Top 10 Easy Vietnamese Food Souvenirs to Bring Home

Missing those authentic Vietnamese flavors during your time abroad? Planning to head back home and want to bring some amazing Vietnamese food souvenirs to bring home but not sure what's actually safe to pack?

We totally get it! There's nothing quite like sharing the taste of Vietnam with friends and family. That's why we've put together this list of 10 Vietnamese specialties that are travel-friendly and won't give you any customs headaches - stuff that's easy to pack, safe to fly with, and guaranteed to blow people's minds with those authentic Vietnamese flavors!

Diverse and attractive collection of Vietnamese specialties, ready for long journeys

Top 10 "Safest" Vietnamese Specialties to Bring Through Customs

1. Paper Filter Coffee / Ground Coffee Packages

Vietnamese coffee carries within it an entire unique drinking culture. Paper filter coffee is compact, lightweight, doesn't have strong odors, and is especially convenient since it doesn't require complex brewing equipment - just hot water and you can enjoy it immediately. Beautiful packaging with bilingual information makes it perfect for gifting international friends. This is the ideal Vietnamese food souvenir for long journeys, representing the best Vietnamese snacks for travel.

Paper filter coffee - an elegant gift carrying Vietnamese coffee culture around the world

Notes when buying:

• Choose vacuum-packed ground coffee
• Check expiration date and clear origin
• Prioritize brands with bilingual labels
• Consider buying combo sets with paper filters and brewing instructions

2. Vietnamese Tea: West Lake Lotus Tea, Oolong Tea, Artichoke Tea

Vietnamese teas with fragrant lotus tea, slightly bitter oolong with sweet aftertaste, or cooling artichoke tea are all excellent choices. They have gentle aromas, don't cause allergies, and are Vietnam customs safe food gifts in most countries. Herbal teas like artichoke and chrysanthemum are especially popular for their natural health benefits, making them perfect food souvenirs from Vietnam.

Fragrant West Lake lotus tea - the refined taste of thousand-year-old Thang Long land

Buying tips:

• Prioritize tea from famous growing regions (Thai Nguyen, Tan Cuong)
• Choose tin box or sealed zip bag packaging
• Check ingredient information and brewing instructions
• Avoid tea with overly dark color or strong smell

3. Vietnamese Specialty Dried Chewy Fruit Candy (Ginger, Mango, Jackfruit, Pomelo Peel)

Dried chewy fruit candy carries distinct tropical flavors with spicy ginger, sweet mango, fragrant jackfruit, and cooling pomelo peel. Sealed packaging, easy to divide into portions, and long shelf life. Choose low-sugar varieties without artificial coloring for health safety and easy customs clearance. These portable Vietnamese specialties are favorite Vietnamese foods that travelers love to bring back.

Dried chewy fruit candy - easy-to-carry Vietnamese specialties

Shopping suggestions:

• Choose candy with natural colors, not overly bright
• Prioritize products with clear ingredients and expiration dates
• Buy from reputable stores or directly from craft villages
• Check moisture level - good candy should be chewy, not too dry

4. Hai Duong Green Bean Cake / Mini Pia Cake

Green bean cakes and pia cakes showcase traditional cake-making artistry with gentle sweetness and rich, buttery flavors. Choose varieties without salted egg yolk for easier customs clearance since many countries have strict regulations about egg-containing products. Mini individual packaging makes sharing convenient, with beautiful packaging and complete information. These cakes are Vietnamese food souvenirs to bring home that suit everyone as gifts for friends from Vietnam.

Hai Duong green bean cake - masterpiece of traditional Vietnamese cake-making art

Shopping experience:

• Prioritize vacuum-packed or tin box cakes
• Choose varieties with long, clear expiration dates
• Avoid cakes with overly moist or cracked exterior
• Buy from reputable specialty stores

5. Salted Roasted Cashews / Macadamia / Dried Lotus Seeds

Vietnamese cashews are "export pride" with natural delicious taste and high nutritional value. Completely odorless, water-free, and extremely easy to package for long trips. Can be stored long-term without spoilage, perfect for extended journeys. These non-perishable Vietnamese food gifts are the most beloved by international travelers.

Golden Vietnamese cashews - pride of world's leading agricultural exports

Tips for choosing quality nuts:

• Choose nuts with even color, not darkened
• Prioritize vacuum-packed or tin box products
• Check expiration date and clear origin
• Avoid nuts with rancid smell or high moisture

6. Ben Tre Coconut Candy

Coconut candy brings the flavor of Mekong Delta orchards with gentle sweetness and distinctive fragrant taste that melts in your mouth. Available in various flavors like cocoa, durian, pineapple, or traditional coconut. Each piece individually wrapped in clean, beautiful foil, convenient to carry and share. Coconut candy is what food to bring from Vietnam that many travelers choose as airport-safe Vietnamese food.

