Learn more about other Vietnam’s cool cultural facts and traditions here

Wearing Pajamas as Day Wear

There’s nothing better than staying in a set of soft and comfy pajamas at home. And in Vietnam, you see women in pajamas literally everywhere! They are on motorbikes, walking down the streets, or serving in food stalls, especially in the rural areas. It’s basically normal, no big deal here; it’s not that they forgot to dress up before going out, it’s that pajamas are a fashion choice here. Pajama sets come in a range of sizes and styles, from matching floral T-shirts and shorts to full-length silk pants and long-sleeved shirts.

Self Ear Cleaning anytime anywhere

You might have noticed many people in Vietnam, especially men, have an incredibly long pinkie fingernail; it is actually linked to the purpose of sel-ear cleaning. Not just that, the Vietnamese use little spoons, chopsticks, tweezers, or even toothpicks wrapped in tissues to scoop out the wax and tickle the skin. You might think it is terrifying but many Vietnamese people love it. Convenient. Anytime. Anywhere.

English songs for Holidays and Anniversaries

‘Beautiful in White’ on Weddings, ‘Merry Christmas’, ‘Last Christmas’ played in shops over the holiday, and Happy New Year – ABBA on the New Year’s Eve – All the good old English songs are all over the place in Vietnam when the right events come. There is no explanation for why the Vietnamese stick with those songs for decades. It becomes an indispensable and unexplainable tradition in this country. If you want to trace back to the holiday vibes in the 20th century, Vietnam seems to be the right place.

Fun fact: The top and most recent comments on Happy New Year ABBA come from the Vietnamese

Bamboo Pipe Smoking

Smoking in Vietnam is highly common, with an estimation of over 15 million tobacco smokers, and over 33 million non-smokers who are heavily exposed to tobacco smoke. Communal smoking started as an integral part of Vietnamese culture in the way men exchanged cigarettes in greetings. A popular and traditional form of smoking in Vietnam is Thuoc Lao, or Dieu Cay – the farmers’ bamboo pipe, which is often passed around after a meal to help with the digestion process. Thuoc Lao are leaves of Nicotiana rustica plant put inside a long pipe in which people can smoke through and just one shot, a flood of high nicotine to the bloodstream pushes even the heaviest regular cigarette smokers down onto the floor, off the limit, with a strong dizziness in the head and a rapid heartbeat out of the chest. Despite the health risks that Thuoc Lao poses, it remains very popular in Vietnam, mainly in the Northern part.

While having some free green tea on the sidewalks, you might be offered some bamboo pipe shots, it’s up to you whether to say no or give it a try. But remember, we give you a warning in advance already!

Foreigners tried smoking the bamboo pipe and the results

Choosing a custom phone number

In Vietnamese culture, lucky numbers play a big part in most people’s life. Numbers like 1, 6, 8, 9 are thought as lucky, and the opposite normally goes to number 4, 13. The Vietnamese also believe a good combination of digits in their phone number can bring them luck. They choose their phone numbers based on their birthday, or just a sequence of “beautiful digits”, most popularly triple, quadruple eight or nine. Some wealthy people pay a lot of money in order to acquire a phone number. For instance, mobile number 0989 999 999 was sold for USD 664,000 in reality in Vietnam. Whereas some people find the joy out of those lucky phone numbers, we find it frustrating to keep double-checking the sequence whenever we try to save contacts.

Phone wallpaper as a picture of themselves

Most Vietnamese peoples phone wallpaper is a picture of themselves. It is not only common in Vietnam but also in Asia where people (mostly women) like setting their phone wallpaper as the picture of themselves. Whether it is a selfie, a picture of themselves traveling around, or an artistic shoot, there is always their face, just there. It has become a trend that we can hardly explain. It’s probaly a very good thing. Imagine … if they lost their phone and you found it, you don’t have to check if it had a lock that they could open to confirm, because just by looking at their wallpaper, you know it’s theirs, just like an ID card.

Coffee Made from Weasel Poop

Traditionally known as one of the best coffees in the world, Vietnam’s weasel coffee is made from the poop of weasels after they eat the ripest and sweetest coffee berries and let the seeds out. These seeds are picked, washed, dried for 3 days under the sun, then ready for roasting, bagging, and selling, just like other coffees. What makes weasel coffee stand out is its great aroma thanks to the interaction between the weasel’s digestive enzymes and beans. The finest coffee can cost you around $100 for 100 grams, and for every 1kg of coffee berries, there is only 0. 3 kg of poop.

If you also have discovered funny, exciting things in Vietnam, please feel free to share us!

The post 7 Weird Things You’ll Only See in Vietnam | An Insight Into Local Life appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

Vietnam is an S-shaped country.

