Due to the high cost of Thailand, we decided to see Vietnam. Now, a few weeks after the arrival, everything seems a little different than there, but maybe it's better for objectivity. Even at home, studying the reviews about Hoi An, I understood that with tourism, in the sense in which it is developed in Thailand (I cannot compare with Thailand, because I have been there several times, it is nearby, even the sea is the same), it's tight there.
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Due to the high cost of Thailand, we decided to see Vietnam. Now, a few weeks after the arrival, everything seems a little different than there, but maybe it's better for objectivity. Even at home, studying the reviews about Hoi An, I understood that with tourism, in the sense in which it is developed in Thailand (I cannot compare with Thailand, because I have been there several times, it is nearby, even the sea is the same), it's tight there. In any case, I found very few Russian reviews, more and more foreign ones, and we all know that Russian is good ...and vice versa. However, having cast aside doubts, I bought a tour. The tour for two cost 49 thousand (looking today at the Pegasus website, I see a price of 89 thousand), this is quite cheap for a 4 * hotel. Again - everyone around was talking about the extraordinary cheapness of Hoi An. They say - money, no matter how much you take - you will bring it back - they were partly right - there is nothing to spend it on. Well, just nothing.
For there is neither shopping nor enough interesting souvenir shops there. Well, that is, of course, you can spend money anytime and anywhere, but it's all individual. Although let's go in order.
The flight was delayed by only two hours, therefore, after sitting for 6.5 hours in the uncomfortable seats of the old B 767-300ER, they softly landed at the Danang airport late at night. How white people got out of their pocket in a cool airport. At passport control, the border guards pleased us - they deftly confiscated everyone's passports, though they were returned on the bus. We flew in at night, so it was not realistic to see anything from the window, I saw only stars, a sickle and a hammer and a kumach. On the bus, a nice girl - a Pegasus representative - said that the hotel is 500m from the sea, and I realized that google earth is lying about 4 km. (that's how much I measured at home). Unfortunately, it turned out that the sweet girl was being disingenuous. We went to the sea by taxi, someone on bicycles, someone on motorbikes, someone on the bus from the hotel.
After 30 minutes of slow driving we were dropped off in front of the hotel. At night, after all the movements, there was no time to look at something, I really wanted to go to the room. Having heard about the Saigon beer back in my homeland, I dreamed of getting to the mini-bra quickly and tasting it. At the reception, they still confiscated our passports, and said that they would give them back upon departure. But everyone wanted to sleep, everyone didn't care. Taking off on the elevator to the 4th floor, I opened my room. The number pleased. I don’t know much about the classification of hotels (3 * from 4 * I don’t know how it differs), but I liked it, and more than 5 * in Hurghada. It was 5 am and the study of the territory was decided to be postponed until tomorrow.
Tomorrow came early - half an hour later the roosters started crowing (there was a village outside the window), at 9 in the morning I still woke up, and we dragged ourselves to breakfast. I am sure that soon there will be reviews where everyone will talk about the scarcity of breakfasts, people write about any hotel. Well, let. Everything suited me.
And the coffee is so amazing that even I, not a fan and not an expert, drank two or three cups in the morning.
After breakfast, the soul asked for the sea. Because they came to him. Cheerfully moved to the reception, and asked about the bus to the beach. (By the way, almost no one knows Russian there, English is at a decent level) The bus goes to the beach at 10.00, back at 14.00, and it seems like in the evening. This time I asked the girl from the reception to call a taxi and exchange 50 dollars. While dongs were being counted (the reception rate is 20.000 Dongs per dollar, the bank gives more), a taxi pulled up and we went to the beach. About money - 20.000 is about 30 rubles. In the beginning it is uncomfortable - after a couple of days everything is ok. For a taxi to the beach, we gave 65.000 dong.
On the beach, they gave us beer to drink, and ripped off a quarter, as we later learned, the cost). It turns out that the whole secret is to tan faster if a person is completely white - he just arrived and knows nothing. And the prices are always higher.
Therefore, they tried to cheat us repeatedly. Now about the beach itself. The hotel on the beach has a piece of sand 20 by 20 meters. There are not enough beds. Therefore, it is better to come to the bus. The beach itself ...well, the beach and the beach. Only cigarette butts, garbage. The water is cloudy, apparently due to the fact that the bottom is sandy, I personally liked the water very much. I don't care about cigarette butts in the sand - I'm not going to lie on it. With strong surf, jellyfish and cigarette wrappers floated past us. But in general, happy Germans, Australians, etc. splashed around nearby. They liked it, my wife and I, too. To our friends - so-so, I saw despondency on their faces. Of course, on Koh Lan in Pattaya, the water is much cleaner. But, I repeat, everything suited me personally. After a couple of hours, it became clear that a little more, and we will fry, and we went to look for food. I was pleased with the cafe near the Lotus hotel, called 328, this is the house number on the main Cua Dai street (between Glory and Lotus beach approximately in the middle).
