If you can visit Vietnam with its natural treasures, excellent cuisine, and surprises to discover, see for yourself some time the beauty from the far North to the most distant South of the country. This beauty will leave you with many unforgettable memories.

Let’s learn some interesting and even strange facts about Vietnam selected by foreigners and locals.

List of 55 interesting facts about Vietnam

1. The Nguyen family is the majority

The Nguyen family name is not only the family that accounts for 40% of the Vietnamese population, as people often know, but it is also one of the ten most famous family names in the world. Not only Vietnam but also North Korea and China have the surname Nguyen. So you won’t be surprised anymore when you often hear friends around you with the last name Nguyen, right?

2. Coffee

Vietnam is the second-largest coffee producer in the world. We drink a lot of coffee, so we can easily see images of Vietnamese people enjoying coffee everywhere. From luxury coffees like Starbucks and Highland that young people often visit to get a virtual photo. Or the streets and alleys with coffee sellers.

Vietnam’s annual coffee exports reach a value of 3.2 billion USD, accounting for 10.5% of the world’s coffee exports. Vietnamese coffee is considered one of the best paradises for coffee lovers to enjoy the unique flavors Vietnam can offer nowhere else.

3. “Elephant Taxi” service

If you live in a big city, when you hear the name elephant taxi, you will feel extremely strange because, in the town, there are rarely elephants freely walking on the road. But in the Central Highlands, an elephant can become a taxi for you for a small fee. This must be something exciting and challenging to find around the world. Anyone who comes to the Central Highlands should experience this strange feeling.

4. Top 3 cuisine in the world

Are you surprised that Vietnamese cuisine ranks 3rd in the ranking of regions and countries with the best dishes?

Vietnamese cuisine is famous for its deliciousness and diversity, with about 500 traditional dishes spread nationwide. It is truly a food paradise. Vietnamese cuisine is the name for the food preparation method, spice mixing principles, and general eating habits of the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese ethnic groups in Vietnam. Living in Vietnam all your life, it is impossible to taste Vietnamese dishes because each dish has a different regional flavor.

5. Vietnam has a coastline of 3,260 km and one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet

Vietnam currently has 28 coastal provinces and cities with 125 coastal districts, stretching along a coastline of more than 3,260 km from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang. With such a godsend, going to the beach is almost like an everyday thing for Vietnamese people.

The long coastline also helps the economy by providing jobs for fishermen at sea, tourism companies with tourist attractions, and fuel and natural resource extraction.

During her stay here, Angeline Jolie once praised the incredible beauty of Vietnam’s coast.

Bai Dai, located north of Phu Quoc Island, was voted by ABC News Australia as one of the world’s ten most pristine and beautiful beaches.

6. Casinos are illegal

Gambling activities are standard in many countries except for Vietnamese people, but foreign tourists in Vietnam are allowed to play freely.

7. The world’s longest 3-wire cable car across the sea

Vietnam also has the Hon Thom cable car in Southern Phu Quoc, which Guinness has recognized as the world’s longest sea-crossing 3-wire cable car with a total length of 8km.

8. One of the best airlines in the world

Vietnam Airlines is Vietnam’s national airline with excellent and thoughtful service and traditional Vietnamese clothing, ao dai, which has impressed friends worldwide.

9. Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest cave

Vietnam has the most significant natural caves in the world. The largest cave is called Son Doong. And what’s more interesting is that this cave was accidentally discovered by a local farmer while looking for shelter from the rain.

Recently discovered in 2009-2010, Son Doong has become the largest known cave in the world and one of the top tourist destinations for domestic and foreign tourists. Most visitors will know more about Vietnam’s beaches and tropical forests, but these mysterious caves are fun facts to explore when visiting Vietnam.

10. Use social networks the most in the world

It is a fact that young Vietnamese people use social networks the most in the world, up to 7 hours/day on average. This is a very high number compared to other countries in the region because Vietnam’s population is just over 90 million people.

11. Standard for black teeth

Although this is only the beauty standard of 100 years ago, it is still exciting when we talk about it. Today, the standard of beauty in Vietnam is probably bright white and even teeth.

