Travelog - A travel guide to Vietnam

Giving small gifts to those who have performed a special service or with whom you have a working relationship is greatly appreciated. Anything from your local area, such as cakes, sweets, chinaware or photo books or calendars, is a good idea. Otherwise, inexpensive make-up, perfume, jewellery and pretty toiletries go down well with women, while men will prefer pens, cigarette lighters, imported cigarettes, whisky or other spirits and car/biking magazines. For children, obviously small toys such as inflatable playground balls and skipping ropes are popular and easy to transport. Or how about drawing books/pads of paper and pencils or crayons, erasers, model cars, small-size T-shirts and other clothes.

When presenting gifts, don’t expect effusive thanks as this isn’t Vietnamese style. Whatever their reaction, you can be sure that the gift was appreciated.