8 Things You May Not Know About Vietnamese People Characteristics

Vietnam is a very beautiful S-shaped country in Southeast Asia with an ample supply of treasures and surprises to discover. Vietnamese people who are famous for friendliness and generosity are the harmony of different cultures, languages and historical backgrounds. This article will reveal 8 facts that you may not know about Vietnamese people.

1. Vietnamese people have high sense of national pride

In the past, Vietnamese people had decades of war and poverty. However they has intertwined throughout the history of fighting invaders; protecting the borders for freedom, independence and territorial integrity.

In Vietnam, many people, especially the old, always love to tell you stories about history of how they fought for freedom. Vietnamese people are also proud of many beauty spots of Vietnam. For example, Ha Long Bay is a beautiful natural wonder in Northern Vietnam recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It would be very great if you as a foreign visitor can start a conversation with a question about history or any scenic beauty of Vietnam.

2. Vietnamese people have regional differences

The region factor has a strong impact on their preferences like food, clothing, music, custom, cultural personality and language dialect. Vietnamese people have a strong sense of regional cultural identity: Northern Vietnamese, Southern Vietnamese and Central Vietnamese.

About the characteristics, the North is mainly affected by the culture from China, while Khmer and Cham have a strong impact on The Central and The South. Northern and Central Vietnamese are seen as hardworking, formal, careful, prudent people. On the contrary, people from the South are regarded as more “liberal”, dynamic, and more “Westernized”. That’s the reason why most of singers, actors, businessmen, … are more likely to go to the South to pursue their career. So if this is the first time you travel to Vietnam, it’s recommended that you should start with cities in Southern Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City or Mekong Delta.

The region factor also affects the cuisines from the North and the South. There is a great difference between the way they cook traditional dishes. It would be very great if you can try several food dishes from all regions of Vietnam. Here are some suggestions for you: Banh my, bun cha ca, bun bo Hue, hu tieu Nam Vang, Banh xeo, banh bot loc.

3. Vietnamese have strong family ties

Like many other Asian countries, in Vietnamese culture, family gathering is a common thing in their life. Depending on how large the family is and how close they are, they can have several gatherings every month or year. No one wants to miss this meaningful time with family.

In Vietnam, Tet or Vietnamese Traditional Lunar New Year is considered one of the best occasions for family members to come back home and get together. At that time, grandparents, parents and kids are preparing for Tet together like cleaning, decorating, cooking,etc . So family becomes more and more close-knitted.

During daily gatherings, family members review their activities and share everything together in the meal. In modern life, people are so busy with their jobs so meals are the chances for them to keep ties and feelings between family members strong and close. If you are a foreigner and invited to take part in a family meal in this country, it means they really love and respect you.

4. Vietnamese people are hunger for knowledge

Vietnamese people commonly show a great love for knowledge and learning which is one of the greatest Vietnamese’s characteristics. They are also smart and have quick understanding. When walking around Hoan Kiem Lake, for example, you can see a group of pupils or students who are trying to practice speaking English with foreigners and topics varies from history, geography, etc. They would become your friendly free-tour-guides and you will create unforgettable memories together.

5. Vietnamese are timid but hospitable

Being timid is common characteristics of a Vietnamese when he or she first meets foreigners. The reason could be that they are afraid of talking about something they have no idea with a person who are totally different from them.

So if it is the first time you travel to Vietnam, you can easily feel that it’s quite difficult to make friends with the locals. But actually, most Vietnamese people are open-hearted. If you actively talk and smile to them, they will turn out to be very easy-going friends. Moreover, if you make them feel you trusty, they may invite you to come over their house, hanging out with their friends or even attend their family meal very quickly.

6. Vietnamese people think emotionally

Thinking emotionally is seen as a typical characteristic of most Vietnamese people. You should know this tip especially when you need help or get approval from someone in Vietnam. Firstly, make friends with them and make them feel trustful in you, then everything will go very smoothly. Most of Vietnamese are really hospitable and open, so if this is the first time you travel to Vietnam, please do not hesitate to ask for help, they will help you as much as possible.

7. People in Vietnam love joking

It’s true that Vietnamese people like joking around, sarcasm and puns. Vietnam cultures may have different ideas of what is actually funny, it depends on the regions that you travel to. Especially, when you go on a tour in Vietnam, the tour guides, at any age, who often have a great sense of humor, will make you laugh all day even when sometimes you won’t get the story. Not just because their stories are really funny but their friendliness, facial expressions, body language are also great and make foreign tourists very welcome.

8. Vietnamese people are the happiest people in Asia

This result from surveys in several years shows that Vietnamese are very optimistic about their futures. You can see this clearly from the older who have experienced decades of war and poverty.

Most of Vietnamese people rank satisfaction with family and friends are higher than with either household incomes or jobs. For example, like many other Asia countries such as Japan, Korean, China, women take an active role in doing housework, preparing food and making sure that their kids are dressed, fed and well cared for. While Vietnamese men’s main role is supporting a family financially. Many parents in Vietnam feel happy with the salary of $3-4 per hour as long as they have time to take care of their children. Vietnamese mothers and fathers will appreciate it if you show your love to their babies like praising their cuteness and playing with them.