Vietnamese Culture and Customs: Etiquette for Visitors

Vietnamese culture and customs rest on three ideas: family comes first, age earns respect, and nobody should lose face in public. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog explains those ideas, then covers greetings, temples and homes, what is rude, gifts and dining, and traditions you may see on your trip.

Vietnamese people are generally tolerant of visitors' mistakes and appreciate any effort to follow local ways. Knowing the basics makes the trip smoother; if you still need a visa, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online.

Dos and don'ts at a glance:

These Vietnam dos and don'ts make more sense once you know the values behind them.

Vietnamese culture and customs: family, age and face

Family is the center of Vietnamese life, with several generations often living together and ancestors honored at a family altar at home. Respect for age shapes how people speak, eat and decide.

"Face" means a person's dignity and reputation. Open criticism, public anger or embarrassing someone in front of others costs face for both sides. That is why problems are often handled quietly, with a smile, and why calm, polite persistence works better than confrontation.

Greetings and forms of address

Vietnamese greetings are simple: "xin chao" (hello) with a smile and a slight nod. Handshakes are common between men in business; with women, wait for them to offer a hand.

Vietnamese uses family words to address people by relative age, such as "anh" for an older man and "chi" for an older woman. You do not need to master them; a smile and "xin chao" are enough. Greet the oldest person in a group first.

Temples, pagodas and homes

Temples, pagodas and homes are places to show respect. Cover shoulders and knees, take off shoes where others have, and speak quietly.

Do not touch statues or offerings, and walk around, not in front of, people praying. In homes, wait to be shown where to sit, and accept a drink if offered, even if you only sip it. Ancestral altars are sacred, so do not place things on them or photograph them without asking.

What is rude in Vietnam

What is rude in Vietnam often involves the head, the feet or public anger. The head is considered the most important part of the body, so avoid touching anyone's head, even a child's.

Do not point your feet at people or altars, or beckon with a raised finger; use your whole hand, palm down. Public displays of affection beyond holding hands are frowned on in rural areas. Compliments on babies can be thought to attract bad luck. Our Vietnam travel tips cover local laws as well.

Gifts and dining

Small gifts are welcome when visiting a home: fruit, tea, sweets or something from your country, wrapped in bright colors. Give and receive gifts with both hands.

At meals, wait for the oldest person to start eating, share dishes from the middle, and let your host refill your bowl. Leaving a little food shows you have had enough. Our Vietnamese food guide covers table manners in more detail. Two traditions often surprise visitors: weddings and folk arts.

Traditions you may see

Weddings and folk performances are the traditions travelers most often see. Here is what to know about each.

Weddings

Vietnamese wedding traditions include an engagement ceremony when the groom's family brings gifts on red trays to the bride's home, and a large reception afterward. Brides often wear a red or white ao dai for the ceremony. If invited, bring cash in an envelope rather than a gift.

Folk arts

Vietnamese folk arts include water puppetry, ca tru chamber singing and Dong Ho woodblock prints. Hanoi has regular water puppet shows, and festivals often feature folk singing; our Vietnam festivals calendar lists the main ones.

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