Everything a tourist needs to know about Vietnam. When is the best time to go on holiday to Vietnam All about Vietnam for tourists

On the eve of vacation time, many Russians are interested in entering Vietnam: what are the rules, how much will the trip cost, do our citizens who decide to go on vacation or to this country need a visa.

If you prefer to apply for a visa at a visa center, we recommend doing this at the Online Visa Center (link to website page), which has been working with Vietnam for more than 8 years. A visa for 1, 2 or 3 months will be guaranteed to be ready within 2 working days.

If you decide to find the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the map, turn your attention to Southeast Asia, to the huge Indochina peninsula. On its eastern side, a small country of interest stretches out like a ribbon along its entire perimeter.

From the eastern part it is washed by the South China Sea, from the western part there are the borders of two states, Laos and Cambodia. A small piece of land on the northern side represents the state border between China and Vietnam.

Location of Vietnam on the world map

If we take the border with Laos, then it is the longest of the land borders; Cambodia and Vietnam have the second longest length. The area of ​​Vietnam is only 331,210 km 2, but it stretches over 1,750 km. Due to the meridian extension, the country’s natural zones differ markedly from each other. There is also a climatic difference between the north, center and south of the state.

The presence of different climatic zones, nature reserves, beautiful nature, etc. make the Republic of Vietnam a wonderful place for an active, unforgettable holiday. The presence of a large number of beaches attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists here every year.

Do Russian tourists need a visa to Vietnam?

Who can stay in the country without a visa for 15 days

Due to the fact that Russia and Vietnam have long-term friendly relations, an exception has been made for citizens of our country such as visa-free visits. Citizens of other CIS countries do not have such privileges.

Watch the video: Vietnam visa for Russians.

To obtain visa-free entry, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are not on the blacklist of citizens who are prohibited from visiting Vietnam.
• You last left Vietnam no earlier than 30 days before your new entry.
• The expiration date of your passport will be no earlier than six months after entering the country.
• You have a return ticket or to any other country in the world.

The last point is checked by customs services extremely rarely, but you should remember it just in case.

You should also remember that the 15-day period includes both the day you arrived in Vietnam and the day you leave it. In fact, you have 13 full days to enjoy the beauty of the eastern state without a visa.

The Vietnamese are quite loyal, so they usually turn a blind eye to an extra day in the country. By law, for every day you violate the visa regime, you must pay a $5 fine. There are cases when customs officers managed to force unlucky tourists to “fork out” even for a more significant amount.

The procedure for crossing the border without a visa is very simple. Regardless of whether you arrived by plane or entered the country by land from, or, at the border post you present the necessary documents, receive a stamp in your passport and move on to enjoy the beauty of Vietnam.

Obtaining a visa upon arrival in the Republic of Vietnam

In 2019, the rules for entry into Vietnam state that a Russian citizen can fly into the country only if he has an Approval Letter. This is a kind of invitation, saying that the country’s migration services give you the go-ahead to visit it. The document can be ordered online from one of the travel agencies.

It is issued on a paid basis. You need to send your data and pay for the service according to the price list of the company you contacted.

Visa on arrival for 1-3 months in 2019 is issued only at four airports:

1. Tian Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City Airport);
2. Nha Trang (Cam Ranh Airport);
3. Da Nang;
4. Noi Bai (Hanoi Airport).

If you don’t have time to apply for a visa in Russia, fly to these airports.

To obtain a three-month tourist visa at the airport, you will need the following documents:

Phu Quoc is an island of visa exceptions

Vietnam also includes the island of Phu Quoc with special visa rules for all foreigners. If you are planning a holiday there and do not intend to stay on its territory for more than 30 days, you will not need an entry permit.

Many Russians, while vacationing nearby in Cambodia, move to Phu Quoc for a couple of days to diversify their vacation and make it more colorful.

If you, after the island, want to go to other places in Vietnam, the days of your stay on the island will be subtracted from your 15 days that you can stay in the country. Therefore, it is better, when choosing it as one of the points on the tourist route, to put the island at the end of the list of visits.

What do you need to present upon arrival for a visa-free visit?

Just because you don't need a visa doesn't mean there won't be any controls upon arrival. You need to go through passport control and show your foreign passport, as well as a return ticket or its reservation. Tickets are rarely of interest to customs officials.

However, it is advisable for the tourist to be prepared to present this document, since if checked, the lack of a return ticket may result in the tourist being denied permission to visit Vietnam.

Video about what documents are needed upon arrival in Vietnam.

It should also be taken into account that a Russian citizen, while in Vietnam without a visa, does not have the right to leave the country and then return, since the permit has a one-time status, giving the right to enter and leave only once.

Is it possible to stay in Vietnam without a visa for more than 15 days?

Since you can visit Vietnam again without a visa only a month after departure, it makes sense to find out how to extend your permit. This procedure is possible. If you see that the allowed period is not enough for you, you need to contact the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The tourist must have a good reason for such treatment. Usually we are talking about diseases in which transporting a tourist can negatively affect his health.

