How To Choose A Cut Out Card in Vietnam And Elsewhere

Flag of Vietnam.

I loved the Vietnamese cut out cards. They are everywhere in Hanoi, north Vietnam. Street hawkers display them on trays. Shops in museums have them. 

Xmas and holiday souvenirs

Creative types and collectors would like to buy and give one showing Vietnam scenes, or receive it or keep it as a souvenir. The green trees and parcels designs would be good to keep in your box of leftover Xmas cards for next year.

Birthdays and Weddings

You can find cards for birthdays showing a cake; or weddings with a couple embracing. If you don't see what you want, just ask. 

Ask

I did that out of desperation at Hanoi's airport. It was my last opportunity. What do you know - the seller had a stack of them under the counter and hunted through until he found what I had requested.

Transporting Cards When Travelling

The cards are small and fold flat, easy to pack. 

How can you protect it from getting dirty and creased? Cards are usually sold in a protective transparent envelope which keeps the card clean. You can keep one safely flat between the pages of your holiday reading, a folding map or guidebook in your bag.

Size?

I once took a small but exquisite card to a friend's birthday lunch. My card looked a bit small next to the other large cards standing in a row on display.

My family consoled me: 'The other cards are big and bold and plain. Yours is different, like you, small and cute.'

For posting, small is sometimes better and cheaper.

However, if you want a card to compete with other cards, it may be worthwhile paying extra for a larger card. If they are all the same price, pick a bigger or taller card which, in a crowd of cards, looks impressive.

For hotels
booking.com
Comparison site:
https://www.clicktripz.com/rates/search/index
For airlines
travelok.com
vietJetair.com (Comprehensive list of budget airlines in Wikivoyage.)
For transport
https://www.grab.com/vn/en/

Language
Duolingo.com 
(Remember to click on the sound symbol to hear how words are pronounced.) 

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favourite posts.