Thailand or Vietnam in April. Thailand or Vietnam: where is it better and cheaper to relax?

Hello everyone! As you already understood from the title of the article, today we will find out with arguments and facts Where better Thailand or Vietnam. As you know, these are the two most popular places on globe for holidays with Russians and not only. During your holidays here you can meet many tourists from other countries, such as America, Germany, India, England, etc.

I will compare Thailand and Vietnam based on my personal feelings and life in resort towns Nha Trang and Pattaya. Let's start with the fact that both of these countries are in south asia, where there is always a favorable, warm climate. At first glance, life in these cities seems very similar, but each of them has its own pros and cons, I will list them below in the text. And this is me in Thailand with local Thai “50 Cent”

Thinking about where is better, Thailand or Vietnam, I remembered this moment. In Nha Trang and Pattaya, we lived in the city center; we chose this location specifically so that all the places we needed were no more than a 10-minute walk from home. In the evening in Pattaya, music is constantly blasting from everywhere almost until the morning, you get the feeling that the speakers are in the next room. In the first few days it is impossible to sleep, then you get used to it. If we take Nha Trang, then the situation here is absolutely the opposite, everything is quiet and calm.

Both resort towns are located on the shores of the South China Sea. Pattaya is located in a calmer place in terms of waves - in the Gulf of Thailand. Outwardly, Thais and Vietnamese are very similar, but the people of Thailand seemed to me more friendly and smiling. It’s not for nothing that Thailand is called the kingdom of smiles.

In these countries, the most popular transport is motorbikes (in our opinion, mopeds and motorcycles). In both cities, the traffic on the roads is very intense; in the first days it is impossible to cross the road, since they do not have traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. They probably don’t even know what it is 😆

There are no traffic rules as such either, so to understand how to cross the road, watch how the locals do it and in a couple of days you will learn :-) I stood and watched the traffic in both countries. In Pattaya, the situation on the roads sometimes makes sense to a logical understanding, but in Nha Trang I couldn’t understand anything.

In Nha Trang, a motorbiker moving in the far right lane can abruptly change lanes to the left without turn signals, cross a double solid lane and ride along the curb in the oncoming traffic - this is in the order of things. I was also surprised by the way some Vietnamese turn around on the ring, without making a circle, but immediately turn around in the middle and go in the opposite direction. In Russia, for such an act, at least they would honk the horn, they would catch up with them and register them as lyuli, but if a traffic police officer saw such chaos, then goodbye rights.

You can sit and compare where Thailand or Vietnam is better ad infinitum, so I propose to move on to a more specific comparison based on the most popular parameters, taking into account which tourists choose their holiday destination. Let's start with Vietnam.

Nha Trang:

Pros:

You can inexpensively eat almost any seafood (shrimp, mussels, lobster, scallops, etc.)
clean, free beach in the city center
on the first line near the sea there is a beautiful embankment with sports equipment where you can walk and play sports
You can get plenty of real Vietnamese coffee, and also buy it with you - a paradise for lovers of this noble drink.
there is an opportunity to ride one of the longest cable cars in the world and visit the island entertainment Vinpearl
you can buy natural fabrics cotton and silk inexpensively
Given the current dollar exchange rate, food is 10-20% cheaper
mild, favorable climate
possible for reasonable prices buy pearls and others gems
there is normal public transport with affordable prices- buses with air conditioning and cheap taxi
low cost of visa extension (6 months for three people about $160)
there is an opportunity to earn extra money on the spot: in bars, travel agencies, restaurants, watersheds
inexpensive alcohol, cheaper than in Thailand

In Vietnam, on an excursion to Yang Bay Park:

Minuses:

Shopping is not developed (few shopping centers and small assortment in markets)
it's a bit dirty in the city
in the evening in calm weather it is not recommended to walk along the beach, sand fleas may bite you
Vietnamese people bargain poorly and reluctantly
it is inconvenient to swim in the sea because big waves, especially in the late afternoon
the choice of housing is not so diverse, there is an acute shortage of condominiums
the people are a bit slow-witted (they only have 5 classes of free education)
few nightclubs and modern bars for parties
lower quality of life than in Thailand
no McDonald's

Pattaya:

Pros:

Shopping is well developed (many shopping centers, shops, discount centers with branded clothing and markets with a huge range of goods)
Thais are more smiling people and bargain well if done correctly
many modern nightclubs and bars for parties
there is a 5 storey shopping mall Tuk.com specializing in electronics - a paradise for lovers of phones, computers, photo and video cameras
a wide range of affordable housing from condominiums to single-family homes
many Russian television channels, both local and Russian
comfortable living conditions
There are many supermarkets where you can buy all the necessary things
developed tourism infrastructure
many interesting and unusual people with different countries
there is McDonald's

Minuses:

Dirty beach in the city center, you have to go to the islands to swim
If you live in the center, it is very noisy at night
high cost of visa extension and a lot of red tape, to extend it you need to contact the Thai embassy located in another country (the cost of a 3-month visa for three people with travel costs, if going to Malaysia is approximately $1000)
very hot and humid climate
no public transport except tuk-tuks
expensive taxi
Taking into account the current dollar exchange rate, food costs 10-20% more
alcohol is more expensive than in Nha Trang

While vacationing with my wife in these two wonderful resort cities, we came up with the following pros and cons that you read above. Based on them, you can choose the best option for yourself. I liked it in both countries, but next time I would go to Thailand.

If you always go on vacation to the same place, then be sure to spend your next vacation somewhere you haven’t been before. It is quite possible that you will discover a new favorite country for your holiday and a lot of new emotions and impressions!

I hope this article will help you decide on your choice of vacation spot. If you have any additions or observations, I will be glad to read them in the comments. Likes and reposts are welcome. Share this article with your friends on in social networks right now, perhaps this material will be relevant to someone at the moment.

