This obsession is similar to the tanned skin craze in the West, only a bit more extreme. Spend a day on the streets in almost any city, you will find women covered from head to toe to not be exposed to sunlight (the “street ninja”). If you see any cosmetics ads while strolling, most likely it’s about skin bleaching products. This “white cultur...
© Written by Chau Tran for itourvn.com
Vietnam may have appeared to you like a traditional country in terms of clothes (Ao Dai), cuisine (Pho), or architecture (Imperial City of Hue). However, Vietnam is also a country with a wide range of traditional sports which benefit both the players' physical and mental health such as human chess, dragon dance, etc. This blog will take you through...
© Written by Chau Tran for itourvn.com
DMZ Vietnam Map in 1954 Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, or V-DMZ for short, was established in Quang Tri Province in 1954, surrounding the historically famous Ben Hai River and Hien Luong Bridge, to mark what goes down in Vietnam history and among the natives as the painful partition of the country. This blog will help you learn more about Vie...
© Written by Chau Tran for itourvn.com
Spiritual life is a complex and varied category about all the things and events that have not been able to be explained by science. Strongly influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, many Vietnamese hold a solid belief of the existence of things that humans cannot control such as destiny, time, life after death, karma, reincarnation, and mo...
Giving lucky money is regarded as one of the most interesting cultural practices in Vietnam. It has become an integral part of the Tet holiday and is still being well preserved from generation to generation. The Origin of Lucky Money in Vietnam Giving lucky money was a custom originated from China. Years ago, there was a couple who were over 50 yea...
Vietnamese zodiac has become both sacred and close to every Vietnamese people, from young to old. It is closely associated with the cultural life as well as the spirit of the Vietnamese. A long time ago, people in Vietnam often used the lunar calendar, instead of the solar calendar. Nowadays, besides using the solar calendar as most countries in th...
The first impression is always important, especially to the older Vietnamese generation; there is even a saying “Lời chào cao hơn mâm cỗ”, which means the greetings are more meaningful and valued than having a feast (a good meal is considered really important in Vietnamese culture). If you want to speak and greet like a local, learn some Vietnamese...
The majestic views of rice fields in Vietnam Rice is a symbol of Vietnamese culture and cuisine. Rice fields are not only the key food suppliers for millions of people but also ideal destinations for photographers and nature lovers. Thanks to the diversity of types of terrain, there are different kinds of rice fields in Vietnam. While the lowlands ...
Traveling in Vietnam can be a real challenge for visitors, especially the ones that have never experienced the tropical climate and did not grow up in Eastern culture. As long as you are well-prepared with all the Vietnam travel tips, your trip would definitely be enjoyable. Breathtaking landscapes, diverse cuisine, and cultural variety are waiting...
Vietnamese dishes are loved for their healthy and flavorful taste. Almost anyone who has tasted Vietnamese food commended the perfect seasoning, and this delicate, impeccable seasoning is also why Vietnamese often find it hard to adjust to the bland seasoning style of western cuisine or the strong spiciness or sourness of Thai and Indian taste...
Each religion or sect in Vietnam has its main spiritual center as a gathering site for followers on special occasions. As far as Lam Te Zen, which is a Zen school of Buddhism, is concerned, Giac Lam Pagoda is considered the most important Lam Te Zen place in Southern Vietnam and it is now an attractive religious place to both locals and tourists. A...
The moon has a special place in Vietnamese culture. Vietnam has many holidays, official and unofficial ones. Today we will discuss a holiday where the moon is the main theme, that is the Vietnamese Mid-autumn Festival also known as Trung Thu. The Origin of Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival Nobody knows for sure how and when the Vietnamese Mid-autumn F...
As one of the top cities to visit in Vietnam, Saigon offers many tours around the city. One of which is a Saigon adventure on the back of the bike. What is this tour about and why you should try it? Find your answers in the guide below. Why You Should Do a Saigon Adventure on the Back of the Bike "Saigon" is what people, both locals, and foreigners...
Most people know of the Notre Dame Cathedral - arguably the most famous church in Ho Chi Minh City. Surprisingly, Notre Dame Cathedral is not the most ancient one in the city. In fact, Cho Quan Church is the most ancient church in Ho Chi Minh City and is located in Chinatown. A Brief History of the Church In the 1700s, a large numbe...
Folk religion in Vietnam is a long-established Vietnamese religion that reflects the locals' life in the past and their beliefs in supernatural forces applied in daily life events. Therefore, this indigenous religion usually creates unique ethnic customs and becomes an indispensable part when it comes of Vietnamese traditions. Promoting human and n...
The lotus is an iconic flower of purity and appears in many ancient Asian cultures. This is a kind of special flower that people love and idolize, especially in Buddhist culture. The lotus symbol in Vietnam is the icon of Vietnamese characters and has interesting meanings in various aspects such as culture, arts, and foods. Check out our priv...
Family meals are the soul of Vietnamese culture, and they are regarded as something spiritual and so sacred to a country with over 4,000 years of history. Whatever kind of food, the family members always feel a cozy and respectful atmosphere when joining a meal. Meals help to connect people and show the best values. Wherever we get homesick, w...
Four mythical creatures "Tu Linh", which are called Long – Lan – Quy – Phung, are four sacred animals representing the tremendous power of the universe. They are believed to be created from the four main elements including earth, water, fire, and air. Their symbols can often be found in Vietnamese sculptures in pagodas, temples, cemeteries, and loc...
Incense has been invented and used for a very long time, about 6,000 years ago, yet the types of incense have varied widely since then and the process of making it remains very simple. Incense Alterations There are many ways to categorize incense, based on its smells, shapes, or ingredients. In this article, incense will be divided into two main ty...
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Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is famous for its diversity in a cultural combination of different ethnicities. Some areas have been established for a couple of centuries, and despite the developed modern world, they still keep their historical aspects reflected in many ways of life. And Cho Lon - the largest Chinatown in Vietnam - is one of the oldest, ...
