Vietnam (VN)
Vietnam is a dynamic, rapidly developing Socialist Republic stretching 1,650km down the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula — a country of extraordinary geographical diversity, from the karst mountains of the north and the Red River Delta, through the stunning coastline of the Central region, to the vast Mekong Delta in the south.
Country Profile
Everything you need to know before you arrive.
Vietnam is a dynamic, rapidly developing Socialist Republic stretching 1,650km down the eastern coast of the Indochinese Peninsula — a country of extraordinary geographical diversity, from the karst mountains of the north and the Red River Delta, through the stunning coastline of the Central region, to the vast Mekong Delta in the south. With 98 million people, an economy growing at 6–7% annually, world-famous cuisine, ultra-low cost of living, and a young, entrepreneurial population, Vietnam has become one of Southeast Asia's most compelling destinations for expatriates, digital nomads, retirees and business owners. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) throbs with energy as the commercial capital; Hanoi preserves French colonial architecture and Vietnamese political culture; Da Nang and Hoi An offer the perfect blend of beach, history and comfort. Vietnam rewards those who engage with patience and cultural curiosity.
Climate
February–April in Hanoi: cool and occasionally drizzly, averaging 17–22°C. Tet (Lunar New Year) falls in late January/early February — the biggest annual disruption to services and travel. In the south (HCMC), this is the dry season: warm, sunny, 28–33°C, ideal travel weather.
May–September in Hanoi: hot, humid, 32–38°C with heavy rainfall and typhoon risk (July–October). Central Vietnam receives the tail of typhoons through this season. HCMC's rainy season begins May–June with intense afternoon downpours lasting 1–2 hours, then sunshine returns.
October–November is the wettest and most flood-prone period for Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue) — typhoons and flooding peak in October–December. Hanoi cools pleasantly. HCMC transitions from rainy to dry season.
December–January: Hanoi turns genuinely cool (14–18°C, occasionally 10°C) — bring a jacket. The north can experience cold drizzle (phùn mưa) for days. The south remains warm and dry (28°C). Da Lat in the Central Highlands is cool year-round (15–22°C), requiring layers.
Demographics
Religion
Social Culture & Etiquette
A slight bow or nod of the head is the standard greeting, sometimes with hands clasped at chest. Handshakes are common in business settings. Address older people as Anh (older brother), Chị (older sister), Chú/Bác (uncle) or Cô (aunt/Miss) — using personal pronouns correctly is a sign of respect. Never call elders by first name alone without an honorific.
Business meetings: aim for punctuality or slight earliness. Social gatherings: 15–30 minutes late is common and acceptable. Tet and important family occasions: be on time. Vietnamese time is generally more relaxed than Northern European, but international business contexts follow tighter norms.
Conservative dress is appreciated in temples, pagodas and government offices — cover shoulders and knees. Business attire is smart in Hanoi, more relaxed in HCMC. Casual clothes fine for daily life. Remove shoes before entering Vietnamese homes and many traditional restaurants — look for shoes at the door.
- ✕ Never touch someone's head — it is considered sacred.
- ✕ Do not point feet at people or religious objects — feet are the lowest and spiritually unclean.
- ✕ Avoid public displays of anger or confrontation — losing face (mất mặt) is deeply shameful in Vietnamese culture.
- ✕ Do not photograph military installations, government buildings or border areas.
- ✕ Criticising the Communist Party or government publicly is illegal under Vietnam's Penal Code.
- ✕ Do not give clocks as gifts — associated with death and funerals in Vietnamese culture.
- ✕ Refuse the first offer of food or drink — accept on the second or third offer to show you're not greedy.
- ✕ Do not wear white to celebrations — white is the colour of mourning in Vietnam.
- ✓ Communal eating is the norm — dishes are shared at the table, not individually plated. Wait for the eldest to begin eating before you start.
- ✓ Giving and receiving with both hands (or right hand supported by left forearm) is polite.
- ✓ Negotiating prices is expected at markets and with taxi/xe ôm drivers — agree price before starting.
- ✓ Removing shoes at temple and home entrances is mandatory.