Obtaining a Vietnam visa

If you plan to repeatedly cross the borders of Vietnam in the coming months, or intend to stay in it for more than two weeks, then you need to contact the migration services for a visa. The shortest period for which this document is issued is a month. This type of term can be not only single, but also multiple. A 90-day permit has multiple status.

The most difficult thing is to get a work visa. Such permission is issued only to highly qualified specialists in popular areas of industry, culture, etc. As a rule, there are no problems with other types of visas.

You can apply either at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia or at embassies in other countries.

The following must be included in the package of documents:

• A personally completed questionnaire, the data of which coincides with the rest of the documents. You can fill it out manually or on a computer. Both the manual and computer versions must be personally signed by the applicant.

Sample of filling out an application form for a visa to Vietnam

• International passport. The requirements for it are standard: a document valid at the time of submission, with a validity period of more than 180 days.
• Two high-quality photos 4 x 6 cm. The face should be clear and open. It is advisable not to wear hats when taking photographs. Only headdresses of a religious or national nature are allowed. The photograph must be taken no later than six months from the date of submission.

If you contacted consular services regarding a visa, you do not need to request an Approval Letter.

Don't forget about insurance.

Vietnam is notable for its beautiful nature, ancient temple complexes and quality hotels with good service and low prices. The capital Hanoi and the bustling Saigon-Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long Bay and the resort of Phan Thiet - all about Vietnam: weather, reviews, tours and maps.

• Last minute tours Worldwide

There is an opinion that Vietnam is the same as Thailand, only more natural, not so “captured” by tourists. In fact, these are two completely different countries, each with its own features, and in Thailand there are very wild corners, and in Vietnam there are resorts with the most advanced infrastructure. The real Vietnam is ancient temple complexes of bygone civilizations and the natural beauty of national parks, healthy and tasty food, the cheapest diving in the world and resorts with a distinct European flair: after all, a former French colony. In addition, here you can have plenty of nostalgia for the recent social past: the flag is almost like our former one, and there are pioneers in ties, and even the leader in the mausoleum.

If Vietnam magically suddenly found itself closer to Central Russia, the tourist flow to this country would certainly increase many times over. Indeed, among the tangible disadvantages of this direction is only a long and, therefore, expensive flight. Everything else is a complete plus: an unusual and exciting “excursion”, beautiful beaches with ample opportunities for active recreation, an extensive and high-quality hotel base, low prices in hotels, restaurants, and excursions.

The South is the heart of the economy. The largest city of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, is located here, and there are expensive hotels, the best restaurants, numerous shops and other amenities of civilization. The main resorts in the south are luxurious Phu Quoc, youthful Nha Trang and calmer Phan Thiet. More information about the tourist geography of the country is described on the page “Cities and resorts of Vietnam”.

Time difference from Moscow

4 hours

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• from Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

Climate

About a third of Vietnam is located at 500 m above the sea, so the climate there is subtropical, and in areas above 2000 m it is even temperate. From April-May to October, the southeast monsoons bring warm and humid weather to the country - except in areas protected by mountains.

In the south of Vietnam (from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet) two seasons can be distinguished - wet and dry. The first traditionally lasts from May to November, the rainiest months are June-August. The second usually starts in December and ends in April. This is the most favorable time for European tourists. “Velvet” months are January and February: soft sun, refreshing sea water. From the end of February to May there are hot days without rain.

The best time to visit Vietnam is when rain is least likely: from April-May to October-November.

Climate of Central Vietnam (from the resort of Nha Trang to the ancient capital of Hue): from February to August - clear, rain is rare, temperature +30...+35 °C. In mid-December there are heavy rains, in October-November typhoons are possible in the area of ​​Danang and Hue, temperature +20...+28 °C.

In the north of the country (from Hanoi to the seaside resort of Ha Long), the winter and summer seasons are more clearly defined than in the south. Winter, cool and wet, lasts from November to February, with constant drizzling rain "fung" in February and March. The summer season begins abruptly in May: high humidity, temperatures up to +40 °C.

Visa and customs

Russian citizens arriving in Vietnam for up to 15 days do not require a visa, provided that during this time they do not leave the country, and on the island of Phu Quoc you can vacation without a visa for up to 30 days. But in both cases, it is worth taking out a health insurance policy in advance for the entire duration of the trip.

• Is a hotel reservation an invitation when applying for a visa to Vietnam?

How to get to Vietnam

From St. Petersburg you can get to Vietnam only with a transfer in Moscow, Europe or Asia, but from Vladivostok to Hanoi you can fly directly with Vladivostok Air (1 flight every 2 weeks).

Two low-cost airlines fly from China, Laos and Cambodia to Vietnam at once - Air Asia and VietJet Air.

Two daily trains run between China and Vietnam: Beijing - Hanoi (from 304 USD, travel time - 37 hours) and Nanning - Hanoi (from 37 USD in a double compartment, travel time - 11.5 hours). Both trains leave China in the evening and arrive in Hanoi in the morning. Prices on the page are for April 2019.

