Vietnam Culture

The Hai Luu buffalo fighting festival has been held for 2 days (16th and 17th of the first lunar month) at Hai Luu village, Song Lo district, Vinh Phuc province. Despite of hot weather and high fare (30,000 VND), the festival this year attracted mostly 6,000 spectators.

According to historical document, this festival commenced in the 2nd century BC and it has been restored since 2002 after along time without holding in the past. It still contains many ancient tradition and includes 2 main part:ceremony and festival.

(more…)

The seal opening ceremony at the Tran temple in the northern province of Nam Dinh took place on the night of February 27, attracting the participant of nearly 50,000 visitors.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan attended the event and directly opened the seal.The event opened with a seal parade, and then the seal was distributed to nine pagodas, temples and visitors. (more…)

In the opinion of Muong ethnic people in Thanh Hoa Province, the first lunar month is the festival month. Many old people in Ma village have gathered at the communal temple, playing flute and drumimg gong to call for people joining the festival since early morning.

Drumming gong to open festival (more…)

The tiger is also known as the god of the mountain and forest and the king of all kinds of animals. For Vietnamese people, the year of the tiger often comes with significant events in the nation’s history.

In 2010, along with the arrival of a new spring, we are entering a new year of the tiger that reminds us of unforgettable events in the nation’s history.

(more…)

Hanoi is home to many traditional art troupes like tuong, cheo (traditional operetta), ca tru (ceremonial songs) and hat xam (songs of strolling blind musicians) but few are marketed well to tourists.

Only the Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater, which has three shows a day, is well known to tourists. Other theaters don’t have regular shows.

(more…)

Annually, HCM City’s “Ong do” (those who teach Han script and also calligraphers) gather on Pham Ngoc Thach and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai before Tet festival.

Pham Ngoc Thach has become the “street of ong do” for four years and the “ong do” must wear traditional costumes (ready-to-wear turban and ao dai). Those working on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai road look less professional, as some wear traditional outfits and some others even wear western clothes.

(more…)

Administratively speaking, the province of Dien Bien was created in early 2004 from the southern area of the former Lai Chau province (north of the Da River) and the town of Dien Bien.

Dien Bien Phu is now a modern and historical place with a blend of administrative buildings, modern hotels and cultural or historical sites, surrounded by a cluster of ethnic Thai villages. Tourists can enjoy home-stay accommodation there in a wonderful way to discover the Thai culture.

On our first night, my friends and I stayed at a private guest-house in the centre, but next day we decided to visit Men village, just 5km away.

The village is full of traditional Thai stilt-houses. It’s a charming and tranquil spot to enjoy fresh air and the whisper of the nearby stream.

The place is actually a more modern creation-I would prefer the truly rustic experience offered by a simple stilt-house with a thatched roof and a bamboo screen floor.

(more…)

Emperor Hung-Vuong had many sons. Some pursued literary careers. Others excelled in martial arts. The youngest prince named Tiet – Lieu, however, loved neither. Instead, he and his wife and their children chose the countryside where they farmed the land.

One day, toward the end of the year, the emperor met with all his sons. He told them whoever brought him the most special and unusual food would be made the new emperor. Almost immediately, the princes left for their homes and started looking for the most delicious food to offerthe emperor . Some went hunting in the forests and brought home birds and animals which they prepared into the most palatable dishes. Some others sailed out to the open sea, trying to catch fish, lobsters and other much loved sea food. Neither the rough sea nor the violent weather could stop them from looking for the best gifts to pleasethe emperor.

In his search, Tiet-Lieu went back to the countryside. He saw that the rice in his paddy fields was ripe and ready to be harvested, Walking by a glutinous rice field, he picked some golden grains on a long stalk. He brought them close to his nose and he could smell a delicate aroma.

(more…)

In Vietnamese business culture, suits and ties in subdued colors are the norm. Bright color of any kind is not appropriate.

The accepted style of dress for a business meeting in Vietnam is conservative – a dark colored, uncontentious suit and tie are customary for men. Women should wear conservative suits or dresses; a blouse or other kind of top should have a high neckline. Stick with subdued, neutral, colors such as beige and brown. Women must take care that their skirts are not above the knees; good quality jewelry that is neither ostentatious nor overly expensive, is recommended for making the right impression.

Flat shoes or very low heels are the main footwear options for women due to the emphasis on conservative, modest, dress in Vietnamesebusiness culture , especially if you are relatively much taller than your hosts. High heels are acceptable only at a formal reception hosted by a foreign diplomat

Jeans may not be acceptable casual wear for both men and women especially when you working with state company.

Vietnam has been joining WTO, and it opens a lot of opportunities to foreign companies who want to do business with Vietnam. With the Vietnamese economy opening up, more and more foreign companies want to invest in Vietnam. However in order to avoid cultural disasters which could make the wrong move in doing business with Vietnam, here are some tips on how you can conduct a more successful business in Vietnam.

The initial approach

Vietnamese business contacts are mostly referrals; essentially a business relationship is struck based on another business associate recommendation. The best prices and deals often comes from a strong recommendation.
However, it is common today for cold calls and direct contacts, given the availability of the internet and the competitive nature of Vietnamese businesses. You may source from the internet, trade fairs, catalogues and brochures, advertisements and approach the Vietnamese companies directly through a call or email.
Alternatively, if you are seeking to invest in a factory in Vietnam, you can approach Vietnam Chamber of commerce and industry (VCCI) or a business advisory directly. They will be able to advise you on your best location based on your industry, raw material and manpower needs.

(more…)