Tourist's memo on tours to Vietnam from Anex Tour. How much alcohol can be exported from Vietnam. Consulate General of Russia in Da Nang
vietnam tips- a new section where we will summarize all cases of deceit, fraud, tricks against our tourists. This article was shared by our friends who live in Nha Trang. I thank them for their help in preparing this column about Nha Trang. I recommend their VKontakte group https://vk.com/nhatrang_vietnam. So, vietnam tips about how not to be a sucker, what to pay attention to, why you need to know Vietnam travel tips.
Tours to Vietnam
To travel cheaper, use Travelat promotional codes with a face value of 300, 500 and 1500 rubles.
- 300 r. for any tours from 20,000 rubles.
- 500 r. for any tours from 40,000 rubles.
- 1500 r. for tours to Thailand from 80,000 rubles.
When exchanging money, when change is given out, instead of 500,000 dongs, they often slip a bill of 50,000 dongs, and instead of 100,000 dongs they slip 10,000 dongs. It is very easy to deceive those who are not used to the local currency yet, because these banknotes have the same color shades.
Never give money in advance for any services in Vietnam: taxi, cycle rickshaw, massage, shopping in the market. Only in exceptional cases, when already agreed or when a verified place. There is no need to negotiate with the taxi driver: he has a meter. But on cycle rickshaws very often they say one amount, but in fact they charge another. Buy a notepad where you will write and show the amount to cycle rickshaws or in the markets, then they will have fewer arguments to deceive you.
In the market, Vietnamese often become attached to tourists, who speak Russian well. They promise to help you find anything on the market, to help you bargain. In fact, they will sell everything to you there 2-3 times more expensive. And then the percentage will be collected from all the points where you bought something. As soon as such a Vietnamese approached you in the market with a similar request, ask politely to leave, do not hesitate to say “no”.
Many in the markets in Vietnam are looking for some kind of profit. But drugs are cheaper to buy in a pharmacy, alcohol is in a store, there are no good things on the market at all. Only if there are some souvenirs, and even then they are Chinese. Be prepared that the prices on the market will be inflated by 10 times and 5 times. Without knowing the prices, you will not be able to buy something profitable there. Sellers are not born with a bast.
Many have heard that there is cheap seafood behind the bridge in Nha Trang. But not every restaurant with cheap seafood has a more expensive center. When you say “seafood” to a taxi driver, then be prepared for the fact that he will take you where it is more expensive, having his own percentage there. The same goes for mud springs. If Thap Ba is cheaper than I-Resort, then he will be lucky where it is more expensive. Therefore, we take a notebook and write a name for it: Thap Ba.
Prices and money
Buses
You can drive around the city and to some sights by scheduled buses, the fare is 7,000 dons. And also in Nha Trang you can visit a lot on your own, for example , mud springs, a museum of impressions, the roof of the Havana hotel with a panoramic view.
Vietnam, experienced advice. 10 easy ways to feel like a sucker in Vietnam
1. Dress in clothes from a previous vacation, such as Indian pants, or I love Turkey T-shirts. Locals immediately see you as tourists and add 30-50% to prices.
2. Wear a Vietnamese hat and I love Vietnam T-shirt. The same
3. Leave money and phone on the beach and go swimming. Watch things from the water.
4. Put your iPhone or wallet on the table in a cafe.
5. Walk with a bag over your shoulder. (Tear off).
6. Walk with a bag over your shoulder, but hold on to it with both hands and be careful.
7. Stick to the phone on the road.
If you decide to go on a trip to Vietnam, we recommend that you read our memo. The information indicated in it will help you plan an unforgettable experience.
Customs regulations
The import of foreign convertible money is not limited to a certain figure, but these funds must be declared if the total amount is more than 3 thousand US dollars. Accordingly, the export of currency from the country is available only within the declared amount at the initial border crossing.
The duty does not apply to a certain amount of tobacco products - up to 400 cigarettes and 100 cigars, 500 grams of tobacco. This also applies to strong and low-alcohol (up to 22º) drinks in the amount of 1.5 and 2 liters, respectively. You can take with you 2 cans of black or red caviar (100g each), up to 5 kg of tea and 3 kg of coffee, and other safe goods, the cost of which is not more than 5 million VND.
