Absolutely! 🇻🇳 Vietnam is rich in culture, traditions, and everyday behaviors shaped by Confucian values, Buddhist influence, and local customs. Here are the Top 10 Unique Habits Vietnamese People Often Do:
🇻🇳 1. Taking Off Shoes Indoors 👣
It’s standard practice to remove your shoes before entering any Vietnamese home. Many households will offer indoor slippers. This habit reflects cleanliness and respect for the home environment.
🇻🇳 2. Wearing Masks Daily 😷
Even before COVID-19, Vietnamese people often wore face masks for pollution, sun protection, and preventing illness. It’s now deeply ingrained in daily life, especially in cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
🇻🇳 3. Eating on Small Plastic Stools 🍜🪑
Street food is a cornerstone of Vietnamese culture, and you’ll often see locals eating noodle soups or rice dishes while sitting on tiny plastic stools on sidewalks. It’s fast, affordable, and social.
🇻🇳 4. Drinking Iced Tea or Coffee Every Day 🧋☕
Vietnamese love their drinks! From iced tea (trà đá) served free at many eateries, to cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk), sipping on cold beverages is a daily habit — even during breakfast.
🇻🇳 5. Respecting Elders Deeply 🙇♂️
Age hierarchy is important. Younger people use polite pronouns and often bow slightly or fold their arms when greeting or passing elders. It’s a sign of respect and family-centered values.
🇻🇳 6. Avoiding Direct Confrontation 🧘♀️
Vietnamese people tend to be indirect in expressing disagreement or criticism. Maintaining harmony (hoà thuận) and saving face are more important than speaking bluntly.
🇻🇳 7. Sleeping Midday (Napping Culture) 😴
A short nap after lunch is common among workers, shopkeepers, and students. Many places even provide folding beds or hammocks for a midday rest to recharge.
🇻🇳 8. Celebrating Tết (Lunar New Year) Intensely 🎊🌸
Tết is the most important holiday in Vietnam. People clean their homes, cook traditional dishes, visit family, give lucky money (lì xì), and decorate with red and yellow flowers to welcome the new year.
🇻🇳 9. Carrying Everything on Motorbikes 🛵📦
Motorbikes dominate Vietnam’s streets, and you’ll see entire families, furniture, live animals, and massive goods all being transported on two wheels — it’s efficient and impressively balanced.
🇻🇳 10. Using “Dạ” and “Thưa” to Show Respect 🗣️
Politeness is built into the language. Saying “dạ” (yes, sir/ma’am) before responding and “thưa” before addressing someone higher in age or status is a cultural norm, especially among youth.
🇻🇳 1. Taking Off Shoes Indoors 👣
In Vietnam, removing your shoes before entering someone’s home is an unspoken rule — and a deeply rooted habit across generations. It’s a practice tied to cleanliness, respect, and cultural courtesy.
🧼 Why It’s Done:
- Shoes carry dirt from the outside and are considered too unclean for indoor spaces.
- It’s a way of showing respect to the host and keeping the home environment pure.
- Floors in Vietnamese homes are often used for sitting, eating, or sleeping — so keeping them clean is a must.
🥿 What to Expect:
- You’ll usually see a shoe rack or mat by the door.
- Some homes offer indoor slippers (especially for guests).
- Even in some small businesses or temples, you may be expected to remove your shoes.
🇻🇳 Social Tip:
If you’re invited to a Vietnamese home — always take your shoes off at the door. Not doing so might be seen as disrespectful or careless.
🇻🇳 2. Wearing Masks Daily 😷
Long before the global pandemic, wearing face masks was already a common sight in Vietnam — especially in bustling cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a deeply ingrained habit shaped by practicality, health awareness, and environmental factors.
😷 Why Vietnamese People Wear Masks:
- Air pollution in big cities and traffic-heavy areas.
- Sun protection — to avoid tanning or sunburn (especially valued by women).
- Dust and germs — especially while riding motorbikes or walking along busy streets.
