- 19 minutes 13 secondsBún khô gà on Old Market Street | Lunch Walks #2
Back for round two! I'm heading out from the Saigon Podcast Studio again, this time down Thôn Đất Đàm — the market street I'm honestly surprised is still standing given how much prime real estate around here has been redeveloped.
Along the way I point out some old Chinese signage on the buildings, a newly renovated coffee spot that went from empty nightclub to permanently packed in a few months, and a 70-year-old coffee roaster where I stock up on my usual mix. Then it's on to “Bếp Võ” for my go-to order — dry noodles with chicken — before a coffee run and the walk back before the rain hits.
Key Takeaways
- Some things in Vietnam just work immediately: The corner coffee shop that used to be a nightclub sat empty for a while, then reopened completely redone — and it's been packed non-stop ever since. No slow build, just instant success.
- History hides in plain sight: Old Cantonese/Chinese signage on the market buildings is a reminder of how long this street has been here — probably 50 years or more — even as everyone assumes it'll eventually be torn down for redevelopment.
- The best lunch spots are the ones you never have to think about: Same order every time at Bếp Võ— dry noodles with chicken, no menu needed — and it still comes out to under $5.
- Rainy season rules everything: No umbrella, two blocks from the studio, and still a real risk of getting stuck in a downpour — planning your day (and your route) around the rain is just part of living in Saigon.
Chapters and Timestamps
- 00:00 – Back for Lunch Walks #2, heading out from the studio
- 03:00 – The market street and its Chinese-lettered buildings
- 04:00 – The coffee shop that went from nightclub to instant hit
- 08:00 – Arriving at Bếp Võ for dry noodles with chicken
- 11:00 – The bill, the walk to coffee, and beating the rain back to the studio
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13 August 2026, 11:00 pm - 21 minutes 49 secondsMy favourite phở in Saigon | Lunch Walk #1
"This corner... I love seeing it every day. It kinda sums up Vietnam for me — an amazing juxtaposition of the old and the new."
Welcome to the very first Vietnam Lunch Walks; a new series where I take you along on my actual lunch breaks around the neighborhood I love most in Saigon. This one's been a while coming: it's the first new Discover Vietnam episode in six months, after a stretch of low motivation and a busy year setting up Saigon Podcast Studio.
In this episode, I walk you from the studio on Pasteur Street to my favourite halal phở spot near Bến Thành Market, order my usual (phở gà with extra chicken), and then take you on a loop through the neighborhood — past the old bank building, the stock exchange, and my favourite bridge in the world, with a few old Saigon stories along the way.
Key Takeaways
Consistency is hard, even for the host: Six months between episodes isn't unusual for Discover Vietnam — motivation for content creation comes and goes, and this episode is a reminder to just start again.
Old vs. new is the whole vibe: The view of the old bank building against the Bitexco Tower is a favourite spot precisely because it captures Saigon's mix of old and new.
Great phở comes down to small details: Good white breast meat over tough "walking chicken," a light hand with chili, and sawtooth basil are what make this order worth repeating weekly.
Documenting a neighborhood before it disappears: Older buildings nearby are quietly being replaced with modern glass developments, which is part of the motivation for filming these walks now.
Chapters and Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Lunch Walks: launching a new series after a 6-month break
02:00 – A favourite view: the old bank building against the Bitexco Tower
05:00 – Ordering phở gà at the halal spot near Bến Thành Market
13:00 – Walking tour: the canal, the favourite bridge, and a 2016 street story
17:00 – Watching old Saigon disappear, then back to the studio to wrap upBook a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
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7 August 2026, 2:00 am - 1 hour 1 minuteRewind: Overseas Student in Quarantine; Mizuka Yasuda | S3 E3
After realising we were in the same quarantine facility online Mizuka reached out and connected with our WhatsApp group and Adrie on Instagram where they were following each others Stories from opposite buildings.
