30 Curiosities of Vietnam

Updated: November 16, 2023

Curiosities about Vietnam that will surprise you about its history, ships, gastronomy, coffee culture, hats and many more.

1. Settled 500,000 years ago

In some archaeological excavations in caves in the north and center of the country, remains of homo erectus who inhabited the area around the year 500,000 BC

2. Part of China and country name

Vietnam belonged to China for 1,000 years and it was a southern region.

Hence The name Vietnam literally means "people of the south" (Viet = people; Nam = south).

3. French colony

Vietnam was a French colony of the 19th and 20th centuries, hence French was the official language until 1954.

Currently, a very low percentage of the population speaks French fluently.

However, the French influence is very palpable in French words that were adapted into Vietnamese, in many buildings, the education system and even in the local cuisine.

They still have a newspaper (Le Courier du Vietnam) weekly in French and television channels that broadcast in that language.

4. Basket ships and taxes

If you visit the coastal areas between the south and the central part of the country to where Da Nang is, you will surely see some of the fishing boats in the photo below.

These basket boats are handcrafted in braided bamboo and requires several days to make one.

The rounded shape keeps them afloat above the waves without tipping over, but that particular shape also makes it not so easy to maneuver for someone inexperienced.

Apparently they became very popular during the French colonial era, because the French charged taxes on fishing boats, but since these are baskets they were exempt from payment.

Currently in some towns during the festivities they hold races in these boats.

For many Vietnamese families, these basket boats represent financial freedom to be able to work in fishing without depending on going out with large fishing vessels.

5. Recovery after the war

Vietnam is an excellent example of improvement.

The country was devastated after the Vietnam War, but that has not been an impediment to its amazing rapid economic and social growth.

6. Communist Country

Another curious fact about Vietnam is that today, Vietnam or with its full name Socialist Republic of Vietnam It is one of the five communist countries in the world along with North Korea, Cuba, Laos and China.

7. Flag

The flag of Vietnam It was designed by the revolutionary Nguyễn Hữu Tiến and was first seen in an uprising in 1940 against French colonization.

However, the uprising failed, Nguyễn Hữu Tiến was locked up and his hands were cut off.

It was just In 1945 the flag became the official one.

Something that attracts attention is the meaning of each point of the star that represents the different social classes Vietnamese: farmers, businessmen, intellectuals, soldiers and workers.

8. Rejection of the Novel Peace Prize

Lê Đức Thọ was a Vietnamese revolutionary and diplomat, the first Asian to award him the peace prize in 1973 and the only person to have rejected it.

It turns out that Lê Đức Thọ He was the one who negotiated the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in early 1973 to end the Vietnam War.

It may sound strange to reject recognition of the caliber of a novelist, but he had a good reason.

Lê Đức Thọ refused to receive the award because although the agreement was signed, both the United States and South Vietnam governments were violating the signed agreements and peace had not really been achieved yet.

It is clear that this man was clear about his priority, which was peace.

9. One of the most populated countries on the planet

Incredibly, Vietnam It is among the 20 most populated countries in the world, specifically in position 16, with a population that is estimated to be about 103 million inhabitants.

That is, a little more than double the population of Spain (47 million) or Argentina (46 million).

10. Surname Nguyen

The most common surname in Vietnam is Nguyen, It is estimated that 2 out of 5 Vietnamese have this surname.

It is also one of the most common worldwide, with a strong presence in the United States, Australia and France.

Nguyen It means "musical instrument."

The reason this surname is so widespread has nothing to do with prolific fertility (maybe it helped 🐰😅).

It turns out that throughout history, many families had to change their last name to avoid being executed.

11. Climate

The south of Vietnam, like its neighbors in Southeast Asia, has a climate with only 2 seasons, the dry season and the rainy season or monsoon.

Instead, In the north they have 4 well-marked seasons (autumn, winter, spring and summer).

So now you know, if you go on a trip to Vietnam, remember that Not all of the country is tropical.

For example, in the Sapa region Temperatures can drop to 0 degrees Celsius.

12. The largest cave

Hang Sơn Đoòng Cave in the central part of the country, near the border with Laos, It is the largest on the planet found to date.

The maximum height is 200 m and a width of 150 m. As it is so large and allows the passage of natural light, trees and vegetation grow inside.

It is said to be so large that a Boeing 747 plane could enter it without touching the walls.

