Recommending 4 Vietnam gifts (plus a few alternatives) you can bring home as souvenirs or presents for yourself and friends.
Vietnam Gift Recommendation 01: Vietnam Lady Figurine
Cheap, light weight and representative of Vietnam, it starts from only US$1 for the smallest. I bought 10 of these figurines home as Vietnam souvenirs on my 1st trip.
Vietnam Gifts
Alternatives to the above: Key-chains, lacquer wear and embroideries.
Vietnam Gift Recommendation 02: Vietnam Coffee
Vietnam is only after Brazil in being the world’s largest coffee export. The country must be doing something right in being able to sell so much coffee. Highland Coffee is another household brand but the one pictured below, Trung Nguyen, costing only US$1+, is mine and many people’s favorites. Tip: visit a Trung Nguyen Cafe and try the various beans before buying your Vietnam coffee.
Vietnam Gifts
Alternative to the above: Non corporate brand.
Vietnam Gifts
Vietnam Gift Recommendation 03: Conical Hat
Ask your friends to think of an image of Vietnam and more than 50% will mention the conical hat.
Alternative to the above: Mini conical hat if the size is an issue
Vietnam Gifts
Vietnam Gift Recommendation 04: Lotus Seed
While the lotus seed is not strictly representative of Vietnam as they can also be found in other parts of Asia, the connection is with how it is often used in Vietnamese dishes. The lotus seed pictured here can be eaten straight from the pack. Cost US$10+/kg. Get the vendor to pack them into 200g/pack and seal it up and you can keep them for around 3 months.
Alternative to the above: various dried fruits
Other notable mentions as Vietnam gifts:
001) Fish sauce.
Vietnam Gifts
002) Ao Dai, or the Vietnamese Long Dress, for the little girls. There’s also a matching outfit for the boys.
What else have I missed here? What do you recommend to bring home as Vietnam gifts? Share your ideas with us.
Hey, I got the figurines………..
Good for u! U’ve got taste
Hi there!
Again you have hit the right nail! I was wondering what are the basic souvenirs to bring back home! But you forgot to include vietnamese silk! Hope you do another post just on this fame product!
bonnie
Oh yes, silk! I sure have missed that.
Type ‘Van Phuc’ into the search box, Bonnie, and u’ll see a village in Hanoi that sells good silk.
Thanks for your comment
In my previous trip, I got a couple of Vietnam T-shirts bearing the National Flag in shades of Green and Yellow. Very communist look but I like that they probably cost me 40,000 dong per piece. They are still very resilient after many washes.
Actually yeah, I think those t-shirts make great gifts too.
With the silk mentioned by Bonnie, maybe I should create a new list here
ben, maybe you can make a list of where to best buy a particular gift? just a suggestion
Alo Amhuirnin, thanks for the suggestion. Will take note. For a start, all the Vietnam gifts mentioned here can be bought at the Ben Thanh Market of Saigon.
Anyone can advise, what time is the Binh Tay market start it operations? 5am, 6 am? in the morning?
Can’t say for sure but because it’s a wet market Madeline, don’t be surprised they operate start 3am
Hi Ben,
I didn’t expect you ‘ll reply my e-mail leh, so happy. Tks for the infor, your website is really useful. It’s help a lot, appreicated.
We would like to shop for some bags, shoes, hair accessories and stationeries in Cholon market, what is the best time to go? Our trip to HCM is only two days,
(we will be visited to Phnom Penh first, then take a bus to HCM ( try to fully utilise our time), Will you think the shop open at 7am, too early? I don’t mean the wet market woh! The stores / shop is located at which floor? It is cheaper to shop in PP or HCM? Thanking in advane for your time.
Hey Madeline, thank you for your compliment
8am will be an ideal time to go and the shops are all over the place.
Not sure if PP or HCMC is cheaper for shopping. But I guess they are different anyhow?
Hi V720,
You got a good and very informative info here.. but I can’t find anything on Vietnam Silk. Where can I buy good yet cheap vietnam silk in Ho Chi Min City? Furthermore I heard that the tailor could make the cloths in one day.. Appreciate your advice.
Hi Fara,
I’m not sure about silk in HCMC. I guess your best bet will be the Ben Thanh Market. About making a dress within a day- yes, can be done but will cost more and you’ll have to be there to try the fittings all the time.
thanks..very informative..
The coconut candy from Ben Tre is awesome and makes a good gift too.
Thanks Meaghan for the tip
Hi there
Im going travelling around vietnam in couple months and love buying nice pieces for the home when I visit countries. Can you recommend a cheap efficient way of posting them back home to the UK instead of having to carry them around as some maybe bulky/heavy.
Ive looked at UPS sites and similar and they seem to quote extortionate amounts more than the items themselves add up to, so wondered if anyone knew of better ways to get them back?
thanks mill
Sorry Carol, no idea about posting bulk items home. What you can do is to check with those shops you’ll be buying from. Some of them have postal service. Only thing is if they are reliable or not
[...] the embroidery works are of extremely high quality. If you can afford them, buy and bring home as gifts from Vietnam. They will make you look [...]
[...] It is smaller and has lesser variety than the former but still makes for a good place to buy Vietnam gifts to bring home. The surrounding open air wet market and food stalls will add more reasons to check [...]