Vietnam is one of the most visited countries in South East Asia, and for good reason. With so much history along with beautiful beaches, mountains and unique villages to explore, there’s a lot going for it. Not only that but it has some of the most delicious food in the region with lots of fresh, local ingredients used, helping to elevate Vietnamese food to heights equivalent with Thai or Chinese.
If you’re planning to visit this bustling, beautiful country on one of Explorient’s many Vietnam tours, you might be wondering just what’s in store for you in terms of traditions, customs and culture. Never fear – visiting a country that is so different from your own can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve put together this useful guide to everything you need to know about Vietnam when it comes to etiquette, traditions and customs to help prepare you for your adventure so you can hit the ground running when you’re on Explorient’s Vietnam Spectacular and other tours.
Vietnam – About
Vietnam has a long and varied history of both ancient trade and war. The most recent history that many would remember is that of the Vietnam War when many American troops fought a long and bloody battle against regional communists consisting of Northern Vietnam, Cambodia and more. Today, much memorabilia remains throughout the country, such as the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City where visitors can experience the tunnel life of the Viet Cong and its allies for themselves, an excursion you’ll experience on Explorient’s Majestic Vietnam tour.
Vietnam isn’t all about the war though. The ancient history of the country has developed into something beautiful and rich with customs and traditions that visitors should educate themselves on to help prepare you for what you might experience when you’re in the country. Here are just a couple of the most common points of etiquette and traditions you should be made aware of to ensure your visit to Vietnam is enriching and rewarding, making you want to return time and again.
Face
The concept of ‘face’ is quite prevalent throughout parts of South East Asia and also further afield. Face refers to saving face, building face or losing face and is connected to a person’s general public image. The concept of face can be difficult for foreigners to comprehend and it’s important to understand that your actions can inadvertently cause a loss of face – either for you or for a person with whom you are associating. One extremely easy way to lose face for yourself is to behave unbecomingly in public – such as yelling, being too drunk or generally being brash and rude. To save or build face, act with integrity and respect always when in Vietnam on Explorient’s Vietnam, Laos and Thailand Explorient tour. Building face can also be done through the use of compliments, such as complementing the hospitality of a person or business.
Haggling
It’s generally accepted and expected that you’ll haggle a bit at most markets in Vietnam. While many places will have a set price (for example, like in restaurants), you can usually haggle market vendors, tuk tuk drivers and taxi cabs down at least a bit. The rule of thumb is to get their supposed lowest price first and try halving it and then meeting halfway from that. It usually means you get about 25% off the asked price, which is still a bit of a savings. It’s also a good idea to go into haggling with a sense of humor and a smile and to not take it too seriously and never get aggressive about it. If someone is asking for a price that is absolutely not okay with you, it’s fine to walk away and try someone else – in fact, sometimes walking away can get the person to agree to your price just to close the sale. You will probably get a chance to practice your haggling skills during your time in Vietnam with Explorient on our Luxurious Vietnam tour.
Dress Conservatively
We’re not talking wearing turtlenecks and long pants, but taking care to do things like cover your shoulders and not wearing short-shorts will go a long way to avoiding strange looks and jokes at your expense. In Vietnam, as well as other countries in the region, it’s important to cover shoulders and knees if possible before entering temples as failing to do so is seen as extremely rude and inappropriate. Even if you wear sleeveless shirts as standard, consider carrying a sarong or scarf with you in the event you happen across a temple you’d like to explore. Avoid wearing extremely revealing swimwear like bikinis as this can attract a lot of unwanted attention. There will be a chance to explore a number of temples during your Mekong Delta Explorient tour that will take you through some of the most prominent cities along this mighty river.
Feet and Heads
As with many other countries in the region, pointing feet or showing the soles of feet to sacred sites or objects such as statues of Buddha or temples. Additionally, you should avoid sitting with your soles pointing towards Buddha statues when you’re in temples, hence why people will sit on their knees. As for the head, it’s considered one of the most important and sacred parts of the body and touching anyone’s head should be avoided.
Being Laughed At
It might be considered rude, but sometimes if you find yourself in an embarrassing situation in Vietnam you will notice people laughing at you. It’s not quite the same as laughing and pointing and carrying on as it could be in the west, but instead, it’s designed to help people try to make light of a situation. Instead of feeling foolish, join in and laugh at yourself. You might make some new friends in the process!
Dining
There’s always some kind of custom or tradition around dining in each country and many are vaguely different from the others. In Vietnam, slurping your soup or noodles is seen as being absolutely fine and actually signifies the enjoyment of the meal! Chopsticks should be treated respectfully and even put down on the table when speaking. Try to eat slowly and take a brief respite every couple of mouthfuls – eating in Vietnam is something to be savored. Finally, never leave chopsticks standing upright in a bowl of rice as this is similar to how incense is offered to the dead during funerary rites – this is a common one throughout the area, so it’s best to avoid it throughout all of South East Asia and beyond. If you’re curious about the dining customs and experiences you can have in Vietnam, your best bet is to join Explorient on our Taste of Vietnam tour to get up close and personal with these customs yourself (as well as to try all the delicious food this country has to offer!).
Drinking
There are two drinking customs you might like to take note of before your trip to Vietnam with Explorient on our Vietnam and Cambodia Impressions tour. Firstly, tea is often offered almost en masse, mirroring the custom of almost non-stop Chinese tea pouring. Even if you don’t want tea, it should be accepted graciously and you should attempt a sip or two. This is also the case with alcohol – your host will offer you a cup of alcohol and it’s considered polite to at least sip it a bit or drink the first cup if possible. If you absolutely can’t though, just explain this to your host and they will understand. You may be offered something else, such as water.
If Vietnam is on your bucket list, be sure to check out Explorient’s arsenal of private Vietnam tours, each of which can be customized to suit on your specific tastes and interests.
