Along every village road and urban street, Vietnam unfolds through ancient traditions still thriving today. To fully experience this country, you need to learn about the Traditional habits of Vietnam, from honoring ancestors and celebration rituals such as Tet Nguyen Dan, to day-to-day attitudes toward respect and community. These Vietnamese traditions get at the essence of Vietnamese culture, providing visitors with not merely points of interest, but richer significance to experience. Learn about Vietnamese culture and embark on an experience molded by spirit, family, and enduring legacy.
One of the best-known and longest-running Traditions of Vietnam is the worship of ancestors. It is built on the belief that dead family members continue to care for the living, and the living return the favor with offerings and prayers.
This practice transcends religion—it is an expression of deep family ties, thanksgiving, and responsibility towards ancestry. It is an integral part of Vietnamese society and instills the new generation with the value of family commitment, respect, and continuity.
Ancestor Worship (Sours: vov)
The most significant festival in Vietnam is Tet Nguyen Dan, or Lunar New Year. It is the traditional celebration in Vietnam marking the change from the old and new lunar calendar and signaling a new start for all the families in the country.
Tet is not merely a holiday, it is the time when Vietnamese individuals head back home, connect with family members, and relate to the roots of their culture. It symbolizes the balance of Vietnamese traditions, deference for the past, happiness in the present, and optimism for the future.
Tet Holiday (Sours: thaibinhgov)
One other interesting Vietnamese Traditional practice is the burning of votive paper, popularly referred to as giay vang ma. It is an act in which individuals burn paper-made items such as cash, homes, clothing, and even vehicles to send them to deities or ancestors in the afterlife.
This is an ancient practice based on beliefs in an animistic nature, in which all objects possess souls and life after death. When these things get burnt, the Vietnamese indicate love, affection, and ongoing care for the deceased.
It is among the most poignant and visually stunning ceremonies among Vietnamese traditions, where family, religion, and heritage unite in act.
Burning Votive Paper (Sours: dantri)
In the initial days of Tet Nguyen Dan, you’ll see something incredibly lovely: Vietnamese crowds going to pagodas and temples, all in respectable attire and bearing offerings. It is not merely tradition—instead, it’s a sacred method of starting the year anew in clarity, appreciation, and spiritual rejuvenation.
It is a favorite time-honored Vietnamese tradition to visit a pagoda at the beginning of the lunar new year. Individuals visit the pagoda to pray for happiness, good health, prosperity, and peace in their home and work life. It is an opportunity to leave the stress behind and approach the new year with an open heart.
Such rituals mirror the rich spiritual life that characterizes many Vietnamese traditions.
When you intend to go to a pagoda, remember:
This serene practice provides an authentic method for gaining insight into the essence of Vietnamese culture.
Visiting Pagodas at the Start of the Year (Sours: suckhoedoisong)
A single traditional Vietnamese practice stands out in the business community: worshiping the God of Wealth, Than Tai. In local belief, Than Tai brings good fortune, desirable customers, and guarding power into any shop, restaurant, or company that pays the proper respect.
This Vietnamese practice is pervasive enough that most Vietnamese establishments have a small altar for Than Tai at the front door.
On this day, referred to as “Ngay via Than Tai,” proprietors rise early in the morning to:
This vibrant ritual intermingles religious life with hopes for economic success, reflecting the depth with which the Vietnamese incorporate practical life and faith.
God of Wealth Worship (Sours: vincom)
A Vietnamese wedding ceremony isn’t simply an occasion—it is an elaborate celebration steeped in symbolism, honor, and emotional profundity. Underpinned by Confucianism and local custom, the Vietnamese wedding is still among the most endearing Traditional customs of Vietnam.
This rich, meaningful tradition underscores the value placed on family and community in Vietnamese culture. It is not merely a celebration—it is an intertwining of legacies.
Traditional Wedding Rituals (Sours: anhieuwedding)
At the midnight mark on Tet Nguyen Dan, Vietnamese families conduct the poignant and sacred Traditional ritual, Cung Giao Thua. It is the celebration signaling the breakup of the old and the ushering in of the new, and it is the point in the evening when Vietnamese bid the past farewell symbolically and invite new blessings in.
