Top 12 Impressions of Vietnam Through the Eyes of Foreigners

Pho is Vietnam's most iconic dish, and even those who have never been to Vietnam will often answer 'pho' when asked what they would eat here. Naturally, pho is a must-try when visiting the country. It has become a beloved and familiar dish for international visitors. Most travelers can easily recall pho, a delicious and nutritious specialty that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

The main ingredients of pho are rice noodles and broth (or 'nước lèo' in the Southern dialect), with thinly sliced beef or chicken. It is typically served with condiments like soy sauce, pepper, lime, fish sauce, and chili, allowing diners to adjust the flavors to their preferences. In the southern regions of Vietnam and some other areas, pho is often served with a plate of fresh herbs like onions, bean sprouts, cilantro, and mint, with culantro being the signature herb of pho; however, this herb platter is not typically served in Hanoi. While pho is most commonly made with beef or chicken, there are variations such as seafood pho, mixed pho, and stir-fried pho.

Vietnam ranks fourth among the countries with the highest motorcycle consumption in the world, which results in chaotic and sometimes dangerous traffic. The first skill every traveler needs to learn when visiting Vietnam is how to cross the street. For many, simply crossing the road is a thrilling adventure. In fact, travel forums often feature discussions where visitors share tips on how to navigate the streets of Vietnam safely.

During peak hours on weekends or holidays, the streets are flooded with an unimaginable number of motorcycles. Traffic jams are a common sight in cities during rush hours, with the streets filled with honking and dust, creating a stressful atmosphere for anyone traveling by road in Vietnam. This chaotic traffic is also considered a unique characteristic of the country.

Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh Province holds the title of the largest natural cave in the world, and was named the top new destination of the 21st century by Smithsonian magazine. Since opening to tourism in 2013, Son Doong has gained widespread recognition and drawn many adventurous travelers eager to explore. The New York Times ranked it as the 8th must-visit destination in its 2014 list of the 52 places to go.

Formed between 2 to 5 million years ago, Son Doong Cave was created when a river eroded through limestone deposits along a fault line, creating a massive tunnel deep within the mountains. Over time, parts of the ceiling collapsed, creating large chambers and incredible cave formations. The cave is 150 meters wide, over 200 meters high, and nearly 9 kilometers long. The estimated volume of Son Doong Cave is 38.5 million cubic meters (equivalent to 15,000 Olympic swimming pools). In some sections of the cave, the dimensions stretch up to 140 meters by 140 meters, with stalagmites reaching heights of up to 14 meters. A stunning photo taken by photographer Carsten Peter in May 2010 captured a section of the cave with a width of approximately 91.44 meters and a ceiling height of nearly 243.84 meters—large enough to fit a 40-story building.

Inside the cave, researchers have discovered a 2.5-kilometer-long underground river, along with stalagmite columns as tall as 70 meters. The cave also features coral formations and fossilized animal remains.

Vietnam is home to a unique collection of natural and cultural heritage, with both tangible and intangible treasures that are unmatched anywhere else. Visitors from around the world come to marvel at the stunning landscapes such as Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, and Tràng An. They also explore the rich cultural heritage of historical sites like the Imperial City of Hue, the Ho Dynasty Citadel, and experience the distinct sounds of Central Highlands gongs and imperial court music.

Vietnam boasts 22 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including:

• Natural World Heritage: Ha Long Bay; Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park; Dong Van Karst Plateau.
• Cultural World Heritage: The Complex of Imperial Monuments in Hue; Ancient Town of Hoi An; My Son Sanctuary; Thang Long Imperial Citadel; Ho Dynasty Citadel.
• Intangible Cultural Heritage: Hue Royal Court Music; The Cultural Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands; Quan Ho Folk Songs; Ca Tru; The Festival of Giong; Xoan Singing in Phu Tho; The Worship of Hung Kings; Don Ca Tai Tu; Vi and Giam Singing in Nghe Tinh.
• Documentary Heritage: The Woodblocks of the Nguyen Dynasty; The Doctoral Steles at the Temple of Literature; The Woodblocks of the Buddhist Canon at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda; The Chau Ban of the Nguyen Dynasty.
• Mixed Cultural and Natural Heritage: Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh.

Vietnam boasts a coastline stretching over 3,260 km, from Mong Cai in the North to Ha Tien in the Southwest (excluding its island shores), ranking 27th out of 157 coastal countries, island nations, and territories worldwide. With more than 3,000 islands, including the Paracel and Spratly Archipelagos, Vietnam is considered one of the nations with the greatest potential and advantage in marine and island resources.

