Your Vacation May Have to End But You Can Take Home a Piece of It! Here's What to buy in Vietnam as Souvenirs and Gifts (2019)

Vietnam is filled with natural beauty; landscapes, mountains, vibrant waterways, rice paddles just to mention a few. The country has a good transport infrastructure and is known for its cheap but amazing street food. Vietnamese food is a blend of Chinese and Thai styles and is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

People often mistake Vietnamese as not being friendly but that is the exact opposite. The people of Vietnam are friendly but because they are not so confident with spoken English, they tend to say less to foreigners, but once you smile and speak English slowly and clearly, you will be shocked to see how they warm up to you. Vietnam is filled with souvenirs that are beautiful, colourful and long lasting; from colourful bound books, custom made jewelry, board games, lovely bags, tote bags, pillow covers, and diverse leather goods. We have gathered here some of the top choices that you can browse for while shopping in Vietnam

This is a form of painting that reflects a mixture of influences from China and France. These paintings come in three colours: black, brown and vermillion. The painting is done on wood and covered with a piece of cloth which is glued to it using the sap of the lacquer tree and eventually, it is coated with the mixture of sand and sap. Once it is polished, you get a smooth black surface. To embellish the designs, painters add substances like eggshells, silver, and gold. The painting competes with other designs around the world because of its unique designs and beauty.

The silk painting has become famous because of its simple poetic themes and bright colours. This painting is unique because of the silk material used and the type of weaving technique employed. The silk material makes it easy for the painters to express their feelings. These paintings sometimes express romance, nature, struggles, family life and the beauty of Vietnam via various landscapes and Vietnamese daily activities. The high level of creativity and skillfulness shown in these paintings cannot be overlooked and this is one major reason why foreigners are attracted to these paintings.

The Vietnamese Oil Painting is captivating and beautiful; they tell you beautiful stories about famous and great people or individuals in Vietnam. The oil paintings are colourful and amazing. The oil used for the painting makes the pictures glow and makes them last longer. Once hung on a wall, they are hard to resist. Imagine having these paintings on the wall of your office or gifting it to your boss or a business partner, they will treasure it forever.

Embroidery is an art that has been ongoing for decades in Vietnam. Leaving Vietnam without buying at most 3 embroidered pieces is considered a half-accomplished journey. The embroidered items are light, colourful and very attractive. These are gifts that your mother and other women folk will appreciate beyond words.

Other beautiful items include embroidered bed sheets, cosmetic bags, lingerie, nightdresses, quilts, bed throws, pillowcases, napkins, placemats, table runners, and many more. Be warned, if you do not have a budget before heading to buy, you might spend more than expected because of the pull from these embroidered items.

Hanoi is a great place to buy embroidered products when it comes to quality and price, especially in the Old Quarter Area, and Sh Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Vietnam lanterns which are sometimes referred to Chinese Lanterns are unique and very attractive. They can easily be found in the corners of the cities in Vietnam. The best time to buy them is usually at night when they can be seen strategically positioned to light up the place with such magnificence. They are made of Bamboo frames and brocade silk fabric and have weave designs on the fabric.

Most of the lanterns are diamond shaped and are easy to expand. The good thing about the lantern is that they can be collapsed and neatly put into one’s luggage when traveling back to one's countries. The Vietnamese lanterns come in different colours and sizes.

When selecting them as souvenirs for friends and loved ones, pick the colours that they love or in line with what the colour signifies; Yellow: Wealth and Prosperity, Red: Love and Happiness and Blue: Hope and Growth. These lanterns are perfect for indoor or outdoor events like New Year celebration, parties, nightclubs, and hotels. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars on www.amazon.com where it is sold at ‎Rs.6,920.

Ever handled a beautiful fan that was so delicate and attractive? If you are yet to, then the Vietnamese fan is a must-get. The Vietnamese fan is like an artwork of painting; it is one of the best souvenirs in Vietnam. The fan is made from natural materials; silk and so-paper, which is gotten from bamboo.

The silk is starched in such a way as to make a great canvas for beautiful pictures to be printed on it. The themes of the pictures printed are all about the beauty of Vietnam. The fans are said to symbolize prosperity. The fans can serve a dual purpose; for cooling purposes and beautiful for decorative purposes in the house.

They are durable and open to less than 180 degrees as compared to the fans made in other Asian countries. These fans will be great souvenirs to give to the pretty ladies in your life. It is trendy and stylish and adds a touch of class to its user. To place an order, visit www.silkfans.com and get the fans for a price of ‎Rs.969.

Vietnamese have a strong inclination for music; to them, music is an essential need which they use to communicate their innermost feelings, therefore, the country has developed numerous musical instruments and the xylophone is one of them. Xylophones are traditional musical instruments from Vietnam's Central Highlands.

It is popularly called dan trung and is hundred percent handmade. It makes a wonderful gift for your family, friends and other loved ones. It is sold in a box and can be easily assembled when unpacked. The Vietnam Xylophones come in different versions, you have the option of buying the 12 tubed bamboo or the 13 tubed bamboo; what differentiates these Xylophones are the tunes or sounds they make.

