A special feature of Vietnam's population is the diversity, 54 groups live together along the country. The Kinh or Viet people are the main inhabitants in almost all provinces (mainly in lowland regions). All Vietnamese people are very friendly and hardworking, however, in each region; people have their own special characteristics which constitute their specific identity in the united identity of Vietnam.

Traditional Hanoi people are considered elegant and sensitive. However, today it is not quite the same since the city has been admitting a large number of immigrants who bring with them different flavors into the original Hanoi. Travelers coming to Hanoi nowadays will feel that the city is now a mixture of diversified lifestyles; however, the traditional values are still engraved somewhere in the mind of each Hanoian. If you want to visit a place where people are normally unaffected by outside lifestyle, try to visit several provinces around Hanoi like Hoa Binh or Sapa or some other remote mountainous areas. Sapa is the home to various ethnic groups, among which, the H’mong, Dao and Tay accounts for the majority. Every weekend, travelers will have chance to take part in the weekly market opened from Saturday night to Sunday. Differently, in Hoa Binh, there are no weekly markets; instead, travelers may find it interesting to know that Hoa Binh is the province where the number of ethnic minority people accounts for the majority, not the Kinh people, with 6 ethnic groups, and the Muong people takes up more than 60% while the Kinh people comprises for about 27% only. It is the cultural diversity of different ethnic groups that draws much attention from visitors. Joining into the daily life of the people (the rituals for weddings, funerals) and listening to special music from drums and gongs will surely help travelers have a deeper understanding about the culture of native inhabitants.

The central of Vietnam tends to frequently suffer from natural calamities like flooding, storm, and drought, that maybe the reason why its people are traditionally industrious and hardworking. The harsh living condition is the motivation that help people there have great effort in improving their lives. Like in the North, this region is also the home to many ethnic groups, among which, Ede is the most special one. You may find it amazing to know that in an Ede family, the woman is the breadwinner. The children are named after their mother, not their father. A man to marry a woman will stay at the woman’s house. Such special features represent a unique culture which will attract many visitors who want to have more knowledge about ethnic groups’ culture.

People living in the southern part of Vietnam are likely to be more opening, generous and energetic because they are affected by western lifestyle. The Western lifestyle has a great influence on their daily life from the character, eating, clothing, way of talking, etc. That’s why it is easier to talk openly to a southerner than to a northerner. Most people lead a loose life since money is for spending, not for saving. When making a travel to the South of Vietnam, do not forget to visit the Mekong River Delta region where a large number of Khmer people live. As Vietnamese people, they are friendly and easy-going. Their daily life is closely connected to water, that’s why they always consider water the most important factor that needs protecting.

Vietnam’s ethnic minority group is considered an important part of the country. If you do not have enough time to directly go to every part of Vietnam to explore, you can visit either several museums in Hanoi like Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, or take about 3 hours in a car to Hoa Binh, or take a night train to Sapa in Lao Cai province. For a lot of travelers, Vietnamese are very friendly and opening. The more you go, the more you will understand the unique but diversified Vietnamese culture. Although people living in specific ethnic group have their own lifestyle, Vietnamese people remain a united group in which each ethnic group is an indispensable part.