My life in HOI AN, VIETNAM in 2025 🇻🇳 (should I move here?)

So when I first got here to Hoi An, I was staying in an Airbnb that was a little more in the city, so I was like on a road and there wasn't really any nature cafes or anything around me. The Airbnb itself was lovely, but all I wanted was to be as close to the rice fields and as close to green space as I possibly could. So I switched to this lovely Airbnb that has a beautiful view overlooking the vegetable village. It's right by the rice fields. I can literally walk to my favorite cafe. I'm loving it. That being said, I did not film the entire first week that I was here. I did not pick up the camera one time, despite it being stunning beautiful weather and me being in some gorgeous spots. I just really needed a break after that first week motorbiking over a thousand kilometers from Ho Chi Minh to Hoi An. If you missed that video, definitely go back and watch that. It'll explain everything. So most mornings I make my instant three-in-one Nescafe coffee and I come up here with my book. I'm currently reading A New Earth. That's what I'm reading in the morning by Eckhart Tolle. Absolutely love it. And doing some journaling and it's just a really great way to start my day. But I mean, come on. This, this is what I get to look out to every morning. So a big reason why I'm here for two and a half weeks is because I have a lot of work to catch up on and get ahead before I head back out on my big adventure. And so far, Hoi An is truly one of my favorite digital nomad destinations that I've ever been to. It is easily a place that I could spend months. And right now I'm walking, which I love to be able to walk places, not have to take the motorbike everywhere. I'm walking to, honestly, this is my favorite cafe in Hoi An, but it might be my favorite cafe in the world. Definitely in my top three, I have been here like at least five times. I'm besties with the owner, Hannah. Hopefully she's there today. I'm absolutely in love with this cafe. As you can see, it is so beautiful and so open aired and there's windows literally on every single wall. This place is literally right smack in the middle of the rice field. So as you're working or drinking your coffee or reading your book or whatever, you just feel the sense of peace and calm and everything is so green and lush and beautiful. And the inside of the cafe itself is such a vibe. So yeah, I just keep coming back again and again. But yes, this is where I will be existing for the next few hours. Hi. You know what I'm doing? What? I really love this one, but I come to leave it or I just bring the plant. It is so beautiful. Beautiful. After I finished up working for the night, Hannah actually invited me over to her villa that she's been designing and building for the last two years. Oh my goodness. This is beautiful. Oh my gosh. Look at the view. Keep the sun down. It's so beautiful. And morning when I wake up. Yeah. So this side sunset, this side sunrise. Look who it is. Look who's here. You guys know Sam. This is my girl. Hi. Usually we're in Mexico together. I'm like positive. You don't. So we were each on our own like solo adventure in Vietnam. And then we just like convened here in Hoi An, which is actually something we planned two months ago when we were together in Mexico. It is a coincidence that we both were already wanting to come to Southeast Asia at the same time. And then when we realized that we were like, Oh, we'll do it together. And then had a moment in Mexico where we were both like, love you, but I need like a solo trip, but let's meet up. Yeah. Here we are. It's been so good because we've both been on our own, like kind of a lot for the last few weeks. And then we just got There are countless things that I love about traveling full time, but the main challenge for me over the years has been decision fatigue and just general exhaustion. So finding a sanctuary like Hoi An where I can rest, work and take care of my body without having to figure out where I'm sleeping tomorrow has been everything. I think what's really fun at this point is I drive most My general routine here has been simple. It usually starts with either a yoga class at this gorgeous studio right on the rice fields, or I'll head to the gym for a strength and cardio workout that only costs about $2 per visit. Then I'll typically go work at a cafe for like four or five hours. Sometimes I'll switch it up and try out a new spot because there are seriously so many amazing cafes in Hoi An. But usually I end up going to one of my regular spots that I know and love. And we've been having girls nights too with one of my housemates. I'm staying at a different homestay, also in the rice paddies. And shout out Marie. She is a podcaster queen, also a digital nomad. And yeah, we met at my homestay and we've been hanging out going on girls nights and just having the best, the best time. So much fun. You won! Oh my god! Wow, it's a comeback of the century! Oh my god! Last night we had so much fun. We did the little lantern release in the river, which was so romantic and cute. Just the two of us. Our own private boat. Our driver definitely, like everyone else, was like, oh my god. And then we went to the night market and Marie just hooked us up with the best lady who just gave us all different kind of dishes that I hadn't tried yet. I had some pho for the first time, had the fried Vietnamese pancake. And the white rose. If you come to Hoi An, you have to try the white rose. Okay, so not to spoil the rest of the series or anything, but let's just say I get into some pretty sticky situations over the next few weeks that would have been very difficult, if not impossible, to navigate without one very important thing. And that is the internet. So I'm officially stranded for the first time. They're trying to help me without speaking a word of English. I think I'm just in like full survival mode right now. But luckily I have found an incredible hack that keeps me connected to the internet in every country I go to using one very special company who is sponsoring today's video, and that is Airilo. Now I'm going to take a wild guess here that some of you who travel are either paying $10 a day for international data or you're basing your entire phone plan over just a couple trips that you're taking each year. And I'm going to tell you what I tell all my friends and family who do this, and that is that Airilo is a much more convenient and affordable option, and you get to keep your original phone number. I have used in every country I've traveled to over the last two years. They are the world's first eSIM company that lets you buy digital SIM cards in more