After chatting for several days online Niall and Adrie finally met Mizuka in person, at a distance, on one of our walks.
Born and raised in Saigon, with her parents still living here, Mizuka made the difficult decision to return to Vietnam from her final year of studies in the U.S. to be with her parents before she was locked out of Vietnam. Or her parents were locked out of the U.S.
Her story is one of many similar yet unique stories around the world about how the rapid escalation of Covid-19 affected people.Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
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🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
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5 August 2026, 11:00 am - 50 minutes 51 secondsRewind: Life in Quarantine: Adrie Mackay and Anastasia Sokyrka - S3 E2
Adrie, and roommate Anastasia, discuss what life in quarantine is like with host and fellow quarantee Niall.
Anastasia, originally from the Ukraine, has lived in Saigon for 5 years working in sales for a major hotel chain.
Her company sent her on an ill-fated dream trip to Australia for work on March 15th, 3 days after the pandemic was declared. As a result most of her business meetings went online and were then cancelled leaving her no reason to be in Australia and as borders closed every reason to get back to Vietnam as soon as possible.
Flying on the same flight from Sydney as Niall and Adrie she found herself on the same problem at the Vietnamese border of being moment away from being sent back to Australia, a country she has no ties to. Before luckily being allowed in at midnight and sent to quarantine with a group of foreigners who'd never met before. There she paired up with Niall and Adrie, wanting to be with the only other female in the group.
Listen to more details about her story and what life has been like in quarantine for the three new friends.
-------------------
Theme music composed by Lewis Wright.
Main Cover Art designed by Niall Mackay and Le Nguyen.
Episode art designed by Niall Mackay.Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio!
Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
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These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
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29 July 2026, 11:00 am - 1 hour 28 minutesRewind: How We Ended Up In A Vietnamese Government Quarantine Camp | S3 E1
This is a special episode, maybe mini-season, of Seven Million Bikes direct from quarantine in Saigon. This was recorded on a phone recorder and I don't have a laptop for edits so it's a live interview with my wife, Adrie Mackay.
Adrie and I left Vietnam on March 9th for what was meant to be three weddings in three weeks on three continents; going to New Zealand, then the USA then back to Vietnam for the final wedding.
Weighing up the risks of the coronavirus we decided to start out trip, but almost immediately those plans changed as things developed rapidly in the world. And continued to change daily, then hourly, then almost by the minute as we tried to get back to Vietnam as soon as we could before the borders closed and we were stranded in New Zealand. In hindsight we should have listened to those red flags and stayed in Vietnam.
Adrie tells the story of how we got back into Vietnam, barely, and why we are in quarantine after the most anxiety inducing and stressful period of our lives together.
We feel ridiculously lucky that we made it into Vietnam at literally the 11th hour before the border effectively shut at midnight to foreigners.******
Adrie and the presenter of Seven Million Bikes, Niall have been married for nearly 7 years, living in Vietnam for 4 of those, calling this country home. They have a beautiful French Bulldog called Biscuit who is waiting for them to get out of quarantine at her best friends house.
-------------------
Theme music composed by Lewis Wright.
Main Cover Art designed by Niall Mackay and Le Nguyen.
Episode art designed by Niall Mackay.Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio!
Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
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These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
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23 July 2026, 3:00 am - 35 minutes 18 secondsPodSwap: How To Triple Your Engagement by Posting Your Failures
"Be authentic. If it doesn't feel right inside, don't post it." – Amy Wenham
In this episode, I sat down with Amy Wenham, founder of the Women's Business Network (WBN) in Ho Chi Minh City, to talk about one of my favourite topics—authentic content marketing.
The conversation made me reflect on my own content. We talked about the podcast studio, the countless hours spent setting up lights and cables, and how I'd often forgotten to share the journey behind the finished product. It reminded me that people don't just want to see the final result—they want to understand the work that got you there.
If you're a business owner, marketer, or content creator trying to build a genuine connection with your audience, this episode is packed with practical advice you can start using today.
