We continue to search together with our readers alternatives to Thailand just in case. Although it seems that Thai double-entry visas are still working and nothing has changed for the winterers. About Cambodia there was already a blog post, now about Vietnam, an even closer analogue of Tai. Which is better? Sergey will tell his opinion.
Among the inhabitants of our country, and especially among those who have traveled at least once in their lives, probably every second person has been to Thailand. And, if 10 years ago everyone considered Turkey to be a kind of dacha for Russians, now it is Thailand that has thoroughly become the leader in terms of the number of vacationers from Russia. But not only our compatriots prefer «land of smiles» many other resorts in the world, but tourists from all over the world increasingly choose Thailand as a place for rest and wintering. And this is not surprising. Here you have an eternal summer with the sea and beautiful beaches, kind and smiling people, and the cost of living cannot be called expensive. Everything would be fine, but recently the Thai government has been adopting more and more laws that in every possible way complicate the life of the so-called winterers. First of all, it is the abolition of Visarans. So now many of those who return to Thailand over and over again year after year are beginning to pay attention to other countries in the Southeast Asia region. And one of these countries is Vietnam.
Vietnam cannot be called a discovery for winterers. And simple «package tourists» have long been chosen by many resorts of this country. But still, if Thailand is already simply moved out and even in the north of the country it becomes more and more «of our», then in Vietnam you can still find places where European tourists will be a wonder. These countries are very similar, but there are many differences in them. And the longer you live and travel here, the more striking it is..
I have already managed to visit both Thailand and Vietnam more than once. I lived both in tourist places and where tourists (especially from Russia) are rare. So I can compare these countries as to which one is better for wintering or just traveling alone. I must say right away that this will not be a comparison of the type of who is better and who is worse. Personally, I liked both there and there! I suggest simply comparing Thailand and Vietnam on the points that will be important for any traveler, and especially for a longsteer. And the conclusions, where is better or worse, do it yourself.
The content of the article
- one Visa to Vietnam
- 2 Prices for housing, transportation, food, recreation and entertainment
- 3 Nature and climate
- 4 Safety
- five Development of tourist infrastructure
- 6 Locals
- 7 Cleanliness and tidiness
- eight Summary
Visa to Vietnam
The visa issue in Vietnam is very easy to resolve. Up to 15 days it is not required at all. If you stay for a longer period, then a visa is needed, but it will not be a problem to issue it. It is issued directly at the airport. This process will take no longer than an hour. But you can get it in advance, at the Vietnamese embassy in Moscow. The visa itself will be free, but you will have to pay the so-called consular fee. The visa can be single or multiple, for 1 or 3 months. The consular fee depends on the multiplicity and length of stay in the country: from $ 20 to $ 125. You can stay in the country for a maximum of 9 months without leaving, since a 3-month visa can be extended twice. You can make a visa extension at any travel agency and it will cost from $ 30 to $ 80.
In the airport
To extend a visa (as well as to obtain it for the first time), you need:
- foreign passport, valid for at least 6 months;
- 2 photos 4 x 6 cm;
- an invitation to enter the country (done by a tour company or through special online services);
- completed application form in 2 copies.
That is, as you can see, everything is very simple, though not free. Thus, winterers will have no problems with a visa. In addition, there is no need to leave and enter the country. Everything is done in any tour company and you can live in the country up to nine months! And in Vietnam there is a completely visa-free territory - this is Phu Quoc Island. If you fly directly to Phu Quoc and do not leave the island, then you can live here without a visa at least as long as. At least until the expiry date of the foreign passport.