Search for flights to Vietnam

Transport

Internal flights are ideal for moving between cities scattered across Vietnam. Prices are low, with tickets starting from VND 900,000. You can also travel by train, they are quite convenient. It takes about 30 hours to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, during which time the whole country will fly past your windows. Buses are the cheapest option for traveling around Vietnam, but it is better to use them over short distances, otherwise you will waste too much time.

Maps of Vietnam

Car and moped rental in Vietnam

Those accustomed to renting a car in distant countries should think about it - traffic in Vietnam is poorly organized, rules are rarely followed, and getting lost in signs and junctions is a piece of cake. In addition, to drive independently, you will have to obtain a local driver's license, and they are issued only if you have a visa for 3 months or more. The solution may be to rent a car with a local driver.

But you don’t need a license to rent a bicycle or moped. But this option is suitable for small resorts with low traffic; it’s better not to mention riding a moped around Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City without decent driving skills in Southeast Asia.

• What documents are required to rent a car in Vietnam?

Communication and Wi-Fi

Tourists rarely complain about mobile communications in Vietnam. It is inexpensive and covers almost the entire country, including small towns and villages. Local calls cost from 1,700 VND per minute, a nice bonus - there is no roaming in Vietnam, you can use one SIM card in any city, a call to Russia will cost from 3,000 VND per minute.

Everything is good in Vietnam and with the Internet, especially in large cities. Mobile Internet is often faster and more convenient than hotel Wi-Fi, but it must be connected separately; details are on the SIM card packaging. The speed and tariffs of the operators are approximately the same, which eliminates the pain of choice. Free Wi-Fi is available in almost all hotels and restaurants.

Vietnam hotels

In the major cities of Vietnam, the choice of hotels is very diverse - from mini-hotels to luxury establishments. Their service is, in general, at the average European level. Type of meals - breakfast (most) or half board; the all-inclusive system is practically never found here. The buffet is extremely varied. All rooms from 3 to 5 stars are equipped with air conditioning, TV with satellite channels and a telephone; more expensive options also include bathrobes, a hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities, safes and minibars.

Accommodation prices remain at approximately the same level throughout the year. A night in a luxury hotel in Hanoi will cost from 1,850,000 VND per day for a double room, in a four-star hotel - from 740,000 VND, in a good three-room apartment - from 200,000 VND, and an overnight stay in a hostel will cost from 80,000 VND per day per person.

Mains voltage 220 V, frequency 50 Hz. Plugs generally have flat connectors. The rooms in many hotels are equipped with universal sockets, which will accept plugs of almost any configuration. If necessary, the hotel staff will find the required adapter.

Money

The country's currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND), 1 dong is divided into 10 hao or 100 sou. Current rate: 1000 VND = 2.79 RUB (1 USD = 23240.09 VND, 1 EUR = 26348.89 VND).

It is better to travel to Vietnam with dollars and euros; the dollar exchange rate is slightly more favorable, but for small amounts the difference is insignificant. Rubles are rarely accepted and little is given for them. Currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, jewelry stores, travel agency offices, markets and even at airports - the rate is approximately the same everywhere, and there are practically no extortionate markups. But street money changers can deceive and instead of 100,000 VND give out 10,000 VND in the hope that the tourist will not notice the difference.

Note to the paranoid: Vietnamese dong bills are made of thin plastic, it hardly wrinkles and is not afraid of sea water. You can safely swim with a “cutlet” in the secret pocket of your swimming trunks.

How to avoid problems

Vietnam is one of the safest places in Asia, but you should also be wary of pickpockets and scammers. The latter can be found in a variety of places - a fraudster may be an officer at the border demanding money for a free visa, an unfortunate pedestrian who suddenly materializes under the wheels of a bike with a tourist at the wheel, unscrupulous hoteliers and sellers.

As for everyday life, you should not drink tap water, it is better not to order drinks with ice in small cafes, not to indulge in unusual food and fruits at the beginning of the trip, and to control yourself in the presence of alcohol.

What other troubles can happen in Vietnam, how not to turn your body into a complete crimson fire, where to change money and buy a SIM card, how not to lose the favor of the local residents, and also where to run and call in case of trouble, is described in the article “How avoid problems in Vietnam."

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Beaches of Vietnam

Vietnam stretches from north to south along the shores of the South China Sea - there are incredibly many beautiful beaches in the country. Some have popular resorts and vibrant nightlife, others are ideal for extreme recreation - surfing, kiting or diving, and others are magnificent in their wildness and desolation. Almost all beaches in Vietnam are sandy, but in some places there is a pebble surface.

Within the boundaries of cities and resorts, most beaches are municipal, with free entry, changing cabins, showers and washbasins, the sand is regularly cleaned and garbage is removed, and umbrellas and sunbeds will cost a ridiculous 320,000-60,000 VND per day (you need to bargain). The pages “Beach Holidays in Vietnam” and “Beaches of Vietnam” will help you choose your strip of soft sand and gentle sea.

• Where in Vietnam you can combine a beach and sightseeing holiday
• Which resort in Vietnam is best for windsurfing?