It is forbidden to import narcotic drugs and medicines with narcotic additives without prescriptions from the attending physician for their use (the punishment may be the death penalty). Explosives, weapons, materials that harm the country and offend its culture (discs, printouts, audio and video), plus pornography are unacceptable in luggage.
Currency
In this country, the national currency is the Vietnamese dong, it is mainly denoted by VND. It is possible to exchange this currency through a bank and a hotel, in a simple exchange office, the course is almost identical everywhere. The most common banknotes are 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000 and 100000, 500000 VND.
Climatic conditions
The territory of the state stretches from north to south, respectively, the climate in different areas is different. The third part of the state is located above 500 m above sea level, respectively, the climate in this area is subtropical, and where it reaches 2000 m - moderate. In the southern part of Vietnam, starting from Ho Chi Minh and ending with Phan Thiet, it is mostly dry and wet. Wet, often from May to November, during this period it usually rains in the mornings, and in the afternoon it is sunny. The dry season starts from December and lasts until April, the velvet season is January and February, the sun is soft, the sea water is refreshing, from the end of winter to the end of spring it is hot, there is no precipitation.
The climate in the center of Vietnam is different, this is a section from Nha Trang and right to the ancient capital of Hue, clear days stretch from February to August, the temperature rises to + 30 + 35 degrees Celsius. At the beginning of winter, it often rains, from October to November the temperature drops slightly to + 20 + 28 degrees. In the northern part - from Hanoi to Halong - winter and summer are marked by a clear climate, without drops, as is the case in the south. In the winter months, the temperature drops to +13 degrees, and from May and all summer is about +38 degrees.
Safety regulations
Vietnam is considered one of the safest countries within Asia, and Hanoi is considered one of the safest cities in the world. Traveling around the state alone, a tourist, with due diligence, does not risk anything. Of course, it is advisable to keep your passport and tickets, precious things, etc., in a safe installed in the room of the hotel complex. In those hotels where there are no safes, all of the above can be left at the reception. Of course, it is not wise to take large amounts of money with you if you do not need it, it is better to keep personal belongings in crowded places closer to you.
In the hotel, on the beach and other public places, information about water safety rules is indicated. The fact is that the hotel management is not responsible for you if you do not comply with the items from the listed list of restrictions. For the safety of the tourist, a rescue team works around the clock on the beaches. You need to carefully look at the color of the flag installed nearby, if this is a blue canvas - swimming is not prohibited, yellow - on the contrary, the red flag indicates especially dangerous area for relax. You should not swim when it is dark outside, and also if you have taken alcoholic beverages. You can’t drink tap water, drinks with ice are safe only in large cities and resorts - in restaurants and hotels, and in villages ice is sometimes made from river water.
Medical services
Tourists do not need special vaccinations to visit Vietnam. The main thing before the trip is to collect a small first aid kit, which will include pills for headaches, spasms or pressure. This will save you time searching for a pharmacy, and you won’t worry that you don’t know how to communicate normally in a foreign language. Also keep in mind that some of the drugs in different countries bears a completely different name. And do not forget to take out an insurance policy - this is your guarantee for receiving free assistance and compensation for the cost of medicines from the insurance company.
transport interchange
Transportation in large cities is mainly represented by taxis, but auto rickshaws or cycle rickshaws can also give you a lift. As for taxis, any Vietnamese car is equipped with a meter where you can clearly see the cost of the trip, which is determined by the mileage. A taxi can be called for by the hotel reception staff, in a store, restaurant, and it’s easy to stop it in the middle of the street. If you leave the hotel for a walk, take a business card with the address and phone number of the place of residence, so show it to the taxi driver and get back without any problems.
It is not at all difficult to rent a motorcycle or bicycle in this country. When signing a lease, remember that you will have to pay a certain deposit. But renting a car is available only with a local driver. Also in the port settlements there are companies offering to rent boats with drivers.
