Where is the best place to relax in Vietnam and Thailand? Thailand or Vietnam: where is it better and cheaper to relax?

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 opens into a 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 a respectful reason to stay at 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 complete 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. There is no such thing in Thailand. And although there are more spicy dishes here than in Vietnamese cuisine, in Bangkok you can find a French, Italian or Mexican restaurant on every corner.

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

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

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

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

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

In Bangkok, everyone is very tactful in this regard - there will definitely be no surprises. Moreover, even in a Thai village they react to you like this: go white - and let him go. Although when I went to countryside in Vietnam, half the village population was sure to take 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 traffic jams with an important look, saying, “I’m with a white man - give way.”

There is no such thing in Thailand. Perhaps because they love themselves more, and their attitude towards expats is rather neutral. By the way, full of that the opposite is China. When I was in Shanghai, I was shocked: they looked at me like in Moscow they looked at visitors from the Caucasus. In China they don’t like you, they look at you sideways, they suspect you of something, and even in the hotel they don’t smile at you. In Shanghai, I rented a room in an expensive four-star hotel, but at the reception they spoke to me so coldly, almost like: “Why are you stopping in? You are not needed here - go home!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Bangkok parks it’s the same - in the evenings everything Treadmills 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 at 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 something on the ground without sharing it with the seller banknote with the image of the king and spat.

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 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 doing this: she was taken straight from the beach by the coast guard, and the madam was “indicted” for 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 did not yet have a normal stand for the navigator, I just rode with headphones. Google Maps showed me where to go from time to time. But when they tell you: “Go straight,” and there are three roads straight ahead that diverge in different sides, and there is no opportunity to look - there is a risk of taking a wrong turn. 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 rather go ahead...” They understood me, said, “Okay,” and let me go.

Both countries are interesting and unique in their own way. They are similar in climate, geographical location, vegetation, and even the appearance of the local residents. This is why it is so difficult for many tourists to make a choice. So anyway, Vietnam or Thailand, where better rest what?

Despite the apparent similarities, these countries have quite a few differences. Vietnam is a state of victorious socialism, which relatively recently opened its doors to mass tourism. Thailand is far from a newcomer to the tourism industry; moreover, it is known for its freer morals. If you are nervous when you see sexual minorities, then you should go to Vietnam. With the rest, let's continue the comparison.

Despite the long coastline of Vietnam, there are fewer truly clean and beautiful beaches here than in Thailand. And diving enthusiasts will like the Andaman Sea on the western coast of Thailand more than the South China Sea.

As for entertainment, there is plenty of it in both countries; you won’t get bored. There are water parks, attractions, discos, monkey farms, various show programs... However, in Thailand, there will still be more choice and scale, especially for young people. The same goes for attractions. Fans of ancient ruins will find something to see here and there, but in Vietnam there are not as many “wow” places as it seems from the advertising brochures.

Do not miss:

Vietnam or Thailand: which tastes better?

Both countries have varied and delicious cuisine, so it is quite difficult to choose a favorite. There will be plenty of exotics: in Thailand these are fried spiders, grasshoppers and other insects, and in Vietnam - snakes, crocodiles, frogs, and even rats. So it's literally a matter of taste.

For those who like food with a hint of pepper, it is better to choose Thailand, where they mainly prepare spicy dishes. Vietnamese cuisine prefers sweetish sauces and seasonings. The main dish here is rice noodles, while Thais prefer just rice.

Vietnam or Thailand: which is safer?

Both states are not included in . Despite this, the crime rate in them is significantly lower than in Russia. If you don’t consciously look for trouble, your vacation will pass without incident. Robberies are rare here. Mostly, minor thefts occur, which can be prevented by ordinary precautions.

Overall, security in Thailand is a little better. This is noticeable even from local residents, who often leave mopeds with keys on the street, and shopkeepers do not even close the roller shutters in their shops. The Vietnamese behave more carefully, from which we conclude that tourists should also be wary.