To more accurately answer the question of where Thailand or Vietnam is better, then, of course, you need to visit there yourself and experience the quality and standard of living in both countries.

Who has already vacationed in Pattaya or Nha Trang? Where have you decided to go on vacation this year?

With the arrival of the first cold weather, I want to extend the summer more and more. Thailand or Vietnam, which is better? Where to go? Where is the sea cleaner? Where is the most fruit? Is it better to vacation in Thailand or Vietnam? Where is there a lot of seafood? Where is the climate better? Is it cheaper in Thailand or Vietnam? And there are many, many more questions to which I want to find answers. In today's post I will share my observations and impressions. My review of holidays in Vietnam and Thailand. Comparison of two countries and two resorts. In Thailand it will be Pattaya, and in Vietnam a small fishing village Mui Ne, which is located near Phan Thiet. By the way, most tourists consider Mui Ne to be Phan Thiet. I don't know why they think so, but it's a mistaken opinion. Not the point.

Visa regime.

Night life

Transport

Shopping

Fruits

Visa regime.

Do you need a visa to Thailand? No need for up to 30 days. And if you want to stay in this country longer, then yes, you need it.

Do you need a visa to Vietnam? Up to 15 days of stay in the country is not required. And if your vacation is planned for a longer period, then my post will help you

How long does it take to fly from Moscow to Vietnam and how long does it take to fly from Moscow to Thailand?

Fly to Thailand (Pattaya) and to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) 9 hours 30-50 minutes. Flying is about the same. For some reason, our plane flew back from Ho Chi Minh City to Moscow faster. We arrived in 9 hours 30 minutes, but it took us 9 hours 50 minutes to get there.

How long does it take to get from the airport to your holiday destination?

Let me remind you that in our case, the vacation spots are Mui Ne in Vietnam and Pattaya in Thailand.

From Hosh Minh Airport to the resort of Mui Ne (Phan Thiet) it takes 5-6 hours and it doesn’t matter what you travel on: an uncomfortable tourist bus or a comfortable sleeping bus. Flying for almost 10 hours, and then still waiting for luggage and riding a bus for 6 hours... It’s tiring. But it's worth it. More on this below.

From Pattaya Airport to Pattaya beaches- just a stone's throw away. It's not a long drive. We stayed at the Cozy beach hotel and it took about 30 minutes to get there. This time took into account the delivery of all tourists to other hotels. I’d rather travel 6 hours to the resort of Mui Ne in Vietnam on an uncomfortable bus than 30 minutes to the resort of Pattaya.

Having written three points comparing two countries and resorts, someone has already received an answer to the question: Thailand or Vietnam, which is better? I think the six-hour bus ride to the Mui Ne resort influenced the decision and most of you chose Thailand. Don't rush to conclusions. Ahead main point, which will make you change your mind - the sea. Although, perhaps, this is not the only point. But still, if you decide to go to Pattaya, then here are more answers to the question in

Is the sea better in Vietnam or Thailand?

I will answer this question without hesitation that the sea in Thailand is worse than in Vietnam. Everyone remembers that we are comparing Pattaya and Mui Ne. I have never seen a dirtier beach than in Pattaya. And I have never seen a dirtier sea than in Pattaya. The sea is green and smells. Therefore, definitely Vietnam, Mui Ne.

Beach in Pattaya near the Koz Beach Hotel
Beach near the Allezboo beach resort and SPA in Mui Ne, Vietnam

Where is there more seafood: Thailand or Vietnam?

Comparing the two resorts of Mui Ne and Pattaya, I will say that seafood is tastier and cheaper in Vietnam. Yes, and there are many more of them. Almost all dishes are made from seafood, but in Pattaya you have to look for fishing spots. In Vietnam they are on every corner.

Night life.

Nightlife in Vietnam is very different from nightlife in Thailand. There is practically none in Mui Ne. The only Dragon club is at the end of the village. There's a small dance floor and bed-shaped tables. Nightlife in Phan Thiet, but you need something to get there. I don’t think it’s worth writing separately about Pattaya’s nightlife here. Everyone has heard about Pattaya's Walking street and its numerous clubs to suit any sophisticated or perverted taste, as you please.

Transport.

How to get around Pattaya and Mui Ne. Or rather, what can you use to get from point A to point B. What kind of transport?

In Vietnam, if you don’t break the law and don’t rent a bike, you have little choice. Tourists can travel by bus or taxi. But in Pattaya there is more choice. Services available: tuk-tuks and taxis. If you negotiate, a taxi will cost the same as a tuk-tuk. But in Vietnam, taxis go by meter and taxi drivers take you straight away with a tip. And if you don’t know the way, they can take you for a ride. For your money, they will cover as many kilometers as you like and take you to places you don’t want, allegedly without understanding you.

Shopping.

Prices in Vietnam are lower than in Thailand. Shopping in Phan Thiet will cost you less than in Pattaya.

Fruits.

Vietnam and Thailand have almost the same fruits. And they also cost almost the same.

Excursions.

Excursions in Vietnam are more exotic than in Thailand. Although, who means what by the word exotic.

Even despite the long flight and long drive from the airport to the resort, I would go to Vietnam again. If only because Mui Ne has a clean sea, golden sand, delicious seafood and... large quantities, and the prices are low. And I will remember the dirty and smelly sea in Pattaya, the sand on the beach covered in dog poop as a bad dream. Although, if you get from Pattaya to the island of Koh Larn, from its cleanest beach and the blue sea, then a trip to Pattaya may seem like paradise. Not for long. Until you get tired of traveling to the island and back every day. Every day, 40 minutes one way on a scary and lopsided ferry to the island of Koh Larn is tiring.

And we look at previous posts.

