Vietnam description. Vietnam

Vietnam is a unique country with deep and multifaceted cultural values, diverse landscapes, and no less diverse climatic conditions.

Here you can find everything you want:

Beautiful beaches with quartz white sand;

majestic mountains;

Dense tropical forests;

sand dunes;

Foothill and mountain valleys hidden from human eyes;

Wild jungle with bright and unusual birds;

Predatory animals that hide in dense thickets;

Warm and clean South China Sea, the color of emerald.

Here you can not resist the desire to visit here. Here you will think, where is Vietnam? The answer to this question will be quite simple.

The Republic of Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia, is located on the Indochina Peninsula, in its easternmost part. This state is one of the most densely populated in the world. The country borders Laos in the northwest, Cambodia in the southwest, and China (PRC) in the north.

Opening the question of where Vietnam is located, it should be noted that in the south, the coast of Vietnam is caressed by the warm South China Sea and the Strait of Siam, so you can export goods by sea. Some types of goods are in special demand among countries such as the USA, Japan, Germany, China. Exports are mainly shoes and clothing, rice, oil, coffee, rubber, and some varieties of tea.

Hanoi is the capital of this state. The official language is Vietnamese, but Chinese is also used, and a little Russian, English and French.

In addition to the mainland, the state of Vietnam also includes islands such as Phu Kok and Con Dao.

Where is Vietnam located: relief

The territory of the state is 332 thousand sq. km. In the north of the republic lies the mountainous part of the Yunnan Highlands, and in the east of the mountainous region lies the Hongha River Delta. Then the Annam Mountains stretched to the south, which occupied the central part of the country.

In Vietnam, there are still warm mineral springs, which are located in Binchau, with a temperature of about +40′C. Therefore, there are a lot of spa centers in the country, which, in addition to spa treatments, also specialize in oriental massage. For deep cleansing of the skin and in cosmetology, therapeutic clay is used, which is extracted from the same mineral springs.

Vietnam, as I remember it, is a country of contrasts and discoveries. Most of all I was struck by its picturesque landscapes. I had no idea that Vietnam is so beautiful. But it turned out that mother nature tried not to be stingy, generously endowing him with green mountains, seething waterfalls, amazing caves and azure beaches.

But his cities with bikes scurrying back and forth, crowded with markets, street cafes and crowds of tourists are more like a huge and noisy anthill and did not leave particularly pleasant memories.

And Vietnam is so different. Traveling from city to city, we seemed to be transported in space and time - from modern to ancient Saigon, from cool mountains under a palm tree by the sea, from developed cities to small villages where not every inhabitant can read and write. With each new place, we got acquainted with the culture, history and customs of this country.

Our journey turned out to be rich in events and impressions, although not always pleasant, but even more interesting. In general, the holiday was a success and enjoyed. So my advice - come to Vietnam, and you are guaranteed a bright, unforgettable and exotic vacation!

Visa and border crossing

Visa-free entry

I’ll start right away with the good news: Russia and Belarus have a visa-free regime with Vietnam. This means that citizens of these countries do not need a visa for short trips up to 15 days. When crossing the border, it is enough to present a foreign passport with a validity period of more than 6 months and a return ticket (or a ticket to another country), and the border guards will stamp the passport absolutely free of charge. In this case, there is only one nuance - visa-free entry can be used only if a month has passed since the last visit to Vietnam.

If your planned trip to mainland Vietnam will last longer than the allowed 15 days, then you need to take care of applying for a visa.

Visa application

It is quite easy to get a tourist visa to Vietnam, you can do it at the embassy or upon arrival at the international airport (Langing visa). When applying for a visa at the airport, we provided the following documents:

• Passport (valid for more than 6 months after entering the country and 2 free pages).
• Printout of visa support Visa Approval Letter (for registration through the consulate, you need to make a Visa Approval Code).
• Two photos 3x4.
• A completed application form.
• At the airport, a visa is issued free of charge (only for citizens of the Russian Federation), and when applying through the consulate, it is also necessary to pay a service fee, the amount of which depends on the type of visa (40-100 USD).

Of the unfamiliar, only visa support documents are on the list, but they are easily processed through intermediaries on the Internet, I already talked about all this in a separate article, so I recommend visiting for various issues related to a Vietnamese visa.

Visa-free regime of Phu Quoc island

In addition, the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc allows visa-free entry for citizens of all countries for a period of 30 days, but it is forbidden to travel outside the island to other Vietnamese territories using this stamp.

To visit Phu Quoc without a visa you need:

• Have a passport with a validity of more than six months.
• Have proof of your return flight on hand.
• Arrive in Phu Quoc international flight(directly from another country or with a transfer in Vietnam, only if the departure is from the international terminal).

Customs regulations

Without paying duties and filling out a declaration, it is allowed to import into Vietnam:

• Up to 400 cigarettes / 100 cigars / 500 grams of tobacco (after reaching the age of 18).
• Strong alcoholic drinks up to 1.5 liters, or 2 liters of alcohol below 22 degrees (from 18 years old).
• Up to 5 kg tea/3 kg coffee
• Goods for personal use, the total value of which does not exceed 230 USD (5,000,000 VND, Vietnamese dong).
• Any foreign currency, which in equivalent does not exceed 5000 USD.
• Gifts or souvenirs worth up to 50 USD (1,000,000 VND).

As elsewhere, the import and export of drugs, weapons, explosive or poisonous substances, as well as products of pornographic and other content that offend local traditions is prohibited. It is not allowed to transport plants, including seeds, as well as wild animals.
If you import expensive equipment (laptops, cameras) into the country, then in theory you need to fill out a declaration, otherwise, when you leave, you may be required to provide a receipt for its purchase in the country and pay a fee. But we, traveling with our modest camera and an old laptop, did not encounter this.
If you make any major purchases in the country, especially jewelry, art, be sure to keep receipts and documents for customs clearance.

How to get there

You can get to Vietnam and Russia and the CIS countries only by plane. There are both direct flights and transfers.

The country's main airports are located in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; most of the regular flights fly to these cities at reasonable prices.

You can also fly to Nha Trang (Cam Ranh Airport), Da Nang and Phu Quoc, although tickets will cost much more, and mostly charters fly here, for which it is more difficult for independent travelers to purchase tickets.

To save money, I advise you to fly to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, and from there take a flight from a local low-cost airline or go by train or bus, although the last two options are quite time consuming. If you are interested in seeing the northern sights of Vietnam, then a flight to Hanoi may be the best option. If your goal beach holiday, then it is better to fly directly to the place or to Ho Chi Minh City, from which it is very convenient to get to the seaside resorts of the country.

By plane

Quite a lot of airlines fly from Russia to Vietnam, but the most successful offers are often from Moscow and St. Petersburg. IN high season There is charter flights from many other major cities.

Direct flight

The most convenient, of course, is to fly a direct flight, but unfortunately, only two airlines have it:

• Vietnam Airlines (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang).
• Aeroflot (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh).

The flight duration is 9-11 hours depending on the destination, making it the fastest way to get to Vietnam. The average price for such a flight is 30-35 thousand rubles in two directions per person, but it can be either cheaper or more expensive depending on the dates and the intermediary agent. Promotions and sales in this area are extremely rare.

On this moment There are no direct regular flights from St. Petersburg or other cities of the Russian Federation, only charters.

Connecting flights and charters

There are many more options for flights to Vietnam with transfers, good propositions found with the following carriers:

• Qatar Airways connecting flights in Doha.

• Emirates - change in Dubai.

• Etihad - docking at .

• Cathay Pacific with a transfer in Hong Kong.

• China Southern is in Guangzhou.

• Air China - docking in Beijing.

• Turkish Airlines is in Istanbul.

• Etc.

In general, a flight with a transfer is often the most affordable option to get to your destination. You can fly from many major cities in Russia: Moscow, then St. Petersburg, Rostov, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok. The cheapest ticket will cost with a departure from the capital, from 19 thousand rubles for the trip in both directions, if you fly to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

A flight to Nha Trang will cost 36-40 thousand rubles, which is almost 2 times more expensive. The most expensive in terms of finances will be a flight to the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc.

Depending on the duration of the connection, a flight with a transfer takes from 15 to 25 hours. There are options with two transfers, but it seems to me that this is already very tiring and impractical in terms of time.

As I said, during the high season, many flights to Vietnamese resorts are chartered, for example:

• Nordwind Airlines.
• Azura Air.
• Pegas Fly.
• Orenbung Airlines.

But buying a ticket for a charter is not so easy, most of them are available only when buying a ticket through a tour operator. Although I want to draw your attention to the fact that often a tour is cheaper than traveling on your own.

Tourist regions

The territory of the country is divided into three main regions: northern, central and southern, each of which is interesting in its own way. Below I will tell you more about what this or that region is famous for.

North Vietnam

As you might guess from the name, this region is located in the north of the country, bordering Laos and China. Here is the capital of the state - the city of Hanoi, as well as interesting for tourists Sapa, Haiphong and the famous Halong Bay. For the most part, the terrain in the north of the country is mountainous, which influenced the formation of a special climate; in winter, the temperature is kept at + 10-15 degrees, and in some mountainous areas even lower. It is because of its cool weather, which negates the possibility of a beach holiday in most of the year, that the north is not particularly popular among our tourists, and for good reason!

It is worth coming to this part of the country not for a beach holiday, but for an interesting excursion program. I want to say that this is a great place to get acquainted with the history and traditions of Vietnam, because a large number of ancient monuments of architecture and culture have been preserved here. Also good for lovers natural resources. Here you can see amazingly beautiful mountains, caves, rice terraces, the amazing beauty of the island in Halong Bay and much more. Therefore, it is worth visiting northern Vietnam at least once, when it is better to do this, read the weather section.

Central Vietnam

The central region is a narrow, elongated strip along the sea coast. There is a transition from a subtropical to a tropical climate here, so two more zones are distinguished within this region: northern and southern. The largest city is Da Nang. The central part of the country is also mountainous, which makes it very picturesque. In general, I can say that the region is interesting, firstly, for a beach holiday, secondly, it is suitable for connoisseurs of history and excursion format travel, and thirdly, it is famous for its rich nature and national parks. To learn more about the culture and history of the country, it is worth visiting the cities of Hue and Hoi An, which I will discuss in more detail later. To relax by the sea, it is better to go to the southern part of the central region, where the popular resort of Nha Trang is located. Good beaches can also be found in Wan Phong and Cam Ranh bays in its vicinity. You will not be left without a beach holiday in the northern part of the central region - Dalat and Hoi An, however, you need to take into account more carefully climatic features. And also on the territory of the local national park Phong Nha Kebang is the largest cave in the world.

South Vietnam

Probably the most interesting for tourists is the south of Vietnam. Thanks to its tropical climate, it is ideal for holidays throughout the year. At the same time, this part of the country is the most modern, richest, economically and industrially developed. Here are such popular seaside resorts as Mui Ne, Phu Quoc and Con Dao. And the heart of southern Vietnam is the largest city and business center of the country - Ho Chi Minh City. In terms of historical and cultural attractions, the south, of course, is inferior to the two regions mentioned above, but it boasts the best conditions for beach relaxation and well-developed infrastructure.

Top cities

In this section, I would like to talk about cities, and sometimes even villages, which, in my opinion, are of interest to travelers in one way or another. Here I am not rating, but simply describing them in the direction from north to south.

• Sapa (or Shapa)- a small cozy town located in the picturesque mountains of northern Vietnam, a wonderful place for eco and ethno tourism. People come to Sapa to take a break from the hot tropical climate and breathe in the fresh mountain air. A popular pastime here is hiking in the mountains, walking through rice fields, getting to know the traditions of small nations. Even in summer you will need warm clothes here, but in winter I would not advise you to go, it is too cold for walking, and the views are not so impressive.

• Hanoi- the capital of Vietnam, a city with a thousand-year history and a unique atmosphere. People come here to get better acquainted with the traditions, culture and architecture of the country, and Old city with its winding streets, temples, pagodas and ancient buildings, this is the perfect place. Hanoi is great for various excursion programs, we can say that this is the starting point for northern sights.

• hue- a city in central Vietnam, the former imperial capital, which is famous for its abundance of historical and cultural attractions, where the atmosphere of antiquity reigns. Here are the citadel, Royal Palace, the tombs of the emperors of Vietnam, ancient pagodas and several hot springs. I recommend this place for fun sightseeing holiday and acquaintance with the history of the state.

