Did you know those 9 fun facts about Vietnam?

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Wifi is everywhere in Vietnam? Vietnamese people roast oysters with cheese? People put ice into their beer in Vietnam? Is it all true?

Table of Contents

Fun facts about Vietnam is one of the interesting topics that many people are curious about. Today I would like to reveal the 10 fun facts that make Vietnam unique from the rest of the world.

1. Wifi is everywhere in Vietnam

Wifi is everywhere in Vietnam
Wifi is everywhere in Vietnam, even on streets

The first interesting fact about Vietnam is that in big cities, wifi is almost everywhere. From restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, cafeterias, pizzerias, and even in small street food stores, you are able to access to wifi.

It’s not only about quantity but quality. Apart from a few exceptional times, the internet connection is strong and remains pretty stable.

So when you are in Vietnam, you could be well connected with the other parts of the world, with your family and friends thanks to this amazing internet connection.

2. Dense nests of electric wires everywhere in Vietnam

Dense power nests in Vietnam
Power lines and telecommunications cables are tangled and suspended all over the streets and alleys in Hanoi, Vietnam - Source: Dantri

The criss-cross power lines everywhere make Vietnam very exotic. It likes spider nests or anything else you can name for it. This makes the vision less beautiful, a bit messy, disorganised, and sometimes insecure.

By time these dense nests of electric wires become a familiar image that you can easily associate with Vietnam. We are not proud of this identity but it’s a part of the country.

Believe me or not, but there are many T-shirts are produced with this image and sold to foreign tourists as a souvenir. And you know what? Travelers like it!

3. The Vietnamese often put ice into our beer

The Vietnamese drink beer with some ice
The Vietnamese drink beer with some ice. Do you see some ice in the glasses?

This interesting fact about Vietnam could sound weird to you but yes, we often drink beer with some ice inside. And we love it!

A study has been made on 682 beer drinkers in Vietnam, revealing that 75% of them regularly have ice cubes in their beer. 

Would like to know the reasons behind this, check it out Why do Vietnamese people put ice in their beer?

4. People usually cheer whenever we drink a sip in Vietnam

Drinking culture in Vietnam
People often cheer before drinking - Source: Habeco

Instead of cheering one time at the beginning or sometimes during the party, the Vietnamese cheer almost every time we take a sip. The more we cheer, the better it is.

You may find it a bit odd and annoying. It seems like you have to announce to everybody “hey guys let’s drink because I want to drink now”, it’s too collective. Well you can definitely drink without cheering but you might not have a lot of fun 🙂

I find this fun fact about Vietnam is a bit familiar with the way French people kiss to say hello when they come to a party.

If there are 30 people already there, you need to kiss every single person just to say hello. I think you need to make more effort for this than just cheering before you drink. Agree?

5. Vietnamese cheering “1-2-3 dô!”

Cheering “1-2-3 dô!” in Vietnam
We clink glasses and cheer “1-2-3 dô!” before drinking in Vietnam - Source: Bestie

Apart from clinking glasses and looking at each other, we should cheer “1-2-3 dô!” (literally translated as 1-2-3 drink) before drinking in Vietnam.

Especially when we are in a state which we call “drunk”, we want to do it even louder and more often. So don’t be surprised if you are in a restaurant and hear “1-2-3 dô!” all of the time.

By the way, if you have a chance to drink with locals, you should try it. It could help you get in easier and more included with the team.

6. People roast oysters with cheese in Vietnam

Grilled oysters with cheese
Vietnamese people grill oysters with cheese, very yummy 🙂 Source: Set Buffet

There are many ways to enjoy oysters in Vietnam. We eat it raw as the way many Western people do. We are also passionate about eating this seafood  by roasting it with cheese.

When I introduced this recipe to my international friends, they found it so weird. With them, this way of eating oysters destroys the taste of these two amazing ingredients: oyster and cheese.

Personally, this combination is very yummy. The juiciness of the oysters and the melted fat of the cheese will delight your senses perfectly.

If you are still in doubt, maybe you should give it a try.

7. Chicken feet are a Vietnamese specialty

Chicken feet soaked in a sauce of lemongrass, green kumquat and chili
Chicken feet soaked in a sauce of lemongrass, green kumquat and chili. Source: Tú Lê Miền Tây

The Vietnamese eat almost every part of a chicken, especially dishes made of chicken feet are delicious. 

With many people, there’s not much left on chicken feet to eat, they are just bones and skin. But with us, it’s a specialty for drinking parties.

We marinate it with our favorite spices and then cook it with different methods such as baking, boiling, steaming, etc. The outcome is tasty and amazing.

Writing it down and picturing this specialty makes my mouth water 😋

In Vietnam, this special dish is drinking bait. Having some “Chân gà ngâm xả ớt” (Chicken feet soaked in a sauce of lemongrass, green kumquat and chili) would make a party much greater.

8. The Vietnamese are very skillful with squat

People squat in a local market in Vietnam
People squat "ngồi chồm hổm" in a local market in Vietnam

Squat, I mean the sitting position, not a sports posture. In Vietnamese we call it “ngồi chồm hổm”. Actually I did not realize this “talent” until I came to France.

I don’t remember exactly how and when this way of sitting became popular in Vietnam, especially rural areas. We “squat” to wait for trains, cars, selling goods, resting, cooking, playing, eating, and even when we are answering a call from nature in the toilets, etc.

It’s very easy for us to squat. Vietnamese people can sit like this for hours. Imagine that if I have a chance to challenge Captain America, I believe that he can do it all day :). However, with my French friends, it is not a piece of cake at all.

One time I played with my cat in this position, my friends told me it looked amazing. They tried it many times but could not keep it longer than 10 seconds.

9. The Vietnamese karaoke all the time

Karaoke is one of the most popular entertainments in VietnamSince I came to France, I have barely found a karaoke place like in my country. It seems that French people are not big fans of Karaoke like the Vietnamese.

Vietnamese people love karaoke
We love karaoke, we enjoy it with our friends, colleagues, and family. Btw, do you see me in this picture? 🙂

In my country, karaoke bars are everywhere from North to South. It’s normally equipped with a good sound system and mics. There are also many individuals and families who have their own Karaoke at home so that they can sing whenever they want.

Personally, I love this form of entertainment, and so do my friends and family. It is a great way to sing our favorite songs, to dance with our beloved ones, and sometimes just simply yell to release.

You don’t need to have a good voice to sing Karaoke, just be yourself, be silly, be funny, be foolish with this entertainment. No one judges you!

Over to you

Have you heard these fun facts about Vietnam before? What fact do you like the best? 

If you know other interesting facts about my country, don’t hesitate to share with me in the comment below. Via this article, I hope that you get to know something new about Vietnam.

Many articles in the Vietnamese Life series will be published soon. So, stay tuned!

If you would like to stay updated with the latest content, ensure to subscribe to the AMA Vietnam blog today 🙂

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