Vietnam

Vietnam is an emerging market that has only recently moved beyond the dark transition following the war.

Vietnam is arguably the cheapest place on earth to live well. This is a land of beautiful, world-class beaches, cool mountain retreats, and cities seething with vitality.

Many Westerners head to Vietnam and love it. Others complain about the hustle, the noise, and the lack of Western influence, particularly in the northern part of the country (Hanoi).

The population is youthful, and an energy permeates everything. So, the Vietnam that existed in the 1960s and early 1970s exists only in memories.

The country has moved on toward a much brighter future.

According to the Global Peace Index, Vietnam is the 45th most peaceful country in the world (as a point of reference, the United States ranks in the 101st position).

It’s a common misperception that a communist country is the same as a police state. Vietnam doesn’t have a totalitarian dictatorship, nor does it have a military government. It has a president and a cabinet with powers and problems that are similar to those of so-called democratic governments. There aren’t federal elections—the president is chosen by the Communist Party—but there are local elections.