- Social courtesy — when someone has a cold or cough, they wear a mask to protect others.
🛵 Everyday Practice:
- People wear masks not only while commuting on motorbikes, but also while shopping, walking, or running errands.
- Fabric or medical-style masks are often part of a daily outfit — many even choose fashionable designs.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- In Vietnamese culture, masks are viewed as a sign of personal responsibility, not fear or sickness.
- It’s not unusual to see someone wearing one indoors if they’re feeling unwell — even among friends or family.
💡 Fun Fact:
There’s a booming market for UV-blocking masks and full-face coverings, especially for women who want to protect their skin while on scooters in the heat.
🇻🇳 3. Eating on Small Plastic Stools 🍜🪑
One of the most iconic (and charming) sights in Vietnam is seeing locals — young and old — sitting on tiny plastic stools on the sidewalk, enjoying a hot bowl of pho, bún chả, or a cup of iced coffee. It’s not just a habit — it’s a way of life!
🍲 Why It’s So Common:
- Street food culture is vibrant, affordable, and deeply embedded in daily life.
- Small stools and low tables are cheap, lightweight, and easy to set up anywhere, especially for street vendors.
- It creates a casual, social, fast-paced dining vibe that suits urban life.
🪑 What You’ll See:
- Whole families, groups of workers, or solo diners gathered on sidewalks or alleys.
- Vendors serving hot meals with full setups: pots, condiments, and chopsticks — all from a mobile cart or corner stall.
- The stools are low to the ground, sometimes barely a foot high, but no one seems to mind.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- Eating on the street is seen as normal, cozy, and often tastier than eating in formal restaurants.
- It’s also a way to connect with the community, and many people return to the same vendor daily.
💡 Fun Fact:
Some of Vietnam’s best-known dishes — like bánh xèo (sizzling pancakes) or bún riêu (crab noodle soup) — are best enjoyed fresh on the street, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with locals.
🇻🇳 4. Drinking Iced Tea or Coffee Every Day 🧋☕
In Vietnam, iced beverages are a daily ritual — whether it’s a refreshing glass of iced tea (trà đá) or a bold Vietnamese iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá). You’ll find people sipping these drinks any time of day, anywhere — from street corners to corporate offices.
🧋 Trà Đá (Iced Tea):
- Free at many eateries — served automatically with your meal.
- Typically green or jasmine tea, served over ice in a small glass.
- It’s light, cooling, and part of Vietnam’s no-frills hospitality.
☕ Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk):
- Strong, robust Robusta beans brewed using a phin filter.
- Mixed with sweetened condensed milk, poured over ice.
- Rich, sweet, and very caffeinated — perfect for Vietnam’s fast-paced mornings.
🏘️ Where You’ll Find It:
- Café culture is huge — from tiny street stalls to chic rooftop lounges.
- Locals often sit for hours chatting or working over one glass of coffee or tea.
- You’ll also see people carrying takeaway iced drinks in knotted plastic bags instead of cups.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- Drinking iced beverages isn’t just about refreshment — it’s social, cultural, and personal.
- Coffee breaks can turn into philosophical chats, business meetings, or quiet reflection.
💡 Fun Fact:
Vietnam is the second-largest coffee exporter in the world, and its café culture rivals that of Italy or France — but with plastic stools and a tropical twist.
🇻🇳 5. Respecting Elders Deeply 🙇♂️
In Vietnamese culture, respect for elders isn’t just polite — it’s a fundamental value rooted in Confucian tradition. From language to daily behavior, age plays a crucial role in how people relate to each other.
🙇♂️ How Respect Is Shown:
- Using honorifics and age-based pronouns when addressing someone older (like anh for older brother, chị for older sister, bác for uncle/aunt, etc.).
- Younger people often bow slightly or lower their head in greeting.
- During meals, the elders are served first, and younger members wait respectfully.
- When handing something (like tea or a gift), both hands are used to show courtesy.
