Send us a Text Message. In this episode of the Vietnam is Awesome podcast, host Niall Mackay, an expat in Vietnam since 2016, and guest Shane Dylan, who has spent 17 years in Vietnam and founded an insurance brokerage firm, discuss the importance of insurance for tourists to Vietnam.  They debunk common insurance myths, discuss the necessity of having insurance for healthcare, travel, and accidents, and share personal anecdotes to illustrate the consequences of being uninsured.  The...

Send us a Text Message. "It's never a dull moment in Vietnam. Things are going so fast, things are changing, and, It's really interesting to document this contrast." - Adrien on the ever-changing nature of Saigon's streets. In this episode, host Niall Mackay welcomes Adrien, a French photographer who has been living in Vietnam for nearly 10 years. Adrien shares his journey of falling in love with the country's vibrant street life and culture, leading him to become a street photography tour...

Send us a Text Message. The authenticity and the genuineness and the cheekiness of Vietnamese people is still coming through. And I really like seeing that repeat guest coming back. It's a healthy sign for a destination." - Pieter Van Der Hoeven In this episode of the Vietnam is Awesome Podcast, host Niall Mackay is joined by Pieter Van Der Hoeven, the Managing Director of the Waifafo Resort and Spa in Hoi An.  Pieter shares his insights and recommendations on the best things to do, see,...

"As soon as you start doing something for money, whether you like it or not. It's gonna change." Podcasting expert and host of A Vietnam Podcast and Smarter Podcasting, Niall Mackay, is interviewed by Samantha an AI Voice powered by ChatGPT. Niall shares his journey from being an avid podcast listener to becoming a successful podcaster himself. He candidly discusses the challenges of podcasting, strategies for attracting and retaining an audience, and the future of the industry.  Niall's...

In the heart of Vietnam, there are hidden gems that beckon travelers seeking authentic adventures and unforgettable experiences. Join Niall Mackay, The Podcast Guy, as he uncovers the magic of these destinations in this episode of the Vietnam is Awesome podcast. Niall's guest for this episode is Ben Mitchell, the visionary behind Phong Nha Farm State and the luxurious Victory Road Villas. Ben's journey in transforming these locations into must-visit spots on the tourist map is nothing short...

Exploring the Beauty of Vietnam's Halong Bay: A Conversation with Local Guide, Quan In this episode host Niall Mackay invites special guest Quan, a local tour guide from Ha Long Bay, who shares his wealth of knowledge and experience regarding this UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The conversation covers various aspects of the Halong Bay experience from the types of tours available to historical significance and environmental concerns.  A thorough understanding of why Halong Bay cruises,...

Earlier this year, I responded to a Facebook post on an ex-pat group. There were looking for someone to be on their YouTube video as they were traveling through Vietnam. So I reached out and then I kind of forgot about it. I didn't really expect the response. But luckily I did, and I was happy to make arrangements to meet Tal Oran, the host of the wildly successful Travelling Clatt YouTube channel. This is what I messaged him, "I'd love to take your own town on the back of my bike and...

Welcome to the Vietnam is awesome podcast. We'll help you discover the real Vietnam with awesome experiences. My guest today is Canadian Vietnamese, and also worked in the nightlife scene there for over 10 years. He moved to Vietnam in 2019 and has since then opened up three food and beverage businesses. The latest one is in Thao Dien which has changed dramatically post COVID and now a destination for tourists who want to see a different side of Saigon. I'm Niall Mackay, your host. I've...

The Vietnam Is Awesome Podcast will help you discover the real Vietnam with awesome experiences. In this episode, we’ll share our recommendations for boutique hotels across Vietnam. My guest today is Lauren Pienaar. She has been in Vietnam now for 7 years, she's from South Africa originally. She's a singer-songwriter with Moon Rise City and is now the Head of Communications for Vietnam Is Awesome. The very maker of this podcast, she has traveled all over Vietnam to many different luxury and...

Elizabeth Nguyen is from Honolulu, Hawaii, and is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who arrived in 1975.  She has a background in Human Biology and Psychiatry, which gives her a unique perspective on the cross-cultural aspects of mental health. Her career in community mental health and her interests in spirituality and psychiatry led her to write her first book, Aloha Vietnam. Elizabeth reached out to me a while ago and shared her book with me. I am a notoriously slow reader so this...

Uncover the Unique Aspects of Saigon's Underground Art Scene In this episode of the Vietnam is Awesome podcast, host Niall Mackay takes us on a journey into the vibrant underground art scene of Saigon. He introduces us to two extraordinary individuals who are at the forefront of this creative movement: Truong Que Phuong, the owner of Twist Cafe and Barzinga, and Sabra Johnson, the creator of the Jackfruit Cabaret Show. Guests: - Truong Que Phuong is the owner of Twist Cafe and Barzinga, two...

Welcome to the Vietnam Is Awesome podcast. We’ll help you discover the real Vietnam with Awesome experiences. I interviewed Mischa Smith who has lived in Vietnam for 10 years now. He's worked at Pasteur Street Brewing Company for eight and a half, most of those as the sales director spreading amazing craft beer across Vietnam. In our main interview we both starting reminiscing about "old" Saigon. Which isn't that old but vastly different from 10 years ago.  We talk about; What Saigon...

