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The U.S. publication recently used coffee as a lens to explore travel experiences across Vietnam, highlighting not only the country’s strong Robusta beans and slow-drip phin brewing method, but also the social role coffee plays in everyday life.
Coffee shops, street-side stools, and neighborhood cafes are places where Vietnamese people meet, talk, and watch the city go by, National Geographic noted. From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, one cup at a time
National Geographic’s coffee journey moves from Hanoi to Da Nang, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City, with each stop revealing a different rhythm, flavor, and way of experiencing the drink.
In Hanoi, the story begins with the bean itself. Son La Arabica, grown in the cool, humid northern highlands, and rare Typica from Da Lat are introduced through cupping sessions that invite drinkers to slow down and notice the coffee’s aroma, texture, acidity, and sense of place.
National Geographic described cupping as a way to uncover the character and story behind each coffee, encouraging drinkers to ask where the beans come from and why certain flavors emerge.
Dak Lak Robusta adds another layer to the experience. Known for its bold character, it is increasingly being used not only in traditional brews but also in modern coffee creations that give Vietnam’s most familiar bean a new expression.
Less than two hours by air from Hanoi, the coastal city of Da Nang presents a more relaxed and unpretentious coffee culture.
For locals, National Geographic wrote, the experience may be as simple as sitting on a low wooden stool with a small, strong coffee and spending the morning talking.
About a 45-minute drive away, Hoi An offers another setting for coffee lovers, with more than 100 cafes scattered along pedestrian streets, lantern-lit alleys, and rice fields. Coconut coffee is among the popular choices, particularly when enjoyed on an outdoor terrace near An Bang Beach.
In Ho Chi Minh City, visitors can often see locals lingering over a glass of 'ca phe sua da,' or Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk, in the morning or late afternoon. The drink combines strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk and ice and is regarded by many travelers as one of the must-try experiences in Vietnam.
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