But in Thailand, with visas, everything is a little more complicated. Of course, if you have arrived for no more than a month, then you do not need a visa, but for those who constantly winter or live in Tai, the visa issue is more acute. Typically, a tourist visa is issued for 60 days, and then extended for another month. There is also a double-entry visa with a total stay in the country of no more than 6 months, but one cannot live in the country longer than 90 days in six months (the 90-day rule does not work yet and it is not a fact that it will work, approx. Geleosan). You can also get a study visa or a work visa. But many winterers preferred to ride on the so-called «Vizaran» (exit-entry from Thailand to a neighboring state with a stamp in the passport and thus permission to stay in the country for another 30 days). Now it has become difficult with this - Vizaran has been canceled! Without a visa for 30 days, you can now enter only once!
Prices for housing, transportation, food, recreation and entertainment
If you are a budget traveler, then this will be the most important point for you. Let's compare in order:
Accommodation prices
Of course, it all depends on the conditions in which you are used to living. The more expensive housing is (this also applies to expensive hotels), the less the difference between Tai and Vietnam becomes. A rich man - he is everywhere a rich man and from such people in any country in the world they will try to siphon as much money as possible. Accustomed to living in luxurious apartments or only exclusively in five-star hotels - get ready to pay well! But more budgetary housing costs differently and Vietnam in this regard seems more preferable to me. If we talk about hotels, then even in the resort of Nha Trang you can rent a room with all amenities, air conditioning, TV, daily room cleaning and breakfast for 400 rubles a day! Try to find the same thing somewhere in Phuket or Pattaya!?
Hotel room in Nha Trang for 400 rubles per day:
Long-term housing in Vietnam will also be significantly cheaper than in Thailand.
Transport prices
Transport links are very well developed in both countries. Moreover, both urban public transport and intercity transport. In terms of prices, the difference is not very significant, but still Vietnam in this regard will be a little more attractive. And that's what exactly - Sliping bass. Translated as «Sleeping bus». In such buses, instead of the usual seats, there are recumbent seats. That is, you can sleep very comfortably all the way. That is why such buses are often used at night. Of course, there are regular buses with the usual seats, but «Slip bass» is more popular than the regular bus. After all, the price of a ticket for «Sleeping bus» not much higher and generally very affordable. For example, a ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang will cost only 250 thousand dongs (about 370 rubles). But the distance there is 450 kilometers! And by the way, I was very surprised, but it turns out that Vietnam officially ranks second in the world (after the USA) in terms of the development and availability of intercity bus traffic!
Inside Slip Bass
Urban public transport in Vietnam is slightly inferior to Thailand in terms of variety, but not in terms of price. For example, a ticket on a city bus costs only 5000-7000 dongs (7.5-10 rubles). At the same time, all buses in Vietnam are air-conditioned and always very clean. This is being watched closely here!
City bus in Vietnam
?In Tai, of course, transport is also not expensive and at the same time very convenient to use, so this item, in my opinion, does not play a big role in terms of choosing a country for a long trip. Both there and there everything is very convenient and quite budgetary..
Food prices
?Again, a lot depends on where you are used to eating. Lunch in expensive restaurants designed for wealthy tourists will cost a pretty penny in both countries. Well, it will be so in any country. We are primarily interested in the cost of food in shops, markets and cafes of the middle price category. When it comes to stores, it is difficult to give a general comparison. Much depends on the specific product. Unlike Thailand, bread, pastries and cakes are popular in Vietnam, so the prices for this product are much cheaper. Also, yoghurts and kefir, a rare product for supermarkets in Thailand, are not sold very expensively. Those products that are equally common in both countries cost about the same (in Vietnam it is a little cheaper). And what is not produced domestically is equally expensive (for example, sausage or cheese).
Food in Vietnam
In the markets, prices are about the same, but this is taking into account the fact that everywhere you have to bargain! In Vietnam, it is very difficult for a European to buy something on the market at a low price! Prices are usually overstated several times! However, this is more about tourist destinations. Somewhere in the outback it often seems that the Vietnamese are not at all capable of deceiving anyone. Only this applies very much to the province. I've been to a couple of villages where tourists never come at all - that's where the real Vietnam is!