• - the third city in terms of size and pace of development, while not spoiled by tourists. Sea port and the favorite seaside resort of the locals. There are no interesting things in the city itself, but if you wish, you can find them in the vicinity, for example, the Marble Mountains or the Mychon Ruins. But in Da Nang there are kilometers of deserted beaches, however, the sea is too cold for swimming most of the time, which may be why it has not become popular among our tourists. For a beach holiday, it is best to come here in the summer.

• Hoi an is a museum city located in the vicinity of Da Nang and has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the old days it was an important port, and now Hoi An, with its unique architecture, is protected as a model of a commercial port city. Here, every street and every house breathes history. Also in Hoi An great beaches and well-developed infrastructure, which makes it a wonderful place where you can combine a rich excursion program with a beach holiday.

• Nha Trang- the most popular and utterly Russified beach resort in Vietnam. Really nice city with great sea clean beach, palm trees, a beautiful promenade, several attractions, rich infrastructure and nightlife, but spoiled and spoiled by tourist attention. Unfortunately, there is little Vietnamese identity left in it, at every step there are signs in Russian, travel agencies and shops "At Vova / Dima / Misha / Masha", restaurants of Russian cuisine and crowds of package tourists. Despite all this, it remains great place for a fun and bright holiday.

• - a mountain resort, often called "little Switzerland" or "Vietnamese Paris". A town that pleases with a measured pace of life, cozy houses on the slopes and beautiful nature. In its vicinity there are beautiful waterfalls, mountain lakes, coffee, fruit and flower plantations. Tourists are often brought here for one-day excursions from neighboring cities, the same Nha Trang, for example, but I advise you to devote a couple of days to this place and walk on your own.

• - second most popular Russian tourists seaside resort. Located in southern Vietnam, so it is well suited for recreation at any time of the year. The waves on the coast create good conditions for water sports, many people come here to go kiting and surfing. Quieter and less developed compared to Nha Trang.

• Ho Chi Minh City(aka the former Saigon) is a Vietnamese metropolis, an economic center and the country's largest transport hub. It is not of particular interest to tourists, so it’s not worth going specially for it, but if by chance, like us, you find yourself in Ho Chi Minh City, you are unlikely to get bored. The city has enough interesting places to visit: squares, parks, temples, museums, markets, etc. Of the minuses - very hot, dusty and not enough sea :).

• - a large city in the south of the country, the closest seaside resort to Ho Chi Minh City, which, unfortunately, cannot boast good beaches, but due to its climate it is suitable for recreation all year round. In addition to the sea, there are several interesting sights in the city and its environs, so you can spend a couple of days well. It’s a plus for me that our package tourists didn’t like it and you can feel a certain local flavor, but at the same time on weekends it feels like the whole Ho Chi Minh City is moving here, and it’s simply not overcrowded on the beaches, so it’s better to come to Vung Tau on weekdays.

Islands

southern islands

In the south of the country, two main resort islands are distinguished, these are Phu Quoc and the Con Dao archipelago, both are indicated on the map below.

Phu Quoc

Off the coast of Cambodia is the largest Vietnamese island - Phu Quoc. It is similar in size to Thaibut that's where the similarity ends. If people go for all sorts of entertainment, noisy parties, vibrant nightlife, then Phu Quoc with its regularity is more suitable for a calm and secluded holiday away from noisy crowds and the bustle of the city. It is also called paradise island for beautiful nature, fluffy green mountains, white sandy beaches and quiet island life.

In Fukuoka good diving and snorkeling, which have become the main leisure activities. As for the tourist infrastructure, you should not worry about this, the island offers a sufficient number of hotels, cafes, restaurants, shops, excursions and other things.

Among its other advantages can be called a special visa regime. As I have already said, tourists from most countries of the world are accepted here with open arms, that is, without a visa.

Con Dao Island

Con Dao is not one island, but a whole archipelago consisting of 16 islets and is part of a national park. The largest of them, where tourists settle, bears the same name.

Due to the relative inaccessibility, Con Dao is considered the wildest and most exotic of the Vietnamese seaside resorts, where untouched nature still remains, so if you want to feel like a pioneer, you need to come before it is built up.

The islands of the archipelago offer beach holidays, snorkeling, fishing, diving. In addition to nature and beaches, there are no special attractions here, the tourist infrastructure is also practically not developed. Nevertheless, you can get to Con Dao by plane from Ho Chi Minh City or by ferry from.

Northern Islands - Cat Ba

In the north of the country, the island is popular with tourists. To be more precise, it is an archipelago of 366 islands located in Halong Bay, but its largest island has the same name. For tourists, it is of interest not only as a starting point for excursions around Halong Bay, but also as an independent attraction.

The island has a national park of the same name with rich flora and fauna, where you can organize trekking.

IN good weather here you can relax on the beaches, walk along the promenade and enjoy the views of mountain-islands that have grown out of the water.

There are several interesting caves to visit on the island, and there is also a colorful fishing village where you can see the local life without embellishment.

There is no airport on the island, so you cannot get directly to the island. The nearest airport is in Hai Phong City, but it only accepts domestic flights. In general, it is most convenient to get to Cat Ba Island from Hanoi or Haiphong, travel agencies and bus stations sell a combined bus + ferry ticket. Below you can see its location on the map.

Other islands

In addition, there are many small islands along the entire coast. Often they can be visited as part of various excursions. So, for example, we took a tour to the islands near Nha Trang. And independently visited the famous Winperl.

This island is famous for its amusement park, and the longest cable car laid over the sea.

Top attractions

Of course, in almost every town in Vietnam you can find a lot of fascinating and interesting places, for example, temples, pagodas, museums, parks, waterfalls, but this is not about that. Here I want to talk not about the sights of the local spill, which are full of any tourist booklet, but about the real natural and cultural treasures of the country.

• Halong bay famous for the most breathtaking landscapes in all of Vietnam,
  protected by UNESCO and declared one of the 7 "new wonders of the world". Rocky karst islands, overgrown with greenery, of which there are about 3,000 thousand, cliffs, caves, fishing villages are very pleasing to the eye and look great in the photo. Being in Vietnam, I advise you not to bypass this place with your attention, because this is his business card! You can organize a trip both on your own and take an excursion, which is most convenient to do in Hanoi.
  
• A place no less impressive in its beauty - Phong Nha Kebang National Park located in central Vietnam near Hue and Da Nang.
  An ideal place for lovers of outdoor activities and nature. There are more than 300 karst caves in the park, including the largest and most amazing cave in the world, Son Doong, discovered less than 10 years ago. Its unusualness is that over many millennia it has formed its own ecosystem with jungles, rivers, mountains and clouds.
  Unfortunately, visiting the most impressive cave is a pleasure not available to everyone. You can get to Shondong only as part of an expedition, which will cost 3000 USD per person. But at the same time, there are many other caves in the park that are no less interesting, but at an affordable price. Trekking with camping, rock climbing and visiting one or two caves will cost 200-400 USD depending on the route.
  
• Worthy of attention and recently listed by UNESCO changan landscape complex, which is located about 100 km from Hanoi. The karst rocks in Changgan look like the islands of Halong Bay, for which he was also nicknamed "Halong on land". The complex is famous for its beautiful caves with underwater rivers and lakes, a picturesque valley with green hills, unique flora and fauna, as well as the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda and Hoa Lu temples, which date back to the 10th century.
  
• Extraordinarily beautiful ancient city, which is located 30 km from Dalat. I already wrote about it in the section of the city, but I could not help mentioning it here. I strongly advise you to come to to wander along its narrow streets, look into old houses under a tiled roof, go around local attractions (by the way, there are more than 800 buildings of historical significance in the city!), Enjoy the evening lights and romantic atmosphere, admire the creations of local artisans and artists. It is best to come not with a tour, but on your own and for a couple of days, so that you can slowly get acquainted with all its delights.
  
• To feel like Indiana Jones, go to Michon ruins located near Hoi An and Dalat. The ruins are all that remain of the once important ancient temple complex kingdoms of Champa. Unfortunately, time is merciless and little has survived from the vast territory to this day, but it’s still interesting to visit there, although it’s hardly worth going across the country for the sake of ruins alone. On the territory of the complex, tourists are offered to visit a museum and a show with Cham dances.
  
• In the former imperial capital of Hue, there are a large number of important historical sites that combine into the so-called hue monument complex. These include the citadel (the royal palace is located on its territory), the Thien Mu pagoda, imperial tombs, several museums and temples.
  All these sights are the best way to get acquainted with the history of Vietnam.
• The abundance of ancient buildings is famous and Hanoi city. In general, I prefer to always start getting to know a new country from its capital, because this is its heart, so my advice is not to limit yourself to a beach holiday in Vietnam, but to travel and learn as much as possible new things. In the capital, it is also difficult for me to single out one thing, so I want to combine all the sights of the city in one point. Here you should definitely visit the Thang Long citadel (under the protection of UNESCO), take a walk along the Lake of the Returned Sword, go to local temples (Temple of Literature, Bat Ma Temple), go through the old city gates, watch the puppet theater on the water.
  
• I don’t know how this item can be attributed to the attractions section, but the rice terraces of Sapa are something amazing. Mountain slopes completely sown with rice, representatives of small nationalities in their traditional clothes, small houses of local residents, all this adds up to a simply fabulous picture. All amateur and professional photographers should definitely capture this, and the average tourist will like these views.
  
• I also remember and liked waterfalls near Dalat. Of course, it is difficult to compare them with the same Halong Bay or rice fields, but not all tourists will climb so far from the southern beaches. If you do not come with organized tour, and on your own on a bike, you can get an unforgettable experience of communicating with nature. In the vicinity of this town there are several waterfalls, each with its own zest and character. The most beautiful, in my opinion, is the Pongur waterfall, which is 50 km from Dalat, it is he who is shown in the photo below.
  

  True, it looks like this only in the rainy season, it met us with not so much water, but we liked it no less.

Weather

Vietnam is elongated from north to south and is located in a subtropical and tropical climate zone. Weather in northern and southern regions differs significantly, but in general this country is suitable for year-round recreation, the main thing is to correctly determine the resorts.

Over most of the year, the year is conditionally divided into two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season, although in the northern part of the country, like ours, all four seasons can be distinguished.

As I wrote above, geographical Vietnam can be divided into three regions: northern, central and southern. The climate in each of them is slightly different, so below I will tell you more about the features of the weather in each of the parts.

Climate of South Vietnam

The south of the country (Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau) is characterized by a mild tropical climate. All year round the temperature here does not fall below +25, so you can relax almost at any time of the year. The most favorable period for visiting the south is from December to April, when the dry season begins.

The rainy season lasts from May to November. If you are planning to come here during the rainy season, be prepared for the fact that the sky will be covered with thick gray clouds, and the seaside resorts will be strong wind and waves, although the air and water will still be warm.

Climate of central Vietnam

In the central part of the country (Hoi An, Da Nang, Na Trang) you can also relax all year round, but the most suitable time is from May to September, when there are the most sunny and warm days (just during this period the rainy season begins in the south).

From September to December there are heavy rains.

But in winter, in December-February, when our people mostly like to get out to tropical resorts, central Vietnam is not the best choice. We were in Nha Trang in January-February, and, in my opinion, the sea at this time is not very suitable for swimming. Despite the sunny weather and a temperature of +30, the water remains cold, while large waves are observed and it can be simply dangerous to swim. The local resorts during this period are especially not suitable for families with children.

Weather in northern Vietnam

Due to the subtropical monsoon climate, the north of Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long, Haiphong) is considered the wettest and coolest. In winter, the weather here is quite unpleasant: damp, overcast and often drizzling, the temperature during the day does not rise above +15. In mountainous areas (Sapa) even snow falls.

So winter is clearly not suitable for a beach holiday in the north of the country, and you don’t really want to go on excursions in such gloomy weather. In summer, from May to September, the rainy season lasts and the largest amount of precipitation falls, although the rains are rarely protracted, and the temperature is kept at + 28-30. But still, the ideal time to visit this part of the country is considered to be spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November), when there is not much precipitation, the air is warm enough and the sea is warm.

Mountain Vietnam

Separately, it is worth mentioning the mountainous regions of central Vietnam, where, in addition to seasonal fluctuations, tangible daily temperature fluctuations are observed. So, for example, in winter we rested in Dalat, which is located at an altitude of about 1500 m.
above sea level, and during the day our clothes changed dramatically - in the morning and in the evening you can’t do without a warm trigger, and in the afternoon, when the sun is hot, we undressed to a T-shirt. I also had to sleep in warm clothes, because the hotels are not heated and it became very cold in the rooms at nightfall. The temperature at that time ranged from +24 during the day to +8 at night.

Moving around the country

Transportation in Vietnam is at a high level; getting from one end of the country to the other is always easy and inexpensive. In fact, this is a little surprising, because when you go to Asia, you expect to see third world states, poor and undeveloped, but in fact they are superior to our countries in many respects.

What pleased us with Vietnam in terms of transport?

Firstly, you can easily move around the country by plane. Each more or less large settlement has an airport, and a ticket from one end of the country will cost 40-50 USD, or even less. To fly cheap, you need to use the offers of local low-cost airlines, such as Vietjet and Jetstar. If you take tickets in advance (for sure 2 months, or even more), then you can save very well.

Secondly, well developed bus network, which allows you to get to the most remote corners of the country for ridiculous money. Tickets here are the cheapest throughout Southeast Asia, however, if you decide to travel during local holidays, be prepared for prices to rise 2-3 times, as happened with us. The buses are quite comfortable, there are both regular sitting buses and special sleeping buses (they cost a couple of dollars more than daytime ones) for night journeys, which have recumbent shelves. True, a person with growth above average will not be particularly comfortable there, but you don’t have to choose.

In the cabin, the air conditioner is running at full capacity and getting sick is a piece of cake, so we always carry a wide adhesive tape with us to seal the airflow holes, and warm clothes. Another disadvantage is the speed limits on Vietnamese roads, on average the bus travels 40-50 km / h, which turns even a short trip into a long journey. The bus company The Sing Tourist has earned a good reputation (do not confuse with Sinh Cafe, Sinh Tour, etc.), the addresses of its real offices can be found on, and tickets can be purchased there. In the screenshot below you can see actual prices on some of the routes.

The country is well developed and railway communication However, traveling by train will cost many times more than by bus, and sometimes it is even more profitable to buy a plane ticket. To save money, you need to take tickets at specialized railway ticket offices, since intermediaries on websites have a cheat of up to 50%, and on the official website, an order is paid only with a Vietnamese bank card. But, being already in Vietnam, you can put tickets on the reservation and redeem at the box office within 24 hours, which is also quite convenient. Online guidebooks recommend the "baolau" resource, where you can buy a ticket with a small commission using the already international bank card. Fortunately or unfortunately, we did not have a chance to travel around Vietnam by train, because there were simply no tickets for our dates and we returned to our usual sleeper basses.

In general, trains in Vietnam are the same as in China, there are 4 main types of cars:

• aircon soft sleepers, like our four-passenger compartment, is the most expensive ticket;
• aircon hard sleepers, 6 shelves in one compartment, three on each side;
• soft seats, ordinary comfortable soft seats, fold out;
• hard seats, hard wooden seats like in an electric train.

In the screenshot below, a map of the country's railway communication.

Inside the cities, you can travel by public buses, taxis, motorcycle taxis, cycle rickshaws or rented low-power vehicles. Without a Vietnamese license, I strongly advise against renting a car. Perhaps there is a company that will gladly provide you with a car for your money, but this will be considered a violation of the law, and if a foreigner gets into an accident while driving, which is quite likely, given the local traffic, then he will face serious problems with the local police, and even the insurance company may refuse to pay. If you want to take a car, then only with a local driver, which is not cheap. I strongly advise you to bargain with any kind of cabbies, negotiate prices in advance, write them down, and so on, otherwise the trip will cost a pretty penny with these cunning gentlemen.

Connection

The Internet in Vietnam is everywhere where the tourist's foot has gone. During our journey, we have never been cut off from the world, in what, it would seem, deaf places, we have not had to stop. Now any hotel, hostel or guesthouse provides access to wifi at least at the reception - it's hard to find accommodation without the Internet. Also, most of the hotels along our route had separate computers for guests, in case you need to resolve any issues. In resort towns, it is not a problem to connect to wireless Internet in cafes and bars. And in some tourist areas there is even public Wi-Fi in parks, on the embankments, and so on.

As for mobile communications, it is often unprofitable to use roaming from our operators, the rates for calls are extortionate, so it is more profitable to buy a local SIM card, although I cannot advise on this issue, since I did not use the services of local operators. All my calls, paid or free, I make via Skype or other popular messengers, which I advise you too.

Language and communication

Vietnamese (Viet) is the official language in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Connoisseurs distinguish three dialects: northern, central and southern, but without knowing the language, you will not notice this difference. We drove almost the entire country from south to north, and everywhere I heard the same meow. This is how I can characterize the Vietnamese language :).

Despite the fact that Viet is quite difficult to learn, tourists can explain themselves without it. Some of the locals know English and French, and at seaside resorts they also know Russian, which is quite enough for the needs of the traveler.

How do the Vietnamese know Russian? Firstly, the older generation remembers well the period of communist friendship between Vietnam and the USSR, many came to us to study on exchange or studied Russian at home, and secondly, the flow of Russian tourists is growing rapidly every year, so everyone who works in the tourism business has long mastered the basic phrases.

If you want to show off your knowledge of the local language, then here are a few expressions that I took from a Russian-Vietnamese phrasebook. You can use them, but there is a high probability of being misunderstood. Some combinations of sounds are simply impossible to convey using Russian transcription, and the locals use as many as six tones in their speech, which are extremely difficult for us to comprehend. Even with my knowledge of Chinese, with his four, it turned out to be beyond my power.

• Hello! - Xin chao! / xing chao!

• Yes - vâng.

• No - không/Hong.
• Please - Không có chì/hong tso chi.

• Sorry - Xin lỗi / hin loy.

• I'm sorry I did not understand). - Xin lỗi, tôi không hiêủ/sin loi, toy hong hiu.

• How much does it cost…? - Cái này gía bao nhiêu? / kai nai zya bao nieu?

• Bon appetit! - Chúc ăn ngon miệng / tuk an ngon mieng.

• Thank you - Cám ơn/kam he.

• Delicious! - Rất ngon!/zat ngon!

• Check! - Tính tiền nhe!

If we compare Vietnamese with the languages ​​of neighboring countries, then thanks to their writing it was easier for me to navigate, after some time, frequently occurring words became recognizable, which cannot be said about Thai and Lao curlicues.

Features of the mentality

It turned out to be quite difficult for me to characterize the Vietnamese. Indeed, after visiting this country and communicating with its inhabitants, a very ambiguous impression was left. On the one hand, the Vietnamese seemed to me to be nice, simple-hearted people, I would even say childishly naive and good-natured, but on the other hand, due to the rapid development of tourism, this sincerity and simplicity begin to give way to the desire to earn money. Therefore, I remember them as a nation of deceivers, thieves and swindlers. In popular cities, almost everyone they met tried to make money on us, and not always in honest ways. I understand that in any country in the world a tourist is a source of money, and I can put up with inflated prices and all sorts of enticements, but when absolutely everywhere they try to rob as sticky, deceive, or even blackmail money out, it becomes very unpleasant.

In general, if we forget about the negative for a moment, then the Vietnamese people are peaceful, calm and quite pleasant.

They love children, both their own and others, respect family and traditions. The young should take care of the elders and listen to their opinion. It often happens that the whole family, starting with the great-grandmother, lives under the same roof and is engaged in the same business. Families can often be seen relaxing or dining together.

In their free time, they like to drink and enjoy karaoke. Although they say that we are the most drinking nation, but, as for me, almost all Asians, including Vietnamese, drink a lot, and often right on the streets. Local beer, rum, vodka - all this is in use. But at the same time, they do not rage, do not conflict openly and do not arrange fights even if they are tipsy. In general, it is not customary for them to swear and shout at the interlocutor, so if a foreigner starts throwing a tantrum, the locals simply fall into a stupor.

In the villages, people work tirelessly on their land, and the townspeople are lazy and do not particularly like to work. Like many residents of the southern countries, they live one day, for them a small profit today is better than a big one tomorrow.

Like the Chinese, they adhere to a certain daily routine, this includes early rises, meals by the hour and daytime sleep (even at work).

They do not like to follow the rules of the road, so the road in large cities is hell for a pedestrian. Also, without much trepidation, they treat personal space, constantly invading the zone, which we have is intended only for loved ones. And they don’t know how to stand in line and be tactful.

It seemed to me that in non-tourist places, the attitude towards foreigners is respectful, many will do their best to please, even too importunately, but do not be angry, such is the Vietnamese soul. On our journey, we met people who were ready to share their modest food and shelter with us absolutely free of charge, those who sincerely wanted to help and make friends. And how often it happens that the poorer people are, the more welcoming they are.

Tourist areas are a completely different story, here every foreigner is a tasty morsel for an enterprising Vietnamese. Smiles cease to be sincere, and any help is only for money, although, of course, there are exceptions.

By the way, it seemed to us that people in the south are more friendly and smiling than in the north. In the capital, everyone walks with gloomy and dissatisfied faces, my explanation is simple, the reason for this is a more severe climate, the sky is gray, cloudy, so they all frown :).

The Vietnamese are not religious, which could not but affect their philosophy of life. Yes, there are Buddhist temples here and catholic cathedrals, but for the most part they are atheists, and this is not only the influence of the socialist system, they have never had their own faith here. And you must admit, when a person does not believe in anything, he is not afraid of anything.

Food and drink

I want to admit right away that I didn’t get much gastronomic delight from Vietnamese cuisine, but this is just my opinion. It is difficult to answer the question why, but somehow it didn’t sink into my soul initially, and, comparing with the same Thai, which I fell in love with from the first course, or Chinese, which I have been eating for the fifth year, the local food seemed not so interesting.

As in other Asian countries, the main dishes here are rice (both a side dish and a dessert) and rice noodles (as a main dish or an ingredient in soups and salads). By the way, the food is often not very spicy, there are not too many spices either, but a large amount of fresh herbs is used (cilantro, bean sprouts, mint, onion, parsley, fennel, lemongrass).

Beach resorts have a large selection of seafood: shrimp, lobsters, squid, cuttlefish, fish, shellfish. All this is served not only in expensive restaurants, but also in cafes for locals, or even cooked right on the beach, all at quite reasonable prices.

In general, I remember that the price tag for food in Vietnam is quite democratic, and food costs an order of magnitude cheaper than in neighboring countries.

From meat there are chicken, beef, pork, but at the same time in certain establishments you can try a snake, crocodile, turtle, ostrich, shark and so on. Prices for exotics are also not particularly bite, so if you plan to try something like that, in Vietnam this can be done without any problems. Honestly, I am against such experiments, so I was content with the usual meat and seafood.

By the way, it was a big problem for us to eat outside the tourist areas, the places for the locals smelled bad and there was no choice, only 2 soups and a few salads (just chopped fresh vegetables and herbs).

If you get tired of local food, you can always look into a European or Russian restaurant, which in Vietnam appear like mushrooms after rain.

From drinks, as elsewhere in southern countries, all kinds of necks, fresh juices, juices and fresh coconuts are in demand, prices start at 1.5 USD. That's why I love Asia, that you can enjoy a variety of tropical fruits and juices all year round without ruining your wallet.

In small street stalls, sugar cane juice is prepared for a penny; locals love to drink it. For taste, add a little lime and sugar syrup. A very refreshing and pleasant drink, which for some reason we met only in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, they drink tea and coffee of local production, and they also love cocoa with condensed milk and iced coffee.

From alcohol you can find both local and imported products, this applies not only to beer, wine, but also to stronger drinks. As the Vietnamese themselves say, the best wines are produced in the mountain town of Dalat, where French wineries used to be located, but after tasting, we were somehow not impressed. For beer, you should try Saigon, Hanoi, 333.

Of the stronger alcohol, there is local rum, vodka and rice tinctures, but we are not fond of strong drinks, so I can’t advise anything, I’ll say one thing - it’s better to take alcohol in large supermarkets and chain stores, otherwise you can run into a fake, which can be fraught with serious poisoning.