Sweet Ben Tre coconut candy - Mekong Delta orchard flavor in every piece

Tips for choosing good coconut candy:

• Prioritize products from long-established Ben Tre brands
• Choose candy with natural colors, not overly white/yellow
• Check sealed packaging, no tears or mold
• Try a few pieces to ensure moderately sweet taste

7. Vacuum-Packed Dried Fish / Vegetarian Sausage

Lightly fragrant dried fish from the sea and vegetarian sausage from soybeans and mushrooms both suit healthy eating trends. Low water content, less likely to cause security check difficulties. These Vietnamese specialties are vacuum-packed to ensure quality and long shelf life, convenient for long-distance transport.

Dried fish and vegetarian sausage - perfect combination of tradition and modernity

Buying advice:

• Choose vacuum-packed products with intact packaging
• Prioritize reputable brands with safety certifications
• Check origin and expiration date on packaging
• Buy from specialized vegetarian food or specialty stores

8. Shredded Beef Jerky / Lemon Leaf Chicken Jerky

Lemon leaf shredded meat jerky is easy to eat with mild spiciness that stimulates taste buds without causing discomfort. Dried lemon leaves create distinctive unforgettable aroma. Compact, long-lasting with vacuum packaging technology. Avoid varieties with too much sauce or stored too long. These are suitable Vietnamese food souvenirs to bring home for extended trips.

Lemon leaf beef jerky - Southern-style snack with irresistible aroma

How to choose quality meat jerky:

• Prioritize products with natural colors, not overly dark
• Choose vacuum-packed varieties with intact packaging
• Check ingredient information and expiration date
• Avoid products with strange smell or excessive moisture

9. Vietnamese Cooking Seasonings (Hue Spicy Noodle Soup, Pho, Crab Noodle Soup) in Cube/Concentrate Form

Cube or concentrate seasonings help recreate authentic Vietnamese flavors anywhere. From spicy Hue noodle soup and fragrant pho to sweet-sour crab noodle soup - all condensed into small, compact cubes. No unpleasant odors, convenient box packaging, many brands have bilingual packaging with detailed instructions. This is the perfect way to bring Vietnamese specialties anywhere in the world, making them ideal non-perishable Vietnamese food gifts.

Pho and Hue spicy noodle soup seasonings - Vietnamese culinary essence condensed in small cubes

Buying suggestions:

• Prioritize large, reputable brands with quality certifications
• Choose products with bilingual packaging and clear instructions
• Check expiration date and storage conditions
• Consider buying combo packs with multiple flavors for variety to recreate authentic Vietnamese flavors at home anywhere in the world

10. Dried Rice Noodles / Glass Noodles / Instant Pho Packets

Dried rice noodles, glass noodles, and instant pho packets are the most convenient products for bringing "hometown flavors" everywhere. Lightweight, odorless, and suitable for everyone. Just add boiling water for a few minutes to have a fragrant bowl of noodles like back home. Long shelf life, extremely easy to store without special conditions. These Vietnamese specialties are favorite choices of international students and the most popular Vietnamese foods for travelers.

Dried rice noodles and instant pho - quick solution to enjoy hometown flavors

Shopping experience:

• Choose products from reputable, hygienic factories
• Prioritize varieties with beautiful packaging and complete multilingual information
• Check long remaining expiration date and suitable storage conditions
• Buy various types for diversity

Safe Packaging Guide for Vietnamese Specialties

For Carry-on Luggage

When preparing carry-on luggage, pay special attention to liquid regulations under 100ml and must be packed in clear zip bags for easy inspection. This is especially important when bringing Vietnamese customs safe food gifts that comply with aviation security regulations.

• Liquids must be under 100ml per bottle
• Pack in clear zip bags
• Proactively declare special or high-value items to security

Carry-on luggage packing must comply with liquid and size regulations

For Checked Luggage

For checked luggage, wrapping multiple layers to prevent breakage is extremely important, especially for fragile items like coconut candy or green bean cakes. These Vietnamese food souvenirs to bring home need careful protection throughout the journey.

• Wrap multiple layers to prevent breakage
• Use hard boxes outside and foam padding inside
• Label "Fragile" if necessary
• Place gifts in the middle of luggage to avoid impact

Checked luggage needs careful wrapping to protect special gifts

Special Notes

Before traveling, take time to carefully check customs regulations of your destination country to avoid unwanted troubles when bringing Vietnamese specialties.

• Check destination country's customs regulations before traveling
• Avoid bringing items with overly strong odors
• Choose products with clear labels and origins
• Prepare origin certification documents if needed

Check customs regulations before traveling to avoid unnecessary troubles

>>> Read more: Perfect Vietnamese Gifts for Koreans Living in Vietnam: What to Bring Back Home This Summer (2025)

Wrap it up

Nothing beats sharing those authentic Vietnamese flavors with folks back home. Each of these specialties tells a story and brings a piece of Vietnam's rich culture with you.

Oh, and here's the thing - CHUS actually stocks all 10 of these top Vietnamese specialty picks we just talked about! They've got everything ready to go, so you don't have to hunt around different stores. These are exactly those easy-to-pack Vietnamese goodies that won't give you customs headaches.

Seriously, just hop on CHUS right now and grab what you need:

• Combo packs that make perfect meaningful gifts
• Sweet deals with really good prices
• They'll ship it right to you, nicely wrapped like proper gifts
• 100% legit quality stuff that'll breeze through airport security