Xin chào! Welcome to the Land of the Blue Dragon—Vietnam!
Vietnam is an S-shaped nation on the eastern edge of Mainland Southeast Asia. There are around 101,000,000 people living here, and while the capital is Hanoi, known for its ancient temples and French colonial architecture, the largest city is Ho Chi Minh City, a high-energy financial hub. The official language is Vietnamese, a tonal language that uses a Latin-based script.
Vietnam covers about 331,210 square kilometers (127,881 square miles). It’s roughly the same size as the state of New Mexico or about one and a third times the size of the United Kingdom. It features a long, narrow coastline stretching over 3,000 kilometers, with two major river deltas: the Red River in the north and the Mekong in the south.
The most popular sport is Football, with national team matches turning city streets into seas of red and gold. Their national animal is the Water Buffalo, symbolizing industriousness and the traditional agrarian lifestyle of the Vietnamese people.
The flag consists of a bright red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center, where the red symbolizes the blood shed during the revolutionary struggle and the five points of the star represent the workers, peasants, soldiers, intellectuals, and young people working together.
The food is world-renowned for its freshness and balance of five fundamental tastes. You must try Phở, the iconic noodle soup made with a fragrant beef or chicken broth and fresh herbs. Another favorite is Bánh Mì, a crispy baguette filled with pâté, meats, pickled vegetables, and cilantro. For a unique experience, try Bún Chả, grilled pork served over vermicelli noodles, famously enjoyed by Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama in Hanoi. You will also find Vietnamese Coffee, often brewed with a metal filter and served with sweetened condensed milk.
Vietnam is home to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring thousands of towering limestone karsts rising from emerald waters. The country features Sơn Đoòng, the largest natural cave in the world, which is so big it has its own internal weather system and rainforest. You can visit Hội An, a beautifully preserved ancient trading port lit by thousands of colorful lanterns at night. For a look at the country’s imperial history, head to Huế to see the walled Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City. Interestingly, Vietnam is the world’s second-largest exporter of coffee, and it is the global leader in the production of black pepper!
From the terraced rice fields of Sapa to the buzzing motorbikes of Saigon, Vietnam is a land of timeless charm and incredible speed. Cảm ơn! That means “Thank you!”