Vietnam

Here are our Cultural Observations post for Vietnam.  As a reminder, these are not all "cultural" in the typical sense of the word and none are meant to be taken in a negative light, but merely just some observations from an observant family of travelers. 

When we first arrived in Vietnam, we found it charming and considerate that cars and the ever-present motor scooters would give a friendly “beep beep” as they approached—whether from behind or straight ahead. But as our time "in country" went on, the constant honking, especially in situations where it was clearly unnecessary—like when we were simply walking on a sidewalk—became a source of deep irritation, mostly for me. I honestly cannot fathom a logical reason for honking when there’s no real need. It seems to have become such an ingrained habit that it happens automatically whenever someone approaches another person on the road. For all the incredible aspects of Vietnamese culture, this is one tradition we won’t be missing.

Many businesses in Vietnam—at least in the places we visited—are small, family-run operations, often housed within the family home. The storefront is in the front, while the living areas are tucked behind it. But in many cases, the family’s daily life is in plain sight, so as a customer, you might see them eating together while you shop. More than once, we saw shopkeepers napping on a couch in the store, only stirring when they heard a customer walk in. We mentioned to our European traveler friends that this would never happen in the U.S.—you’d never see a store owner sleeping in their shop or their family dining in the next room – and they agreed that wouldn’t happen in their countries either. At first, this aspect of Vietnamese culture felt unfamiliar, but over time, I’ve come to appreciate it. Now, I find it endearing—a charming glimpse into the life of the shopkeeper that makes me feel an extra connection to them.

This is almost too cute to handle! In Vietnam, garbage trucks don’t just rumble down the street—they play cheerful music, much like an ice cream truck. Instead of leaving you with the usual impression of something ugly and unpleasant, they create an oddly delightful association. As they haul away the trash, you can’t help but think of delicious ice cream instead. I inquired about this and was told that in Vietnam there is often not a set schedule for garbage pick up so residents need to be alerted to the truck’s arrival, hence the music.  Apparently Fur Elise by Beethoven is the most commonly used song, but other cheerful melodies can be heard as well.

Rats, rats everywhere! And mice! And all kinds of other scurrying creatures. They were all over our Airbnb house and made frequent appearances in the restaurants we visited. Of course, Vietnam isn’t the only place with a rat problem—if you’ve ever been to New York City, those oversized “cats” you see in the subway and near garbage cans are, in fact, rats.

But here’s what stood out to us: we didn’t notice nearly as many rodents in Thailand, the Philippines, or Indonesia. And I have a theory. In those countries, cats roam freely, keeping the rodent population in check. However, in Vietnam—especially in the countryside where we were—you rarely see cats wandering around. Few people keep them as pets, as they have historically been considered a food source. No cats to hunt the rodents = a rodent problem.

Now, to be fair, cat (and dog) consumption is on the decline in Vietnam, and it’s more common in the north than elsewhere. But I can’t help but think there’s some truth to my theory. It’s hard to ignore the pattern—plenty of stray and pet cats in Thailand and Indonesia, yet very few rodents. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, we saw no cats… and a whole lot of rats. Coincidence? I think not.

As you bike or drive through Vietnam, it’s impossible not to notice the strikingly narrow, towering houses lining the streets. Ryan was the first to point it out, and soon it became a topic of conversation among our Worldschooling friends. Curious, I did some research to see if this was an actual architectural trend—and sure enough, it is. These buildings, known as “tube houses” (nhà ống in Vietnamese), are the result of a mix of historical, economic, and practical factors.

One of the most obvious reasons is limited land, especially in big cities—so rather than building out, people build up. But the most fascinating reason? Historically, property taxes in Vietnam were based on the width of a building’s frontage rather than its overall size. To minimize taxes, people constructed narrow but deep homes.

Additionally, this design ties into Vietnam’s work-life overlap culture mentioned above. Many of these buildings double as both homes and businesses, with shops or restaurants on the ground floor and living spaces in the back and above. It’s a smart and efficient use of space, and once you notice it, you see it everywhere.