Vietnam Local Customs

  Basket boat in Vietnam.
by cachaseiro
 
  • Basket boat in Vietnam.
      Basket boat in Vietnam.
    by cachaseiro
  • Basket boat.
      Basket boat.
    by cachaseiro
  • Fish farm in Vietnam.
      Fish farm in Vietnam.
    by cachaseiro
  • Floating village in Vietnam.
      Floating village in Vietnam.
    by cachaseiro
  • Alter for burning fake money and paper clips.
      Alter for burning fake money and paper...
    by cachaseiro
 

Most Viewed Local Customs in Vietnam

76.

People   Ho Chi Minh City

People, Ho Chi Minh City

 54 Reviews  If you are eating at a semi-outdoor /streetside place and you are set upon by beggar children, its best not to give them anything. If you do, it can start a frenzy and cause trouble for the... 

 See All 123 Local Customs in Ho Chi Minh City

77.

Politics   Ho Chi Minh City

Politics, Ho Chi Minh City

 4 Reviews  Though Vietnam seems like any thriving capitalist city in asia, it is still a communist country by heart. You'll see propaganda pictures and policemen everywhere, even in places like Apocalypse Now (... 

 See All 123 Local Customs in Ho Chi Minh City

Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices

Sponsored Links

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Kirin

by muddybok

Even designs of Kirin can be found everywhere in Vietnam.Kirin is also a mythical creature for Chinese believe.The nature of the Kirin (or Qilin) extracted from WikipediaAlthough it looks fearsome, the Qilin only punishes the wicked. It can walk on grass and yet not trample the blades and it can also walk on water. Being a peaceful creature, its diet does not include flesh. It takes great care when it walks never to tread on any living thing, and it is said to appear only in areas ruled by a wise and benevolent leader (some say even if this area is only a house). It is normally gentle but can become fierce if a pure person is threatened by a sinner, spouting flames from its mouth and exercising other fearsome powers that vary from story to story.The Qilin is the lord of all beasts or hairy creatures (mammals), while the Phoenix represents the feathered, Man the naked, the Dragon the...

Tip Photo
Thanh Phong - coconut candy

by MickeH

We picked up a couple of packages of this candy in the mekong delta. And I really wished we had bought more, since it is really really tasty. We stopped at a place where they made this stuff but for all that I still can't tell you much about it, more than that it's great. Buy alot of it if you have the chance. It tastes best when fresh, but if you eat it later, just drown it in warm water until it becomes soft again. Then it's as good as new!

Tip Photo
Snake Wine

by MickeH

Ok, so what can possibly be done to make this moonshine rice wine even more...interesting? How about sticking a cobra and a scorpion in there with some interesting roots! It is supposed to have medical uses, and people drink it for a number of ailments, including reumatism. If it heals you or not is something I can't answer since I wasn't ill. But it certainly has an interesting taste...Between 30 and 60% was the answer given when we wanted to know how strong it was, so I guess the best way to find out is to analyze the evening when you wake up the next day... If you head down to the beach or out in the city upon waking, it was probably closer to 30 but if you are unsure if waking up, ever, was really a good idea, then you probably had your hands on the strong stuff.

Tip Photo
Learning simple Vietnamese phrases

by SLLiew

Vietnamese is in romanised script which help learning the language a little bit easier than Thai. Though both tonal language can sound the same to the untrained ear."Cam on" is the most common phrase, meaning = thank you"Hen gap liap" = see you again.It is fun learning a few words to have a few laughs and few smiles with the local Vietnamese. Shows that you are interested in their culture and take the effort.

Tip Photo
Just About Every Price is Negotiable

by swervie

This is a rule of thumb in Vietnam. There are some places where this does not apply, such as with hotels, meals in restaurants and petrol, for example. But for anything you might buy on the street or in a market, there is no fixked cost. Because most shopping is done in large central markets with many merchants selling the same thing right next to one another, price is an important deal-maker. Always shop around, compare and return to the vendor who gave the best deal. Above all, resist the temptation to buy the first one you see. No matter how inexpensive it seems, there's always a cheaper one a few meters away...

Tip Photo
Internet Cafes

by MickeH

There are plenty of internet cafes in any major city in Vietnam. We never had any problem what so ever finding a place to get those vital updates on the silly season in swedish football :-)They are ususally very slow connections though, but the price is right. And, unless you plan to spend your trip playing online games, they are fast enough to get the job done.