5 dishes worth trying

Among the popular dishes that are mandatory for tasting, it is worth highlighting:

• In general, local specialists in the preparation of all kinds of soups, and another masterpiece - Soup Lau. According to the method of preparation, he reminded me of Hogo (Chinese samovar). Its peculiarity lies in the fact that a pan with fragrant broth is placed on a table with a special burner and thinly sliced ​​pre-prepared products (vegetables, mushrooms, meat, seafood, offal, etc.) are served. All this falls into the broth for a while, after which it is laid out in bowls and eaten with appetite. That is, in fact, the visitor cooks his own soup. It is very common to see families and companies chatting and cooking Lau on the streets.

shopping

Someone says that there is no shopping in Vietnam from the word “in general”, someone claims that this is a real paradise for a shopaholic - both of them will be right in their own way, it all depends on the budget, city and requests. It is difficult for me, as a person who is not at all fond of shopping, to judge, but I am inclined to believe that the patient is more likely alive than dead.
During my trip, I saw a huge number of markets, street collapses, shops and shopping centers in which there is everything you can imagine.

What you need to know about shopping in this country

The first impression when you get to the Vietnamese market is that you want to buy everything at once, everything is so bright and alluring, but this feeling quickly passes when you start to look closely at the quality, there are a lot of all sorts of consumer goods. Therefore, before you buy, I advise you to consider the thing from all sides.

Gone are the days when Vietnam was a super-cheap country, and everyone came here for penny clothes. Now prices are at the level of Russian ones, and in branded stores they can be higher. But at the same time, there are many quite high-quality fakes. The Vietnamese themselves are tiny people, so large sizes are rare here, this applies to both shoes and clothes.

In the markets and all kinds of street stalls, you can and should bargain, otherwise you will pay many times more. If you don't know how to do it, learn! The amount named by the seller can be safely divided by 3, and then most likely you will overpay, because not a single seller will sell anything at a loss. In supermarkets and shopping centers, like ours, prices are fixed.

What to bring from this country

Good gifts from Vietnam will be tea (tea with lotus, jasmine, ginger, artichoke) or coffee, which is grown here. They can be bought both in specialized shops and in a regular supermarket. But it is better to go to an institution where tea or coffee can be tasted before buying.

Local pearls are in demand, both sea and river. But in order not to get into a mess, I advise you to first learn how to choose it, because selling fakes and low-quality goods has already become a trick here.

I advise you to pay attention to silk products, it can be scarves, ties, bathrobes, dresses, as well as paintings or even carpets. You can order tailoring of products to order according to individual patterns.

In numerous markets and streets, you can buy all kinds of inexpensive souvenirs: masks, figurines, caskets, plates, balms with a snake and other reptiles, etc.

Do not forget about the traditional Vietnamese hat, there are both regular and painted hats that will decorate any wall or shelf.

Specialized stores sell silverware, precious and semi-precious stones, I myself did not buy anything like that, but knowledgeable people say that sometimes you can find interesting things at an affordable price.

Another unusual gift can be products made of crocodile, python or ostrich skin, these can be wallets, bags, belts and other accessories. The price is much lower than in Moscow.

Specialized factories have a large selection of ceramic products, lacquer and wood products.

tax free

If you are planning to make large purchases, then know that Vietnam has a VAT refund system. To do this, you need to make purchases in special places that are marked with a sticker (but there are still few of them) and, upon departure from the country, provide a tax-free check for more than 100 USD (2,000,000 VND). No more than 30 days must pass from the date of purchase of the goods. Not the entire tax is returned, but 85%. Return desks (Tax refund) are located at the international airports of the country, where you need to present checks issued in the store, as well as a passport.

Vacation with children

As guidebooks say, Vietnam is a great country for a family holiday. Of course, it’s hard for me to judge without having my own child, but judging by the reviews of tourists and those living there for permanent residence, there are no issues that could not be resolved. First you need to understand that the infrastructure of Vietnam as a whole is not as developed as in neighboring Thailand, so you should not expect special miracles, but at the same time not at zero. There are not many interesting children's entertainments such as amusement parks, zoos, gamelands, and most of the available attractions will simply seem tedious to children. But if your goal is just to relax on the sea, then Vietnam is quite suitable.

good hotels 4-5 star beach resorts have everything you need for families with children and offer babysitting services, a children's menu, entertainment, children's rooms and playgrounds. In local shops and pharmacies, you can also buy almost everything that a child may need, often cheaper than in Moscow. Therefore, do not be afraid to go on vacation together.

Safety

But this does not mean that a tourist can completely relax and not worry about anything. As in many poor countries, a large a white man here it is perceived as a bag of money, so everyone who is not too lazy will try to shake out as much as possible.

Theft thrives everywhere here, so you need to always and everywhere keep an eye on your things, but sometimes it is difficult to protect yourself. You need to be on your guard in public transport, on beaches, when visiting attractions and in crowded places, because it is these places that attract thieves and crooks. I know perfectly well that jewelry should be left at home at home. I usually do this, but this time I went on vacation with a gold cross on a chain, which was ripped off me on the first day in Ho Chi Minh City. Moreover, this happened not in some kind of gateway, but on the main street, well-lit and lively, when it was not yet 8 o'clock in the evening. The thieves were not embarrassed either by the fact that I was walking hand in hand with my husband, or by the fact that there was a police post nearby. Just at one moment, on a narrow section of the road, we were surrounded by a dense ring of a harmless-looking local, a pregnant woman with a child pushed me, and the next moment I felt a sharp pain and realized that I was left without my chain, by the way, immediately all the people around miraculously evaporated. Conclusion: if you do not want to worry about the loss of your favorite jewelry, it is better not to take anything at all. As I discovered later from communication with expats, they rip off earrings, chains, and rings. It’s also better to be careful with bags and equipment, as locals can easily snatch it out of their hands, it’s especially worth being wary of bikes passing by.

As for health, then, as they say, "the salvation of the drowning is the work of the drowning themselves." The sun in Vietnam is biting, so you need to properly smear with sunscreen, otherwise you can easily get burned and, as a result, swelling. Use of repellents is a good idea as mosquitoes can carry diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. I think all adults know that you can not eat unwashed fruits and vegetables. It’s better not to take drinks with ice, because, firstly, tap water is sometimes used for freezing (unsuitable for drinking if you don’t want to pick up some kind of bad), and secondly, ice blocks are pricked on dirty surfaces, or even directly on the asphalt. It is better to take a first-aid kit from home so that all the necessary medicines are at hand. Insurance won't hurt either.

You need to be careful on the roads, this applies to both pedestrians and drivers. The traffic in Vietnam is just crazy, and the rules are rarely followed, so you need to cross the road very carefully!

Popular types of scams

If we talk about tourist wiring, then, probably, I have not seen such a number in any other country in Southeast Asia. Preparing for the next trip, I always study the forums in search of information, so in principle I was ready for this, but still Vietnam outdid itself. Below I will talk about the most common ways of deception, including those that we ourselves have encountered. Some of them are quite harmless, others can ruffle your nerves and overshadow your rest.

Now, as for divorce schemes:

Now I'll tell you a little more about how you can get to neighboring countries.

Kingdom of Cambodia

popular destination from southern Vietnam is considered . Many seek to visit the famous Wat and relax on the beaches of Sihanoukville.

Regular and tourist buses run from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. You can buy tickets at any travel agency, however, before buying, I advise you to first go and find out the prices. On average, the cost of a ticket does not exceed 10-20 USD, depending on the direction. But we overpaid 2 times, since our departure from Vietnam fell on the period of the celebration of the Vietnamese New Year, and at this time absolutely everyone inflates the prices for their services. There is no railway communication between the countries. It is also easy to get from Phu Quoc Island as it is closer to Cambodia than to Vietnam. IN travel companies you can purchase a combined boat + bus ticket. The visa is issued at the border.

Laos

From northern and central Vietnam you can take a bus to. Buses run from the capital to Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Savannakhet.

They say there are flights from Da Nang, Hue and Nha Trang, but I won’t say for sure, but I definitely saw signs in Hanoi. True, the road takes about a day, so it may be better to consider the option of air travel. A bus ticket will cost 30-50 USD, depending on the city of departure and arrival, a plane ticket will cost at least 150 USD.

China

You can travel to China from Vietnam by train, bus or plane.
We did this way though in a different order, we flew from Guangzhou, China. Although initially we planned to cross the border by bus or train from Nanning, so I know a little about this. Trains from Hanoi run to cities such as Nanning (about USD 40, daily, overnight), (approx. USD 340 by direct train, twice a week, the train also stops in Nanning and Guilin). The Hanoi-Nanning bus costs about 30 USD, but is inferior in comfort.

Money

The national currency of the country is the Vietnamese dong, denoted as VND. Dong is considered one of the smallest currencies in the world, despite this, its rate is quite stable. At the time of writing, it looked like this:

• 1 USD = 22,559 VND (22.5 thousand).
• 1 EURO = 24,314.50 VND (24 thousand).
• 100 USD = 38 343.10 VND.

So, by changing money in Vietnam, you become a millionaire even with a hundred dollars :).
What do dongs look like? Banknotes have recently been made from thin plastic, not paper, so they are less torn and not afraid of moisture, we have seen this practice in Malaysia and Singapore. On the front side of banknotes of all denominations, the image of Ho Chi Minh is printed, and on the back, various sights of the country.

Personally, it was very difficult for me to navigate the local money due to the fact that almost all of them are similar in color and images, and also because the amounts are so large. To be honest, I never managed to make friends with them, and I was constantly confused, so my husband did all the shopping on the trip.

Currency exchange

In Vietnam, the dollar is very popular, therefore, when preparing for a trip, it is better to take dollars, not euros. Although there should be no problems in order to exchange other currencies at popular resorts. So, for example, we handed over Chinese yuan, since our trip began from China. But the advantage of the dollar is that they can be paid without exchange, for example, at a hotel or travel agency.
For an exchange, it is worth contacting not only official exchangers and banks, as we are used to. Money here is happy to change in hotels, and in various shops, and in travel agencies, even if they do not have a corresponding sign, you just need to come in and ask, you can also bargain. At the same time, you can often count on more favorable conditions on the street than in a bank. In each new city, a different exchange rate awaited us, most of all they gave a dollar in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and least of all in Nha Trang and. Probably, this is a regularity such that in beach resorts the situation is not in favor of the tourist.
When exchanging money, you should be very careful and carefully count the amount received, because deceptions in Vietnam are not uncommon. Due to the fact that visitors are not quite familiar with local banknotes, the Vietnamese can easily slip small bills instead of large ones. This happened to us in Nha Trang, the only thing that saved us was that my husband always carefully counts the money without leaving the cash register, and the money changer had to pretend that he was simply mistaken.

Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia, located on the Indochina Peninsula and washed from the east and south by the South China Sea. The country's official name is Socialist Republic Vietnam. Vietnam's neighboring states are Laos and Cambodia, with which Vietnam borders in the west, as well as China, with which the border lies in the north. The total area of ​​the country is 331,212 square kilometers, which is only 65th in the world. B O Most of Vietnam is occupied by low or medium height mountains and plateaus. highest point countries - Mount Fansipan (3143 meters) of the Hoanglyenshon mountain range. In addition, the largest Indochinese rivers Mekong and Hongha flow through Vietnam, which flow into the South China Sea.

For a long time, Vietnam was an Indochinese colony of France and achieved independence only in the middle of the 20th century - this happened in 1945, although armed clashes continued in the country for several more years. Vietnam is also the scene of a 1965-1973 war with the United States that cost numerous lives on both sides.

Modern Vietnam is a socialist state that has chosen the Chinese version of development - the modernization and liberalization of the economy. As of 2016, the population of Vietnam is 94,569,072 people.

Visa

To enter Vietnam for a period of more than 15 days, citizens of the Russian Federation must have a visa obtained from the consulate of Vietnam, and you can also apply for a visa directly upon arrival.

In order to obtain a visa at the consulate, you need to provide the following documents: a foreign passport (minimum validity - 6 months from the end of the trip); 2 photographs 4×6 cm; 2 questionnaires completed in Russian, English or French; invitation, travel voucher or booking. The visa is issued within 5 working days, and its validity period is 30 days. In addition, a US$25 consular fee is charged.

When obtaining a visa directly at the border, at the Vietnamese airport, you need to provide 2 photos 3 × 4 in size, one completed application form, as well as a visa permit from the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, which is issued within 5-7 working days. Upon arrival, citizens must go to the "Visa on arrival" window, and from that moment the vacation in Vietnam begins.

Among other things, the visa indicates the points of entry and exit through which the guest of the country can cross the border. in order to change specified place, you must contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. This service is paid.