Roads in Vietnam are good, but local traffic patterns leave much to be desired. It is better to cross the intersection slowly, while constantly looking back.
Communication, internet, communication
The Internet is available in almost every hotel, so tourists have the right to use it. The cities are equipped with payphones, moreover, with international communication. Roaming of Russian mobile operators is available almost everywhere. It is rational to buy a separate SIM card and use the promotions of local operators, Beefone and Mobifone are common in Vietnam.
For calls to Russia from a landline phone: 00 + 7 + area code + subscriber number.
For calls to Russia from a mobile phone: + 7 + area code + subscriber number.
Useful phone numbers: police - 113; ambulance - 115.
Electricity
The mains voltage is standard - 220V, the frequency reaches 50 Hz. Almost all plugs are flat, the rooms have a variety of sockets. If necessary, the hotel staff will bring the necessary transitional block.
Shopping and shopping
In Vietnam, many world brands have opened their boutiques, and you can buy not only shoes and clothes, but also exclusive Asian jewelry. It sells quality items that are sold both in branded stores and in small boutiques, sometimes even in the market. Vietnam has long been famous for its jewelry, moreover, made with natural pearls, as well as precious and semi-precious stones. The authors even encrust them with handicrafts and pieces of furniture, the base of which is made of ebony and mahogany, and the soft part is covered with silks. In the city center, in the main market, you can buy handmade souvenirs, they are simply magnificent.
In Vietnam, there is a high demand for ateliers, where clothes are sewn in just a couple of days. From a good fabric, you will receive an individual piece of clothing, it can be both a swimsuit and an evening dress, a suit according to a personal sketch, and so on. The cost of tailoring, as well as finished goods, is not so high if you go to the outskirts of the village. You can safely bargain everywhere, except for large shopping centers.
What will surprise the local cuisine
The cuisine in Vietnam is refined, chefs add to food: mint leaves and coriander, sometimes ginger, lemongrass, pepper and garlic, basil, fish sauce, all this gives flavor and sophistication to dishes. The taste is transformed by savory sauces and delicate spices, a little fat, high-quality fresh ingredients. The restaurants offer a colossal amount of seafood and vegetables, of course, it is impossible to do without rice. This product is popular among gourmets and healthy food lovers alike.
Hello. Holidays in Vietnam are a great option! If Vietnam magically suddenly turned out to be closer to Central Russia (say, somewhere in the neighborhood with), the tourist flow to this country, no doubt, would increase many times over. After all, among the tangible disadvantages of this direction is only a long and, therefore, expensive flight.
Almost everything else is solid pluses: an unusual and exciting "excursion", beautiful beaches with ample opportunity for active rest, an extensive and high-quality hotel base. And with all this - low prices in hotels, restaurants, excursions and generally everywhere.
Despite all this, Vietnam has thoroughly spoiled the opinion of itself with terrible consumer goods markets with bales of all kinds of rubbish, talkative inhabitants and aromas of fried herring. Perhaps many today will wrinkle their noses when they hear an offer to go there: “I have seen enough of this here.”
Meanwhile, the real Vietnam is the ancient temple complexes unknown civilizations and natural beauties of national parks, healthy and tasty food(dietary rice and delicious fresh seafood), the world's cheapest diving (together with an abundance of underwater inhabitants) and resorts with a distinct European flair: after all, a former French colony.
In addition, there is an opportunity to nostalgia for the recent socialist past: the flag is almost like our former one, and the pioneers in ties, and even the leader in the mausoleum.
The capital is Hanoi. Interesting cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hue; popular resorts: Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc, .
About a third of the country is located at a level above 500 m above the sea, so the climate there is subtropical, and in areas above 2000 m - even temperate. From April-May to October, the southeast monsoons bring warm and humid weather to the country - except for areas protected by mountains.
In the south of Vietnam (from Ho Chi Minh City da Phan Thiet) two seasons can be distinguished - wet and dry. The wet season traditionally lasts from May to November, the rainiest months are June-August. The dry season usually starts in December and ends in April. For European tourists this is the most auspicious time. "Velvet" months in the south of Vietnam - January and February: soft sun, refreshing sea water. From late February to May there are hot days without rain.
