What does an ordinary tourist in Southeast Asia need? That's right - food and accommodation. Jokes aside, if you want to find out where it’s cheaper - in Thailand or Vietnam, then it’s better to rely on prices for food and hotels. Everything else is very individual. Agree, it is illogical to compare prices for excursions or tickets to Nong Nooch Park (Pattaya) and Pongur Falls (Vietnam). But prices for the same thing - for example, potatoes - can be compared very easily. What are we going to do now!
Where is it cheaper: Vietnam or Thailand? Prices for food and hotels
Where is it cheaper: Thailand or Vietnam? Food price comparison
To find out where it is cheaper - in Thailand or Vietnam - we decided to compare not just prices for the same products. We compared food prices in the same place! That is, in the Big C store. Luckily, this chain has supermarkets in both Thailand and Vietnam. Including . By the way, the presence of a Big C store is one of the factors that makes Dalat wonderful.
In general, to find out which is cheaper - Vietnam or Thailand - I first walked around Big C in Dalat with a notebook, and a few days later in Pattaya. And he wrote down the prices for the same, most needed products on the farm (and not only). As a result, this table was born. And to more clearly compare where it is cheaper: in Thailand or Vietnam, all prices are given not only in baht and dong, but also in dollars at the average rate. Let me remind you that you will find the exchange rate of the American currency to the Thai and Vietnamese in these articles:
We calculated which is more expensive - Vietnam or Thailand - using the example of prices in Big C stores. Fortunately, this chain has supermarkets in both countries. By the way, guess if this photo was taken in Big C of Thailand or Vietnam? Hint: pay attention to the age of European-looking buyers.
Where is it cheaper: Thailand or Vietnam? Product price table (costs are in dollars)
| Product | Price in Thailand, baht | Price in Vietnam, dong | Price in Thailand, dollars | Price in Vietnam, dollars |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | 35 | 18000 | 1,00 | 0,80 |
| Mineral water, 5 l | 43 | 20000 | 1,23 | 0,89 |
| Mineral water, 1.5 l | 14 | 6000 | 0,40 | 0,27 |
| Pasta (horns), 500 g | 44 | 22000 | 1,26 | 0,98 |
| Cucumbers, 1 kg | 22 | 13500 | 0,63 | 0,60 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | 35 | 14000 | 1,00 | 0,62 |
| Lipton tea, 20 bags | 80 | 40000 | 2,29 | 1,78 |
| Bun | 17 | 7000 | 0,49 | 0,31 |
| Yogurt | 14 | 6000 | 0,40 | 0,27 |
| Soybean oil, 1 l | 50 | 35000 | 1,43 | 1,56 |
| Watermelon, 1 kg | 19 | 10000 | 0,54 | 0,44 |
| Apples, 1 kg | 90 | 50000 | 2,57 | 2,22 |
| Sugar, 1 kg | 23 | 17000 | 0,66 | 0,76 |
| Chocolate, 100 g | 80 | 30000 | 2,29 | 1,33 |
| Chicken legs, 1 kg | 60 | 64000 | 1,71 | 2,84 |
| Chicken breast, 1 kg | 65 | 73000 | 1,86 | 3,24 |
| Chicken eggs, 10 pcs | 55 | 23000 | 1,57 | 1,02 |
| Beef tenderloin, 1 kg | 400 | 230000 | 11,43 | 10,22 |
| Pork, 1 kg | 130 | 85000 | 3,71 | 3,78 |
| Pork sausages, 1 kg | 400 | 190000 | 11,43 | 8,44 |
| Minced pork, 1 kg | 145 | 80000 | 4,14 | 3,56 |
| Local beer, 0.33 l | 32 | 10000 | 0,91 | 0,44 |
| Vodka Smirnoff, 0.7 l | 660 | 230000 | 18,86 | 10,22 |
| Total | 71,80 | 56,60 | ||
Thus, if in Thailand you spend $71.8 on this set of products, then in Vietnam it is 56.6, that is, 27 percent less. Here is the answer to the question of where food is cheaper - in Thailand or Vietnam. Still, a quarter is significant. And this despite the fact that meat (with the exception of beef) is more expensive in Vietnam. But alcohol is noticeably cheaper. And the list still doesn’t include the wonderful Dalat wine for $3, which made ours even more fun and which you won’t find in Thailand during the day.
