learns to overcome her disability.

“Being alive is everything to me,” Nghi smiled.

“I’m still more fortunate than many because my husband is always by my side.

“We may live in poverty but at least we are together.”

Occasionally, the couple visit Nghi’s older sister, Nguyen Thi Hang, on their way to and from performances in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hang, a witness to the couple’s decade-long struggle to build back after the accident, said the disturbing memory of her sister in the hospital still sends chills down her spine.

“My sister and her husband were tossed onto the street,” she said.

“The rain was so heavy that pedestrians had to tie a rope to themselves just to keep from getting washed away while crossing the street.

“I think the accident was caused by poor visibility.”

Nguyen Thi Hai, Hang’s 85-year-old mother-in-law, has also been a major source of support for Nghi and Cuong.

In fact, it was Hai’s son who first suggested that Nghi take up keyboard as a way to rehabilitate her arms.

Now, after several years of practice, Nghi earns VND250,000 (US$10.8) from each weekend performance and double that amount for large events.

Despite barely being able to put food on the table, Nghi and Cuong still cherish their time together and shower each other with affection.

“There’s still a steel pin [in his shoulder],” Nghi said.

“Instead of having it removed six months after the initial surgery, he decided to keep it in so we could save money and pay for my surgeries.”

“I’ll have it removed once we can afford a set of musical instruments,” Cuong said, trying to comfort his wife.

He called the plan to buy new instruments a ‘project’ which they have worked on for five years now.

Finishing the ‘project’ is merely the next step in their happily-ever-after story.

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Editor’s Note: Greig Craft is the American founder and chairman of Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, a nonprofit founded to combat the growing traffic crisis in Southeast Asia. Craft has lived in Vietnam for 25 years. Tuoitrenews recently talked to him about road accidents in Vietnam and the use of crash helmets on the road.

Vietnam has yet to develop a so-called “culture of safety” because many people still opt for substandard helmets, the man complained.

He suggested that those who use fake protective headgear, along with its producers and dealers, should be fined as they are committing “a crime against the nation,” whereas Vietnamese authorities have just overturned a law that punished passengers for wearing substandard helmets.

The country should teach children on road safety from a very early age and make it an inherent part of the school curriculum if road accidents are to be tackled.

Vietnam ranks 13^th worldwide by population (with 87 million people). It is a country of young people with a third of its population aged ten to 24 (according to UNFPA in 2011). Thirty million people use motorcycles for daily transportation. How important are helmets to a young country like this? 

Road casualties are preventable by the simple act of wearing a helmet. Certified helmets are proven to reduce the risk of death by 42 percent and severe injury by 69% in the event of a crash. From a human perspective, it is a great tragedy of personal loss and heartbreak when a loved one is lost in the blink of an eye because they did not wear a helmet. The economic cost is alarming, with Vietnam losing 2.9% of GDP every year due to road traffic crashes. This affects everything from poverty reduction to public health and to the overall well-being of the whole country. So protecting our citizens and family must be the highest priority.    

Wearing a helmet is a good way to ensure safety; however, Vietnamese people still underestimate its role and tend to buy cheap headwear, which does not protect them well. What do you think about this? 

As Vietnam has become increasingly modern and motorized, it has not developed a corresponding ‘culture of safety,’ knowledge and values which must be taught from the youngest ages. Not wearing helmets, driving aggressively, not paying respect to pedestrians, drinking and driving, and reckless driving are considered unacceptable in most nations. By incorporating road safety education into the school curriculum, beginning with the youngest students, we will see Vietnam adopt customs and habits that contribute to a ‘culture of safety.’

The average cost of a certified helmet in Vietnam is about VND150,000-300,000 (US$7-15). Do you think this price is suitable for the people here? What is the average price of helmets in other developed countries? 

This price is very affordable and reasonable. Similar quality helmets in other countries can be two to three times more expensive. Considering that most people invest millions of dong in their motorcycle, a 200,000 dong helmet is a cheap “vaccine” to save your life.  

