To greet someone in Vietnam, you generally shake hands with two hands and bow your head slightly to show respect. But there are different greetings for different people, such as family members.

Bow to elderly people who do not extend their hand and do not shake hands with women; they generally prefer to exchange greetings with a slight bow of the head.

Do not greet Vietnamese people by joining your hands in ‘prayer position’ and bowing. This is the standard greeting in Thailand, as well as in Laos, Cambodia and India, but not in Vietnam. Vietnamese people use this gesture only at the pagoda.

Shaking hands with only one hand, as in the West, is becoming more common in Vietnam, although it is still a predominantly male custom.

Do not try to kiss people on the cheek. They will back away from you.