12. One of the few countries that likes to take naps

Unlike the West, Vietnamese people spend much time napping, which can last hours. This is very different from many other countries. They usually only spend 5-10 minutes resting at lunchtime, not sleeping.

13. Vietnam is a country of rivers

392 is the number of rivers in Vietnam, with a total length of 6,734.6 km, flowing horizontally from the top and bottom of the country. Therefore, river culture has played an indispensable role in Vietnamese civilization regarding traditional values, especially for people living in the two most significant delta regions, the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta by the Mekong River.

14. Vietnam is considered the world’s leading exporter of cashew nuts and black pepper

While other agricultural products face many challenges and difficulties in pricing and finding distributors, cashew nuts and black pepper continue to be popular on international shelves, not only in the domestic market but also on the world market, with a total retail turnover of approximately 3 million dollars because of its high quality.

15. Football is the most popular sport in Vietnam

Football is one of the most popular sports in the world, and Vietnam is no exception. Football is the King sport in Vietnam. Every time there are significant domestic or international matches, all the cafes and restaurants are filled with patrons who come to enjoy the great football matches and cheer for their favorite team.

16. Crazy density of motorbikes

It may not be one of the surprising facts about Vietnam that motorbikes are everywhere; no matter where you are, they always take up some part of your vision. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are two major cities in Vietnam where motorbikes are used the most. Ho Chi Minh City currently has 7.4 million (2016), while Hanoi has more than 5 million two-wheeled vehicles (2017). Early 2017 statistics show more than 45 million motorbikes are in Vietnam.

See more interesting things about Hanoi here

17. Vietnamese nationalism

Vietnam is a country that always promotes a unified and sustainable culture of the Vietnamese people, including thoughts, ideas, moral values, and feelings of preserving national identity through historical stories and teaching customs and traditions.

18. Bright white skin symbolizes beauty

Unlike Westerners who like to have tanned skin, Vietnamese people and Asians in general believe that having white or lighter skin color will make them more beautiful in the eyes of others.

19. Vietnam has a high level of biodiversity

Three-quarters of Vietnam’s land area is plateaus and mountains covered with several lush tropical rainforests home to thousands of species of animals and plants.

20. You may be asked about your age and personal condition during your first meeting

One interesting fact about Vietnam that can cause a bit of culture shock for first-time visitors is that some Vietnamese people do not feel awkward discussing their age and personal status. Although Westerners feel uncomfortable being asked about their personal information, such as age, marital status, and finances, it is entirely normal to initiate the first conversation about these topics for Vietnamese people, especially the older generation. They want to know your age to address you correctly because pronouns vary based on age and gender. While questions about finances are becoming less common, your marital status is still asked so they can know what topics they should talk about with you. It’s completely fine if you don’t want to broach these topics and politely avoid them.

21. Drinking snake wine as an expression of masculinity

Snake wine is an alcoholic drink made by adding whole snakes and medicinal herbs to rice wine for a long time to enhance the flavor. It is a remedy in traditional Vietnamese medicine; it is said that these have therapeutic and invigorating qualities that can help with back pain and rheumatism (muscle, joint, and fibrous tissue pain). However, it is strong and contains some toxins that can be harmful to people with alcohol allergies, sensitive stomachs, and high blood pressure, so only small amounts should be used.

22. Vietnamese is challenging to learn

The Vietnamese alphabet has 29 letters instead of 26, resulting from a combination of the Latin alphabet and some added letters. Besides, there are six tones, including “sac” – rising sound, “huy” – falling sound, “hoi” – asking sound, “nga” – rising and falling sound, “nang” – low sound, and “Ngang” – a flat tone. These complex sounds are one of the reasons why people often find speaking Vietnamese to be like singing the language and find it quite challenging to master, especially for those who speak a language with few sounds or monotonous like English.

23. Pho, Ao dai, and Banh mi are in the Oxford dictionary

Did you know that Banh mi, Pho, and Ao dai are three Vietnamese words that have been added to the Oxford dictionary? This proves the popularity, uniqueness, and recognition of iconic Vietnamese foods and clothes worldwide.

