10 Must-try Vietnamese Drinks that Travelers Shouldn’t Miss Out

More than a land of breathtaking landscapes, Vietnam is a paradise for food lovers and dreamers of taste.
Strolling through its lively streets, travelers are embraced by the fragrance of simmering broths, the sweetness of tropical fruits, and the warmth of cups crafted with tradition. Every corner whispers a new flavor, every sip tells a story. Oriental Destination is delighted to guide you through ten of the most beloved Vietnamese drinks—flavors you should never miss when journeying through this enchanting land.

1. Coffee – The Soul of Vietnam

Have you ever savored an espresso in Italy, a café au lait in France, or a freddo in Greece? Believe us—Vietnamese coffee stands proudly beside them, yet speaks a language all its own.

In Vietnam, coffee is not merely a drink—it is a rhythm of life, a quiet poetry shared among friends and strangers alike. From humble countryside villages to the buzzing heart of Hanoi, you’ll find tiny cafés spilling onto sidewalks, where locals perch on small stools, slowly sipping as the world drifts by.

What makes it special? Bold and unapologetically strong, Vietnamese coffee is born from robusta beans grown in the misty highlands. Brewed through the humble phin filter, the process is unhurried—inviting you to slow down and savor.

Often softened with thick, velvety condensed milk, the bitterness melts into creamy sweetness, creating a taste that lingers long after the last sip. Most locals prefer it iced—cà phê đá (black) or cà phê sữa đá (with milk). For those seeking a gentle entry, the milk version charms with balance, while the black brew is as intense and exhilarating as a midnight song.

And then there is Hanoi’s treasure: Egg Coffee. Golden, cloudlike froth of whipped yolk and condensed milk rests atop dark coffee, tasting like liquid tiramisu—bittersweet, velvety, and utterly divine. Nothing captures Hanoi’s soul more than sipping egg coffee in a hidden Old Quarter café, as rain taps softly at the window and time itself seems to pause.

2. Iced Green Tea – The Unsung Hero of Vietnam

While travelers rave about coffee or sugarcane juice, one humble drink quietly flows through Vietnam’s daily life—trà đá (iced green tea).

Deceptively simple, it is nothing more than tea leaves steeped, then poured over ice. Yet in its pale-golden clarity lies the spirit of Vietnam—refreshing, unpretentious, and ever-present.

From dawn to dusk, students, workers, and friends alike gather around pavement stalls, sipping this cool companion. Its taste is light and fleeting, a whisper of bitterness fading into pure refreshment. Best of all, it is democratic—offered free at eateries or sold for just a few thousand đồng, no more than the price of a smile.

Often overlooked, trà đá is the quiet heartbeat of Vietnam’s streets—a reminder that the simplest pleasures are sometimes the most unforgettable.

3. Artichoke Tea – A Cup of Wellness and Calm

Elsewhere, artichoke crowns salads and pizzas. In Vietnam, it becomes something gentler—steeped into tea, offering refreshment and healing in equal measure.

Two forms exist: a golden, honey-sweet tea from its flowers, often enjoyed iced; and a darker, more bitter brew from its stems, less favored for taste but prized for its detoxifying strength.

Believed to nurture the liver, ease digestion, and clear the skin, artichoke tea is cherished as both a beverage and a quiet remedy. In Đà Lạt, where cool mist kisses the hillsides, sipping it feels like drinking the highland breeze itself.

4. Kumquat Tea – Vietnam’s Summer Obsession

When Vietnam’s summer scorches at 40°C, thirst finds salvation in trà tắc (South) or trà quất (North).

Blending green tea with kumquat’s citrus zing and the sweetness of honey, it bursts with flavor—zesty, cooling, unforgettable. Often served in giant one-liter cups for under a dollar, it is the people’s drink: affordable, refreshing, and everywhere.

This golden elixir is not just a beverage—it is the taste of Vietnamese summer, captured in a cup.

5. “Trà Cung Đình” – Hue’s Royal Tea

In Hue, where the Perfume River drifts past mossy gates, lingers a tea once reserved for kings—Trà Cung Đình.

A symphony of herbs—artichoke, ginseng, licorice, jasmine blossoms, and more—creates a brew that is fragrant, gently sweet, and deeply restorative. Once a royal ritual, it remains today a balm for both body and spirit.

Sipped with small cakes, it is not just tea but art—an invitation to set aside sorrow and let the soul rest. For the most enchanting experience, drink it within the Forbidden City’s ancient walls, where history itself seems steeped in the cup.

6. Sugarcane Juice – Vietnam’s Summer Elixir

Once chewed raw by farmers, today sugarcane is pressed into luminous green nectar, poured over ice, and handed to thirsty travelers as nước mía.

Sweet, grassy, and cooling, it is summer captured in a glass. From street corners to seaside promenades, vendors with squeaky presses serve this timeless refreshment for just a few coins.

Light, simple, and pure—it is Vietnam’s golden sunshine made drinkable.

7. Fresh Coconut Water – A Tropical Signature

In Vietnam, coconut water isn’t bottled or packaged—it is served fresh from the shell, cracked open before your eyes.

The small dừa xiêm variety is prized for its sweetness. Ask for the tender flesh to be scooped in—perfect when jelly-like and translucent. For an added twist, try dừa tắc, coconut water brightened with kumquat, for a fragrant, citrusy delight.

Few drinks feel as purely tropical, as timelessly refreshing, as sipping coconut water beneath Vietnam’s swaying palms.

8. “Bia Hơi” – The Spirit of Vietnam in a Glass

If coffee is Vietnam’s quiet soul, bia hơi is its laughter.

As night falls, streets bloom with glowing lights and low stools, where locals raise frosty glasses with the cheerful chant: “Một, hai, ba… dô!” (One, two, three… cheers!).

Light, fresh, and barely 3% alcohol, bia hơi is meant not for excess but for camaraderie—an everyday toast to friendship and joy.

Alongside it, bottled brews like Saigon, Hanoi, and Huda beers carry their own character, each sip reflecting a region’s spirit.

9. “Rượu Cần” – The Wine of the Highlands

In the misty Central Highlands, community and celebration flow from earthen jars of rượu cần.

Made of glutinous rice and forest herbs, it ferments for weeks before long bamboo straws are placed inside. Villagers gather in circles, sipping together from one jar, their laughter rising with the beat of gongs and the glow of fire.

At weddings, harvest feasts, or festivals, rượu cần is not just wine—it is belonging, it is joy, it is the soul of the highlands.

10. “Rượu Nếp” – The Spirit in Rice

When glasses are raised in Vietnam, it is often rượu nếp that fills them.

Born of glutinous rice fermented and distilled into clear, fiery liquor, it is strong, fragrant, and enduring—warming both body and spirit. Often infused with herbs or animals to create rượu thuốc, it carries not just flavor but the wisdom of generations.

Poured at weddings, festivals, and even funerals, it marks both joy and sorrow, binding life’s moments together in shared spirit.

Conclusion

In Vietnam, every sip tells a story. From the clinking laughter of bia hơi streets to the cool sweetness of coconut water beneath palm trees, each drink reflects the rhythm of life—unhurried, vibrant, and full of soul.

These flavors are more than refreshment; they are companions to friendship, to love, to quiet evenings and bright mornings. Whether savoring egg coffee in Hanoi’s Old Quarter or raising a glass of rice wine in a village home, you’ll discover that in Vietnam, drinks are not just about quenching thirst—they are about sharing moments.

So come, sip slowly, and let this land pour its heart into your glass. In Vietnam, every drink is a memory waiting to be made.