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Culture & Customs (General Information)

Culture & Customs

anh

Date: Thursday, 14-Feb-2013, 6:12:31 PM | Message # 1

Sergeant

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Culture & Customs

Etiquette and cultural differences

Experiencing different cultures is one of the joys of travelling, and it is important that these differences are respected. Knowing a few important customs of the Vietnamese people will help make your visit more enjoyable:

Try not to get angry. Showing any frustrations or annoyances by shouting or becoming abusive is extremely impolite and unlikely to achieve a positive outcome.
Pointing your finger is seen as offensive. Try to gesture using your whole hand instead.
Refrain from public displays of affection, they are considered offensive. It is extremely rare to see couples holding hands.
Wear shorts to the knees and cover your shoulders, particularly at religious sites.
Always remove your shoes when entering a temple or somebody’s home.
Nude sunbathing is considered completely inappropriate, even on beaches.
Remove your hat when entering a religious site, addressing the elderly or encountering esteemed people such as monks.
It is improper to pat children on the head.
When using a toothpick, it is polite to cover your open mouth.
Don’t leave chopsticks sitting vertically in a rice bowl as it looks very similar to incense sticks that are burned for the dead.
When passing something to another person, use both your hands together or just your right hand. Never use just your left hand.
Food and drink

Vietnamese food is fragrant, exciting and healthy. Around the country, you will find a delicious variety on offer, influenced from France, Thailand and even India.

The most popular dish is called Pho and is often referred to as the "soul of the nation". It's quite simply a noodle soup dish eaten every day, predominantly for breakfast. It is served in most Vietnamese restaurants and street food vendors. Don’t be afraid to try the street food, there are plenty of options, including:

Nem Ran or Cha Gio (fried spring roll)
Banh Chung (sticky rice cake)
GioLua (lean pork pie)
BanhCuon (rice flour steamed rolls)
Banh My (pate and egg rolls)
Mivoithitbo/ga (noodles with beef/chicken)
It is not advisable to drink tap water in Vietnam. Bottled water is cheap and widely available.

Public holidays

TET (Vietnamese New Year): generally takes place at the end of January or early February and lasts for three days.
Liberation of Saigon: 30 April
International Worker’s Day: 1 May
Hung King’s memorial day: 10 March (lunar calendar)
Vietnamese National Day: 2 September
TET Travel Recommendation: Buffalo Tours discourages travel over the TET period. Transport is often booked or expensive. Lots of places are closed including restaurants, shops and key tourist sites.

Culture & Customs (General Information)

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