Moving to Hoi An with a family

As a tourist I found Hoi An overpriced, but living there you may find cheaper living. The most serious point is that you should choose accommodation ABOVE FLOOD LEVEL, because Hoi An gets serious floods. Search for the flood level map on the internet. Hoi An can also get extremely hot in summer,  which can effect your health. If you like cooler weather, try Dalat. Nha trang weather is usually very pleasant for nine months of the year, but some years can be hot and some years can be wet with flooding,  both of which have happened in the last 12 months in large areas of Vietnam.

Hello,

We also like to move to Danang, so please we need some advices:
A- weather in Danang?
B-cost of living?
C- flooding in Danang?
D-the best place to live in Danang with foreign community if available?

Many thanks for all

Hi Johaturner,
Welcome to the forum.

I agree with everything @ralphnhatrang has already said.
Here's the Hoi An flood map. Or, search here.
IMO, Hoi An is indeed a bit touristy, hot and humid in Summer and good for single expats.
Regarding living with kids, schooling etc., join this FB group Da Nang expat moms. You can get some helpful leads there.
Da Lat has the best weather conditions and plenty of fresh mountain air. It's not far from Nha Trang as well.
You may find this site helpful to compare cost of living etc.

Cheers!

Hi seemchef,

A- weather in Danang? - www.vietnam-guide.com
B- cost of living? - www.numbeo.com
C- flooding in Danang? - Usually not as serious as in Hoi An or Hue.

For more info, check the posts in the Da Nang forum.

Cheers!

thank you for taking time to answer, really appreciate it!

Hello

Should you check your kids can get School? In Vietnam without the work permit or TRC. (I have no much idea about this matter) This will be the biggest issue then the location where your choice.

@Collwing has raised a valid point.
IMO, enrolling your kids in a private Intl. school shouldn't be a problem as long as  you have a long-term visa (at least 1 year) ... business  or work visa preferred.
In your case work visa won't apply as you and your husband plan to work from home.

Vietnam (as far as I know) doesn't give a long-term tourist visa to Swedish citizens. Max limit is 90 days for each stay. Most expats on tourist visa do the visa-runs to neighboring countries every 90 days to continue their stay in Vietnam.
That may not be an option for you as your kids intend to go to school in VN.
I'd suggest you get in touch with any Intl school in VN to understand their rules and requirements before taking a decision to move to Vietnam.

This nomad couple made a couple videos in Hoi An. Makes me want to live there too. I think the tourist area is fairly compact and you can live away from it.

Video, there is another one with cost of living

Intl schools are so expensive. Maybe you can home school em.

Yes! I saw that exact video and it was one of the reasons we decided on Hoi An! Haha home schooling is not an option, it would not end well for anyone involved But yeah, international schools are really expensive!

Dear Johaturner,
Here is my best ...answers to your questions:

Q:- How is Hoi An to live in? Is it too touristy? And where in Hoi An is a good place to live?

A: VN is a developing country where affluent people live much differently from VN’s majority population.
.
Q:- Is there a better place you would recommend in Vietnam?
A: No, anywhere here is good as long as you understand culture of Vietnam. Or, learn as you go.

Q: - Is green shoots a good school?
A: Huh?
You are moving to VN. My recommendation would be home schooling and any local school where your children are learning. How would you feel as a 7 year old in a foreign land where your culture is supplanted by the local culture?  At 7, you would likely find your resilience energized. You are likely to understand more over time than your elders.
A concrete house or apartment, electricity, tap water for cooking that is always boiled,  local neighbors will welcome you. Dependable Motorbikes, rain slickers, hmm? Buy all your sundry needs after you get here. Yes, all.

Q: - Is Hoi An suitable town for a family with small kids to live in?
A: Huh?
There are many small children living in the area.

Q: - Anything else we should consider?
A: Buddhism, as an adventure and adjunct for learning and being in Vietnam. Look into and then past the 400 years of attempts  to colonize here.
Seek to add to your life what you can do to relieve poverty. Throwing money at poverty without understanding the true nature of subsistence living is not the answer, ...compassion, loving kindness are in abundance here.
Be careful of food. Learn where neighbors grow organically versus commercially. Living vegan is easy here.
Welcome!
Mac

Me and my two boys 11,5 & 8,5 are moving to Hoi An during Christmas. They will attend Green Shoots. I will back to you after we have gained some experience!