Fun Facts about Vietnam

Vietnam is not only one of the most beautiful countries in the world, it’s also one of the most affordable to travel in. This is one of the reasons why people flock to this Southeast Asian pearl, and you can notice it each year as tourism is just continuing to rise. Vietnam is a country full of surprises and treasures. Here are some fun facts about Vietnam that you might or not know about.

Vietnam is one of the main coffee producers in the world

If you are a coffee fan and happen to be in Vietnam, you’ll be ecstatic to hear that Vietnam has plenty of it. This is because they are the second largest producers in the world and own about 20% of the coffee market share. You must order the Vietnamese drip coffee with condensed milk, which is one of the most popular ways to drink coffee. I

The Vietnamese are very superstitious

For example, it’s considered bad luck to give handkerchiefs. They also during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, the first person who enters your house will decide how the rest of the year will be, so it’s really important that this person is someone “desirable”. They also believe that you should not get any haircuts before exams since the loss of hair could also cause memory loss.

The world’s largest cave can be found here

The Son Doong Cave is supposedly the world’s largest cave and can be found in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park. It wasn’t until 2009 that the cave became internationally known, so it’s still a relatively unexplored area. In order to get here, you have to hike six kilometres through the rainforest and pay an entrance fee, plus additional fees to enter the caves with a tour guide. It is illegal to go inside the caves alone. You can also go on tours to the cave and stay the night in a tent inside the cave. It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity.

The food is amongst the healthiest in the world

When you visit Vietnam, you’ll notice how much vegetables and fruits they eat. In every meal, you’ll get fresh greens, herbs and the food is usually cooked with less or no oil, making it one of the healthiest in the world. Some healthy dishes in Vietnam include: goi cuon (fresh spring rolls), pho (noodle soup), chao (porridge made in a Vietnamese way), rau muong (stir-fried water spinach, popular to eat with rice) and bun (another kind of noodle soup).

The world’s leading exporters of cashew nuts

Besides coffee, Vietnam is also the leading exporters of cashew nuts, exporting about 348,000 tons of cashew in 2016. Although the cashew tree is native to Brazil, Vietnam still produces more. That’s a lot of nuts.

There is a fruit called ‘Breast Milk Fruit’ and it’s terrific!

If you go in the right season, that is the colder and dry season, you’ll be able to buy some “vu sua”, also called “star apple” in English. But “vu sua” in Vietnamese means “breast milk” due to the white milky drops that dribble out when you squeeze it. It’s one of the tastiest and unique fruits in Vietnam, and also really healthy for you.

Everybody wants to have a white complexion

Many travelers go to Vietnam for the sunshine, to get tanned and lay on the beach for hours and hours. But not the Vietnamese – because it’s considered ‘ugly’ to be tanned. Instead, you should aim to have white, milky skin. That’s why there’s a rise of whitening creams in the country. If you walk out on the street during a warm day and see the locals all covered up, don’t worry – it’s perfectly normal. They just try to cover up their skin as much as possible to prevent getting tanned.

You must get a Vietnam visa in order to enter the country

… Depending on where you are from of course. Some European and Asian countries are in the ‘visa exempt list’ meaning they don’t require a visa if they are just staying for 15 days or less. However, if you wish to stay longer, you’ll need to get a Vietnam visa. As for the rest, regardless of the length of your stay, you have to have an approved visa in order to enter the country.  Depending on where you’re from, you can either get a Visa on Arrival, E-Visa or go to your nearest Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate.