Snazzy Vietnam

• Snazzy Vietnam

What do we know about Vietnam? In the recent past - a country of builders of communism, which in the late 1960s - early 1970s, Americans were at war, which ended ignominiously for them (which removed a lot of good and different movies) ...

But now it has a very long history. Currently, Vietnam - a country with a rapidly growing economy, the central place in which it occupies the tourism and related service industries.

Why go to Vietnam? Certainly it is a beach holiday at sea, warm all year round. This is an interesting excursion program in the country with a rich and ancient history. This exotic, common to all countries in the region.

In this brief essay, I will describe the main points that are important in a future trip to Vietnam

Vietnam is located on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It shares borders with Cambodia, Laos and China in the east and south, bordering the South China Sea. The country has nearly 100 million inhabitants. the population density is higher in the north, where the capital - Hanoi. Informal second capital of the country, and its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south, closer to the main resorts.

From mid-spring to mid-autumn there may be humid, wet or very wet, so to go to Vietnam is better in the winter - warm but not yet hot, and dry. This velvet season.

Compulsory vaccinations before traveling to Vietnam is not, but it is recommended to be vaccinated against typhoid and hepatitis A. And, of course, being in Vietnam, it is necessary to comply with the standard for South-East Asia, domestic precautions: only drink water from bottles, which themselves are printing, try to do not buy food on the streets, and drinks with ice in cheap restaurants.

Fly to Vietnam can be a variety of ways with a variety of transfers. Flight from Moscow or Kiev to Ho Chi Minh City will cost you between $ 700 dollars, or follow the seasonal promotional offers airlines - interesting variations occur. For Russian citizens arriving in Vietnam is not more than 15 days, no visa is required. Ukrainians still have to get it (the Vietnamese embassy in Kiev). Within the country can take advantage of both domestic flights and rail, and buses. The bus ride can be quite slow, due to severe speed limits on highways, so it is not necessary to plan for the long-distance route. Trains also modern, comfortable and almost always go on schedule.

Fly to Vietnam can be a variety of ways with a variety of transfers. Flight from Moscow or Kiev to Ho Chi Minh City will cost you between $ 700 dollars, or follow the seasonal promotional offers airlines - interesting variations occur. For Russian citizens arriving in Vietnam is not more than 15 days, no visa is required. Ukrainians still have to get it (the Vietnamese embassy in Kiev).

Within the country can take advantage of both domestic flights and rail, and buses. The bus ride can be quite slow, due to severe speed limits on highways, so it is not necessary to plan for the long-distance route. Trains also modern, comfortable and almost always go on schedule.

can be imported into the country any amount of money, but large amounts (more than 3 thousand dollars) have to declare. Also, be sure to declare all imported equipment - from tablets to dishwashers (phone, too?). Duty can bring in 400 cigarettes and 1, 5 liters of alcohol. Drugs with a better not to take - the punishment can be very, very severe. If you use drugs for illicit drugs, with them you have to be officially certified by medpredpisanie the need for their use. In addition, it is forbidden to import pornography and offending local culture, weapons and explosives.

National Vietnam currency is dong (may be referred to as VND or đ). Exchange rate - about 21-22 thousand VND per 1 US dollar. Exchanged for the local currency and dollars and euros can be everywhere. Circulation are banknotes in denominations of 100 to 500,000 VND, all have a portrait of Ho Chi Minh. In addition, there are coins - from 200 to 5,000 dong. Almost everywhere you can pay in dollars.

Upon arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), do not rush him to leave for the sake of relaxing on the beach. This is a large and modern city, in which there is something to see. He is very actively built modern high-rise buildings, but there still remained a lot of old architecture - a mix of French colonial and Chinese styles. Be sure to visit Chinatown and Cu Chi tunnels, a walk in the park Dame Shen, look at the water park. The city is very crowded and lively - a lot of street markets, cafes and shops, museums and ancient pagodas, parks and botanical gardens.

The choice of places where you can live, is very high - from the guest-house, where you can sleep, shower and change (from $ 10 per day) to luxury 5-star hotels (Hyatt, Sofitel, Renaissance, Sheraton , the Novotel, and many others) with an appropriate service, and for an appropriate price.

The standard power 220 V / 50 Hz. Connectors in sockets typically flat (Chinese), but often in hotels there and universal sockets or adapters.

Many hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas is available free Wi-Fi internet.

The basis of Vietnamese cuisine - rice and noodles, lots of spices. A serious impact on her country had a large extent along the seashore - a lot of seafood. One of the main "chip" of local chefs - fish sauce "nyok-mothers", and if you do not want to spoil your digestion, it is better not find out how the sauce is ready. From popular drinks green tea. Produced in the country and wine.

The standard tip for restaurants and hotels - 5-10%, sometimes they can be included in the bill, and sometimes not.

It is necessary to take the time shopping (bargain must!). Silk and linen clothes, silver and pearl jewelry products of red and black wood - the price of all this is not high, but the quality is much better than the variety of goods on the Vietnamese market in our cities. Public transport is developed quite well: taxi with pay by the meter (about a dollar for landing, and from 30 to 50 cents per kilometer) or bicycles, rickshaws with a contractual payment for which should bargain. Bicycles can be rented (half-dollar a day) or a bike for $ 3-4 a day. And be prepared for a very serious traffic congestion, which can be quite dangerous for inexperienced drivers, and for rolling road pedestrian.

