10 rules of etiquette:

In Asian countries it is important to behave with integrity and discretion. Here are some useful tips to make your time in Vietnam a successful stay:

1. Learn some words of the Vietnamese language. Basics such as "Hello", "Goodbye" and “Thank you" will be appreciated and make your dwelling easier.

2. Do not exuberantly show affection in public. It is common practice to just shake hands when welcoming someone, whereas the eldest person is the first to be greeted.

3. If you would like to take a photo of Vietnamese people, remember to ask them kindly and respect a possible "No".

4. Respect the local dress code, especially in rural areas. Dress decently: Never swim and sunbathe nude or topless. At religious sites do not wear shorts or sleeveless, low-cut tops and take off your shoes.

5. Don’t be offended by being asked personal details about your life, e.g. your age, size, marital status.

6. After a meal, put down the chopsticks in the right direction. Do not leave them upright as this offends good manners and, pursuant to superstition, might evoke an event of death.

7. Honor the importance of the ancestral shrine. Do not turn your back to it, point your feet in its direction or even change clothes in front of it!

8. Be aware that the possession and consumption of drugs is illegal in Vietnam and might lead to severe penalties!

9. Do not abuse alcohol.

10. Help to benefit the country by buying domestic food and goods, hiring a Vietnamese tour guide and using the local means of transportation. Thus, you support the country’s economy.