For the past 50 years, Vietnam has enjoyed being an independent sovereign nation. To achieve this the nation had to go to hell and back. As you look back through Vietnam’s history it has been dominated by several foreign powers; Chinese rule, French colonization, Japan (briefly) and a quasi attempt by the United States. This is because of its direct land border with China, its long strategic coastline along major maritime trade routes, its position as a gateway to Indochina and its socialist political stance. This journey has led to the unique character of the resilient and pragmatic Vietnamese people and its East-meets-West culture.
I visited Vietnam for the first time over Christmas and New Years period 1996/97. I was meeting my good friends Michael (Kingo) and Jenny Kingston in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) a few days before Christmas and travelling with them for the next week and a half. Following HCMC and its surrounding area, we travelled to Hanoi and Halong Bay together before I went up to Sa Pa in the far north on my own over New Years.
As a result of growing up through the 1970s/80s the Vietnam War was so front of mind as my expectations for the trip were shaped. Having travelled to Guilin in China and Cambodia over the past couple of months, I expected to find Vietnamese people open and welcoming, putting recent historical atrocities behind them, and the country’s infrastructure still reasonably basic but in the early stages of transformation. In hindsight, the second half of the 1990s was a sweet spot in time to be living and travelling in Asia, and other parts of the world, as countries were opening up for global trade and tourism however hadn’t developed enough to have lost its heritage and authenticity.
Vietnam is a long, narrow, S-shaped country on the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia. It stretches about 1,650 kilometres from north to south. It has a 1,297 kilometres border with China to the north, and borders with Cambodia and Laos to the west. It has an enormous eastern coastline of over 3,260 kilometres which encompasses the South China Sea to the east and south, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
The highest peak in Vietnam is Fansipan (Fan Si Pan) in the far northwest at 3,143 metres high, earning the nickname “Roof of Indochina”, across the valley from the village of Sa Pa. There is high terrain covering about three-quarters of the country with the Annamite Range (Truong Son Range) running down the western interior along the borders with Laos and Cambodia. In the far south is the Mekong River Delta which is large and fertile plain which acts as the primary agricultural “rice basket” of the nation.
Vietnam is part of what is known as the East Asian cultural sphere, sharing strong Confucian values, ancestor veneration and respect for their current elders, and Mahayana Buddhism which has been inherited largely through centuries of Chinese administration and proximity. Most Vietnamese people do not follow a single, exclusive organized religion. Instead, they practice a blend of local animism and “Tam Giao” (the Triple Religion) which is a combination of Confucian ethics, Taoist principles, and Mahayana Buddhism.
Instead of looking at the universe as a whole, “local animism” looks right at home. The core ideas of local animism are firstly that the local landscape is living in harmony with them. Every part of the local environment is alive whereby rocks, weather, plants, and streams possess a spirit or personal identity. Secondly, rituals and stories apply directly to the immediate land rather than to distant or abstract gods. This is very different to say Cambodia approach to their beliefs. Thirdly, the Vietnamese people build a deep connection to non-human aspects of their local environment.
As a result of this local animism, Vietnamese have the following common practices. They study and learn everything about local plants, animals, weather patterns, and local history. There is also a deep ongoing ecological care practiced, ensuring protection of the local environment because the land is viewed as a community of living persons rather than mere property.
Finally, people offer respect to local trees, waters, wildlife and spirits through quiet gratitude, care, or traditional local customs. Traditional local customs used to honour specific places and their unseen guardians include an the altar for the Earth God (Ông Địa) who rules the specific plot of land which is always placed directly on the floor, usually facing the main entrance. Vietnamese will then make daily offerings of fresh water, coffee, fruit, or cigarettes directly to this floor altar. Another is the belief that the domestic environment is believed to be inhabited by three distinct spirits known collectively as the Kitchen Gods (Táo Quân), who oversee the household’s actions and energy. On the 23rd day of the 12th Lunar Month, families clean the kitchen thoroughly and prepare a grand feast. They purchase live golden carp and release them into local rivers, lakes, or ponds. The carp act as divine steeds, carrying the spirits of the house up to heaven to report the family’s yearly conduct to the Jade Emperor.
Through ancestor veneration, Vietnamese families maintain household altars to honour deceased relatives, believing that ancestors remain active parts of the family life and need regular offerings and remembrance.
