If 85 percent of Vietnam is of the Kinh ethnic origin that still leaves 15 percent of the population divided among the 53 other ethnic groups. The most well known of these groups are the Tay, Thai, Hoa, Khmer, Muong, Dao, and Hmong, all of whom consist of around a million people each. At the other end of the spectrum are the Co Lao, La Ha, and Ngai groups with numbers of less than 2,000, and finally the Pu Peo, Ro-mam, and O-du with only a few hundred individuals remaining in each one. Even if the government is making great efforts to present a positive image of Vietnam’s ethnic groups and is trying to ensure their inclusion in the great Vietnamese family, many individuals still consider them backward and unsophisticated. As in most other parts of the world, ethnic groups and visible minorities have never had it easy; they need all the help they can get. Without being overly chastising, DON’T encourages negative or degrading remarks and attitudes towards ethnic groups. DO respect cultural differences and whenever possible, choose tour operators who appear more culturally sensitive.
