Possible retire / relocate to Vung Tau.

Vung Tau is becoming more and more popular with retirees, especially Aussie vets. You can read about that (and watch the video) here:

http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/swea … t5ww6.html

By the way, I ran across this site while searching for that article:
http://vietnamveterannews.com/776-aussi … o-vietnam/

It might be a good source for networking with other vets.

In spite of its popularity, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of emergency services in VT, As far as I know, there's the local hospital (Le Loi) and one international clinic (http://newworldclinic.com.vn/#)

Hopefully, someone can confirm if that's it or if there are other options. I'll post more info if I come across something else.

Dentists are plentiful. This is the one most people (including myself) go to:
http://nhakhoahoasu.com/trang-chu.aspx

There doesn't seem to be an English version though. They do have staff who can speak English when you go there.

The other popular place for American vets seems to be Da Nang, which, as you know, is a larger city with more amenities.

Vung Tau is developing, but mostly in terms of shopping and accommodation. Actually, there's a bit too much new construction in my opinion.

Saigon is a couple hours away for major medical. The local hospitals can probably patch you up well enough to ship you off.

Sounds like your primary concern is medical care. Anticipating "the big one" any moment. Man, I don't consider your age as old.  Maybe you have a lot of conditions and a short-lived family history, then ok, never mind.
But if not, you could have another twenty years. Time for adventure, living a new life, not preparing for the end! This will be a cool home-coming to VT for you two. Plus, you can always keep your house in the states, and just try it out for a year or two. Just think, you could start planning now, and be here in May!
Anyway that's how I think! 

Although medical care in Vietnam may be relatively inexpensive, a major procedure could cost substantially more than the copays that you would have with Medicare while in the US.  Military retirees apparently are insured as their expenses may be reimbursed after the fact by Tricare.  Medicare stops at the water's edge.  I have had two knee replacements in the last two years which cost me close to nothing in the US.  I had a very competent orthopedic surgeon in Vietnam but the quote he gave me to break and reset a hammer toe was $2000 including hospitalization.  It would have cost more in the US but not after Medicare coverage.  If you have a home base and a credit card that can take you back to the US for elective procedures that could be less expensive than staying in Vietnam.  If you have a heart attack or stroke you can get competent treatment in Vietnam but there will be a cost. 

Insurance is available but I can't tell you the cost as I self insured while I lived there.   I have the impression that most policies cover hospitalization but not doctors' fees.  Someone else will have to tell you the cost.

gobot wrote:

Saigon is a couple hours away for major medical. The local hospitals can probably patch you up well enough to ship you off.

Sounds like your primary concern is medical care. Anticipating "the big one" any moment. Man, I don't consider your age as old.  Maybe you have a lot of conditions and a short-lived family history, then ok, never mind.
But if not, you could have another twenty years. Time for adventure, living a new life, not preparing for the end! This will be a cool home-coming to VT for you two. Plus, you can always keep your house in the states, and just try it out for a year or two. Just think, you could start planning now, and be here in May!
Anyway that's how I think! 

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Neither one of us has any major medical problems but I've just always had a tendency to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. 

Nothing major health wise for either one of us....we both have slightly elevated high blood pressure plus my cholesterol is a little high and I'm diabetic (no insulin injections) and we just take pills to keep everything under control.

You folks may know VT American expat Barry or have watched some of his thirteen YouTube VT videos but I've watched almost all of his scooter rides through VT with a helmet cam and I'm impressed on how clean VT is now compared to the old days......oh, he mentioned that he stayed in the Palace Hotel when he first came to VT and I can remember when that hotel was being built. 

In his weekday riding around videos the traffic looked very light but he did say that VT gets crowded and the traffic was congested on weekends because of people coming down from HCMC.

Honestly I'm ready to move "Right Now" to VT permanently but oddly enough the wife is hesitant even though she's Vietnamese / American.......after over 40 years here she's become pretty Americanized and says that she feels that she'd miss her mall window shopping trips, Walmart, Amer. TV shows, her car, clean grocery stores, our private home / house etc. etc.

I believe what her and I have agreed on for now is for us to come to VT and rent a completely furnished apartment and some sort of transportation for 30 days and take it from there.