There are also in the cave the tallest stalagmites known at an impressive 70 m high.

13. Very narrow country

The country has a very unusual shape and it is striking that in the narrowest area it is only 40 km wide.

14. Exceptional in terms of Biodiversity

If you are a nature lover, you will love this fact.

Vietnam is among the countries with greater diversity of fauna and flora, with the 16% of the world's species.

In Vietnam there are 2 sites that were declared Natural World Heritage Sites, one is the Ha Long Bay and the other is Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park.

As if that were not enough, it has 9 biosphere reserves.

👉 If you want to visit Ha Long Bay, I recommend this excursion that now has a 50% discount with this link.

15. Crops

Vietnam is the world's largest producer of cashew nuts (cachew chestnuts) and black pepper.

Another of its main crops is rice, so it is not surprising that the first image that comes to mind when we talk about Vietnam is its fabulous rice fields washed by the Mekong River.

Vietnam was the world's largest exporter of rice until the 1990s, now it is second only to Thailand.

Although I think the most surprising thing is that it is also the second largest coffee exporter in the world after Brazil and they have a lot of coffee tradition (I'll tell you more below).

😍 To visit Sapa with its terraced rice fields and ethnic groups, I recommend this excursion, the cheapest and most complete I have found.

16. Rice

Rice has a fundamental importance in Vietnamese culture and is its unofficial symbol.

This food is the main ingredient in the local diet and is considered a "gift from god."

In Vietnam they have a cake made of rice with pea and pork filling, called banh chung, which are very present in New Year's celebrations.

17. Vietnamese cuisine

Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest in the world due to its low use of oil and the use of fresh foods, where vegetables, little sugar and little gluten stand out.

Another surprising thing is the good balance of flavors What the Vietnamese know how to add to their food.

Cuisine in Vietnam It is based on 5 flavors related to 5 elements:

• sour – wood;
• bitter – fire;
• sweet – earth;
• spicy – metal;
• salty – water.

In each dish we look for the presence of each of these ingredients.

Its cuisine has a great Chinese influence, such as with wontons, mooncakes and even fried rice.

On the other hand, the French also contributed by introducing ingredients such as onions, cauliflowers and one of their most distinctive products, baguettes, into Vietnamese cuisine.

They were too the French who introduced coffee in Vietnamese culture that is so relevant today.

18. Spicy food

If you're wondering how spicy Vietnamese food is, it can be quite spicy.

But instead of chilies that are used in the cuisine of Mexico, Thailand or India, black pepper is mainly used which gives a different spiciness, easier to tolerate by palates unaccustomed to spiciness.

The traditional cuisine of south is spicier than northern regional dishes from Vietnam.

😋 If you pass through Hanoi you may be interested in this vietnamese cooking workshop from the link, which has a 20% now.

19. A very curious Vietnamese dish

One of the dishes that draws the most attention from tourists and perhaps not for the better is Tiet Canh.

This traditional dish from the north of the country is a raw blood pudding, some of the animals used for production are ducks or pigs.

The plate also has fish sauce, sweetbreads, chopped peanuts and fresh herbs like cilantro.

The main problem with this dish is that the blood is raw and especially when it is made with pig's blood It may have bacteria that cause severe infections.

If it weren't for the blood being raw, It doesn't seem so different from the blood sausages we eat in many Western countries., only this dish is served in the form of a soup.

20. Coffee culture

I think this is one of the curiosities of Vietnam that most surprises people when they arrive in the country.

It turns out that Vietnam has a very important coffee culture, where even They have created their own coffee maker call phin how is the link.

The Vietnamese coffee maker makes a Intense drip coffee with lots of flavor and aroma to wake up the sleepiest.

But if you don't like strong coffee, the Vietnamese are geniuses at giving it a very good flavor with other ingredients such as:

• The popular coffee with egg from Hanoi, which was invented in times of milk shortage and is a delicious very creamy coffee;
• During hot days, one of the favorites is coconut coffee very cool, with a tropical flavor, which is made by adding coconut milk, milk and condensed milk to coffee;
• Another curious alternative is the coffee with yogurt, that condensed milk is also added, between the bitter taste of the coffee, the sweetness of the condensed milk and the acidity of the yogurt gives a delicious balanced flavor.
• the favorite of people with a sweet tooth is coffee with condensed milk which is usually served cold with crushed ice.

