A Guide to Vietnamese Culture

Traditional Vietnamese food is fresh and flavourful, including several distinctive dishes that are popular across the world. The country’s cuisine incorporates local ingredients and global influences, as well as regional variations and specialties. Many of the most iconic dishes feature a colourful mix of vegetables, strongly flavoured seasonings and contrasting textures.

Perhaps the most widely known Vietnamese dish is phở, a savoury soup of rice noodles and meat in a rich broth. There’s also the bánh mì, a sandwich that usually includes pickled vegetables along with a variety of other fillings on a baguette-like bread roll – one example of the fusion of Vietnamese culture and French influences.

Coffee was also originally introduced to the country by French colonists, and today Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer. Vietnamese coffee takes many forms, from the legendary iced coffee (made with sweetened condensed milk) to egg coffee (which adds egg yolks and sugar). Tea is also common, and weddings traditionally include a Vietnamese tea ceremony for the families of the bride and groom.

Vietnam’s culinary scene is far too broad to encapsulate in a few sentences; you simply have to experience it for yourself. Tasting authentic cuisine is one of the best things to do in Vietnam, from the bustling night markets of Ho Chi Minh City to fresh seafood in Da Nang and street food tours in Hanoi.

Most traditional festivals in Vietnam follow a lunisolar calendar (based on the annual cycles of the sun and the monthly cycles of the moon). The biggest celebration of the year is Tết (or Tết Nguyên Đán) in January or February. Also known as the Lunar New Year, this week-long festival involves lots of family time, traditional food and rituals to bring luck in the upcoming year, and is one of the best times to visit Vietnam.

Another vibrant Vietnamese celebration is held in September or October. During Tết Trung Thu, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, Vietnam comes alive with colourful parades and nighttime festivities illuminated by the full moon. This holiday is especially magical for children, who get to make paper lanterns and snack on mooncakes (sweet or savoury pastries with intricate designs).

Speaking of the full moon, this monthly occurrence is also honoured in Hoi An on the 14th day of each lunar month. During the Hoi An Lantern Festival, the town’s lights are turned off and replaced by the glow of thousands of paper lanterns. And on the full moon of the 10th lunar month (usually coinciding with November or December), the moon worship festival of Oóc Om Bóc is celebrated in the Sóc Trăng province of the Mekong Delta.

Other notable Vietnamese festivals include the Hùng Kings’ Temple Festival, which honours the country’s ancient founders; the Lim Festival, which features traditional Quan Họ singing; and the biennial Huế Festival, which showcases cultural heritage and customs in the city of Huế.

Vietnamese art has a history spanning over 10,000 years, all the way back to prehistoric pottery. In fact, ceramics have been an important part of Vietnam’s artistic heritage for millennia, along with weaving and lacquerware. Other art forms include silk painting, embroidery and lacquer painting, which combines traditional materials with contemporary techniques.

Vietnam also has a rich history of performing arts, including several different types of theatre. One of the most unique traditions is water puppetry, which takes place on the surface of a large pool of water, with the puppets being controlled beneath the surface by hidden puppeteers.

Traditional Vietnamese music comes in many forms, from the Quan Họ singing of the Bắc Ninh Province to the royal court music of Huế. String instruments like the đàn tranh and đàn nguyệt are an important part of the country’s musical heritage, as are drums like the trống cái.

In addition to musical and theatrical performances, Vietnam has several traditional dances that are often performed at festivals and special events. For example, the lion dance is a central part of both Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year) and Tết Trung Thu (the Mid-Autumn Festival). Other types of traditional dance incorporate props like delicate fans, bamboo hats and lanterns.

According to Vietnamese mythology, the Vietnamese people are descendants of Lạc Long Quân (the dragon king) and Âu Cơ (an immortal fairy goddess), the parents of the first Hùng king. These two figures are associated with the country’s coasts and highlands, respectively, and their support for one another also symbolises the importance of unity across Vietnam.

Another significant story in Vietnamese folklore is that of Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hanoi. Legend has it that the heroic emperor Lê Lợi possessed a magical sword, which helped him to win Vietnam’s independence from China in the early 15th century. Later he returned this sword to its original owner: a golden turtle who lived beneath the surface of this lake, which was subsequently renamed Hoàn Kiếm, literally meaning ‘the lake of the returned sword.’

Finally, there’s the myth of Hạ Long Bay. Hạ Long means ‘descending dragon’ – a reference to the fact that its hundreds of islands were allegedly formed when a family of dragons came down from the heavens to help defend Vietnam from invaders. These dragons spat out gemstones into the bay, which transformed into islands to create a protective – and beautiful – barrier.