The Vietnamese government suggested punishing those using fake helmets. This rule had triggered an outburst of anger before it was nullified. In your opinion, is this rule reasonable? 

This rule is very reasonable and the public anger was misdirected. The government planned to launch a multi-faced approach to regulate helmet standards and to punish importers, dealers, and manufacturers of substandard helmets. It is reasonable to also punish those who do not follow the law. Wearing a fake helmet has the same dangerous implications as wearing no helmet. What if people knowingly buy fake medicine and give it to their children? What if their children die as a result? They, and the sellers, and manufacturers should be seriously punished. I see victims of road traffic crashes all the time in hospitals; I understand the consequences of not wearing helmets. It is especially heartbreaking to see the youngest among us suffering from this ultimately preventable ill. More people should visit a hospital emergency room for one hour and see the horror, the blood, and the wasted lives.  

Vietnam’s traffic infrastructure has been deteriorated, with some seriously downgraded without any fixing. Moreover, highways in Vietnam have only two lanes (while in Western countries there are four lanes) which are too narrow for vehicles. Last but not least, ‘nail traps’ are the biggest fear for local people. Many have died because of the above reasons. Do you have any comment on this? How does your country manage this? 

The issue of appropriate road infrastructure is a global problem, not only in Vietnam. With rapid modernization, and the resulting exploding motorization, it is imperative that proper roads be constructed, as well as existing ones to be carefully maintained. The use of fake and substandard materials must be stopped. This is a crime against the nation, and such companies must be severely punished. We must also accept the limitations of 2-lane roads, and authorities should take stronger action to keep sidewalks cleared, while better monitoring traffic flows on such streets. Progressive ideas such as making some roads ‘one way’ are often used, even in developed countries. These provide substantial improvements. Along with construction and maintenance, there must also be adequate funding allocated to road safety education in the school system, as well as professional Public Awareness Campaigns aired regularly in all forms of media.  

The matter of scattering nails is a typical problem that shows the lack of a ‘safety culture’ in Vietnam. It is no more dangerous than running red lights, colliding into pedestrians, drinking and driving, speeding, and not wearing helmets it is symptomatic of a society that does not have good priorities. The answer in the West that has proven most successful? Strict enforcement of all rules and regulations, and severe penalties and fines. Scattering nails, for example, would be a criminal offence in any developed nation, and it should be the same here.  

Some long-distance bus drivers in Vietnam prove to be drug addicts, their health and awareness of traffic safety are not inspected carefully. Does this happen in your country?

Inspections, licensing, frequent and random testing, and education and training could quickly help moderate this growing crisis. There is no other magic ‘cure’. Even in the West there are exceptions, where a driver is guilty of drug use or alcohol abuse, but it is rare. And the penalties are swift and severe for offenders, often involving long prison sentences. Along with a culture of safety, Vietnam must also enhance its regulatory system, especially licensing and special training for bus and truck drivers, as well as enhanced inspections of all vehicles. This can be accomplished in a relatively short period of time if proper resources can be allocated to the problem. To my knowledge, most of these regulations already exist in Vietnam, but the question that must be raised is how seriously are they regulated, implemented and enforced?

What is the responsibility of the government and the citizens themselves in using helmets? How did your country educate/encourage people to use helmets? 

All societies, no matter how developed, have a basic obligation to ensure that people are well taken of. If the system fails, then all of society suffers the consequences. Protecting ourselves is a moral and ethical obligation each of us has. Why should only part of society obey laws and some not?  

In countries where helmet compliance is high, success is always built on two essential initiatives: education and public awareness, teaching people why a law is necessary; and the enforcement of laws. Sadly, not everyone will comply except when they understand helmets’ importance, so it is necessary to punish those who do not obey the law.

Though they may turn heads, from the inside Nguyen Duy Phat, who stands only 1.2 meters tall, is just a perfect match for his 1.6-meter-tall wife.

Life is full of highs and lows, difficulties that one would never imagine facing, and heartbreak that they have never thought possible.

