Well, two out of three ain't bad...or is it?! Join me in this one as I chat about my health check in Ho Chi Minh City, whether or not Vietnam is liveable, and the Indian billionaires using Vietnam as their playground! For more info about the topics discussed in this episode, please pop over to https://thebureauasia.substack.com/p/listen-the-scoop-on-poop-checks-liveable & consider subscribing for my most up-to-date content about Vietnam! Also, check out my website for even more stuff! #thebu...
Sep 12, 2024•25 min•Season 2024Ep. 6
In this "Korea Special", Matt interviews two long-term resident South Koreans who have called Saigon home for more than 14 years and gets an insight into the topsy-turvy life of Koreans in Vietnam. To wrap up, he reveals the best Korean restaurants in Saigon as voted by Bureau Followers! The Best Korean Restaurants in “K-Town” as voted by Bureau Followers Meat & Meet 1 Đ Tôn Dật Tiên, Khu đô thị Phú Mỹ Hưng, Quận 7 Matchandeul 49 Cao Triều Phát, Tân Phong, Quận 7 Perilla 161 Đ Tôn Dật Tiên, ...
Jul 03, 2024•37 min•Season 2024Ep. 5
In this must-not-miss episode, Matt's good mate Nam joins him for a bitch session about life in Vietnam. Matt tells Nam – a Saigon native – what bugs him about Vietnamese culture, while Nam counters with things that bug him about foreigners in Vietnam! Then the episode wraps up with Matt introducing you to one of the best streets for food in Saigon! Nam's Website: https://www.thehighball.vn Nam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehighball.vn Nam's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehigh...
Jun 16, 2024•39 min•Season 2024Ep. 4
First up Matt breaks down Ho Chi Minh City's 4th place ranking in Time Out Magazine's recently released list of The World's 20 Best Cities for Food Right Now! Did they get it right? After that, Matt interviews acclaimed Vietnamese director Lê Thanh Sơn on the eve of the premiere of his latest film Móng Vuốt (Claws), a horror set in the highlands of Vietnam. To wrap things up, Matt introduces foodies to 3 top notch places in HCMC to eat and drink coffee that mustn't be missed on any visit to Viet...
Jun 05, 2024•29 min•Season 2024Ep. 3
In this episode, Matt introduces you to a newly-published book documenting the research and observations of an expatriate who has just celebrated 20 years living in Vietnam. You'll find out the results of The Bureau Asia's poll on what causes food poisoning in Vietnam and then Matt rediscovers the city's first American-style BBQ joint more than a decade after it opened in what turns out to be quite a historical neighbourhood. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebureauasia Facebook Group: htt...
May 27, 2024•19 min•Season 2024Ep. 2
In this long-awaited return to the airwaves, Matt reveals he's been battling away trying to learn the language, he visits an "old friend" for lunch and stumbles upon what might just be Saigon's best goddamn pizza! That and more! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebureauasia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebureauasiagroup
May 21, 2024•16 min•Season 2024Ep. 1
We've heard it all before. Vietnam's cheap. The beer's cheap. The food's cheap. And the people are so nice! BUT is everything in Vietnam really as good as everyone says it is? In this episode I give you The Good, The Bad & The Phởgly provide an example of each so that you can plan better and hopefully your Vietnam trip WON'T. GET. RUINED! Big thanks to Ollie Woods for taking time out to chat to me! Check out all the craft beer stuff he's associated with: Brew Asia https://www.brew-asia.com...
Nov 09, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 1
We're back on the poddie train after a 2 month break that included a trip to Cambodia, a flu here and there, a trip home to the Philippines and some family visits here to Ho Chi Minh City. In this episode we catch up on travel news to Vietnam, including the new visa extensions, and we learn about the matchmaker in Singapore hooking up lonely Singaporean men looking for long-time love with Vietnamese ladies. Then our "cover story" reveals 5 dark locations in Saigon where some really bad sh*t has ...
Aug 08, 2023•50 min
In this sizzling hot episode coming from a sweltering Thành Phố HCM, we unpack 5 news items that riled us up and got us hot under the collar this week, including a polarising review of Saigon's nightlife, the revelation (or not) that sugar babies are artfully using social media to snare their sugar daddies, and the release of an English-language song by mega-Vietnamese pop star Song Tung M-TP that requires captions for us to understand. Wrapping the episode up, we get our red flags out and give ...
May 15, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 10
In this Reunification Day long weekend episode in Vietnam, we share a carefully-curated a list of lists sourced from the past week's news and social media that our loyal listeners will either love or – quite possibly – hate! Everybody loves a good list, so we're pretty confident you'll like ours! Then we review this month's much-anticipated Netflix release A Tourist's Guide to Love that was filmed in Vietnam last year. Be sure to hang around to find out how many 'banh mis' out of 5 we give this ...