Updated: 2017-9-6

Sergeich74

158

We continue to search together with our readers, just in case. Although it seems that Thai double-entry visas are still working and nothing has changed for winterers. There was already a blog post about this, now about Vietnam, an even closer analogue of Tai. What's better? Sergey will tell you his opinion.

Among the residents 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 summer cottage for Russians, now it is Thailand that has firmly become the leader in the number of vacationers from Russia. But not only our compatriots prefer the “land of smiles” to many other resorts in the world, but tourists from all over the world are increasingly choosing Thailand as a place for holidays and wintering. And this is not surprising. Here you have 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 passing more and more laws that make life more difficult for the so-called winterers. First of all, this is the abolition of Visarans. So now many of those who return to Thailand year after year are beginning to turn their attention to other countries in the Southeast Asian region. And one of these countries is Vietnam.

Vietnam cannot be called a discovery for winterers. Yes and simple " package tourists»has long been a favorite of many resorts in this country. But still, if Thailand is already simply abandoned and even in the north of the country there are more and more “ours”, then in Vietnam you can still find places where European tourist will be a novelty. These countries are very similar, but they also have many differences. And the longer you live and travel here, the more it catches your eye.

I have already been able to visit both Thailand and Vietnam more than once. I have lived both in tourist places and in places where tourists (especially from Russia) are rare. So I can compare these countries regarding which one is better for wintering or just independent travel. I will say right away that this will not be a comparison of who is better and who is worse. Personally, I liked both! I propose to simply compare Thailand and Vietnam on those points that will be important for any traveler and especially for a long-stayer. And draw your own conclusions about where it is better or worse.

The visa issue in Vietnam is resolved very easily. Until 15 days it is not required at all. If you stay for more long term, then a visa is needed, but obtaining one will not be a problem. 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 frequency of entry and length of stay in the country: from 20 to 125 dollars. 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 extend your visa at any travel agency and it will cost from 30 to 80 dollars.

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 photographs 4 by 6 cm;
• an invitation to enter the country (issued 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, although not free. Thus, winter residents will not have problems with visas. 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 for up to nine months! And in Vietnam there is a completely visa-free territory - this is the island of Phu Quoc. If you fly straight to Phu Quoc and don’t leave the island, you can live here without a visa for as long as possible. At least until your passport expires.

But in Thailand, with visas, everything is a little more complicated. Of course, if you come for no more than a month, then you do not need a visa, but for those who constantly winter or live in Thailand, the visa issue is more acute. Usually tourist visa 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 you cannot live in the country for more than 90 days in six months (the 90-day rule does not yet work and it is not a fact that it will work, note Geleosan). You can also get a study visa or work visa. But many winterers preferred to go to the so-called “Vizaran” (exit and entry from Thailand to a neighboring country with a stamp in the passport and thus permission to stay in the country for another 30 days). Now this has become difficult - Visaran has been cancelled! Now you can only enter once without a visa for 30 days!

Prices for housing, transport, 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

It all, of course, depends on the conditions in which you are used to living. The more expensive the accommodation (this also applies to expensive hotels), the smaller the difference between Thailand and Vietnam becomes. A rich man is a rich man everywhere, and in any country in the world they will try to extract as much money as possible from such people. If you are used to living in luxury apartments or exclusively in five-star hotels, get ready to pay well! But more budget housing costs vary and Vietnam seems preferable to me in this regard. If we talk about hotels, 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 per day! Try to find the same thing somewhere in Phuket or Pattaya!?

Long-term housing in Vietnam will also be much cheaper than in Thailand.

Transport prices

Transport links in both countries are very well developed. Moreover, both urban public transport and intercity transport. In terms of prices, the difference is not very significant, but still Vietnam will be a little more attractive in this regard. And that's exactly what it is - Sleeping bass. Translated as "Sleeping Bus". In such buses, instead of the usual seats, there are lie-flat seats. That is, you can sleep very comfortably the whole way. That is why such buses are most often used at night. Of course, there are also regular buses with the usual seating areas, but the Sleeping Bus is more popular than a regular bus. After all, the price of a ticket for the “Sleeping Bus” is not much higher and is generally very affordable. For example, a ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang will cost only 250 thousand dong (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 development and accessibility of intercity bus service!

Vietnam's urban public transport is slightly inferior to Thailand in terms of variety, but not in terms of price. For example, a ticket on a city bus here costs only 5000-7000 dong (7.5-10 rubles). Moreover, all buses in Vietnam are air-conditioned and always very clean. This is being closely monitored here!

​In Thailand, of course, transport is also not expensive and at the same time very convenient to use, so this point, 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 affordable.

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, this will happen in any country. We are primarily interested in the cost of food in mid-price shops, markets and cafes. When talking about stores, it’s 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 these goods are much cheaper. Also, yoghurts and kefir are sold very inexpensively - a rare product for supermarkets in Thailand. Those products that are equally common in both countries cost about the same (in Vietnam a little cheaper). And what is not produced domestically is equally expensive (for example, sausage or cheese).

In the markets, prices are approximately the same, but this takes 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 raised several times! However, this applies more to tourist places. Somewhere in the outback, one often gets the impression that the Vietnamese are generally incapable of deceiving anyone. Only this applies entirely to the provinces. I've been to a couple of villages where there are never tourists at all - that's where the real Vietnam is!

​In average cafes in Vietnam, prices are much cheaper than in Thailand. Of course, it’s difficult to talk about the whole country, but if you compare, for example, the resort of Nha Trang and the well-known Pattaya, the comparison is clearly not in favor of the latter. In Nha Trang, for 400 rubles you can arrange a real belly feast. This money is enough for several dishes, dessert and beer. In Pattaya, you will pay 2-2.5 times more for the same thing! If you compare the provinces, then the prices there will of course be cheaper, but unlike Thailand, in the Vietnamese provinces, even for 100 rubles, the two of you will eat your fill!