But the affection between 31-year-old Phat, who currently lives and works in Vietnam’s Can Tho City, and his wife, 26-year-old Tang Thi Be Ngoc, a final-year medical student, has proved to be stronger than family opposition and mocking looks and stood strong in difficult times.

They may look a mismatched couple, but they are genuinely happy about who they are with.

Their love has been in full blossom, particularly when their two children came along before they officially tied the knot in 2018.

Love is all that matters

Phat made several friends on social media in his free time while working at a confectionery factory in Can Tho several years ago.

Among these virtual friends was Ngoc, then a freshman at the Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, with whom he felt he could pour out his heart.

More than one month after they became friends and began to feel a strong connection, Ngoc agreed to see Phat in the flesh.

Despite knowing in advance how Phat looks like through the photos he had sent her, Ngoc could not help feeling shocked at the tiny man in front of her.

“Honestly speaking, I didn’t take the relationship seriously at first,” Ngoc admitted.

“But his genuine love and consideration knocked me down before I realized it.”

Their first date was still fresh on Phat’s mind.

It was a rainy day. Phat rushed to the rendezvous, with Ngoc nowhere to be found.

Just as he was on the verge of breaking down, thinking she might have made a joke of his feelings, Ngoc showed up.

“I was overwhelmed and really grateful that such a good-looking, tall girl like her agreed to be my date,” Phat recalled.

The ‘odd pairing’ walked hand in hand beaming with confidence in the street while turning a deaf ear to giggles from bystanders and friends.

A strong-willed woman, Ngoc defied vehement objections from her own family over concerns that she would face hardship married to a physically challenged man.

Phat got his ‘dwarfish’ condition from his father, with all his brothers growing up tall like their mother.

Before meeting and falling for Ngoc, Phat had been in a brief relationship with a girl in his hometown, Kien Giang Province, approximately 106 kilometers from Can Tho.

Fierce opposition from that girl’s family left Phat despairingly doubtful that his love affair with Ngoc would go nowhere.

But real love has its own story which no one knows.

“We’re so passionately in love, this gave us strength to get over hurdles and head for a happy ending,” Phat shared.

Nguyen Duy Phat and his wife, along with their baby son, are among the 40 physically challenging grooms and brides at a mass wedding organized in 2018 by Meritorious Artist Kim Cuong (center) in this supplied photo.

Trusting their own hearts, Ngoc moved in with Phat shortly afterward, giving birth to their first son behind her family’s back around one year later.

Her parents did not learn of their marriage until the little boy turned almost one year old.

“I didn’t dare to let them know about my pregnancy. I gave birth to my baby without my parents by my side,” Ngoc said, adding she tried to press on and never regretted her choice.

The pair had another major concern as their worst fear was confirmed.

Though the ultrasound revealed their first son is highly likely to inherit Phat’s hereditary small build, the couple decided to keep the pregnancy.

“We were in financial difficulty back then and I still had some university years to finish,” Ngoc recalled.

“But the baby is a precious gift to us and a testimony to our abiding love.”

Phat also has his own reason not to end the pregnancy.

“I myself overcame my darkest time to be where I am now and blessed with true love,” Phat stressed.

“I believe my son will make it and he’ll even outperform me.”

With the new arrival meaning the financial burden further weighed down on Phat’s shoulders, the tiny man pushed himself hard to provide for his growing family without a single complaint.

Building a brighter future

In October 2018, Phat and Ngoc were one of the 40 physically challenged couples to tie the knot at a mass wedding organized by Kim Cuong, a veteran drama actress.

Their second child, almost one year old now, has inherited his mother’s build.

The couple now have a full plate, with Phat packaging sweets, pastries, and jerky and delivering them to customers in neighboring provinces, and Ngoc working full steam to finish her final year at university and clerkship at a local hospital.

“We’re trying to save up for our own house. Together we’ll make it as we have jumped the tallest hurdle,” Phat said, referring to the fact that his family currently live in a rented house snuggled in an alley in Ninh Kieu District, which also serves as their confectionery workshop.

Ngoc plans to return to her hometown in Bac Lieu Province, located in the Mekong Delta, for work upon graduation, while her husband will also arrange his work to be near his family.

