What to Buy in Vietnam: 21 Souvenirs You’ll Regret Not Getting

A Southeast Asian country shaped like the letter S, Vietnam is most popular for its stunning landscapes and picturesque beaches. With emerald-green waters, limestone islands, white-sand beaches, lush green forests, rich history, and unique culture, a trip to Vietnam is nothing less than fascinating. There is no doubt that your trip to Vietnam would be laden with amazing memories and experiences. However, apart from this, you can make your holiday even more memorable by bringing back some souvenirs. From traditional souvenirs to handmade ones, there are many interesting things that you can take home from your Vietnam trip. Here is a detailed guide on the best Vietnamese souvenirs for everyone.

Best Traditional Vietnamese Gifts

Traditional souvenirs or gifts would give you the chance to take something that resonates strongly with the culture of Vietnam.

Conical Hat

Known as Non La, the conical hat is one of the most popular symbols of Vietnam. Originally a farmer’s hat, almost every hardworking local is seen to wear this hat, which protects them from both sun and rain. The hat is handwoven and is made using bamboo, bark, and palm leaves. Different styles of conical hats are available in different areas of Vietnam. The best part is that it is available in various sizes, making it an ideal gift for people of all ages.

Lacquerware:
If taking home a hat may seem impractical due to lack of space in your luggage, lacquerware would be a good alternative. Tracing back its roots to the 20th century, lacquerware emerged during the French colonial times. Lacquerware is available as bowls, plates, vases, wall panels, coasters, trays, jewelry boxes, compact mirrors, landscape art pieces, and more. It is made from natural resin extracted from trees, and it takes months to make these beautiful shiny products, which make a great prop for your house or a gift for your loved ones.

Bamboo Products:
If you want to gift a souvenir to a family member or friend who loves eco-friendly things, Vietnamese bamboo products are a good choice. A variety of bamboo products are available in Vietnam, including handmade chopsticks, trays, coasters, etc. You will also find bamboo lampshades, woven baskets, trays, placemats, furniture, and more here. Apart from being eco-friendly, these products are lightweight, durable, and aesthetically pleasing as well.

What is Famous in Vietnam to Buy?

Here are some of the most popular things in Vietnam that would make for great souvenirs.

Ceramic Pottery:

Vietnam is most famous for its handicrafts, ceramics being one of the best things to buy in Vietnam. While you can buy ceramics almost everywhere in the country, Bat Trang is the place you must visit if you want to know how these are made. Here, you will get to visit the artisans’ workshops, where you will be able to see how these beautiful ceramics are made of clay. You can buy ceramic pots, trays, dishes, bowls, and vases in a variety of colors and designs.

Vietnamese Coffee and Tea:

Vietnam is one of the largest producers and exporters of coffee and tea. Your trip to Vietnam would also include tasting the different varieties of tea and coffee in the cafes and restaurants. When it comes to tea, Vietnam is known for green tea, black tea, and lotus tea, while the iced coffee is a Vietnamese special. Buying packets of Vietnamese tea would be great souvenirs or gifts for your family and friends. In case of coffee as a souvenir, go for a coffee kit, which includes coffee beans, filters, and coffee making tools as well.

Vietnamese Spices, Herbs, and Seasonings:

If you loved Vietnamese cuisine as much as the place, bringing home some things that will help you recreate the dishes. The highlight of the country’s cuisine is its flavors derived from the spices and herbs used for cooking. So, bringing back some herbs and spices for yourself or as a gift is a good idea. A few of these include Vietnamese coriander, lemongrass, Perilla, Thai Basil, cinnamon, star anise, black pepper, cilantro, Tay Ninh salt, turmeric, etc. You can buy these spices and herbs from any market in the cities, towns, and villages in the country. Apart from this, Vietnamese fish sauce, a condiment made by fermenting salt and anchovies, is also something you must get if you want to recreate the authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Best Food Gifts from Vietnam

Food gifts are the easiest and most practical gifts or souvenirs that you can take to your friends and extended family.