May 01, 2023•57 min•Season 5Ep. 9
We recap what we got up to this past week, then in response to a recent listicle in the Australian media, we create our own "6 Things Vietnam Does Better Than Australia" list followed by a handful of other news items that caught our attention this week. The highlight of the episode (39'00) however, is guest Michael Brosowski who's the founder of Hanoi-based Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, an NGO that's been fighting slavery and human trafficking for the past two decades. Follow Michael on Lin...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 9
As usual, Mel joins me to discuss the news and happenings for the week in Vietnam and the region, and then we call in Saigon-based hospitality guru and communications consultant, Chris Thompson, who helps us get our head around why just one restaurant in Vietnam made it into this year's Asia's 50 Best Restaurant list. Connect with Chris on Linkedin at www.linkedin.com/in/chris-thompson-079a88223/ Follow Chris on Instagram at www.instagram.com/ctsaigon06/ Follow Matt on Instagram at www.instagram...
Apr 10, 2023•56 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In this episode, we review the week that was in Saigon, then we try to get to the bottom of why littering is rampant in Vietnam with the help of RMIT Vietnam lecturer and researcher, Dr Justin Pang. Connect with Dr Pang at www.linkedin.com/in/dr-justin-matthew-pang-jmpang/ Follow Matt on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mattcowanasia Follow Mel on Instagram at www.instagram.com/melaniecasul Follow The Bureau Asia on Instagram at www.instagram.com/thebureauasia Like The Bureau Asia Facebook Page at...
Apr 02, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 7
In this episode, we air our gripes about road users in Vietnam, chat about the "awards" season in Southeast Asia and beyond, and review a Japanese steakhouse that passed under our noses for years before we tried it. Then we wrap up the episode with a list of 10 things YOU SHOULDN'T DO when visiting Saigon! Try out Il Corda when in Saigon for a steak! (*We paid our own way) https://www.facebook.com/ilcorda Follow Matt on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mattcowanasia Follow Mel on Instagram at www....
Mar 19, 2023•57 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Matt and Mel popped over to Thailand recently for a short break and during their little sojourn to the Land of Smiles, they came to the realisation of just how freaking loud and grubby their hometown of Saigon is in comparison to Bangkok! Matt also surprises Mel with a gift in the form of a "radio commercial" to promote free tickets for this month's upcoming Coracle Music Festival on the beaches of Mui Ne in Vietnam! Follow Matt on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mattcowanasia Follow Mel on Insta...
Mar 04, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 5
In this teaser from The Love Episode (out on Valentine's Day), we find out one stereotype about Vietnamese women in the bedroom. Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NbyBSc76RD4ZnlZmNLsHx?si=KExzx6zRSL2p16k0Skq8aw Subscribe to The Bureau Asia on YouTube and help Matt reach 1,000 subscribers! https://www.youtube.com/@TheBureauAsia/videos Join The Bureau Asia Group on Facebook to learn more about Vietnam and Southeast Asia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheBureauGro...
Feb 14, 2023•59 sec•Season 5Ep. 4
On this Valentine's Day episode, we preview upcoming Netflix release A Tourist's Guide To Love which was filmed in Vietnam last year and is due to drop on April 27, then we call good friend Stella to ask her some of our burning questions about love and relationships in Vietnam – don't miss it! Subscribe to The Bureau Asia on YouTube and help Matt reach 1,000 subscribers! https://www.youtube.com/@TheBureauAsia/videos Join The Bureau Asia Group on Facebook to learn more about Vietnam and Southeast...
Feb 14, 2023•53 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Fakeness abounds in Southeast Asia which makes it rife in Vietnam, too! Sometimes, however, it can be life threatening. Taken from the Vietnam V The Philippines: Who's winning??? episode. Check it out here: SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4M0h8ZWq6W6dKj8lGQRsFz?si=501791efb3ed45ee ANCHOR: https://anchor.fm/thebureaupodcast/episodes/Vietnam-V-The-Philippines-Whos-winning-e1ucui4 APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vietnam-v-the-philippines-whos-winning/id1478396971?i=1000597807...
Feb 04, 2023•59 sec•Season 5Ep. 2
Vietnam and the Philippines share a lot of common ground and are just a 2-hour flight from each other. The Philippines has long enjoyed a head start in its development, but in the last decade, Vietnam has made up a lot of ground to challenge its neighbour as more liveable. In this episode, we compare the two countries against indicators such as political stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education and infrastructure. So, who comes out on top?! Rock music history fans, check out M...