Transportation wise I'm 6' 5" and 260 lbs. so I'm a pretty good size lad and I don't think that we would both fit on one little 125cc scooter together and I'm 99.9% positive that because she's never driven a motorcycle of any type before that she'd never ride one on her own......I'd either need to rent a bigger bike or a car of some sort but truthfully, for ease of getting around and parking, I'm more interested in a bike which is what I had for the almost six years that I lived there before (I had 350cc, 450cc and 750cc Hondas)

I've got a current U.S. drivers license......what is the cost and how hard is it to get VN license in VT once I arrive for our thirty days and how long does it take ?

I'm sure I'll have several more questions and I really appreciate you folks taking them time to offer advise.

Ike

Unless you are planning on long distance road trips, you will probably be fine with a motorbike 150cc or less.  At the speeds you will be going around town, power is not an issue.  Your height may make things a little uncomfortable on longer trips but you may not plan to go further than occasional visits to HCMC.  A version of the Honda CRX is sold in the US and I have seen good sized men riding them.  Weight is only an issue if you are the passenger and your wife is driving which apparently is not happening.   My own wife announced to me just yesterday that when she returns to Vietnam, she will no longer drive a motorbike but she is perfectly fine with driving an auto at 60 mph (96 kph) which is a lot faster than we ever went on our bike in Vietnam. 

The disadvantage of a larger bike is that it requires a different license.  If you have a motorcycle endorsement on your state license, it will likely be converted to the 150cc or less category unless you put up a fuss.  The other issue is that a larger bike will have a clutch.  It may not be a big factor in Vung Tau but in HCMC the constant stop and go makes clutching a real pain and also may lead to premature replacement.

Big Ike wrote:

In his weekday riding around videos the traffic looked very light but he did say that VT gets crowded and the traffic was congested on weekends because of people coming down from HCMC.

I don't live in VT, but the most "congested" I've seen on a Saturday night along the waterfront is like Saigon on Sunday morning during Tet!

Big Ike wrote:

Honestly I'm ready to move "Right Now" to VT permanently but oddly enough the wife is hesitant even though she's Vietnamese / American.......after over 40 years here she's become pretty Americanized and says that she feels that she'd miss her mall window shopping trips, Walmart, Amer. TV shows, her car, clean grocery stores, our private home / house etc. etc.

Yes I have heard of that shopping affliction. There are malls in Saigon. Maybe she will like the deals on food in the markets, and the beach, and slow pace.

Big Ike wrote:

I believe what her and I have agreed on for now is for us to come to VT and rent a completely furnished apartment and some sort of transportation for 30 days and take it from there.

Congratulations! That is very short for an apartment rental. Try AirBnB? Hotels? Check agoda.com.  Hotels with ocean front view on back beach start around $30, but less away from the sand, and you can ask for a monthly rate.

Big Ike wrote:

Transportation wise I'm 6' 5" and 260 lbs. so I'm a pretty good size lad and I don't think that we would both fit on one little 125cc scooter together and I'm 99.9% positive that because she's never driven a motorcycle of any type before that she'd never ride one on her own......I'd either need to rent a bigger bike or a car of some sort but truthfully, for ease of getting around and parking, I'm more interested in a bike which is what I had for the almost six years that I lived there before (I had 350cc, 450cc and 750cc Hondas)

For a month, just try renting a automatic motorbike. You wouldn't believe the loads they can carry! You can also get taxis. When you move permanently, there are some bigger 150cc motorbikes. Honda PCX are sometimes available, a Thai import I think, or a Honda SH is definitely big enough.
A car is also an option because there is so little traffic at the beach.

Big Ike wrote:

I've got a current U.S. drivers license......what is the cost and how hard is it to get VN license in VT once I arrive for our thirty days and how long does it take ?

To be legal, bring an International Drivers Permit, cost about $30, and get it marked as motorcycle qualified, which you can do only if your driver's license shows that. Otherwise, just take your chances like most tourists. There are always police vehicle road blocks in VT but they never stopped me.
Again, just get a VN license when you move permanently. Probably requires a residence permit.

Big Ike wrote:

Honestly I'm ready to move "Right Now" to VT permanently but oddly enough the wife is hesitant even though she's Vietnamese / American.......after over 40 years here she's become pretty Americanized and says that she feels that she'd miss her mall window shopping trips, Walmart, Amer. TV shows, her car, clean grocery stores, our private home / house etc. etc.

With torrents you can download (almost literally) any TV show you can think of (or movies... or...) and stop & start playback when ever you want. After six years in China of watching western TV shows on torrents, I can't watch 'regular' TV now (the commercials drive me crazy).

I haven't been to the one in Vung Tau, but all Lotte Marts are very clean.