I was itching to check the notorious cheapness. Here is an example of some prices:
Seafood soup 1pc 30000
Shrimp with garlic 1pc 30000
Grilled fish 1pc 72000
Fish with garlic 1pc 72000
Grilled beef 1pc 69000
Seafood salad 1pc 45000
Freshly squeezed orange juice 1pc 30000
Beer Saigon 1pc 15000
Coffee 1pc 20000
We dined, as a rule, at Phu Tien (from Glory to the left about 100 meters). Also quite worthy, the owner's name is Fap. Unlike thai, there are almost no food vendors on the street. But there is a lot of alcohol at Duty Free prices. You can drink the local Wall Street whiskey, although with tears in your eyes.
And there's not much else to do there. We were on Bana Hill: cable car - my respect. 25 minutes climb to a height of 1500m. Under you wild jungle, very cool. Pegasus tried to sell us some excursions, but we, having experience, know that around the corner is half the price. But nothing interesting was offered to us. About the massage - there are several spas to the left of the hotel, the price tag is soberingly high.
We have to bargain. My wife went for a massage for $ 7 per hour (150.000 dongs), I think it can be cheaper, but our conscience did not allow us). Jet ski on the beach - 15 minutes 300.000 VND (450 rubles). Motobike - $ 6 per day. Bicycle free of charge from the hotel. Wi-fi is free, the quality is not bad ...In Egypt it was not at all). Free billiards, but ...in general, we did not play, because it cannot be called a table. Alcohol in the hotel bar is very expensive. Shops across the road are much cheaper. It makes sense to go to the old town (it is a kilometer from the hotel). Just walk the streets, look into the shops. Near the market - where you can buy fruit (the absence of these on the streets was very surprised). Somewhere in the same area bought durian-flavored ice cream. Specifically) Young people found some kind of nightclub. So if you really feel like it ...And so - very quietly, calmly, like a family.
We left at night, the air conditioners did not work at the airport, I paid $ 35 for two sandwiches, colla and coffee. After relatively cheap Vietnam, I was very surprised. They flew well again. They arrived happy, with stocks of coffee and Vietnamese hats.
In summary, I would like to say: Vietnamese, for the most part, are very good people. Many people speak English well. Russians are very friendly. Personally, I had a story with tips. I, as in any country, leaving in the morning, put 40.000 dong (60 rubles) on the table, in any country, when I came to the room after cleaning, there was no money, but here they didn’t take it, and even, apparently, so as not to fly away with an accidental draft, crushed with an ashtray. I didn’t understand what it was) Maybe it’s not accepted, or maybe not enough) But taxi drivers took tips with pleasure, like waiters in a cafe. Therefore, people, if you are used to relaxing in Turkey / Egypt where everything is inclusive, in Vietnam - not a foot.
Personally, I liked everything in general - but I am a fan of independent rest. Rest here is very specific. Of course, a few years will pass and there will be a second Pattaya ...I won’t say that this is bad, but places like Hoi An are also needed. Dear socialist village, what could be better for a person who is tired of the hustle and bustle?
For there is neither shopping nor enough interesting souvenir shops there. Well, that is, of course, you can spend money anytime and anywhere, but it's all individual. Although let's go in order.
The flight was delayed by only two hours, therefore, after sitting for 6.5 hours in the uncomfortable seats of the old B 767-300ER, they softly landed at the Danang airport late at night. How white people got out of their pocket in a cool airport. At passport control, the border guards pleased us - they deftly confiscated everyone's passports, though they were returned on the bus. We flew in at night, so it was not realistic to see anything from the window, I saw only stars, a sickle and a hammer and a kumach. On the bus, a nice girl - a Pegasus representative - said that the hotel is 500m from the sea, and I realized that google earth is lying about 4 km. (that's how much I measured at home). Unfortunately, it turned out that the sweet girl was being disingenuous. We went to the sea by taxi, someone on bicycles, someone on motorbikes, someone on the bus from the hotel.
After 30 minutes of slow driving we were dropped off in front of the hotel. At night, after all the movements, there was no time to look at something, I really wanted to go to the room. Having heard about the Saigon beer back in my homeland, I dreamed of getting to the mini-bra quickly and tasting it. At the reception, they still confiscated our passports, and said that they would give them back upon departure. But everyone wanted to sleep, everyone didn't care. Taking off on the elevator to the 4th floor, I opened my room. The number pleased. I don’t know much about the classification of hotels (3 * from 4 * I don’t know how it differs), but I liked it, and more than 5 * in Hurghada. It was 5 am and the study of the territory was decided to be postponed until tomorrow.
Tomorrow came early - half an hour later the roosters started crowing (there was a village outside the window), at 9 in the morning I still woke up, and we dragged ourselves to breakfast. I am sure that soon there will be reviews where everyone will talk about the scarcity of breakfasts, people write about any hotel. Well, let. Everything suited me.