Diving

Diving in Vietnam is one of the cheapest in the world. At the same time, it is really interesting and organized at a quite decent level. There are many interesting dive sites off the coast of the country. The best in this regard are Nha Trang, Hoi An, the islands of Con Dao and Phu Quoc. In addition to a wide variety of corals, you can see all kinds of mollusks, cuttlefish, octopus, squid, clown fish, moray eels, puffer fish, groupers, manta rays and barracudas.

The most suitable time for diving is from October to April. The best season for diving in Nha Trang is February-October, and on Phu Quoc Island - from November to May. Near Nha Trang there are famous diving spots: Muren Beach, Rainbow Coral Reef and many islands near the resort.

The Con Dao Archipelago National Reserve consists of 14 islands and is located 300 km from the coastline. There you can find very rare mammals - dugongs (sea cows), large green turtles and many endemics - animals and plants that live nowhere else.

Beautiful Vietnam

Shopping

Cuisine and restaurants of Vietnam

The best photos of Vietnam

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Legends and stories of Vietnam

Here is a brief excursion into the complicated history of the Vietnamese people. More than three thousand years BC, the dragon king Lac Long Quan ruled the lands of what is now Vietnam. Once, puzzled by the continuation of the family, he decided to ask the fairy bird Au Ko for his hand in marriage. The beauty was not slow to accept the offer and, on time, gave birth... a bag in which 100 eggs were found, and from each came one heir-progenitor of 100 Vietnamese families. Whether the lady hatched the offspring or placed the offspring in an incubator - history is silent, but since then every self-respecting Vietnamese speaks of himself as “the child of the dragon, the grandson of the gods.” The end of the story is very modern: after some time the couple separated - Lac Long Quan chopped off half of their sons and went to sea with them, and Au Ko took the remaining fifty and went to live in the mountains. As Lev Nikolaevich correctly noted about happy and unhappy families!

To understand the secret of Vietnam's charm, look at any house in a small Vietnamese town. Here it stands, with a narrow, literally 3-4 meters, facade, stretched away from the road (the fact is that families here are allocated not an area for houses, but a square footage along the street, and a very small one), two- or three-story. The façade is very elegant, even, perhaps, somewhat motley; the double doors span its full width and are hospitably open. Above the entrance, evoking vague memories of the “Twentieth Congress of the CPSU,” flaunts a red flag with a gold star in the center. On the floor above there is a small altar with a dark bronze Buddha dozing, surrounded by smoking incense. And at the very top, on a tiny balcony, entwined with something with small pink flowers, the marble-white Virgin Mary humbly bows her head.

Guides in Vietnam

Entertainment and attractions

Vietnam is ready to delight guests with a variety of diverse entertainment: from elephant riding, visits to snake restaurants with crocodile sanctuaries, national parks and fishing to casinos and nightclubs. The highlight of the country's excursion program is considered to be the Ku Chi guerrilla tunnels, but besides them, there are more than enough attractions here.

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Holidays in Vietnam are a lot of positive impressions and emotions. But, this is only if you prepare well for it. Do not forget that Vietnam is an Asian country with all the attendant climatic, mental and other features. So, you should prepare for the trip in advance, and create a list of necessary things for a trip to Vietnam taking into account the experience of more experienced travelers.

First of all, you should prepare and execute all the necessary documents. On your trip, you cannot do without a passport, tickets, a visa (if you plan to vacation for more than 15 days), a tourist voucher, a set of photographs, etc.

As a rule, travel agency specialists provide the most complete information about the necessary documents and features of staying in the chosen country. Savage tourists will have to rely only on themselves and independently collect up-to-date information about what to take to Vietnam from documents, food or medicine.

After you have collected a set of documents, be sure to make copies of them. Upon arrival in Nha Trang, it is better to deposit the originals of all documents in the hotel safe, and have copies of them with you. Fans of car rides should be prepared for the fact that on Vietnamese roads you can only drive with a license issued here.

Therefore, it is worth considering in advance whether it is worth trying to obtain a local driver’s license. As an option - rent a car with driver.

First aid kit

Experienced tourists believe that when going on any trip of any length, they should be equipped with a first aid kit. If we are talking about a visit to the dacha on a weekend, then you can limit yourself to banal iodine, brilliant green, bandages and tampons. And visiting a region with a completely different climate and potential dangers requires a fundamentally different approach.

If we are talking about a trip to Vietnam, then it would be useful to take with you:

• antipyretics;
• painkillers;
• sunburn creams, skin moisturizing oils and lotions;
• antiallergic drugs;
• wipes and sprays for disinfection - it is better to play it safe and limit exposure to local microorganisms as much as possible;
• medications you regularly take at home;
• mosquito repellents (fumigators, creams, etc.)

The last position is quite controversial - experienced tourists claim that Vietnamese insects are not afraid of the effects of protective equipment brought from Russia. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that you will have to buy fumigators locally.

Classic iodine with brilliant green and a patch will also not be superfluous, especially if you plan not only to bask on the beach, but also to travel around the country. However, if you forgot something, then don’t worry - in Nha Trang you can easily find a pharmacy with Russian-speaking staff. In any case, you will not be left without help, but it is better to be on the safe side.