Tip Photo
Waving children

by MickeH

Wherever you go in vietnam the children always waves and laughes and, if they can, ask you where you are from. Even if you just travel past a school in a bus, or boat as in the picture, the children will wave as long as they see you. Don't know why really, maby it's just exciting to meet new people that look and act so differently from the locals. The kids in the picture are waving from a schoolyard in the mekong delta while our longtail boat cruise by.

Tip Photo
Architecture

by MickeH

Vietnamese houses have a special look to them. They have a very short width and make up for it by beeing deep and high instead. More or less the exact opposite from western houses that tend to be wider than they are deep. Even if the house is unattached and standing by itself it is most often built this way. Look kind of funny when you are used to something completely different.The effect this gives houses in the cities is pretty cool thou, as seen in the picture.

Tip Photo
Personal Questions

by KhanhLy

Short of shaking our hands, the guy working on the train was already asking my brother and I if we were married or have a family already. It is not uncommon for people in Vietnam to ask you questions that you might consider too personal for someone you just met a minute ago. They are just curious and they do not consider it rude to ask you how much money you make.

Hand over your passport

by KhanhLy

It's standard procedure to hand over your passport when checking into a hotel. Also, the hotel have these little slots that you put your key in, this will allow you access to the electricity in your room. The only disadvantage of this is your room is not "air conditioned" cool when you return from your day trip!Also, expect to turn in your key when you leave the hotel, even if it's just to go out around the block. They will give it back to you when you return to the hotel.

Local traditions and culture in Vietnam

Top 3 Hotels in Vietnam

Park Hyatt Saigon  Ho Chi Minh City

 5 Reviews and 438 Opinions  All rooms offer pool of City views with full luxury amenities. As true sense 5- Star hotel, it is... 

 Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City

Hanoi Elegance 2  Hanoi

 5 Reviews and 712 Opinions  I booked our family sized room for 2 adults and our teenage daughter direct with the hotel from... 

 Hotels in Hanoi

Victoria Hoi An Resort  Hoi An

 4 Reviews and 444 Opinions  It's worth the money to stay and enjoy the beach like in Victoria Hoi An. Price from 150$++ public... 

 Hotels in Hoi An

1,154 Hotels in Vietnam
 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations
Travel Highlights

The Place

Reviews and photos of Vietnam attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Vietnam sightseeing.

Experience Vietnam
Local Customs: Cities in Vietnam
  1. Ho Chi Minh City Local Customs
  2. Hanoi Local Customs
  3. Hoi An Local Customs
  4. Nha Trang Local Customs
  5. Hue Local Customs
  6. Da Lat Local Customs
  7. Da Nang Local Customs
  8. Sapa Local Customs
  9. Phan Thiet Local Customs
  10. Ha Long Local Customs
  11. Vung Tau Local Customs
  12. Can Tho Local Customs
  13. Sa Pa Local Customs
  14. My Tho Local Customs
  15. Haiphong Local Customs
  16. Ninh Binh Local Customs
  17. Cu Chi Local Customs
  18. Lao Cai Local Customs
  19. Quy Nhon Local Customs
  20. Cat Ba Local Customs
  21. Tay Ninh Local Customs
  22. Ha Dong Local Customs
  23. Buon Ma Thuot Local Customs
  24. Dong Ha Local Customs

More Cities in Vietnam

 

Popular Regions in Vietnam

Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh Local Customs  Thu Do Ha Noi Local Customs  Tinh Quang Nam Local Customs  Tinh Khanh Hoa Local Customs  Tinh Lao Cai Local Customs  Tinh Thua Thien-Hue Local Customs  Tinh Kien Giang Local Customs  Tinh Da Nang Local Customs  Tinh Lam Dong Local Customs  Tinh Quang Ninh Local Customs  Tinh Binh Thuan Local Customs  Tinh Ba Ria-Vung Tau Local Customs  Tinh Can Tho Local Customs  Thanh Pho Hai Phong Local Customs 

More Regions in Vietnam

Questions and Answers

suzeb profile photo

Q:  could someone please help? where can i buy ao dai (preferably well made and silk) for my grand-daughters, they are only 2-3... 

pfsmalo profile photo

A: Loads of places in both cities to buy Ao Dai either already made or to measure. For the small extra cost, have them made to measure and take the mesurements before going... 

Read 5 Replies

postQuestion_button

Click here for best deals for Vietnam

Plenty of choices
agoda.com Save up to 75%, Don't miss! Live support, Instant confirmation.
Save money, Book now !
Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates
Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices

Sponsored Links