Contents
What are Best Souvenirs Ideas in Vietnam?
Everybody loves to bring something home that remembers them of the country they visited. Vietnam is no exception since there’re so many beautiful handicrafts and traditional things that you want to bring back home.
Souvenirs ideas in Vietnam are various, which sometimes make you confused what to buy.
If you’re not sure what to buy while visiting Vietnam, then you should check out this list of the top 11 souvenirs in Vietnam!
1/ Ao Dai – Vietnamese Traditional Costume
The first souvenirs idea must be Vietnamese Traditional Costume! The Ao Dai is a long dress and is worn by the Vietnamese women in Vietnam. This long dress has been a national costume in the country since the 18th century. The dress comes in three different styles and can be specially handmade for you at one of Vietnam’s specialized Ao Dai tailors. The Ao Dai we see today is tight-fitting, which brings out and flatters the women’s curves.
Nowadays, Ao Dai is only worn by men or women in special occasions such as festivals or formal events such as wedding, graduation…
Where to buy:
In Hanoi, you should purchase the material first on Hang Gai street in the Old Quarter or Cho Hom market. Then you could bring the material to a local tailor to get it made. Some famous local tailors are Van Phuc Silk Trade Village: Van Phuc, Ha Dong, Hanoi, Vietnam or Luong Van Can Street.
2/ Silk
If you’re a fan of silk fabrics, then you’re going to love Vietnam. Here you can buy scarfs, silk painting and suits or clothes with the best quality. In the country you will find silk fabrics with beautiful patterns, in different colors and sizes – all made on traditional hand looms.
One of the best places to buy silk is in Hoi An and also in Van Phuc (a silk village near Hanoi).
3/ Ceramic and pottery
Ceramic products are another popular souvenir which you can take home from Vietnam. Ceramic and pottery are a form of Vietnamese art. You can easily find here ceramic vases, lacquer vases and more such variety in a plethora of sizes, shapes, and colors. All these ceramic items are handcrafted by trained Vietnamese people who still rely on the traditional methods. Bat Trang pottery village and Phu Land pottery village are the most famous ones.
Bat Trang is the one closest to Hanoi City. The history of this village started since 14th century. Today, Bat Trang pottery village still produce bowls, dishes and vases for the domestic market and for export. It also welcome tourists to come visiting and experience making their own pottery product.
4/ Conical Hat / Straw Hat
Non La is a circular cone hat made out of bamboo cataphylls and is a souvenir you must bring back home. The hat is today a cultural symbol for the country where the style can vary from region to region. This hat is worn by the locals all year around, while it protects them from the rain and it also provides shade and protection from the sun. Nowadays, they are still worn frequently by farmers or used as an accessory when going to festivals and pagodas.
The conical hats are available in a large variety (some main types are “Non Ba Tam”, “Non Quai Thao”, and they could have different designs on them). Conical hat is a unique Vietnam gift restricted to only this part of the globe.
5/ Coffee
Vietnamese coffee is well-known for its preparation (drip coffee) as well as putting condensed milk or egg into very strong coffee (Vietnamese iced milk coffee, Egg coffee). The majority of Vietnamese coffee is Robusta, which carries a stronger amount of caffeine than Arabica and tastes a bit bitter. Combine these two and you will have a unique strong taste and thick brew cup of Vietnamese coffee.
6/ Tea
Together with coffee, Vietnamese tea has been a traditional drink for Vietnamese in household and society in general. Back in the day, tea drinking accompanied aristocratic work or artistic work such as appreciating nature, spending quality time with one another, composing poem, calligraphy… Nowadays, it is rather a popular drink could be found anywhere. Three most popular tea varieties in Vietnam are green tea, plain black tea and scented tea (jasmine, lotus scented tea…). This will make a great gifts for your parents or friends. High quality tea could be found in stores in big cities.
7/ Handmade Vietnamese Embroidery
Embroidery is an art that has been passed down from ages in Vietnam. Here they often use Chinese techniques, and to become an embroidery master it can take 8 to 10 years. There is a wide range of available hand embroidered products from painting, bed sheets, quilts, pillowcases, bed throw, place mats, napkins, table runners, cosmetic bags, night dresses…This could be the best gift for your mother and wife/girlfriend. If you ever visit Sa Pa, you can buy great embroidered clothes, scarfs, bags and purses from the different villages of the valley. If you stay in Hanoi, Old Quarter is where to buy !
Hope my article help you in findingg best souvenirs ideas in Vietnam!
1 Comment