Dried Fruits:

Dried fruits, also known as O Mai, are a specialty of Hanoi, and you must look them up when you are exploring the city with one of the Hanoi tour packages. In the markets of Hanoi, you will find sweet, spicy, and tangy fruits that have been dried and preserved in sugar, salt, chilly, and different types of spices. You can choose a whole variety of dried fruits, including mango, pineapple, peach, plum, apricot, coconut chips, kumquat, ginger, and more. Dried tamarind coated in chilly and green mangoes dipped in sugar are some of the delicacies you should not miss here.

Traditional Sweets and Snacks:

Food souvenirs from Vietnam do not stop at dried candies. In fact, there are several traditional sweets and snacks that would make for great gifts. Not overly sweet, these not only make for great desserts but also perfect pair as teatime snacks. Mung Bean Cake, Coconut Candy, Pia Cake, Sesame Candy, Scorched Rice, Banana Candy, and Coconut Candy are some of the authentic Vietnamese treats that you can pack and take home as souvenirs or gifts.

Vietnamese Chocolates:

Not many people associate Vietnam with chocolates. This is because not many know that Vietnam also produces cocoa like tea and coffee. The presence of cocoa production has given rise to homegrown chocolatiers that create chocolates using the bean-to-bar process. The result is rich, smooth chocolates with a variety of flavors, including fruity, floral, earthy, and nutty. Some of the popular chocolate brands here are Marou Faisers de Chocolat, Alluvia Chocolatier, Stone Hill Chocolate, and TBros Chocolate.

Best Souvenirs from Vietnam for Kids
If you want to take something for the little ones in your family and friend circle, here are some amazing options.

Vietnamese Water Puppets:

Water puppetry is a traditional art form of Vietnam, which originated in the rice paddies. Here, you will find hand-carved wooden puppets floating in the water while enacting a Vietnamese folklore. Watching this show is a cultural experience, one you must not miss. Moreover, you can also take a miniature water puppet home as a keepsake or a memory of this unique experience. Kids would love to add this to their toy collection. Some of the popular water puppets include farmers, buffalo boys, dancers, phoenixes, dragons, and more.

Bamboo Toys:

If you are looking for meaningful and useful gifts for kids, bamboo toys would be a good choice. Bamboo toys are traditional toys that are durable, lightweight, and eco-friendly. Toys made of rattan and wood are also available here. These toys are handcrafted, making them meaningful souvenirs. You can find spinning tops, push and pull toys, animal figurines, bamboo dragonfly, miniature bicycles, and more in the craft villages, markets, handicraft stores, and tourist shops all over Vietnam.

Vietnamese Zodiac Animal Figurines:

The Vietnamese Zodiac system is like the Chinese system, where every year is represented by an animal. These Zodiac animals are available in the form of figurines, each symbolic of the virtues and destiny the animal represents. This is a great cultural gift to give to kids (as well as adults). You can choose an animal figurine as per the birth year of the child. Different varieties of these figurines are available, including wood, ceramic, bronze, stone, jade, and more.

Best Souvenirs from Vietnam for Women
If you want to take specific souvenirs for the women in your life, Vietnam will not disappoint. There are plenty of souvenirs in Vietnam that would be ideal for women.

Silk Products:

Vietnamese silk is one of the best fabrics in the world, and what better gift for women than products made in this soft silk. One of the best gifts would be Ao dai, which is the traditional Vietnamese costume made in the finest silk. If you are not keen on this outfit, you can opt for silk scarves, shawls, dresses, pajamas, and even fabric. Home decor items like bed runners, cushion covers, and wall art are also available in silk. Always buy the silk from authentic sources like a silk village, where the silk is woven by skilled weavers who still use traditional handlooms.