- ✓ Business cards: receive and give with both hands, read the card before putting it away — do not write on it.
- ✓ Tipping is not traditional but appreciated at tourist restaurants and by service workers. 5–10% at sit-down restaurants is generous.
- ✓ Face is everything in Vietnamese culture — never embarrass someone publicly. Address issues privately and gently.
🍽️ Traditional Food & Drink
Vietnam's iconic noodle soup — slow-simmered beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà) broth over flat rice noodles, topped with herbs, bean sprouts, lime, chilli and hoisin. Hanoi phở is cleaner and simpler; HCMC style is sweeter with more garnishes. The ultimate breakfast food, eaten at plastic-stool street stalls from ₫35,000–₫80,000.
Vietnamese baguette sandwich — a French colonial legacy transformed into something uniquely Vietnamese. Crispy baguette stuffed with pâté, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, coriander and chilli. One of the world's great street foods at ₫20,000–₫40,000.
Spicy lemongrass and shrimp paste beef noodle soup from Hue — richer, more complex and spicier than phở. The beloved soup of Central Vietnam, often eaten in informal local restaurants.
Fresh spring rolls — rice paper wrapped around shrimp, pork, vermicelli, herbs and lettuce, served with peanut dipping sauce. Light, healthy and delicious. A staple starter in any Vietnamese meal.
Broken rice with grilled pork ribs (sườn nướng), shredded pork skin, steamed egg, pickled vegetables and fish sauce. HCMC's most beloved everyday meal, available from early morning until midnight.
Hoi An's signature dish — thick chewy noodles (made with water from specific local wells) with pork, crispy croutons and fresh greens. Unique to Hoi An and not authentically replicated elsewhere.
Robusta coffee brewed through a phin (drip filter) and served with sweetened condensed milk over ice (cà phê sữa đá) or hot. Egg coffee (cà phê trứng) — creamy whipped egg yolk with coffee — is a Hanoi invention. Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee exporter.
Fresh draught beer brewed daily — ultra-light, ultra-cheap (₫5,000–₫15,000 per glass), served at street-side bia hơi joints on tiny plastic stools. The quintessential expat and local social ritual in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Free iced green tea served at almost every local restaurant and café. Mild, refreshing and a universal lubricant of Vietnamese hospitality. The social default when nothing else is ordered.
📍 Tourist Highlights
UNESCO World Heritage Site — 1,600+ limestone karst islands rising from emerald waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. Overnight cruises from Hanoi are one of Vietnam's signature experiences.
UNESCO-listed trading port preserved largely intact from the 15th–19th centuries — lantern-lit streets, tailors, ancient Japanese merchant houses, and Vietnam's best food scene outside major cities.
Home to Son Doong — the largest cave in the world — plus Phong Nha and Paradise Caves. UNESCO-listed karst landscape with underground rivers and ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth.
Terraced rice fields carved into mountain slopes above the clouds, home to H'mong, Dao and Tày ethnic minority cultures. Best visited September–November (harvest) or March–May (green season).
UNESCO-listed complex of the Nguyen dynasty's last imperial capital — citadel, royal tombs, pagodas and the Perfume River. The cultural and historical heart of Central Vietnam.
📖 Brief History
Vietnam's recorded history spans over 4,000 years, rooted in the ancient Đông Sơn Bronze Age civilisation and the early Văn Lang kingdom. Centuries of Chinese domination (111 BC–938 AD) were ended by Ngô Quyền's victory at the Bạch Đằng River. The Lý, Trần, Lê and Nguyễn dynasties built a rich civilisation while repelling Mongol and Chinese incursions. French colonisation began in the 1850s, uniting Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos into French Indochina. The August Revolution of 1945 saw Hồ Chí Minh proclaim independence. The First Indochina War (1946–1954) ended French rule but divided the country at the 17th parallel. The Vietnam War (American War, 1955–1975), one of the Cold War's most devastating conflicts, ended with reunification under Communist Party rule in 1976. The Đổi Mới economic reforms of 1986 transformed Vietnam from a command economy to a market-oriented socialist economy, lifting tens of millions from poverty and creating the modern, vibrant nation that receives the world today.