So, where is it cheaper - Thailand or Vietnam? The conclusion is this: prices for almost all products, except chicken and pork, are lower in Vietnam. Therefore, we can safely say that life there is cheaper. If, of course, you have Big C nearby. For the same category of travelers who faint at the sight of meat and turn green at the smell of beer, life in Vietnam will be a real paradise.
Where is it cheaper - in Thailand or Vietnam? The price of many products in Vietnam is lower, and some are much lower. For example, wine there costs only $3 – several times cheaper than in Thailand.
Where are the cheaper hotels: Vietnam or Thailand?
Of course, comparing hotels in Thailand and hotels in Vietnam is more relative than comparing potatoes in Thailand and potatoes in Vietnam. But the categories are still comparable. So, let's try to find out where hotels are cheaper: in Thailand or Vietnam? To do this, we will select the 3 most popular cities in the country and find the lowest prices for double rooms in all booking systems using the Hotellook.com hotel search engine.
Thailand hotel prices:
- Bangkok Hotels- from 8 dollars.
- Pattaya Hotels- from 11 dollars.
- Chiang Mai Hotels- from 6 dollars.
Vietnam hotel prices:
- Ho Chi Minh City Hotels- from 6 dollars.
- Hanoi Hotels- from 9 dollars.
Thailand or Vietnam
Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, located in the southwest of the Indochina Peninsula and the north of the Malacca Peninsula. It borders Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. From north to south, the country stretches for 1860 km, is washed by the South China and Andaman Seas, and the coastline is more than 3 thousand km. Due to the diversity of climate in different parts of the country, there is no tourist season as such in Thailand. This is one of the few countries where holidays will be equally enjoyable at any time of the year. Vietnam is a small state in Southeast Asia that occupies part of the Indochina Peninsula. It borders China, Laos and Cambodia, is washed by the South China Sea, and is rapidly gaining popularity among Russian tourists. The best time for tourists is summer. To objectively assess the quality of your vacation and decide where is better - Thailand or Vietnam, you need to visit both countries, preferably in different places and more than once. The generalized experience of our compatriots, who prefer traveling to exotic countries and trips to popular foreign resorts when vacationing in Russia, will help with this.
Where is it better - in Thailand or Vietnam?
The first thing that interests our tourists is where it is cheaper, in Thailand or Vietnam, because the thickness of everyone’s wallets is different, not everyone can afford a holiday at a fashionable resort.
- Housing. It is better to compare prices in capitals and popular holiday destinations. Sadly, hotel rooms in Hanoi (the official capital of Vietnam) and Ho Chi Minh City (the economic capital) are about half the price of those in Bangkok (the capital of Thailand). In the first case, you can rent a decent room for two for 15-20 dollars, in the second - for no less than 40. As for resorts, the situation is different. An average double room in Pattaya (Thailand) with a courtyard view and paid Internet will cost about 700 baht ($10), a spacious double room in Mui Ne (Vietnam) with a pool under the windows and free Internet costs an average of $20. But here you have to choose between price and comfort. It would be fair to set the score 1:1.
- Food. The question is controversial, since it all depends on your appetite, your tastes and preferences. Only one thing can be said for sure - alcohol is cheaper in Vietnam, but fruits and snacks in cafes cost the same as in Thailand. If we talk about imported products, they are expensive everywhere. 2:2.
- Transport. The cheapest taxi in Vietnam. You can ride around Hanoi within an area interesting for tourists for only 10-15 rubles. City transport and tourist buses are also cheaper here, meaning Vietnam leads in this category with a score of 3:2.
- Vouchers. Two or three years ago, prices for trips to Thailand were significantly lower than to Vietnam, but now they have become equal, especially in the segment of inexpensive tours. 4:3.
- Flight. Flights to Thailand are much cheaper than to Vietnam, only sometimes tickets to this country are sold at discounts. Promotions on tickets to Bangkok are valid almost all year round. The score is leveled - 4:4.