Climate central Vietnam(from the resort of Nha Trang to the ancient capital of Hue): from February to August - it is clear, rains are rare, the temperature is + 30 ... + 35 ° C. Mid-December - heavy rains, in October - November in the area of Da Nang and Hue typhoons are possible, the temperature is +20 ... +28 °C.
In the north of the country (from Hanoi to seaside resort halong) winter and summer season s are marked more clearly than in the south. Winter, cool and wet, lasts from November to February, in February and March it constantly drizzles "fun". From May, the summer season begins abruptly: high humidity, temperatures up to +40 ° C.
Vietnamese customs
The import of foreign currency is not limited, but amounts over 3000 USD must be declared: the export of currency from the country is allowed only within the amount declared upon entry. Export national currency prohibited.
You can import duty-free 400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500 g of tobacco, 1.5 liters of strong alcoholic beverages or 2 liters of alcoholic beverages with a strength of up to 22 °, 5 kg of tea, 3 kg of coffee, as well as other goods with a total value of not more than 5 million VND.
Household and computer equipment must be declared: all undeclared equipment will be allowed to be exported only if customs duties are paid or if there is a receipt confirming its purchase in the country.
It is forbidden to export art and antiques, jewelry and handicrafts without appropriate permits.
Transport
In Vietnam, which stretches from north to south, it is most reasonable to use domestic flights Vietnam Airlines or Jetstar Pacific. Most often, planes fly between two cities - Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (up to 10 flights a day), but other major cities are not deprived of regular flights.
Vietnamese trains are comfortable and follow a well-timed schedule. The main route, Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City, will last 30 hours. Acquire tickets recommended at least 3 days before the date of travel directly at the ticket office of the station (local travel companies can easily cheat on ticket prices and carriage class).
It makes sense to use intercity buses for relatively short trips: constant speed limits on highways result in unreasonably long journeys. On the other hand, the prices for bus trips are negligible: you can get from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City for only 450,000 VND.
When traveling at night, you should be very careful with luggage: cases of theft are not uncommon (petty thieves are everywhere). Players and other gadgets should be removed at the first sign of drowsiness.
Urban transport is well developed only in large capital cities: these are taxis, various motorcycle and cycle rickshaws (“cyclo” or “cyclo”). Taxi fares do not need to be negotiated in advance: all cars have a meter that indicates the fare, and taxi drivers usually know a little English. Taxi fare: VND5,500-9,500 per kilometer plus VND15,800-23,700 for landing.
Moto and cycle rickshaws will be satisfied with 15,800 VND for a 15-minute trip, however, the amount of payment should be agreed in advance and bargaining in this case is simply necessary. Traffic on the roads is poorly regulated, so "traffic jams" in big cities are a common occurrence.
For diving enthusiasts
Diving in Vietnam is one of the cheapest in the world. At the same time, it is really interesting and organized at a quite decent level. There are many interesting dive sites off the coast of Vietnam. The best in this regard are Nha Trang, Hoi An, the Con Dao Islands and. In addition to a wide variety of corals, you can see all kinds of mollusks, cuttlefish, octopus, squid, clown fish, moray eels, pufferfish, groupers, manta rays and barracudas.
The best time for diving is from October to April. best season for diving in Nha Trang - February-October, and on the island of Phu Quoc - from November to May. Near Nha Trang are Famous places for diving: Muren beach, coral reef"Rainbow" and many islands near the resort.
Con Dao Archipelago National Reserve consists of 14 islands and is located 300 km from coastline. There you can meet very rare mammals - dugongs (sea cows), large green turtles and many endemics - animals and plants that cannot be found anywhere else.
Shopping and shops in Vietnam
Local shopping has two nice features: a rich selection of shopping and the most low prices in the region (unless, of course, do not forget to bargain). Shops are open almost every day, seven days a week, from 7:30 to late in the evening. Many supermarkets in the capital and major cities are open around the clock.
