Vietnam

Actually true

• Coffee culture is intense and inventive

  Egg coffee, coconut coffee and strong drip coffee over ice are daily rituals, with Vietnam among the world's top coffee producers.

• Motorbikes dominate the streets

  Tens of millions of scooters carry entire families, furniture and livestock — crossing the street means walking steadily, not stopping.

• The war is a living memory, not distant history

  Many older Vietnamese lived through the American War, and its museums and memorials remain central to national identity.

• Street food culture is a way of life

  Plastic stools on the sidewalk and a bowl of phở or bún chả are more common than sit-down restaurants for daily meals.

Commonly believed, wrong

• "It's still recovering economically from the war"

  Vietnam is one of Asia's fastest-growing economies, a major manufacturing hub with rapidly rising incomes.

• "Phở is eaten only for lunch or dinner"

  Phở is traditionally a breakfast dish, eaten hot from street stalls early in the morning.

• "North and South Vietnam are culturally identical"

  Dialect, cuisine and social customs differ noticeably between Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.

• "Ha Long Bay is a quiet, empty place"

  It's one of the most visited sites in Vietnam, with hundreds of boats cruising its karsts daily.