- Climate. The next criterion by which a country is chosen for a holiday is climate. If we take two southern resorts as an example - Nha Trang in Vietnam and Samui in Thailand, then the first one wins. At the height of the tourist season (winter), the climate here is milder and more pleasant: not hot during the day, fresh and cool in the evening. But the further north the holiday destination is, the better it will be in Thailand. If we summarize the answer to the question of where and when it would be better to vacation - in Vietnam or Thailand, it is simple: in the summer at Vietnamese resorts, in the winter - at Thai resorts, when the sea is calm, the weather is dry, and the sun is gentle. So 5:5
- Internet. A modern person, even on vacation, rarely parts with gadgets, so the Internet plays an important role when choosing a resort. If we talk about mobile Internet access, it is cheaper in Vietnam; cable lines and Wi-Fi access in hotels are of poor quality in both countries. It is best to buy a SIM card from a local telecom operator and use its services.
- Infrastructure. Thailand is an ideal country for tourist trips. There are excellent roads here, and there are 24-hour shops, bars, cafes, clubs and entertainment centers at every step. At any time of the day you can have a snack, drink a glass of wine and dance. In Vietnam, the tourism business is not so well developed, so after 23-00 it is almost impossible to buy anything, only small shops operate, more like warehouses, and their range is not the widest. 6:5 in favor of Thai resorts.
- Visa. The procedure for obtaining a visa to Vietnam is much simpler than to Thailand. It can be issued for 1-3 months directly at the receiving airport. But the visa-free regime for Russians is only two weeks, while in Thailand it is four. However, you can only apply for and extend a visa to this country at a consulate on the territory of another state; the visa policy of the Thai authorities is very strict and there is always the possibility of not getting to the desired resort. Draw again - 6:6.
- Nutrition. The choice of food options and variety of national cuisines in Thailand is much greater than in Vietnam. This is especially true for street food - the price of all kinds of culinary delights like hamburgers is low, they are available at any time of the day. In Vietnam, at lunchtime all the sellers go for a siesta, but there are also many restaurants, the basis of the menu of any establishment is seafood dishes. Here the food is closer to our spirit, it is simple and affordable. For $1 you can have a filling and tasty lunch. It's fair to leave the score tied - 7:7.
- Trips. As in Russia, in both countries large cities and provinces are different things. Thailand has a metro and surface trains, but the cities are so crowded with cars that there is a high risk of standing in traffic jams for several hours. There is no such abundance of transport in Vietnam, and traveling around the country will cost several times less. It is very profitable to travel around the city by pedicabs and auto-rickshaws. The cost of public transport depends on the type and comfort. 8:7 in favor of Vietnam.
- Beaches. Thailand is a country of developed seaside resorts, so Vietnam is inferior here in all respects. In the first case, there is a wide selection of comfortable beaches with developed infrastructure and a large selection of entertainment; in the second, there are mid-level beaches, filled in the evening with local residents who come to the sea with their entire families. Clean water on the Vietnamese coast can only be found in wild places that are not popular with tourists. 8:8.
- Medicine. Thailand has a large number of public and private clinics that both locals and tourists can visit. The prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly. The same can be said about Vietnam, the only difficulty is the problem of finding a doctor who speaks English, and even more so, Russian. By the way, Vietnam has very cheap and high-quality dentistry, so another point in favor of this country. 9:8.
- Adaptation. This is a purely individual criterion, because the degree of addiction depends on the characteristics of the body and the person’s habits. If in Thailand it is difficult to get used to food, then in Vietnam the language barrier remains a problem. Thai dishes are spicy and have a specific smell, Vietnamese dishes are blander and simpler: rice, meat, fish and noodle soup can be served in almost every village. Vietnamese resorts still skimp on staff, so it is difficult to find a manager or seller at the market who speaks reasonable English, much less Russian. Under all other approximately equal conditions, the leadership remains with Thailand. The final figure is 9:8 in favor of Thailand.
Vietnam and Thailand are two states that share small territories of Laos and Cambodia. They are located on the same peninsula, their traditions and climate are similar. But the tourism business in Vietnam has just begun to take shape, so in many ways Thailand is more attractive to travelers. But even in our rating, he scored only one point more, which says one thing: choosing Phuket or Vietnam - where it is better, cheaper and more interesting - is for you and only you, since even generalized information does not give a complete picture of the living and recreation conditions in these countries . We are engaged in renting real estate in Thailand and, for our part, we promise to do everything possible to ensure that these conditions remain the best possible during your stay.