From Vietnam, you can bring things made of lacquer, bamboo, mother-of-pearl, silver, pearl, mahogany and ebony - including very beautiful cutlery and jewelry boxes.
Another category of successful purchases is clothes and accessories made of silk, linen and cotton. Even in Saigon, you can find very high-quality and beautiful gold items - not that at completely junk, but quite nice prices, as well as pearl items - mainly from artificially grown river, less often - cultivated sea pearls.
It is worth buying different spices, especially Fukuoka black pepper. The fair sex is guaranteed to pay attention to National Costume"aozai", consisting of a long shirt-dress with cuts and pants (it is customary to sew them to order) tightly fitting the figure.
Wonderful exotic souvenirs literally cost a penny here, and beautiful silver items cost almost nothing. Travelers returning from Vietnam usually take out of their suitcases silver jewelry and dishes, products made from natural silk, linen and cotton, mahogany and bamboo souvenirs, lacquerware and ceramics.
Vietnamese cuisine and restaurants
Although Vietnamese cuisine is “omnivorous” (up to fried grasshoppers in bags from newspapers instead of seeds), it is quite light and, despite its unusualness, healthy. Products here are not subjected to long-term heat treatment. The basis of the cuisine is rice, noodles and spices, a variety of seafood.
Many dishes are seasoned with nuok-mam sauce made from fermented (read: “fermented in its own juice”) fish - however, it tastes and smells not at all as scary as it might seem. Of the soups, you should try the light and tasty “pho”: rice noodles with lean beef or chicken.
The French, former colonialists, also made their mark in local cuisine, making baguettes cut in two with all kinds of fillings popular as a “snack”. Green tea is traditionally popular in the country, and local coffee is considered very decent.
And they produce good red and white wines.
In state-owned hotels and restaurants, a 5% “for services” is usually added to the bill. In private establishments, if you liked the food and service, you can leave a tip of 5-10%.
Legends and history of Vietnam
Here is a brief digression into the intricate history of the Vietnamese people. For more than three thousand years BC, the dragon king Lac Long Quan ruled the lands of present-day Vietnam. Once, puzzled by the continuation of the family, he decided to ask the hand and heart of the fairy bird Au Ko.
The beauty was not slow to accept the offer and gave birth within the prescribed time ... a bag in which one hundred eggs were found, and one heir-progenitor of a hundred Vietnamese families came out of each.
Whether the lady hatched offspring or placed the offspring in an incubator - history is silent, but since then every self-respecting Vietnamese speaks of himself as "a child of a dragon, a grandson of the gods."
The end of the story is very modern: after a while, the couple separated - Lak Long Quan chopped off half of the sons and went to sea with them, and Au Ko took the remaining fifty and went to live in the mountains.
How true our Lev Nikolaevich remarked about happy and unhappy families!
Entertainment, excursions and sights of Vietnam
Vietnam is ready to please guests from the north with many diverse entertainments: from elephant riding, visiting snake restaurants with crocodile sanctuaries, national parks and fishing - to casinos and nightclubs.
highlight excursion program countries are considered partisan tunnels of Ku-Chi, but besides them, there are more than enough sights here.
IN national park Halong bays are one of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. Several thousand small limestone islands and cliffs rising from sea waters and having a bizarre shape, they make you believe in the legend of this place. It says that the Ha Long Islands were created by a giant dragon that lived in the mountains. The bizarre cliffs and rocks are shaped like a turtle, a camel, a cat, the head of a dog or a dragon.
Hanoi has a plethora of Buddhist, medieval and recent communist sights, as well as natural beauty in abundance.
Da Nang has beautiful marble mountains» Ngu Nan Son and pagodas with unique statues. In Phan Thiet - famous statue Reclining Buddha.
Vietnam Hotels
In the major cities of Vietnam, the choice of hotels is the most diverse - from mini-hotels to establishments of the De Luxe category. Their service is generally average. European level. Type of food - breakfast (most) or half board, there is practically no "all-in". The buffet is extremely varied.
All rooms from three to five "stars" are equipped with air conditioning, satellite TV and telephone, more expensive rooms also have bathrobes, hairdryers, tea and coffee making facilities, safes and mini-bars.