Market in Vietnam
?In average cafes in Vietnam, prices are much cheaper than in Tae. Of course, it is difficult to talk about the whole country, but if you compare, for example, the resort of Nha Trang and the well-known Pattaya, then the comparison is clearly not in favor of the latter. In Nha Trang, you can arrange a real belly festival for 400 rubles. This money is enough for a few dishes, dessert and beer. In Pattaya, you will pay 2-2.5 times more for the same! If you compare the province, then the prices there will of course be cheaper, but unlike Thailand, in the Vietnamese province, you even have 100 rubles together from the belly.!
I would also like to mention street food. In Thailand, I have always liked it very much and I prefer to eat it. Duck, if you eat exclusively street food, then you can safely go to Tai and Vietnam. And there and there everything is very cheap and tasty. In Vietnam, duck is generally a penny! For example, in non-tourist areas of Nha Trang, you can have a great lunch for only 15,000 dong (23 rubles!). For this money, you will be given a large portion of rice with sauce, a grilled pork chop, a plate of fresh herbs and soup! In Thailand, food made from makashniki is a little more expensive, but still, if you are not a completely desperate backpacker with a budget of $ 100 for 3 months, then you will not notice much difference..
And another moment - alcohol. If you are a fan of spending time with a bottle of beer or something stronger, then Vietnam is heaven for you! I've never seen alcohol cost so cheap. And the alcohol is of good quality. And this applies equally to shops and bars. In Tae, all alcohol is 3 times more expensive. However, this only applies to locally produced spirits..
Imported alcohol is not cheap here and there.
Prices for recreation and entertainment
Entertainment should be understood as visiting various bars and nightclubs. Here I will also include visits to various spas and massage parlors, excursions and parks.
Cafes
?This is, of course, more relevant for ordinary tourists, and not for longsters. But those who stay in the country for a long time also sometimes want to rest and unwind.!
An active nightlife in Vietnam (mainly for famous resorts) will cost you less than in Tae. This is mainly a consequence of the previous point (cheap alcohol). But all sorts of massages and SPA procedures cost about the same.
Those who like to go on organized excursions will definitely like Vietnam. Excursion routes are constantly evolving here, and prices remain quite low. Everything, of course, depends on the resort and the specific excursion, but basically the prices for the most popular of them are around 700-1200 rubles, while in Thailand popular excursion routes can cost 3-5 thousand or even more!
It is not very expensive to visit various amusement parks in Vietnam. For example, a ticket to Vinperl Park in Nha Trang will cost 500 thousand dongs (about 750 rubles). This amount includes a water park, an aquarium, an amusement park, a slot machine room and much more! In many countries, as in Russia, just visiting one water park will cost more.!
Water park in Vietnam
?
?In general, in terms of prices, Vietnam is a cheaper country to live in than Thailand..
Nature and climate
?Thailand and Vietnam are geographically very close to each other, so the climate here is about the same. Vietnam also has a dry season and a rainy season and a very large part of the country is covered in real tropical jungle. But there are some differences. In Vietnam, it rains in other months than in Tae and there is not so much humidity here. And sometimes it is even cool in the mountains! So for those who do not like high humidity, but still love the tropics, Vietnam can be a very good fit. And for those who do not necessarily want to live by the sea, but at the same time love the mountains, mountain Dalat is very suitable. The temperature here is always about 18-25 degrees. Tangerines and grapes grow everywhere. Mountain Vietnam is something!
Nature in Vietnam is not similar to Thai
Safety
Definitely, both Vietnam and Thai are much safer in terms of a criminal situation than Russia! I think the whole point is in the legislation, although the mentality plays an important role. But if, as they say, digging, then I would call Thailand a safer country. Here, after all, even the cars are not locked, and often the keys are left right in the ignition lock! In Vietnam, everything is stricter with this. Thefts are not uncommon here. Therefore, at night in cities, almost no one leaves bikes on the streets, and cafes and shops are closed with roller shutters. Pickpocketing is not uncommon. But so that they just come to you on the street and «worked out» a cell phone, such a rarity in Vietnam. And if you follow basic precautions, then you are unlikely to become an object of theft.