I would also like to mention street food. In Thailand, I always really liked it and I prefer to eat it. Well, if you eat exclusively street food, then you can safely go to both Thailand and Vietnam. Both there and there everything is very cheap and tasty. In Vietnam, it’s literally just pennies! For example, in tourist areas In Nha Trang you can have a great lunch for just 15,000 dong (23 rubles!). For this money you will get a large portion of rice with sauce, a grilled pork chop, a plate of fresh herbs and soup! In Thailand, makashnik food is a little more expensive, but still, if you are not a completely desperate backpacker with a budget of $100 for 3 months, you won’t notice much of a difference.

And one more thing - alcohol. If you like to spend time with a bottle of beer or something stronger, then Vietnam is paradise for you! I've never seen alcohol so cheap. Moreover, the alcohol is of good quality. And this applies equally to both shops and bars. In Thailand, all alcohol is 3 times more expensive. However, this only applies to locally produced alcoholic beverages.

Imported alcohol is not cheap in either case.

Prices for leisure and entertainment

Entertainment means visiting different bars and nightclubs. This also includes visits to various spas and massage parlors, excursions and parks.

​This is of course more relevant for ordinary tourists, and not for longsteers. But those who stay in the country for a long time also sometimes want to relax and unwind!

Active night life in Vietnam (applies mainly to famous resorts) will cost you less than in Thailand. This is mainly a consequence of the previous point (cheap alcohol). But all kinds of massages and spa treatments cost about the same.

Those who like to go on organized excursions will definitely like Vietnam. Excursion routes here are constantly developing, and prices remain quite low. Everything, of course, depends on the resort and the specific excursion, but generally the prices for the most popular ones are around 700-1200 rubles, while in Thailand the 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 Vinpearl Park in Nha Trang will cost 500 thousand dong (approximately 750 rubles). This amount includes a water park, an aquarium, an amusement park, an arcade and much more! In many countries, as in Russia, just visiting one water park will cost more!

​
​In general, regarding prices, Vietnam is a cheaper country to live than Thailand.

Nature and climate

​Thailand and Vietnam are geographically very close to each other, so the climate here is approximately the same. Vietnam also has a dry season and a rainy season and is very most of The country is covered with real tropical jungle. But there are some differences. In Vietnam it rains in different months than in Thailand and the humidity here is not so strong. And sometimes it’s even cool in the mountains! So for those who don't like high humidity, but still love the tropics, Vietnam can be a very good choice. And for those who do not necessarily want to live by the sea, but at the same time love the mountains, the mountainous Dalat is very suitable. The temperature here is always about 18-25 degrees. Tangerines and grapes grow everywhere. Mountain Vietnam is something!

Safety

Definitely both Vietnam and Thailand are much safer in terms of the criminal situation than Russia! I think it’s all about legislation, although mentality also plays an important role. But if, as they say, to get to the bottom of it, then I would call Thailand more safe country. Here, they don’t even lock cars, and often the keys are left right in the ignition! In Vietnam this is becoming stricter. 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 also common. But for someone to just come up to you on the street and “work it out” cellular telephone, this is very rare for Vietnam. And if you follow basic precautions, you are unlikely to become the target of theft.

​In general, both countries are much safer than in our homeland (unfortunately).

Development of tourism infrastructure

​Well, Thailand is probably ahead of the rest! Everything here is done so that tourists feel comfortable. All inscriptions are duplicated in English, Tourist Information can be found everywhere. Everything is very convenient and understandable, even in the outback. What about Vietnam in this regard? In Vietnam, in this regard, there is simply a gap between tourist cities, such as Nha Trang, Mui Ne or Saigon and not a 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 once you get somewhere deep into the country, away from the main resorts, you won’t be able to do it without ingenuity. They will look at you the way we would look at an African native somewhere in a remote Siberian village))) Almost no one here knows even two words of English or Russian, everything is everywhere in Vietnamese and nothing is clear. But this makes it even more interesting!

Thailand is the “land of smiles”! Our compatriots have always been amazed by the fact that in Thailand the locals always smile, are always polite and ready to help even a stranger. For many, this is the main reason why they travel to Thailand again and again. Many longstayers who have lived in Thailand for a long time say that Thais are not so white and fluffy, but still a smile and a sincere desire to help a stranger will always captivate.

But in Vietnam, much more often you can encounter complete indifference towards you. And there are much fewer smiling Vietnamese on city streets. In this regard, Vietnam is more like Russia. But still, the mentality and warm climate leave their mark and outwardly the Vietnamese look more cheerful than the Russians. This is especially noticeable to those of our tourists who have never been to Thailand and arrived in Vietnam for the first time. To me, after three trips to Thailand, the Vietnamese even seemed somewhat gloomy, but only at first. In general, for the most part they are very good people.

Cleanliness and tidiness

I would also 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 have the opinion that Asian cities are filled with mountains of garbage and rats run everywhere. Well, Vietnam really fits this description. Not to say that everything is very sad, and we also have problems with this in our homeland, but so that even in major cities there wasn't a single trash can to be found - that's something! All the garbage here is thrown directly onto the roadsides and the local fat rats happily feed on 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, of course, the garbage is removed by special services late at night, but by this time the food waste has time to rot in the heat, so in some places the smell is amazing))) Personally, I don’t pay much attention to this, but for true aesthetes, Vietnam can simply be shocking!

Even in Vietnam, you need to be more careful if you buy some street food. The Vietnamese do not pay much attention to the freshness of food and hygiene during its preparation. You can often see locals preparing food with very dirty hands or using perishable foods that have been sitting in the heat all day.

But Thailand, from an aesthetic point of view, is of course a more civilized country. As a rule, everything in cities is clean and tidy. And ordinary Thais are much cleaner people.

