Things You Might Not Have Known About Vietnam

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in many of us being stuck in Vietnam, unable to return to our home countries over the school breaks. Many of us have chosen to either travel within Vietnam or stay at home. So let’s take this chance to learn more about our host country since we are spending more time here!

Sheryl

Did you know that Vietnam has 50 different local musical instruments? Or perhaps you didn’t know that Hanoi was initially named ‘Thanh Long,’ meaning Soaring Dragon? Maybe you didn’t know that the Lunar New Year is celebrated in February. Reading this may help you gain a new perspective on our host country and learn a lot more about local culture and things you may not have known. So read on to learn more!

One of the fascinating facts that I found out about Vietnam is that the only place in Vietnam that snows is Sapa. The reason Sapa snows is because its temperature is low enough for snow to form. The snow usually falls during the time of winter, which is between December 15th and January 1 in Sapa. The snow will usually last for 1 or 2 days. This shows the very diverse climates and weather in Vietnam.

Sapa Snowing – http://www.absoluteasiatravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/trekkingsapa.com_.jpg. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

Ha Long Bay (UNESCO site) – vietnamdiscovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Halong-Bay-Indochine.com_-1536×864.jpg. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

The second interesting fact that I found out was that there are a total of 8 UNESCO sites in Vietnam. The eight fascinating sites are The Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, which is located in Hanoi, The Citadel of the Ho Dynasty located in Thanh Hoa Province, Complex of Hue Monuments located at Hue, Halong bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park located at Quang Binh Province, and Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh. These UNESCO sites are visited frequently, and they are UNESCO sites because of their beautiful sights and places.

Image from wixwebsite Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

The third thing that I found captivating was that the tortoise is considered a lucky symbol in Vietnam. In Vietnam, the tortoise represents longevity, education, and wisdom. There are many legends on the tortoise, which describe how the tortoise did many good things. Therefore, it is considered a lucky symbol. The tortoise can also be seen in many significant places, and there are even monuments that were built to represent how the tortoise is an important symbol. For example, there is a Tortoise Tower in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. This shows that the tortoise is a significant symbol and it’s very well accounted for. But sometimes the tortoise is viewed differently by other people from different cultures. Some other people might think that another animal is considered lucky to them. For example, some places in Asia believe that the fish, cricket, or crane might be a lucky animal to them. So it shows that the tortoise might not have commanded much reverence in their culture and beliefs but it is still a really important animal to Vietnamese culture. Different types of animals can represent many different things to other people.

Long Bien Bridge – http://www.hanoilocaltour.com/wp-content/uploads/Long-Bien-Bridge.jpg. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

The fourth exciting fact was that The Long Bien Bridge in Vietnam was designed by the same person who created the Eiffel Tower. This really shocked me because I would never have expected the Long Bien Bridge to be designed by the same person who designed the Eiffel tower. So this happened because of French Colonialism during the Vietnam War. This bridge was built in Northern Vietnam and is an excellent relic to many. When crossing the bridge, you can pass by beautiful natural surroundings. This bridge is still being used to this day and is greatly appreciated and admired.

Vietnamese Coffee – img.theculturetrip.com/1440×807/smart/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/rbjbdb.jpg. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

The fifth intriguing fact is that Vietnam is the world’s 2nd largest coffee exporter. This is not a big surprise since coffee is widely used around Vietnam and is one of the most valued Vietnamese beverages. Vietnam features one of the most varied selections of coffees. The annual coffee export is valued at about 3.2 billion USD, which shows the importance of Vietnamese coffee to others worldwide. Vietnamese coffee is not just valued and held with high appreciation by Vietnamese people but also by others all around the world.

Banh Mi – cdn.loveandlemons.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/banh-mi-sandwich.jpg. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

The sixth impressive fact is that Pho, Ao Dai, and Banh Mi are featured in the Oxford Dictionary. This was quite impressive to me since it shows the recognition of these traditional foods and clothing from Vietnam. There are also more different recognitions being shown to these significant Vietnamese items and foods. For example, Google also decided to celebrate Banh Mi to show appreciation for the unique and yummy food.

Trung – http://www.vietnam-culture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/trung.jpg. Accessed 2 Mar. 2021.

The last fun fact about Vietnam has to be that there are almost 50 different national musical instruments. These instruments help to create different types of music and sound in music, and these individual instruments help to enhance and enrich the songs being sung. These instruments are very versatile and varied. There are many different types of instruments like string instruments, flutes, drums, cymbals, and xylophones, all of which are varied and holds their own uniqueness. Some of the instruments are Dan Nguyet, Dan Nhi, T’rung, Tam Thap Luc, and others. These instruments are still used and accompanied by singing all across the country.

I hope after reading this informative article, you have learned more about our host country, Vietnam, and acquired new knowledge you might not have known before. After researching on Vietnam, I have also learned more about my surroundings and environment. Thanks for reading this!