Phat revealed he plans to hold a private wedding reception to make his wife happy.

“She has sacrificed a lot for me, and even hasn’t been a bride shining in her own wedding,” he said.

“I’ll spend the rest of my life taking good care of her and our children.”

Despite his petite figure, Phat has something to be proud of.

For the past six years, he has earned several medals in track and field, javelin, weight lifting, and discus at sports tournaments at the provincial and national level meant for physically challenged people.

“I started out just to keep fit, travel to new places, and make new friends,” he shared.

“It’s part of my life now.

“It keeps me healthy so I can fend for my family.”

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Police in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa have captured a man for fatally stabbing another person following a traffic accident over three weeks ago.

The provincial Department of Public Security confirmed on Saturday it had arrested Tran Quoc Dung, 24, who hails from Nha Trang City, which is Khanh Hoa’s capital.

Dung is the prime suspect in the murder of 44-year-old Nguyen Van Luc.

According to preliminary information, Dung was carrying his girlfriend on a motorbike when he collided with a motorcycle ridden by Luc in an alley in Nha Trang at around 11:00 pm on February 5.

An argument then broke out between Luc and the couple.

Tran Quoc Dung is being escorted to the police station in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, February 27, 2021 in this supplied photo.

Dung ended up stabbing Luc with a knife, killing him on the spot.

The couple then left the scene, leaving behind a pair of slippers, a crash helmet, and a cap.

Local residents discovered Luc’s body alongside his motorbike later that night and reported the case to police officers.

Police have examined the scene and collected CCTV footage to facilitate their investigation.

Dung’s girlfriend – 23-year-old T.T.M.D. – turned herself in to local police a few days after the incident and was taken into custody.

Meanwhile, Dung had remained at large for 22 days before being apprehended on Saturday.

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You can’t use the same flowers for both occasions because that’s cheating!

With Tet and Valentine’s Day celebrations falling within the same time slot, it’s the best chance flower sellers have had in a while to make some bucks. It’s also a double reminder of the value of family and personal love during the tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic and Vietnam is no exception.

Say ‘Chuc mung nam moi’ and you know it’s Tet. Valentine’s Day is named ‘Ngay Tinh Nhan’ or ‘the feast of love’ or more simply ‘Ngay Valentine.’ Traditionally, Tet has been the main occasion for expressions of love, fidelity, and bonds of affection. Valentine’s Day is less so as it’s only a recent addition to Vietnamese culture imported from the West; yet it is hugely popular with younger Vietnamese.

A very busy flower shop at Be La Market in Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam. Photo: Stivi Cooke

This year the emphasis on our ties to the people around us became never so more important when we’re faced with all the issues COVID-19 has exposed. Loneliness, job insecurity, and lack of physical contact with family and lovers ate away at our collective confidence. Fortunately, the strength of Vietnamese family values provides a good defense against some of these predicaments.

Life can be harsh in Vietnam for many, yet the Vietnamese are quite tough mentally and adapt to changing personal circumstances with flexibility that I wish the West would learn from. Locals might complain as much as expats on social media but there’re more realistic and pragmatic attitudes. They show less denial about vaccines and the coronavirus while crucially moving fast to address their problems.

There’s still plenty of joy and happiness around. Folks in my area of Hoi An in central Vietnam were very busy buying stuff, cleaning houses, and having smaller but lively home parties leading up to Tet. And there’re lots of plans for romantic stuff as Hoi An has been spared any lockdown at the moment. I’ve always enjoyed and admired the locals’ habits of eating out instead of staying home; the sense of energy buzzing all around me is one of Vietnam’s greatest gifts.

No romance is on the table for me but I did manage to give a big, heavy basket of goodies to my Vietnamese best friend who I’ve known for around eight years, helping me out of dozens of cultural and domestic hassles over the years. As friends, much of this Tet’s crossover with Valentine’s Day has a lot in common with both of us. Mutual respect, support, and a broad acceptance of the differences between our cultures are no barrier to getting along with each other. Well, that’s one definition of love, isn’t it?