🗣️ In Speech:
- “Dạ” is added before a sentence to signal politeness (e.g., “Dạ, con chào bác” – “Hello, uncle”).
- Children are taught early to never talk back or interrupt adults.
- Formal and polite language is used when asking questions or making requests to elders.
👨👩👧👦 In Family Life:
- Grandparents often live with the family and are cared for in old age.
- Decisions are often made with input or approval from the oldest family members.
- On holidays like Tết (Lunar New Year), the first people to be greeted are the elders, who give blessings and red envelopes in return.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- Respect is not just about age — it’s also tied to social status, experience, and wisdom.
- A person who disrespects their elders may be seen as lacking in character and upbringing.
💡 Fun Fact:
In Vietnam, when taking a group photo, it’s common for older people to sit while younger people stand behind them — another subtle nod to hierarchy and respect.
🇻🇳 6. Avoiding Direct Confrontation 🧘♀️
In Vietnamese culture, maintaining harmony and “saving face” (giữ thể diện) is deeply important — which is why people often go out of their way to avoid direct confrontation, criticism, or open disagreement.
🧭 What It Looks Like:
- Instead of saying “no” directly, a Vietnamese person might say “để xem đã” (let’s see) or “cũng được” (it’s okay) — even if they mean no.
- People often smile or nod in uncomfortable situations to maintain peace.
- Disagreements are softened with polite language or postponed until they can be resolved more privately.
💬 In Conversation:
- Avoiding blunt or emotional words — indirect phrases, softened tones, or silence are more common.
- If someone disagrees, they may change the subject, pause, or laugh politely rather than challenge you.
- It’s considered respectful to be subtle, calm, and self-controlled, especially in public or group settings.
👨👩👧 In Family and Work:
- In families, younger members avoid questioning elders openly.
- At work, criticism is often delivered indirectly or through a third party.
- Public embarrassment — even if unintentional — can lead to long-term tension or damaged relationships.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
This habit comes from Confucian values emphasizing respect, group harmony, and emotional restraint. It’s not about avoiding truth — it’s about delivering it in the most thoughtful and respectful way.
💡 Fun Fact:
There’s a Vietnamese saying:
“Lời nói chẳng mất tiền mua, lựa lời mà nói cho vừa lòng nhau”
= “Words cost nothing — choose them so they please others.”
🇻🇳 7. Sleeping Midday (Napping Culture) 😴
In Vietnam, taking a short nap after lunch is a well-accepted and widely practiced habit — not laziness, but a refreshing daily ritual for people of all ages.
😴 What It Looks Like:
- Office workers, shopkeepers, teachers, students, and even security guards take a quick nap after lunch.
- You might see people napping at their desks, on mats, in hammocks, or with heads down on tables.
- In schools, students often have a designated “nap break” before afternoon classes.
🕐 When It Happens:
- Usually between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
- Many shops temporarily close or reduce service during this time — especially in smaller towns.
🛏️ Where It Happens:
- Foldable beds, mats, or hammocks are common in homes and small offices.
- Even in big cities, employees may dim lights or use cushions to sneak in a 20–30 minute recharge.
- Some workplaces expect or encourage napping as a healthy productivity habit.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- Vietnamese people believe that a short nap boosts focus, digestion, and health.
- It reflects a balanced lifestyle — working hard but knowing when to rest.
💡 Fun Fact:
During summer, you might even see people napping on motorbikes in the shade or stretched out on a plastic chair in front of their shop — a skill locals seem to have perfected!
🇻🇳 8. Celebrating Tết (Lunar New Year) Intensely 🎊🌸
Tết Nguyên Đán, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is the most important and sacred holiday in Vietnam — far more than just a new calendar year. It’s a time for family reunions, spiritual renewal, and honoring ancestors, with weeks of preparation and deeply meaningful traditions.
🧹 Pre-Tết Rituals:
- Cleaning the house top to bottom to sweep away bad luck and welcome new fortune.
