Putting your knife in your mouth in the west is unheard of, and considered very rude if witnessed. So what is the dining etiquette in Vietnam?

First and foremost, don’t ever leave chopsticks sitting vertically out of your rice bowl at the end of a meal. This resembles the position of incense sticks used to commemorate death, and so it is considered very rude. Placing the chopsticks side by side, or on top of the bowl, is a lot more polite.

Do not tap the side of your bowl using your chopsticks as it is thought to be unlucky for your next life. The older generation believe if you do this, you won’t have rice to eat when you are reincarnated.

Unlike Thailand, it is better to finish every last grain of rice in Vietnam. If you have been invited to dinner with a family, allow the oldest family member to eat first, as a sign of respect. Try to eat everything you are given, as the best is always saved for guests. When you are full, gently cover your bowl with your hand to signal you have had enough. This is a polite way to refuse; however, it doesn’t always work!

Bargaining is a little daunting for first time visitors to Vietnam; back home everything has a price tag and the numbers aren’t there for negotiation. In Vietnam, even on the odd occasion when an item has a price tag, the numbers are not the final figure.

Westerners are naturally hesitant when negotiating their first few purchases, but once the code of conduct has been cracked, the fun begins! It’s acceptable to bargain almost everywhere in Vietnam, with the exception of restaurants or large commercial stores.

Rooms, buses, cyclos, market goods, guides can all be bargained; however, you must ask when arranging the service, otherwise you will be responsible for the full payment. Always smile and keep your cool, even if you know the price offered is ridiculous, anger and frustration will spoil the fun and will get you nowhere.

If the first price offered by the vendor is very high, laugh in astonishment, this shows the vendor you know the fair price of the goods. After this, offer a price well below what you would expect to pay, to give you some room for manoeuvre. Don’t take this to the extreme though, as the vendor will think you don’t know the item’s actual worth.

If you feel you aren’t making progress, bid the vendor farewell and slowly walk away, this usually ensures another two reductions. If the price still seems too high and you are with a partner, you can explain that they control the purse strings and they won’t pay the price.

You will get the best results if you remain courteous, friendly but firm. Try to educate yourself beforehand, so you have an idea of the fair price. Sometimes a handicrafts feature intricacies that took time and effort to create, or the item is made from high quality materials. Most importantly, never make the vendor ‘loose face’, this is their livelihood and they don’t consider it ‘ripping you off’.

Remember the goal is to find the best price for both of you, so keep it lighthearted. If the vendor likes you, you will get a better deal.

Teaching English in any foreign country is a fascinating and exciting experience, and also one of the best ways to gain insight into the local culture. Foreigners who live and work in this captivating country, not only enjoy the reward of helping others learn a language, but gain from the experience of living in a country steeped in history and culture.

If you have a university degree (in any subject) and a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate, you can usually find a job quite easily. The TEFL certificate is not absolutely necessary, but it may increase your chances of finding a better job.

Teaching jobs are available in a range of institutions, from universities to language schools, and the job usually entails teaching the staff as well as pupils. The school or college will help you organise a work permit, but finding lodgings is usually left up to the teacher.

There is a demand for native-speaking teachers throughout the country, so if you prefer to live in a particular area, it is likely you will be able to find a job there. Although living costs are higher, there is a wider range of jobs available in the city. The internet can be used as a tool to search for jobs, before or after you set off for Vietnam.

Teaching in Vietnam is undoubtedly an experience of a lifetime, however it will not make you rich. To get the most out of your time and travels in Vietnam, it is best to have some savings before you begin your placement. Most teachers find Vietnamese students are a true pleasure to teach, as the Vietnamese are renowned for being warm, friendly and team-spirited as a nation.

Vietnam’s roads are notoriously dangerous, and around 30 lives are claimed on them each day. Cities in Vietnam are crowded, and the roads are chaotic with all forms of traffic moving without discipline and often at great speed.

As a pedestrian negotiating the city, you are probably more at risk than as a driver, as the congestion slows things down. However, the highways are death traps, and many Vietnamese don’t venture on them if they are not travelling in a large vehicle. If you drive a bicycle or motorbike on Vietnam’s highways you are putting your life at risk.

Crossing the road in Vietnam’s cities is also a hair-raising task. Intersections may have red lights, but they are usually ignored by drivers, or else defunct. A gap in the traffic is a rarity in cities such as Hanoi and Saigon, so what is the best way to get from A to B without ending up as an X on the road?

The simplest method is by shadowing a local! Wait for their movements and follow them at the same speed and in the same direction. Locals are faced with this challenge every day, so they know what they are doing. The important thing is to keep moving, don’t stop or change direction, and you will find that somehow the traffic will avoid you!

Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, but because of its geography, weather conditions vary from north to south. However, throughout the country, south to southeasterly winds blow from May until September, and northerly to northeasterly winds are dominant between October and April.

Vietnam’s single rainy season falls between May and September, at the time of the southern monsoon. The rest of the year is relatively dry. In the north of the country, cloudy days with light showers are more frequent at the time of the northeast monsoon, while the south enjoys a sunny dry spell.

Temperatures remain high throughout the year, however the north experiences a considerably cooler season due to the north monsoon bringing colder air from China. Frost and snow can occur, but only in the extreme highlands and for a very short period of a few days. The sheltered lowlands of the south are protected from any outbreaks of colder weather, and the dry season is hot and sunny.

During the rain season, the air is humid and oppressive. Coastal and higher regions are particularly sultry due to the frequent cloud, high humidity and lack of sunshine.

The best time to visit the north of the country is between September and December, when humidity is lower and before the heavy rains. The south and central region are best visited during the period of December until April while it is dry.

Ao dais and bicycles
Travel Vietnam virtually here, as we reveal the country weekly on this travel professional’s blog. From the Delta in the South to Sapa in the North we cover all the sightseeing, culture, history, food, entertainment, hospitality and activities travellers can expect to see and do in Vietnam.

We’ve been travelling Southeast Asia for years, here’s a full blown info resource with colourful pics and video clips to get you all excited about visiting Vietnam.

Whether you are visiting Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue, Nha Trang, Sapa or Dalat, you can plan your trip here.

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