There is a cultural mindset of being practical, realistic, and cautious, whilst valuing diligence, perseverance, and a strong work ethic. Generations shaped by historical hardships often maintain a pragmatic outlook rather than an idealistic one. In daily life, Vietnamese people are direct, fast-paced, and energetic in their movements, speech, and work. People often walk, eat, and speak quickly, showing a sense of urgency. With their heritage of beliefs, social interactions emphasize community cohesion, collective well-being, and face (maintaining social harmony and avoiding public conflict or embarrassment). Politeness, indirect communication, and warm hospitality are standard expectations in personal and commercial exchanges. When Vietnamese people catch up with friends they frequently gather at bustling street-side coffee shops and public outdoor spaces, despite the high temperatures.
Vietnam’s population stands at approximately 102 million people, making it the 16th most populous nation globally and the third-largest in Southeast Asia. Whilst the median age is 33.9 years the population is ageing quickly, and Vietnam is projected to become an aged society by 2035 (when people aged 60 or more represent 20% of the total population, according to standard definitions set by global organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Bank). Unlike most developed nations that had decades or centuries to adapt, Vietnam will transition from an ageing to an aged society in roughly 20 years.
This rapid ageing is directly linked to the demographic disruptions caused by the Vietnam War, combined with the strict policy and economic shifts that followed it. Post the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975 there was a baby boom in the second half of the 1970s, with the total fertility rate reaching nearly six children per woman. This massive generation born right after the war is currently in their late 40s and 50s, and by 2035 they will be reaching their 60s. Fearing that the post-war population explosion would cripple economic recovery and perpetuate extreme poverty, the government introduced a strict “Two-Child Policy” in 1988. This caused the fertility rate to plunge. Vietnam created a highly compressed demographic bottleneck: more older people (the post-war boomers) and fewer young people entering the base of the population pyramid to replace the workforce. This will have an enormous impact on the social and economic structure of the country. Described as “getting old before getting rich” the economic and social safety nets are under immense strain.
You can see in the chart above that the age cohort from roughly 67 years and older has been dramatically impacted by the deaths that occurred during the Vietnam War. This chart represents the country’s demographics roughly 50 years after the war and the average age for a Vietnamese person was 18 – 25 years. There is a rapid shrinking of older Vietnamese, especially for males hence the “female surplus” shown. The second key observation is the bulge in the cohort between 27 – 37 years being the post war baby boom. The third observation is the narrowing for the 10 – 25 years cohort as a result of the government’s two-child policy. Finally, the “surplus male” phenomenon showing for younger Vietnamese is a result of the cultural preference towards male over female children as a result of the psychological impact of the war.
Younger generations in Vietnam exhibit a strong hunger for change, education, and economic success, reflecting a modern form of national and cultural confidence. However there is a growing generational disconnect as a result of the rapidly ageing society with dependency needs of older generations and changing preferences and life goals of younger generations.
Following the unification of Vietnam as a nation from 1976 post the Vietnam War, severe economic hardship led the Communist Party of Vietnam to launch Đổi Mới (renovation) in 1986, introducing market-based economic reforms. Since these reforms began, millions of citizens have benefited and lifted out of poverty, creating a booming middle class. One key part of these reforms has been to focus on opening the economy to be export led with global integration. Today, Vietnam plays a vital role in global supply chains and modern technology manufacturing. There is also enormous urban development domestically, especially in the two mega cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with improved infrastructure, green spaces, and enhanced public services aimed at enhancing liveability.
Politically, Vietnam operates under a one-party system, led by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), under a communist state system. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who leads the CPV and is head of the Politburo and the Central Military Commission, is the highest position in Vietnamese politics. Tô Lâm currently holds this top position. The President serves as the head of state and the commander of the armed forces. Military general Luong Cuong serves as president. The Prime Minister of Vietnam is the head of government.
No opposition parties are allowed to compete. The CPV guides all parts of the government, the military, and society. The party makes all major laws, economic plans, and security rules. They also heavily restrict freedom of speech.
Brief history. Independence period and foreign control periods
– link to Vietnam War related post
Begin trip in HCMC, with Kingo and friends. Xmas together.
– compare HCMC to Hanoi re French heritage
– explore HCMC
– important skill learnt – how to jaywalk in major Asian city
– Vietnam War museum, Cu Chi tunnels
– Mekong Delta
Next up Hanoi with Kingo & Jen.
– accom story re budget.
– explore Hanoi. Loved it. A fav Asian city
Trip to Halong Bay
– overnights on boat
– life in HB, fishing villages, tourism just opening up
Trip to Sapa
– journey to get there
– ethnic tribes
– Sapa then / now
– hike up Fansipan