Clothes should be comfortable

What clothes to take to Vietnam is one of the most popular questions on numerous forums. Choosing a wardrobe for travel is a purely personal matter, but general recommendations should be taken into account.

During a summer visit to Nha Trang, you should bring several sets of light casual clothing (T-shirts, T-shirts, shorts, cotton trousers), swimming trunks (swimsuits) and caps (hats). For footwear, flip flops, slippers and sandals are useful. For lovers of country walks, we recommend taking sneakers. Winters in Vietnam are mild and rainy, so in November-January, tourists should have a jacket or sweater with sleeves, jeans and a raincoat. It is better to leave the down jacket, fur coat or coat you wore to the airport in Russia; they will definitely not be useful in Vietnam.

It is absolutely not necessary to take all your things with you. As a rule, most of the things brought are never taken out of the suitcase. You can only take the most comfortable and necessary clothes, and buy everything else on the spot. T-shirts, T-shirts and other consumer goods are inexpensive here. You can buy clothes at every step, so don’t deny yourself this pleasure.

Take care of the children

Traveling with children always requires additional expenses and hassle. There is nothing to be done - the “flowers of life” traditionally require increased attention. It is worth making a detailed list of things that should be taken on vacation to Vietnam, taking into account children's needs.

First of all, it is advisable to take water and usual foods with you (biscuits, dried fruits, etc.). At the initial stage, this will help the child acclimatize to the local cuisine as comfortably as possible. It goes without saying that the contents of the first aid kit should be replenished with children’s medications for the treatment and prevention of diseases, and during the flight, do not forget to take pencils, books, coloring books, etc. to keep your child occupied.

Money issue

The financial component of a trip is traditionally one of the most important. It's no secret that it is much more comfortable to relax and travel if you do not experience any financial difficulties during the trip. When traveling to Vietnam, there is absolutely no need to bring a suitcase full of cash. In most hotels and supermarkets you can easily pay with a bank card. But it’s better to take some cash dollars too.

Of course, you will create your travel budget yourself. But, in any case, we should assume that $30 is the minimum daily rate of financial expenses in Vietnam. This includes an economical option for accommodation, low-budget meals and the purchase of inexpensive souvenirs.

Money can be easily exchanged directly at the airport or hotel.

When making a list of what to take with you to Vietnam, pay attention to small, but nevertheless necessary things that will definitely come in handy. Among them:

• a flashlight is far from the most useless device in a country where the tropical night falls very quickly, and street lighting in some cases leaves much to be desired;
• sunglasses - protect your eyes, because... the sun is very active here;
• shaving accessories and toothpaste – it’s more pleasant and safer to use familiar and proven hygiene products;
• camera – today many tourists take pictures of the surroundings and selfies on smartphones, but the classic image of a vacationer is a tourist with a camera;
• a convenient backpack or bag - useful for storing the minimum necessary things, both during long journeys and during short hikes and excursions;
• a phone and a tablet are mandatory tourist assistants in any country, but do not forget to buy an international SIM card;
• a notepad and pen - very often help out when communicating with local residents - what cannot be said in words can be depicted using symbols;
• a printout with the name and image of your hotel - can become a kind of Ariadne’s thread if you get lost, which happens all the time;
• The Russian-Vietnamese phrasebook is another assistant in establishing communications with sellers in markets and supermarkets.

What not to take with you to Vietnam

Along with the necessary things that will come in handy during the trip, I would like to note that it is absolutely not necessary to take on vacation to Vietnam. In particular, fans of all kinds of strong drinks do not need to take a home bar with them on a trip. Vietnamese producers sell a huge number of alcoholic drinks, so there is plenty to choose from. Moreover, the quality of Vietnamese alcohol is quite decent, and the prices are quite affordable.

Bed linen, dishes, gels and shampoos will also become a burden for tourists. You are going on vacation to a country where service for tourists is at a fairly decent level and you have the right to count on high-quality service. If we are talking about a “semi-wild” vacation, then it is easier to buy all the necessary little things on the spot than to drag them along with you across borders and customs.

Numerous tourists are traditionally interested only in local exotics, but for the Vietnamese, all guests without exception are quite exotic, despite their “packaging”. The main thing is that you are ready to leave a certain amount of money here, everything else is secondary.

Vietnam is an amazing country with a touch of French charm. In previous articles we have already written about holidays in Vietnam in general. Here we will touch on several interesting facts about the country, its culture and its inhabitants.

1. The majority of the population travels on scooters and motorcycles. The Vietnamese call this type of transport a “motorbike”. 3 people on one moped is not the limit; can carry large cargo with them.
Only wealthy Vietnamese have cars, since the high tax on car imports and the lack of domestic production make them practically unavailable.

2 . Traffic on the roads can seem completely crazy, especially in large cities like Ho Chi Minh City. But in fact, this is a clearly organized swarm of motorcycle bikers. You just need to get used to the fact that the main people on the road are people on iron horses.

