In Vietnam, the Lotus flower is the national flower. It is known as the flower of the dawn and is the symbol of purity, commitment and optimism for the future. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater and rises and opens again at dawn.
The lotus is found throughout Vietnam in the muddy water of lakes and ponds. Here, lotus flowers bloom in the Mekong Delta.
Lotus flowers play an important role and remain special position in both Vietnamese spirit and culture. Since long time ago, lotus flowers have been in Vietnamese people’s hearts, life and culture. Contemplating lotus flowers, we can see images of Vietnamese people.
Young lotus stems are used in salads, stamens are dried and made into an herbal tea, and lotus seeds are eaten raw, dried or boiled.
The lotus flower has inspired architecture, such as the Tram Huong Tower in Nha Trang, Vietnam, an ocean town visited by many tourists. This is located right near the ocean on a street corner.
Cities throughout Vietnam set up New Year’s archways to welcome Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. This archway, inspired by the lotus flower, was located on Nguyen Hue Boulevard, in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), 2014. This archway was the inspiration for Voyage to Vietnam’s entry archway.