Another danger is local wildlife. Ants, cockroaches, and geckos are a common occurrence; they can be found even in very decent establishments. In Vietnam, it is also not uncommon to see rats looking for food in not always clean gateways. And in Thailand, the main danger is mosquitoes, carriers of many infections.

Vietnam or Thailand: which is cheaper?

Budget accommodation is definitely cheaper in Vietnam, while there is virtually no difference in more expensive options. This applies to both self-rental of a house or apartment, and hotels.

The picture is the same with food. Food in Thailand will cost 20-25% more. The difference in prices for locally produced alcohol, which in Vietnam costs mere pennies, even by our standards, is especially noticeable.

In Vietnam, public transport is more developed, so you can get to the right place much cheaper than by Thai taxi. The cost of excursions and other entertainment is also lower in Vietnam. But in terms of shopping, the championship belongs to Thailand, where there is more choice and more attractive prices.

Thus, with the same cost of travel packages, a vacation in Vietnam will still cost less, due to the upcoming expenses on the spot.

Vietnam or Thailand: where is it better to relax?

Thailand's tourism infrastructure is better developed, which allows travelers to feel more comfortable. Road signs and signs are duplicated in English; the population, for the most part, also speaks it quite well, which cannot be said about Vietnam.

But the climate in Vietnam is a little milder than Thai. Yes, it is also hot here, but the humidity percentage is slightly lower, which makes it easier to tolerate high temperatures.

To summarize, we can summarize the following comparison of the two countries. If you're coming for fun, beach holiday, diving and sightseeing - choose Thailand. If you are looking for peace and quiet, but your budget is somewhat limited, Vietnam will not disappoint you.

Today they compete seriously, fighting for every Russian tourist. This is not surprising, because the countries are located next door, at first glance they are very similar, prices for tours in them are almost neck and neck. And as a result, it is even more difficult for a tourist who is going to travel to one of these countries for the first time to choose the most suitable option for himself. Of course, ideally it is worth visiting both countries, even if not at once. But if you do not have such an opportunity, your time and finances are limited, then you should approach your choice very carefully.

To make this task easier for you, I tried to compare both countries, taking the most significant ones in my opinion as parameters for comparison. This comparison may be somewhat subjective, but believe me, it was not the result of a one-time visit to one of the popular resorts in these countries. I have visited both Thailand and Vietnam several times, and not only to the popular resorts. Well, if something seems incomprehensible to you or you disagree with something, you can leave your comments at the bottom of the page.

Prices
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:1
Prices for tours of the same duration to Thailand and Vietnam are practically the same, although a couple of years ago Vietnam was a very expensive destination. When it comes to the cost of hotels, transport, food, and souvenirs, Vietnam wins here.
But to make things even clearer, it’s worth saying that prices for some things in Vietnam can even be several times higher than in Thailand. For example, prices for Exotic fruits in tourist areas of Vietnam they may turn out to be almost the same as in our Russian supermarkets. This is due to the fact that the Vietnamese still see all tourists as a huge plastic card or wallet from which dollars fall out, and they try to rob every foreigner like crazy. Of course, if you start bargaining (and this needs to be done), the price will immediately drop significantly, but you must always remember this and know at least approximately the real prices to which you need to bargain.

