Vietnam or Thailand which is better? Thailand or Vietnam: comparison, where is better to go, reviews

Vietnam or Thailand, which is better? If you want to know the answer to this question, then my article is especially for you. Today I will spend comparison between Thailand or Vietnam, so that you can decide for yourself where to go: to Thailand or Vietnam. Of course, there is no universal answer to the question “Which is better, Thailand or Vietnam?”, so everyone will decide for themselves, and I will help with this and tell you about these two countries, about food, entertainment, the sea and service for Russian tourists.

The first thing I want to point out about comparing Thailand and Vietnam is that they are two completely different cultures. And for tourists, some will be better off in Vietnam, others in Thailand, because tourists are also completely different and go on trips for different purposes. Personally, I decided a long time ago that I prefer Thailand. But you make your own choice, Thailand or Vietnam, which is best for you.

Vietnam is very different from Thailand. There is not such a variety of entertainment 24 hours a day as in Thailand, but there is something to see besides the beaches. Our compatriots live in Vietnam, but even more of them live in Thailand. For some this is a plus, but for others it is a minus. Let's look at the sea, the environment and entertainment of the two countries to decide what better Thailand or Vietnam.

Sea to Thailand or Vietnam

The first thing we go on holiday to hot countries for is, perhaps, the sea. Sea Thailand or Vietnam? What's better? The sea in Vietnam is simply super, despite the fact that Its coast is very clean, the sea is exactly what it is worth going for. The beaches are looked after, cleaned and monitored all the time. It commands respect. The sea in Thailand is also cool and sky blue.

The situation in Vietnam and Thailand

The overall impression and environment are also important in comparison between Thailand and Vietnam. In Vietnam there is no smell on the streets like in Thailand. The streets in Vietnam are very clean, cows don’t walk, and stray dogs don’t run around. But like many places in Asia, you will have to shut up your disgust and not pay attention to fat rats walking on foot and not afraid of anyone, lizards as neighbors in the room, all kinds of living creatures on the balcony. This is the norm in such places.

Infrastructure for Russians in Vietnam and Thailand

If you are still in doubt when choosing Vietnam or Thailand, which is better? you will have a rest, let's look at the service for Russian tourists. IN There is a Russian Information Center. Huge respect to the guys - they work from morning until late evening, you can find out any information: where to eat, until what time the store is open, exchange money at a good rate, etc. They sell excellent excursions, they don’t try to sell you anything, they are very friendly. It is clear that such a center was organized by a very competent person and the marketing did an excellent job. IN . It's like coming to Gelendzhik, only in Asia: all the entertainment, food and much more are adapted to our Russian brother. In Pattaya, Russian speech is heard more often than Thai.

Food in Vietnam, Thailand and Goa

A lot has already been said about food, but if you decide, Vietnam or Thailand which is better, then cuisine in Asia occupies a special place. If you want to lose weight, this is the place for you. The main thing is to pay more attention to street food. Personally, I am not attracted to the type of Vietnamese food - fried spring rolls, soup and noodles with flavor enhancers, especially if you look at what they eat and sell on the street.
There are no questions about cafes and restaurants adapted for tourists: everything is fresh and of high quality. Prices are approximately the same in my opinion, both in Vietnam and in Thailand. The cuisine in Thailand is spicier than in Vietnam. But in Thailand there is more diversity, there are scorpions, grasshoppers, and much more. So decide for yourself what you like best from food, spicy or not very spicy food to choose for relaxation Vietnam or Thailand are better. From the exotic side, I tried Luwak coffee. For those who don’t know, look on the Internet what it is and where they get it from. It is difficult to write a comparison between Vietnam and Thailand in terms of food. I have already written two articles on this topic about each of these countries, I advise you to read: V etnamese cuisine,.

Entertainment Thailand, Vietnam

Vietnam or Thailand, where better entertainment, night life for tourists to relax? In terms of entertainment, when comparing Thailand and Vietnam, Thailand definitely wins. Thailand was the first to embark on the path of tourism and has definitely moved further away from Vietnam, although this cannot be said about every resort. There is no Walking Street in Vietnam yet, the Nha Trang resort is developing, it’s only 7 years old and is just getting used to tourists, but there are quite good establishments. We went to — the club is mainly for Russian tourists, there are a lot of people, the music is good.
Nha Trang Skylight Bar on the roof of the Best Hotel Western Premier Havana. Located on the 45th floor, excellent view of the city. A very high-quality place, to be honest, I don’t remember anything like it.