Mains voltage 220 V, frequency 50 Hz. Plugs generally have flat connectors. Rooms in many hotels are equipped with universal sockets, to which plugs of almost any configuration will fit - and if the plug still does not fit, the hotel staff will find the right adapter.
Do I need a visa and who?
Exotic Vietnam is moderately loyal to Russian tourists: on the one hand, entry into the country is simplified almost to the maximum (a visa for up to 15 days for tourism purposes is not needed), on the other hand, a visa is still required for a longer visit.
But even in this case, there should be no difficulties: a visa to Vietnam can be obtained without unnecessary "troubles" directly at the border upon arrival. What is nice - there is no visa fee for Russian citizens. Well, if you don’t want to wait for a visa at the airport, you can get it in advance at the Embassy of Vietnam in Moscow.
A visa-free 15-day stay in Vietnam is possible no more than once every 30 days. If you plan to leave Vietnam and return to it (for example, as part of combined tour), you will need a visa to re-enter.
Thus, Russian citizens arriving in Vietnam have three options:
1. Visa on arrival
If you stay in Vietnam for more than 15 days, you can get a visa upon arrival at one of the international airports Vietnam: in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi or Da Nang. To do this, at the “Visas upon arrival” counter before passport control, you will need to present:
a passport valid for at least six months at the end of the trip;
return tickets;
visa permission - confirmation letter (Approval Letter).
By the way, the confirmation letter is a document with a unique code issued by the Immigration Department of Vietnam. It is not difficult to get it, the easiest way is to order it online on one of the specialized sites (the issue price is from 15 to 38 USD, depending on the type of visa and the speed of processing). A confirmation letter will be sent by e-mail, it must be printed out and then presented at the border control point.
The time for obtaining a visa at the airport is about half an hour or an hour; it is issued to tourists from Russia free of charge.
2. Applying for a visa at the consulate
So, I went in February, the ticket was an economy class.
What you need to know in advance:
1. Do not take a lot of things with you. Economy class allows you to take 20 kg of luggage and 5 kg of hand luggage per person (business class - 30 and 10 respectively), not counting winter clothes. For overweight you will be asked to pay at the rate of 15 bucks per 1 kg. The less you carry with you in your luggage, the more gifts, fruits, and things you can take out of Vietnam on the way back. Among the obligatory things are comfortable, proven, open summer shoes (slates, flip flops), sunscreen. From warm clothes: do not take such a turtleneck with a throat and long sleeves, for a trip to Dalat, “winter” clothes in which you flew out will fit.
2. Be prepared for the fact that upon arrival you will have problems with digestion, stock up medicines for this case. There is nothing wrong: local kitchen, climate change, an abundance of fruits - do their job. It's not for long. Wet wipes are also indispensable in this case, to wipe your hands before eating!
3. If you love (will) walk, there is a chance that even the most comfortable shoes will rub your feet. Take a patch with you. Damage must be decontaminated. I used iodine and softened calluses with coconut oil.
4. If you want to travel further than the tourist quarter, know that the farther, the worse people understand Russian. Yes, and in English too. Download a translator for yourself or use Google translator on your smartphone, just be sure to download the Vietnamese language so that it is available without the Internet.
What you need to know on the spot
1. WiFi is available almost everywhere - in a hotel, in any cafe, salon, on the beach (but bad), do not hesitate to ask the staff for the password. I put my phone on airplane mode and chatted via WhatsApp. Those who wish can spend money on a local SIM card. I didn't see the point in that.
2. Be sure to take a business card of your hotel at the reception. It is good to show it to the taxi driver if you get lost. Delivered without further explanation.
3. The guys from the Russian Information Center (RIC) will answer almost any questions. And, for free. There they even gave us a card reader and access to a computer so that we could save the memory card from the camera.
And remember, we are tourists there, that is, people on whom local population by definition makes money. Do not bargain for every thousand dongs, bargain within reasonable limits! Moreover, the Vietnamese have not yet learned how to deceive and do not greatly break the price of the Russians.
And now particulars.
