Best Souvenir to Buy in Vietnam

When you Travel to Vietnam, shopping is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local traditional culture. Do not forget to find unique handicrafts, food items, and apparel at very affordable prices. Whenever perusing through local markets, art galleries, and craft centre, it’s wise to take your time searching for good Vietnamese souvenirs and gifts to bring home for your family and friends. Bargaining (from 30 - 50% lower than the retail price) is a must for better deals as vendors often charge higher for tourists and even local people too. Locally produced coffee, conical hats and dipping sauces can be found in most shopping venues in Vietnam, but if you’re looking to purchase authentic Vietnamese silk, jewellery and antiques, make sure you’ve done your research and visit reputable brands to avoid getting scammed. Read on for our guide on the best things to buy in Vietnam.

1. Vietnamese Silk: Silk in Vietnam is made from the cocoons of silkworms using manual looms, and comes in a variety of patterns and colours. You can find plenty of fashion boutiques and souvenir shops selling shirts, ties, accessories, and dresses at relatively affordable prices. Unfortunately, counterfeit goods are very common in Vietnam, so the best places for authentic silk products are Hoi An Silk Village and Van Phuc Silk Village (about 10km southwest of Hanoi). A regular Vietnamese silk typically costs VND 70,000 per metre while premium fabrics are priced over VND 100,000 per metre.

2. Vietnamese Coffee: Vietnamese Coffee beans can be found just about anywhere in Vietnam, from local markets and quaint cafes to shopping malls and international airports. Hanoi is arguably the epicentre of Vietnam’s café culture, where you can get a 1kg bag of whole or ground Robusta beans for about USD4. With numerous branches in Hanoi, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City, Trung Nguyen is one of the most popular local coffee brands in Vietnam.

3. Pearl Jewelry: With about 3.260km of Coastline, Pearl farms are found in may coastal locations such as Ha Long Bay, Van Phong Bay, Nha Trang City, Phu Quoc Island,… Saigon Pearls widely known as the best place in Vietnam for authentic pearls and jewellery. Located in Nha Trang, this home-grown brand has several showrooms selling necklaces, bracelets, pendants, earrings, and rings at VND 3,000,000 upwards. If you’re not a fan of pearls, accessories made with gold and colourful gemstones are available as well.

4. Conical Hat: Buying a conical hat to bring home may seem novelty, but it’s one of the most practical items for travelling, especially during Vietnam’s downpours and scorching summers. Also known as non la, these hats have been around since the 18th century and are typically handwoven using bamboo, palm leaves, and the bark of Moc trees. Depending on the quality, conical hats sold at souvenir shops cost between VND 30,000 and VND 100,000 depends on Patterns.

5. Lacquer Ware: This is a traditional form of craftsmanship commonly used on furniture, dishes, bowls, vases and paintings, which takes up to four months to produce. There are several galleries along Hang Bac Street in Hanoi and An Dong Craft Market in Ho Chi Minh City selling high quality lacquer ware at reasonable prices, many of which depicting mythical creatures and the daily lives of the Vietnamese. Prices typically start at VND 200,000 for a saucer-sized product while lacquer paintings cost VND 2,000,000 upwards.

6. Hand Embroidery Painting: Hand embroidery in Vietnam often depicts natural scenes and wildlife, though travelers can visit prominent craft centre and embroidery shops to have their very own personalized designs. Our favourite place for quality embroidery is XQ Hand Embroidery in Nha Trang, which specializes in silk apparel and hand-embroidered portraiture. It is built to resemble a Vietnamese village home (complete with a garden courtyard), where you can see locals in traditional clothes working on new pieces around the store. You can purchase a pre-made item for about VND 500,000, but if you have time, you can also have your portrait embroidered at the shop.

7. Vietnam Propaganda Posters: Propaganda posters were used by Ho Chi Minh and the northern Vietnam government in efforts of rallying the troops and raising the spirits of the local population. Often painted on walls, trees and large vehicles during the Vietnam War, these artworks feature colourful imagery and powerful slogans. You can easily find reproductions of propaganda posters in several art galleries along Hanoi’s Hang Bac Street, costing between VND 500,000 and VND 800,000.

8. Traditional Ao Dai Costume: Ao Dai (Long Dress), widely regarded as Vietnam’s national costume for women, consists of a long tight-fitted dress that’s worn over slacks in contrasting colors. Although ready-made Ao Dai can be found in tourist-friendly markets and fashion boutiques, some travelers may require the service of a local tailor to get your costume fitted according to their body type. Hoi An is renowned its professional tailoring services, where you can choose from an extensive collection of fabric and have your very own custom-made aoi dai for about VND 700,000 to VND 1,500,000.

9. Vietnamese Lanterns: Vietnamese lanterns is an outcome of a huge integration with Chinese through trading and culture exchange. Even though the lanterns in Vietnam are influenced by the Chinese designs and function, it does not mean the two lantern cultures are the exact same. The article below reveals an interesting fact about the history and its meaning the landscape of Vietnamese culture, as well as the two best cities where you can find the most glamorous lanterns in Vietnam.

10. Snake Wine (Ruou Ran): Snake Wine is undeniably common in Vietnam, and is produce by infusing whole snakes (mostly venomous ones) in a glass jar of rice wine. A popular novelty item among backpackers, you can find one sold at most markets (Binh Tay Market) and touristy shops for about USD25.

Locals believe that drinking snake wine helps increase one’s virility and alleviate rheumatism, though those claims have yet to be verified by professionals.

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See Also:

• Meaning of Lucky Money in Vietnamese New Year
• Vietnamese Zodiac & Element: Signs of 12 Animals
• Best Time to Go to Vietnam to Avoid Bad Weather
• The List of 10 Best Beaches for Holiday in Vietnam
• The List of 10 Best Places Not to Miss in Viet Nam
• The 10 Best Vietnamese Cuisine Not to Be Missed