It’s nice to see the parallels between expat and local families too. Fancy clothes, celebratory lunches, and oodles of presents and a million selfies! It will be much the same for Valentine’s Day as couples show off their relationships. Certainly, some of the local traditional formalities have rubbed on the expats, have you ever noticed how everyone regardless of Tet or Valentine’s Day all poses rather stiffly and politely in photos? There isn’t so much of the ‘touchy – feely’ stuff on public display in Vietnam!

A souvenir shop selling Tet decorations in Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam. Photo: Stivi Cooke

In the years I’ve lived here (up to my fifteenth in May!), Tet never really felt commercialized in the same way as Christmas and New Year in Western culture. I’ve always been thankful for that – one of the things I’ve loved about Vietnam is the natural appreciation for life; even if that is drilled into the citizenry from day one. And Valentine’s Day, at least this time, doesn’t seem as glittery, glossy and over-glamorized – I hope it’s a sign of people getting back to some of the basic values of both events. It’s the symbolism, not the materialism, that matters at the moment. Let’s not give kids smartphones or lovers expensive gifts; how about a nice book or a day out in the sunshine? At least food is always in fashion! Forget the giant teddy bears, maybe hugs are better even if you’re wearing a mask.

If Tet has reminded us of the value of family and friends in making it mentally through the stress of the pandemic, Valentine’s Day might be the somewhat painful recollection of how difficult it can sometimes be to find love and a great partner in life. Even though I have broken up with many lovers over the decades, I’ve never forgotten what they gave me along the way so for me this entire holiday, festival, and celebratory atmosphere makes me remember fondly the good times and accept the bad times without any bitterness or wishing it to be something else than what it really was; it’s just life.

By the end of Tet, we can be very thankful for making around the sun another year while beginning new things in love, marriage, life, and plans for the future. As the expats often say in recent times, comparing life here to the rest of the mad, chaotic world, ‘I’m so glad I’m in Vietnam.’

Wishing all of you, wherever, a happy Tet and a fabulous start to 2021!

The hills in the Central Highlands of Vietnam are beckoning, most notably Da Lat, ‘The City of Eternal Spring,’ one of the great gems in this world.

The city is still a small blip on the global travel radar, and although many wish it would stay that way, it grows in popularity each year.

Da Lat (the Vietnamese language uses two words, while in foreign languages it’s usually combined into one word – ‘Dalat’) definitely lives up to its ‘Eternal Spring’ moniker, except for the odd overnight drop in temperature to below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in the dead of ‘winter,’ and occasional hot spells in summer when it hits 30 degrees (87 Fahrenheit).

I’ve never seen an air conditioner in Da Lat, though there must be some in fancier hotels and offices, with space heaters being a bit more common. That’s how consistently mild the weather is.

The 100-kilometer (62-mile) distance from the coast is a big advantage, inasmuch as storms during the monsoon season from July to November fizzle before arriving inland at a higher elevation in Da Lat. Those wet months bring frequent rains, often many short showers in a day, but nothing dramatic like the deluges that flood and paralyze other locales in Southeast Asia for days on end.

How breathtaking the approach to Da Lat is by airplane from the coast if you’re lucky enough to hit a day with an easterly wind!

The plateau upon which the city is built rises dramatically from less than 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) to 1,500 meters (5,000 feet), so the city appears surreal, with the only thing missing being a castle as in the fairy tales.

The city is also referred to as the ‘City of Thousands of Pines”’ (head out of the city proper and you’ll be surrounded), the ‘City of Love’ (no shortage of smitten couples cuddling up on a romantic getaway), and the ‘City of Flowers’ (the prevailing overall theme).

We need to add ‘City of Selfies’ to that list – I’ve never seen anything like it.

Just last week I saw a couple posing with flowers in the middle of Hoa Binh Square in full wedding regalia, with trucks, cars, and motorbikes whizzing around them. Anything for a good shot!

