Vietnam | If not now

30 Mar 2026

Conical Hats

Months ago, when I closed my eyes to envision Vietnam, I had a very distinct picture. In my mind, I thought of bamboo conical hats, rice paddies, the jungles portrayed in movies about Vietnam, and Asian eyes. I have found in the last two months that Vietnam is all of those things and much more.

The iconic bamboo conical hats (“non la” in Vietnamese) are seen everywhere. In the brilliantly verdant rice paddies, surrounded by “moats” of water, white plastic bags rustle and wave in the breeze like white flags of surrender, serving as makeshift scarecrows. Meanwhile, the occasional white egret extends his long narrow neck above the plants to spy his next meal. Among this scene, there is almost always at least one non la, worn by both men and women, poking up through the lime green sodden field; it is a protective cover from the blazing sun and the soaking rain. In cities, the non la is part of the Vietnamese “costume”, worn authentically by locals and in-the-moment poser tourists.

The color red. It is a lucky color. Of course, it is seen on Vietnamese flags in various hues of red (depending on the age of the flag) that fly, quite literally everywhere – a bright red background with a vibrant yellow star in the middle. Alongside the flag of Vietnam is the Communist red flag, with the yellow hammer and sickle. I think most Americans can’t picture what Communism looks like, and honestly on the surface, it doesn’t look a lot different in Communist Vietnam than what we would see in our democratic country. Differences I have noticed are the lack of homelessness on the streets and minimal panhandling in Vietnam. Also, when discussing with people we meet, we understand that there are very harsh punishments for what seems to us as minor infractions. Protesting the government is not allowed. There is still propaganda (we’ve seen plenty of billboards with the iconic red background, yellow print and groups of smiling people praising Ho Chi Minh). We have also witnessed censorship (we happened to turn the TV on to a news channel where an advertisement was being replaced with a screen that said the content was not agreeable with the government’s “message”). As strange as that seems, it does not feel like the Cold War oppression that existed when we were growing up in the 70’s…..

Back to red….it is the color of Tet – the Lunar New Year celebration that goes on and on and on! Red decorations, red clothes, red flowers, red everything! This holiday, to the Vietnamese people, is very important. It signifies looking forward to a fresh start, forgiveness, spending time with family, fireworks, and relaxing away from work. The holiday, to a tourist, is a bit of a logistical nightmare (personally, I don’t recommend traveling in Vietnam during Tet). Things become more expensive and harder to find. We had trouble finding restaurants open, acquiring water, or finding a massage! Almost everything was shuttered. The sign on the 24/7 convenience store read “closed for Tet”. Huh?? We did scooty-doots around and found beer and cafes open – for coffee. 2026, Year of the Fire Horse; although we respect the holiday and the traditions, it was a big pain in the butt.

Speaking of cafes, the Vietnamese take their coffee really seriously (obviously since the cafes didn’t even shut down during Tet). The coffee here is incredibly strong. Without adding lots of extra water, fresh milk, and condensed milk, it would have been impossible to drink. There are variations of Vietnamese coffee (especially cold/iced) and I have tried a few, including coconut coffee (think ice, condensed milk and coconut milk blended together, sitting on top of an espresso), and salted coffee (add salt and take away coconut milk to the creamy topping I just described). So good.

It makes sense that the Vietnamese people travel around town on motorbikes. It is economical and there are hordes of motorbikes everywhere! Most other tourists we met weren’t brave enough to rent motorbikes, but not my Honeybuns! I was always on the back, trying to lean WITH him, navigating, and helping him look out for the crazy drivers (without exaggeration, pretty much all of the drivers here are crazy). It is ridiculous driving in most of Vietnam. Most intersections have no traffic signs or lights; it’s just a free-for-all with everyone beeping their horns to let others know they are coming through. Its like a game of chicken in a culture where “me first” is a next level sentiment! People drive their motorbikes, thumb hovering over the horn, going the wrong way up the street, making left turns from the far right lane, darting between vehicles, amassing between idling cars and the traffic light (when there IS a light), dipping, weaving, and cutting in front of anyone even if the other was a lot bigger. Stressful, to say the least, but we got the hang of it and I think the divots in Chris’ hips from my knees gripping him have started to disappear by now! Even as a pedestrian, you must be hyper-vigilant. Motorbikes are parked on the sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street. Crossing the street is also really challenging, you must wait for a slight break in traffic, plunge in, hold your hand out, and go. While we’ve seen several small accidents among motorbikes, we’ve not seen any involving people on foot.

I would say Vietnam is a country of mixed “messages”. While I have captured many colorful and beautiful sights on camera and without intending any disrespect, the country is not what I’d call clean (not India style, but still). There is all manner of rubbish and refuse especially along the road (but you will see people fastidiously sweeping their porches and the sidewalks and streets in front of their business establishments).

At first, the litter was disconcerting, but you eventually get used to it and look beyond to find the beauty. Often, I find the beauty in the trees and hanging from wires above – in the kaleidoscope of lanterns, flags, and even pinwheels. There are even lantern boats!

Buddhas and flamboyant pagodas abound!

Then there are the flowers! Their love of flowers is so obvious – so many various colorful floral displays.

Being on the motorbikes also affords us some up close and personal smells. Near the port, the pungency of fish and shrimp being dried and distributed assaults our noses. Waking up in the Phong Nha Forest after the rain, we deeply inhale the fresh woodsy scent. We pass through the stench of seafood that is past-due and overripe fruit. I pick up a wooden bracelet in the market and experience the cypress fragrance. The mouthwatering aroma of the street food is next level.

There is plenty of beauty here to fill our picture gallery – especially in the faces. The people here are forgiving and resilient folks. We’ve seen how they protected themselves in war times and it’s not pretty. We know the history between the US and Vietnam, and after asking many people about the feelings toward Americans, I have come to realize that there don’t seem to be grudges or anger.

We have been welcomed and received with many smiles and positivity.

Our last stop before we travel home is Con Dao. We have found a beautiful island with delicious food, small beaches, diving/snorkeling, monkeys, breath taking sunrises, and relaxation.