Summary

These are probably all the points on which I would like to compare Vietnam and Thailand. As you can see, in many ways these countries are very similar. In Vietnam, everything is moving towards the point where everything here is becoming the same as in Thailand. And if you are looking 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 well suited for this.

However, it is not for nothing that many longsteers would not exchange Thailand for any other country. Having traveled through both of these countries for quite a long time, having visited both large cities and 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, clearer and simpler. Of course, if you live somewhere far away from civilization and people (in a remote village or on small island), then you won’t feel the difference, but in cities the contrast is felt more strongly. But, if you still look for some kind of alternative to Thailand, then Vietnam is better suited for this!

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How a Belarusian programmer got “tired” of Vietnam and moved to Thailand

Three years ago, test automation specialist Pavel Strongin moved to Ho Chi Minh City to work at Lazada. As Pavel himself admits, adapting to Vietnam was not easy: “once a month I bought tickets somewhere to breathe out and make sure that there was still civilization left somewhere.” And when the opportunity to move to Bangkok presented itself a year and a half later, he took it “with great pleasure.” Even now, when talking about life in Thailand, he constantly compares it with Vietnam:

“That’s it, I’m leaving!” How to last more than a year in Vietnam and fall in love with it

Pavel had the opportunity to work for the Thais a few years ago: having gone through “fire, water and copper pipes” at IBA and EPAM immediately after graduating from BSUIR, he “in some strange way ended up at Akavita”: the company had just received an order from a Thai government to write social networks. “I came to Akavita a week before the New Year with the condition that I would go on vacation during the holidays,” recalls Pavel. “And when I returned, I found out that they had failed the project.” Pavel eventually went to Moscow to work at Yandex - and if not for the crisis, he would never have quit:

– The fabulous job in Moscow ended when the financial crisis began in Russia, and my salary turned into a “pumpkin”.

At that moment, recruiters from Vietnam wrote to me: they say, we have a cool startup here, we just raised $300 million - come. This is probably a once in a lifetime chance to work in Asia! Already in January I was in Vietnam - in complete shock at what was happening there. Because before I only knew about this country that there was a city called Saigon somewhere there. It turned out that even Saigon no longer exists - the city was renamed.

The first impression of Vietnam is chaos: around the taxi that takes me from the airport to the hotel, there is a stream of motorcycles, everyone is scurrying back and forth, and I want to shout: “Ah-ah!..” - because this is hell. The hotel room seems to have a window, but it goes out into the ventilation shaft - and sunlight does not penetrate into the room. This, of course, helps to overcome time shift, but it is very depressing.

It took me a long time to get used to Vietnam. It is so unique that after three months here many people begin to say: “That’s it, I can’t be here anymore: I’m leaving!” - they are leaving. I held out for a year and a half, but once a month I regularly bought tickets somewhere to exhale and make sure that there was still civilization left somewhere. By the way, those who work in Vietnam much longer often fall in love with this country and consider it best place on the ground.

Last year, Lazada opened a technical office in Thailand, and my team gradually began moving there. I had never been to Bangkok before, so I first asked to go there for work: I realized that Thailand is much more comfortable than Vietnam, and most importantly, everything works here, and I decided to move.

“He’ll just sit down and drink some tea”: how things don’t work

In my opinion, Vietnam is a country where nothing works at all. People here live only by their desires and the present day: if a Vietnamese doesn’t want to go to work, he won’t. It started to rain - that's it, that's a good reason to stay home. And it rains in Vietnam for 4 months in a row.

Services in Vietnam work the same way: if the instructions do not spell out the procedure down to the last step, in any incomprehensible situation the Vietnamese will not think about how to solve everything - he will simply sit down and drink tea. He did everything he could. And you come across this attitude towards work every day and many times, although sometimes there are exceptions.

Bangkok, on the contrary, is like big Moscow: skyscrapers, businesses, expensive cars, metro - ci-vi-li-za-tion! And everything works. You live in comfort: you don’t need to go to the store - you press a couple of buttons on your phone, and all the products are delivered to you right away. If you want to send a package to a friend, you pick up the phone again: and immediately a guy on a bike rides out, who will pick up and deliver the package wherever you tell him.

The Thais are the exact opposite of the Vietnamese. These are motivated workers who really love what they do. Just like this: “Ah-ah, I’m doing something so cool that I’m ready to spend my personal time on it!..” But after Vietnam, this only makes me happy.

Many Thais study abroad, at least the middle class ones, and live like Europeans. In Thailand it is difficult to find something very specific, with the exception of very spicy cuisine - I could not get used to it, but I have been in Asia for about 3 years.

While I lived in Vietnam, I constantly experienced difficulties with food: in order to find something that was not even spicy, but in principle edible, you had to try hard. The Vietnamese are very fond of adding things that are unusual for us to their food - for example, a chicken head or a foot with marigolds, which they don’t even bother to cut off (probably a valuable product). And in Vietnam they like to chop chicken right with the bones - and this is what infuriates us the most. This is not the case in Thailand. And although there are more spicy dishes here than in Vietnamese cuisine, in Bangkok you can find a French, Italian or Mexican restaurant on every corner.

“If you stroked your belly, you have the right to compensation”

There is something else that was annoying about Vietnamese restaurants - the sounds that the eaters made. The Vietnamese are very fond of slurping: if you don’t slurp while eating, it doesn’t taste good to you. But as a person who was beaten on the forehead with a spoon for this, it only irritated me. And then the whole dining room is noisy: “Cham-chum-chum...” - so much so that you are ready to take the biggest ladle from the cook and show everyone how to eat.

By the way, in Vietnam all natural sounds are considered the norm, so riding in an elevator can be very unpleasant. Moreover, the Vietnamese love to crowd into the elevator until they squeeze you from all sides, rest against your navel and finish something, slurping and smacking. And these are just flowers, because at this moment a hand often reaches out to your stomach to stroke it...