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, environment and entertainment of the two countries to decide which is 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. In Thailand, the cuisine 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 is the best entertainment and nightlife for tourists? 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 Western Premier Havana Hotel. 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 for much longer often fall in love with this country and consider it the best place on earth.
Last year, Lazada opened a technical office in Thailand, and my team gradually began moving there. I had never been to Bangkok before, so I first asked to go there for work: I realized that Thailand is much more comfortable than Vietnam, and most importantly, everything works here, and I decided to move.
“He’ll just sit down and drink some tea”: how things don’t work
In my opinion, Vietnam is a country where nothing works at all. People here live only by their desires and the present day: if a Vietnamese doesn’t want to go to work, he won’t. It started to rain - that's it, that's a good reason to stay home. And it rains in Vietnam for 4 months in a row.
Services in Vietnam work the same way: if the instructions do not spell out the procedure down to the last step, in any incomprehensible situation the Vietnamese will not think about how to solve everything - he will simply sit down and drink tea. He did everything he could. And you come across this attitude towards work every day and many times, although sometimes there are exceptions.
Bangkok, on the contrary, is like big Moscow: skyscrapers, businesses, expensive cars, metro - ci-vi-li-za-tion! And everything works. You live in comfort: you don’t need to go to the store - you press a couple of buttons on your phone, and all the products are delivered to you right away. If you want to send a package to a friend, you pick up the phone again: and immediately a guy on a bike rides out, who will pick up and deliver the package wherever you tell him.
The Thais are the exact opposite of the Vietnamese. These are motivated workers who really love what they do. Just like this: “Ah-ah, I’m doing something so cool that I’m ready to spend my personal time on it!..” But after Vietnam, this only makes me happy.
Many Thais study abroad, at least the middle class ones, and live like Europeans. In Thailand it is difficult to find something very specific, with the exception of very spicy cuisine - I could not get used to it, but I have been in Asia for about 3 years.
While I lived in Vietnam, I constantly experienced difficulties with food: in order to find something that was not even spicy, but in principle edible, you had to try hard. The Vietnamese are very fond of adding things that are unusual for us to their food - for example, a chicken head or a foot with marigolds, which they don’t even bother to cut off (probably a valuable product). And in Vietnam they like to chop chicken right with the bones - and this is what infuriates us the most. This is not the case in Thailand. And although there are more spicy dishes here than in Vietnamese cuisine, in Bangkok you can find a French, Italian or Mexican restaurant on every corner.
“If you stroked your belly, you have the right to compensation”
There is something else that was annoying about Vietnamese restaurants - the sounds that the eaters made. The Vietnamese are very fond of slurping: if you don’t slurp while eating, it doesn’t taste good to you. But as a person who was beaten on the forehead with a spoon for this, it only irritated me. And then the whole dining room is noisy: “Cham-chum-chum...” - so much so that you are ready to take the biggest ladle from the cook and show everyone how to eat.
By the way, in Vietnam all natural sounds are considered the norm, so riding in an elevator can be very unpleasant. Moreover, the Vietnamese love to crowd into the elevator until they squeeze you from all sides, rest against your navel and finish something, slurping and smacking. And these are just flowers, because at this moment a hand often reaches out to your stomach to stroke it...
The fact is that although Vietnam is considered not a religious country (it seems that 70% of the population are generally atheists), but in fact a Vietnamese can go to a church or a Buddhist monastery - mutter something to himself and move on. And he also believes in lucky Buddha - a fat bald man with a belly that you stroke so that good luck will accompany you. Moreover, the Vietnamese transferred this tradition to real people: if they see a big man, they will certainly pat him on the stomach. And since in Vietnam I had a very noticeable stomach, they constantly tried to touch it, as if by accident.
If you were patted on the belly in Vietnam, you have the right to demand compensation. I was told that one of the expats went on a tour, and at the very end the guide reached for his stomach. The tourist said: “Then I won’t pay for the excursion.” She responded: “Okay!” - this is the price for luck.