Security guard on the beach in Nha Trang
?In general, both countries are much safer than in our homeland (unfortunately).
Development of tourist infrastructure
?Well, here probably Thailand is ahead of the rest! Everything is done here so that the tourist is comfortable. All inscriptions are duplicated in English, Tourist Information can be found everywhere. Everything is very convenient and understandable, even in the outback. And what about Vietnam? In Vietnam, in this regard, there is simply a chasm between tourist cities such as Nha Trang, Muine or Saigon and a non-tourist province. Somewhere in Nha Trang, you don't even need to know English, many locals understand and speak Russian well! Everywhere they will help you and explain what, how and where. But it is worth getting somewhere inland, away from the main resorts, and you cannot do without ingenuity. They will look at you the way we would look at an African native somewhere in a remote Siberian village))) Here, almost no one knows even two words in English or Russian, everywhere everything is in Vietnamese and nothing is clear. But this makes it even more interesting!
Finding something is not a problem in big cities
Locals
Thailand - «land of smiles»! Our compatriots have always been amazed that in Tai the locals are always smiling, always polite and ready to help even a stranger. For many, this is the main reason why they travel to Thailand over and over again. Many longsters who have lived in Tae long enough say that Thais are not so white and fluffy, but still a smile and a sincere desire to help a stranger will always win over.
Locals
But in Vietnam, much more often you can face complete indifference to you. And smiling Vietnamese on the streets of cities are much less. In this regard, Vietnam is more like Russia. Still, the mentality and warm climate give their imprint and outwardly the Vietnamese look more cheerful than the Russians. This is especially noticeable to those of our tourists who have never been to Tai and flew to Vietnam for the first time. To me, after three trips to Tai, the Vietnamese even seemed somewhat gloomy, but only at first. In general, for the most part, they are very good people..
Cleanliness and tidiness
Separately, I would like to say about the level of cleanliness and order on the streets of Vietnamese cities. In general, many people who have never traveled to Asia are of the opinion that Asian cities are filled with mountains of garbage and rats are running around everywhere. Duck, Vietnam fits this description very well. Not to say that everything is very sad, and we also have problems with this in our homeland, but not to find a single trash can even in large cities is something! All the garbage is thrown right on the side of the road here and local fat rats are happy to eat this garbage! There are a lot of rats in the cities of Vietnam! After a week I even got used to not paying attention to them. In general, garbage is, of course, removed by special services late at night, but by this time food waste in the heat has time to go rotten, so in some places the smell is amazing))) Personally, I do not pay much attention to this, but true aesthetes Vietnam can simply shock!
Even in Vietnam, you need to be more careful if you buy something from street food. The Vietnamese do not closely follow the freshness of food and hygiene when preparing it. You can often see locals preparing food with very dirty hands or using perishable food that has been in the heat all day..
Street fast food in Vietnam
But Thailand, from an aesthetic point of view, is certainly a more civilized country. As a rule, everything is clean and tidy in cities. And ordinary Thais are much cleaner people..
Summary
These are probably all the points by which I would like to compare Vietnam and Thailand. As you can see, these countries are very similar in many ways. In Vietnam, everything goes to the point that everything here becomes the same as in Tae. And if you look for some other country (except Thailand) for wintering or just for a long trip, but you don't want to radically change the situation, then Vietnam is very suitable for this..
However, it is not in vain that many longsters will not trade Thailand for any other country. Having traveled to both of these countries for a long time, having visited both large cities and in the outback, I am more drawn to return to Thailand! And not because Vietnam is bad. It's just that in Thailand everything is somehow more convenient, understandable and simpler. Of course, if you live somewhere far from civilization and people (in a remote village or on a small island), then you will not feel the difference, but in cities the contrast is felt stronger. But, if you still look for some alternative to Thailand, then Vietnam is better suited for this.!
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