👉 If you want to know more about the coffee maker, this article from I love my kitchen, explains in detail the operation and results of different types of coffee makers, including the Vietnamese one in point 9.

21. Cigarettes

In Vietnam they smoke a lot, According to the WHO, 1 in 4 Vietnamese is a smoker.

And the most curious thing is that mainly men smoke and it is very strange to see a local woman smoking.

22. Religion

In Vietnam People have freedom in terms of beliefs and religion.

Unlike other Southeast Asian countries, the majority of the population identifies as non-believersAccording to a 2007 survey, 4 out of 5 people did not believe in a god.

The 2 religions with the largest number of followers in the country are Buddhism with less than 5% of the population and Catholicism with a little more than 6%.

23. Culture and beliefs

In Vietnam there are several cultural symbols, such as the dragon and the lạc, which is a sacred bird that represents the mother of Vietnam.

Also They worship the image of other animals like the horse, the buffalo and the turtle.

Furthermore, they have a strong belief in everything supernatural, curses and witchcraft that can make a person sick.

Hence you have "doctors" who heal with amulets and rituals for spiritual protections.

24. Festivities

One of the most beautiful festivities to see in Vietnam is the Lantern Festival o Lanterns (Lantern Festival) during the full moon in Hoi An.

The full moon in Buddhism is extremely important because Buddha was born during a full moon and also achieved enlightenment during the full moon.

This festival is one of the Hoi An's most colorful and interesting events which attract hundreds of tourists and is celebrated at nightfall starting at 8 p.m.

During the festival there are traditional dance and singing shows in the areas near the river that are decorated with lanterns.

Furthermore, tradition is throw a lantern into the river making a wish, which is a candle lit in a small box, sometimes with incense and flowers.

If you travel to Vietnam, you can make sure to match the dates so as not to miss this unique event full of color with its picturesque little boats crossing the river and the lanterns.

🤩 You may be interested in this article about Visit to Hoi An, with details of everything there is to see, where to eat and how to get there.

25. No tanning

Vietnamese people don't like dark skin, the whiter the better.

For this reason, on the beach it is normal to see them well covered and many whitening cosmetic products are sold.

In Vietnam, White means purity and innocence.

Although this may seem somewhat irrelevant, the Being whiter guarantees them more success in getting a job and a partner.

26. Traditional hat

One of the greatest distinctive symbols of Vietnam are their traditional conical hats, which are called nón la.

The making of these hats is a meticulous art for which different types of leaves are used, which can be palm, bamboo or pandam.

It was believed that the invention of this hat was from the 13th century, but bronze pieces have been found with representations of nón la which are more than 3,000 years old.

Unlike other hats, this one is very practical, because It is used for the sun, the rain and as an improvised fan on hot days.

Today, there are many towns where it is still manufactured in the traditional artisanal way.

Below you can see a video about its interesting and laborious manufacturing.

27. Martial arts

One of the traditional Vietnamese sports is vovinam, a martial art created in Vietnam in 1938.

All extremities are used in fighting, that is, hands, elbows, legs and knees. In addition, they use weapons such as knives, swords and claws.

Another curiosity about this martial art is its system of belts that show the level, where the light blue one is that of those who are just starting out.

Instead, the white belt which in other martial arts is for novices, in the vovinam It is the symbol of depth of spirit and is reserved for the teacher.

28. Passion for football

Another of the great curiosities of Vietnam is his passion for football, something uncommon among Asians.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the country and His national team has won the Southeast Asian Football Championship in 2008 and 2018.

But its achievements do not stop there, its youth team and the women's national team have also achieved several achievements in the region.

You know, if you like football in Vietnam it can be a good point to start a conversation with the locals.

29. Motorcycles and their name

Motorcycles are the main means of transportation in this Southeast Asian country.

According to government statistics, in 2019 there were 60 million motorcycles in circulation.

Although in Vietnamese they have a specific name for motorcycles which is xe gan may and literally means "bicycle with motor."

However, many locals use the word Honda, which is the most popular brand of motorcycles in Vietnam.

30. Driving in Vietnam

Driving in Vietnam in the eyes of any foreigner It almost completely lacks traffic regulations.

Driving in Vietnam is extremely dangerous because it is very chaotic, with a lot of traffic in big cities and They don't stop honking.

Which of these curiosities in Vietnam caught your attention the most?

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