Even if the city was ugly, the people nasty, food bland, and the architecture unimaginative and boxy, Da Lat would be worth a visit just to frolic in the fresh, cool air. In truth, it’s the opposite on all those points – people are mellow and welcoming, the food is off the charts delicious, and the warm look and feel to the architecture and topography are unique in this part of the world.

Medieval look and feel

The hilly layout is akin to old cities found all over Europe – after all Da Lat was founded and built by French colonialists just over 100 years ago who clearly knew what they were looking for: a cool weather high-altitude retreat from the searing heat of Ho Chi Minh City, known during those times as Saigon.

European-style architecture in Da Lat

Da Lat is also referred to as ‘Le Petit Paris’ (‘The Small Paris’ in French), a bit of a misnomer – given all the hills it more closely resembles some cities in the south of France than it does Paris, which is quite level for the most part.  There is a tower similar in design to the Parisian landmark ‘La Tour Eiffel’ (Eiffel Tower) but much lower in height, as well as a neighborhood labeled the ‘French Quarter’ with French-style villas, but neither are must-sees.

Colonial-style buildings cling to the hills, giving the city its identity and charm. Small lanes and cobblestone alleys are lined with stone walls exuding an aura of mystery, romance, and intrigue, like a scene out of an old movie or novel. Level streets can be hard to find, so when you come across one, take a moment to catch your breath and enjoy the ambience.

Intriguing alleys in Da Lat

If you took down the signs in Vietnamese and replaced them with others in a European language, you’d never even know you were in Asia, that’s how distinct the European vibe is. There are some cities in the region that retain a colonial feel, but none hold a candle to Da Lat when it comes to charm.

That look and feel make Da Lat a huge hit with Vietnamese tourists, which made up over 80 percent of the over six million visitors in 2019.

Those tourist numbers are going to keep growing, probably in direct proportion to how hot and stuffy the major cities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia become each year, so there is much talk of wear and tear on the city’s infrastructure, especially the increasingly clogged roads.

Authorities forecast there is enough land in the vicinity to allow the city to double in size going forward, as well as sufficient natural resources to support a larger population. Initiatives to modernize the city center are well into the planning stage so that traffic flow will be improved and congestion reduced in key areas.

With a population closing in on 400,000, and given its 300-kilometer (200-mile) distance from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat is both small enough and far enough from the hubbub of the megacity to retain its provincial charm. The city is the capital of Lam Dong Province, and therefore the regional commercial, cultural, and political hub.

There is a small expatriate population of several hundred, most of whom live outside the city center and lead low-profile lives. Most visitors tend to gravitate to the coastal areas leaving Da Lat low-keyed and peaceful.

Gaining global popularity

Property values in recent years have skyrocketed, making Da Lat among the most expensive real estate markets worldwide. Well-heeled residents of Ho Chi Minh City, the capital Hanoi, and other major cities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia are the most aggressive buyers, eager to trade the woes of urban living for fresh air and space.

The city has moved onto the international scene during the last two years with flights from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and Lanzhou (People’s Republic of China) added, with Singapore and destinations in Laos and Cambodia on the horizon. We’ll have to wait and see which routes are viable when some semblance of normality returns and borders reopen to tourists.

Visitors also arrive by bus, car, and even motorbike in droves, pop into the market, buy a hoodie and maybe a French-style beret, and they’re all set!  They might as well be in France – so, for many Vietnamese, it’s a great opportunity that they may not otherwise get to experience European culture.

Businesses are mostly family-owned and operated in Da Lat, featuring local food and products – refreshing compared with the increasing number of destinations worldwide that cater to the international tourist trade, bringing their mass-produced goods and services along with the crowds.

A large chunk of the populace was born and raised here so they own their homes, passed down through the generations. Several of my friends nearing retirement age still live in the houses they were born in, so deep are the roots in the community.

The usual urban-style rat race is noticeably absent, leaving plenty of quality time dedicated to a slow living pace. Many residents have small businesses and part-time gigs because the pressure to earn big is off so all they need to do is earn enough to put food on the table and save for a rainy day.

(To be continued)