1. Visit small villages, whether they have rice fields or coconut plantations, it doesn’t matter but the smaller the village, the more you will appreciate their simple everyday life.
2. Drink tea and coffee in the street, the Vietnamese love to spend their late afternoon with friends, drinking tra or ca-fe. Not only in the nicest bars but especially in the busiest streets, you will always find groups of people sitting in the small chairs.
3. Riding a motorcycle, whether rented or with a Grab, is the most popular way. Initially you will feel in danger, but the feeling passes quickly. I found myself accepting a ride from a girl in Ho Chi Minh, and I’m still alive.
4. Breakfast noodles, if you see a bunch of Vietnamese sitting in a mini street, add them and order the same things, if they are there and because it’s good. If they don’t speak English, use a translator to ask what you eat.
5. Use apps to meet new people, like couchsurfing or meetups to meet foreign friends who speak English. There are many locals who like to make new friends, for example I joined a couchsurfing event where we cooked Vietnamese food.
6. Learn a few words in Vietnamese and smile. It’s a difficult language but saying hello and thank you will help you interact with them more easily.
7. Dress in traditional clothes, Many Asians and Vietnamese like to dress in a traditional way when they are in a particular tourist site. In sapa you can find this type of clothes, you will notice many people dressing up taking pictures around the villages.
8. Go to the local market, and taste the fruit. Markets are always a way to interact with their culture. Try to be curious, and taste what they sell.
9. Go to the parks. Many people practice outdoor sports, martial arts or padel.
10. Taking public transport, trying to use the buses sometimes will allow you to feel local, save on transport and have better meetings.