3 . Mini French baguettes This incredibly delicious invention of mankind was inherited from French colonization. What is a baguette? This is a small crispy baguette, cut lengthwise, and inside there is a filling of your choice: fried egg, vegetables, fried meat or fish, fresh vegetables. Sometimes they add hot sauce on top and then it's just an amazing dish.

4 . Another interesting fact is. Vietnam is famous throughout the world for its coffee, I will say more, the Vietnamese occupy a leading position in coffee exports in the world. In Vietnam, coffee is drunk very sweet, sometimes condensed milk and lots and lots of sugar are added. The drink iced coffee is also popular here, you can even find instant ice coffee.

5 . Cheap alcohol. There are no duties on alcohol in the country as such, so it is sold here, sometimes for ridiculous money, for example, beer Saigon costs 7,000-10,000 VND ($0.3-0.5). Moreover, sparkling water costs the same in stores.

6 . The world's longest cable car over the sea in Nha Trang. The road connects the resort town of Nha Trang and the island of Hon Tre, where the amusement park is located. Its length is 3,300 km.

7 . Vietnamese currency. The Vietnamese dong is denoted ₫ or VND. Due to rising inflation since 1987 in Vietnam, all purchases are in thousands, like in Belarus. For example, drinking water 5,000 VND at the current exchange rate is about 15 rubles.

8 . The Vietnamese love Russian tourists. A couple of times people came up to us on the street and asked us where we were from, and we proudly said “From Russia”, to which the reaction was simply amazing - they started speaking to us in Russian. This is due to the fact that the USSR provided active assistance to North Vietnam in American-Vietnamese war.

9 . The short stature of the Vietnamese people. With my height of 1.70 m, I was often half a head taller than any Vietnamese passing by. Accordingly, all vehicles, including slip-on basses, chairs and tables in local cafes are designed for people of short stature. If I was comfortable on chairs, in buses with low ceilings, then my companion, 1.93 m tall, often felt absolutely uncomfortable: on city buses, he had to stand in a half-bent position, on tiny chairs his knees were just above the table, it was very difficult to watch funny.

10 . Tanning is not held in high esteem in Vietnam. Tanning here is considered the lot of beggars, don't be surprised if you see a girl in the +35 heat completely bundled up: in long gloves, a jacket, trousers, etc.

11 . Russian and international driving licenses are not recognized in this country. But ours compatriots they still successfully rent motorbikes, as there is no such control.

12 . Russian rubles, like euros, are not accepted in Vietnam, but the Vietnamese willingly accept dollars.

13 . Vietnamese daily routine. The Vietnamese day begins almost at dawn, and at 6-7 am life in the cities is in full swing. As soon as the sun disappears behind the horizon at six in the evening, literally in 5-7 minutes, life slowly slows down.

Therefore, while in Vietnam, try to shift your daily routine back by 2-3 hours so that you have time to go outside before the onset of hellish heat at 12-15.00.

14 . Particular ebbs and flows. Don't be surprised if you don't find half the beach in the morning. The roads also disappear, for example, in Vung Tau there is a small one, during low tide you can reach it on foot, but when the tide is high, the only way to the temple is under water.

15 . Mountain city Dalat. Due to its location in the mountains, the city has a sharply different climate; it is cooler here than in other cities. When going to Dalat, it is better to take warmer things with you, but not overdo it, a jacket and jeans will be enough.

16 . And one last interesting fact. Halong Bay off the coast of Vietnam is recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site.

Hello. Holidays in Vietnam are a great option! If Vietnam suddenly magically found itself closer to Central Russia (say, somewhere in the vicinity of), the tourist flow to this country would, without a doubt, increase many times over. Indeed, among the tangible disadvantages of this direction is only a long and, therefore, expensive flight.

Almost everything else is a complete plus: an unusual and exciting “excursion”, beautiful beaches with ample opportunities for active recreation, an extensive and high-quality hotel base. And with all this - low prices in hotels, restaurants, on excursions and generally everywhere.

Despite all this, Vietnam has thoroughly spoiled the image of itself with creepy consumer goods markets with bales of all kinds of rubbish, talkative inhabitants and the aromas of fried herring. Perhaps many today will wrinkle their noses when they hear an offer to go there: “I’ve seen enough of this here.”

Meanwhile, the real Vietnam is ancient temple complexes of unknown civilizations and the natural beauty of national parks, healthy and tasty food (dietary rice and delicious fresh seafood), the cheapest diving in the world (coupled with an abundance of underwater inhabitants) and resorts with a distinct European flair: after all, a former French colony.

In addition, here there is an opportunity to have plenty of nostalgia for the recent social past: the flag is almost like our former one, and the pioneers in ties, and even the leader in the mausoleum.

The capital is Hanoi. Interesting cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hue; popular resorts: Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc, .

About a third of the country is located at a level above 500 m above the sea, so the climate there is subtropical, and in areas above 2000 m it is even temperate. From April-May to October, the southeast monsoons bring warm and humid weather to the country - except in areas protected by mountains.