- Decorating with red and yellow, which symbolize good luck and prosperity.
- Buying peach blossoms (in the North) or apricot flowers (in the South), along with kumquat trees and red banners.
🎁 Key Traditions:
- Bánh chưng and bánh tét (sticky rice cakes) are made and gifted — symbolizing gratitude and family heritage.
- Lì xì (red envelopes) filled with lucky money are given to children and elders.
- A festive New Year’s Eve dinner is shared with family, often followed by offerings to ancestors at the family altar.
📆 During Tết:
- Most businesses and schools close for about a week or more.
- The first person to enter the home (called người xông đất) is carefully chosen — their fortune is believed to set the tone for the whole year.
- Fireworks, lion dances, and pagoda visits are common in cities and villages alike.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
Tết is a time to forgive debts, make peace, and start fresh. Elders give blessings, younger people show respect, and everyone avoids negative speech or conflict during the first few days.
💡 Fun Fact:
Instead of saying “Happy New Year,” Vietnamese people say:
“Chúc Mừng Năm Mới” (Happy New Year)
and
“An Khang Thịnh Vượng” (Wishing peace, health, and prosperity).
🇻🇳 9. Carrying Everything on Motorbikes 🛵📦
In Vietnam, the motorbike is king — and it’s not just a mode of transport, it’s a multipurpose powerhouse! From commuting to hauling goods, families, and even furniture, Vietnamese people have turned the humble two-wheeler into a symbol of adaptability and resourcefulness.
🛵 What You’ll See:
- Entire families of 3–5 people riding on one bike (yes, even with kids and pets!).
- Massive loads of fruits, flowers, building materials, or water bottles stacked precariously — yet somehow balanced.
- Street vendors using motorbikes as mobile kitchens or mini stores.
- People transporting refrigerators, wardrobes, even live pigs — it’s a common (and jaw-dropping) sight!
🚦 Why It’s Popular:
- Narrow streets in crowded cities make motorbikes more practical than cars.
- Cheaper to buy, fuel, and maintain compared to other vehicles.
- Flexible for all uses: commuting, business, delivery, family transport, and more.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- Driving a motorbike is almost a rite of passage in Vietnam — most people start young.
- There’s a deep sense of pride and skill in being able to maneuver, balance, and carry huge loads without incident.
- Despite seeming chaotic to outsiders, locals have a fluid, intuitive system on the road.
💡 Fun Fact:
Vietnam has over 45 million registered motorbikes — that’s nearly half the population — making it one of the most motorbike-dense countries in the world.
🇻🇳 10. Using “Dạ” and “Thưa” to Show Respect 🗣️🙏
In Vietnamese culture, how you speak reflects your upbringing, manners, and level of respect — especially toward elders and authority figures. Words like “Dạ” and “Thưa” are small but powerful tools in showing humility, politeness, and cultural grace.
🗣️ What They Mean:
- “Dạ” – A respectful “yes” or acknowledgment. Often said at the beginning of a sentence when speaking to elders or superiors.
→ Example: “Dạ, con chào ông ạ.” (Yes, I greet you, Grandpa.) - “Thưa” – Used to address someone formally before their name or title.
→ Example: “Thưa cô, em chưa hiểu bài.” (Teacher, I didn’t understand the lesson.)
🧒 Where You’ll Hear It:
- From children to parents, students to teachers, employees to bosses.
- In formal settings like schools, meetings, or family gatherings.
- Even in casual conversations, young people naturally add “dạ” as a sign of respect.
🇻🇳 Cultural Insight:
- Skipping “dạ” or “thưa” — especially in traditional families — might be seen as rude or poorly raised.
- It reflects Vietnam’s Confucian roots, where age, hierarchy, and social harmony matter deeply.
- Parents and schools teach this from a very young age.
💡 Fun Fact:
Even Vietnamese children are taught how to say “dạ” properly, with the right tone and posture — often accompanied by folded hands or a polite bow.
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