Nutrition
According to Country Learning, the Vietnamese are a very clean nation, so you can safely eat in local restaurants – you will not get poisoned and will not get an intestinal upset.
Vietnamese cuisine is a special blend of Thai, Indian, Chinese and other cuisines, yet it is completely unique. Also, Vietnamese cuisine is very cheap – food in the country is very cheap, but fresh and tasty. Seafood dishes are especially popular, but meat, poultry and vegetables are actively used in the cuisine. Special delicacies are exotic dishes of turtles, rats and even snakes. A modest dinner will cost only about 65 rubles, a hearty lunch with dessert and drinks will cost about a hundred rubles.
If Vietnamese cuisine is not to your liking, then the resorts always have restaurants with European cuisine. In some places, even Russian restaurants come across.
It is best to eat in small family cafes, where the dishes are tastier and cheaper. By the way, most often the menu in them is presented not only in Thai, but also in English, which makes it easier to order.
Actions in case of emergency
If valuables, documents or money have been stolen from you, you should immediately contact the police. The same should be done if you have lost your documents – they will give you a certificate that you will be required to restore documents at the embassy. The location of the nearest police station can be told to you at the hotel, or on the street: ordinary residents or police officers on duty.
Phone
To call from Russia to a landline phone in Vietnam, dial 8-10-84 (Vietnam code) – area code – phone number. To call Russia from Vietnam, you need to dial 00-7-city code – phone number.
To call a Vietnamese mobile phone, you need to dial +84-subscriber’s number.
City codes:
Hanoi – 4;
Ho Chi Minh City – 8;
Hue – 54;
Danang – 511;
Phan Thiet – 62.
Official contacts
Police – 113;
Fire – 114;
Ambulance – 115;
Russian embassy – (844) 3833-69-91;
Consulate – (844) 3833-65-75;
Currency
The main currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong, VND. Dollars are also in use, but they are accepted only in large cities. It is difficult to pay with a credit card, it is better to always have cash. One ruble is approximately equal to 630 dongs.
On average, tourists spend up to $500 in Vietnam without any special restrictions. This is due to low food prices. This money includes lunches in restaurants, excursions and souvenirs.
It is better to exchange currency in general before entering Vietnam – so the rate will be more profitable. However, this does not play a special role. In general, you don’t have to change the currency – almost any store will gladly take dollars from you, giving change in dong – however, this way you will make a purchase that is not very profitable for yourself.
You can exchange currency in Vietnam almost everywhere, but it is much more profitable to do it in small jewelry stores – the rate there is somewhat different from the official one, and, surprisingly, in favor of the money changer. It is better to go around a few places altogether or even try to bargain. If you are afraid of fraud – feel free to go to the bank.
Banks are open from 8 am and close at 4-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday they usually have days off.
Transport
You can get to most Vietnamese resorts from the capital by plane – there are airports almost everywhere.
Buses are very popular in intercity transportation – they can inexpensively travel almost the entire country. Most of the intercity buses travel at night – you can not sit in them all the way, but lie down, which is really very convenient.
Trains also run around Vietnam, but the quality of transportation in them is much worse than in Russia. It is better to choose a bus, especially since you can sleep peacefully in it. At the same time, the train costs one and a half times more expensive than the bus.
In Vietnam, if you have an international license, you can rent a moped or motorcycle – it is very convenient to ride around the city, and sometimes between closely located cities. But in general, it is better to abandon the idea of renting a vehicle, including a car – the state of roads in Vietnam is terrible, and almost no one observes traffic rules.
In cities, you can travel by bus or taxi.
Tips
In general, tipping in Vietnam is not accepted – no one expects them from you. If you really liked the service, you can please the waiter or porter – they will be grateful and pleasantly surprised. In a cafe or restaurant, you can refuse to change.
Clothing
There are no special clothing requirements in Vietnam. Of course, it will be indecent to walk around in a big city in a bathing suit, but in a resort it will be within the normal range. Try not to take a lot of clothes with you – a couple of T-shirts, a swimsuit and shorts will be enough. Long pants would be helpful. Don’t forget to bring a raincoat – there is always the possibility of sudden rain.
National features and traditions
When meeting in Vietnam, it is customary to bow – they don’t shake hands here. When addressing by name, it is customary to add “Tiao om” or “Tiao ba”, which means “master” or “lady”. If you need to get someone’s attention, reach out to them with your palm facing down. The Vietnamese are very shy, so don’t touch them too much – especially not on the shoulder or on the head. When talking, it is not customary to make eye contact.
In temples, you need to behave quietly and respectfully, before entering, be sure to take off your shoes and ask if you can take pictures inside. Do not touch the statues of the Buddhas.
When eating, do not take other people’s chopsticks and touch other people’s chopsticks with your chopsticks.
Customs
If at the entrance you declared the currency, then it is forbidden to export more than the declared amount. Also, the national currency cannot be taken out of the country.
Antiques and art objects, valuable jewelry cannot be exported without appropriate documents. It is also impossible to export everything that is prohibited for import into the country.
Household and digital equipment can be exported only after payment of customs duties and upon presentation of a receipt for its purchase. That is why all imported equipment must be declared, otherwise you simply will not be able to take it out of the country.
