Developing your social circle in Hanoi
Moving to Hanoi can be a challenging venture. The culture is still a mystery, and the road network comes across as a complete labyrinth, not ideal when trying to ask for directions in a language you barely know. One of the most daunting parts of moving abroad though is making new friends. As one gets older, this can become a little trickier for some. But fear not, Expat.com is well equipped with the local hints and tips, all designed to make you feel as secure as possible within days of arriving.
Important:
If you don’t have a smartphone already, buy one at your earliest convenience. Networking apps are extremely popular here and are your gateway into local society.
The internet of things has made connectivity easier than one could ever imagine. Millions of people in Hanoi are in touch with each other via a relatively wide range of free apps. Social media groups have been created for almost anything you can think of, including food, sports and clubbing, and meetups are common in cafes and restaurants across the city.
Below are some of the most popular methods of connecting to people in Hanoi.
Practically the Bible of the 21st Century, nothing is official until you see it here! There are hundreds of Facebook groups centred on the city of Hanoi, making this one of the most connected cities in the world. The most heavily used of these groups is Hanoi Massive, a group which covers almost anything. Although there are nearly 50,000 members in this group, the downside is that there are many trolls or keyboard warriors – people who have nothing better to do than write negative comments. Other than that, Hanoi Massive is generally a good place to start getting your name about.
Zalo
This app can be downloaded directly to your smartphone and is similar to WeChat. It is primarily used by local Vietnamese people, but over the last few years, it has increased in popularity and has now been adopted by the https://www.expat.community too. Zalo is an excellent way of making new friends as you can use it to see who is around you, and what similar interests they may have. Zalo has also been accredited with bringing love-birds together, so who knows, perhaps your future soul mate is waiting for on the other side of the wifi!
Viber
This app has been making waves in Hanoi’s social scene for the last few years and is a good method of social networking. Users’ phone numbers are kept anonymous as only their names are shown in the groups. Through Vibers exciting features, users can send messages, pictures and video through private or group conversations.
Hanoi Business Thursdays
Taking place twice a month in one of Hanoi finest hotels or restaurants, Hanoi Business Thursdays are a gathering of business executives, both local and foreign. Hosted by organisations such as the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Eurocham) and the British Business Group in Vietnam (BBGV), these meetings are one of the best ways of formally broadcasting your business model to like-minded listeners. For more information about this, you can check out our article ‘How to develop a professional network in Hanoi.’
Keep Hanoi Clean
Many people in Hanoi like to do their part for the environment and Keep Hanoi Clean is the best way to get involved with this particular community.