Welcome to the Vietnam Is Awesome podcast. We’ll help you discover the real Vietnam with Awesome experiences. In this episode my guest, Mischa Smith, has lived in Vietnam for 10 years now. He's worked at Pasteur Street Brewing Company for eight and a half, most of those as the sales director spreading amazing craft beer across Vietnam. And he's also the co-host of the Beer Stories podcast, which is produced by myself and Seven Million Bikes podcast and shares stories of craft beer,...

This episode is going to be more than a little bit different. Instead of me interviewing a guest, I'll be answering questions written by chat GPT. That's right, I'll be interacting with a machine to explore the intersection of technology and human interaction? And chat GPT wrote that sentence. So, what you're about to hear was written by chat GPT, and then it's voiced by AI from Descript the program. I used to edit all my podcasts. So I'm going to hand you over to today's host., whose...

Donate to Ukraine! I met Anastasia Sokyrka in Government Quarantine in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. You can listen to my episode with her and my wife, Adrie, about our experiences while we were living them. Since then we have become close friends, a silver lining of a tough experience (17 days with no mattress, no air con and no booze!) Finally, after two years of the pandemic Anastasia was able to return to her home of Ukraine and reunite with her family. Despite the fact that...

Welcome to the Vietnam Is Awesome podcast. We’ll help you discover the real Vietnam with Awesome experiences.  In this episode my guest, Oscar Wright, has studied various religions in India and Istanbul… practices and teaches hatha yoga and meditation and tai chi... and facilitates Zen Tango workshops that turn tango dance into meditation. He is a film maker originally from El Paso, Texas, but after spending the last 22 years in Italy he is now making a film series in Hanoi where he has...

Welcome to the Vietnam Is Awesome Podcast. We'll help you discover the real Vietnam with awesome experiences. I'm Niall Mackay, your host. I've lived in Vietnam since 2016, and I'm the host of a Vietnam podcast, A comedian, and now a brand ambassador for Vietnam Is Awesome. I came to Vietnam for a two-week vacation and was immediately taken by the beauty, friendliness, energy, and even all the quirks of Vietnam. I came back in 2016 with my wife for just six weeks, and six years later we're...

In this Bonus Episode, Alex & Mischa interview Producer Niall about HIS craft beer journey!  They discuss Niall's favourite thing about beer, that time he quit drinking for a year and a half, his first memory of discovering craft beers, the Australian craft beer scene (from back in the day), visiting St. James's Gate, the sanctity of the bar area, drinking beer in The UK vs. drinking beer in The USA, big breweries acquiring craft breweries, the 1%, the problem with gendering beer styles,...

Welcome to Beer Stories Episode 8 by Seven Million Bikes Podcasts! Produced by Niall Mackay. Alex & Mischa welcome their former colleague and current HiWine Sales Rep Kat Marshall into the studio to discuss the Vietnamese Craft Beer Industry from an insider's look!  Kat talks about how she got into the craft beer scene with the guys at BiaCraft & Quan Ut Ut, and then joined Pasteur Street Brewing Company as a Sales Rep before eventually moving on to the wine sales game.  They also...

Produced by Seven Million Bikes Podcasts, welcome to Episode 7 of Beer Stories! Enter The Darkness with Alex & Mischa as they sit down with the man behind Heart of Darkness Craft Brewery in Saigon, Vietnam! The boys discuss the joys of starting a brewery from scratch in a foreign country, how John first discovered craft beer, HOPS!, building a brand, Joseph Conrad, Wholesale vs. Retail, why quality is the most important thing to any good craft brewery, thoughts on lo/no alcohol beers,...

Did That Really Happen? From Seven Million Bikes Podcasts. Book your tickets to see Korey David. Ever heard a joke and asked, “Did That Really Happen?”  My name’s Niall Mackay from Seven Million Bikes Podcasts and a comedian... long before I ever started comedy, when I heard comedians tell the craziest, funniest stories I would always wonder just that. And if I got a chance to meet them after the show I would always ask “Did That Really Happen?”  … and 9 times out of 10 the answer was...

In Episode 6 of Beer Stories, Mischa & Alex welcome Hannah Jefferys, Founder and Brewmistress of Saigon Cider, into studio. The episode is bookended, as always, by The Hangover Check and Fact or Fiction. In between they discuss a range of topics, including differentiating craft cider from craft beer, Cider's specific appeal to Vietnamese drinkers, the Cider making process, some of her favourite Ciders from back home, walking the line between commercial viability and being a taste leader,...

Produced by Seven Million Bikes Podcasts, in Episode 5 of Beer Stories, Alex & Mischa talk to Charles Guerrier of Brew Asia about a range of topics, including how he started the South East Asian Brewer's Conference (recently renamed Brew Asia for 2023), why he loves visiting Saigon so much, how much and how quickly Brew Asia has grown, the Vietnamese Craft Beer Industry, how you deal with armed guards storming your conference in a foreign country, getting started on Belgian beers, the...

Produced by Seven Million Bikes Podcasts, in Episode 4 of Beer Stories, Alex & Mischa talk with the Founder of Turtle Lake Brewing Company (Hanoi, Vietnam), Lamont Wynn, about Opening a Craft Brewery in Vietnam. Over the course of the conversation they touch on stories about what Lamont was doing when he decided to start Turtle Lake, the logistics of starting any company up in Vietnam as foreigners, the particulars of starting a brewery from scratch, the first beers they brewed, the...