With just two eyes and a great imagination, we can actually see lots of countries in familiar shapes. While Finland with two ears makes itself look like a bunny, and Japan resembles a seahorse on the map, Vietnam is an S-shaped country. If your name begins with an S, now you know which country you should visit, right?

Everyone can be a millionaire in Vietnam.

Vietnamese currency – VND (Vietnam Dong – I know you are giggling) is hilarious. USD 1 is more than VND 22,000. No doubt that you may feel like a millionaire in Vietnam since you pay couples of millions of Dongs for a stay here. Actually, so many zeros of money (VND 10 000 and VND 100,000 are different) are confusing to so many tourists when it comes to purchasing. So be careful with the money in Vietnam!

Vietnam has breast milk fruit (vú sữa).

If you are a fruit lover, you better try Vietnam’s breast milk fruit. This fruit got the name because as you peel it, some milky drops come out. The breast milk fruit is mostly grown in Southern Vietnam with the crop falling in February – March every year.

Ho Chi Minh’s body is on display for public viewing.

Ho Chi Minh himself had requested cremation, but The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam decided to have him embalmed, together with the world’s communist leaders: Soviet hero – Vladimir Lenin, China’s red star follower – Mao Zedong, North Korea’s hammer and sickle holders – Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-il. If you want to join the queue to see Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed corpse, you have to leave all your bags and cameras outside. Remember that you have to move in the queue constantly as you are not allowed to stop inside the hall. Visit other destinations near the mausoleum here.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
1 April – 31 October: 7:30 to 22:30. Saturday, Sunday, and holidays: 7:30 to 11:00
1 November – 31 March: 8:00 to 11:00. Saturday, Sunday, and holidays: 8:00 to 11:30

Vietnam no longer uses coins.

Like Laos and Cambodia, Vietnam does not use coins. People use paper money for all currency transactions. Vietnam used to produce coins; however, inflation rendered them to be worthless.

Nguyen is the most popular surname in Vietnam.

Everyone knows a Nguyen but has no idea how to pronounce it!

In Vietnam, Nguyen is the most popular last name with nearly 40% of the country’s population named. In some countries, last names are so important that they can indicate people’s origins, deep roots of ancestry, religions, and social status. In Vietnam, last names do not indicate much more than that you are Vietnamese. The fact (which might contribute to Nguyen name’s prominence) is that hundreds of years ago, a large number of descendants in different dynasties such as Ly, Ho, Mac, etc. forced themselves to change their surname into Nguyen in fear of retribution or prosecution. As a result, someone with the last name Nguyen in these days may find it difficult to trace back beyond generations.

More fun facts about Vietnam? Read our article here and take a look at our vivid album here

White skin is “the beast”.

In the West, most people are likely to sunbathe and get tanned skin. They find tanned skin more attractive than pale white. However, in Asia, particularly Vietnam, the reverse is true. White skin is much preferred and any form of tanned skin is left behind, so whitening products and skin bleaching treatments are a big business throughout the country.

Besides, white privilege exists in Vietnam. There is no doubt that white teachers are preferred as English teachers here – probably same as in China. Vietnamese parents and teachers believe that their children can learn the “best English” only by learning from someone who is white no matter where they are from or what level of their English is. If you are a native English speaker, but you are not white, chances are you could hardly be invited to work in Vietnam’s English centers. However, if you are white and sick of working hard for a living in your country, Vietnam might be your promising destination. You can get a teaching job at English schools in Vietnam without any prior experience, or teaching credentials. Sometimes you don’t even need to apply for the job!

Vietnam has a lot of strange foods.

There are many Vietnamese foods and drinks that are bizarre to most tourists. Among the exotic dishes are duck embryo (fatal duck egg), mouse meat, snake meat, dog meat, insects, raw blood soup, etc., dog meat is a favorite dish Vietnam. People eating dog meat think this food is just similar to pork, or chicken while others find it disgusting. The worst part of it is in the countryside, most dogs are eaten by their owners. These dogs are home-raised and live with the people. They are treated nicely, but by the time they turn 2 years old (people claim the younger dog is, the better its meat is), they are killed and served with rice, eaten by the owners. How scary! Of course, not every Vietnamese eats dog though.
Top 10 Strangest Dishes in Vietnam

Vietnamese coffee is super strong.

Even if you drink coffee like water every single day and sleep well every night, Vietnamese coffee still may change your life. Just one cup in the morning is enough to keep you awake for the rest of the day and so. If you want to taste the real Vietnamese coffee, you better order the special cup (cà phê phin) with a lid and a drip filter with all coarsely ground beans loaded into. You have to sit and wait for your coffee to slowly spit out into your cup – good things always take time! Add some ice cubes and condensed milk on top if you want. BAM you have just got a Vietnam-style caffeinated cup of coffee!