In Bangkok, everyone is very tactful in this regard - there will definitely be no surprises. Moreover, even in a Thai village they react to you like this: go white - and let him go. Although when I went to the countryside in Vietnam, half the village population always took pictures with me.
“I’m with a white man - give way!”
IT specialists in the Asian region receive special treatment. There is a national project in Thailand - The Board of Investment of Thailand: they are involved in attracting foreign investment, including in IT, and constantly invite IT specialists of all specialties to the country. By the way, if you work for a company that is part of the BOI, like Lazada, you get bonuses like flat tax and VIP queue access at the airport.
It is difficult to say what other professions are highly valued in Thailand, probably all of them are the same as throughout the world today. And in Vietnam, I was told, there are three prestigious professions: doctor, teacher and civil servant. If you want to get any of these jobs, be prepared to pay a bribe. Moreover, for a girl to become a nurse, her family must raise about $10 thousand. But, of course, she will receive no more than $300 (this is the average salary in Vietnam, and many local residents consider it “very good”).
By the way, in Vietnam, any expat who comes for a well-paid job is held in high esteem (of course, an IT specialist too). They understand that these people develop their economy. What they really don’t like is the “pale-faced invaders” who come and take their jobs: they become waiters, guides, and so on.
At first, expats find it unusual that in Vietnam everyone is rushing around with them: they open doors for them, hand them a chair. But the Vietnamese do it so naturally - they are really happy to please. And taxi drivers, it seems to me, even have an unspoken rule: when they are driving a white person, they can violate more than usual. At least, I noticed: when I got into a taxi, it was my driver who began to drive recklessly, drive in oncoming traffic, go around the traffic jam with an important look, saying, “I’m with a white man - give way.”
This is not the case in Thailand. Perhaps because they love themselves more, and their attitude towards expats is rather neutral. By the way, the complete opposite of this is China. When I was in Shanghai, I was shocked: they looked at me like in Moscow they looked at visitors from the Caucasus. In China they don’t like you, they look at you sideways, they suspect you of something, and even in the hotel they don’t smile at you. In Shanghai, I rented a room in an expensive four-star hotel, but at the reception they spoke to me so coldly, almost like: “Why are you stopping in? You are not needed here - go home!
“In Bangkok you pay for comfort, in Ho Chi Minh City - because you are “rich”
I said nothing about living conditions in the countries where I lived. Renting an apartment in the center of Bangkok starts from $500: for this money you can rent an excellent 40-meter studio with good furniture and built-in appliances. The apartment is considered a one-room apartment, but by Belarusian standards it is a “two-room apartment”: there is a separate bedroom and a living room combined with a kitchen.
By the way, cheap apartments in Thailand do not have a kitchen, because eating on the street is cheaper than cooking at home. Renting such an apartment costs only $150-200. But, as a rule, this housing is for locals - in areas unpopular among foreigners. It’s not a problem to find a 100-meter apartment for $400, but then you’ll have to travel an hour to the office every day.
The housing in Ho Chi Minh City is disgusting. Most of the buildings in the center are pillars standing close to each other. Even when Vietnam was a French colony, they introduced a law on the width of the facade: the French decided that if they allowed a Vietnamese to build a house as he pleased, he would take over the entire territory. Since then, the houses have only grown upward. There are no windows on the sides or back at all - only on one side; sometimes there may be another narrow window on the side, abutting the window of the next house.
Due to high humidity, floors in Vietnam are tiled and walls are painted, so any home in Ho Chi Minh City feels like being in a hospital.
In Bangkok, people love comfort, so there are wooden floors, rugs, wallpaper on the walls, and what’s most interesting - for the same money. Apartments in the center of Ho Chi Minh City and in the center of Bangkok will cost the same. Only in the center of Bangkok you pay for comfort, and in the center of Ho Chi Minh City - simply because you are “rich”. And if a Vietnamese rents the same housing, it will cost 2 times less.
The center of Bangkok is always jammed with traffic jams. But, probably, not as endless as in Moscow: here many people prefer public transport and motorbikes (in our opinion, scooters). There are even motorbike taxis - they drive past traffic jams, and if you need to get somewhere very quickly, you either choose it or take the metro.