Taking all this into account, for a standard package tourist, Vietnam is no different in price from Thailand, so it’s a draw. But if you go to Vietnam on your own, then you can experience the beauty of being able to save on anything.
Seasons and weather
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:1
Both countries are great for holidays all year round. Of course, there are rainy seasons (low tourist season) and dry seasons (high tourist season), but for a real tourist, a little bad weather is not an obstacle at all. If you understand the weather in detail, then the high and low tourist seasons in both countries and even in their different resorts take place at different times, but in general you can relax there and there at absolutely any time of the year.
Weather-wise, it's a solid draw.
Beach holiday
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
To be honest, I didn’t find any decent beaches in Vietnam. More or less good beaches can be found on the islands, in particular on the island. Phu Quoc, but, in general, the number of beach places and their quality is significantly inferior to Thailand. In Thailand, you have a huge number of beach resorts to choose from, both on the islands and on the mainland, with the purest clear water and snow-white sand. It is enough just to list the most popular, world-famous beaches of the islands of Phuket, Koh Samui, Chang, Samet, Tao, Phangan and many others. You will not find such a variety of islands with ready-made tourist infrastructure in Vietnam. The undisputed favorite here is Thailand.
Tourist infrastructure
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:1
By tourism infrastructure I mean how developed is the country's network of tourist and public transport, hotels, entertainment and shops for tourists.
Of course, tourism in Thailand has been developing for much longer than in Vietnam: there are more developed tourist sites, transport is somewhat better developed, and resorts are a little more suitable for European tourists. But Vietnam is catching up with Thailand in this parameter by leaps and bounds, and it is almost impossible to determine the winner. In Vietnam, new modern hotels are constantly being built, new routes are opening, and large supermarkets are appearing.

Although Thailand is ahead of Vietnam by a small margin in this matter, it is so insignificant that one can safely bet on a draw.
Attractions
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
Both countries, at first glance, are quite similar: they are equally exotic, and the attractions in them seem to be very similar. Well, it would seem that there are temples, some ruins, waterfalls and mountains.
However, all this is only at first glance. Unfortunately, the wars and politics of Vietnam have wiped out many wonderful sights from the face of the earth, of which there were not so many. Today in Vietnam there is nothing that, in scale and significance, even remotely resembles the Thai city of the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, the royal palace of Bangkok, the Golden Triangle, the temples of Lopburi, and the countless temples of the pearl of the north of Tayal Nad - Chiang Mai.

In popular resorts in Vietnam, historical attractions are few and far between, and in order to somehow entertain tourists, tour operators offer multi-day trips to remote provinces of Vietnam or even to neighboring Laos or Cambodia.

Thailand definitely wins in terms of attractions.
Entertainment
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
There is not even any doubt about this issue. Thailand is the undisputed leader in tourism entertainment. In Vietnam you won’t find anything even close to the fun Walking Street in Pattaya or the entertainment venues on Patong Beach in Phuket. And what is Patpong Street worth in Bangkok? Almost every resort in Thailand offers tourists cheerful bars, night discos, entertainment for adults and many ways to relax with a large family with children.
In Vietnam, on the contrary, even in the most popular resorts of Mui Ne and Nha Trang, for example, in the evening there will be nothing to do on the street except wander around in search of a place for dinner that suits your wallet.
Kitchen
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
The cuisines of both countries are interesting and varied, and are not at all as similar as many people think. There are, of course, very similar dishes, and in any Thai restaurant you can try traditional Vietnamese dishes, and vice versa. But Vietnamese cuisine is not as spicy as Thai, it is rather too sweet. Almost all dishes, including meat, are served sweet.
In Vietnam you will not find such exotic dishes as fried insects (scorpions, locusts, spiders, etc.), but just like in Thailand you can try snake, frog, crocodile, ostrich and even rat. The basis of both cuisines and the main product is rice, although dishes with rice and egg noodles are very common in Vietnam.