So, to answer the question " Which is better, Vietnam or Thailand?, I made a comparison of Thailand or Vietnam. To definitely decide for yourself what is better than Thailand or Vietnam, I would advise visiting both countries.

Is it good to vacation in Vietnam and Thailand? Yes! Where would I advise a person to go who has never been to these countries? Go to Thailand, to Pattaya. There you will be whirled by a whirlwind of emotions, events, interesting excursions, entertainment, Bangkok alone is worth it. Why in Pattaya probably no one goes to the beach to watch the sunrise and sunset? There’s no time for that, there’s a lot of other things to do. Although you must admit that the sun also rises and sets there. If you are interested in comparing not only Vietnam and Thailand, I advise you to read also ,

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, press 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: many here 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.

Turkey and Egypt, which in the last decade have become the most visited countries by Russian tourists, managed to get bored before they moved from the category of tourist Meccas for Russians to countries that are not recommended for visiting due to recent events in the international arena.

Now tour operators are intensively developing trails to Southeast Asia, offering a wide variety of tours - short and long, intense and relaxing, for family vacation and youth companies, for philosophers and extreme sports enthusiasts.

For residents of temperate latitudes in these countries, everything is unusual. Flashy colors, the intoxicating smell of flowers and all smells in general, too loud sounds are unusual, but a couple of days are enough to, if not get used to it, then at least come to terms with this oriental fury. By the way, the more expensive your trip, the more likely it is that you will live in silence: the most expensive boarding houses and hotels are located away from the noise of cities, where you will be as secluded as possible with your companion and with nature.

There are so many attractions here that you won’t be able to review them in a lifetime. Both ancient and completely modern, for every taste and budget. The same goes for the cuisine: very unusual, but very tasty. Excursions, entertainment, strange flora and fauna - all this is new. As well as the unusual climate.

The vagaries of the weather, or when is the best time to relax in Southeast Asia

Cover in one comparative review all of Indochina is impossible, but we can take as an example the country most visited by Russians and the one where hiking trails were not trampled so intensively.

We will talk about Thailand and Vietnam. But if it is the most famous country in the tourism sector South-East Asia, then Vietnam is not so popular among Russian tourists, although by and large in terms of tourism and attractions, Vietnam is the same as Thailand, only in profile. And this also applies to climate.

These countries do not have the distinct summers and winters that we are so accustomed to. But there is an obligatory rainy season, and it differs for different regions.

Security

And yet, there are some peculiarities, which are the reason why the flow of Russian-speaking citizens from the CIS does not dry up in Thailand, but in Vietnam it is somehow less enthusiastic.

The main reason is various risks. If in Thailand a tour operator (no matter whether Russian or local) bends over backwards to ensure that his client is not in danger and that his stay on this land is as safe as possible, then the Vietnamese travel service is, to put it mildly, unobtrusive, and the client is not always right.

In Thailand, the risk of being robbed or robbed is minimal - except in cases where a tourist literally runs into such situations himself. Everyone who arrives on hospitable Thai soil is required to have conversations about what is possible and what it is better to refrain from. So, every city has its own crime-prone areas, where the natives don’t particularly relax, and tourists certainly shouldn’t go there. Street acquaintances with local priestesses of love are also undesirable (about half of them are Thai transvestites, called “ladyboys”). The consequences can be the most dire in terms of material damage, and the police (if you go there, of course) will listen to you carefully and sympathize, because you will understand your own inconsistency immediately after being asked to describe the special characteristics of the person who separated you from your wallet and valuables.

In general, if you behave correctly, your holiday in Thailand will be colorful and will leave a lot of the most pleasant impressions. And the best way to watch transvestites is during their performances, where they sing and dance on stage.

In Vietnam, you always have to be on your guard. Local thieves behave, to put it mildly, unbridledly towards those who come to relax. This attitude can be felt directly in the first minutes of arrival, when it may turn out that your luggage has partially or completely passed into the possession of someone else.

In addition (a confirmed fact), when a flight with Russian tourists arrives, in cafes and restaurants at the airport and near it, waiters, without the slightest twinge of conscience, add zeros to the prices on the menu.