If the period of stay in Vietnam does not exceed 15 days, then Russian citizens do not need to apply for a visa. In addition, neighboring Laos and Cambodia have similar rules (in Cambodia you can easily get a visa at the border), so after a 15-day stay in Vietnam, you can leave for one of the neighboring countries and then return again for 15 days. Often, when entering Vietnam for a period of less than 15 days, border guards may require you to present a ticket to leave the country - this is prescribed by the rules, but not always enforced.

Customs regulations

When entering Vietnam, certain customs regulations apply. So, an unlimited amount of foreign convertible currency can be imported into the country, however, if the amount exceeds 3,000 US dollars, then the currency must be declared, since no more than the declared amount can be exported from the country.

You can also carry, without paying a duty, the following goods: a maximum of 1.5 liters of strong alcohol or 2 liters of drinks with an alcohol content of maximum 22 degrees; either 400 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco; 5 kilograms of tea; maximum 3 kilograms of coffee, as well as two cans of black or red caviar weighing no more than 100 grams. In addition, other goods are also transported, the total value of which does not exceed 5 million VND (Vietnamese dong).

As in other countries of Southeast Asia, the penalties for trying to smuggle drugs are the most severe, up to and including the death penalty. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to transport medicines containing narcotic substances without having the permission of doctors to use them, as well as explosives, firearms, pornographic products or insulting local culture.

Current time in Hanoi:
(UTC+7)

Upon arrival, all tourists undergo sanitary and epidemiological control, and on board the aircraft they fill out a Declaration of Health. If during the control the visitor does not show any symptoms of diseases such as AIDS, plague, tuberculosis, cholera, yellow fever and others, then no problems will arise. Otherwise, the tourist is waiting for treatment in one of the local hospitals, and not a good rest in Vietnam.

How to get there

It is relatively easy to get to Vietnam from Russia - two airlines operate regular flights, but the list of Russian cities from where you can fly directly to Vietnam is limited to Moscow. But during the tourist season (during the winter months), charter flights are also carried out from other cities, for example, from Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk.

You can fly directly from Moscow to Hanoi with Aeroflot and Vietnam Airlines flights. Aeroflot flies daily, Vietnam Airlines - three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Both Aeroflot and Vietnam Airlines operate direct flights from Sheremetyevo Airport to Hanoi Noi Bai Airport. The flight is very long, so passengers are provided with meals twice. Time in the air is 9 and a half hours.

You can also fly to Ho Chi Minh City from Sheremetyevo by Aeroflot without a transfer, by direct flight. Travel time is about the same as to Hanoi.

From Vladivostok, Novosibirsk and Irkutsk, S7 planes can fly direct to the resort town of Nha Trang.

Connecting flights

From Russia to Hanoi

• Emirates Airlines from Moscow and St. Petersburg with a transfer in Dubai.

From Russia to Ho Chi Minh

• Turkish Airlines from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Samara and Ufa with a transfer in Istanbul.
• Airline "Thai" from Moscow with a change in Bangkok.
• Air China airline from Moscow with a transfer in Beijing.
• By Qatar Airways from Moscow and St. Petersburg with a transfer in Doha.
• By Korean Air from Vladivostok, Irkutsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg with a transfer in Seoul (Incheon Airport).
• By Japan Airlines from Moscow with a transfer to Tokyo (Narita Airport).

There are more complex options - with two transplants. However, during periods of airline sales, it makes sense to use them because of attractive prices. For example, you can get to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by Air France from Moscow and St. Petersburg with transfers in Paris and Bangkok.

It is worth remembering that long flights are associated with a certain risk to the health of passengers who do not tolerate such loads.

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Climate and weather in Vietnam

So that your holiday in Vietnam is not spoiled by weather conditions, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the climate data for the country. The climate in Vietnam is tropical monsoon, so the humidity is quite high, averaging 84% throughout the year. However, the climate often differs markedly from region to region. This happens because of the difference in latitudes and in the features of the relief of a particular area. The winter dry season, which lasts from November to April, is dry only in comparison to the rainy season, as there is enough rainfall during these months, thanks to the monsoon winds blowing from the northeast coast of China. IN southern regions countries in winter is quite hot - about 25 degrees, in the north, on average, 10 degrees colder. Most low temperatures- in December and January, sometimes reaching only 1 degree above zero. In any case, it is most comfortable in the south of the country, where in any season the temperature rarely drops below 20 degrees, and in April - the hottest month - sometimes even reaches 37 degrees.

The average annual rainfall ranges from 1200-3000 millimeters per year, with 90% of all rainfall occurring between May and October. At this time, each region of the country receives its portion of precipitation, but in the winter months in the south of Vietnam, the probability of rain is much less than in the north. It is also worth knowing that in late summer and early autumn, the time comes for typhoons, often with truly destructive power.

Cities and regions

Vietnam consists of 59 rather small provinces, plus there are 4 cities of central subordination - these are the cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong and Da Nang. The most developed provinces from an economic point of view are located in the northeast of the country, which is not so popular among tourists, as well as in the south of the country near the city of Ho Chi Minh City.

Administrative divisions of Vietnam

Provinces of Vietnam

Laytiau Lao Cai How Giang Caobang Dien Bien Sonla Yen Bai Tuen Quang Bak Kan Lang Son futo Vinh Phuc Thai Nguyen Buck Zyang Buck Ninh

Hai Duong Quang Ninh hung yen Haiphong City Thaibinh Ha Nam Nam ding Ninh Binh Hoa Binh Thanh Hoa Ngean Hatin Quangbinh Quang Tri Tua Thien Hue

Quang Nam Kontum Quang Ngai Zia Lai bin ding Fu Yen Duck Lak Khanh Hoa Dak Nong Lam Dong Ninh Tuan Binh Thuan Binh Phuoc Dong Nai Baria-Vung Tau

Tai Ninh Binh Duong Long An Tienjiang Dong Thap Vinh Long Benche Kanto How Giang Chavin An Giang Shokchang buckleu Kien Giang Camau

Major cities and islands of Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam's largest city and economic capital of the country. A lot of industries are developed here; it is estimated that 40% of Vietnamese exports come from Ho Chi Minh City. The city was founded by the French colonizers in 1874 (the official date of foundation is March 15, 1874). Until 1975, the city was called Saigon.

Nha Trang

The city of Nha Trang is the capital of Khanh Hoa province and at the same time the capital of a beach holiday in Vietnam. Simply - the most popular resort countries. About 200,000 people live in Nha Trang, and almost the entire life of local residents is connected with the tourism industry.

halong

Halong is both a city and a bay. The city itself is nothing special, and the real pearl of this area and the whole of Vietnam is Halong Bay. This bay is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Surprisingly, more than 1,600 islets and rocks of various shapes, sometimes very bizarre, are scattered over an area of ​​1,500 square kilometers, which makes the bay more like a fairy tale than real place. No wonder Halong Bay is one of the most visited places in Vietnam.

Phu Quoc

The Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc is located in the Gulf of Thailand, just 15 kilometers from the coast of neighboring Cambodia. The island, whose area reaches 567 square kilometers, is also called the "island of 99 mountains." Phu Quoc is home to 85,000 people, mostly employed in tourism or agriculture.

What to see

By clicking on the links in the text, you can get more detailed information about a specific object (description, location on the map, entrance fees, opening hours, ways to get there, photos, tourist reviews, etc.). If you are interested in the sights of Vietnam as a whole, without division into cities, there is a special section for this.

Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh City

In Ho Chi Minh City you can see many interesting buildings - colonial buildings, Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, Buddhist temples and pagodas, Presidential palace, mosques and much more.

In addition, from Ho Chi Minh itself you can easily get to the neighboring province of Tai Ninh, where there are many beautiful Cao Dai temples, as well as the Mekong Delta region.

As for sights, in the central part of the city there are several very interesting places for tourists. And if you come to Ho Chi Minh in the summer, from mid-May to the end of August, you can find "Southern Fruit Festival" held here every year.

Nha Trang

Among the attractions of Nha Trang, it is necessary to highlight the Long Son Pagoda, behind which, on the top of the hill, there is a large stone statue of Buddha sitting on a lotus flower. You can also look at the Cham towers of the 13th century, which were built in the era of the Champa state. It is also possible to swim with an excursion to Monkey Island, located 12 kilometers north of Hon Che Island. The tour includes a cruise around the islands, fishing, visiting the Bajo waterfall, mud and mineral springs, local craft villages. If you wish, you can visit the Circus of Dogs and Monkeys, the Circus of Elephants and Bears and much more on the island.

halong

A mandatory item of the program is a trip on a boat or some other vessel around the islands. At the pier in the city, you can find out in detail about all the possible routes, which can be both short and long, and even include an overnight stay on the ship. The usual excursion includes a visit to a fishing village on one of the islands, a cave, as well as an island named after German Titov, the famous Soviet cosmonaut who vacationed here in the 70s. You can also do night fishing directly from the boat, which, however, must be ordered in advance. But then you can enjoy the taste of your own catch! Popular islands in Halong Bay are Tuan Chau and Cat Ba Islands.

Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc has a large number of beautiful beaches stretching from the town of Duong Dong to the town of An Thoi. The island has many beautiful hills and mountains covered with tropical forest. In addition, in Phu Quoc you can watch the sunset on the sea, which is not done in other resorts in Vietnam that face the east.

Resorts of Vietnam

Tourists in Vietnam, first of all, will be interested in its numerous beaches and warm sea, and only then the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and everything else. There are plenty of resort towns in the country. Of course, not all of them correspond to the European level of quality, equipment and infrastructure. It is noteworthy that the resorts stretch along the entire coast of Vietnam - from south island Phu Quoc to the Mongkai resort in the north of the country.

The waters of the South China Sea are quite salty - saltier than in the neighboring Gulf of Thailand, but at the same time more beneficial to health. At the confluence of the rivers (especially the Mekong and the Red), the water is fresher.

Attractions

Museums and galleries

Entertainment

Parks and recreation areas

Leisure

Transport

Shops and markets

Wellness vacation

Private guides in Vietnam

Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with Vietnam in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.

Movement around the country

In Vietnam, in one quantity or another, you can meet and use all modern modes of transport - from domestic aircraft to intercity buses and taxi. Some of them are very well developed, some are not enough, but in some cases they can be irreplaceable. In any case, there is an opportunity to get even to remote places in Vietnam, even if you have to make several transfers from one mode of transport to another or, say, from one bus route another.

The following types of transport are developed in the country: air transport, rail transport, buses, water passenger transport and various types of taxis. You can find recommendations on moving around the country and get to know each type of Vietnamese transport in more detail in our special material “Transport in Vietnam: from a scooter to an airplane”.

Communication

Vietnamese is a member of the Viet Muong group of the Australo-Asiatic language family and is the native language of the Viet and the Kinh people. Big influence the Vietnamese language and culture was influenced by neighboring China: two-thirds of the words in the Vietnamese language are of Chinese origin.

It is very convenient for tourists that instead of hieroglyphs in the Vietnamese language, the Latin alphabet is used, although with the addition of diacritics under or above the letter, which indicate a particular tone, in vowels. Due to the fact that there are a huge number of tones and semitones in Vietnamese speech, it is very difficult to perceive it by ear. At the same time, the Vietnamese themselves have problems with the correct pronunciation of European words. It is often very difficult to make out what a Vietnamese person is saying in English.

English is the most common foreign language among the locals, which, however, is not surprising. It is studied at school, at universities, in courses, etc. Also, Chinese is taught in educational institutions in Vietnam - the second most popular foreign language after English. English and Chinese are followed by French, Russian and German, but they are much less common. So, Russian is most often known by adults who studied at the universities of the USSR, as well as Vietnamese merchants who returned from Russia, but their level of language proficiency is very low. Recently, due to the growing number of tourists from Russia to resort areas local residents are slowly beginning to master the Russian language.

culture

Vietnamese culture throughout its centuries-old history has been subjected to numerous influences of its powerful neighbors or the mother country, but each time it melts them into something original and unique in its own way. India and China play a special role in the development of Vietnamese culture. China introduced more than half of the words and hieroglyphic writing into the Vietnamese language (in the 20th century it was replaced by the Latin alphabet), and into culture - Confucianism and elements of Taoism. In addition, in the Middle Ages, the influence of Indian culture was noticeable, and later, after the colonization of Vietnam by the French, the French. This was reflected, in particular, in the architecture of many cities, especially Ho Chi Minh City. In the second half of the 20th century, with the coming to power of the communists, many elements of culture began to be borrowed from the Soviet Union.

