Vietnam Tour Packages Guidelines: Vietnamese Iced Tea – Cultural Street Food

Vietnam is famous for its diverse and scrumptious cuisine. You must have tried Pho, Bun Cha, Banh Mi, Bun Bo Hue, etc., in your hometown. Yeah, they are tasty and iconic. But you hardly have a chance to enjoy Vietnamese iced tea in overseas countries. It’s not about the recipe; it’s about the unique culture of this special drink and the feeling it offers. Vietnam tour packages offer you a quick look at this cultural street food. Stay tuned and enjoy!

Overview of Vietnamese Iced Tea

When was Vietnamese iced tea born, and how did it spread? No one has an exact answer. It has become a ubiquitous daily drink in Vietnam for so long. It all starts with the traditional trà (tea) that is served to show the hospitality of the house owners to their visitors. Time flies and trà is now less etiquette. It can be said that iced tea is its modern version. This beverage is not as fancy, flashy, and strong as Ca Phe Sua (milk coffee). It impresses us with a simple, modest recipe with cold tea and crushed ice. With regard to taste, many foreigners in Vietnam tour packages describe it as a refreshing and hydrating drink on scorching summer days. In current days, Vietnamese iced tea has different versions to match audiences of a wide range of ages. In addition, it’s not a sidewalk drink anymore. It is served in restaurants and hotels in or after the meal.

“Sidewalk Iced Tea” Culture

Iced tea is not only a drink; it’s a culture in Vietnam. Sitting on the sidewalk, drinking iced tea, and gossiping with vendors and other customers are a little joy in our daily life. In these tiny corners, everyone can talk loudly, smoke rustic tobacco, and enjoy the breeziness of the cold drink. You can find everyone friendly and talkative. Surprisingly, it’s also a good place to get more information! From the early of the day, the image of some older man sipping a cup of iced tea on the sidewalk after morning exercise or breakfast is a familiar start to a day.

After lunch, Vietnamese people also have a habit of drinking tea or iced tea. They believe it will freshen their breath and make them more comfortable and confident. It also helps them awake for afternoon work. The young start their nightlife with friends when the dark shadows are in the sky. They can choose a fancy place like a milk tea shop, bar, or pub, but most of them love the modest and peaceful atmosphere in Trà chanh (lemon iced tea) and sitting on the sidewalk.

The audiences of this iced tea are diverse. While the traditional one is more favorable to adults, other modern versions also match children’s and youngster’s tastes. You will love this drink, even if you are men or a woman. It may not be because of the taste, but its unique cultural aspects.

Where To Enjoy This Drink

It’s a ubiquitous drink you can find anywhere in Vietnam, but it is the most popular in the Hong River Delta, Central regions, and Mekong Delta. You can find it in some small vendors of old ladies on the sidewalk. With 20 cents, you can thirst your body quickly. People in the Hong River Delta always pay attention to the matter of etiquette, so trà (tea) is a common drink in their daily life. It’s not strange that iced tea can creep into every corner of this area, especially Hanoi.
Meanwhile, the Mekong Delta area, also called Miền Tây – in the West of Vietnam is tropical monsoon and subequatorial climate, so it’s almost hot all year round. As a result, this drink is of favorite here. Central regions are in between. People here drink iced tea to cool off the high heat and severe weather in summer and welcome their visitors.

With a few steps in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you can find old ladies with a table, some stools, a teapot, and some glasses. Iced tea is not for summer days only. Vietnamese people love enjoying it in all four seasons. You can opt for hot or cold iced tea when it’s chilly. The feeling of having this drink is similar to enjoying ice cream in this weather! So interesting and refreshing! Now, takeaway Vietnamese iced tea is available. You can go down the town with a cup of cold drink and shop around.

Things Should Be Known When Drinking Vietnamese Iced Tea

It Isn’t Very Pleasant

Although the tea is diluted in a large amount of water, it retains Vietnamese tea’s original taste. Hence, it will be bitter. You can add more water or ice to reduce its feature. If you are a sweet lover, you can add sugar or honey.

Iced Tea Freshes Your Mind

The iced tea is high in caffeine, which will stimulate your nerves, flow your sleepiness, and help you work efficiently. But it isn’t as strong as coffee. Additionally, the breeziness of this drink will thirst your body and make it cherry. If you work heavily and sweat a lot, adding lime or lemon juice with a bunch of ice will implement the necessary acid to reduce fatigue.

Don’t Drink It When Your Stomach Is Empty

It is not a rule for all types of tea. However, Vietnamese iced tea is usually made from strong ones that are unfavorable to your empty stomach. If you have health problems with your gut, don’t drink too much, even when full.

In Sum

If you get our Vietnam tour packages, you can enjoy this cultural street drink with us. Although you may find it uncomfortable and weird initially, you will discover how fun, peaceful, and joyful it is to sit on the sidewalk, drink a cup of Vietnamese iced tea, and chat with friends. We will guide you to all parts of Vietnam, joining different cultures and enjoying diverse featured cuisine. Follow us now!

Vietnam Fast Tours

“Spare your time, Florish your travel”, Vietnam Fast Tours provide fully private personalized holiday packages at highgest quality services. As a local tour operator based in Vietnam, the company offers wide range of travel styles from family hoildays, adventure tours, beach vacation, honeymoon tours to luxury spa & wellness holiday to Southeast Asia. With Vietnam Fast Tours, the clients will experience Southeast Asia in their own way.