Hi Ike, I am also a US Veteran and have lived in Vung Tau for the last 6 years. In VT I use the SOS clinic that is now run by a Singapore Hospital Group. They can deal with an emergency then ship you by helicopter or ambulance to their hospital in HCMC. There is also a Russian Hospital in VT that can deal with an emergency. For the locals they go to the old VT hospital then sent to the new BA-Rai Hospital.

The closest VA hospital is in Manila.

I would go on-line to find more info on SOS Vung Tau. You can also ask them what is the best medical insurance in Vietnam as they work with most of the oil companies.

There are a couple of good dentist here.

One other suggestion, you should join a bank in the US that also has a Vietnam Branch such as Citi Bank. It helps with direct deposit for Social Security and such.

If you need anything else let me know.

Big Ike wrote:

1. Let's say one of us had a heart attack, stroke or some other emergency in the middle of the night (or during the day) and needed immediate life saving emergency care......how would that be handled in Vung Tau ?
2. How about normal yearly dental cleanings, fillings or root canals etc.......what is available in VT ?
3. Is medical insurance needed and if so what would be the aprox. premium cost for two senior citizens

---

In his weekday riding around videos the traffic looked very light but he did say that VT gets crowded and the traffic was congested on weekends because of people coming down from HCMC.

after over 40 years here she's become pretty Americanized and says that she feels that she'd miss her mall window shopping trips, Walmart, Amer. TV shows, her car, clean grocery stores, our private home / house etc. etc.

... I'd either need to rent a bigger bike or a car of some sort

We go to Saigon for all medical and dental work.  Any of the many 9-seater shuttles would pick us up at our door in Vung Tau and drop us at the nearest point to our destination in Saigon, then reverse the course.  The drive is 90-minute and very comfortable (luxurious even).

If spouse has another heart attack (his first one was when we lived in Italy and the second one in the States), we'll head to Bà Rịa Hospital, 26 km away, then follow up with his cardiologist in Saigon.   However, the chance for him to have another one within the next decade is slim to none, according to his cardiologists in States and in Saigon, so we're not worrying ourselves needlessly.

After much consideration and comparison on insurance cost, we decided to go without.  I have excellent health (nothing more serious than a head cold or two a year and I don't take any medication daily -- aside from annual checkup, I haven't seen a doctor for 20 years) so my medical risk is zero.  Husband needs routine cardio checkup, but we can pay cash for a whole year worth for less than the cost of one month insurance premium.  Example: for his last total checkup (EKG, stress test, complete blood work, ultrasound with a dozen images, doctor visit, and 3-month prescriptions for 4 different pills), we paid 4.8M ($214). 

While living in the States, aside from a monthly run to Costco, I rarely stepped foot in malls or big box stores so I don't miss window shopping or real shopping at all.  Here in Vung Tau, we do our grocery shopping at Lotte where cleanliness is equal to the best of American supermarkets.  For seafood, if I'm too lazy to go to the dock when the boats come in, a trusted vendor would deliver the daily caught to our apartment.  For veggies and fruits, the wife of our apartment manager has her own trusted vendors so she shops those for me whenever I ask, saving me the time to run from one market to another.  Without a language problem, your wife will know how to make the appropriate connections in no time at all. 

We don't live in a private home, just a 5-story apartment building.  As every 2-bedroom-2-bath apartment taking up the whole of each story, we don't have any neighbour so privacy  is not an issue.  Housekeeping service is twice a week (every other day for our apartment) so cleanliness, again, is not an issue.

The TVs that come with our apartment have 60+ channels, more than half of them are English speaking.  Spouse has been following Archer, SEAL Team, The Americans, Hawaii Five O, and The Bridge on TV, plus MLB games on the iPad.

We walk, take a taxi, and once in a while, use the motorbike available in the building, but if you want to drive a car, traffic and parking are  both easy in Vung Tau even at the weekends.  The worst traffic jam  ever was this past weekend during the long and big holiday (the name of which I don't care to mention) when everybody and his aunt came here from Saigon and the neighbouring cities.  The two beaches were wall to wall with people in matching shirts; Thuy Van and Ha Long Sts (not other streets) were bumper to bumper with SUVs; still they were all gone by Tuesday afternoon.

I've been in Vung Tau just over two months now and am finally getting settled in. There are absolutely no traffic 'rules' whatsoever; so, I do not drive my motor bike on weekends or holidays when the hoards from Saigon descend and mayhem reigns on the roads.