If you take a taxi, sometimes you have to wait: the traffic lights here are very interesting - the red light can stay on for 10 minutes. You drive up, look at the timer, and realize it’s an ambush. True, there is a loophole: a left turn is allowed even on red, and even in those places where it is prohibited, everyone turns.
Boats are also used as public transport in Bangkok: they are long and can accommodate no fewer passengers than a bus. At the same time, they swim very quickly, and on some routes they gain time over the same bus, which may get stuck in a traffic jam.
“They eat, and then leave all the garbage where they sat.”
What has always surprised me about Vietnam is that the majority of the population cannot swim, despite the fact that the country is located along the coast. The only thing they use the beach for is picnics. They come to the sea dressed - in jackets, hats, face masks (so that, God forbid, they don’t get sunburned) - they eat, and then they leave all the garbage where they were sitting. This is Vietnam!..
In this country there is no culture of cleaning up after yourself: among the Vietnamese it is considered the norm if you drink from a plastic glass, finish it and throw it at your feet. I smoked and quit again (at the same time, women’s smoking is condemned by society). By evening, huge piles of garbage accumulate everywhere. At night special people come by and collect everything. Therefore, if at 4-5 in the morning you decide to walk around the city, it will be perfectly clean, except that rats and cockroaches will be finishing their meal. But by 10 am the city will again be littered with garbage.
That is why in places of entertainment, for example, water parks, there are often separate places for tourists, where the Vietnamese with their garbage are not allowed to go. Here you can also take a break from the noise: the peculiarity of the Vietnamese language is that it is tonal - it has 6 tones, which is even more than in Chinese. And if you want to be understood, you need to speak loudly and clearly. But when someone tries to pronounce words loudly and clearly, the next one begins to speak even louder. And if there are more than 5 Vietnamese, it’s always a cry. You understand: if the whole water park is screaming, you get tired after a few minutes.
Feel like a hero “I am Legend”: in English with subtitles
One of my pastimes, whether in Vietnam or Thailand, is cinema. As elsewhere in Asia, films here are shown in English with subtitles. This is surprising, since Vietnam has a population of more than 80 million: they could have bothered with the translation.
In Bangkok, films are also not translated, and occasionally cartoons for very young children who cannot yet read. Recently, the cartoon “The Secret of Coco” was released - and also in English with subtitles. Although, I won’t lie, it really helps to learn the language.
What else to do in Bangkok in your free time - travel, of course. The easiest option is Pattaya, which is only 2 hours away by motorbike. If you really miss Russian cuisine, you can go have lunch and then go to some nearby island for a swim, because...
Traveling by air is also available: flights everywhere in Asia cost pennies, so if you see cheap tickets to Bali, why not fly. A plane ticket to any corner of Thailand costs on average $50 round trip: I’ve already seen half of the country, only the north is not closed yet.
In Vietnam, I also traveled and flew a lot - every weekend I tried to either get out to the sea or go somewhere else. The only place I didn’t manage to visit was Con Dao Island - it’s very difficult to get there for the right amount of money.
Once a year in Vietnam, the whole country gets together for a trip: for 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: moreover, 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. A Russian woman also got caught in this: she was taken straight from the beach by the coast guard, and the madam “faced” a $3,000 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 didn’t 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.
The countries of Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly popular among Russian tourists. This is due to the relatively mild climate and numerous attractions. Among the countries in this region, Thailand and Vietnam stand out. They are located close to each other, have similar cultural traditions and the same climate. All this creates difficulties for tourists when choosing a holiday destination. Thailand or Vietnam - which country should you prefer? This is discussed in this article.
An important factor when choosing a place to visit as part of a tourist trip is the possibility and duration of stay without registration; this period is thirty days. There are only fifteen in Vietnam. Flight time to both countries is up to nine hours.
Thailand has a more developed one than Vietnam. In terms of the number of attractions, Thailand and Vietnam are not inferior to each other.
Like any country, Vietnam and Thailand have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at some of them.
Climate
The climatic conditions in both countries are similar. The optimal time for vacation is from June to September. Thailand or also successfully receives tourists. However, the region is warm all year round. The rainy season will create certain inconveniences for tourists. Both countries are attractive for beach holidays. Average temperatures during the peak tourist season reach +32°C. Hot weather in Thailand is more difficult to endure due to high humidity.
