Shopping
Q: Are there shops that import western food?
A: You can easily find some western shops or shops that sell western products. However, they are just small shops like L’s place, Hung Long shop, Veggies, Annam, etc. They can be quite expensive. Locally, Lotte Mart is the closest thing to a big western supermarket, and Mega Market and some of the Winmart locations have a good selection. Mega Market also sells appliances, kitchen equipment, basic home tools, clothings, etc.
Q: Is it easy find our favorite movies and TV shows?
A: Viet Nam also has Netflix. The cable packages that are local include BBC, CNN, National Geographic, etc. Many of the channels on cable for children (as well as some adult programs) are dubbed in Vietnamese. You can also find DVDs here. The app store for Kindle Fire TV has some VPN apps, which will generally allow you to watch as usual.
Q: Can you get quality adult and kids bikes? Are they expensive?
A: Yes, there are plenty of quality bikes and they are affordable, though you might not be able to find a name brand you prefer. If you are tall or large, you also may have difficulty finding the right sized frame. You can buy basic bikes at Decathlon, and Ridebikes has a variety of brands, including Trek. They will also special order bicycles as well, though it may take months for the bike to arrive.
Q: Can I get good shampoo, conditioner, contact lens solution, soap, lotion, pantyliners, tampons, face cleaner, face cream and vitamins?
A: You can find most things here, but beauty supplies are expensive. Many beauty products have whitener in them, so we recommend you bring all face creams, lotions and make up from home. Tampons and pantyliners are expensive, locally produced (Asian sizing), and at times are not in stock. You can send them in your shipment or bring an extra suitcase with you from your home country if you need feminine and beauty supplies. Vitamins are hard to find, so stock up on those as well. Keep in mind that we do have a few supermarkets and expat shops that stock it all (maybe not the brands that you are familiar with), and Bangkok is just an hour and half flight away to stock up on more if you need it.