Misunderstandings and problems can arise when two people don’t understand each other’s cultures, customs and language. In this article, we introduce a few basic tips which foreign tourists to Vietnam should know to avoid miscommunications and tensions due to different cultural backgrounds.

›  Vietnamese people are known for their friendliness, generosity and sense of humour.

›  They rarely lose their cool, so avoid losing yours. Raising your voice and arguing with someone in public is extremely embarrassing for all involved.

›  Despite the heat, locals dress quite conservatively and visitors are expected to do the same. Shorts should only be worn at the beach. Women wearing short skirts or tank tops are likely to draw unwanted attention from locals.

›  When visiting temples or pagodas, it’s respectful for both men and women to wear long sleeves and long trousers, or a long skirt.

›  Cultural taboos include public displays of affection, pointing or beckoning with your finger, standing with your hands on your hips, touching a person on the shoulder or head, passing items over a person’s head, passing items with one hand instead of two and not covering your mouth while using a toothpick

›  Always ask permission before taking a person’s photo. Don’t take your camera into ethnic minority villages – it’s considered an invasion of privacy.

›  Tipping is not expected, but it’s appreciated since many workers earn very low wages. Some hotels and restaurants add a 5–10% service charge to your bill, which counts as a tip.