What to Do and See in Vietnam?
Trekking
Though specialist agencies may be able to arrange some trips,
organised trekking is not yet available.
Sports
Water sports are available at the more developed beach resorts,
and there are numerous golf courses, though some require a
member to accompany visitors.
Wildlife
Specialist agencies offer wildlife tours in some of the national
parks.
Drinking
Green tea is the most common drink, and is offered as a courtesy
to guests or visitors. The two most popular local beers are
Saigon Export and Saigon Lager, but imported beers are available,
at roughly double the price. Vietnam produces several varieties
of rice wine - known as Ruou. However, bottles of Ruou commonly
contain a pickled snake, the inclusion of which is thought
to impart health-giving elements.
There are also numerous varieties of locally distilled spirits,
which do not include the reptilian element - even if they
may taste as if they do. Fruit wines, such as apricot, orange
or lemon, are also common, and Soft drinks are processed from
the many varieties of tropical fruits. Bottled drinking water
should be checked to ensure that the cap or seal is original
and intact.
Eating
Vietnam's elaborate cuisine has achieved international recognition,
with such dishes as pho (noodle soup) gio lua (pork sausage)
nem ran (spring rolls) and cha ca (fish balls), and cooking
is itself seen as something of an artform. Most meals consist
of a number of side dishes served with one of a variety of
rices.
Some of the best Vietnamese food can be sampled at the proliferation
of pavement food stalls around towns and cities.
Mon canh consists of a soup made with pork or spare-ribs,
crab meat, and fish, while Mon an kho consists of dishes of
pork, fish, shrimp, and vegetable stirred in fat, and served
with vegetable pickles among other condiments.
Entertainment
There is a wide range of cultural entertainment available
around Vietnam to suit the most diverse of tastes from traditional
ethnic minority dances to symphony orchestras and ballets.
One particularly indigenous cultural show is roi nuoc - water
puppetry - with its origins dating back to the Ly Dynasty
(1010-1225). Developed around village ponds in the Red River
Delta, puppets rise out of the water to move and dance on
the surface, accompanied by percussion music. The country's
best puppeteers now stage regular shows in Hanoi and Ho Chi
Minh City.
Another unique artform is Cheo drama - a combination of song,
dance and narration, the script embellished with the lyricism
of folk songs, proverbs, and popular sayings.
Shoping & Souvenirs
Thanks to the dexterity and creativity of its people, Vietnam
is a country rich in handicrafts.
This has long been a source of cultural pride and income
for local people for centuries, with the skills being handed
down through countless generations.
It should be noted that the export of Vietnamese antiques
is forbidden.
Hanoi
Dong Xuan Market
Hanoi's biggest market, was destroyed by fire and reconstructed
in 1996. Now a 3-storey structure, Dong Xuan has a very interesting
ambience and employs several thousand people.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ben Thanh Market
A large indoor market spilling out into the surrounding streets.
It was built in 1914, originally called the Halles Centrales,
and occupies an area of 11 square km.
Best Buys
Ceramic and porcelain items
Produced in Vietnam for centuries and still glazed in the
traditional method, ceramic and porcelain products are well
known in Bat Trang (Hanoi), Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong.
Copperware
Fabricated by the skillful hands of coppersmiths in Nam Ha,
Ngu Xa (Hanoi), Dong Son (Thanh Hoa), and Long Tho.
Embroidered articles and silk products
The most famous are from the regions of Ha Dong, Nam Ha,
Thai Binh and Hu?.
Jewellery & Metalwork
Can be found in Hanoi, Thai Binh and Hai Hung, while stonework
is produced mainly in Da Nang
Lacquerware
With 2,000 years of history, Vietnamese lacquerware has established
an enviable reputation for quality and detail - functional,
decorative, and as the highest forms of artistic expression.
A wide variety of attractive items are available, including
vases, trays, furniture, boxes, decorative items, jewellery,
and office products.
Wool tapestries
Available in Hanoi and Hai Phong. Jute tapestries from Hung
Yen, Hai Phong, Hanoi and Thai Binh, are much sought after.
Wood products & Carvings
The best can be found in Phu Xuyen, Hai Phong, and Hue.
Woven
tapestries and "tho cam" handbags are fabricated
by the dexterous fingers of ethnic ladies living in the Northwest
regions such as Cao Bang.
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