Vietnam Travel Answers

I would recommend the coconut candy with Durian flavour. I find that quite original and it does not smell bad even if it has durian flavour.

I like the shredded spicy pork, but not sure customs would be too keen on you bringing this back. Guessing you can find anything you can get in Vietnam in Little Saigon in Orange County or Mira Mesa in San Diego County.

If you go on tour of the Mekong you will see the coconut candy being made. Buy it while there.

My proposal is coffee and the "system". If you like black coffee, purchase a Vietnamese coffee makes (very simple filtering system, from markets about 2-4$ max :). With the "thing" and package of coffee you can make your home to Vietnam for loooong time. I have done it, and dream back all the time!

@akkappi Excellent tip.. Got a couple myself .. Love my cafe sua da ...... Iced coffee Vietnamese style with condensed milk. You must have it.

They make a fantastic lotus tea in vietnam aswell.

Take a look, I took a picture of the coffee filtering system: "Vietnamese Coffee and the System" - Asian Food Tip by akkipaa

If you go on a Mekong Delta tour there are a few rice product factories that you may visit. They sell many different products made on the premises made from rice such as many different sweets and wines in all different flavours and you get to try before you buy. Hope this helps :)

I went to the source and asked my wife. She said the same....Coconut Candy. Many different flavors. I really like the coffee and tea ideas. I always bring back about 20 kilos (feel like a smuggler)of coffee. Get some "CHON" which is the VN version of weasel coffee. This will make quite the conversation souvenir. You can not bring home most foods. One year I got lucky and brought back moon cakes, but only because I did not know what was in the box when immigration asked me I told them I thought it was some wooden gift. Speaking of which, VN has these really nice business card holders made from wood. They cost less than2.00 each. I bring back a dozen or so for my bosses and clients and they always love them.

I like their jackfruit chips very much. It's a healthy snack. I get them in the supermarket. Aside from coffee, jasmine green tea might also be good to bring back home.

Good idea Mace. There are lots of Vietnamese snacks that are packaged up and should have no issues getting through customs. If you want some "medicinal" souvenirs you can always take home the snake/scorpion wines. Great conversation pieces, but I have never tried mine. LOL

I like "Banh com" - Green rice flake cake and "O mai" -sugared dry apricot, they are very delicious and interesting. the travel company in Vietnam which we booked our tour visit Vietnam Cambodia 19 days presented us those Banh com and O mai when we finished the tour. They said that they are the special food of Hanoian. Our children liked them very much, so I recommend you to bring them to your home, sure that your friends will like them.

yes, in Vietnam Coconut candy is popular and special snack, It is famous in Mekong Delta, you could bring it back your home.