But in fairness, it should be noted: Russian tourists are largely to blame for the fact that in all countries of Southeast Asia the local population firmly believes that Russians come to them only to waste money. And it is true. Sometimes people who lead a reasonably modest lifestyle at home, for example, in Rostov-on-Don, when they find themselves in Thailand or Vietnam, begin to behave as if they were possessed by the evil spirit of vanity and extravagance. Russians often waste money left and right, leaving inhumane tips in cafes and restaurants, while Americans and Europeans scrupulously check every bill and check, driving the servants to white heat - but they spend much less money for the same vacation as we do.

In Vietnam, some hotels will officially warn you that they are not responsible for valuables and money left in the rooms. This simply cannot happen in Thailand.

But if in Thailand you decide to sort things out with a local resident not only in words, you are guaranteed a night in a police station. They will not find out who started it first. And depending on how much the Thai suffered during the showdown, you are guaranteed a fine of varying sizes. In addition, a ban on entry into the country for several years is likely. If the results of the showdown are really bad, you can end up in the local prison. The conditions there are terrible, so it's best to behave properly.

In Vietnam, fighting is also undesirable, but if anything happens, you won’t be sent to prison. But they will rake everything out of your wallet and pockets, to the last penny. You will not receive a receipt for payment of the fine.

What to see and where to visit

It is very difficult to stop at just one thing. Ancient temples, pagodas, palace complexes, modern aquariums, museums - all this is in abundance.

Thailand

Vietnam

In Vietnam, you can visit the most famous museum - the Museum of Military History, located in. A must-see is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The number of temples in varying degrees of preservation is the same as in Thailand.

Waterfalls and islands are also included in the excursions; in particular, a visit to Hon Lao will be very interesting. It is especially recommended to visit it in the Year of the Monkey. Nature lovers can check out the Chi Nguyen Aquarium.

But a trip to the Mekong Delta will be truly unforgettable. Wonderful nature, vegetation and animal world, if you want - fishing. It’s not without reason that they say that only in these places you can understand what Vietnam is.

From entertainment, except aquariums:

• zoos,
• reserves,
• fishing,
• diving.

Everything is relatively cheap and exciting. And the animals you catch can be cooked for you on the spot.

It is impossible to list all the attractions and entertainment, but any travel agency will advise you on what is best to visit, and guides will help you find your way on the spot.

Cards, money, visas

Both Vietnam and Thailand do not require a visa for Russians: you will receive one upon arrival right at the airport. Visa-free regime applies to those who limit their stay in the country to fifteen days (for Vietnam) and thirty (for Thailand). If you want to stay longer, you will need a visa, which can be obtained from the embassy in your country.

As for money, it is better to exchange rubles for dollars at home. As in all countries whose budget is formed by the tourism industry, the rates in local exchange offices in Vietnam and Thailand are absurd, especially for exchange offices at hotels. The situation in banks is more loyal, but still worse than at home. Therefore, change it in Russia. In Vietnam, by the way, you will still have some time to run around if you decide to find an exchange office.

A card can make your life easier. Both Visa and American Express are accepted. But before you travel, tell your bank that you are planning to travel to Southeast Asia. There have been cases when, when trying to withdraw money from a local ATM, banks blocked cards after noticing activity in a third world country. You don’t need this - to be left without money with a completely useless card far from your homeland?

Which country should you choose if you are offered two tours at approximately the same price? Tour operators, in conditions of the economic crisis and the high dollar, are fighting for every client, so very often they sell ready-made tours for less than the cost of air tickets. If you are not a winterer who lives in warm regions for six months, but an ordinary person who goes to the sea a couple of times a year, then the burning inexpensive tour can be a great economical solution. I am often asked the question “Which country to choose: Thailand or Vietnam?” Today it's all about how to do right choice based on your expectations, needs and budget.

Why do I have the right to write this post and compare two countries?

We lived in Vietnam twice and spent a total of six months there. We drove around, visited 10 cities, and I wrote about various aspects of life and recreation in this country.

We have been to Thailand three times, lived in different cities seven months. In the blog you will find from our Thai life.

Thailand and Vietnam: geographical location

Thailand and Vietnam are two countries in Southeast Asia. The capital of Thailand - Bangkok - is approximately 800 kilometers closer to Europe than South Capital Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City.