24. Ho Chi Minh is a superhero of all time

Before the wars of invasion by imperialist countries. Ho Chi Minh – or Uncle Ho, President Ho – appeared as an outstanding leader of all time in Vietnamese history, helping this country become independent and free.

25. Vietnam has a beautiful diversity of cultures

54 is the number of different ethnic groups living in Vietnam. The Kinh people, or we also call them Vietnamese people, account for nearly 90% of Vietnam’s population. Some other main ethnic groups include Tay, Thai, H’mong, and Khmer.

26. There is a rich and unique indigenous medicine background

As well as Asian countries such as Korea, China and Japan. Vietnamese people have a unique and rich medical system based on the theory of M – Yang and the Five Elements from ancient times. World medicine has effectively recognized and applied Vietnamese healing methods using acupuncture and herbs. Today, Vietnamese Indigenous Medicine is still being preserved, researched, developed, and applied by Vietnamese Indigenous Medicine and dedicated medical scientists throughout the territory.

Vietnamese Indigenous Medicine scientists are successfully researching the treatment of incurable diseases in the world with domestic herbs such as Alzheimer’s, myasthenia gravis, depression, and cancer… and have brought about great successes and clear merit.

27. Vietnam’s unemployment rate is among the lowest in the world

According to the World Bank, Vietnam has the lowest unemployment rate (2.2%) because many international brands have chosen to invest in Vietnam. Vietnam is also ranked as a country with the lowest labor wage.

28. There are thousands of beautiful islands

According to estimated data, Vietnam has over 5,800 large and small islands. Many of these islands belong to Ha Long Bay and the central coast of Vietnam.

29. Snow in the tropics

Want to know one of the interesting facts that will shock you and your friends the most? Even though it is a tropical country, Vietnam still has snow in some areas! It is a small town located in North Vietnam called Sapa, 1,600 meters above sea level. Therefore, Sapa is also known as Europe inside Vietnam, where you can see snow falling.

30. Vietnam is the homeland of water puppetry

Only a few people know this may be one of the interesting facts about Vietnam. Water puppetry is a fun reminder of all the precious moral values and traditions passed down from generation to generation in Vietnam. This type of art is introduced to international friends who love to explore culture and history through art performances.

There is a unique Water Puppet theater in Hanoi called Thang Long Theater.

31. There are many personal pronouns

An interesting fact about Vietnamese daily life is how people address others and themselves. For example, when you need to refer to yourself, you can use “I” or “me” in English; However, in Vietnamese, many words such as “minh”, “toi”, “to”, “tui”, etc., all mean “me” or “me”. You need to pay attention to age and gender to use appropriate words to address yourself and others.

32. Men play the leading role in the family

Although women are given more rights and freedoms, Some hold high positions in society and are respected by both men and women. However, men are still considered the breadwinners and have the privilege of making all critical decisions in the family. However, times are changing, and women are taking back their power in their home lives and the workplace.

33. Second place in the world in rice production and export globally

Vietnam is the second largest country in rice production, accounting for about 20% of world exports (the first position belongs to Thailand).

34. Rice is the main dish of every meal

Rice is a daily dish for Vietnamese people because people can create many recipes with unique flavors made from rice, adding to the diversity of the cuisine. Due to these exciting things, it is not surprising that you can try many rice and famous Vietnamese dishes made from rice.

35. There is a whole world of history underground

One good way to discover a country’s specialties is to visit its historical landmarks and architectural structures. Underground landmarks are less famous than above-ground landmarks. Still, one of the top tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam is the Cu Chi Tunnels, a secret underground passageway of tunnels created by the Vietnamese during the war with France and the US.

36. The country has 8 UNESCO sites

These are Hue Monuments Complex, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ho Dynasty Citadel and Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. Be sure to put these UNESCO World Heritage Sites on your bucket list when traveling to Vietnam.

37. Land of light

All major cities in Vietnam, such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, are known as cities that never sleep due to the hustle and bustle of daily life. Shops will always be open and serving whenever you go out, even at midnight.

38. People like to drink beer after work

Another interesting fact in Vietnam is that people often hang out with their friends and colleagues and drink a few beers after working from nine to five instead of returning home; It’s a way for them to relax and refresh after a tiring work day.