Vietnamese people just love Happy New Year by ABBA.

Regular New Year 2018 has arrived and Lunar 2018 – Our Lunar New Year (Tet Holiday) is coming so soon. We are all very excited to clap and dance along to Happy New Year. Happy New Year by ABBA rules throughout Vietnam all over the year. It is often played in shopping centers, schools, karaoke, etc. no matter whether it is New Year’s Day or not. It is a real favorite song here. When people celebrate New Year’s Day, you will not get to hear Auld Lang Syne but Happy New Year by ABBA.

More fun facts about Vietnam? Read our article here and take a look at our vivid album here

The post 10 Fun Facts You (Probably) Didn’t Know About Vietnam appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

Hanoi, a famous city for its hustle and bustle pace of life, has really unnerved almost all travelers across the world with its terrible flow of buzzing and spiraling traffic. Not just the traffic, Hanoi can also take the tourists’ breath away with its whole mess of tangled overhead power lines.

Words by Chi Le
Photos by Tu Vu (Tu Vu‘s profile)

The post The tangle of electrical wires in Hanoi – A Nightmare for Electricians appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

This article unveiling the Vietnamese ordinary habits along with things in and out will definitely offer you a close look at this small S-shaped piece on the planet that is exceedingly familiar to the local insiders but absolutely abnormal to most outsiders. Just a piece of thought. Just a piece of writing. Let’s dive in.

#1 Crosswalks – just to decor on road
Crosswalks marked with white stripes are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can cross roads safely. In lots of countries, it is a must stated in law that all vehicles have to slow down once they see the crosswalks and stop if they see any pedestrians around. However, it is a different story in Vietnam. Crosswalks here are likely seen as a type of decoration, not a signal to alert the motors? Nobody cares or stops if they see you cross the road. You just have to be exposed to the horrible flow of traffic and challenge yourself combating against all the insane scooters, speedy bus and car giants coming from every direction, otherwise you will just freeze, standing still and watching these vehicles pass by all day. This is the reason why most expats often call Vietnam crazy right on the first day they set foot in the two chaotic cities – Hanoi and Saigon. Don’t be scared, be bold and you will be the master of crossing roads in Vietnam!

#2 Watermelon and sunflower seeds onto almost every sidewalk
The vast majority of the young and the not so young in Vietnam have a strong penchant for sipping some cafe or green tea while scattering sunflower seeds onto sidewalks. It can be considered a part of cafe culture. Just a small plate of sunflower seeds and a cup of cafe with a little filter pot on top are all perfect enough to lighten up their days. The strange thing is that people crack the shell, separate the inner seed from the shell, eat the seed, then spit out the shell pieces onto the ground. The sidewalks are then filled with scattered sunflower seeds. Only before the day ends do the salesmen wipe them away and clear out. Just wander through the sidewalks and your brain will get kicked off into action amid the air of weasel coffee beans mixed with the aroma of sunflower seeds.

#3 The most popular drinks: Beers and iced tea
Iced tea and beers are ubiquitous in Vietnam. They are the frappé drinks for us to beat the heat during the summer. Vietnamese people can drink them anytime and anywhere. Iced tea is always offered with meals in almost every food vendor and restaurant, and what is funny is that all Vietnamese people leave a bit after drinking iced tea. We never drink up all but always leave a little bit (about 1/3 or 1/4 of the whole). We have no idea why we do that, though.

#4 The power of Loudspeakers
Vietnam has about 10 000 loudspeakers. Yes, ten thousand. Loudspeakers are a throwback to the 1960s 1970s war years between N. Vietnam and S. Vietnam when they delivered news and warned people to get into a bomb shelter for protection against attack from the air. Nowadays, these loudspeakers still exist, blaring neighborhood announcements covering a range of topics like residential clusters meetings, avian flu prevention, healthcare information and sanitation reminders all over Vietnam through the daily 6:30 AM and 5:30 PM broadcasts in a male or female voice. They begin and end with some beautiful music sort of patriotic rhythms. If you stay in Vietnam, I am 100-percent sure the loudspeakers will wake you up in time. A handful of residents has raised their voice about being annoyed by these loudspeakers sometimes because they can hardly have a good sleep and their ears have been bombarded terribly with the noise coming out.

#5 The Vietnamese’s sweet friendliness
Vietnamese people are friendly and warm with their smiles on face. They are sweet and nice, always happy to welcome everyone to their country. If you get to talk with the locals and get asked about your nationality, age, job, and relationship status right on the first meeting, don’t be too shocked. It is normal here. The Vietnamese ask and answer these questions frequently and they appreciate the topic family life. Hence, to make a good impression when you meet someone from Vietnam for the first time, you can ask about their parents, their spouses, their children, and their relatives directly.