Feb 03, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Here's a short clip from the Manila episode called It's NOT always fun in the Philippines! Listen to the full podcast here on The Bureau Podcast and let me know what you think! Full episode link: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/YykCCA2aSwb Follow The Bureau Asia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebureauasia Follow The Bureau Asia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebureauasia/ Watch The Bureau Asia on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBureauAsia...
Jan 25, 2023•58 sec•Season 5Ep. 1
We're shown a lot of what's FUN about the Philippines by YouTubers "pinoybaiting" their adoring Filipino fans BUT to hell with that, we're giving you what's NOT always FUN about the land of adobo and lechon kawali and aim to bait you with the facts! Here are 5 things you need to consider before planning your trip to the Philippines! Watch my Philippines Adventures on The Bureau Asia YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBureauAsia Join The Bureau Asia Facebook Group: https://www.facebook....
Jan 23, 2023•43 min•Season 5Ep. 1
After the news, I interview the incomparable Bill Bensley who's brought to life more than 200 hotels and resorts in over 30 countries, including five amazing properties in Vietnam. Bill is widely regarded as one of the finest designers of our time and is responsible for designing Capella Ubud in Bali – a resort with ultra-luxurious tents that in 2020 was voted the best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure Magazine. During the interview, we find out what he's cooking up in Africa and how he typ...
Oct 03, 2022•37 min•Season 4Ep. 6
After the news, I interview highly-respected Australian journalist, food writer and restaurant critic John Lethlean who’s been motorbike riding up in the north of Vietnam for the past couple of weeks on holiday. John’s been writing about hospitality and reviewing restaurants for more than 25 years for some of Australia’s largest publications, including The Age and The Australian newspapers, and is about to embark on a new journey having written his last review for The Weekend Australian magazine...
Sep 26, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 5
After the news for the week, Matt interviews emerging Vietnamese poet Quynh Nguyen after the release of her first book of poetry called When Dead Birds See The Light a collection of 16 poems with love as the theme running throughout. She explains the process of publishing her debut book and opens up about love in her own life. After that, The Bureau Asia's Content Manager, Mel, pops by for a chat about her "royal watching" this week, road rage and her lack of driving skills! Meanwhile, Matt bemo...
Sep 19, 2022•55 min•Season 4Ep. 4
As usual this season, Matt kicks off the episode with some of the latest news from Vietnam from the past week or so, followed by an interview with Wink Hotels brand director David Kaye, then to wrap it up, The Bureau Asia's content manager Melanie Casul pops by to make some cheeky cold calls to concierges at some of Ho Chi Minh City's finest hotels for dining and drinking recommendations. How do they fair? Follow David on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/cavestagram Check out Wink Hotels: ...
Sep 11, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 3
After five big news stories that hit the headlines in Vietnam this past week or so, I interview Joleena Seah who hasn't stopped travelling since travel restrictions were eased post-Covid. To wrap up the episode, I review three of the four stunning Bill Bensley-designed luxury resorts in Vietnam. Follow Joleena's travels on Instagram: www.instagram.com/joleenaseah Follow Joleena's PR work on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joleenaseah Follow Matt on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mattcowansaigon Join...
Aug 28, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 2
I'm back this season all on my lonesome without Mel and Andy to hold my hand nor (more importantly) to stuff things up or get into arguments! First up in this episode, some Vietnam news, followed by an interview with a fellow who's been living out of a suitcase for the past 20 years as he follows his digital nomadic life across Asia and the rest of the world. To close out the episode, I review a new bar opening in the former gangster heartland of District 4 in Ho Chi Minh City. Follow Nomadic No...
Aug 16, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Get a taste of what's in store during this Ho Chi Minh City Audio Trail Preview in which your guide, Matt, introduces some of the highlights of his audio walk through the Nguyen Thai Binh neighbourhood of Ho Chi Minh City, which just so happens to be the city's first Chinatown!
Jul 05, 2022•3 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Your guide, Matt, has been living in Ho Chi Minh City since 2010 and calls Vietnam home. He'll guide you through one of his favourite neighbourhoods – the tasty and very historic Nguyen Thai Binh in District 1 named after a South Vietnamese anti-war activist who was posthumously conferred national hero status after his premature death. The neighbourhood is also home to the city's oldest Cantonese community and was the first "Chinatown" so expect plenty of opportunities to eat and chat to locals ...
Jul 05, 2022•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 1
In this episode, our first for 2022, we unpack some Vietnam news stories that have caught our attention over the past week, we deep dive into the Vietnamese bride trade to South Korea, after which we take a look at what fascinates YouTubers about our city, Ho Chi Minh, and Vietnam, and how their videos sometimes annoy us. Then to wrap up what is a funny, irreverent, but at times, serious episode, Matt reviews French-inspired Cafe Marcel and its naughtily named newcomer to their menu, the Eggslut...
May 03, 2022•59 min•Season 3Ep. 1