The fact is that although Vietnam is considered not a religious country (it seems that 70% of the population are generally atheists), but in fact a Vietnamese can go to a church or a Buddhist monastery - mutter something to himself and move on. And he also believes in lucky Buddha - a fat bald man with a belly that you stroke so that good luck will accompany you. Moreover, the Vietnamese transferred this tradition to real people: if they see big man- they will certainly pat him on the stomach. And since in Vietnam I had a very noticeable stomach, they constantly tried to touch it, as if by accident.

If you were patted on the belly in Vietnam, you have the right to demand compensation. I was told that one of the expats went on a tour, and at the very end the guide reached for his stomach. The tourist said: “Then I won’t pay for the excursion.” She responded: “Okay!” - this is the price for luck.

In Bangkok, everyone is very tactful in this regard - there will definitely be no surprises. Moreover, even in a Thai village they react to you like this: go white - and let him go. Although when I went to the countryside in Vietnam, half the village population always took pictures with me.

“I’m with a white man - give way!”

IT specialists in the Asian region receive special treatment. There is a national project in Thailand - The Board of Investment of Thailand: they are involved in attracting foreign investment, including in IT, and constantly invite IT specialists of all specialties to the country. By the way, if you work for a company that is part of the BOI, like Lazada, you get bonuses like flat tax and VIP queue access at the airport.

It is difficult to say what other professions are highly valued in Thailand, probably all of them are the same as throughout the world today. And in Vietnam, I was told, there are three prestigious professions: doctor, teacher and civil servant. If you want to get any of these jobs, be prepared to pay a bribe. Moreover, for a girl to become a nurse, her family must raise about $10 thousand. But, of course, she will receive no more than $300 (this is the average salary in Vietnam, and many local residents consider it “very good”).

By the way, in Vietnam, any expat who comes for a well-paid job is held in high esteem (of course, an IT specialist too). They understand that these people develop their economy. What they really don’t like is the “pale-faced invaders” who come and take their jobs: they become waiters, guides, and so on.

At first, expats find it unusual that in Vietnam everyone is rushing around with them: they open doors for them, hand them a chair. But the Vietnamese do it so naturally - they are really happy to please. And taxi drivers, it seems to me, even have an unspoken rule: when they are driving a white person, they can violate more than usual. At least, I noticed: when I got into a taxi, it was my driver who began to drive recklessly, drive in oncoming traffic, go around the traffic jam with an important look, saying, “I’m with a white man - give way.”

This is not the case in Thailand. Perhaps because they love themselves more, and their attitude towards expats is rather neutral. By the way, the complete opposite of this is China. When I was in Shanghai, I was shocked: they looked at me like in Moscow they looked at visitors from the Caucasus. In China they don’t like you, they look at you sideways, they suspect you of something, and even in the hotel they don’t smile at you. In Shanghai, I rented a room in an expensive four-star hotel, but at the reception they spoke to me so coldly, almost like: “Why are you stopping in? You are not needed here - go home!

“In Bangkok you pay for comfort, in Ho Chi Minh City - because you are “rich”

I said nothing about living conditions in the countries where I lived. Renting an apartment in the center of Bangkok starts from $500: for this money you can rent an excellent 40-meter studio with good furniture and built-in appliances. The apartment is considered a one-room apartment, but by Belarusian standards it is a “two-room apartment”: there is a separate bedroom and a living room combined with a kitchen.

By the way, cheap apartments in Thailand do not have a kitchen, because eating on the street is cheaper than cooking at home. Renting such an apartment costs only $150-200. But, as a rule, this housing is for locals - in areas unpopular among foreigners. It’s not a problem to find a 100-meter apartment for $400, but then you’ll have to travel an hour to the office every day.

The housing in Ho Chi Minh City is disgusting. Most of the buildings in the center are pillars standing close to each other. Even when Vietnam was a French colony, they introduced a law on the width of the facade: the French decided that if they allowed a Vietnamese to build a house as he pleased, he would take over the entire territory. Since then, the houses have only grown upward. There are no windows on the sides or back at all - only on one side; sometimes there may be another narrow window on the side, abutting the window of the next house.

Due to high humidity, floors in Vietnam are tiled and walls are painted, so any home in Ho Chi Minh City feels like being in a hospital.

In Bangkok, people love comfort, so there are wooden floors, rugs, wallpaper on the walls, and what’s most interesting - for the same money. Apartments in the center of Ho Chi Minh City and in the center of Bangkok will cost the same. Only in the center of Bangkok you pay for comfort, and in the center of Ho Chi Minh City - simply because you are “rich”. And if a Vietnamese rents the same housing, it will cost 2 times less.

The center of Bangkok is always jammed with traffic jams. But, probably, not as endless as in Moscow: here many people prefer public transport and motorbikes (in our opinion, scooters). There are even motorbike taxis - they drive past traffic jams, and if you need to get somewhere very quickly, you either choose it or take the metro.

If you take a taxi, sometimes you have to wait: the traffic lights here are very interesting - the red light can stay on for 10 minutes. You drive up, look at the timer, and realize it’s an ambush. True, there is a loophole: a left turn is allowed even on red, and even in those places where it is prohibited, everyone turns.

Boats are also used as public transport in Bangkok: they are long and can accommodate no fewer passengers than a bus. At the same time, they swim very quickly, and on some routes they gain time over the same bus, which may get stuck in a traffic jam.

“They eat, and then leave all the garbage where they sat.”

What has always surprised me about Vietnam is that the majority of the population cannot swim, despite the fact that the country is located along the coast. The only thing they use the beach for is picnics. They come to the sea dressed - in jackets, hats, face masks (so that, God forbid, they don’t get sunburned) - they eat, and then they leave all the garbage where they were sitting. This is Vietnam!..