Nature has been incredibly generous to Vietnam's coastline, offering a stunning array of landscapes. The stretch from Mong Cai (Quang Ninh) to Do Son (Hai Phong) features a limestone mountain range sinking into the sea, forming thousands of islands, creating the UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay. Further south, the coastline from Sam Son (Thanh Hoa) to the Central Coast is characterized by long, winding shores and varying landscapes, from towering sand dunes to river deltas formed by the sediment of local rivers. In the South, the coastline features small mountain ranges, such as Vung Tau, a popular tourist destination. Additionally, there are river delta shores, such as the Cuu Long, and mangrove forests in Ca Mau, while the limestone mountains of Ha Tien (Kien Giang) rise from the sea, offering a natural landscape reminiscent of Ha Long Bay in the north.

The warmth and hospitality of the Vietnamese people have long been a key reason why tourists are drawn to Vietnam. Wherever they go, visitors are likely to encounter the gentle smiles of locals. Even with language barriers, the Vietnamese are always eager to help. Locals are often happy to offer rides on their motorbikes and share their knowledge about the city. The phrase 'Vietnam is friendly' has become synonymous with the experience of anyone who has visited this S-shaped country.

An article on Hubpages highlighting Vietnam mentions that the most striking impression left by the country is the smiles of its people. They greet everyone with a smile, no matter the place or circumstance.

In Vietnam, street food is the true essence of local cuisine, with countless small roadside eateries offering a variety of dishes. The street food scene is diverse, with specialties that vary by region. Popular dishes include pho, bun, banh xeo, grilled skewers, and more.

Street food also reflects the vibrant and friendly lifestyle of the Vietnamese people. No matter the time of day, you’ll find people of all ages gathered at these humble street-side stalls, sitting on small plastic stools. The energy and bustle of these spots always captivate visitors.

CNNgo has noted, 'While America has invented food trucks, Vietnam is the true paradise for street food. Nowhere else has a food culture quite like this.'

Vietnam's Lunar New Year, or Tet Nguyên Đán, is the most important traditional holiday. It's a time for families to reunite and celebrate after a year of hard work. For foreigners, experiencing Tet is a unique and refreshing cultural journey.

In the lead-up to Tet, Vietnamese people thoroughly clean their homes, believing it's a way to sweep away bad luck from the previous year and welcome good fortune for the year ahead. Many also buy new clothes for children to wear during the first days of the New Year.

In stark contrast to the usual bustle, Tet in Vietnam is incredibly tranquil. Most businesses, offices, and services close, except for hospitals. The streets are eerily quiet, with few vehicles in sight.

Traditional Tet decorations include flowers such as peach blossoms, favored in the North, and yellow apricot flowers, which are beloved in the South. Alongside a festive spread of traditional dishes, Tet celebrations in Vietnam always feature bánh chưng (square sticky rice cakes) and the five-fruit tray. Every tradition is a wish for a prosperous and happy new year.

The floating market is a distinctive cultural feature unique to the riverside communities of Vietnam. These markets are held on boats, where both vendors and buyers use boats as their main means of transport. They typically operate early in the morning at the junctions of rivers and canals, with the water level being neither too high nor too low. The floating market is not just a place for selling fresh fruits, vegetables, and other goods, but also attracts tourists keen to experience the unique lifestyle of the river people.

The largest floating market in the Mekong Delta is the Cái Răng market in Cần Thơ. On regular days, the market is open from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m., but around Tet, it operates throughout the day and is always bustling with activity. This market is famous for selling local agricultural products like Vĩnh Long grapefruit, Lai Vung tangerines, Cái Mơn durian, and Trà Vinh coconut. Visitors can also enjoy local delicacies right on the boats, with cafés and food stalls offering a truly immersive experience.

Second in size is the Cái Bè market. This market has a unique feature: it starts early, around 2 a.m., and ends around 8 a.m. It primarily serves as a transit point for fruits being shipped all over the country, but you can also find household items like fabrics and appliances. Additionally, floating food vendors offer dishes like phở, bún, and hủ tiếu. Having breakfast on the river while soaking in the lively atmosphere of the market is a truly memorable experience for both domestic and international visitors.

"The storms and tempests are nothing compared to the complexity of Vietnamese grammar." Indeed, learning Vietnamese, both in writing and speaking, is quite challenging for foreigners. Many who start learning the language believe it to be a complex system that's difficult to master. Due to the tonal nature of the language, when foreigners practice speaking Vietnamese, they often come up with amusing and awkward phrases that are both naive and endearing.

Additionally, Vietnamese has many pronouns like ông, bà, cô, chú, dì, bác, cha, mẹ, while English, being a widely spoken language, only has two pronouns: "you" and "me." This often leads to funny situations where foreigners are unsure which word to use.

Vietnamese is rich in nuance and expression, and thus, foreigners need to live in Vietnam for some time before they can speak it fluently. International visitors to Vietnam are often delighted when they meet Vietnamese people who can speak English. For those who can't, most rely on non-verbal communication, such as gestures and body language.