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Vietnam souvenirs: 13 Authentic local gifts to take home
Find out what the best souvenirs from Vietnam are, including robusta coffee, traditional Áo Dài dresses, bamboo crafts, and many others.
Visiting Vietnam is the perfect time to explore cities like Hội An, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh, but chances are you’ve got something else on your mind: what Vietnam souvenirs can you buy on your trip?
From Nón Lá hats to a strong robusta coffee, there’s a lot to buy in Vietnam.
This souvenir guide will help you choose what to buy before heading back home. We also tell you how a travel eSIM is your perfect companion to find traditional markets and other places to buy these.
Peace of mind before you fly
Set up your eSIM before travel and get unlimited data on arrival.
Traditional Vietnamese souvenirs
Every Vietnam souvenir guide should start with the basics: the traditional gifts that can only be bought there.
These items often have a strong connection to Vietnamese culture, making them ideal gifts for every traveler.
Silk products
Silk in Vietnam is renowned for being a pivotal part of the country’s culture and history, as it has long supported the Vietnamese economy and remains a cherished gift today.
In villages such as Duy Xuyen, Tan Chau, and Ma Chau, you’ll find some of the most beautiful, high-quality silk, like the lotus silk, and many products you can buy as the perfect souvenir.
Dresses, scarves, tapestries, accessories, and silk clothing are just a few of the items you can get as souvenirs from Vietnam.
Nón Lá (Conical hats)
Nón Lá hats are one of the most traditional symbols of Vietnam, originally used by farmers to protect them from the sun and rain.
These are handmade using palm leaves and bamboo, and in some cases, silk can be added, creating a more beautiful, exclusive design.
Plus, you can find different Nón Lá types, such as the Non Muoi, which is used in festivals or when visiting pagodas, and the Non Sau, used for daily life.
Bamboo crafts
Bamboo crafts are among the best things to buy in Vietnam due to their flexibility in creating various items – no surprise that many consider it to be the national tree!
You can find everything from furniture, housewares, bamboo bowls, baskets, hats, and even toys like the popular balancing dragonflies, all sustainably made.
Additionally, bamboo crafts have a rich cultural heritage, symbolizing Vietnamese resilience, unity, and strength. These crafts are particularly famous in villages such as Phu Vinh and Lien Khe.
Dong Ho paintings
These paintings from Đông Hồ Village are among the most vibrant and beautiful souvenirs from Vietnam you can find.
They are famous for their natural colors, the “dzo” paper, and the different themes that include Vietnamese culture, legends, and daily life. Dong Ho are also given as a way to wish prosperity and good fortune.
If you want to get a Dong Ho painting, one of the best moments to do it is during Tết, the Lunar New Year. But you can still find it all year round as Vietnamese artisan families are reviving this old tradition.
Lacquerware
Lacquerware is primarily decorative, but it is also crafted into functional items, such as bowls and trays.
These are made from wood and coated with a hard, glossy layer of natural lacquer, derived from Rhus trees. Alternatively, synthetic resin is used, but the traditional method relies on natural lacquer.
These are among the best souvenirs from Vietnam due to their durability in water and heat, as well as their aesthetic appeal.
Textiles
Textiles can’t be left out of your what to buy in Vietnam list. As the second-largest exporter in the world, textiles featuring traditional designs make excellent gifts for many.
These are handmade, and when visiting villages in northern Vietnam, you’ll find that locals have made this their way of living, creating unique, exquisite, and luxurious textiles that you won’t find anywhere else.
Additionally, these products often utilize local materials, such as silk and indigo-dyed hemp, which are commonly found in villages, to create unique pieces deeply rooted in Vietnamese cultural heritage.
Lanterns
Vietnamese lanterns are traditional items that come in vibrant colors, various shapes, and are deeply rooted in the local culture, with its own Vietnamese festival: the Hoi An Lantern Festival.
These lanterns represent things like luck, happiness, and hope, making them one of the best things to buy in Vietnam, especially those made using local silk for extra details.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about the lantern size, as these are usually foldable for easy transportation.
Áo Dài
One of the most beautiful Vietnamese souvenirs you can give to a woman is an áo dài, a traditional Vietnamese dress.
This dress is the national symbol of beauty, sophistication, and femininity. It’s an elegant, long dress with long sleeves and fits to the waist, and depending on the occasion, women wear these with palazzo-style pants.
An áo dài is one of the best Hanoi souvenirs, as they are used daily, but some elegant designs are saved for special occasions, like the Tết holiday.
Traditional masks
Masks in Vietnam are present for a variety of reasons, such as the Mind-Autumn Festival and the Vietnamese opera.
These masks are usually made with bamboo, palm leaves, and lacquer. But there’s a variation called Mặt nạ giấy bồi, which is made with papier-mache and depicts local characters such as Thi No and Chi Pheo.
Other masks, such as the Mặt nạ Hát Bội, make great gifts for opera lovers, as they are highly stylized representations of Vietnamese folklore. The Ka Dong Masks are ideal for those who believe in bad luck, as they are considered to ward it away.
Traditional Vietnamese food souvenirs
Vietnamese food is one of the best things to try on your trip, but chances are you can’t take a bowl of phở or cao lầu home with you.
But you can buy other things, such as sweets, tea, and the famous Vietnamese coffee, so let’s see some examples.
Robusta coffee
Vietnamese coffee is totally different from that of other countries. This species is called Robusta, and it’s mostly common in low-altitude countries, and Vietnam offers one of the best ones in the world.
This coffee has a distinct taste, characterized by its high bitterness, tobacco-like flavor, and woody aromas, which set it apart from Arabica coffee.
This is one of the best things to buy in Vietnam for coffee lovers, especially if they prefer espresso or cold brews.
Tea
Locally known as Trà, tea is one of the most popular beverages in Vietnam, especially the Trà Xanh, or green tea, and lotus tea.
But this isn’t the only type of tea flowers you can find in Vietnam, as jasmine and artichoke teas are pretty common there. These have strong fragrances and traditional Vietnamese aromas.
Vietnamese teas are the perfect gifts for tea and culture lovers, as they reflect the rich history of Vietnam and the specialty teas worldwide.
Sweet and snacks
Vietnam has various popular sweets, mostly based on a cake-like base, such as Chè Bắp, made with corn, Chè Chuối, made with banana, coconut, and tapioca, and Sữa Chua Nếp Cẩm, made with yogurt and sticky rice.
However, chances are you’re not taking a cake with yogurt on a plane back home, so you can try the Bánh Bò or the Bán Da Lợn, which are more travel-friendly.
Other Vietnamese snacks you shouldn’t miss out on include Ô Mai, made with local dried fruits mixed with sweet, sour, salty, or spicy flavors, or the Mè Xửng, a popular candy from Huế made with sesame and peanuts.
Spices
Vietnamese cuisine heavily relies on two things: spices and fresh herbs. If you want to take local flavors back home, these are the perfect gift for your to-buy list.
Ginger, mint, Thai basil, lemongrass, cilantro, culantro, and chili are some of the best spices to buy, and these work great for making phở back home or crafting your own Vietnamese chili oil!
Find the best Vietnamese souvenirs using Holafly
If you prepared your souvenir list, there’s one thing you can forget: having mobile internet in Vietnam.
Your best option is to use a travel eSIM, especially the eSIM for Vietnam from Holafly, which offers unlimited data for up to 90 days.
This eSIM includes up to 500 MB of daily hotspot data, 5G data speeds, 24/7 customer support, and wide coverage to help you find the best local markets to get your Vietnam souvenirs.
Peace of mind before you fly
Set up your eSIM before travel and get unlimited data on arrival.
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I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.
