Discover Vietnam: A Vietnam Podcast

“Vietnam isn’t just somewhere people come for a cheap holiday anymore — it’s where creators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers are choosing to build a life.”

That line sums up what this episode is all about.

For our first-ever live-streamed episode of Discover Vietnam, I sat down with Dana Bradley, co-founder of Where in HCMC, to talk about how Vietnam — especially Saigon — has evolved into one of the most exciting lifestyle destinations i...

 Niall talks to Ilse Zoerb. They instantly click and are both super goofy, joking about her name, accent and even Niall's dead grandmother. We even find a mutual appreciation for the TLC channel. Check out her favourite TLC show here. 

Ilse helped her parents move to Vietnam at the end of 2016 while Trump was taking office. She got caught in the Saigon vortex and is grateful for it.

Ilse is a creator of thing...

“You can live in Vietnam for $1,000 a month… but will you be happy, healthy, and secure doing it?”

Adrie and I are gonna be here again, but in different roles - she’s the host and interviews me. Adrie asks me about the real cost of living in Vietnam after nine years as expats in Ho Chi Minh City. When we first arrived, we thought everything would be dirt cheap — almost free. But as we settled into long-term life, we learned that cos...

Lars Callieou is a touring comedian from Edmonton, Canada, who was recently on his 4th tour of Saigon and Vietnam.

After watching his show and attending a workshop he put on for local comedians I caught up with Lars at his hotel shortly before he flew back to Canada. So apologies for the background noise, we were in the hotel restaurant that was thankfully mostly quiet. 

Lars has appeared at the Just for Laughs Fe...

“Life is not about the money in your bank account. Life is for living, and your investments, your insurance, all those things should be about allowing you to live the life you want.” – Robin Copley

It wasn’t easy to share, but I opened up about my own financial mistakes in Vietnam—losing tens of thousands of dollars because I trusted the wrong person. Robin Copley, my financial planner now, joined me to unpack what went wrong, what ...

 Mischa Smith, from Canada, is a regular sight around Saigon in the craft beer scene as the Sales Director for Pasteur Street Brewing Company. 

Mischa started in the craft beer industry in Toronto, Ontario before he packed up and moved to South Korea to teach English for a year that turned into four years and five months. 

After a visit to Saigon he fell in love with the city, left Korea and has now been here for ...

“Choose one thing that you want to focus on. Start saying no to everything else politely. Make everything you do about that one thing and I guarantee you’ll be successful.”

That’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my journey of turning a hobby podcast into a full-time business. Today, I opened up about the setbacks, surprises, and wins I’ve had along the way—from starting with one microphone in my living room, to working with RMIT ...

“Choose one thing that you want to focus on. Start saying no to everything else politely. Make everything you do about that one thing and I guarantee you’ll be successful.”

That’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my journey of turning a hobby podcast into a full-time business. Today, I opened up about the setbacks, surprises, and wins I’ve had along the way—from starting with one microphone in my living room, to working with RMIT ...

In this episode I speak with Saigon native, Kim Nguyen. Kim moved to the UK as a teenager to study and stayed for 6 years, meeting her boyfriend in the process who now lives with her in Saigon.  Returning to Vietnam in 2018, Kim has a unique perspective on both living overseas and in Vietnam and has some helpful tips for young Vietnamese students thinking of studying overseas. She currently works in the music industry as a marketin...

“It’s like you’re wearing our face, but you’re not really us.” – Devin Hong

This episode with Devin was one of those conversations that reminded me why I started this podcast in the first place. Devin’s journey—from leaving Vietnam as a child, growing up in California, then returning decades later—was powerful, funny, and deeply honest. I loved hearing his perspective on identity, belonging, and what it really means to come “home.”

I...

My first guest on Seven Million Bikes is JK Hobson. As a finalist in the 2018 Vietnam Comedy Competition JK is known by many in Saigon as a stand-up, but is a man of many talents. We had so much to talk about I’ve split this first episode into two parts.

Growing up in New York, JK moved to LA with his “fairly well known” thrash-metal band, Crisis. After Crisis split and he returned to University, JK initially came to Vietnam on a st...

What an amazing story! I was so fascinated by Dennis and Emily's decision to leave their jobs as accountants and travel the world with their two kids, Hannah and Aiden. They turned a simple idea into an incredible journey across more than 30 countries. 

Listening to them talk about the challenges of homeschooling on the road, the cultural differences they've encountered, and the beautiful moments they've shared as a f...

“Everyday life in Saigon means navigating sugar in everything—from coffee to orange juice—and I can’t have any of it.” – Jane Ha

My guest today is Jane Ha, a researcher in behavioral science who has lived in Hanoi, the U.S., the U.K., and now Saigon. Jane’s story is as much about resilience as it is about culture—living with diabetes in one of the sweetest food environments in the world, while also studying the consumer habits that ...

“I felt like my Vietnamese froze at the level of a 17-year-old.” – Mai Doan

My guest today is Mai Doan, who left Vietnam at just 17 to study in Oregon, later studied in France, built a career in the U.S., and then made the choice to return home. Her story was full of courage and honesty. She talked about cultural shocks, stereotypes, and the challenges of returning to Vietnam after so many years abroad.

What stood out to me most was ...

 If you’ve been following the show since the Seven Million Bikes: A Saigon Podcast days, you’ll know this has always been about sharing the stories of the incredible people who make up Vietnam — locals, expats, entrepreneurs, creatives, and everyone in between.

A Vietnam Podcast is now... Discover Vietnam: A Vietnam Podcast marking the start of our brand-new chapter.

I share why I decided to update the name, the thought process behin...

“People at home always ask, ‘When are you moving back?’ But honestly, I’m not sure I could.” – Krista Bernard

If you grew up in a small town—or in Krista’s case, a village with 500 people including cows—you’ll know the feeling of leaving and never quite seeing it the same again.

Adrie Lopez Mackay (yep, my amazing wife) takes over the mic to speak with our good friend Krista Bernard, who traded dairy farms and long Canadian winters f...

“You can fly to Vietnam, stay a month, get your teeth done—and still spend less than you would back home.” – Niall Mackay

Annie Vo finally made it on the podcast—and it was well worth the wait. This is Part 2 of our conversation, and in this episode, we dug into something I find really fascinating: what it takes to run a truly modern, ethical dental clinic in Vietnam.

Annie and her husband have built something rare. They’re not just ...

“I can honestly say my expectations of Vietnam were completely blown away.”

This episode is extra special. Not only is it the first recorded in the brand-new Saigon Podcast Studio, but my guest is my very own Uncle George. He and my Aunt Betty just spent two weeks traveling through Vietnam, and we squeezed this conversation in right before they flew home.

George opens up about his first impressions of Vietnam, how his perspective com...

I’ve met a lot of interesting people in Vietnam over the years, but this conversation with Dr. Albert Viet Le really stuck with me—pun intended (and yes, it involves floss). Albert is the Managing Director of Premier Dental and the only US and Australian board-certified periodontist practicing in Vietnam.

We recorded this episode in our brand-new studio—Albert was our very first proper guest—and I couldn’t have asked for a better co...