Vietnamese literature has a rich history - from ancient folklore, including the legend of the Dragon Sovereign Lac Long Quan, the Muong epic "The Birth of Water and the Birth of the Earth" to books of the 20th century, similar in theme to European literature. The most significant writers in the history of Vietnam worked in modern times - Nguyen Chai in the 15th century, Nguyen Binh Khiem in the 16th century and Nguyen Dhu at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries. Nguyen Chai is one of the first major Vietnamese writers, as well as an outstanding statesman and philosopher. Nguyen Binh Khiem was an outstanding poet, close in outlook to Taoism, and Nguyen Du, who wrote the poems “The Lamentations of a Tortured Soul” and “The Tale of Kieu”, is as significant a figure in Vietnam as Pushkin is in Russia.

Vietnamese folk music is quite original. A large number of vocal genres can surprise you, and among the main musical instruments one can single out the amazing disc-like guitar, which can be either four or five strings, as well as dan tam (three-string guitar), dan ni (a violin with only two strings) and om dit is a Vietnamese bamboo flute.

Theater is popular in Vietnam, presented in several interesting genres. Teo is an ancient folk theater, which at one time originated among the peasants who lived in the Red River Delta. Today it exists in the provinces of Thai Binh and Hai Hung. Theatrical performances include folk music and the use of traditional folklore stories.

Vietnamese opera is called Tuong. Tuong originated in a courtly atmosphere and is considered a high theatrical genre that combines dance, music, pantomime, poetry, acrobatic arts and more. By the way, there are no decorations on the stage, and a heroic character is always in the center of the performance.

Particularly interesting is the water puppet theater, which has no analogues in the world. It also originated in the Red River Delta. The puppets move on the water during sunset, and all the action is accompanied by pleasant melodic music. The puppets are controlled by actors standing up to their waists in the water, hidden behind a bamboo screen, so that they have the opportunity to observe the puppets. The performances begin with the appearance of a boy doll Teu, who says: “Hello everyone! I don't need to introduce myself?"

Kitchen

Vietnam is a paradise for gourmets. The culinary traditions of this country are striking in their richness and variety of dishes and ingredients. Many recipes were borrowed from China, India and France, but it is by no means possible to say that Vietnamese cuisine is a clone of any of them.

The use of many sauces and seasonings is widespread in Vietnamese cuisine. In dishes prepared, by the way, only from fresh products, seasonings from garlic, onion and ginger root, as well as purely Vietnamese sauces "nuoc mam" and "nuoc cham" are often added. In Vietnam, various herbs and even bamboo are very popular, the young shoots of which are readily eaten.

The most popular foods used in Vietnamese cuisine are rice, seafood, pork, noodles, herbs and more.

Especially worth focusing on rice. This crop is one of the symbols of all of Southeast Asia, and Vietnam is the second largest exporter of rice in the world. In addition, Vietnam refused to grow genetically modified rice, so there is no doubt about the quality of the product. In every Vietnamese family, rice is the main dish on the table, but beyond that, it is part of countless of the most amazing and original recipes.

Vegetarian cuisine is also developed in Vietnam, which is explained, first of all, by Buddhist gastronomic traditions. Among Vietnamese non-meat dishes, rice with fried dou-fu bean curd and rau vegetables can be distinguished. In general, soy and products from it in Vietnamese cuisine replace dairy products, which are practically not used among the Vietnamese. There is, for example, a special soy milk called sya-dau-nan. Soy sauce is very popular.

Widely used are various fruits that grow in abundance in Vietnam. These are coconuts, durian, guava, lemons, lychee, Javanese apple, Siamese persimmon, papaya, rambutan and many other exotic fruits.

As for meat dishes, the Vietnamese usually eat familiar beef, pork and poultry meat. Various insects or reptiles are now considered rare delicacies that are not served in any restaurant.

In general, Vietnamese cuisine is rich in exotic meats. For example, you can taste boa constrictor meat, which is considered extremely useful. Or try a snake dish, which is a whole act like a ritual, which can really shock the especially impressionable. The waiter makes a small incision on a still living snake, then removes the heart from it and bleeds it. The person who ordered the dish eats a beating snake heart and drinks rice vodka mixed with snake blood. After that, vodka is used, already mixed with snake bile. After some time, a ready-made dish is served - snake meat fried with spices and nuts. The head of the snake is cut off during cooking so that the poison cannot get into the dish.

Among other exotics are dishes from field rats, from dogs, from cats (although there is an official ban on their use) and many other amazing ingredients.

Purchases

Shopping is an indispensable component of any holiday. Somewhere it is developed in such a way that it seems that there is nowhere to develop further, but somewhere in terms of purchases, everything is not in the best way. Vietnam is somewhere in the middle, with a bias towards the first group. Shopping here is not at the same level as in neighboring Thailand, but with an increase in the number of tourists, there are good reasons for quality development. Moreover, Vietnam has something to offer its guests.

Connection

For calls to other countries in Vietnam, there are special call centers, as well as street payphones. Guests staying in hotels have the opportunity to make calls directly from there, but this is quite expensive.

The international code for Vietnam is 84.

• For calls from Vietnam to Russia, you need to dial: 007 - area code - subscriber number
• For calls from Russia to Vietnam, you need to dial: 8-10-84 - area code - subscriber number

Major city codes

• Hanoi - 4
• Ho Chi Minh City - 8
• Hai Phong - 32
• Da Nang - 511
• Hue - 54

There are no problems with cellular communications, since all three largest Russian operators — MTS, Beeline and Megafon — have agreements with Vietnamese companies. Vietnamese operators: MobiFone, VinaFone, S-Fone, G-Tel, Vietnamobile, Viettel Mobile. A SIM card from a Vietnamese operator costs about $5, which includes 30 minutes of talk time.

You need to be careful if you are dealing with local “priestesses of love”, who are often not averse to profiting from the wallets of their clients. Foreigners can play gambling games only in special establishments, and an attempt to involve local residents in them can result in criminal prosecution. Everything related to drugs is especially strictly punished - possession, distribution, use. In this case, the most severe punishments are applied, up to the death penalty. This is a traditional practice in Southeast Asia.

Tourists should exercise discretion during their holidays. In particular, this applies to the use of alcohol, since a tourist in Vietnam who has “overdone” can easily get into trouble, become a victim of a robbery, etc. When swimming, it is worth watching the ocean surf, which can become a source of danger. Between September and November, typhoons often approach Vietnam and severe flooding in some parts of the country.

As for health issues, before coming to Vietnam, you need to take care of the issue of obtaining medical insurance (regular or extended). You can also pay a fee to International SOS and use the medical services they provide in branches in Vietnam. The address in Hanoi is 31 Hai Ba Trung in the central part of the city. Phone - 9340555.

In the Vietnamese province, sanitary conditions are not very good - both in local hospitals and in hotels. The services of doctors are paid almost everywhere in cash only, and treatment under policies is carried out only in some metropolitan clinics. True, it is worth noting that prices in Vietnam are lower than in neighboring Thailand.

You need to be careful when ordering Vietnamese cuisine, which is quite unusual for Europeans due to its spiciness, abundance of spices and exotic products. If you overestimate your strength, then problems with the stomach and intestines are likely.

Where to stay

Vietnam will please all visitors with a large selection of accommodation options - there are not only many hotels and guesthouses, but also a wide range of prices, and the level of service is quite high. In addition, Vietnamese hotels have a unique Asian flavor that adds color to the whole holiday. In total, there are approximately 11 thousand hotels in Vietnam, while not experiencing a serious shortage of guests.

Cheap accommodation options are 2- and 3-star hotels, which are similar in quality to Turkish 3- and 4-star hotels, so many experts rightly point out that the class of Vietnamese hotels is somewhat underestimated. 2-star hotels are usually located in old 4-6-storey buildings, well finished inside. The rooms have a bath or shower with hot water, air conditioning, satellite TV and even a mini-bar. three-star hotels occupy more modern and large buildings, and the level of service and equipment in them is quite high. Prices in hotels of categories 2 and 3 stars - about 15-40 dollars per night.

Even more budget option are guesthouses, prices in which are often below 10 dollars, and the number of them in tourist places is truly enormous. In Ho Chi Minh City, for example, many guesthouses and cheap hotels can be found in Pham Niu Lao, considered a backpacker area. True, it is not a fact that there will be hot water in cheap guesthouses and hotels.

In resort towns, in particular in Nha Trang, accommodation is likely to cost more than in the capitals. Many tourists come to these cities, who are poorly versed in the intricacies of the Vietnamese tour business and, moreover, are able to easily part with large sums of money. For such tourists there are luxury hotels 4 and 5 stars with their own pools, private beaches, etc.

For more economical lovers of Vietnamese beaches, there are many bungalows. True, the amenities in them are minimal, moreover, if the walls of the bungalow are bamboo, then mosquitoes can fly inside through the existing gaps. However, mosquito ointments may well correct the situation. In any case, the most vivid memories of a vacation in Vietnam almost always remain!

General information of Vietnam

The official name is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). Located in the eastern part of the Indochinese Peninsula. The area is 331,690 km2, the population is 80 million people. The official language is Vietnamese. The capital is Hanoi (3.3 million people, 2001). Public Holiday- Independence Day September 2 (since 1945).

Member of the UN (since 1977), ASEAN (since 1995), APEC (since 1998), etc.

Geography of Vietnam

It is located between 8°10' and 23°24' north latitude and between 102°09' and 109°30' east longitude. From the east, the country is washed by the South China Sea, from the west - by the Gulf of Thailand. The length of the sea coast is 3960 km. The territory of Vietnam includes islands located in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, incl. part of the Paracel and Spratly Islands. The largest of them (km2): Phu Quoc (568), Cat Ba (180), Con Dao (50).

In the north, Vietnam borders on China (the length of the border is 1300 km), in the west - on Laos (650 km), in the southwest - on Cambodia (930 km). From north to south, the country stretches for 1650 km, from east to west: 600 km in the north, 400 km in the south and approx. 50 km in the central part of Vietnam.

The western and inland regions of Vietnam are occupied by the mountains and plateaus of the Yunnan Highlands. The Truong Son Range stretches from north to south for 1,400 km. A narrow lowland runs along the coast. In the north and in the south there are two plains formed by the deltas of the Red and Mekong rivers, the area of ​​which is respectively 15 thousand and 40 thousand km2.

The rivers belong to the South China Sea basin. Their total length is 41 thousand km. The largest rivers (km): Red (1149, in Vietnam 510) and Mekong (4220, in Vietnam 220). The most important lakes (ha): in the south - Darlak (1 thousand), in the north - Babe (500), in Hanoi - Western (466).

The bowels are rich in minerals: coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, manganese, copper, etc. The most significant are the reserves of hard coal - 12-15 billion tons, apatite - up to 1 billion tons. Real oil reserves are estimated from 2.5 to 3.5 billion tons, natural gas - from 600 to 1200 billion m3. Hydropower resources are estimated at 80 billion kWh.

The land fund is 33.2 million hectares. Agricultural land covers 7.5 million hectares (21% of the total territory). Four types of soils predominate: red earth and basalt soils 16 million hectares, alluvial soils 8.6 million, gray soils 2.5 million, stony soils of high mountain regions 3.3 million hectares.

The climate is subtropical and subequatorial, formed under the influence of dry northeast monsoons from the mountainous regions and moist southwest winds from the sea. Summer, when the flow of air from the ocean dominates, is the rainy season. Winter, when air currents rush from land to sea, is the dry season. The average temperature of the warmest month (in the north - June, July, in the south - April) is approx. 29°C; the coldest - from 15°С in the north (January) to 25°С in the south (December). The average annual rainfall in the northern regions is up to 2830 mm, in the southern regions - up to 1600 mm.

There are 289 families, 1850 genera and 7000 plant species in the forests; 1000 species of birds, 300 mammals. Along coastline there are almost 1,000 species of fish (catch of 600-700 thousand tons per year) and other valuable seafood. 500 thousand tons of salt are mined per year.

Population of Vietnam

According to the 1999 census, the population of Vietnam was 76.3 million people. Compared with the previous 1989 census, the population increased by 11.9 million people. Birth rate in 1989-99 1.7%, in 2002 1.31%. Child mortality 42 people. per 1000 newborns. Average life expectancy (2002) 68.2 years, men 65.5 years, women 70.1 years.

