Vietnam has a diverse culture in which it was developed by the different
ethnic groups that formed today's Vietnam. Through centuries of war and famine,
Vietnam's culture has stretched out northward and southward to form a great culture
that can be depicted within each region. Traditions and cultures of the various groups
have collided to form a nation rich in culture. Costume, cuisine and architecture can
most describe the vivid aspects of a nation. The most traditional and well-respected
cultural image is that of the Ao Dai (Traditional Dress) and
non-la (leaf hat). As for architecture, we can see that Vietnam has been strongly
influenced by outside intrusions.
The Vietnamese cuisine can be traced to Chinese influence but as centuries go forth,
traditional cooking and integration has formed Vietnam's unique flavours to their dishes.
Tet, a national holiday and most important festive day-week of the year. On this day, Vietnam does not sleep, firecrackers and specialty foods are dominant throughout the country.
