Vietnam Going Out
Food and Drink
National specialities:
• Breakfast is often congee (rice porridge) or a meaty noodle soup locally known as pho.
• Nem (spring rolls: pork mixed with noodles, eggs and mushrooms wrapped in rice paper, fried and served hot).
• Banh chung (glutinous rice, pork and onions wrapped in large leaves and cooked for up to 48 hours, to be eaten cold at any time).
• nuoc mam (Vietnamese dishes are not complete without this fermented fish sauce).
• Bun cha, (grilled pork, cold rice noodles, deep fried rolls and a big bowl of salad leaves).
National drinks:
• Green tea is refreshing and available everywhere. Lotus tea is an important ritual and strong in caffeine.
• The French culinary legacy embraces rich, fresh, filter coffee, usually brewed on the table in front of the customer.
• Bia Hoi (local draught beer available at street stalls everywhere. It is not only cheap, but free of additives.)
• Rice wine is also a favourite throughout the country. It is generally extremely potent.
Tipping: Tipping is now quite customary, especially in tourist areas. Upscale restaurants and hotels may add a 5 to 10% service charge to the bill.
Nightlife
Government restrictions mean that venues are unable to stay open very late and there are occasional police raids should a bar flout the unspecified regulations. Imported drinks are considerably more expensive than local ones, and alcohol sold in the more upmarket places is even more expensive again. There is never any entrance fee to bars, but nightclubs generally charge around US$5. The dress code is very relaxed with no restrictions on jeans or trainers. Gambling is illegal in Vietnam for the Vietnamese but is allowed by foreign passport holders.
Shopping
Ben Thanh market in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Xuan market in Hanoi are worth a visit. Local specialities include lacquer painting, reed mats, embroidery, tailor-made ao dais (female national costume) and mother-of-pearl inlay on ornaments and furniture, not to mention the ubiquitous conical hat. Water puppets are also popular and great cheap souvenir.
The hill tribes of the Central Highlands and the north of the country now sell colourful woven bags and clothing, often from cooperatives of women workers. Good souvenirs are marble figurines and vases, ceramics from Bat Trang village, silk paintings and hand-painted greetings cards. VAT is included on most items sold, but at the moment there is no system for foreign visitors to be able to claim this back. Bargaining is expected in markets and many souvenir shops.
Shopping hours: Daily 0800-2100.
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