The percentage of rural population migration to cities in 1989-99 is 3.2% annually. In 1999, 23.5% of the country's population lived in cities, in 2002 - 25%. Sex ratio: 51% women and 49% men. Retirement age (only public sector workers in cities) for men - 60 years, for women - 55 years.

Literacy rate - 91% (in 1989-88%).

Vietnam is a multinational country with 54 nationalities and nationalities living in it. Actually Vietnamese (Viets, or Kinh) make up 87% of the population. They live mainly in the deltas of the rivers - Red and Mekong, in coastal areas Central Vietnam. The number of Chinese in Vietnam is 4%. Of the nationalities, the most numerous are Thay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, Nung - St. 1 million people each. The smallest nationalities - Brau, Roma, Odu number several hundred people.

The national language is Vietnamese, which is spoken by St. 90% of the population. Ethnic minorities, while maintaining their own language, use the Vietnamese language in interethnic communication.

Officially, 6 religions are recognized in Vietnam: Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Caodaism and Hoahao. According to official figures, the country has approx. 7.5 million Buddhists, while 85% of the population consider themselves followers of this religion, approx. 5 million Catholics, 500 thousand Protestants, 150-170 thousand Muslims.

History of Vietnam

The oldest state association on the territory of Vietnam arose in 2000 BC. In the 3rd century BC. it was called Aulak. This civilization in the 2nd c. BC. was taken over by the Han Empire. In 938, the Vietnamese achieved independence and in the end. 10th c. formed an independent state of Daikovet (Great Ancient Viet), from 1069 - Daiviet (Great Viet).

In the 11th-14th centuries. Dai Viet is one of the largest states in Southeast Asia. In the 13th century Dai Viet was invaded by Mongol troops three times, but the people defended their independence. In the beginning. 15th c. The ruling Ming dynasty in China enslaved Dai Viet. As a result of the popular liberation movement (1418-27), the Chinese were expelled from the country. In the 16-19 centuries. The Vietnamese State falls into decay and actually splits into two parts. In con. 18th century the uprising of the rural and urban lower classes under the leadership of the Teishons eliminated the power of the warring feudal factions, removed the Le dynasty from power. In 1786, the Teishons united the country, and in 1789 they defeated the troops of the Qing dynasty. In 1802 the Taishon state fell. The power of a new dynasty was established - Nguyen (1802-1945). Dai Viet was renamed Vietnam in 1804.

The colonization of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and ended by 1884. Japan's capitulation in 1945 created favorable conditions for the successful implementation of the August Revolution. On September 2, 1945, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, on behalf of the provisional government, proclaimed the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV).

In March 1946, France recognized the independence of the DRV, and in September of the same year it unleashed a colonial war against it, which lasted 8 years until the defeat of the French troops near Dien Bien Phu in May 1954.

In accordance with the Geneva Accords (July 1954), Vietnam was divided into two parts along the Benhai River, south of the 17th parallel. In October 1955, the South Vietnamese authorities, in violation of the Geneva agreements on holding general elections, proclaimed the Republic of Vietnam in the south. From that moment on, the United States began to openly interfere in the affairs of Vietnam.

In 1965-73, the US Armed Forces took a direct part in operations against the liberation movement in southern Vietnam and waged an air war against the DRV. Having failed to achieve the desired results, the United States was forced to sign in Paris on January 27, 1973, an agreement to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam. Deprived of American support, in the spring of 1975 the Saigon regime fell. On April 30, 1975, Saigon was liberated.

On April 25, 1976, general elections were held for the National Assembly of a united Vietnam, which adopted a decision on July 2, 1976, to reunify Vietnam and create the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The first steps in the transition from a centralized economy to a market economy were taken in Vietnam as early as 1979. As a strategic course covering almost all spheres of society, the renewal policy began after the VI Congress of the CPV in 1986.

1980-90s became a period of fundamental qualitative changes in the economic and socio-political development of Vietnam. The disruption of traditional economic ties that followed the collapse of the USSR, as well as the stagnation in Vietnam itself, forced the country to develop its own development strategy.

From the beginning 1990s Vietnam demonstrates steady economic growth at the level of 6-8% per year. Vietnam manages, with varying degrees of success, to solve economic and domestic political problems, to feel very comfortable in the regional community.

The renewal policy opened a qualitatively new stage in the life of society. From a semi-feudal and semi-socialist state, Vietnam has entered the 21st century. with its own development model and its own ambitions. Currently, the SRV maintains diplomatic relations with 167 states.

State structure and political system of Vietnam

Vietnam is a parliamentary republic. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, adopted on April 15, 1992, is the fourth one after World War II (1946, 1959, 1980).

Currently, there are 57 provinces in Vietnam, four cities of central subordination (million people): Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (St. 5), Haiphong (1.7) and Da Nang (0.7).

The political system of Vietnam is defined in the preamble of the Constitution: "The Party leads, the people rule, the State governs." The Communist Party of Vietnam is the only party that occupies a leading position in the country's political system.

Relying on the authority of the ruling party since 1945, the leadership of the CPV at the VI Congress in 1986 initiated radical changes, proclaiming the policy of "renovation". At present, the CPV has St. 2 million people General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPV - Nong Duc Manh, elected at the IX Congress of the CPV in April 2001.

The principle of state administration is revealed in the Constitution: "All power in the country belongs to the people, who exercise it through the National Assembly, People's Councils of all levels, elected by the people and bearing responsibility to them."

The National Assembly (NA) is a unicameral supreme representative body that exercises legislative power, decides the main issues of domestic and foreign policy of the state, exercises supreme control over the activities of all state bodies. Elects from among the deputies the Standing Committee, the president and vice president, the Council of Ministers (government), the chairman of the Supreme people's court, Attorney General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. It consists of 498 deputies elected from administrative-territorial units and from socio-political organizations and unions. Elected for 5 years, its sessions are held 2 times a year. Over 90% of the NA deputies are members of the CPV.

All citizens of the Vietnam who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote, and from the age of 21 - to be elected to the National Assembly. At the 1st session of the 11th convocation (July 2002), Nguyen Van Anh was elected the NA Speaker.

The NA Standing Committee (SC SC) is a body permanently functioning between sessions of the National Assembly.

The President of the SRV is the head of state and represents the SRV in the international arena. He is elected by the National Assembly for 5 years from among the deputies, is responsible and accountable to the National Assembly. Promulgates legislative acts and interprets them, proposes to the National Assembly the candidacies of Vice President, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme People's Court and Prosecutor General. In accordance with the decision of the National Assembly or the Steering Committee, the National Assembly declares martial law, general or partial mobilization, etc. The President exercises overall command of the Armed Forces and heads the National Defense and Security Council. The President of Vietnam, Tran Duc Luong, was elected to this post in September 1997 and re-elected in July 2002.

The Council of Ministers is the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the highest executive and administrative body of state power. It is accountable to the National Assembly, and in the intervals between sessions - to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The government consists of 20 ministries and 6 state institutions with the status of ministries. The term of office of the head of government is 5 years. Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam - Fan Van Khai - elected in September 1997, re-elected in July 2002.

The local government system complies administrative division countries. Each administrative unit has a body of power elected by the local population - the People's Council. Term of Office of the People's Councils of Provinces, Cities

central subordination and equivalent administrative units - 4 years. The term of office of other councils is 2 years. The People's Committees are the executive organs of the People's Councils and the organs of local administrative power.

In general, the political system can be described as a party-state system. All legislative, executive and judicial bodies function under the direction of the CPV.

The Fatherland Front of Vietnam (established in 1977) unites all social and political organizations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as well as associations of Vietnamese living abroad. It includes: the CPV, the Federation of Trade Unions, the Union of Communist Youth of Ho Chi Minh, the Women's Federation of Vietnam, etc.

The main objective of Vietnam's foreign policy has been proclaimed as the creation of favorable external conditions for socio-economic development and the implementation of a course towards a transition to a market economy. It is built on the principles of independence, dosed openness, involvement in the activities of regional structures and multilateral organizations, balanced relations with leading powers and world political and economic centers.

Since 1995, Vietnam has been actively participating in ASEAN activities and has been the author of initiatives that have received the support of ASEAN members. In particular, he proposed the Asia-Europe Dialogue (ASEM) program, successfully held the ASEAN summit in Hanoi in December 1998, during which the "Hanoi Declaration" and the "Hanoi Plan of Action" were adopted. Vietnam and other ASEAN countries have prepared a "code of conduct" in the South China Sea area, entered into negotiations with China to sign this document.

Vietnamese-Chinese relations were normalized in November 1991. The leadership of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China are of the opinion that the armed clashes of 1979 should not be repeated under any circumstances. On October 19, 1993, an agreement was concluded on the principles for the settlement of border disputes, of which the most important are: the management of international law, the rejection of the use of force and unilateral actions. In accordance with the agreement, an agreement was signed in December 1999 on the demarcation of the land border. In December 2000, the countries concluded an Agreement on the delimitation of the boundary in the Gulf of Tonkin and on fisheries.

Vietnamese-American relations are becoming ever more intense. Vietnam regards the active participation of the United States in regional affairs as a positive factor, which is a reflection of the balance of power that has developed in the Asia-Pacific region. In July 2000, a trade and economic agreement was signed with the United States (ratified in late 2001), providing for Vietnam's most favored nation treatment.

In September 2000, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Phan Van Khai, made an official visit to the Russian Federation. A package of agreements was signed on the payment by Vietnam of Russia of a debt in the amount of $1.7 billion over 23 years on the principles of the Paris Club of creditors. An important event in Vietnamese-Russian relations was the visit of Russian President V.V. Putin in March 2001. The heads of state signed the Declaration on strategic partnership between the SRV and the Russian Federation.

The emphasis in the construction of the modern Armed Forces of Vietnam is on the creation of small, well-equipped and trained regular forces, a large strategic reserve and a contingent of paramilitary formations. The share of military expenditures in GDP fell from 17% in 1990 to about 6% in 2002. In absolute terms, military expenditures decreased from $2.5 billion in 1990 to $1.8 billion in 2001. Since 1985, a policy of reducing the overall size of the army has been carried out. In 1985, it numbered 1260 thousand people, in 2001 - 484 thousand people. (Ground troops 412 thousand, air force 30 thousand, air defense 15 thousand, navy 42 thousand). The number of the strategic reserve (people's self-defense forces and people's militia, coast guard) is estimated at 4-5 million people.

The SRV has had diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation since 1991 (established with the USSR in 1950).

Economy of Vietnam

GDP in 2002 grew by 7.2% (6.8% in 2001, 6.6% - the average annual increase for 1990-2002) and amounted to 35.28 billion US dollars (in 2001 - 32 billion). GDP per capita $441. Gold and foreign exchange reserves 2.1 billion US dollars (2000). The working-age population is 40 million people. The unemployment rate in the country as a whole is 6.13%, in rural areas - approx. 5.5% (2001).

In the structure of GDP, there is a general trend towards a decrease in the share of agricultural production and an increase in industry and services: Agriculture 22.99%, industry and capital construction 38.55%, services 38.46%. The public sector in the structure of GDP is 40%, non-state 47%, the sector of foreign investment 13% (2001).

Viet Nam was the only country in Southeast Asia to emerge unscathed from the 2001 recession, largely due to rising domestic consumption. GDP growth in 2002 was also determined by this factor. Investment, especially in the private sector, boomed and was equivalent to 1/3 of GDP. The number of new private enterprises increased by 17% to 20,000, for a total of 60,000. Investments in new small and medium enterprises in the private sector reached $2.7 billion.

The main driver of development was the industrial sector with an increase of 14.4% per year due to the expanding demand for consumer goods. The apparel industry is booming due to duty-free admission to the US market. Growth is also driven by increased local private and foreign investment, while investment in the public sector remained at a constant level.

Inflation, according to official Vietnamese data, was 4%, according to the World Bank - 8% (2002).

Industry is the most dynamically developing branch of the national economy. In 2001, the growth was 15.4% in the public sector (state enterprises of central subordination - 13.1%, local industry - 11.8%), in joint ventures with foreign capital participation 20.3%, in the industry of key economic regions 12.1%. The main focus in this sector is on the processing industry, the production of consumer and export goods.

