Vietnamese etiquette & customs cheat sheet
With a courteous attitude and an open mind, you’ll find the locals will happily teach you their ways and customs on a first time visit to Vietnam. But, arriving pre-prepared with some easy ways to be polite will go a long way when making new friends and getting around with ease.
Here are our top tips for good etiquette in Vietnam.
Greetings - it starts with a smile and xin chao
Saying hello is easy: smile, wave and say xin chao (hello)!
In casual situations and fleeting encounters, this is all you’ll need, but you can gently bob your head and lower your gaze to show respect.
Handshakes are also a common way to greet and say goodbye. Some Vietnamese use a two-handed shake, with the left hand on top of the right wrist – it’s best to wait to accept a handshake in Vietnam, than to offer one yourself.
As a form of respect to elderly or other esteemed people, like monks, take off your hat and bow your head politely when addressing them. Start by greeting the oldest person.
Quick Vietnamese phrases
Hello – Xin chao (pronounced: Sin chow)
Goodbye – Tam biet (pronounced: Tam biet)
Thank you – Cam on (pronounced: Gam-um)
Please – Vui long (pronounced Voo Laow)
Sorry – Xin loi (pronounced: Sin Lo)
What should I wear?
In Vietnam, modesty is respectful. Cover your shoulders and knees in areas of religious or cultural importance, like temples and people’s homes, and keep any undergarments out of sight – watch out for bra straps poking out of a vest top and avoid sheer fabrics.
Southeast Asia travel expert, Charlotte, says:
“It’s actually cooler to wear loose, flowing clothing that covers you and protects you from the sun, rather than shorts and a vest top.
“If you’re not sure how to dress, consider where you are. Is it more tourist focused? If so, sunbathing by the pool in a bikini is probably fine. If you’re at a more local river or waterpark, wearing a t-shirt on top of swimwear is a good idea.”
Visiting temples
One of the most critical times to make sure that you respect local customs and traditions is when visiting temples and other holy sites. Here are some quick dos and don’ts:
- Bow your head to pay respect to the temple and the Buddha statues inside
- Remove your hat and sunglasses
- Wear appropriate clothing – cover your chest and shoulders. Keep a light scarf in your bag to cover yourself in case a spontaneous temple visit occurs!
- Wear sandals. This isn't required, but it's helpful. Many places inside temples require you to remove your shoes to enter, so wearing sandals makes life easier
- Try to keep quiet. It’s okay to whisper in parts of the temple but save the talking for outside the temple grounds.
Don’t
- Wear skin-tight clothing, above-the-knee dresses or shorts (below the knees is a good rule to stick by)
- Point your bare feet at the monks and statues of Buddha
- Go for public displays of affection when around temples or holy sites (they are considered extremely disrespectful)
- Touch the statues or monks
Eating and drinking
Street food is a huge part of the culture in Vietnam, so be sure to try some delicious pho (noodle soup) and other treats from street vendors (check out our guide on how to find the best street food in Hanoi).
However, if you’re invited into someone’s house for a meal, here are a few cultural and social conventions to be aware of:
Do
- Remove your shoes before you enter their home
- Bring a gift: sweets, flowers, or fruit for example. Gifts should be wrapped in colorful paper
- Wait to be shown where to sit
- Set your chopsticks down to speak and for a rest after every few mouthfuls
- Hold your bowl of food close to your face – nose to bowl is acceptable!
- Hold your spoon in your left hand when eating soup
- Graciously accept tea (even if you don’t want it!). Similarly, if you're offered alcohol, it's considered polite to at least take a sip – or drink the first cup, if possible. If you really can't, just explain to your host and they should understand
- Slurp your noodles! Don’t be afraid to express your enjoyment of your food by making a lot of noise. It also cools the noodles down as you eat. Read the Vietnam Coracle’s Noodle Slurping Guide for more info
Don’t
- Wrap gifts in yellow or black. These colors are seen as bad omens and will be offensive if given to your hosts
- Sit down until the oldest member has seated themselves
- Leave any food on your plate, this is considered impolite
- Leave chopsticks sitting vertically in a rice bowl – it looks like the incense sticks that are burned for the dead. This is a powerful sign and is not appreciated anywhere in Asia.
How to cross the road
Noisy, manic, and endless, the sound of hundreds of engines is something you’ll quickly get used to in Vietnam’s cities.
Crossing the road in Vietnam takes a little practice, a dash of bravery, and a whole lot of confidence. We asked backpacking expert Nikki, director of the online travel magazine Southeast Asia Backpacker, for her tips on how to navigate Vietnam’s roads:
“Anyone who's ever been to the Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will know that one of the adventures to be had is simply crossing the road!
“As a million motorbikes, bicycles and cars whiz by, you have to navigate your way across the street, with no zebra crossings and few traffic lights.
“Our advice? Stay calm and keep walking, slowly, at a steady pace. You'll be amazed as the traffic twists and turns around you, as the drivers predict your next move across the street. The traffic doesn't move that fast in Vietnam, due to the high volume, so you're unlikely to be hit if you: Just. Keep. Moving!”
In addition to Nikki's advice, you should never run when crossing the street, or step backwards to avoid traffic. If you're not sure what to do, signal your movements with your hands or ask somebody local to help you.
Everyday life
Here are a final few tips that will help you out day-to-day – some more obvious, some surprising.
Do
- Ask before taking a photo of anyone
- Pass items with both hands – it’s seen as a mark of respect
- Hold hands (if you like!) but public displays of affection such as hugging and kissing are frowned upon
- Haggle – vendors will expect you to haggle a little, but you’ll need to get over the fact that you won’t pay a local’s price. Bargaining over a price should be done with a cheerful attitude and if the vendor won’t budge, either pay or walk away.
Don’t
- Touch someone’s head or shoulder or pass items over someone’s head. This is incredibly offensive, even with small children, because in Asia, the head is the symbolic highest point (seen as “the best” part of the body)
- Flaunt wealth in public, this is considered impolite
- Take photos of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be seen as a breach of national security. You should also avoid taking photos of representations of political figures such as Ho Chi Minh or General Vo Nguyen Ap.
- Get naked. Nudity is always seen as totally inappropriate – this includes topless sunbathing.
- Be offended if somebody laughs at you. In Vietnamese culture, laughing at somebody's embarrassment is a way of helping them make light of the situation – it's not intended to make fun or offend you
- Use a handkerchief. At best, they’re seen as a symbol of a sad parting or a farewell. At worse, they’re considered quite disgusting in the East!
Planning a trip to Vietnam? Here are our top itineraries – each can be tailored to you.