Key Takeaways:
- How Amy grew the Women's Business Network from just 23 members to more than 900 without paying for advertising.
- Why authentic stories consistently outperform polished, "perfect" content.
- The biggest content marketing mistakes SMEs make and how to avoid them.
- How to use AI without losing your own voice and personality.
- Why podcasting is one of the most powerful tools for creating authentic, long-form content.
Chapters and timestamps:
00:00 – Rapid-fire questions and why authenticity beats viral marketing
04:00 – Why sharing challenges creates stronger engagement than polished content
08:30 – Listening to your community and creating content your audience actually wants
14:00 – The biggest content marketing mistakes SMEs make
20:00 – AI, authenticity, and why your voice still matters
26:00 – Why podcasting is the perfect format for authentic content marketing
Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
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These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
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16 July 2026, 11:00 pm - 5 minutesCan Authenticity Beat AI? | Ep 1 Trailer Vietnam Content Marketing
Can authenticity still cut through in a world overflowing with AI-generated content?
In this trailer for the first episode of Vietnam Content Marketing, I explore the growing gap between polished corporate marketing and the raw, human stories that audiences are actually engaging with.
Featuring a preview of the conversation with Amy Wenham, founder of the Women's Business Network, this episode asks an important question for every marketer and business owner:
As AI makes content easier to create, what makes people actually care?
The full episode drops this Friday.
Vietnam Content Marketing is hosted by me, Niall Mackay, founder of Seven Million Bikes Podcasts and Saigon Podcast Studio, exploring the people, ideas and trends shaping marketing in Vietnam.
Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
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If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button.
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15 July 2026, 5:00 am - 14 minutes 50 secondsRewind: Tell us your hidden gem in Saigon...
In the break between season 2 and 3 here are the answers each guest gave to my questions at the end of each episode.
Thanks for listening!
-------------------
Theme music composed by Lewis Wright.
Main Cover Art designed by Niall Mackay and Le Nguyen.
Episode art designed by Niall Mackay.Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript!
👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here:
🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN!
👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet!
These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
✅ Subscribe for More!
If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button.
📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community!
5 July 2026, 11:00 am - 18 minutes 45 secondsRewind: If you have a week to explore Vietnam, where would you go?
In the break between season 2 and 3 here are the answers each guest gave to my questions at the end of each episode.
Thanks for listening!
-------------------
Theme music composed by Lewis Wright.
Main Cover Art designed by Niall Mackay and Le Nguyen.
Episode art designed by Niall Mackay.Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript!
👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here:
🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN!
👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet!
These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
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If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button.
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28 June 2026, 11:00 am - 58 minutes 46 secondsSPECIAL EPISODE: Why Most People Never Become Who They Could Be
This is an extra special episode of Discover Vietnam!
As you probably know, I run Seven Million Bikes Podcasts and we produce podcasts for clients around the world. We've done over a thousand episodes, helped with millions of downloads, and we've even won some awards.
One of our clients is Laura Colon from Inspired Authority, and I was really, really lucky to be asked by her to be a guest on her show. And so I wanna bring this episode to you with her permission.
Please subscribe to her channel, check them out.
Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
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These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
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If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button.
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23 June 2026, 11:00 pm - 19 minutes 40 secondsRewind: What do you do with 24 hours off in Saigon?
In the break between season 2 and 3 here are the answers each guest gave to my questions at the end of each episode.
Thanks for listening!
-------------------
Theme music composed by Lewis Wright.
Main Cover Art designed by Niall Mackay and Le Nguyen.
Episode art designed by Niall Mackay.Book a free call with me here if you want to start your own podcast!
🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio!
👉 www.saigonpodcaststudio.com
🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today!
👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!
🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript!
👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here:
🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN!
👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet!
These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
✅ Subscribe for More!
If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button.
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21 June 2026, 11:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App