In this country there is no culture of cleaning up after yourself: among the Vietnamese it is considered the norm if you drink from a plastic glass, finish it and throw it at your feet. I smoked and quit again (at the same time, women’s smoking is condemned by society). By evening, huge piles of garbage accumulate everywhere. At night special people come by and collect everything. Therefore, if at 4-5 in the morning you decide to walk around the city, it will be perfectly clean, except that rats and cockroaches will be finishing their meal. But by 10 am the city will again be littered with garbage.

That is why in places of entertainment, for example, water parks, there are often separate places for tourists, where the Vietnamese with their garbage are not allowed to go. Here you can also take a break from the noise: the peculiarity of the Vietnamese language is that it is tonal - it has 6 tones, which is even more than in Chinese. And if you want to be understood, you need to speak loudly and clearly. But when someone tries to pronounce words loudly and clearly, the next one begins to speak even louder. And if there are more than 5 Vietnamese, it’s always a cry. You understand: if the whole water park is screaming, you get tired after a few minutes.

Feel like a hero “I am Legend”: in English with subtitles

One of my pastimes, whether in Vietnam or Thailand, is cinema. As elsewhere in Asia, films here are shown in English with subtitles. This is surprising, since Vietnam has a population of more than 80 million: they could have bothered with the translation.

In Bangkok, films are also not translated, and occasionally cartoons for very young children who cannot yet read. Recently, the cartoon “The Secret of Coco” was released - and also in English with subtitles. Although, I won’t lie, it really helps to learn the language.

What else to do in Bangkok in your free time - travel, of course. The easiest option is Pattaya, which is only 2 hours away by motorbike. If you really miss Russian cuisine, you can go have lunch and then go to some nearby island for a swim, because...

Traveling by air is also available: flights everywhere in Asia cost pennies, so if you see cheap tickets to Bali, why not fly. A plane ticket to any corner of Thailand costs on average $50 round trip: I’ve already seen half of the country, only the north is not closed yet.

In Vietnam, I also traveled and flew a lot - every weekend I tried to either get out to the sea or go somewhere else. The only place I didn’t manage to visit was Con Dao Island - it’s very difficult to get there for the right amount of money.

Once a year in Vietnam the whole country gathers for a trip: to Chinese New Year both old and young - everyone goes to the village to visit their parents for a week. At this time it is impossible to buy tickets in any direction because everything is sold out. And then one fine morning you wake up, and in a city where 13 million live there is not a soul. You walk through empty Saigon past closed shops and cafes, watch the wind blowing garbage, and feel like a hero in the movie “I Am Legend.”

"Vai" in front of the king's portrait and the anthem on the treadmill

In Bangkok, many people lead a healthy lifestyle, so even in a very expensive gym there are practically no places in the evening. Virgin Active, owned by Richard Branson's company, is located in the same building as our office - prices there are around $1.5 thousand for an annual subscription. So you can’t get there in the evening after work: finding a free exercise machine is simply unrealistic.

It's the same in the parks of Bangkok - in the evenings all the running paths look like the city is running a marathon. By the way, there is an interesting point: at the same time the anthem is playing in the parks - at that moment the entire stream of people stops, listens to the anthem, and then continues moving. We saw this once: an unusual sight.

People in Thailand are very respectful of their ruler. A year ago - he was one of the three most beloved and revered monarchs. The mourning for the deceased king lasted exactly a year and on the most important dates - the first month, birthday, anniversary of the coronation and the final two weeks - the whole country dressed in black and white (against this background, tourists walking around in shorts and flip-flops were especially noticeable). It should be noted that people observed mourning voluntarily: there was no pressure “from above.”

Of course, portraits of the king hang everywhere, and many stop near them and make a “wai” - a bow with folded hands. And in cinemas, before the show, they show videos about the king, or photographs of the ruler, and at this time the anthem plays from the loudspeaker.

Disrespect for the king here is a very serious, criminal offense. They say that someone was even tried for throwing a banknote with the image of the king on the ground without sharing something with the seller and spitting on it.

Girls are real and not: who “hunts” white men

There is a joke about Vietnam that one of its export products is girls. Every year they enter into more than 100 thousand marriages with foreigners. In fact, many Vietnamese women believe that real luck is to meet a white man and marry him. Therefore, dating girls in Vietnam is something very simple: you can choose any beauty you like, and most likely she has already answered “Yes” to you, because you are a foreigner. We even joked that “we don’t have a single free person in our office” who isn’t dating a local girl. But in fairness, it must be added that they do this not only because of the money, but also because of a completely different attitude towards them from visitors: girls in Vietnam are not used to courtship, gifts, and being taken to the movies , bowling, billiards.

In Thailand, girls value themselves highly, and very often give preference to local guys, especially if they are successful guys. There is no “hunting” for white men here. And if a girl herself shows interest in you, you sometimes even wonder why she is looking for a relationship with you. It’s just that the forums here are full of stories about how a guy got married and took a Thai beauty to his homeland, and after 5 years she waved her hand to him: “Thank you! I had a good time with you, but now I have to go back to my husband,” that is, to the “brother” with whom she corresponded all the time and sponsored her at your expense.

There are a lot of “fake” girls in Thailand -. They are considered the absolute norm here: Furthermore, if a boy considers himself ugly and thinks that he would be much more attractive as a girl, the first thing he does is begin to behave like a girl and use feminine endings in conversation.

Fake girls are sometimes difficult to distinguish from real ones. The following rule works on dating services: if the girl in the photo is too beautiful to be real, she is a ladyboy (fortunately, they all write about this openly, so there are almost no misunderstandings).

I once almost had an embarrassment: I liked one colleague - she looked like a very pretty girl - and I noted this in a conversation with colleagues. Thank you, the guys warned me that she is not who I took her for.

