Dad community in Ho Chi Minh City

Dads Building Community in Saigon

Connecting expat fathers through meetups, shared resources, and real friendships in Ho Chi Minh City. Whether you just landed or you've been here for years — you're one of us.

JE
MK
TP
AW

20+ dads already in the group

Our story

It Started at a Meetup

A handful of us showed up to an OpenClaw AI meetup in District 1. We talked about large language models for ten minutes, then spent the rest of the night talking about nap schedules, school waitlists, and where to find decent pizza for a toddler.

Turns out, there were a lot of dads in Saigon who wanted the same thing: other dads who get it. Not a Facebook group. Not a formal organization. Just real people to grab coffee with, swap tips, and build actual friendships.

That's what Saigon Dads is. No dues, no rules, no agenda — just community.

Born at an AI meetup

Came for the tech, stayed for the dad jokes

20+ dads and growing

From tech to teaching, finance to freelance

What's happening

Upcoming Meetups

All events are free and open to any dad in the Saigon area. First time? Even better.

15MAR

Coffee & Coding at The Workshop

The Workshop, District 1
9:00 AM

Bring your laptop (optional) and your kid stories (mandatory). Great ca phe sua da guaranteed.

22MAR

Family BBQ at Central Park

Central Park, District 2
4:00 PM

Kids, partners, everyone welcome. We bring the grill, you bring something to throw on it.

29MAR

Dads' Night Out in Thao Dien

Thao Dien, District 2
7:30 PM

No kids allowed (just this once). Cold beers, good conversation, zero screen time negotiations.

The crew

Meet the Dads

Engineers, creatives, entrepreneurs, teachers — the one thing we have in common is kids and Saigon.

JE

James E.

Engineering Leader

Building AI health-tech by day, building Lego towers by night. Moved from the US with a toddler and too many monitors.

MK

Mike K.

Creative Director

Runs a design studio from Thao Dien. Three kids, two cats, one very patient wife. Always knows the best brunch spot.

TP

Thomas P.

Startup Founder

Bootstrapping a fintech while navigating Vietnamese kindergarten enrollment. Surprisingly, the startup is easier.

Community knowledge

Resources for Dads in Saigon

Crowdsourced by the community. Always growing, always honest.

Schools

International schools, bilingual programs, preschools — honest reviews from dads with kids enrolled.

Neighborhoods

District 2, District 7, Binh Thanh — which areas work best for families and why.

Activities

Weekend trips, swimming classes, playgrounds, indoor play areas — kid-tested and dad-approved.

Healthcare

Pediatricians, hospitals, insurance tips, and what to do when your kid gets the inevitable Saigon bug.

Visa Tips

Work permits, dependent visas, TRC renewals — navigating Vietnamese immigration as a family.