In Vietnam, the influence of the monsoons is felt during the winter season. Therefore, the temperature during this period can reach +5°C. Based on this indicator, it is difficult to determine where it is better to go, Vietnam or Thailand. Since the countries are located almost at the same latitude and have a similar climate. There are other, more important selection criteria.
Beaches
For connoisseurs of a comfortable beach holiday, Thailand is most suitable with its unforgettable beaches and numerous resorts equipped with everything necessary. The beaches in this country are distinguished by their sandy bottom and clean sea. The only downside is that it is overcrowded with tourists during peak season. The number of swimming places in Thailand reaches more than a hundred. Those that are located on the islands are distinguished by the greatest purity. The beaches in Vietnam are somewhat less numerous, however, they are in no way inferior to those in Thailand. The sandy coasts in both countries have a gently sloping entrance. The beaches on the islands are surrounded by cliffs and located in bays. Thanks to this, they are protected from waves and wind and provide calm and quiet places to relax.
Vietnamese beaches are characterized by perfectly white sand and clear blue water. They are a great place to relax with children. Local beaches have fewer opportunities for active water recreation, but water sports enthusiasts can still find some decent options for themselves.
Where is it cheaper? Vietnam or Thailand
An important, and for some, the determining factor in choosing a country for a holiday, is the cost of staying at the resort. In Thailand and Vietnam, tourists have the opportunity to choose the most suitable holiday options for themselves, based on their financial capabilities. You can use the services of travel agencies and go on vacation with a package. It is also possible to make an independent trip. One of the options for staying at the resort is to stay in a rented bungalow. Let's consider various pricing policy options in Thailand.
The cost of any tourist trip consists of the price of air tickets, costs of recreation, purchase of souvenirs and excursion services.
The purchase of air tickets is a mandatory expense item, since it is simply impossible to get to these countries in any other way. It is better to book tickets in advance. Their cost varies according to the class and level of comfort during the flight. The higher it is, the more expensive air tickets are. Since the distance and flight time to Vietnam and Thailand are approximately the same, the cost of air tickets will be the same.
The second significant expense item is the cost of living. Depending on financial capabilities, accommodation can be either very expensive or relatively budget-friendly. For example, staying in a luxury hotel room or in a separate bungalow will cost significantly more than staying in an economy class hotel.
The cost of food and attending entertainment events in Vietnam is lower compared to Thailand. Sometimes they are much cheaper than in Thailand. The choice of places to eat and relax is of great importance. Individual excursions to local attractions will cost more than similar group activities. In terms of saving money, independent travel around the country is promising.
Roads and leisure
For such trips with a rented vehicle, Thailand is best suited. The quality of roads in this country is slightly better than in Vietnam. Therefore, it is better not to book tours to Thailand from travel agencies. It will be much cheaper to travel around the country on your own. There is also a more developed network of shops, cafes and restaurants and all kinds of entertainment centers. Options for a fun night out in Vietnam are more limited for tourists. After midnight, life here comes to a standstill. Due to the population's habit of going to bed early, it is very difficult to find a working grocery store.
In this regard, Thailand is more preferable as a leisure destination. It doesn’t stop here until the morning. The list of entertainment for tourists is also more extensive. In Thailand you can not only relax, but also improve your health.
Medicine
Where to go for health, which country to choose - Thailand or Vietnam? Medical care in these two countries has significant differences in terms of treatment prices. In Thailand, the cost of visiting a doctor in a public or private clinic is up to forty dollars. Similar services in Vietnam will cost slightly less. However, it all depends on the severity of the disease or injury. A necessary condition for receiving quality medical services is that the tourist has medical insurance. In Vietnam, there may be some difficulties in obtaining medical care due to local doctors not speaking English. However, despite some inconveniences, the quality of medical care in both countries is approximately the same.
Accommodation
The cost of living and its comfort in hotels in Thailand and Vietnam are approximately the same. Vietnam, however, has a slight advantage in terms of cheap hotel stays. A stay in one of the hotels in the capital of Vietnam - the city of Hanoi - will cost about five dollars less than the cost of a stay in a similar establishment in popular Thai cities among tourists. Therefore, travel agencies sometimes offer incomparably cheap tours to Vietnam. This is due to the fact that in this country you can save a lot on housing.