Hotel. We had Indochina (Indochina), 2 stars. Neat, 6 floors, elevator. If you do not like the number, it is easy, if available, to change to another. The rooms face either the courtyard (pluses - silence, minuses - view of the building), or the street (pluses - balcony, good view, minuses - very noisy from early morning until late evening).
View from the balcony of the hotel to the street
The room has air conditioning, a refrigerator with drinks for some money, a TV with Russian Channel One. The bathroom is combined - toilet, shower, sink. In that order, counting from the far wall. The room is cleaned every day, you can leave the linen in the basket, for some money they will wash it for you. The price of washing depends on the quantity and types of clothes. Personally, I only went to the shower in the room and slept at night, the rest of the time - on the street.
Breakfast ( Buffet) is included in the ticket. The menu changes within the following list: hot stew (meat / fish / chicken with vegetables, vegetables), fried rice or noodles, something fried in breadcrumbs (fish / chicken / tofu), soup (there were 3 types in two weeks), Russian salad (Olivier type), vegetable salads, simply chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, juice (2 kinds) and tea or coffee. Any sauces. Plus watermelon or banana. You can also eat on the balcony from which you can see the sea.
The hotel is located in a good location (second street from the sea), close to night market, Russian Information Center, cafe "3G", shops, an inexpensive fruit point at the entrance.
The building opposite breaks the idyll. But this is the current trouble of all Nha Trang, coastal zone actively built up.
Sea and beach. The sea (24 degrees and above) is a 5-minute walk from the Indochina Hotel. We went to meet the dawn. By the way, until 6 am on the square near the beach, they do exercises for free and teach dancing. The sea is not transparent, they say, the water is muddied by a river that flows into it nearby. The beach is open from 9:00 to 17:00, sunbeds are paid - 40-50 thousand pieces, an umbrella is attached.
If you bring your own, you can wallow for free. There was a strong wave, I floundered with pleasure, but many did not risk it. The beach has coarse sand, which, when leaving the sea, is skillfully clogged by the wave wherever possible. If you want a calm, clear sea, go to Zoklet or the islands.
Money. It’s better not to change the entire amount right away: it’s uncomfortable to wear and it’s difficult to track spending. 100 bucks is about 2 million, 700 thousand dongs, from zeros dazzles in the eyes. On the first day, it is enough to exchange 200 and it is advisable to be stingy until you get comfortable with prices and find cheap points of sale.
There is a safe at the reception where you can keep money. They are sealed in a bag with tape under the signature and give you a receipt. The most profitable money to exchange is the new 100 bucks bills. It is better to change in jewelry "Angora's Treasure" and "Princess", as well as in the "Russian Information Center".
They didn’t change at the bank, maybe it’s even more profitable there. At the hotel reception - an underestimated rate. To understand “how much is it in rubles?”, Take away three zeros from the price tag, and multiply the rest by three.
For example, a kilo of mango costs 25,000 dong: zeros are thrown away, 25 * 3, we got 75 rubles. I couldn’t get used to the banknotes themselves in 2 weeks: 100 thousand, confused with 10 thousand, and 50 thousand with 200 thousand, candy wrappers, what to take from them. Banknotes of 10 thousand or more are plastic. With them you can swim in the sea (in a secret pocket), nothing will happen to them.
Food. Remember the main thing - wash your hands before eating or wipe wet wipes! Lots of fresh seafood restaurants around. For lovers there is Chinese, Indian, Mexican cuisine, sushi, steakhouse (expensive place), pizzeria and Burger King. But I would recommend it vietnamese cuisine. Fresh shells, squid, shrimp, fish and more, pho soups, salads. The food is neither spicy nor sour.
A huge plus is the frequent breakups with fruit. Here you can not only buy something exotic, but also order smoothies. Right in front of you, any fruit will be whipped and served in a glass with a straw. In my opinion, the best local smoothie is mango.
Buffet BBQ: choose what you cook and eat
Type, sit down at the table, in the center of which is a pot of coals and a grate on which you cook yourself. Ate - go for a new batch of fresh meat. Alcohol - for separate money. Also try out small eateries on 4 lines, they are inexpensive and have local flavor.