At about the same distance from Saigon are two popular resorts: the south-west - the island of Phu Quoc, and north-east - Nha Trang.

Before Fukuoka fly from Saigon Local Vietnam Airlines (several flights every day, the price of ~ $ 220 to / back) and loukost VietJet Air (~ $ 70). Alternatively, you can take the bus from Saigon (250 km) to the town of Rach Gia (Rạch Giá), located in the Mekong Delta, on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, and hence there are various options for travel to the island by sea, until the hovercraft (around 2 5 hours scenic trip for the price ~ $ 7-10).

In Trang can fly with the same airlines - Vietnam Airlines (~ $ 300) or VietJet Air (~ $ 90). It can be reached by rail from Saigon to Nha Trang for 8 hours, or take a bus - it will last longer.

Both places, like other Vietnamese resorts, its nice diving. It's fun here - one of the cheapest in the world (at prices as in the service of instructors, and equipment), and the quality is organized. A coastal waters here are full of a variety of species of marine life, corals and other beauties. At Fukuoka there are places for diving, designed for beginners, and a short distance from the island and experienced athletes - good depth and strong currents. Where you can get training and get an official international certificate.

More recently, another quiet and unfrequented Phu Quoc is very popular, which is not surprising. The island is about 50 km in length combines the mountain and the forest, wearing a National Park, with clean sandy beaches, and peaceful fishing villages. Here you will find a very beautiful and varied holiday - from the already mentioned diving, fishing, motorcycle and exploring the wild and deserted island roads to the golf course on modern fields and a casino. There are guided tours, mainly sea (fishing, pearl farms, and more) or biking.

And you can just rent a bike (about $ 1 per day) or a scooter ($ 5-10 per day), or to call a taxi for the day (~ $ 30) and go, looking at local attractions.

Less Fukuoka. They serve traditional Vietnamese fish sauce nuoc mam, which is accompanied by a very bad smell that sometimes drifted to hotels and tourists.

Nha Trang (Nha Trang, Nha Trang) stands on the shores of the bay, which is one of the most beautiful in the world. Known large number of small islands and coral reef, clean beaches, mud and mineral water.

Beaches in municipalities (except for a few private, belonging to expensive hotels), clean and equipped with everything necessary - rent sunbeds and umbrellas will cost you less than a dollar a day.

Start with a tour of the town can be a sightseeing tour - there are a lot of ancient monuments, and on one of the hills stands a huge stone statue of Buddha. It is worth visiting the temple complex Michon, National Oceanographic Museum, go to the "Monkey Island", to the mud baths and waterfalls Thapba Yangbay.

A single game - a walk on the world's longest sea cableway stretched at a height of 50 meters from Nha Trang to Hon Tre island. On the island is a five-star hotel Vinpearl Resort & Spa and he owns an entertainment complex, which includes an aquarium, water park, movie theater and all sorts of attractions.

Surely Vietnam - is not just beaches and Saigon. If time permits and the budget can greatly expand the trip to this country. In the north, be sure to visit the capital - Hanoi, where you will find a wonderful blend of communism and unbeatable sights of ancient Buddhist temples with a very beautiful natural "monuments".

Not far from Hanoi, less than 100 km, is one of the most beautiful places on the planet, which bears the status of a National Park Halong Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea. Thousands of tiny islets of different shapes rise from the sea, creating a wonderful landscape that surrounded the local folklore very beautiful legends. This place should be given not less than two days - in addition to hours of boat ride is something to see, and in the coastal city of Haiphong and its surroundings.

In central Vietnam, midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, on the coast of the South China Sea, is one of the largest cities in the country - Danang. Not far away is another valid the longest cableway in the world (but not the sea as in Nha Trang), extending from the base to the top of the mountain Bana nearby mountain Vongnguet. In Danang worth a visit "Marble Mountain" Ngu-Nan-Saone.

Not far from the small town of Hue Danang, at the same time is a very important historical and cultural center. Here, from 1802 to 1945 was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty - the last imperial dynasty in Vietnam. Worth seeing ancient pagodas and churches, "Tigers Arena", which were organized fights tigers to elephants, the Temple of Literature "Vanmieu" palace "Honto" tiles bridge "Thaneoan".

In Phan Thiet, seaside town, 200 km from Saigon, be sure to look at the nation's largest Buddha statue. He is captured in a state of Nirvana lying. statues Length 49 meters, height - 11.

What else to visit Vietnam? The ancient city of Lang Son on the Chinese border, Phuong National Park Cook, Mai Chau Valley, Lake Ba Be.

If you are thinking to go to Vietnam, be sure to read the reviews of people who have visited there. Despite the fact that recreation in this country has a lot of advantages - climate, beaches, exotic and very low prices of almost everything have quite a few minuses. Usually all the disadvantages related to the human factor: about themselves Vietnamese tend to speak not very nice - lying and thieving (many stories of thwarted motorcyclist with shoulder handbag, or a zero client Peeled Plum massage parlors).