Personally, I prefer Thai spiciness to the sweet taste of all Vietnamese dishes. Therefore, I give preference to Thai cuisine, led by its famous spicy Tom Yam soup, spicy papaya salad (Som Tam) and quite moderately spicy Pad Thai, and give Thailand a plus.
Number of Russian tourists
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:1
For some, the presence of a large number of Russian tourists may be a negative motive for traveling, while for others, on vacation in distant lands, they want to spend time in fun company compatriots. Therefore, it is up to you to decide which country gets the plus.
Although, speaking objectively and in general about both countries, there is no definite favorite here. If just a couple of years ago in Vietnam it was not easy to meet a Russian tourist, now there is no such resort where you will not meet groups of Russian tourists transported by bus from attraction to attraction on a tourist bus. Other resorts, such as Mui Ne, Nha Trang or Hoi An, have almost completely become Russian, and there are almost more Russian-speaking tourists there than all other tourists combined (for some this is only a plus). However, in both countries there are still places where it is not so easy to meet mass Russian tourists, and visiting them is the lot of rare people. independent travelers. In Thailand, for example, these are still the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Maehong Son; not many tourists can be found in Bangkok and on the small islands. And in Vietnam there are few Russian-speaking tourists in the mountain town of Sapa, beach resort Da Nang, the ancient capital of Hue, the mountain city of Dalat.

Overall, it's a draw here.
Visa regime
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
Russians can come to Thailand for up to 30 days, and to Vietnam for 15 days. Of course, for some this may seem insignificant, but if you want to stay in Vietnam for more than 16 days, you will have to pay money for a visa invitation (the visa itself is free for Russians at the airport upon arrival).
So, in this parameter, Thailand wins.
Shopping
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
Most tourists believe that there is no shopping in Vietnam, except for buying souvenirs. I almost agree with them, but still... The Vietnamese make and sell excellent clothes and toys all over the world. In addition, the proximity to China has an effect, from where many cheap goods are imported and sold here with a minimal markup. But still, none of the cities in Vietnam can be compared with shopping in Bangkok. So Thailand has a plus here.
Safety.
Thailand:Vietnam - 1:0
Both countries are quite safe, with very little crime. However, Vietnam is considered the most safe country Asia. Of course, in both countries the road situation leaves much to be desired, but you will only get problems with it if you rent a vehicle.
However, in my opinion subjective opinion, the number of all kinds of scams and tattoos of tourists in Vietnam exceeds all conceivable limits. Unforeseen expenses in the form of fees for “passing the bridge”, double taxi fares for traveling on a toll road, the requirement to pay a person who imposed his services as a guide on you without your consent, and the like, can be encountered at every step here. Perhaps, if you travel on a package deal and are under the constant care of a travel agency and your guide, you will not encounter anything like this, but, in my opinion, Thailand cannot be compared with Vietnam in terms of the number of such scams.

Therefore, here Thailand, in my firm conviction, wins over Vietnam.

Total:

Thailand:Vietnam - 11:4

When I started writing this review, I did not at all expect to get a result of 11:4 in favor of Thailand. I love both countries and enjoy visiting them, and the fact that Vietnam lost to Thailand in my review, albeit not the most objective, does not mean at all that you should refuse a trip to Vietnam. Vietnam is an interesting and wonderful country in which it is pleasant to spend a holiday on the seashore or travel to its remote corners, especially if you have already been to Thailand.

Wish you the right choice and have a good trip!

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tourism

Much Dear Author, I ask you to take note that you are mistaken about VIETNAM, I will tell you that I know this country very, very well, I was there 8 races and am very familiar with the Vietnamese cuisine and not only, and I want to tell you that you are very you are mistaken about the cuisine, it is not at all sweet as you mentioned above, and even very bitter, it is very exotic and I also wanted to tell you about the climate in Vietnam, if in winter it is very good there, then in summer there are midges that you They constantly bite both day and night, and regarding a visa for Russian citizens, it is not needed, it is only needed for citizens of the CIS (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, etc.)

Thailand - 4, Vietnam - 5. Let's take two southern resorts: the island of Phuket in Thailand and the city of Nha Trang in Vietnam. At the very tourist time(in winter) the second one seemed much nicer to us. It's not so hot, the evenings are cooler and fresher. But depending on the time of year and as you move south or north of any country, the weather can vary significantly. In the north of Vietnam in March we were quite frozen, while in Bangkok we were sweltering from the heat and humidity. By the way, winter in Vietnam is not the season, the sea is choppy and there are downpours. But in the south of Thailand at this time it is simply amazing: the sea is clean, you can safely swim, the weather is dry, the sun is not as hot as in spring.