Charters from Moscow to Vietnam's main seaside resort of Nha Trang fly in approximately 10.5 - 11.5 hours, depending on the class of the aircraft. The flight to the Thai island of Phuket is a little faster - 8.5-9.5 hours.

Both Vietnam and Thailand have a shape stretched from south to north and have a dozen different resorts. Today we will look at the most popular of them: Nha Trang in Vietnam and Phuket in Thailand. Nha Trang is washed South China Sea, and Phuket - Andaman.

Seasons in Thailand and Vietnam by month

Now about the choice between Thailand and Vietnam depending on the time of year.

The high season is when it is sunny, warm and practically no rain.

The best time to travel to Nha Trang is from mid-February to the end of September. The wettest months are October and November. Brief rains and sea waves may occur in December and January. At this time, there may also be cool water, although the air warms up to +24+25C during the day.

The high season in Phuket begins in November and ends at the end of March. At this time, the island has wonderful weather, it rarely rains, the air temperature is +28+32, the sea water is clear and there are practically no waves.

The so-called “wet season” lasts from April to the end of September. At this time, sudden downpours are common, when a bucket of water seems to be poured out in a minute. It often rains for several days with rare breaks. In summer it can be very hot and stuffy, and the beaches are washed away by waves, which makes swimming not very pleasant and sometimes downright dangerous. I know people who like to vacation in Phuket in the summer, because at this time there are few tourists and prices for housing and food are lower. But summer rest in Thailand it’s like a lottery: if you’re unlucky, you’ll spend half your vacation in a hotel room, watching the rain.

Beaches of Nha Trang and Phuket: where is better?

Phuket beaches

Nha Trang beaches

In Nha Trang, all life is concentrated near the city beach. Hotels - both expensive and budget - lined up along the long coastline. As a rule, the walk to the beach is no more than 10 minutes. And it doesn't matter how much you pay for the room - 10 dollars or 100.

The city beach of Nha Trang is elongated, with a wide coastline. There are densely populated areas near restaurants and beach clubs, and there are areas where there will be no one around you within 100-200 meters. We stayed in an inexpensive hotel near the Sharaton, paid $7 a night for a room for three, and enjoyed an almost deserted beach with very few people during the day. In the evening, local residents flocked there after work and it became crowded.

In the vicinity of Nha Trang there are a dozen more islands where you can also swim on a pretty beach. Can buy beach excursion to or go to northern islands. A separate adventure is a visit to the water park, aquarium, amusement and entertainment park. On Vinperl there is gorgeous beach, snow-white sand to which was brought specially on barges.

If you compare the beaches of Phuket and Nha Trang, then in Phuket they are better. But this does not mean that you will be completely disappointed in Nha Trang. If measured on a ten-point scale, then the beaches of Nha Trang will receive a solid “seven” from me, and the beaches of Phuket will receive a “nine”.

Things to do in Phuket & Nha Trang

There is a lot of entertainment in Nha Trang. In addition to inexpensive restaurants with kitchens different countries world, you can relax in several spas and mud baths, go to and, go on sea excursions, visit the famous entertainment center, which is reached by a very long cable car over the sea.

If you are traveling for two weeks, then if you wish, you will have time to go for a couple of days to a very beautiful mountain or even more exotic one, where elephant hunters live.

There is also a huge amount of entertainment in Phuket. Every day you can discover new beach on the island, go or to a neighboring island. Phuket has a zoo, an aquarium, a Bird Park, butterfly and orchid farms, and the Tiger Kingdom, where you can pet real predators. We can ride elephants or fly over the jungle on a bungee.

In addition, only in Phuket you can see the magnificent shows “Siam Niramit” and “Phuket Fantasy”, which involve hundreds of actors in luxurious costumes. Expensive decorations, pyrotechnics and the scope with which the shows are made make them famous far beyond the borders of Thailand.

For diving enthusiasts, it will be much more interesting to dive in the Andaman Sea in Thailand. From Phuket you can go to the Phi Phi Islands or on a small diving safari to the Similan Islands untouched by civilization.