And the coffee is so amazing that even I, not a fan and not an expert, drank two or three cups in the morning.
After breakfast, the soul asked for the sea. Because they came to him. Cheerfully moved to the reception, and asked about the bus to the beach. (By the way, almost no one knows Russian there, English is at a decent level) The bus goes to the beach at 10.00, back at 14.00, and it seems like in the evening. This time I asked the girl from the reception to call a taxi and exchange 50 dollars. While dongs were being counted (the reception rate is 20.000 Dongs per dollar, the bank gives more), a taxi pulled up and we went to the beach. About money - 20.000 is about 30 rubles. In the beginning it is uncomfortable - after a couple of days everything is ok. For a taxi to the beach, we gave 65.000 dong.
On the beach, they gave us beer to drink, and ripped off a quarter, as we later learned, the cost). It turns out that the whole secret is to tan faster if a person is completely white - he just arrived and knows nothing. And the prices are always higher.
Therefore, they tried to cheat us repeatedly. Now about the beach itself. The hotel on the beach has a piece of sand 20 by 20 meters. There are not enough beds. Therefore, it is better to come to the bus. The beach itself ...well, the beach and the beach. Only cigarette butts, garbage. The water is cloudy, apparently due to the fact that the bottom is sandy, I personally liked the water very much. I don't care about cigarette butts in the sand - I'm not going to lie on it. With strong surf, jellyfish and cigarette wrappers floated past us. But in general, happy Germans, Australians, etc. splashed around nearby. They liked it, my wife and I, too. To our friends - so-so, I saw despondency on their faces. Of course, on Koh Lan in Pattaya, the water is much cleaner. But, I repeat, everything suited me personally. After a couple of hours, it became clear that a little more, and we will fry, and we went to look for food. I was pleased with the cafe near the Lotus hotel, called 328, this is the house number on the main Cua Dai street (between Glory and Lotus beach approximately in the middle).
I was itching to check the notorious cheapness. Here is an example of some prices:
Seafood soup 1pc 30000
Shrimp with garlic 1pc 30000
Grilled fish 1pc 72000
Fish with garlic 1pc 72000
Grilled beef 1pc 69000
Seafood salad 1pc 45000
Freshly squeezed orange juice 1pc 30000
Beer Saigon 1pc 15000
Coffee 1pc 20000
We dined, as a rule, at Phu Tien (from Glory to the left about 100 meters). Also quite worthy, the owner's name is Fap. Unlike thai, there are almost no food vendors on the street. But there is a lot of alcohol at Duty Free prices. You can drink the local Wall Street whiskey, although with tears in your eyes.
And there's not much else to do there. We were on Bana Hill: cable car - my respect. 25 minutes climb to a height of 1500m. Under you wild jungle, very cool. Pegasus tried to sell us some excursions, but we, having experience, know that around the corner is half the price. But nothing interesting was offered to us. About the massage - there are several spas to the left of the hotel, the price tag is soberingly high.
We have to bargain. My wife went for a massage for $ 7 per hour (150.000 dongs), I think it can be cheaper, but our conscience did not allow us). Jet ski on the beach - 15 minutes 300.000 VND (450 rubles). Motobike - $ 6 per day. Bicycle free of charge from the hotel. Wi-fi is free, the quality is not bad ...In Egypt it was not at all). Free billiards, but ...in general, we did not play, because it cannot be called a table. Alcohol in the hotel bar is very expensive. Shops across the road are much cheaper. It makes sense to go to the old town (it is a kilometer from the hotel). Just walk the streets, look into the shops. Near the market - where you can buy fruit (the absence of these on the streets was very surprised). Somewhere in the same area bought durian-flavored ice cream. Specifically) Young people found some kind of nightclub. So if you really feel like it ...And so - very quietly, calmly, like a family.
We left at night, the air conditioners did not work at the airport, I paid $ 35 for two sandwiches, colla and coffee. After relatively cheap Vietnam, I was very surprised. They flew well again. They arrived happy, with stocks of coffee and Vietnamese hats.
In summary, I would like to say: Vietnamese, for the most part, are very good people. Many people speak English well. Russians are very friendly. Personally, I had a story with tips. I, as in any country, leaving in the morning, put 40.000 dong (60 rubles) on the table, in any country, when I came to the room after cleaning, there was no money, but here they didn’t take it, and even, apparently, so as not to fly away with an accidental draft, crushed with an ashtray. I didn’t understand what it was) Maybe it’s not accepted, or maybe not enough) But taxi drivers took tips with pleasure, like waiters in a cafe. Therefore, people, if you are used to relaxing in Turkey / Egypt where everything is inclusive, in Vietnam - not a foot.
Personally, I liked everything in general - but I am a fan of independent rest. Rest here is very specific. Of course, a few years will pass and there will be a second Pattaya ...I won’t say that this is bad, but places like Hoi An are also needed. Dear socialist village, what could be better for a person who is tired of the hustle and bustle?
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