than 200 countries and regions, and it's already being used by more than 10 million travelers worldwide. You'll essentially just go into the Airilo app and purchase a digital SIM card for whatever country you're going to. And the plans are super affordable and customizable based on where you're going and how much data you need. And right now, you can get $3 off your first eSIM plan by clicking the link in the description and using code Crosby3. The entire setup process is so quick and convenient and has made my life so much easier while traveling. The fact that I can walk out my homestay, turn the corner, and I am here in this stunning vegetable garden area village for sunset. I feel so, so grateful. Literally, that is where I'm staying, and that's how close I am. I was here this morning for a walk. I love coming out here in the mornings and at sunset because that's also when the villages are out gardening. It gets a little too hot in the middle of the day, so they usually go in for midday, but they're always out in the mornings and in the evenings working so, so hard. Old Town or Ancient Town is absolutely incredible, but I just really love staying in this part. It's so peaceful and you're really, you know, in it with the locals. You get to watch them go about their daily lives, especially here in the vegetable garden, watching them wrap up their day around sunset and then start their day in the morning. It really makes you appreciate how hard they work and when you're eating all of the gorgeous fresh greens and herbs and all of the meals here, you know exactly where it's coming from and who is making it happen. I made it back to my place just in time to see this huge sunset. Also, right there is where I was walking earlier, all the way up that path. So, I have had several locals since being here tell me that Hoi An has some of the best banh mi in Vietnam and I have yet to try banh mi here, so I'm going to this place that I have heard amazing things about. People call her the queen of banh mi. She's been here for 30 years making it, so we're gonna go see what that's all about. So, not only is this place known for having some of the best banh mi in Hoi An, but they're also really known for their vegetarian options. I know, not as authentic. I did try a chicken one the other day, but I do try to eat vegetarian when possible. This one has tofu in it, but it also has cucumber, egg, papaya, tomato, beansprouts, sauce, all the things. And let me tell you, the Vietnamese, they know how to cook tofu. So, let's dive in. This is so delicious. I think, for me, the thing that I love most about banh mi, number one, the baguettes. They have major French influence here, so the baguettes are so good and so crusty and perfect. And then the sauce, oh, the sauce that they put in these banh mi's are always to freaking die for. I'm in heaven. Like it. Oh, thank you. So, when I tell you I have been in heaven here in Vietnam, because they take coffee to another level. I'm talking artistry. It's not just a coffee. And there's so many different kinds to choose from, it's almost overwhelming. There's regular Vietnamese coffee with a sweetened condensed milk. There's coconut coffee, salt coffee, egg coffee, so much more. But we're gonna take it one coffee at a time. Today, I'm having an iced salt coffee. I read on their menu that this is made with espresso, of course, cream cheese, hello, sweetened condensed milk, that's a staple, and salt. I hope I'm not missing anything. But this place is known for their salt coffee. And I even asked the woman downstairs, what is better, the coconut or the salt? She was like, salt, immediately. So, we're going with that. Oh my God. Whoa. I mean, first of all, this qualifies as an afternoon sweet treat. I mean, it's so rich. But it's like, incredibly thick and creamy. And it's like a salty sweet situation. Like they obviously put salt in the cream on top. When you mix it up like this, you get all of the sweetened condensed milk off the bottom and then like the salted cream on the top. And it literally tastes like melted ice cream. Oh my God. Okay. I did it wrong at the beginning. You have to stir it up. Oh, that's so good. Hoi An ancient town is exploding with cultural history and practically oozing charm. If I hadn't fallen in love with Vietnam already, this place would have done it for me. It attracts millions of tourists each year, many of whom actually come here specifically to buy custom tailored clothing that can be made in two or three days. Tonight happens to be a full moon, which I quickly found out is an amazing time to be in Hoi An. Some Vietnamese will visit temples to pray for blessings, while others will make their way to the river to release a lantern to honor their ancestors or simply make a wish. So I've just checked into my final Airbnb of Hoi An, literally on my third. I'm honestly enjoying exploring different parts of Hoi An. I am currently in like a really cute local neighborhood, much more chill than my last spot, which was kind of on a main road. But I'm really, really enjoying this. I'm super close to the beach, which is an area I really like. The weather has been pretty rainy and windy for a week straight, but during my last few days in Hoi An, the sun has come back out and I'm taking full advantage of my new neighborhood by the beach. Every morning I make my way to Hidden Beach and walk down the shore to my other favorite cafe in town called Hit Ha, which is the perfect beachfront work spot. They're super dog friendly, so there are lots of furry friends to play with and the food and drinks are to die for. I usually spend about four or five hours here on my laptop and then order a late lunch to enjoy on the beach. I'm really, wow, I am just feeling so grateful. I only have two days left here and I'm driving through the gym, through the rice fields, and just really taking it all in. The sun is setting, it is so beautiful, and yeah, this is a really special place. I'm just really taking it all in, you know? I've been in Hoi An for three weeks and I've gotten really cozy here. It's been hard to leave and yeah, starting tomorrow I am really gonna be motorbiking and adventuring all the way through the north of Vietnam until I get to Hanoi for about a month and a half. So starting tomorrow really feels like the beginning of the rest of the trip and like, who knows what's coming? Like, who knows? I have no idea what the next month and a half has in store. Well, we've got a bit of a windy start, windy rainy start to the day. That literally looks like you just jumped in a puddle of water. Yeah, that's pretty much how it goes. What? What just happened? Literally, what just happened?