| | Must Visits | Need to Know | Capital City Hanoi | | Tipping In most cases, about 10% of the bill would be an adequate amount to leave as a tip. | | Electricity 220 volts, 50 Hz | | Weights and Measurements Metric System |
|
|
|
| |
People & Language
Vietnam has a population of 75 million - and what is amazing is that there are actually a total of 54 ethnic groups that make up this population. 85% of the people are ethnic Vietnamese, another 3% are ethnic Chinese, but the rest of the population consists of a number of minority groups, including Chams, Khmers and others. Some of these groups are very small but have a distinctive identity of their own, in terms of culture and lifestyle. You’ll find interesting arts and crafts, traditional dances and music, architecture and customs that differ from one ethnic group to the other. It is, on the whole, a country tailor-made for ethnological studies.
The Vietnamese, as a race, aren’t particularly demanding of those who come visiting- as long as you’re polite and try to respect their customs and traditions, you should be able by without stepping on too many toes. Firstly, remember to behave- and dress- with propriety, especially if you’re visiting Buddhist temples. Don’t wear skimp clothing (no shorts or tank tops!) and respect the religious sentiments of the people- don’t do anything which could be construed as sacrilegious, such as climbing onto a Buddha statue to be photographed.
One word of advice: when dealing with the Vietnamese, keep a hold on your temper- tantrums and displays of anger are considered the height of boorishness.
While Vietnamese is the official language here, several other languages are spoken by minority groups of which the most common ones are Tay, Murong, H’Mong, Khmer, Nung and Chinese. French is still spoken by some as a second language but it is fast losing its popularity to English which is increasingly favoured.
|
Religion
The Vietnamese mostly profess Buddhism- a religion brought to the country by Indian missionaries centuries ago. Buddhism came to Vietnam in the 4th century B.C, and reached its zenith- as far as popularity and power are concerned- sometime in the 11th century, during the reign of the Ly dynasty. It was at this time that Buddhism was declared the state religion, and the period saw important developments in the fields of art, architecture and literature- all heavily influenced by the religion. Today, many traces of these still remain- especially amongst the temples and pagodas in Vietnam, and the fact that over 70% of the population is Buddhist.
Other than Buddhism, Christianity, introduced to the country in the 1600s is an important religion and has a sizeable following- mainly Catholic. Islam has its adherents too, mainly amongst the Chams of the central coast. Religious minorities include the Caodaists and the Hoahaoists.
|
Food
What do you get if you combine Chinese food with French? Indian with Malay? And finally added a touch of American to it all? Vietnamese. One of the most interesting and distinctive cuisines of South East Asia, Vietnamese is a style of cooking which seems to combine the best of all worlds. You’ll find Chinese noodles and Chinese herbs here, alongside curry powder and ground rice pancakes- typically Indian foods. You can savour French bread, butter, excellent patés and coffee. And now it’s all uniquely Vietnamese.
The staple cereal of the country is rice, and with it is eaten a huge amount of seafood, meats and vegetables- all flavoured with a mind-boggling range of ingredients. Limes, tamarind, lemon grass, herbs, ginger, fish sauce (`nuoc mam’) and a variety of spices go into making Vietnamese food a very highly flavoured cuisine. What is perhaps most distinctive is the range of fresh herbs used- basil, mint, coriander, dill, lemon grass…the list is endless. You’ll also find some rather unusual fruits in the country- pomelo, mangosteen, green dragon fruit, jujube, and three-seed cherry. May sound strange, but they’re worth a try.
|
Culture & Crafts
Vietnam has one of the richest and most vibrant cultures of South Asia- a culture shaped by centuries of interaction with foreign cultures. One of the earliest links was with India; and from India came one of Vietnam’s main religions, Buddhism. Less spiritual, but equally important, came Indian cuisine- with its curries, its spices and its rice pancakes. The Chinese, during their reign, brought noodles, bean curd and soy sauce, and - less mundane- Taoism, Confucianism and the Chinese language, words from which have been incorporated into Vietnamese. In the late 19th century, the French came to Vietnam- and brought with them the berets which you still see worn by men in Vietnam; they brought French bread and coffee.
Yes, many have contributed to making Vietnam’s culture what it is today. But there is much that is `home grown’- the lacquer ware and the lovely silks you see being sold in markets; the elegant pagodas and shrines on the hillsides; the lilting music and stylized dances, and the exuberant festivals which are an occasion for much celebration. All are very Vietnamese, and no matter how great foreign influences may be, they can never overshadow what is intrinsic to the people of the country.
Vietnam is, typically of a South East Asian country, a place with a flourishing tradition of ethnic arts and crafts. Using local materials and native skills, a wide range of products are made- most of them excellent pieces of folk art. Some of Vietnam’s best-known products include textiles. A wide range of fabrics are produced in Vietnam; amongst the best known are the silks and embroideries of Thai Binh, Hué, Ha Dong, and Nam Ha. The northwestern parts of the country are famous for their beautiful tapestries; Hanoi and Haiphong are known for wool and jute tapestries too.
Vietnam is also famous for its metal ware- particularly copper- and its lovely jewellery. Much of this is expensive but some of the other handicrafts, like porcelain, wood and stone carvings and jute products are beautiful and reasonably priced. Probably the most popular and famous Vietnamese product is lacquer ware- they’ve been making it for the past twenty centuries so no wonder they’re virtually perfect at it. It’s made into literally everything- from vases and boxes to jewellery and decorative items.
|
 | Are you looking for a different type of holiday this summer? If your answer is in the affirmative, then we ... | | Vietnam isn’t all that violent American war movies dripping with blood and gore might have you believe. The past is ... | | To choose the best of anything is difficult, but to narrow down on the best beer cities in the whole ... | | Finger licking’ good is what street food is! Read on to get the low down on what to eat in ... | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Travel Tools
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|