Blessed with rich cultures and traditions, Vietnam encourages travelers to take its treasures home through its souvenirs for loved ones, which go far beyond the usual key chain or fridge magnet.
Here are some of our favorite gifts and sustainable souvenirs when you travel to Vietnam:
1. Silk
Silk in Vietnam is made in traditional hand-woven frames. Made from the cocoons of silkworms, silk is plentiful throughout Vietnam and comes in a variety of beautiful products. You can find many types of beautiful patterns, colors and sizes.
Prices start at around VND 70,000 per meter. Silk below that price is originating from China and of questionable quality. Premium quality silk goes for around VND 200,000 per metre.
Silk can be purchased in any city in Vietnam but 3 best places are Hoian Ancient Town, Hang Gai Street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Van Phuc Silk Village (near Hanoi).
Source: kimtravel.com
2. Hand embroidery
The art of hand-embroidered pieces of clothing and framed silk pictures is one of the oldest Vietnamese handicraft traditions. Picturesque natural scenes like flowers, trees, animals, and birds are sources of inspiration for embroidery. In some shops, tourists can explain or sketch their individual ideas to the artist, who creates a personalized present for friends and family.
If you visit Da Lat, there is a workshop & gallery for marvelous and artful hand embroidery images upstairs in the central market.
You can buy a small hand embroidered product for around VND 500,000. For bigger pictures, the price can be VND 2,000,000 and above.
Source: Vietnamtourism
3. Ceramics and Pottery
Ceramic products have long been a typical souvenir of Vietnam. The idyllic life of Vietnamese people is exquisitely portrayed as painted illustrations on these porcelain cups.
There are a variety of ceramic products, including pots, bowls, plates, cups…which are very attractive and beautiful with different colors and patterns. All these pottery items are handcrafted based on traditional methods. Especially, if you have the opportunity to visit Hanoi, you should not miss visiting Bat Trang Pottery Village. Here, visitors can not only buy souvenirs made from ceramics at very cheap prices, but also learn by themselves and make ceramic products in their own style
Source: hoiantown
4. Conical hat
Non la is made of bamboo cataphylls which enchant tourists with its romantic adornments. The non la is more than an indispensable tool for people in Vietnam: it has become a cultural symbol.
Depending on the quality, these hats cost between VND 30,000 and VND 110,000 at the souvenir shops while you can pick one up at the local market for only VND 10,000.
Where to buy conical hat: Binh Thanh market (Ho Chi Minh city), Old quarter (Hanoi), Dong Xuan market (Hanoi),…
Source: Rainforest cruises
5. Coffee
Vietnamese coffee is famous for its flavor and preparation and can be found almost everywhere, from coffee shops and local markets to shopping malls and also at the airport.
Vietnamese coffee packs make for a great gift from Vietnam for family and friends back home.
Vietnamese coffee is very diverse; each coffee type has a different coffee flavor. You can enjoy it in coffee shops from sidewalks, small alleys to luxury coffee shops. To buy coffee as a souvenir you can consider one of the following famous Vietnamese coffee: Weasel coffee, Robusta coffee, Arabica coffee, Cherry coffee, Moka coffee…
Where to buy Vietnamese coffee: Hanoi is considered to be the epicenter of Vietnam’s coffee culture. It is also possible to buy great coffee in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, and the central highlands of Tay Nguyen.
Source: La Sinfonía del Rey
6. Guoc Moc (Wooden clogs)
Wooden clogs (guoc moc) were a sort of traditional footwear for men and women alike in the past. Being considered as quite old fashioned footwear, the real Vietnamese wooden clogs are hard to find. If you can find some around VND 150,000 then go for it.
Source: báo Phụ nữ
7. Ao dai:
The national garment of this southeast Asian country, Áo Dài are wonderful Vietnam souvenirs. It will be a surprising gift for your mother, sister or grandmother. The price of a set of Ao Dai may vary, depending on the design, material, quality and different colors.
Áo Dài can be easily found in tailor shops in Vietnam. Hang Da Market (Hanoi) is a good place to shop for ready-made Áo Dài.
Alternatively, if you’re feeling fancy you could purchase the material first and then take it to a local tailor and get it custom made.
Source: vovworld
Tips to remember when shopping in Vietnam:
>You should expect to bargain for the items you’d like to buy as souvenirs. This may seem strange at first. However, bartering is the norm in local markets and many other places across Vietnam.
>If you’re looking to buy more than one item, always ask for a deal or combined discount and the total price will be reduced.
>Do not bargain in the early morning. Vendors do not welcome any bargaining in the early morning as they think that may affect the business for the whole day.
If you plan to discover Vietnam culture, please contact us via [email protected] or hotline at +84 336 276996 for more information and inquiries.
