Smoking meat in VN...

I use fruit wood.... Apple, apricot, peach, ... lots of smoker websites you can ask specific questions

Maybe try Mango?

Maybe coco nut husk

Smoked food stuffs, sometimes called dried or all-natural cured, are common to all cultures. It is still practiced today in VietNam especially in the more remote areas where they have to live 'off the grid' - because they are waiting for EVN.

One example is nem chua. Nem chua is the Vietnamese member of a selection of Southeast Asian fermented, cured meats. Vietnam, being in the tropics, is traditionally excluded from the slow salt-cured hams of more northerly peoples. Instead, Vietnamese hams use freshly ground lean meat and a specific combination of spices and processing steps to cure the meat rapidly in the tropical heat.

People still cook this way up in the Central Highlands. Some suitable woods of VietNam for smoking and barbequing include:

Acacia is similar to mesquite but not as strong. This wood burns very hot and should be used in small amounts or for limited amounts of time.

Star Apple (vu sua) is very mild in flavour and gives food a sweetness. This is good with poultry and pork. Star Apple (vu sua) will colour chicken skin (turns in dark brown).

Red Maple like fruit wood gives a sweet flavour that is excellent with poultry and ham.

Cherry is like apple… sweet and usually very fruity depending on the age of the wood. Tends to be mild making it a good choice for poultry, fish, and ham.

Grape vines make a lot of tart smoke and gives a fruity but sometimes heavy flavour. Use sparingly with poultry or lamb.

Betel or Cashew woods gives a hint of a fruity flavour, burns cooler than most other woods. It is similar to Hickory and is best used on large cuts like brisket and pork roast but can also be used to compliment chops, fish and poultry.

Citrus woods like lemon or orange have a moderate smoke that gives a light fruity flavour that is more mild than apple or cherry.

Persimmon (Hong) like the other fruit woods, mild and slightly sweet.

Lemon is a mild wood that produces a good, smoky flavour. A good wood for any meat.

Peach is for poultry and pork. This wood is similar to hickory but is sweeter and milder in flavour.

Pear is similar to apple and produces a sweet, mild flavour.

Plum is great for poultry and pork. This wood is similar to hickory but is sweeter and milder in flavour.

Other suitable woods include: avocado, bay, chestnut, fig, guava, gum, olive, pimento, and willow-type trees.

Don't forget you can also find other wood products around made from wine and whiskey barrels that impart a very unique flavour - even better if you take part in emptying them.

Of course, where you live in VN affects what you can try your hand at. The northern, temperate zones have more European trees for you to try.

There are other southern woods to try: Pineapple (Dua), Mango (xoai), Rambutan (chom chom), Durian (Sau Rieng), Thieu Litchi (Vai Thieu), Longan (Nhan), Banana (Chuoi) and Sapodilla (Hong Xiem)(northern VN). 

I'm wondering what pepper wood would taste like, we have plenty of those up here, along with tea and coffee wood. I guess the wood from the rubber plantations is off the menu, though.

Thank you WikiJaitch.

It is quite a choice indeed. Would, to your knowledge, coco tree (and/or the fruit husk) be suitable? Because I was also thinking – in the future – of having one small smoker, and these (coco) are all over the place for cheap.

I believe Coco fruit husk is hot fuel. They make fuel cubes from those for use. And of course, it's in use for cooking. VN term for it is than gao dua "Than Gáo Dừa".

As for specific use like smoking meats, etc... I am waiting for your experiment?