Undersea world
The availability of recreational opportunities is of great importance for travelers. Staying in Vietnam and Thailand is the most promising for diving. Thailand wins somewhat in terms of the diversity of marine species and the number of places recommended for diving. The marine fauna of Vietnamese waters is less diverse, however, divers can find a lot of interesting things here too.
Local population
For tourists, when choosing a holiday destination, the friendliness of the local population towards visitors is of no small importance. If we compare Vietnam/Thailand on this basis, we can say that the residents of both countries are equally friendly to guests. The hospitality of local people is based on the profitability of the tourism industry for the economy. Thais are more reserved and do not reveal their feelings and emotions to tourists. Vietnamese are more emotional. In addition, the joint historical past of the countries affects the attitude towards Russians, namely, the assistance provided by the USSR to Vietnam in repelling American aggression is not forgotten.
Transport
In Thailand and Vietnam, transport links between cities are quite developed. You can get to any corner by taking a bus or by plane. The most common vehicle in both countries is the bike, available for rent by tourists.
But which country should gastronomic gourmets choose, Vietnam or Thailand? Where is the best food?
Nutrition
National cuisines in both countries are distinguished by their originality and abundance of exotic and incomprehensible dishes for Russian-speaking tourists. Frogs and all kinds of insects are widely used as products. Local dishes of national cuisine are usually nutritious and spicy. In this regard, the masterpieces of Thai cuisine are more famous. Food in Vietnam is sweetish due to the use of a variety of sauces and seasonings. Therefore, for lovers of sweet tastes, according to this criterion, the choice is obvious. Thailand or Vietnam? For them, this issue loses relevance.
Animals
A trip to Vietnam or Thailand can be overshadowed by the local fauna. One specific feature of both countries is the abundance of tropical insects (such as lizards). In Vietnam, in addition, they do not particularly care about cleanliness. Thanks to street garbage dumps in cities, tourists can encounter numerous rats and cockroaches. Mosquitoes, which carry dangerous diseases, pose a great danger in Vietnam. Therefore, before traveling to this country, you must get all the necessary vaccinations. Agencies offering tours to Thailand and Vietnam strongly recommend this. After arrival, you must carefully observe basic rules of personal hygiene. You should not eat local food if its appearance and taste are incomprehensible or cause unpleasant associations for tourists. It should be remembered that not everything that is familiar to the local population is suitable for a tourist who is accustomed to a completely different way of life. The comfort of your stay and the impressions gained during your vacation depend on compliance with hygiene rules.
Attractions
The cultural heritage of a particular country can also influence the choice of a tourist. Thailand or Vietnam? What is the culture of these countries? Both states have an ancient history and are distinguished by an interesting, distinctive culture. For vacationers it will be very educational to get acquainted with local attractions. In addition, being in Vietnam has a special flavor in terms of the fact that the dominance of communist ideology remains in this country. Fans of modern military history will also find a lot of interesting things in Vietnam. The memory of American aggression, which brought many troubles to the local people, is carefully preserved here. You can see numerous examples of military equipment of that era on display. There is an opportunity to take part in excursions to places associated with the local partisan movement (in particular, see the underground passages used by the rebels). Also in Thailand and Vietnam, tourists will be curious to get acquainted with the local architecture, which is distinguished by its originality and unique national flavor.
At the end of the 20th century. Thailand has become a popular destination for so-called sex tourism. However, it should be taken into account that recently the authorities have been doing everything to get rid of such a peculiar image of the country. Therefore, lovers of all kinds of pleasures, often forbidden, risk getting into an unpleasant situation. The main rule for a tourist should be compliance with the laws of the country they are visiting. Vietnam or Thailand? It is up to the tourist to decide where it is better to spend his leisure time. The choice of places to visit is varied in both countries.
So, both states are attractive places to visit. The mild climate, the beauty of the local seascapes, the presence of a developed tourist infrastructure and the friendly local population are certainly attractive aspects. To this must be added the relatively low price level. But what do vacationers themselves say about these countries, which resort to choose, Thailand or Vietnam?