Prices. Don't buy anything for the first couple of days. Walk, look at the prices, look for where and what is cheaper. From personal experience, the most inexpensive stores are the Sapphire chain. But they also have a difference in the same goods: the ointment in one costs 17 thousand, and in the other - 20. The farther from the first line, the more the cost of lunch in restaurants drops. The price tag is highly dependent on the Chinese New Year, at this time Nha Trang is full of Chinese, prices increase for them.
Despite all the seemingly cheapness, keep an eye on the money. They can melt before your eyes. That is why I do not recommend changing all the dollars at once.
Transport. It is easier to move around the block and around on foot. In the Russian information center, you can take a map of the area for free, ask where everything is. You will be happy to answer.
Buses. They are driven by conductors who foreign languages they don’t know well, and the ticket price depends (as I understand it) on the distance of the trip. It's one thing when you go to the beaches of Zoklet is Ending station, another thing is when you decide to drive a couple of blocks. It is very difficult to explain to the conductor where you are going. But you can.
Taxi. There are several of them, they differ in the color of the car. Each firm has its own price range. In different cars, landing is from 4 to 14 thousand. The rest of the price depends on the mileage and differs slightly. See the price tag either on the dashboard in the cabin or on the side of the car. Here are the three most inexpensive price tags:
The most inexpensive taxis in Nha Trang
There is a pattern - the larger the car, the more expensive price trips. The most inexpensive are small silver cars. It’s easier to get around by taxi, show the driver a place on the map (even on your phone) and they will take you. If you agree without a counter, you can try to bargain and throw off the declared amount of 5-10 thousand. But based on personal experience, even without trading it will come out cheaper than with a counter.
I didn’t ride rickshaws, I don’t like to exploit a person like a horse.
Fruit export. In hand luggage, you can carry no more than 5 kg per person. To be honest, we did not weigh hand luggage. But rumors speak of the incredible cruelty of Cam Ranh airport employees: “One man was forced to eat 2 extra mangoes!”.
I took separately a “winter” package and a fruit basket, in which there were exactly 5 kg of fruit. Since I took 8 kg of luggage to Vietnam, I managed to stuff 3 kg of passion fruit into my suitcase on the way back. Therefore, once again - do not take a lot of things if you want to take more out of Nha Trang: 5 kg can be in your hands (+/- no one will count half a kilo), plus the remaining weight in your luggage, which can be safely taken under fruit. And the main thing about the fruits from Vietnam - they diverge with a bang, I treated everyone a little bit and the basket is empty.
Places to remember:
Cafe 3g (somewhere here ) - not far from the hotel, good assortment, cheap beer "Saigon" (9 thousand dong a bottle), in the evening the owner can treat you with moonshine.
Zoklet beach. White sand, shallow sea, small wave. One minus is that it’s a long way to go: a little less than an hour and a half by bus (200 thousand for four). But it was a pity for money for a taxi (750 thousand dong for four round trips).
Long Son Pagoda reclining and seated Buddha. An active Buddhist temple. Please note that admission is free.
The Buddha, of course, is a remake, but it still looks cool!
We got to the service (or whatever it's called). Impressive.
Catholic cathedral. Catholic saw for the first time. Done solidly. Believing Christians can check for themselves whether they are well versed in the New Testament: behind the cathedral, in sculptures, the last path of Christ is told, if you go from the right side, it looks like the path to Golgotha.
The path of Christ to Calvary is represented in sculptures
Local tours/excursions. Tours are offered by anyone: the operator who brought you (we had Pegasus), the Russian Information Center, some smaller offices, such as "Pineapple Tour" and a hotel at the reception. Do not take the last one! After grabbing it, we did not dare to go either with Pineapple or with the RIC. However, even beginners can go to Winperl or Zoklet on their own, without tours.
In general, a determined and courageous tourist will definitely find a reason not only to relax, but also to have fun. In Nha Trang there are also evening clubs, various attractions, numerous tours that you can go on yourself.
Have a nice holiday.