I am often asked how massage is in Thailand, I can say that it is very popular - the salons are almost always full. Of course, some people are not at all interested in those salons that are “about massage” - there are also a lot of visitors there. Usually they stand out because there is a pretty girl sitting at the entrance, and not an adult woman with pumped up arms. And at the same time, everything is open - no one is hiding, and everyone knows what is happening in these salons.

3 thousand dollars for feeding fish and 2 weeks in prison for a cigarette

But in Thailand, hookah smoking is strictly prohibited, so sometimes you feel just like the heroes of films about prohibition in America. To smoke, you go to a special establishment (there, of course, everyone is very secretive, and until you ask, no one will offer you a hookah), where there is a special smoking room with a separate exit - so that you can escape in time.

There is another strange feature: you can get here. And such a situation just recently happened in Pattaya: Russian tourists spent 2 weeks behind bars and paid a huge fine.

In Thailand, you can get bread in a protected area, which includes all parks and many tourist beaches. Got caught on this one too Russian woman: the coast guard took her straight from the beach, madam “fell in” with a $3 thousand fine and deportation.

I had no problems with the law in Thailand, although once - at the very beginning - I almost got caught. I went on a motorcycle to Pattaya, and since I did not yet have a normal stand for the navigator, I just rode with headphones. Google Maps showed me where to go from time to time. But when they tell you: “Go straight,” and there are three roads straight ahead that diverge in different directions, and there is no opportunity to look, there is a risk of turning the wrong way. So I got onto the highway. And here it must be said that in Thailand it is prohibited to ride motorcycles on the highway - you can get a fine of $150 and/or 3 months in prison.

I quickly realized my mistake and decided: “Now I’ll get to the first exit and turn around.” But that was not the case: literally 20 seconds later the police caught up with me: “Why did you go there? Ah ah ah!" I say: “Sorry, guys, I was going to Pattaya, but I took a wrong turn.” And they absolutely calmly said: “Okay, turn around and go back.” It was a strange proposal: there are 6 lanes, and everyone drives at least 120 km/h. “I’m not suicidal! I’d better go ahead...” They understood me, said: “Okay,” and let me go.

• Minimum prices in inexpensive hotels in Pattaya are 650-700 rubles, in 2-3* hotels on the first coastline– from 1500-5000 rubles, in 4* hotels – from 1200-2000 rubles, in 5* hotels – from 3500-4000 rubles.
• Prices in hotels in Nha Trang: in inexpensive 2-3* hotels in the European quarter - from 500-800 rubles, in 4-5* hotels by the sea - from 4500 rubles.

Prices for such a popular service as massage in specialized salons in Vietnam start from 280 rubles, in Thailand - from 800 rubles.

Internet and mobile communications

They are very cheap in Vietnam. Tourists can everywhere buy a prepaid card and call home.

The average cost of a minute of conversation in Vietnam is 10 rubles, in Thailand it is 2-3 times more expensive.

It is most economical to use SIM cards with favorable Internet access using instant messengers for communication.

Dreamsim is a SIM card that is not tied to one operator; it works in 197 countries, provides stable communications, fast Internet and prices almost the same as those of local operators.

• no need to set up roaming or buy a local SIM card
• no subscription fees or hidden fees

Transport

Excellent in both countries developed both internal and intercity transport links. According to tourists, prices for public travel transport in Vietnam is somewhat cheaper, however, the difference is not very significant.

City bus fares in Vietnam are about 20 rubles, minimum starting price for a taxi ride – from 40 rubles, for 1 kilometer – 40 rubles.

Songthaew fare in Thailand – from 20 rubles, Taxis in the country are mostly not equipped with meters and the cost of trips varies on average from 200 to 800 rubles.

Tickets for trains, buses, ferries, charters

12Go.Asia provides online booking of all modes of transport on one platform, in countries South-East Asia and Oceania.

Medicine

Quality of medical care countries are approximately the same. Prices depend on the severity of the injury or illness.

To receive quality assistance for tourists insurance will be required, without which you should not go on vacation, so that in case of possible health problems you do not incur huge unforeseen expenses.

Travel insurance

The best insurance option for traveling abroad, you can compare company offers and buy an electronic policy online.

Attractions

Both countries have a rich history and boast a large number of attractions. The choice of tourists in this regard is based solely on personal preferences.

That there have been no global military operations on the territory of the state for many centuries, and therefore there have been preserved ancient sights.

Much was destroyed by war in the last century, but in large populated areas you can still meet historical palaces and buildings.

Excursions

Exciting excursions for vacationers and travelers in 350 cities around the world: Tripster.ru - a service of unusual excursions from local residents and guides who can tell you about the most interesting things in their cities in an interesting and exciting way.

Beaches

In both countries you can find both wild beaches and beaches with well-developed infrastructure.

The most are located in such resorts as Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya.

concentrated in Nha Trang and Phan Thiet. Vietnamese beaches, according to tourists, are wider, cleaner and not as crowded as the beaches of Thailand. They are more suitable for families with children.

Stay on the coast in a bungalow and you can only enjoy unity with nature in Vietnam in Fukuoka.

Preferring holidays in sparsely populated areas, practically wild beaches , you should choose Thailand - Ko Wai, Samet and Ko Mak.

Undersea world

For tourists, keen on snorkeling and, offering a large number interesting places for diving. The Surin, Similan Islands, Phi Phi and Koh Tao are popular among scuba diving enthusiasts.

Entertainment

According to the number where nightlife is in full swing until the morning. In Vietnam, when it gets dark, life seems to come to a standstill. Therefore, tourists who prefer nightlife should definitely choose Thailand for their holiday.

Dangers

Travelers to the countries of Southeast Asia, among whom it is worth noting the high risk of poisoning from unusual food, the risk of getting sunburn or heatstroke, the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes that carry dangerous diseases, as well as the risk of becoming a victim of scammers or pickpockets.