Prices

Food

Thailand - 4, Vietnam - 5. In Vietnam, it seemed to us that fresh vegetables and fruits are more affordable. But if we talk about imported products that Asians don’t particularly eat (like milk, cheese), then it’s difficult to compare.

Clothing, appliances, electronics

Thailand - 4, Vietnam - 2. The Vietnamese market is very meager compared to Thailand. Technology and electronics are not the strong point of this country. Everything is more expensive than in Thailand. As for clothing, there are several times fewer popular chain brands in Vietnam than in Thailand. Clothing from the market is again cheaper here.

Housing

Thailand - 5, Vietnam - 4. Thailand is very developed from a tourist point of view, so there is simply a huge amount of housing for every taste in any city. Any resort is built up with condotels and villas. There are many beautiful apartments and houses in European style near the sea, and the price relative to Russia is much lower. In Vietnam, housing is cheap, especially hotels. But finding something European is very difficult. We looked for an apartment in Nha Trang for a very long time and chose one of the most expensive options. All the rest were filled with Vietnamese-style wooden furniture. For us it was not very familiar and comfortable.

Internet availability and speed

Thailand - 2, Vietnam - 3. Vietnam has excellent and cheap mobile internet. It works almost everywhere, even in villages and on the highway. If we talk about the home Internet, it is quite unstable. Failures are usually associated with breakdowns in backbone networks. In Thailand, the Internet was dead almost everywhere, especially in guesthouses. Mobile Internet good quality, but much more expensive than in Vietnam.

Infrastructure

Thailand - 5, Vietnam - 3. Thailand is ideal for tourists. The roads are of excellent quality. There are 24-hour shops, street food, shopping malls, entertainment complexes, bars, clubs on every corner. Here at any time of the day you can find food for every taste. It's the same story with entertainment. Vietnam is much more backward in this regard. Eating or buying something after 23:00 is problematic. The Vietnamese go to bed together, and the streets become empty. Our favorite chain store, 7-Eleven, is missing. There are small grocery stores, but they look more like warehouses. And they work according to a schedule that is convenient for the owner. Shopping malls leave much to be desired.

Visa application procedure (simplicity)

Thailand - 2, Vietnam - 5. This is definitely a tick for Vietnam. A visa can be issued for a period of one or three months directly upon arrival at the airport. It is not expensive at all, there are no consular fees. Until recently, it was easy and cheap to extend this visa, but now it’s more difficult. The visa-free regime for Russian citizens is 15 days, but in Thailand it is 30. It is more expensive to apply for and extend a Thai visa. This can only be done outside the country at the Thai consulate. This process is stressful. You never know what the person at passport control will come up with. We give Thailand a bad mark for tightening its visa policy. In general, we now get into Thailand with difficulty, having several stamps for exiting and entering the country. It used to be much simpler, but every year migration policy tightens its grip. Perhaps Vietnam will one day become less accessible.

Food

Thailand - 5, Vietnam - 4. Thailand - This is a place where you will never go hungry. There is probably no such quantity and variety of street food in any other country in the world. Street food is very affordable and can be found almost any time of the day. Restaurants for every taste. But in Vietnam, at certain hours, food simply disappears from the streets. It's difficult to find something at lunchtime because the Vietnamese take a siesta. There are also a huge number of restaurants with delicious seafood. To be honest, food in Vietnam is closer to us. It is simpler and very affordable – $1 for a huge portion of soup or rice with meat or fish. And you can eat too much of it. And yes, we have never eaten such delicious rice anywhere else.

