Have you ever heard of Vietnam – a small but beautiful country in the South East Asia area? Have you ever planned to visit the nation of rich history values, scrumptious street foods, breathtaking sceneries from the North to the South, and friendly, helpful locals, etc.? Let’s find out to understand more about the country via this full guide as below.
Geographical Location, Climate, Population
Vietnam, officially called the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a long narrow country with a distance of 1,650km length and 50 km width at the narrowest point, with a population of more than 97 million in 2020.
Thanks to its S-sized long topography, Vietnam has its own full kinds of climate and amazing natural landscapes which definitely bring thousands of surprises and interests for those who want to explore.
If the Northern part like Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Moc Chau lures people for its astonishing mountains, green terraces, white fresh waterfalls, then the long twinkle white sand beaches and world-star hotels and resorts in the Central like Danang, Quang Binh, Nha Trang, or the immense Mekong Delta will surely turn your Vietnam trip to a unforgettable memory ever.
Vietnam is worthy visiting all year round, but it’s highly advised that you come to each part of the country in the suitable seasons as suggested below:
- January: Dalat, Gia Lai, Moc Chau, Mai Chau
- February: Danang, Mekong Delta, Hoi An
- March: Hue, Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh
- April: Phan Thiet – Mui Ne
- May: Ninh Binh
- June: Moc Chau, Quy Nhon
- July: Mekong Delta, Cao Bang
- August: Phan Thiet – Mui Ne, Hoi An
- September: Dong Thap, An Giang, Hanoi
- October: Ta Xua, Yen Bai
- November: Dalat, Ha Giang
- December: Sa Pa, Phu Quoc
Vietnam Language, Currency
Vietnamese is used as the local languages, but in large cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, or other hot tourist destinations, people can also use other foreign languages like English, Chinese, or Russian, etc.
Vietnam Dong is the official currency of the country. Please be noted that it is divided into 2 types including polymerized and paper notes, of which the highest value of polymerized note is 500.000 VND and the smallest one is 10.000 VND. The paper notes are now still being used but the most popular ones are 5.000, 2.000, and 1.000 VND notes.
Besides, ATMs, Visa or MasterCards are mostly used in big cities only so if you are going to mountainous areas, or the remote provinces, it’s better to exchange from your own currency (USD, AUD, etc.) to VND for the most convenience.
Foreigners will stay at the 2 largest cities which are Hanoi and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city) before moving to other cities, so it’s highly recommended that you exchange money at the jewelry stores around the Old Quarter (in Hanoi), or Bui Vien/ Pham Ngu Lao Street (in Ho Chi Minh). Or you can ask for help from online expat groups for the best advice.
Vietnam Food
It can be proudly said that one thing visitors can’t pass when in Vietnam is its food, especially street food. Vietnamese food is the perfect combination of colors, tastes, scents, and the main ingredients, etc.
With 54 ethnic groups in 63 provinces, the various cooking styles like stew, stir fry, barise, or boil contribute to the features of food as well. Not only that, Vietnamese food is recognized as the most healthy and fresh as a typical meal will include rice, or products made from rice like noodles, vegetables, and proteins like pork, beef, or fish.
So what should you enjoy while in Vietnam? Let’s check out these lists:
- Chicken/ beef noodles, or Pho (in local language);
- Vietnamese sandwich, or Banh mi;
- Fresh spring rolls, or Nem/ goi cuon;
- Vermicelli Noodles With Grilled Pork, or Bun cha/ bun thit nuong;
- Rolled cake, or Banh cuon;
- Egg coffee, or Cafe trung;
- Sweet sticky rice, or Xoi xeo;
- Broken rice, or Com tam;
- Quang Noodles, or Mi Quang;
- Sweet soup, or Che;
All those dishes can be served in hotels as well, but it’s a tip for you to go to street vendors for savoring. Local citizens with their own skills and experience will surely bring you the most native flavors as they can that nowhere else can. Just go to the markets, eat like locals do, and you will find the difference.
The names of Vietnamese favorite foods are unlimited, and you can even stay here for months trying, therefore it is no surprise that there are numerous youtubers making videos about Vietnam foods. So don’t miss it!
Hope you will find Vietnam an interesting and exciting country to visit. For more wonder of the nation, please feel free to ask, we are here to welcome you!