Phuket & Nha Trang: transport

Nha Trang is small town. If you wish, you can walk around it all in about an hour. You can get around the city by bus, which connects almost all the attractions in the surrounding area. For long trips You can rent a bike to waterfalls, hot springs and beaches. One day of rental costs 100 thousand dong - that's about 5 dollars. A car in Vietnam can only be rented with a driver (about $50 per day), because without Vietnamese driver's license Cars are not available for rental.

If you rent a bike, be aware of the difficulties of driving in Vietnam. Local residents are unpredictable drivers who not only drive according to their own unknown rules, but also often get behind the wheel “under the influence.” If you have little experience riding a bike or are new to riding, avoid rush hour and busy highways, always wear a helmet, don't speed, and stay close to the side of the road.

Phuket is an island of a very convenient size - about 40 kilometers by 20. You can explore it in a week or two most islands and visit all the beaches.

Phuket has a network of city buses. They connect all the beaches with the capital of the island - the city of Phuket and the airport, but by public transport you cannot go from one beach to another directly, so you often have to use a taxi or rent a bike or car.

Taxis in Phuket are very expensive compared to other cities in Thailand. We were trying to get from the bus station in Phuket town to our condo in the Kathu area. The distance is small, only 3 kilometers. Taxi drivers wanted at least 300 baht ($9) for the trip. I’ll say right away that in Bangkok we drove 35 kilometers from Don Mueang airport for 200 baht, paying for highway tolls along the way.

An alternative to a taxi is to rent a car or bike. A car costs from 30 dollars per day, a scooter costs from 7 dollars per day. If you rent for a week or two, ask for a discount.

Features of the island are mountain passes. There are a lot of them here, so you will definitely have to travel through the mountains. Some descents require certain driving experience and skill. If you plan to ride together, then take a more powerful scooter. We felt very comfortable riding the Honda PCX 150.

Well, I wouldn’t advise complete beginners to get behind the wheel in Phuket. Steep descents and ascents are not the place for training. In addition, the drivers are full of equally inexperienced tourists.

Thailand & Vietnam: food

I like both Thai food and Vietnamese food. In my opinion, Vietnamese food is healthier and less spicy. And the Thais put a lot of sugar in their dishes and fry everything in large quantities oils

It is in Vietnam that you can try exotic dishes from silkworm larvae, crocodile and ostrich meat, eat snake and taste inexpensive lobsters.

In Thailand they use more familiar products, but in an unusual design. I really like Thai spicy soups and spicy vegetable salads.

In both cuisines you can find your ideal dish and food that you can eat.

Prepare for your trip in advance and read about the most famous and delicious dishes from Vietnamese and Thai cuisines.

Phuket & Nha Trang: prices

Now about the most important thing - the budget. Even if tours to Nha Trang and Phuket were offered to you by a travel agency for about the same price, a vacation in Thailand will still cost you more due to the expenses that you will incur on the spot. You will need to have lunch and dinner, pay for transport, excursions, entertainment.

A hearty dinner in a middle-class restaurant in Nha Trang for two will cost about 15-25 dollars. In Phuket, in tourist villages, one dish can cost about 6-7 dollars, and a whole dinner can cost from 30 dollars. Of course, you can always find a street food stall and eat your own bowl of soup for $1.5-2. But such places exist mainly in non-tourist areas of the island, which are located far from the beaches. In Nha Trang, you can choose a place for dinner according to your wallet. Street cafes with minimal prices are on every corner.

In Nha Trang you can use city buses - a ticket costs only a third of a dollar. In Phuket you can’t go everywhere by bus, so you’ll either have to reduce your travel or rent a scooter or car.

Vietnam is still a country with victorious socialism. Entertainment here is relatively inexpensive. Boat excursion to the islands - from $7 per person. Ride the cable car to entertainment center Vinpearl for the whole day - 26 dollars, visit to the spa with healing mud - from 3 dollars per person.

In Phuket, entertainment will cost many times more. Sea excursions from 25 dollars. Zoo - $15, Siam Niramit show - from $50 per person, entrance tickets to the Tiger Kingdom - from $24 per area per person.

Hello everyone! As you already understood from the title of the article, today we will find out with arguments and facts Where is 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 motorbike rider moving in the far right lane can abruptly change lanes to the left without turn signals, cross a double solid lane and ride in the oncoming lane along the curb - 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 promenade 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
people are a little slow-witted (they have free education only 5 classes)
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 from 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?