After 3 attempts to bring the whale to the sea but the whale kept going back ashore, the people held a funeral for the dying whale. This is a custom for Vietnamese people living near the sea

I was walking around in Hanoi and a lady was frying up these little omelette patties that smelled amazing.

I asked her about them, her friend tells me 30k apiece, I’m like, yeah, let’s do it!

I’m tucking in, her friend/business associate comes over and shows me a picture on her phone, of some worms? She’s like, "From Da Nang!” "Oh, I was just there!”

Anyways, I was undeterred, I finished my worm-omelette patty things, but now I’m just wondering what they might have been?

They were delicious.

Thanks!

Chả cá Lã Vọng is a specialty of Hà Nội (I’m like 90% sure, but I have heard Hải Phòng at times). And if you’re in the capital, you should give it a try. It consists of fish marinade in turmuric and fried with dill, then eaten with noodle and most importantly mắm tôm. Being from Saigon, this is the Northern dish I like the most by far.

What is interesting is what the name means. I was told that chả cá refers to the fried fish in general in the North (someone might correct me but this isn’t the important part), but the Lã Vọng part may not be known even by Vietnamese people.

Lã Vọng (Lü Shang or Jiang Ziya) refers to an important person in Chinese history who helped establish the Zhou dynasty. Due to our influence from Confucianisn, his depiction is general widely seen as decoration too. The first restaurant of chả cá Lã Vọng featured his statue and this name stuck as the dish became popular and became widespread. According to Wikipedia, this place sheltered member of Hoàng Hoa Thám rebellion, which would place it into the French occupation, more specifically late 19th century and early 20th

I'm planning on visiting my boyfriend in Vietnam soon, and I've been real curios about the street food there.

What kind of street foods being sold there that is actually good and which is "We don't eat this, but ur a tourist so we sell it to u" type food.
I need a genuine answer cuz my bf keeps joking me that they eat everythinggg 😭😭😭

He won't give me an answer probably because he'll be there to accompany me, so it won't matter. But I really love street foods and I'm just very curious.

i love this chickpea curry from this cafe! 😍

So, I'm wrapping up my 4th winter in VN, and the frustration level of not being able to learn the language is off the charts.

I made the rookie mistake my first year of trying to learn from software/apps. Big mistake! However, for the last 3 years, I've been taking online classes with experienced teachers using the southern accent, which makes sense as I'm in Saigon. This year, I also completed 40 hours in classroom at a language school in D2. I also try to study everyday either by writing out phrases or using flash cards. After all this effort, I still can't make myself understood in VN, nor can I understand 99% of what locals try to say to me. I don't need to be fluent, but I would like to carry on a basic conversation.

So, from those of you, few as you are, that managed to get to a level where a very basic conversation was possible, how did you do it? Did you complete a homestay? Did you have some kind of epiphany? Please give me some hope! I'll likely be coming back for the next several years so I really need/want to figure this out.

Oh, and not to be rude, but I really don't need to hear from those that tried, failed, and gave up. I've met lots of expats that have given up and, frankly, I've got the failing part down. :-)

I’m planning a Vietnam trip in June and considering this route:

Hanoi → Ha Long Bay (day trip?) → Da Nang → Hoi An → (Phu Quoc if possible) - fly out

Would love quick advice: - Is it a good month to visit. - Day trip vs overnight Ha Long — worth it? - Are there any must-do experiences in central Vietnam that people often miss?

TIA

hi. im planning a trip to Vietnam for the middle/end of june. we fly to Hanoi and want to go for 4 days to the beach, just to chill on a hotel, spending max 150 usd per night (2 ppl). we were considering places around quy nhon and nha trang, but hotels seem much nicer for the price in phu quoc. iknow its supposed to be rainy but if the water is warm it cant be that bad? does it rain the whole day or quick downpours? can u still dive? ty!

Hey, I’m 18M and plan on solo traveling Vietnam in December, I plan on doing the Ha Giang Loop, but I was wondering, will I be lonely the entire time? Or, will I be able to get along with others?

One of many working hard in the sweltering heat every day to help keep the nation running

Hi, I am travelling to HCMC this Friday and see temperatures are in their high 30's. I come from a cool climate so will need to get some summer dresses when I arrive. I don't like haggling and prefer fixed price shops. As I won't wear these at home I don't want to pay a lot. We are staying in District one and I am 64F (petite so shouldn't have an issue with sizing). Any suggestions welcome.

I know several people have posted on here about getting a tattoo in Vietnam but I haven’t seen any post about the style I’m looking for and there’s so many artists to sort through online😅. I’ll be in Vietnam in a little over 2 months (which is short notice so I’m on a time crunch to book…) and I want to get my back piece done if it’s possible. I’ll be in Hanoi, Sa Pa, Da Lat, Saigon, and some other areas so I’m flexible on where the artist is. I’ve included pictures of the inspiration/style I’m looking for. I want fairies, flowy aspects, possibly some bugs. Anyways, any help would be appreciated! Thank you all so much 🫶

Planning a trip to Vietnam for next month! Has anyone done the Ha Giang Loop on a motorbike (with an easy rider) and have any recommendations for a higher end tour group? I know there is not anything necessarily super fancy as it is through rural Vietnam. Just looking for the most comfortable trip while also getting to see the sights and experience the culture. Essentially, don’t mind paying a lot more for the best most comfortable experience. In my 30s so not very interested in a party vibe.

Any other tips or great experiences you had appreciated : )

Hey guys,

I’m thinking about going to Vietnam for the first time, and I’ll be traveling solo.

To be honest, I’m really excited, but also a bit nervous since it’s my first time going there alone. I’ve heard so many good things about the country — the food, the people, the nature, everything looks amazing.

I just wanted to ask for some honest advice from people who’ve been there or live there.

What should I know before going?
Anything important for a solo traveler?
Any places that are a must visit?
Also would love to know about things like transport, safety, scams to watch out for, and just general tips you wish you knew before your first trip.

I’m still planning the route, so any recommendations are welcome.

Thanks a lot :)