In the south of Vietnam (from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet) two seasons can be distinguished - wet and dry. The wet season traditionally lasts from May to November, with the rainiest months being June-August. The dry season usually starts in December and ends in April. This is the most favorable time for European tourists. The “velvet” months in the south of Vietnam are January and February: soft sun, refreshing sea water. From the end of February to May there are hot days without rain.

Climate of central Vietnam (from the resort of Nha Trang to the ancient capital of Hue): from February to August - clear, rain is rare, temperature +30...+35 °C. In mid-December there are heavy rains, in October - November typhoons are possible in the area of ​​Da Nang and Hue, temperatures are +20...+28 °C.

In the north of the country (from Hanoi to the seaside resort of Ha Long), the winter and summer seasons are more clearly defined than in the south. Winter, cool and wet, lasts from November to February, with constant drizzling rain "fung" in February and March. The summer season begins abruptly in May: high humidity, temperatures up to +40 °C.

Vietnam customs

The import of foreign currency is not limited, but amounts over 3,000 USD must be declared: export of currency from the country is allowed only within the amount declared upon entry. The export of national currency is prohibited.

You can import duty free 400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500 g of tobacco, 1.5 liters of strong alcoholic drinks or 2 liters of alcoholic drinks with a strength of up to 22°, 5 kg of tea, 3 kg of coffee, as well as other goods with a total value of no more than VND 5 million.

Household and computer equipment must be declared: all undeclared equipment will be allowed for export only if customs duties are paid or there is a receipt confirming its purchase in the country.

The export of art and antiques, jewelry and handicrafts without the appropriate permits is prohibited.

Transport

In Vietnam, which stretches from north to south, to travel between distant cities, it is best to use domestic flights with Vietnam Airlines or Jetstar Pacific. Most often, planes fly between two megacities - Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (up to 10 flights per day), but other large cities are not deprived of regular flights.

Vietnamese trains are comfortable and run on schedule. The main route, Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City, will last 30 hours. Purchase tickets It is recommended at least 3 days before the travel date directly at the station ticket office (local travel companies can easily cheat on the cost of the ticket and class of carriage).

It makes sense to use intercity buses for relatively short trips: constant speed limits on highways result in unreasonably long journeys. On the other hand, the prices for bus trips are negligible: you can get from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City for only 450,000 VND.

When traveling at night, you should be very careful with your luggage: cases of theft are not uncommon (petty thieves are everywhere). It is better to put away players and other gadgets at the first sign of drowsiness.

Urban transport is well developed only in large capital cities: these are taxis, various motorcycle and pedicabs (“cyclo” or “cyclo”). Taxi fares do not need to be negotiated in advance: all cars have a meter that indicates the fare, and taxi drivers usually know some English. Taxi fare: VND 5,500-9,500 per kilometer plus VND 15,800-23,700 per landing.

Motorcycle and pedicabs will be happy with VND 15,800 for a 15-minute ride, but the amount of payment should be agreed upon in advance and bargaining is simply necessary in this case. Traffic on the roads is poorly regulated, so traffic jams in big cities are a common occurrence.

For diving enthusiasts

Diving in Vietnam is one of the cheapest in the world. At the same time, it is really interesting and organized at a quite decent level. There are many interesting dive sites off the coast of Vietnam. The best in this regard are considered to be Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Con Dao Islands. In addition to a wide variety of corals, you can see all kinds of mollusks, cuttlefish, octopus, squid, clown fish, moray eels, puffer fish, groupers, manta rays and barracudas.

The best time for diving is from October to April. The best season for diving in Nha Trang is February-October, and on Phu Quoc Island - from November to May. Near Nha Trang there are famous diving spots: Muren Beach, Rainbow Coral Reef and many islands near the resort.

The Con Dao Archipelago National Reserve consists of 14 islands and is located 300 km from the coastline. There you can find very rare mammals - dugongs (sea cows), large green turtles and many endemics - animals and plants that cannot be found anywhere else.

Shopping and stores in Vietnam

Local shopping has two pleasant features: a wide selection of purchases and the lowest prices in the region (if, of course, you don’t forget to bargain). Shops are open almost every day, seven days a week, from 7:30 until late in the evening. Many supermarkets in the capital and major cities are open 24 hours a day.

From Vietnam you can bring things made of lacquer, bamboo, mother-of-pearl, items made of silver, pearls, mahogany and ebony - including very beautiful cutlery and boxes.

Another category of successful purchases is clothing and accessories made of silk, linen and cotton. Even in Saigon you can find very high-quality and beautiful gold products - not exactly at bargain prices, but quite reasonable prices, as well as products made from pearls - mainly from artificially grown river pearls, less often - cultured sea pearls.

It is worth purchasing various spices, especially Fukuoka black pepper. Representatives of the fair sex are guaranteed to pay attention to the national costume “ao dai”, consisting of a tight-fitting long shirt-dress with slits and pants (they are usually sewn to order).

Wonderful exotic souvenirs literally cost pennies here, and beautiful silver items cost almost nothing. Travelers returning from Vietnam usually take out silver jewelry and dishes, products made from natural silk, linen and cotton, souvenirs made from mahogany and bamboo, lacquerware and ceramics from their suitcases.

