The streets paint the lives of Vietnamese people. The streets here are not just for traveling. Streets and sidewalks are also places to shop, eat, meet for a cup of coffee, get a haircut or rest. Big cities are always full of life with the roar of millions of motorbikes, where you can feel a constant source of energy bubbling on every street.
The specialties of each region of Vietnam carry within themselves the local lifestyle and the quintessence of nature there. The North cherishes delicate recipes, like a delicious bowl of bun thang that must be prepared for many hours. In the Central region, royal culinary traditions and typical spices blend in unique dishes such as lotus rice or spring rolls. Southern braised fish and sour soup come from abundant seafood resources, the pride of the Mekong Delta.
The Vietnam National Gene Bank preserves 12,300 varieties of 115 species. The Vietnamese government spent US$497 million to maintain biodiversity in 2004 and has established 126 protected areas including 28 national parks. Vietnam has 2 world natural heritage sites: Ha Long Bay and Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and 6 biosphere reserves including Can Gio, Cat Tien, Cat Ba, Kien Giang, and River Delta mangrove forests. Hong and Tay Nghe An.
Costume is one of the important factors that differentiate Vietnamese culture from other countries in the world. The costumes not only mark the cultural traditions and customs of the Vietnamese people, but they are also the breath and soul of a nation.