Souvenirs– archive –

The Vietnamese conical hat, non la, woven from bamboo and palm leaves. We’ve covered the types, how to choose, regions, and price ranges, along with tips for carry-on and packing, and frequently asked questions.

An explainer on choosing son mai, Vietnamese lacquerware adorned with eggshell inlay, mother-of-pearl, and gold leaf. We’ve put together the types from chopsticks and small dishes to lacquer paintings, price ranges, regions, and tips for preventing cracks when bringing it home.

Bat Trang ceramics, beautiful with dragonflies and lotus motifs drawn in cobalt-blue underglaze. We explain the types and how to choose tea ware and small dishes, how to get to the production village of Bat Trang, price ranges, and ways to carry it home crack-free.

An introduction to Vietnamese embroidery, prized for its hand-stitched silk thread. We’ve put together XQ double-sided embroidery and silk embroidery art, the types and choices for pouches and tapestries, price ranges, and tips for bringing them home.

From the plastic baskets popular on social media to natural materials, we explain how to choose Vietnamese basket bags. We’ve put together the types by material and price ranges, where to buy, and tips for carrying them home without losing their shape.

A souvenir guide to Vietnamese honey harvested in the mountainous areas of Sapa and the Central Highlands. We’ve put together the differences in nectar sources such as longan honey and coffee-blossom honey, how to choose, major brands, where to buy and price ranges, and tips for bringing it home.

A souvenir guide to coconut oil from Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta. We’ve put together the difference between virgin and refined, dual use for food and care, major brands, where to buy and price ranges, and tips for bringing it home.

A souvenir guide to rice bran soap, fitting for rice-growing Vietnam. We’ve put together blends such as coffee and turmeric, how to choose handmade ones, major brands, where to buy and price ranges, and tips for bringing them home.

Vietnam’s sweet-and-spicy chili sauce served with fresh and fried spring rolls. We explain standard brands like Cholimex, the sweet-spicy and garlic types, how to choose, where to buy, and tips for turning it into a souvenir.

Pepper from Vietnam, one of the world’s leading producers. We explain the character of Phu Quoc pepper, the black, white, red, and green types, choosing between whole and ground, where to buy and price ranges, and souvenir tips.

Nuoc mam, the fish sauce known from Phu Quoc Island. We’ve put together the differences by region and grade, how to choose, how to make nuoc cham, price ranges and tips for preventing leaks, and frequently asked questions.

Vietnamese chocolate, internationally acclaimed for its single-origin cacao. We’ve put together the differences among Marou, Pheva, and Alluvia, how to choose, how to carry it home in summer, price ranges, and frequently asked questions.

Pho, Vietnam’s national dish, ready with just hot water. We explain the types — pho bo and pho ga — standard brands like Vifon, how to choose, how to eat it the authentic way, and tips for souvenirs to hand out in bulk.

Banana chips, a classic snack souvenir from tropical Vietnam. We explain the difference between fried and vacuum-fried, the sweet and salty types, standard brands like Vinamit, where to buy and price ranges, and tips for dividing them up to share.

Cashew nuts from Vietnam, one of the world’s leading producers. We’ve put together how to choose processing types such as salt-roasted in the shell, size grades, major brands, price ranges and tips for bringing them home, and frequently asked questions.

Vietnamese dried fruit that concentrates tropical produce. We explain the types such as mango and jackfruit, the difference between vacuum-fried and naturally dried, how to choose, where to buy, and souvenir tips.

Coffee candy with the flavor of Vietnamese coffee made with condensed milk. We’ve put together the types, how to choose, major brands, and price ranges, along with tips for souvenirs to hand out in bulk and frequently asked questions.

Coconut candy, a specialty of Ben Tre in the Mekong Delta. We’ve put together how to choose flavors, major brands, price ranges, tips for bringing it home in summer, and frequently asked questions.

The Vietnamese-style metal filter “phin,” reusable with no paper needed. We’ve put together how to choose materials and sizes, brewing steps, major brands, price ranges, and souvenir tips.

Robusta-led Vietnamese coffee beans. We’ve put together how to choose beans, ground, and drip; major brands; ways to drink it such as cà phê sữa; price ranges and souvenir tips; and frequently asked questions.

Vietnamese green tea, with Tan Cuong in Thai Nguyen Province as its famed origin. It’s known for a robust astringency and a sweet aftertaste. From types, how to choose, major brands, and ways to drink it to where to buy and price ranges, we’ve put together tips for choosing souvenirs.

A caffeine-free tea made with lotus seeds (hạt sen). It’s different from the lotus-flower-scented tea, hoa tea. With a gentle sweetness for a relaxing cup, we’ve put together souvenir details on types, how to choose, brands, and price ranges.

Artichoke (atisô) tea, a specialty of the highland resort of Da Lat. It’s caffeine-free, with an earthy, rustic flavor. We cover everything from types, how to choose, brands, and ways to drink it to price ranges, to help you pick a souvenir.

Vietnam’s classic scented tea, made by infusing green tea with the fragrance of jasmine flowers. It’s an easy-drinking tea with a crisp, fragrant aroma. We cover everything from types, how to choose, brands, and ways to drink it to price ranges, to help you pick a souvenir.

Lotus tea (trà sen), a premium tea of royal origin made by infusing green tea with the fragrance of lotus flowers. Its refined, sweet floral aroma makes it ideal for a special souvenir. We explain everything from the method, types, brands, and ways to drink it to price ranges.

An overall guide to Robusta-led Vietnamese coffee as a souvenir. We’ve put together souvenirs by type — beans, ground, drip, instant, candy, and phin — along with how to choose, major brands, and price ranges.