Vietnamese cuisine and restaurants

Vietnamese cuisine, although “omnivorous” (down to fried grasshoppers in bags made of newspapers instead of seeds), is at the same time quite light and, despite its unusualness, healthy. The products here are not subjected to long-term heat treatment. The basis of the cuisine is rice, noodles and spices, a variety of seafood.

Many dishes are seasoned with “nuok-mam” sauce made from fermented (read: “fermented in its own juice”) fish - however, the taste and smell is not at all as terrible as it might seem. As for soups, you should try the light and tasty “pho”: rice noodles with lean beef or chicken.

The French, former colonialists, also made a mark in local cuisine, making baguettes cut in half with all sorts of fillings popular as a “snack”. Green tea is traditionally popular in the country, and local coffee is considered very decent.

And they produce good red and white wines.

In state hotels and restaurants, 5% “for services” is usually added to the bill. In private establishments, if you liked the food and service, you can leave a tip of 5-10%.

Legends and stories of Vietnam

Here is a brief excursion into the complicated history of the Vietnamese people. More than three thousand years BC, the dragon king Lac Long Quan ruled the lands of what is now Vietnam. Once, puzzled by the continuation of the family, he decided to ask the fairy bird Au Ko for his hand in marriage.

The beauty was not slow to accept the offer and, on time, gave birth... a bag in which one hundred eggs were found, and from each came one heir-progenitor of one hundred Vietnamese families.

Whether the lady hatched the offspring or placed the offspring in an incubator - history is silent, but since then every self-respecting Vietnamese speaks of himself as “the child of the dragon, the grandson of the gods.”

The end of the story is very modern: after some time the couple separated - Lac Long Quan chopped off half of their sons and went to sea with them, and Au Ko took the remaining fifty and went to live in the mountains.

How correctly our Lev Nikolaevich noted about happy and unhappy families!

Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Vietnam

Vietnam is ready to delight guests from the north with a variety of diverse entertainment: from elephant riding, visits to snake restaurants with crocodile sanctuaries, national parks and fishing - to casinos and nightclubs.

The highlight of the country's excursion program is the Ku Chi guerrilla tunnels, but besides them there are more than enough attractions here.

Halong Bay National Park has some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. Several thousand small limestone islands and cliffs rising from the sea waters and having a bizarre shape make one believe in the legend of this place. It says that the Ha Long Islands were created by a giant dragon that lived in the mountains. Bizarre cliffs and rocks are shaped like a turtle, camel, cat, dog's head or dragon.

Hanoi has Buddhist, medieval and recent communist sites, as well as natural beauty in abundance.

Da Nang is home to the beautiful Ngu Nan Son Marble Mountains and pagodas with unique statues. In Phan Thiet there is the famous statue of the Reclining Buddha.

Vietnam hotels

In the major cities of Vietnam, the choice of hotels is very diverse - from mini-hotels to De Luxe establishments. Their service is, in general, at the average European level. Type of meals - breakfast (most) or half board, there is practically no all-in. The buffet is extremely varied.

All rooms from three to five stars are equipped with air conditioning, TV with satellite channels and a telephone; more expensive rooms also have bathrobes, a hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities, safes and minibars.

Mains voltage 220 V, frequency 50 Hz. Plugs generally have flat connectors. Rooms in many hotels are equipped with universal sockets, to which plugs of almost any configuration will fit - and if the plug still does not fit, the hotel staff will find the necessary adapter.

Do you need a visa and who?

Exotic Vietnam is moderately loyal to Russian tourists: on the one hand, entry into the country is simplified almost to the maximum (a visa for up to 15 days for tourism purposes is not needed), on the other hand, a visa will still be required for a longer visit.

But even in this case there should not be any difficulties: a visa to Vietnam can be obtained without any unnecessary hassles directly at the border upon arrival. What’s nice is that there is no visa fee for Russian citizens. Well, if you don’t want to wait for a visa to be issued at the airport, you can get it in advance at the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow.

A visa-free 15-day stay in Vietnam is possible no more than once every 30 days. If you plan to leave and return to Vietnam (for example, as part of a combined tour), you will need a visa to re-enter.

Thus, Russian citizens arriving in Vietnam have three options:

1. Visa on arrival

If your stay in Vietnam lasts more than 15 days, a visa can be obtained upon arrival at one of the international airports in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or Da Nang. To do this, at the “Visas upon arrival” counter before passport control you will need to present:
a foreign passport valid for at least six months at the end of the trip;
return tickets;
visa permission - confirmation letter (Approval Letter).

By the way, the confirmation letter is a document with a unique code issued by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. It’s not difficult to get it; the easiest way is to order it online on one of the specialized websites (the price ranges from 15 to 38 USD, depending on the type of visa and the speed of processing). A confirmation letter will be sent by email and must be printed and then presented at the border control point.

The time to obtain a visa at the airport is approximately half an hour to an hour; tourists from Russia are issued it free of charge.

2. Applying for a visa at the consulate