Both altars are properly arranged with fruits, steamed chicken, incense, rice wine, and flowers, usually in the form of ceremonial “Mam Co".
As the firecrackers illuminate the evening sky, silent prayers are said in expectation. Individuals express gratitude to the deities for having protected them in the preceding year and seek peace, prosperity, and good health in the new year. It is an emotionally charged moment, imbued with feelings, familial bonding, and spiritual introspection.
It is an ancient Vietnamese tradition that reflects the essence of Vietnamese culture: harmony with humans, ancestors, nature, and the divine.
Cung Giao Thua (Sours: vietnamnet)
Typically occurring in early April, Tet Thanh Minh is the lesser-known yet far richer Traditional practice of Vietnam. Otherwise referred to as the Festival of Visiting the Graves, it is when families travel back to their ancestors’ graves to cleanse, mend, and pray—a symbol of ongoing respect and remembrance.
Typical practices are:
It is more sombre in the north, while in the south it can be more of an occasion for joyful reunions. In any case, Tet Thanh Minh teaches the value placed on unity in the Vietnamese family.
Tet Thanh Minh (Sours: suckhoedoisong)
Although there are Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism in Vietnam, many, particularly in the countryside and among the minorities, continue to follow the belief in animism. It is the belief in an unseen world: the god in a river, nature spirits, mountains, and sacred beasts.
It is an interesting and deeply ingrained Traditional Vietnamese practice, primarily among the northern highland ethnic minorities or the Central Highlands.
These Vietnamese practices are very symbolic and represent an equilibrium between humans and nature—a balance still existing in many villages today.
For those venturing into the mountains or rivers of Vietnam, such knowledge provides richness to the experience. You’re not merely looking at landscapes, you’re entering into an ultraworld where every tree, every rock, every wind holds spiritual significance.
Animist Beliefs (Sours: dialylacviet)
Meals in Vietnam are not merely about eating; they’re an act of showing love, appreciation, and national identity. The center of many Traditional customs in Vietnam, particularly in ancestor worship, festivals, and special events, is the Mam Co (the traditional meal tray).
A typical Mam Co consists of:
Each has symbolism. Chicken is for purity, sticky rice for unity, and fruit for abundance.
The occasion embodies the Vietnamese culture of celebration, respect, and harmony through the act of eating.
Communal Dining and “Mam Co” (Sours: khamphahue)
All the Traditional customs of Vietnam are greater than a ritual, each is an expression of the values, beliefs, and solidarity that embody the Vietnamese people. From the worship of ancestors to Tet Nguyen Dan, these traditions remain dynamic while still retaining their essence. Engage with and honor such Vietnamese customs, and you visit Vietnam not just physically, but also connect with its soul.
Vietnam boasts an extensive cultural heritage rich in distinctive traditions. Among the most popular Vietnamese traditions are ancestor worship, the provision of incense at family altars, the provision of lucky money during Tet Nguyen Dan, votive paper burning, and the practice of proper dining manners, such as waiting for the seniors to dine before them. All these play significant roles in the Traditional customs of Vietnam and ensure solid family and community ties.
2. What is the most famous tradition in Vietnam?
No doubt, Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is the most distinctive and widely observed traditional practice of Vietnam. It is the start of the lunar calendar and is laden with rituals such as reunions with family, offerings to the ancestors, home cleaning for the elimination of bad fortune, and the distribution of lucky money. It is an extremely spiritual and celebrative occasion that best expresses Vietnamese culture.
3. What is the traditional costume of Vietnam?
The best-known traditional Vietnamese outfit is the ao dai, a fitted, knee-length tunic worn atop loose trousers. It is graceful, sophisticated, and popular for weddings, festivals, and official events. Every ethnic group in Vietnam has its specific style, with colorful patterns and hand-woven textiles reflecting the country’s rich cultural diversity.
4. What do crossed fingers mean in Vietnam?
Crossing your fingers, notably an “X” formed with your index and middle fingers, is rude in Vietnam since it is similar in appearance to the female genitalia. In other cultures, such a gesture may signify good fortune or optimism, but it is best avoided in Vietnamese culture. Simply smile, or give the “wave," as an alternative.
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
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Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress.
Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide).
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We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress
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