140 Secret Facts About Vietnam

140 Secret Facts About Vietnam

It is known as the American War in Vietnam.
Tortoise is considered to be a lucky symbol in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War or the Second War of Indochina was formerly America’s longest war until it was surpassed by the war in Afghanistan.
It had no clear cause and was started as a conflict.
It lasted from 1954 to 1975.
It involved the communist government of North Vietnam in alliance with the Viet Cong against the government of South Vietnam with support from the Americans.
It continued under the governance of five different American presidents.
It is broadly considered a mistake by the Americans, and a tragedy that could have been avoided.
It has been estimated to cost about 200 billion US dollars.
An estimated 2 million civilians and 1.3 million soldiers died during the war.
The two countries just recently resumed formal diplomatic relations in 1995.
Pho, the national dish of Vietnam is best served in Hanoi and is a must try for the travel and food enthusiast.
The street food culture in Vietnam is prevalent and is a must try for anyone who visits.
Vietnamese cuisine is generally known for its strict and often chossy vegetable choices. A chef preparing this cuisine in different countries prefers typically using ingredients from Vietnam itself.
Boiled rice is the most popular food in Vietnam, followed by 'Pho' which is a noodle soup.
Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashew nuts as well as its largest importer. Rice and Coffee are its two other significant exports.
The chefs here are artists. The art of yin and yang is applied even to the food with the contrast in spice and temperature of the food, thus cooking a delicious meal.
The Vietnamese believe in Three Kitchen Gods or Tao Quan, who live with and observe each family’s actions. They depart at the end of the Lunar Year to report their findings to Ngoc Hoan, The Jade Emperor.
Their cuisine is well known for its balance of the five Asian elements; spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet.
The principle of yin and yang is also applied in composing a meal, to provide contrasts in spiciness and temperature of the food.
Tiet Canh is a traditional Vietnamese dish made from fresh animal blood.
When cooking a pig, the entire animal is used including the innards.
Snake wine, which is made by steeping whole snakes in rice wine for their venom or essence, is commonly drunk for health, vitality and restorative purposes.
Tet Nguyen Dan (or simply Tet) is the most important festival in Vietnam. It celebrates rebirth and is an equivalent of the Lunar New Year.

Facts about Vietnam for Kids

They also have a “love market” festival that is observed to commemorate a tragic forbidden love story and to give modern-day ex-lovers a chance to meet on neutral territory.
Vietnamese traditional fashion is easily distinguished by the flowing robes (Ao Dai) and conical hats (Non La).
Their famous Dong Son drums are a relic of the sophisticated Bronze Age culture between 500 BC and 300 AD.
Water puppetry is another popular art form that dates back as far as the 11th century.
Construction styles vary from traditional stilt houses and Chinese style pagodas to colonial French architecture and thin tube houses.
Hoi An ancient town was a trading port from the 15th century that has endured up to date.
Motorbikes are the most common form of transport, and riders are fined by the authorities if found without a helmet.
Foreigners have the option of applying for a Temporary Residence Card, which is cheaper and easier to process than a visa.
Did you know that Vietnam is one of the biggest producers of cashew nuts in the world?
The country has a literacy level of 94%.
Their rate of unemployment is one of the lowest of all developing countries in the world.
School children are summoned by traditional gongs instead of bells.
Nguyen is the most common name in the country.
Vietnam owns about 20% of the coffee market share and is the second largest producer in the world.
Perfume festival or 'Perfume Pagoda' is the name of a festival celebrated in Vietnam. It involves prayers, dance and an adventurous journey along a river, through a cave and climbing hundreds of steps. This journey includes food offerings and is a colourful sight for viewers.
Due to the influence of the French, silk painting became very popular in Vietnam. These paintings generally depict the daily life, landscapes or historical events.
Traditional Vietnamese culture revolves around the core values of humanity, community, harmony, and family.
The My Son Sanctuary is a structural display of Hindu tower temples developed over ten centuries.
Hue’s royal tombs are a vivid portrayal of ancient royal art, architecture, and geomancy.
In religious construction, pagodas are for worship and offerings, while temples are built to honor historical figures.
Thu Phap calligraphy involves “blowing beauty into every single character.”
Quan Ho folk songs are love duets between male and female singers considered by UNESCO to be an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, Geography, and Landscape.
Rice terraces are planted that way to enable the crop to grow along the steep mountainsides.
Fansipan, also known as The Roof of Indochina is the highest mountain peak in the region.
The name of this country favourite as two different words, Viet Nam. Old tales suggest that the land originated from the union between an immortal Chinese princess and 'the Dragon Lord of the Seas'.
The Chinese and the European culture heavily influences Vietnamese culture, politics and art.
The capital city is Hanoi, but interestingly it is not the largest city in the country (as is the case in a majority of the countries around the world).
The world's largest cave is located in this country. What is interesting is that this cave, Son Doong, was accidentally discovered by a local farmer looking for shelter from the near future flash floods.
Son Doong can fit in the entire state of New York City and is known as the 'Great Wall'. This cave has been missing for 15 years since the farmer knew about it and had pearls as big as a baseball.
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, was initially named 'Thang Long' which translates to 'soaring dragon'.
It has 8 UNESCO sites that are either cultural or both natural and cultural sites.
They have an event called the 'Love Market' festival that is celebrated annually. Originating from a sad love story, it is now a place for ex-lovers who did not get married.
The world's largest cave is located in this country. What is interesting is that this cave, Son Doong, was accidentally discovered by a local farmer looking for shelter from the near future flash floods.
Son Doong can fit in the entire state of New York City and is known as the 'Great Wall'. This cave has been missing for 15 years since the farmer knew about it and had pearls as big as a baseball.
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, was initially named 'Thang Long' which translates to 'soaring dragon'.
It has 8 UNESCO sites that are either cultural or both natural and cultural sites.
They have an event called the 'Love Market' festival that is celebrated annually. Originating from a sad love story, it is now a place for ex-lovers who did not get married.
Lizard fishing is one of Vietnam’s most widespread hobbies.
Elephant rides are another very popular local activity often enjoyed by tourists.
The Dong Tam snake farm and the living museum was established in 1979 and is responsible for conserving the species and finding antidotes to their venom.
The tunnels of Cu Chi are a network of underground pathways that were used as a military base for the Viet Cong soldiers in their resistance of American forces.
The Forbidden Purple City is a walled fortress and palace in Hue that was only accessible to the royal family and their eunuch servants.
The Nine Dynastic Urns symbolize sovereignty and are each named after an Emperor.
Traditional Vietnamese wedding, one of the most important occasions in the country, they still follow a lot of old rituals. These customs are considered important in their culture, but in this modern age, they are combined with western and eastern traditions.