The sounds have a relaxing and soothing effect that makes calms your nerves and makes you smile. The dan trung can either be used as an instrument or for decoration purposes. At www.amazon.com, the Vietnamese Xylophones are rated 2.4 out of 5 stars and are sold at a price of ‎Rs.1,383.

The silk fabrics are soft, lightweight and they make great souvenirs. The fabrics are found everywhere in the city and that’s because the Vietnam silk fabric materials were once used as a type of currency for trading in the country and they caused a great change in the economy of Vietnam. In the country today, you will find many beautiful silk products like silk T-shirt, scarfs, and a custom-made suit.

You will get a lot of varieties when you visit and lots of options to pick from for your colleagues and family members. It is quite affordable, visit www.indiamart.com where it is sold for Rs.150.

Ao Dai is the Vietnamese Traditional outfit for both sexes. This outfit is considered the essence and glory of the culture of the Vietnamese. It is colourful, classy, beautiful and modest. It is both attractive, comfortable and is considered a remarkable work of art and beauty.

It has long sleeves, has slits on the sides and the attire fits tightly around the neckline making it outstanding. The dress, worn by women, comes in 3 different styles. Ao Dai is made from silk and lace, in fact, you can ask for a special style to be made for you by specialized Ao Dai Tailors when you are in Vietnam.

You can ask for special designs with intricate designs and colourful patterns depending on who you intend to gift the Vietnamese Ao Dai to. It rated 5.0 out of 5 stars and is sold at www.amazon.com for Rs.2,353.

The Tulip wooden shoes, also known as clogs or Guoc Moc, is used by both males and females. They are made using the wood from the poplar trees, bamboo roots and ivory twigs. They are made with three special purposes in mind; stability, comfort and support.

The traditional Red Tulip wooden shoes or clogs originated in the Netherlands. The shoes are both convenient and comfortable, and when worn, it depicts beauty, grace and last of all, gentleness, because when the shoes are worn, the Vietnamese women put on the clogs and they have to move gently and slowly.

The Guoc Moc comes in different shapes and sizes and will be appreciated by friends who love shoes with beautiful and colourful patterns. Shoes that allow them to move slowly, elegantly and comfortably, especially those who live in hot and humid areas because they allow fresh air to flow around the feet.

It is hard to resist the wooden clogs because they are unique, attractive and highly durable. It has a price tag of Rs. ‎1280 at www.ouderwetsewinkel.com.

A jewellery box and women folk go hand in hand. Gifting your lady friends, wives or sisters these Lacquer Jewellery box to keep their jewellery organized will always remain a much-appreciated gift. Vietnamese make the best of jewellery boxes; their boxes are lightweight, compact and water proof also.

Lacquer Jewellery Box is a jewellery box with a difference; it is made from the resin of the Son tree. The Vietnam Lacquer Jewellery box can be used as a home accessory, for the purpose of jewellery or shop display. The jewellery box is a good gift to people who like to collect jewelleries, with the jewellery box their jewelleries are kept organized, protected from damage, prevented from loss and enhance the décor of their rooms. It is sold for Rs. 4706 at www.amazon.com.

In Vietnam, you will find a mix of the culture and lifestyle of East and West Asia. But unlike the Chinese and Japanese Chopsticks, the Vietnam Chopsticks are made from bamboo or coconut wood; they are lightweight, thicker and longer. The Vietnamese use chopsticks to enjoy their meals, even rice. The chopsticks come in 10 pairs per pack. They are chemical free, safe, affordable and durable. These chopsticks are the best gift to give to a friend who loves to eat Asian food, a chef or a friend who loves to try out new things. It can be purchased from www.alibaba.com at a price of Rs. 2076. Visit stores at Binh Tay, Soai Kinh and An Dong Markets.

The Bamboo Masks can be found in large quantities and in beautiful colours too. They are cheap, affordable and can be easily transported across countries; so when it comes to transporting it across borders or airways, you can rest assured the Bamboo mask souvenirs won’t be a problem. They are made after the theatrical character Cheo, one of the renowned musician in Vietnam. These eco-friendly pieces made from Bamboos are one of the unique artworks and will be difficult to resist as you make your way through Vietnam. The Masks are handmade and hand painted. Some of the Bamboo masks have hair on them, these hair are made from fiber. One thing that stands out with these masks are the emotions expressed on the mask; the most common is the smiling face mask. The Bamboo masks can be gifted to children and young adults or used for decoration purposes. Place an order at www.amazon.com for Rs. 1937 or visit the Ngoc Son Temple on Hanoi Street to get the Bamboo mask.

Vietnam T-shirts which have been known to be of high quality are 100% durable cotton. These T-shirts come in different sizes and have friendly, funny and colourful designs on them. You can bet your kids will keep raving about the designs and the beautiful colours of these T-shirts. One brand to look out for is the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam Vintage kids Long-sleeves T-shirt. As you walk around, you will be greeted with these adorable Kids’ long sleeve T-shirt which has been known for their durability, something most parents look out for. Whoever you gift these T-shirts to will use it for a long time and most likely pass it on to their younger ones. On www.spreadshirt.com, this kids' long sleeve T-shirt can be bought at a price of ‎Rs. 1467. When in Vietnam, visit the old quarter area, Dong Xuan and the Binh Tay Market.