Codes & Culture · Ho Chi Minh City

Your person on the ground in Vietnam.

Relocation assistance, product sourcing and production oversight from someone who actually lives here. I research, visit, document, coordinate and report back on the things you can't easily handle from abroad.

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Now accepting inquiries for Ho Chi Minh City and nearby areas · Custom quotes

Kisa of Codes & Culture in Ho Chi Minh City
A street in Ho Chi Minh City

Based in Ho Chi Minh City

Three ways I can help

Relocate. Source. Produce.

I Relocate Apartment locating, pre-arrival walkthroughs and my relocation guides. See relocation services → II Source Product locating, supplier research, quotations and curated vendor resources. See sourcing services → III Produce Factory visits, production monitoring and photo and video documentation. See production services →
Kisa, founder of Codes & Culture
Living in Việt Nam

A note from the founder

Hi, I'm Kisa. I live here, so I can go and look.

In October 2026 I left the United States and moved to Vietnam. I wrote The Vietnam Move along the way, because I wanted the guide I couldn't find: honest, sourced and practical.

Moving here taught me how much you can't see from abroad: the apartment behind the listing photos, the shop that actually stocks what you need, the workshop behind a quotation. Now that I live in Ho Chi Minh City, I can go and look.

That's what this new chapter of Codes & Culture is. I'm not a large agency, and I won't pretend to be. I'm one person on the ground who notices details, asks the awkward questions, documents everything and reports back honestly, so you can make decisions from wherever you are with real information.

KisaFounder, Codes & Culture

I

Chapter I

Relocate

Find the right home before you land, and arrive with a plan. In-person apartment walkthroughs, plus the relocation guides I wrote from my own move.

A furnished apartment living room in Ho Chi Minh City

Now accepting inquiries

Apartment Locating & Pre-Arrival Walkthroughs

Your eyes and ears on the ground, before you arrive

Listings in Vietnam can look very different in person. Tell me your budget, preferred neighborhoods and must-haves. I'll search, coordinate viewings with local agents, and visit your shortlist in person, so you choose a home based on what's really there, not on flattering photos.

What I can do

  • Apartment searches by budget, neighborhood, size and preferences
  • Viewings coordinated with local real estate agents
  • In-person visits to shortlisted apartments in my service area
  • Visible-condition checks: signs of mold or damp, water pressure, appliances, air conditioning, cleanliness and overall condition
  • A look at the building, amenities and immediate surroundings
  • Help relaying questions and coordination between you and the agent

What you receive

  • A recorded video walkthrough of each visited apartment
  • Photographs of rooms, fixtures and anything that concerns me
  • An organized property report with findings, concerns and recommendations

Good to know. This is a visual walkthrough by someone who lives here. It is not a licensed home inspection, a legal or lease review, property management or real estate brokerage. Lease decisions and contracts remain between you and the landlord or agent.

Inquire about this service Custom quote · no fixed pricing yet

Available now · instant download

Prefer to plan it yourself?

The Vietnam Move is my 123-page relocation guide, written from my own move and checked against official sources. It's available now as an instant download, with free updates.

The Vietnam Move ebook on a tablet with How to Use This Book and Grand Park feature pages, with free future updates

The Vietnam Move E-Book

The complete guide, with 29 printable worksheets.

$19.99

View details →
The Vietnam Move ebook cover: red footbridge toward Ho Chi Minh City high-rises

The Vietnam Move Guide & Toolkit

The guide plus fillable versions of all 29 worksheets.

$29.99

View details →
II

Chapter II

Source

For boutique owners, resellers, emerging brands and international buyers: someone local to find products and suppliers, ask the questions and show you what's real.

Kisa looking through products on a shop shelf in Ho Chi Minh City

Now accepting inquiries

Personal Sourcing & Product Locating

Find it, price it, see it

Looking for a particular product, wholesaler or maker in Vietnam? I research what's available locally, contact suppliers, request quotations and set your options side by side, with photos and video so you can see exactly what you're considering. Ideal for boutique owners, resellers, entrepreneurs, emerging brands and international buyers.

