Published:  11:23 Wednesday - August 03, 2016

Vietnam is famous for not only many spectacular landscapes but also the traditional products from different traditional villages. After traveling around Vietnam, you can buy some special products as the souvenirs to remember about Vietnam or give your family and friends.

There are the top things that you should buy in Vietnam flowing the travel guide:

1. Vietnam Embroidered Items

Fine embroidery is so much a part of the Vietnamese tradition. A long way from “Home Economics” in our schools in the “60’s ! We visited a village where many women do embroidery and one of them keeps a store in the centre of town so you can view many of these pieces. It’s as much a social activity as an economic effort. This Embroidery Village is just an interesting day trip from Hanoi that your hotel can easily arrange for you.

There are stores selling all kinds of embroidery products such as table linen, clothes, pouches or pieces to be framed. The embroidery pieces look like paintings, just amazing how finely these were done.

​2. Vietnam Bamboo Products

The colours are fabulous and for better quality, you can check out the UMA stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. The reputable ones of the crafters use glue and lacquer which make the crafts safe for food but you need to check this out. You can also use these gorgeous bowls for items that are wrapped such as candies as they are very decorative.

3. Mother of Pearl Furniture and Boxes

Mostly furniture, boxes and frames, many of these pieces are just huge and too heavy so you need to ask them to ship these for you. There are, of course, smaller pieces like boxes and wall plaques which also show this intricate art work.

4. Original Art by Vietnam's Artists

Vietnam has many galleries where you can buy original art for prices that will not break your bank. Yes, all kinds of paintings which when rolled you can easily take with you on flights. The galleries are happy to do the rolling/tubing for you and these are easy to hand carry. Humour and colour are two wonderful features of so many works of Vietnamese artists.

5. Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnam is full of coffee shops where you can sample the type of coffee you might enjoy. It was here that I first tried Weasel Coffee, fruits first eaten by the weasels and eventually end up giving you the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. The Vietnamese make coffee differently so try this, too. You will be awake for a week!!!!!

When you buy coffee, you'll find some tiny tin coffee makers the Vietnamese use for making coffee. They are great gifts for your friends. You can ask the store staff how to use it. It makes for an interesting conversation back home.

6. Silk and Traditional Fabrics from Ethnic Tribes of Vietnam

Vietnam’s silk is quite developed and has progressed to more modern designs not just for Ao Dai. It is softer than Thai silk but equally durable especially those of quality weave.

Aside from silk, Vietnam has many other traditional fabrics like linen and hemp which are now being  revived and improved. These fabrics, depending on which of the ethnic tribes make it, are dyed differently and are made of different materials like specially grown hemp.

7. Unique Crafts from Vietnam

The craft items I brought back with me, mostly bracelets made of cloth and beads were very popular with the younger ones in our circle. Some of them ordered more the next time I get back. Go to Craftlink, a store in Van Mieu in Hanoi and they have many craft items to choose from. The prices are reasonable and you are helping many of the ethnic minorities when you buy in this place.

8. Vietnam's Propaganda Posters

Poster art was a key weapon on the part of Ho Chi Minh and the northern government both to rally their own people and to convince assorted foreigners that sticking around was a bad idea. Today, as poster art is readily available, get some as they are not only attractive but also make a great statement back home about what strength really is.

9. Ceramics

Vietnam has an age-old ceramic and pottery tradition and some of the products are very rich in details especially the wall frames which tell of local life or a story. The best of these pottery is in Bat Trang.

​10. Bargains: Clothes, Bags, Shoes

“Made in Vietnam” stores dot the shopping districts of the cities so you can easily find bargains. Leather purses are now beautifully designed, no longer cheap but worth looking at. You do pay for quality. Careful with those fake brands as customs in other countries confiscate them at airports.