Transport

Thailand - 4, Vietnam - 4. It is very difficult to compare capitals and provinces, because these are two different things, just like in Russia. Major cities in Vietnam do not have a metro system, while Bangkok has both an underground metro, an overland BTR, and water transport. And also a very inexpensive taxi. Only 35 baht for landing and about 5 baht for each subsequent kilometer. But very often the traffic jams in Bangkok are such that you can spend a lot of money per meter. There are also a lot of taxis in Vietnam, and they are quite affordable. Buses are inexpensive, and there are a lot of bicycle and auto rickshaws. In Thailand a large number of tuk-tuks, but we don’t like to use their services; they often increase prices. There are free bus routes in Bangkok, but these are usually wooden buses without air conditioning. The price depends on the type of bus.

Beaches

Thailand (Phuket) - 5, Vietnam (Nha Trang) - 3. We can compare two countries only by two seaside resorts. Phuket is washed by the Andaman Sea, which has a stunning turquoise color. The island has a huge number of developed beaches with good infrastructure and big amount entertainment. In high season, Phuket is simply ideal for those who love the sea. There are not many beaches in Nha Trang, the water is not azure, and in the evening all the beaches are crowded with the Vietnamese themselves, who love to come to the sea with their families. There is little entertainment, and the infrastructure is less developed. Although, when we rode across Vietnam from north to south on bikes, we saw a large number the most beautiful beaches with blue sea and white sand, but these were wild, non-tourist places.

Medicine

Thailand - 5, Vietnam - 4. In Thailand, we visited both private clinics and semi-public ones. Service on high level, the staff is friendly, the prices are not that high. All necessary medications are given in the required quantities immediately after the doctor’s appointment. It is very comfortable. In Vietnam, we applied for insurance once. Then the doctor came to our house. He spoke very little English, gave us antibiotics and a couple of related medications and left. But I liked dentistry in Vietnam. Dental treatment was not expensive at all. By the way, as far as we know, there are doctors in Vietnam who speak Russian. There are a lot of clinics in both Thailand and Vietnam.

Adaptation

Thailand - 3.5, Vietnam - 3.5. This is a very personal aspect. Everyone in new country always adapts differently. In Thailand, it was difficult for us to get used to food; both of us came down with stomach pains in the third week. The food is really spicy and very specific: completely new tastes that we haven’t tried before. Well, the smells. In Vietnam, the food is blander and simpler: rice with meat or fish, mild soup with rice noodles can be found in any village.

It is more difficult in Vietnam with adaptation in terms of language. Very few Vietnamese who have nothing to do with tourism speak English. All price tags in supermarkets Vietnamese language. While we were traveling around the country, we learned numbers and a couple of phrases in order to find out at least the cost of food in a cafe. We often used a translator. This did not happen in Thailand. In tourist places, any local resident will be able to answer you in passable English. Even in a market where there are few tourists.

P.S.

Nastya and Yura maintain a video blog about travel and life in Asia. If you're interested, head over to their channel " Two tickets ».

Criterion	Thailand	Vietnam
Climate	4	5
Food prices	4	5
Prices for clothing, equipment and electronics	4	2
Housing prices	5	4
Internet availability and speed	2	3
Infrastructure	5	3
Visa procedure	2	5
Food	5	4
Transport	4	4
Beaches	5	3
Medicine	5	5
Adaptation	3,5	3,5
Total:	48,5	46,5

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, 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 country in South-East Asia, which occupied 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. Best time for tourists - 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. In Vietnam - the cheapest taxi. 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. Next criterion, by which a country is chosen for a holiday, is the 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. Modern man Even on vacation, he rarely leaves his 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 visa procedure for Vietnam is much simpler than for Thailand. It can be issued for 1-3 months directly at the receiving airport. But visa-free regime for Russians - only two weeks, and in Thailand - four. However, you can apply for and extend a visa to this country only 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. Food options and variety national cuisines in Thailand much more 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 big cities and the province are two 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 problem remains the language barrier. 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 They are still saving on staff, so it is difficult to find a manager or seller at the market who speaks passable English, much less Russian. With all others 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.