What I can do

  • Locating products, wholesalers, suppliers and manufacturers
  • Researching local availability and pricing
  • Contacting suppliers and requesting quotations
  • Comparing options, minimum order quantities and production timelines
  • Arranging sample purchases or coordinating product evaluation
  • Helping you navigate local sourcing opportunities

What you receive

  • A supplier comparison with quotes, MOQs and timelines as provided by each supplier
  • Photographs and video of products and samples
  • Supplier contact details and my notes from each conversation

Good to know. I research, visit and relay what suppliers tell me. Choosing a supplier, contracts, payments, shipping and import compliance remain your decisions and responsibility.

Inquire about this service Custom quote · no fixed pricing yet

In development · not yet available

Curated Vendor & Supplier Directories

I'm building researched digital directories for international buyers who want a trustworthy place to start. They aren't available yet. Each one will be published only when it's ready and properly checked.

  1. 01Apparel & fashion suppliers
  2. 02Electronics & accessories wholesalers
  3. 03Handbag & accessory manufacturers
  4. 04Packaging & private-label manufacturers
  5. 05Home goods & lifestyle suppliers
  6. 06Specialty manufacturers & local wholesalers

First look

Join the directory waitlist

Join the list and I'll email you when the first directory is published. No spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Motorbikes crossing a tree-lined street in Ho Chi Minh City

The details you can't see from abroad are the ones I'm here to find.

III

Chapter III

Produce

Having something made in Vietnam? I can visit, watch, photograph and report, so you're never relying on updates you can't check.

Close-up of Kisa's hands examining a product

Now accepting inquiries

Manufacturing & Production Oversight

On-the-ground production monitoring and documentation

When your product is being made in Vietnam and you can't be there, I can be. I visit factories and workshops in my service area, document progress, check visible workmanship against the specifications you provide, and report back clearly, so problems surface while there's still time to address them.

What I can do

  • Visits to factories and production workshops in my local service area
  • Checking visible workmanship against your specifications
  • Communicating your questions or concerns to the manufacturer
  • Monitoring agreed production milestones
  • Coordinating sample reviews and production updates

What you receive

  • Photographs and video of production progress
  • Progress reports noting any observable discrepancies
  • A written record of what was discussed with the manufacturer

Good to know. This is monitoring and documentation, not certified quality inspection, engineering, factory auditing or a guarantee of manufacturing outcomes. Agreements with your manufacturer remain between you and them.

Inquire about this service Custom quote · no fixed pricing yet

How it works

From your first message to my report

  1. 01

    Inquire

    Use the form below to tell me what you need, where, by when and your budget. Links and specs help.

  2. 02

    Custom quote

    I review the scope, location and timing, ask any questions, and send a quote. Travel beyond my area is priced up front.

  3. 03

    Confirm

    We agree in writing on what I'll do, what you'll receive and when, before any work begins.

  4. 04

    On the ground

    I visit, research, document and coordinate in person, and keep you posted along the way.

  5. 05

    Deliverables

    You receive the photos, video and an organized written report, ready to help you decide.

Clear expectations

What I am, and what I'm not

These services are new, and I want you to know exactly what you're getting. I'll always tell you what I saw, what I couldn't confirm, and where you need a licensed professional.

I am

  • A resident of Ho Chi Minh City who can go and look in person
  • A careful researcher, photographer and note-taker
  • A clear line of communication between you and local contacts
  • Honest about what I see, including what I can't verify

I'm not

  • A licensed home inspector, real estate broker or property manager
  • A lawyer, or a substitute for legal or lease review
  • A certified quality inspector, engineer or factory auditor
  • A guarantee of any supplier's or manufacturer's results

Service area

Based in Ho Chi Minh City. In-person work focuses on the city and nearby areas I can reach within a day. Requests elsewhere in Vietnam are considered case by case, and any travel costs are agreed before I accept the work.

Request a service

Tell me what you need seen

Every request is different, so pricing is quoted individually. Share as much as you can and I'll reply by email with questions or a custom quote.

  • No obligation: a quote is just a quote
  • Pricing confirmed before any work begins
  • Replies by email

Sent privately to Codes & Culture. Submitting doesn't commit you to anything.

Codes & Culture · Vietnam

Someone real, right here, ready to go and look.

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