Facts about Vietnam culture

A grand celebration, the Hue festival is only celebrated in Hue City which is located in Central Vietnam. It is a celebration of the legacy of the Nguyen Dynasty and is filled with various traditions and rituals.
Vietnam has 50 national musical instruments and has rich forms of folk songs all across the country.
As the notions of different cultures, in Vietnam, it is considered bad luck to gift some handkerchief, yellow flowers or anything black.
Water puppetry is another popular art form that displays excellent storylines and is often used to display traditional scenes of Vietnamese life.
Due to the many colonial rules, Vietnam has had a variety of architectural styles that are now classified as hidden gems.
The Long Bien Bridge in Vietnam is designed by the same person who designed the Eiffel Tower.
All the health conscious people, Vietnamese food has a good variety of choices. Using fresh herbs, lots of vegetables and avoiding oil in their meals; their food is considered to be one of the healthiest cuisines.
If you are a caffeine addict, Vietnam can be your hub. It is the second largest producer coffee. With a large number of great coffee shops all over the country, you can try each place to decide the best for yourself.
A very unusual type of drink, known as the Snake Wine is served here. A somewhat popular drink, it is made by putting a snake or scorpion in a bottle and then pouring rice wine on top of it. If you visit, this is a must try drink.
The conical hat or the 'Poetical Leaf' often worn by peasants, is related to maternal love and the history of rice growing according to the legends.
The national costume of Vietnam is Áo Dài, a long gown with a slit on both the sides, was once worn by both the genders.
The second largest consumer of dog meat, they also have pigs and tend to use the entire animal, including the inner parts.
The people here consume more food than the people from the home country of noodle, i.e. Japan.
Vietnam has 30 different kinds of sauce and is the only country that adds sauce to broth.
They have 70 different kinds of herbs and thus give a variety of fresh, healthy and delicious meals.
Lizard fishing and elephant rides are one of the favourite activities in Vietnam.
People say 'yes' to an invitation even if they don't plan to attend out of respect for the host.
Legend has it that the peoples of this land originated from a union between an immortal Chinese princess and “The Dragon Lord of the Seas.”
The country’s name was originally spelled as two words, Viet Nam.
Their culture is a complex adaptation of Chinese, Japanese, French and American colonial influences.
In 938 AD, the Vietnamese developed a trade system to exchange animal skins, ivory and tropical goods for Chinese scrolls on administration, philosophy and literature.
The body of their first president Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho) was embalmed, and is on display in a mausoleum.
Their flag consists of a golden star with five points to represent farmers, workers, intellectuals, youth, and soldiers. The red background pays tribute to the bloodshed during the wars.
The Red River in the North and Mekong in the South are surrounded by extremely fertile plains on which most of the country’s crops are grown.
Vietnam is also home to the world’s largest cave, Son Doong.
The Bin Chau Hotsprings are hot enough to boil eggs.
The Perfume River is so named due to the scent of the tropical flowers that fall into the water during autumn.
Vietnam’s street food culture is quite popular and considered by many to be one of the best in the world.
Noodles or “pho” are the second most popular food in Vietnam, after boiled rice.
The Hoan Kien turtle is one in only four known living ones from its species.
Football is the most popular sport in Vietnam.
LGBT rights are getting more progressive, with a recent uplifting of the ban on same-sex marriage.
To crown it all off, the Ha Long Bay is of such scenic beauty that it was included as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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