Each cup of Hanoi draft beer ranges in price from 11,000 VND to 13,000 VND.

39. There are many traditional handicraft villages

We live in a fast-paced society, and some traditions have been lost. However, the Vietnamese still try to preserve traditional values by promoting conventional craft villages in tourism, such as Binh An Drum Village and Dong Ho Painting Village.

40. Ninh Binh, another filming location of Kong: Skull Island

In addition to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh was also one of the filming locations for the 2017 blockbuster Kong Skull Island not long ago. Its divine beauty hidden within stunning nature is why it was chosen for filming and has become an attractive tourist area.

41. Majestic natural beauty of the Northwest region

Getting on your motorbike and heading out to explore the Northwest, where you can get off the beaten track, will be the most memorable journey of your travel life. It is less exposed to tourism so you will see ethnic minorities living their daily lives surrounded by nature and wildlife.

42. Floating markets are a characteristic of the South

If the North is famous for its majestic mountains, the South is renowned for its floating markets that have become a part of people’s daily activities. Floating markets in the South are an excellent opportunity to get closer to Vietnamese river culture and local products.

43. These scary dishes are worth enjoying

Here are some unusual foods in the world that are popular in Vietnam: Trung Vit Lon (fertilized duck embryo), Chim Cut Lon (fertilized quail embryo), and Tiet Canh (animal blood).

44. Meaning of the Vietnamese flag

The Vietnamese national flag is red with a yellow star in the middle, inspired by the communist flag. Red symbolizes the blood and bones of all patriots who sacrificed their lives for Vietnam’s freedom movement. Yellow represents the skin of Vietnamese people.

45. Tube houses are everywhere

In Vietnam, more than 95 million people live on over 330,000 square kilometers of land. The population is mainly concentrated in cities. People need more space to build a house with a garden, and tube houses are their solution for multi-generational families living under one roof.

46. Discover Vietnamese cuisine on the streets

Most answers will be street food if you ask some locals what they like to eat, an expensive restaurant or a roadside stall. You can find many street food in any corner of Vietnam and many versions of the same dish because of the variety of cooking methods and ingredients here.

47. Reading and writing rate 94.5%

Despite being a developing country, Vietnam has a Vietnamese literacy rate of 94.5%, which is a reasonable rate thanks to the government’s efforts in education. This is defined as people aged 15 and over who can write and read a short, simple statement about their daily life.

48. Buddhism is the religion with the most followers in Vietnam, with only 7.9% of the population

As of 2013, more than half of the population is practicing Buddhism. Even people who do not practice Buddhism daily still believe in some of the Buddha’s teachings. Most people fall under the spiritual category of ancestor worship, but this is not recognized because it is not an official form of religion.

49. Vietnamese people believe in the legend that their ancestors originated from ‘Dragon and Fairy’ (Con Rong Chau Tien).

50. “Vietnam” means “Vietnamese people in the South”.

51. There is no fixed date for the New Year celebration in Vietnam. 

Every year, this date changes, which is determined by the lunar cycle.

52. Vietnam has a national sport called “sepak takraw” (Cau May)

Like volleyball, you must play with your feet, knees, chest, and head. The Sepak Takraw Championship is held every year. In addition, sepak takraw is also a popular sport in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.

53. French colonization was a period of Vietnamese history from 1884 to 1945. 

Therefore, you can find several products in Vietnam with names originating from France, such as baguette bread or cheese.

Nowadays, you can easily find some French colonial buildings and architecture in Vietnam. They all have a story about how it was built or how it has survived to this day. Many of them are hospitals and schools, and some of them are repurposed as museums and galleries.

54. Vietnam is developing very fast. In terms of economic growth, Vietnam ranks second only to China.

55. American newspaper ranked Vietnam as the safest destination in Asia for 2024

Travel Off Path, a newspaper specializing in travel in the US has ranked Vietnam as the safest destination in Asia for the new 2024 tourist season.
In fact, according to the Global Law and Order Index published by Gallup at the end of 2023, Vietnam is the most peaceful country in Asia and the 7th country in the world.

Are there any more interesting facts about Vietnam that you want to share? Do feel free to share with us in the comments!