#6 Early school start times
Sometimes we cannot understand why students from other countries often complain about their school start times while we always wish our schools started as late as their schools do. In Vietnam, students in primary schools have to arrive before 7:15 AM, middle schools, and high schools before 7:00 AM, and college/university before 6:45 AM. Yes, 6:45 AM which means we have to try in vain opening our eyes and step away from such loving beds before 6 to prepare for schools. If you backpack to Vietnam for a certain amount of time, long enough to immerse in the local culture, don’t push away a chance to visit any elementary schools here. You will see how Vietnamese pupils yawn cutely in early morning hours, gathering together to do physical exercises at schoolyards.

#7 Take a nap after lunch
The Spanish cannot beat the Vietnamese when it comes to Siesta! Siesta in Vietnam must be regarded an art and the people here are professional siestars (the nappers). Vietnamese people can take a siesta almost everywhere from right on the concrete floors, pavements, motorbikes, little hammocks made of rope mesh and suspended by cords at the ends to under the trees and in the bus next to strangers. Taking a nap is even compulsory at elementary schools where little students have to listen to their teachers, quickly transforming desks made with two wood panels into beds to sleep after lunch time. Nap-time is when you can observe the very slow pace of life by strolling through the streets in light volume traffic, feeling the chilling breezes going through your hair, and seeing an idyllic Vietnam in the midday.

#8 Selfie and selfie sticks all the time
Taking selfies has become an obsession among a large number of Vietnamese people especially the youth. They selfie everywhere, believing capturing the moments is rather than living in. It is common to see hordes of couples, dozens of students or groups of workers lifting up their selfie sticks and ticking countless times on no matter where they are going to – from walking around the tourist attractions, dining out in restaurants, studying at schools to chilling in the public toilets. A recurring hobby can be described: Take a selfie, say no to the first one, take another one, adjust the shot via Instagram and then Facebook it. It is exactly what mills of Vietnamese people do every single day. And it is lovely.

#9 Putting a ton of makeup on every day
Hardly could you see any girls out there in Vietnam particularly in big cities without makeup. My friend from Germany called Hanoi “Milan the fashion world” when she was surprised at Vietnamese girls on streets dressing up so gorgeously with a lot of makeup on. It is true. They wear super-red lipsticks on, tons of face powder, slathering eyes with sexy eyeliners, eyeshadows, mascaras and all. No matter where they plan to go from local markets, schools to the workplace, they put everything on once they get out of their homes. The realm of beauty.

#10 A living room is a garage
Vietnamese families put their vehicles in their living rooms. The scooters or motorbikes fit their living rooms perfectly, so people no longer need to build a separated garage out of the floor. Vietnamese people just place their bikes or even cars there without any purpose of driving through a wall or something else. Sounds like a flexible room, right? How would you feel if your living room was packed with scooters as pieces of furniture and smelt like a garage?

More fun facts about Vietnam? Read our article here and take a look at our vivid album here

The post 10 Strange Things About Vietnam | An Insight Into Local Life & Culture appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

1. Wake up at 5:00 AM and see what’s going on

Yes, 5:00 AM and I am serious. Try to drag yourself out of bed and hang around the streets. You will get to see people running, doing yoga and aerobics everywhere; people carrying tons of stuffs on their little motorbikes, heading to the markets to sell. The beauty of Hanoi in the early morning would be worth capturing!

2. Ride a motorbike

Don’t be so worried! Riding a motorbike or scooter is hundreds of times easier than driving a car.
Afraid of the crazy traffic? Well, trust me, if you can cross the roads in Vietnam, chances are you can ride a motorbike too. Ride a motorbike and go to wherever you want. The narrow alleys, the hidden cafes in the corners, the hawker foods somewhere just familiar to the locals,… and more for you to explore.

3. Get stuck in traffic during rush hour

Driving a car while getting stuck in traffic is terrible, triggering your outburst anger. How about riding a motorbike during rush hour in Vietnam? It is a nightmare. Imagine you hardly even move on roads during rush hour, struggling with extreme heat in the summer and breathing in an area that has excessive levels of air pollution. Then you will keep asking yourself a question that: “How could the Vietnamese get used to this?”

4. Learn to bargain the prices

It is such a surprise to hear that prices of the products in Vietnamese food stalls, markets or even some hotels can be haggled. No fixed price for anything here and you better be careful and get used to it. Don’t accept the price in the first place, try to lower it or pay a visit to other shops.

5. Eat some street food in “a local way”

Don’t miss out on grabbing some street foods to eat, drinking some beers while sitting on such tiny plastic stools. The locals always do that, so why don’t you give it a try?

The post Unusual things to do in Vietnam appeared first on Maze Vietnam.