Vietnam is located in Asia, bordering China, Laos and Cambodia. A diverse cuisine, breathtaking nature and exciting history and culture are just a few of the advantages of this country, which can be traveled quite inexpensively. Very popular with backpackers in particular, it also offers more comfort to travelers who are used to it, everything a travel heart desires. See andyeducation.com for education in Vietnam.
| Capital City | Hanoi |
| Size | 331,690 km² |
| Resident | 95,415,000 |
| Official Language | Vietnamese |
| Currency | Vietnamese Dong |
| Time Zone | UTC+7 |
| Telephone Area Code | +84 |
Fast facts to know
- The most popular means of transport in Vietnam is the moped.
- Vietnam is the world’s largest exporter of cashew nuts.
- Dragon and turtle are sacred animals in Vietnam and are considered symbols of good luck.
- White skin color is considered the ideal of beauty.
- In Vietnam is the largest cave in the world – Son Doong.
- Many Vietnamese have a surname of Nguyen.
- Vietnamese eat dogs and cats.
- Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil.
- Smacking and burping are normal in Vietnam.
- Vietnam has wonderful hotels for every price range.
- Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the best in Asia.
- Many Vietnamese follow Buddhism and Confucianism.
- The north of Vietnam is very communist.
- Traffic on Vietnam’s roads is very chaotic.
- For Germans, entry is possible for 15 days without a visa; the passport must be valid for six months beyond the validity of the visa.
- There are no mandatory vaccinations, standard vaccinations & malaria prophylaxis are recommended.
Exciting cities in Vietnam
- dong hoi
- Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
- Hanoi
- Imperial city of Hue
- Can Tho
- May Chau
- Hoi An
- Ninh Binh
- Dalat
History of Vietnam
- Earliest traces of human activity around 300,000 to 500,000 BC. Chr.
- 1500 BC BC Sa Huynh culture.
- 3rd century BC the Âu Việt immigrate from what is now southern China.
- 111 BC Incorporation into the Chinese Empire.
- After the collapse of the Tang Dynasty in China, the first Vietnamese state emerged in 938.
- Changing dynasties over the next few centuries.
- 1883 Vietnam falls under French colonial rule.
- 1930 an uprising is bloodily suppressed.
- During World War II, under the occupation of Japan and France, two million people die of starvation.
- The independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) was declared in Hanoi in 1945.
- 1946-54 Indochina War with final defeat of France.
- Division of the country into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.
- 1964-75 Vietnam War, which the USA cannot win despite stationing more than 550,000 soldiers in the meantime.
- In 1976, North and South Vietnam were reunited under the name of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
- 1979 Vietnam invaded Cambodia, only in 1989 Vietnam withdrew from Cambodia.
- 1995 Vietnam and the USA resume diplomatic relations.
Climate & travel weather in Vietnam
- North:
- Winter dry subtropical climate.
- Cool, dry winter from November to April.
- Hot summers from May to October.
- Central Vietnam:
- Tropical humid climate.
- Tropical monsoon climate in the north (short dry season, heavy monsoon rains).
- Tropical savannah climate in the south (humid with a longer dry season).
- South:
- Warm to hot all year round, tropical alternating humidity.
- 3 seasons: Nov-Jan (warm & dry), Feb-May (hot & dry), June-Oct (rainy season).
- Recommended travel time:
- Better to avoid rainy seasons.
- North: Oct-April.
- Central Vietnam: Feb-April.
- South: Dec-Feb.
Ideas for trips in Vietnam
- Mekong Delta
- Ha Giang Province
- Perfume Pagoda
- Rice Terraces Sapa
- Temple of Literature in Hanoi
- Dry Halong Bay at Tam Coc
- Temple of My Son
- Forbidden City of Hue
- Golden Bridge in Da Nang
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- Train ride through Vietnam
- Train Street in Hanoi
- Snorkeling at Phu Quoc Island
- Drive over the cloud pass
- Diving at Nha Trang White Beach
Food & Drink in Vietnam
- Very diverse cuisine, also inspired by Chinese and French cuisine.
- The usual side dish is rice, as well as various herbs, raw vegetables and fish sauce.
- Soups very popular, often with rice noodles or egg noodles.
- It is eaten with chopsticks (never stick them in the rice after eating or point them at people).
- Diverse, extremely sweet desserts.
- Common Ingredients: Fish Sauce, Shrimp Paste, Soy Sauce, Rice, Fresh Herbs, Fruits, Vegetables.
- Commonly used herbs: Lemongrass, ginger, spearmint, Vietnamese spearmint, long coriander, cinnamon, chili, lime and basil.
- Minimal use of milk and oil.
- Dogs are also often on the menu, just like chicken feet, snakes or rats.
- Considered a very healthy cuisine.
- Typical for breakfast: Pho soup.
- There are many different types of spring rolls.
- Widespread beverages: green tea, coconut milk, fruit juices, rice wine.
- Vietnamese coffee is quite strong but of high quality.
- Typical dishes:
- Bon bay mon (wafer-thinly sliced beef, marinated in various sauces).
- Bun cha (charcoal grilled pork tenderloin skewers).
- Bun thang (strong, thick soup made from rice noodles, chicken and pork, shrimp and fried eggs).
- Com hen (rice with mussels).
- Com thit kho tieu (rice with pork and pepper).
- Ech tam bot ran (frog meat in batter).
- Pho (noodle soup, clear broth with rice noodles, beef or chicken, spring onion, chilies).
- Ga kho gung (chicken cooked with ginger, fish sauce, sugar and pepper, caramelized).
- Gio (lean pork, pounded in a mortar and then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked).
- Mam chung (fermented fish stuffed with minced meat, egg, noodles and herbs and steamed).
- Oc nhoi (snail meat paste with pork, in the snail shell).
- Canh chua (sweet and sour fish soup, heavily spiced).
- Cha ca (fish fillets roasted over the grill).
- Banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake).
- Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches in different variations).
- Banh cuon (steamed wafer-thin rice cake with minced meat).
- Cha gio (spring rolls filled with crab, pork, egg, onion, noodles and mushrooms).
- Com thap cam (roasted rice with chicken and pork, sausages, egg yolk, carrot, peas, ginger).
- Tom bao mia (grilled sugar cane in shrimp paste).
Particularly scenic
- Halong Bay (one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World )
- Pongour Waterfall
- Sand dunes in Mui Ne
- Ban Gioc Detian Waterfalls
- Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
- Mount Fansipan
- Cat Ba Island & National Park
- Paradise Cave or Son Doong Cave