To con. 1990s the number of state-owned enterprises decreased from more than 12 thousand to 5.8 thousand. This process continues at the present time. Of the total number of state-owned enterprises in 2002, 3,000 were unprofitable.

The pace of development of agricultural production, including forestry and fisheries, remains at a stable level. They amounted in 2002 to approx. 5%, in fishing and seafood production - 14%. The most important food crop is rice, which is harvested 2-3 times a year. Vietnam not only fully meets its needs in rice, but is also one of its largest exporters (after Thailand and the USA).

The basis for the stable development of this industry lies in the fact that it is individual peasant farms throughout recent years provide 95% of the industry's output. In 2001, food production exceeded 30 million tons.

Roads are approx. 60 thousand km, including: state highways - 12 thousand km, inter-provincial roads - 15 thousand km and inter-district roads - 25 thousand km. 25% of state highways are paved. The main highway - Highway No. 1 (2300 km) runs from northern border from China to Cape Kamau - the most extreme point in the south of the country.

To con. 1990s the length of railway lines exceeded 4 thousand km. The main highway "North-South" (length 2000 km). The railway route "Hanoi-Beijing" has been restored. Preparations are underway to open the international route "Vietnam - China - Mongolia - Russia".

There are more than 40 thousand large and small navigable rivers and canals in the country. There are 17 ports on the sea coast. The largest are Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Cam Ranh. Almost 1/2 of the sea freight traffic passes through Haiphong.

Large state and foreign investments were invested in the modernization civil aviation. Air Fleet serves 17 domestic routes with a length of 62.5 thousand km. The main volume of traffic falls on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh highway. There are 3 international airports: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Bai in Thua Thien Hue. From these airports flights are made mainly to the countries of Southeast Asia, as well as to Europe. In 2002, an agreement was reached between Vietnam and the United States to establish an air route "Ho Chi Minh City - San Francisco - Ho Chi Minh City".

Modern communication in the country is represented by 2 ground stations of space communication "Lotos-1" and

"Lotos-2", providing telegraph, telephone and teletype communications with 56 countries of the world.

New communication services such as facsimile, mobile phones, paging, e-mail, domestic and international urgent information network are becoming more and more widespread. In 1999, there were 3.2 telephones per 100 inhabitants of Vietnam, in 2002 this figure increased to 4.25.

The service sector in 2002 grew by 12%. Here, the main attention is focused on the development of the transport industry, means of communication, trade, tourism, banks, technologies, and the legal framework. Passenger transportation volumes increased by 4.6%, while cargo transportation increased by 7.2%.

In 2000, trade accounted for 75.2 thousand billion dong (share in the service sector - 71%, growth - 7.4%), for the hotel and restaurant business - 12.8 thousand billion dong (share - 12.1%, growth - 12.2%), tourism and service enterprises - 6.2 thousand billion dong (share - 5.9%, growth - 10.7%).

For various reasons, the tourism business in the country is developing slowly. In 2001, 2.33 million foreign citizens visited the country (in 2000 - 2.14 million), incl. 1.319 million tourists, 439.7 thousand people. on a business visit, 478.6 thousand people to visit relatives and 93.5 thousand people. with other purposes.

In the monetary system, the leading role is played by the State Bank of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and St. 60 state-owned commercial banks. These are the Vietkombank, which serves export-import financial flows, the Industrial and Commercial Bank, which specializes in lending to industrial and commercial enterprises, the Agricultural Bank, which finances the agricultural sector, the Investment and Development Bank (Vietindebank), which lends to long-term investment projects, and a number of others. The banking system also includes other joint-stock commercial banks. In general, state-owned banks control 80% of the country's financial market, 12% are held by "semi-autonomous" financial institutions (joint and private), the remaining 8% are banks with foreign participation.

Currently there are 4 joint banks, approx. 60 representative offices and 20 branches of 50 largest foreign banks and financial organizations. Vietnam maintains business contacts with the World Bank, IMF, ADB and others. Leading financial institutions have their representative offices in foreign countries. All R. 2002 The first representative offices of Vietcombank and Vietindebank were opened in the USA.

The state budget in 2002 was executed on revenues of 19.94% of GDP, on expenditures - 22.47%, the deficit - 2.53%. Domestic investment in the economy amounted to 66.7% (in 2000 - 82%), foreign investment - 33.3%. From internal investments: 56.8% - state, 43.2% - mixed and private. The country's external debt is $13.3 billion (or 37% of GDP). According to IMF criteria, Vietnam is considered a creditworthy payer.

In 2002, the dong was devalued. Dong exchange rate 15,400 dong to 1 US dollar.

The inflow of annual foreign direct investment amounted to 2.2 billion US dollars, incl. $1.6 billion for the construction of small and medium industrial facilities. To the beginning In 2002, 3,044 joint projects with foreign participation and an authorized capital of USD 37.6 billion were registered, incl. 1,459 projects with a capital of $20.6 billion have been implemented, 769 projects ($11.1 billion) are in the process of being implemented. During this time, 399 thousand jobs were created.

The official development assistance program continues to be implemented. In 2002, within its framework, loans worth $2.4 billion were allocated to boost the economy, improve the living standards of the population, and fight poverty. The total amount of appropriations under this program since 1993 has reached 20 billion dollars, half of which has been used.

Despite Vietnam's obvious success in economic modernization in 2002, the rise in living standards and income growth of the population is slow. The salaries of public sector workers remain low - 210,000 VND per month (about $14). Since January 2003, it has been increased to 290 thousand. The average income per capita amounted to 331 thousand VND per month (an increase of 12% compared to 1999). According to the estimates of the State Bank of Vietnam, the total savings of the population amount to approx. 30 trillion dong. The poverty rate in 2002 is 32% of the total population and 10% below the absolute poverty line, 90% of the population with minimal income lives in rural areas.

The buildup of foreign economic activity is one of the most important priorities of the SRV leadership.

Vietnam's exports in 2002 amounted to 16.53 billion US dollars (in 2001 - 13.596 billion). Main export commodities (%): oil (share in total export 20), garments (16), seafood (12), shoes (11), rice (4), coffee (2), other goods (35). The growth in exports was achieved due to the increase in the volume of exports of rubber, handicrafts, seafood, garments and shoes. Deliveries abroad of oil, rice, vegetables and electronics were noticeably reduced. Exports were directed (%) to: Japan (15), USA (15), China (9), Australia (8), Singapore (6), Taiwan (5), Germany (4), South Korea, Great Britain, France (3 each), other countries (29).

Imports in 2002 amounted to 19.3 billion US dollars (16.816 billion in 2001), the deficit of the foreign trade balance was 2.77 billion dollars. The main imported goods (%): machinery and machine tools (19), fuels and lubricants (10), textiles (9), rolled steel (7), clothes (5), motor vehicles, electrical equipment, fertilizers (2 each), other goods (44).

The export of labor in 2002 amounted to approx. 50 thousand people per year, mainly to Malaysia (about 30 thousand), South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the countries of the Middle East.

Vietnam's flexible approach to the entire range of relations with China made it possible to restore mutually beneficial trade and economic relations with this country. At present, the PRC is investing in Vietnam in 41 projects with a total value of $70 million. Trade turnover in 2002 amounted to 3.5 billion US dollars (in 2001 - 2.8 billion). During a visit to Hanoi in February 2002 by Chinese President Jiang Zemin, the parties expressed their intention to increase the trade turnover between the countries in 2005 to 5 billion US dollars.

Trade and economic relations with Japan are developing successfully. This country in 1992-2002 provided Vietnam with official development assistance of 8.2 billion US dollars. Japan also remains Japan's key trading partner. In 2002, trade between the countries reached $5 billion.

Of fundamental importance for the expansion of foreign investment and foreign trade of Vietnam was the ratification of a trade agreement with the United States in December 2001. The foreign trade turnover of the two countries in 2002, according to preliminary data, amounted to approx. $2.5 billion. Exports to the US doubled in 2001-02, reaching $2 billion a year. At the same time, the export of garments increased by 18 times. The US is becoming the largest market for Vietnamese goods: in the first two months of 2003, exports to the US reached $590 million, i.e. increased by 350% compared to the same period in 2002. The volume of US investment is estimated at about $ 1 billion. They are concentrated mainly in industrial production, real estate, oil and gas development. For the industrial sector and hotel business accounts for 82% of all US investments and 37 ongoing projects.

Trade turnover between Russia and Vietnam in 2002 amounted to approx. $500 million. The basis of economic cooperation between the two countries is the sphere of fuel energy and arms supplies. Russia ranks 8th among more than 60 investor countries. An example of successful cooperation is the activity of the Vietsovpetro joint venture on the shelf of Vietnam.

Currently, Vietnam maintains trade and economic relations with 100 foreign countries, St. 60 foreign companies have their offices here.

Science and culture of Vietnam

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is carrying out profound transformations in the fields of education and science. Fundamental changes in these areas, according to the Vietnamese leadership, will help Vietnam achieve its strategic goals - to modernize the country, integrate into the world economy and become a full member of the world community.

There is a radical restructuring of the education system both in form and content. Paid education is being introduced in secondary and higher state schools, and the creation of private schools and universities, centers and courses for the training and retraining of managerial personnel is being stimulated. There is a process of "commercialization" and "marketization" in the curricula of secondary and higher schools.

There are currently approx. 16,000 primary and secondary schools with 19.9 million students in the 2001/02 academic year. In addition, there are more than 700 specialized schools and colleges (with 2 million students), 247 vocational schools and technical schools (with about 200,000 students). In Vietnam ca. 100 universities (6 private), where they train in 200 specialties (650 thousand students).

There are 170 research and development bureaus employing 30,000 scientists. Here, the emphasis is on the study of leading branches of science, such as high technology, computer science, biology, and new materials.

The country has established the National Center for Natural Sciences and Technology and the National Center for Social Sciences and Humanities. In 1996, the first "Vietnamese Encyclopedia" was published, which included almost 40 thousand articles prepared by the efforts of 1,300 Vietnamese and foreign scientists.

Now in Vietnam there are St. 6 thousand doctors and candidates of sciences, 1.27 million graduates of institutes and colleges and 14 thousand people. with postgraduate education.

The original national culture has a rich heritage with centuries-old traditions - festivities, music, dances, folklore, theater, fine arts, etc. Now it, perceiving the riches of modern world culture, acquires a new content and national flavor.

Vietnamese theater includes such traditional genres as teo (folk theatre), tuong (classical theatre), cai luong (renovated theatre) and ca hue (hue songs). These genres harmoniously combine music, singing, recitative, recitation, dance and facial expressions. The modern genre of kit noy (dramatic theater) is of European origin, but it is filled with national content and has firmly entered the cultural life society.

There are 2,446 public libraries and reading rooms in the country with 17.2 million copies. books. Average attendance - 15 million people. in year.

After the restoration of peace in 1954, the Museum of History, the Museum of the Revolution and the Museum of the Army were established in Hanoi. The Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 1965. On May 19, 1990, the Ho Chi Minh Museum was opened on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the first Vietnamese president. There are also the Oceanological Museum in Nha Trang, the Cham Museum in Quang Nam Province and the Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi. In general, there are 285 museums and exhibition centers in the country. International organizations contributed $420,000 for the preservation and restoration of the ancient streets of Hanoi, the mausoleums of the emperors of the last Nguyen dynasty in Hue and the ancient city of Hoi An.

Woodcarving, lacquer, silk and oil painting, rice straw products and handicrafts remain very popular in Vietnam. The most ancient form of Vietnamese painting is lubok - paintings painted with water colors on silk or specially processed paper. Hanoi luboks are made by contour printing from wooden clichés, followed by coloring.

The earliest works of literature that have come down to us date back to the 10th century. For many centuries, two literatures developed in parallel in the country, one in Chinese, which was then the literary language, and the other in Tynom, the transcribed national language. Liquidation at the beginning 20th century The traditional education system, the replacement of hieroglyphs with Latinized Vietnamese writing, the development of printing created the conditions for the birth of modern Vietnamese literature.

In 1945-75, Vietnamese literature was mainly focused on glorifying the heroism of the people and mobilizing the masses to fight against external aggression and for national reunification. After 1986 literature reflects the course of the country's renewal. The stories, short stories and novels highlight previously forbidden plots about losses and victims in the war, about the negative phenomena of modern everyday life, such as corruption, dishonesty, wastefulness. Such works attract the attention of readers at home and abroad. Many of them have been translated into English, French, Chinese, Russian, Japanese and other languages.

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