#14 Jewelry: Jewelry is another thing that you can get as gifts for women from Vietnam. The country is known for its pearl farms, and it is the best place to buy high-quality pearl jewelry. If you are looking for some traditional pieces, Hmong Jewelry and Red Dao jewelry are some things you can check out. As the country is known for gemstone mining, you will also find several stores that sell jewelry made of precious and semi-precious jewelry like ruby, moonstone, sapphire, spinel, and more. Apart from this, you will also find plenty of handmade and bead woven jewelry here.

#15 Accessories: Jewelry and silk products are not only things from Vietnam that you can gift women. There are a whole lot of accessories that would make perfect gifts for women. Ethnic handbags made of cotton, brocade, and hemp decorated with handmade embroidery are a good choice. Handcrafted leather and even leather sandals are unique gift options for women. Folding umbrellas, hair accessories with traditional designs, and silk fans are a few other gift options for women.

Best Souvenirs from Vietnam for Men
Vietnam has some interesting souvenirs not just for women but also for men. Here are some souvenir options that you can take for men.

#16 Vietnamese Fruit Shirts: A quirky and fun gift for men would be fruit shirts. Just like elephant shirts are popular in Sri Lanka and Thailand, Vietnam is known for its fruit shirts. These are colorful and come in prints of different fruits, including bananas, pineapples, watermelons, and even mixed fruits. These shirts are available in different sizes. While they are popular with men, these shirts are in fact unisex. You can also buy shorts and even shoes with fruit patterns to match the shirt.

#17 Calligraphy Hangings: Vietnamese calligraphy or Thu Phap will also make a great souvenir for men. The elegant Vietnamese calligraphy is available in the form of framed artworks and wall hangings or scrolls. These not only look classy but also are considered to be symbols of good fortune. The messages on these scrolls or hangings are usually Buddhist quotes or Confucian sayings. It is the perfect gift to hang on office or home walls. You can also get them customized in some places. Calligraphy hangings are usually found near temples and pagodas.

#18 Wine: Vietnamese wine has a unique and distinct taste, and a bottle of this liquid is a great gift option. Made from fermented rice, the Vietnamese wine has different versions as per the region it is produced. The rice wine in the North of the country is smooth and mellow, while that in the central region is stronger. In the southern region, rice wine is often made by mixing fruits, herbs, medicinal roots, and natural aromatic flavors. You can buy wine bottled in glass flasks and ceramic jugs to make it look like a fancy gift.

Best Artwork Souvenirs from Vietnam

Vietnam is a country rich in art, and you will find plenty of art-related souvenirs here when you explore the country with one of the Vietnam tour packages.

#19 Lanterns: Lantern making is one of the most ancient art forms of Vietnam, and it is one of the best gifts to take back home as a souvenir. While these colorful lanterns are available everywhere, Hoi An is where you will get to see the best and the most beautiful lanterns. These lanterns are available in a variety of colors and patterns and are usually made with silk and brocade. The silk lanterns not just add beauty to a place but are also considered a symbol of good luck, health, and happiness.

#20 Paintings: Vietnamese paintings are another artwork that you should take home as a souvenir or a gift for your loved ones. The style of painting you see today in Vietnam is the perfect blend of traditional, old techniques and modern ones. The themes of these paintings include everything from daily life and landscapes to Vietnamese legends. But what makes these paintings unique is the different types of canvases used. There are Dong Ho paintings, a traditional folk art where the painting is done on ‘do paper’. Apart from this, there are rice paintings, silk paintings, as well as oil and sand paintings.

#21 Hand Embroidery: Hand embroidery is a 700-year-old art style of Vietnam. You will find an array of items with intricate hand embroidery on them, representing traditional motifs, daily life, folklore, nature, beautiful drawings, and more. Some of the hand embroidery items you can take home as souvenirs include bed sheets, handbags, cushion covers, garments, napkins, wall hangings, tablecloth, etc. These hand embroidery items are both beautiful and practical souvenirs or gifts to take back home.

Conclusion
There is no dearth of souvenirs and gift items to buy from Vietnam. The best part is that most of the items are associated with the ancient culture, heritage, and traditions of the country, making them ideal as a keepsake or memory of your time in Vietnam.