Why Families Are Choosing Vietnam for Travel, Learning & Lifestyle

A Smiths On Tour Story

Vietnam wasn’t a country we rushed into. It kept finding us through conversations with other travelling families, quiet recommendations, and honest stories about what life here is really like. Again and again, people told us the same thing — “Vietnam just works for families.”

So eventually, we listened.

Almost a year ago now, we sold up in the UK and left without a fixed address. No house. No safety net. Just a family willing to take a leap in search of a better lifestyle. Not a holiday — a life where we could travel, work online, learn together, and actually spend time as a family while seeing how other people live around the world.

That search led us here.

Why Vietnam Makes Sense for Families

Travelling Vietnam as a family feels natural. Family life is woven into everyday culture — children aren’t pushed aside or rushed through experiences. They’re included. You see multiple generations eating together, working together, supporting one another. For travelling families, that energy is powerful.

Vietnam isn’t slow — and that’s something we’ve come to respect deeply. People work hard here. There’s drive, ambition, and a clear desire to improve life for the next generation. It’s inspiring for kids and teens to witness a culture built on resilience, effort, and progress.

For families travelling long-term, Vietnam offers something rare: structure and opportunity alongside adventure.

Cost of Living & Why Families Stay Longer

One of the biggest reasons families choose Vietnam is affordability — especially when compared to the UK, Europe, Australia, or the US. Being able to eat out regularly, stay in family-friendly accommodation, travel internally, and live day to day without constant financial pressure creates space to actually enjoy the journey.

Even compared to other parts of Southeast Asia, Vietnam still offers excellent value, particularly if you step away from heavily touristed areas and immerse yourself locally.

For us, affordability wasn’t about spending less — it was about gaining more time, more experiences, and more freedom as a family.

Adventure, Nature & Learning Through Life

Vietnam is made for families who love being outdoors. Mountains, rivers, caves, jungles, coastlines, rice fields — this country invites movement and curiosity. It’s the kind of place where learning happens naturally.

History isn’t something you read about — it’s visible. Geography isn’t theoretical — it surrounds you. Food becomes a lesson in culture, sustainability, and tradition. Conversations with locals teach more than any worksheet ever could.

For worldschooling families, Vietnam offers endless real-world learning without needing to force it.

Why We Chose 90 Days in Vietnam

Because of everything we’d heard — and everything we were beginning to experience — we extended our stay from the standard 45-day visa to 90 days. We didn’t want to skim the surface. We wanted to understand daily life, routines, and rhythms. To see what living here could actually feel like, not just visiting.

We’re not travelling as typical tourists. Since leaving the UK, we’ve been searching for somewhere that could support a long-term lifestyle — a place where we can work online, create content, teach, and still be present as a family.

Vietnam was high on that list — and being here has only confirmed why.

Why So Many Families & Expats Settle in Vietnam

It didn’t take long to notice how many expats and travelling families choose Vietnam as a base. There’s opportunity here. Energy. A sense of forward movement. Life doesn’t feel stagnant — it feels purposeful.

For us, the biggest shift has been balance. The ability to travel, work, learn, and still have time together as a family — something we struggled to achieve before leaving the UK.

A year ago, this lifestyle felt like a dream. Now it’s simply our reality.

Gratitude, Community & Why the £1 Club Exists

None of this would be possible without the support of the people who follow our journey — across social media, YouTube, and beyond. Your messages, encouragement, and shared stories mean more than you know.

And to our £1 Club members — thank you. You’re now directly supporting us to keep travelling worldwide, keep sharing raw and honest family travel content, help local communities along the way, and you’re entered into a monthly prize draw too.

All for £1 a month — which still feels wild when you think about what it creates.

If you’d like to be part of that bigger picture:
👉 Join the £1 Club

We’re building a community of like-minded people who believe in intentional living, freedom, and supporting one another — and we’re doing it together.

What’s Next for Smiths On Tour in Vietnam?

We’ve already shared some incredible family experiences across Vietnam — and there’s so much more to come. From days out with kids and cultural experiences to practical travel tips and slower, deeper stays — we’ll keep sharing everything we learn along the way.

If you’re a family dreaming of travel, worldschooling, or a different kind of life — Vietnam is one to seriously consider. If you want to learn how to start your full-time travel journey and the steps it takes start our mini course ➡️ HERE!

See you at the next destination in Vietnam 🇻🇳✨