Marcel (founder)

In February 2017 I decided to leave the Netherlands. To sell my house, car and all my belongings and move out into the world without a plan.
On February 8, 2017, I left Schiphol with only a backpack containing 7 t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, a toothbrush and my laptop. I didn't know if I would be back in a month, a year or maybe never. And so far it's the latter.

After wandering around the world for a while, I found my place in Vietnam. I feel completely at home here.
I regularly hear that people are a bit jealous of me and that they would never dare to take such a step. Perhaps fear of the unknown, because yes, many things are different here than in the Netherlands. Different culture, different customs.

Over the years, people have regularly come to Vietnam and I have shown them around Vietnam. Helped with countless big and small things.
Picked up at the airport, accommodation arranged. Helped with a SIM card for the mobile phone to have internet. Shown the way, where you can buy a toothbrush, where they have tasty sandwiches. How to negotiate the price on the market, visit a dentist or doctor if you have problems.

This was a lot of fun to do! So much fun that I decided to tackle this on a larger scale. This resulted in Overwintering in Vietnam. It doesn't necessarily have to be in winter, of course. If you are not bound to the Netherlands, you can come as long as you want. 1 month is fine, but longer is also possible. I have been living in Vietnam for over 5 years now and I am still having a great time. So you've been warned, you might never want to go back.

With the exception of electronic devices such as mobile phones or televisions, life here is 4 to 5 times cheaper than in the Netherlands. You can get a haircut at the hairdresser for 2 euros, a pedicure for 4 euros or an hour-long massage for 6 euros.
You can eat from €1.50 in a normal restaurant to, for example, unlimited meat and seafood for €12.

Jolanda

We are pleased to welcome Jolanda to our team as our contact person in the Netherlands for “Wintering in Vietnam”. Since her first trip to Kenya in 2009, she has become passionate about the beauty of long-distance travel, nature and warm, hospitable cultures. Her adventures eventually led her to a career change, quitting her job in Dutch education to dedicate herself fully to volunteer work in Kenya and Tanzania and setting up her own travel organization, ReisVriend.

Jolanda's extensive experience as a tour guide and her dedication to personal attention and carefully curated travel programs fit perfectly with our mission to offer our guests an unforgettable wintering experience in Vietnam. With her enthusiastic and empathetic approach, Jolanda is ready to answer all your questions and ensure seamless preparation for your stay in Vietnam. Choose an adventure with the help of Jolanda, experience the rich culture of Vietnam, enjoy the hospitality and admire the untouched beauty of this beautiful country.

Phuong

Phuong is a part-time secondary school biology teacher. In addition to her work at school, she also works for Overwintering in Vietnam. She is always cheerful and almost nothing goes too far to please the guests. Her motto: “Money is not important!” Number 1 is that life is all about having a good time. Do what you like. And she does that, because driven by passion she ensures that you don't lack for anything.

Mister Hai

Mister Hai is one of our regular drivers. Mister Hai's best quality is that he is always cheerful and always sees the humor in everything. He speaks very good English by Vietnamese standards.
In addition to these qualities, he is also a very reliable driver who takes our guests everywhere in a comfortable car.

Mien

This is the Vietnamese Mien Dice. Mien cooks the tastiest meals with love and passion. Obviously Vietnamese, but she is also well informed when it comes to Dutch food. She doesn't mind endive stew. And actually it might be even tastier than the Dutch version.
In addition to the meals, she also ensures that everything is spick and span clean. Presumably even Rob Geus could learn from her.

Information interview

Although our website offers a lot of information, we understand that you may want personal contact before making your decision. We are always happy to answer your questions or discuss any concerns, whether this is via a telephone or video call.

Simply leave your details and we will contact you as soon as possible to schedule a meeting at a time that suits you.

You can also reach us at any time by email at info@overwintereninvietnam.nl. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan your stay in Vietnam.