Brief information
In recent years, the Vietnamese government has made efforts to ensure that in the minds of foreigners this country is not associated with the wars of the 20th century. The Vietnamese authorities strive to show everyone the culture of their country and its amazing nature. The Vietnamese are very friendly people. This country has picturesque landscapes, delicious cuisine and excellent beaches. In addition, it is important for tourists that Vietnam is the safest country for travelers in Asia.
Geography of Vietnam
Vietnam is located on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Vietnam borders China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. In the east, this country is washed by the waters of the South China Sea. The total area of Vietnam is 331,210 sq. km, including the islands, and the total length of the state border is 4,639 km.
Vietnam owns a lot of islands in the South China Sea. The largest of them is Phu Quoc Island.
About 80% of the territory of Vietnam is occupied by mountains, however, all of them are not very high. The highest peak in Vietnam is Mount Fansipan, whose height reaches 3,143 m.
The Mekong and Hongha rivers flow through the entire territory of Vietnam, which are considered the longest in all of Southeast Asia.
Capital
According to itypemba.com, the capital of Vietnam is Hanoi, which is now home to more than 6.5 million people. Hanoi was built in 1010 by order of the Vietnamese Emperor Li Thai To.
Official language
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese, which belongs to the Vietnamese languages of the Austroasiatic language family.
Religion
About 85% of the population of Vietnam profess Buddhism, about 8% are Christians (mostly Catholics, but there are also Protestants).
State structure of Vietnam
According to equzhou.net, Vietnam is a socialist republic. Its head is the President.
Legislative power belongs to the unicameral parliament – the National Assembly (consists of 498 deputies). The deputies of the National Assembly elect the President from among their members, who appoints the Prime Minister.
The 1992 Constitution says that the Central role in the political and social life of Vietnam belongs to the Communist Party.
Climate and weather
The climate in Vietnam varies from tropical monsoon to temperate. Monsoons have a great influence on the climate in Vietnam. In Hanoi, the average annual air temperature is +23C, in Ho Chi Minh – +26C, and in Hue – +25C.
The cold season in Vietnam falls on November-April, and the hot season in May-October.
Based on weather conditions, the best time to visit North Vietnam (Hanoi) is November-March, Middle Vietnam (Hue) is May-June, and South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) is November-April.
Average air temperature in Hanoi, Vietnam:
– January – +17С
– February – +18С
– March – +20С
– April – +24С
– May – +28С
– June – +30С
– July – +30С
– August – +29С
– September – +28С
– October – +26С
– November – +22С
– December – +19С
Sea in Vietnam
The shores of Vietnam are washed by the waters of the South China Sea. In August, the sea off the coast of Vietnam warms up to + 29C. The coastline is 3,444 km. It should be noted that from September to January, the sea in Vietnam (and coastal areas) are prone to typhoons. The rest of the time, the sea in Vietnam is very calm and warm, it has a lot of exotic fish and corals.
Rivers and lakes
The Mekong and Hongha rivers flow through the entire territory of Vietnam, which are considered the longest in all of Southeast Asia. In the valleys of these rivers, the Vietnamese grow rice. Thus, in the Mekong Valley, more than 10,000 square kilometers are allocated for rice cultivation.
History of Vietnam
The first states on the territory of modern Vietnam appeared around the 3rd century BC. In 111 BC. The state of the Vietnamese became part of the Chinese Empire. By the beginning of the 10th century, Vietnam received autonomy within the Chinese Empire.
Vietnam during the reign of the Tran dynasty repelled three invasions of the Tatar-Mongolian troops. At the same time, Buddhism became the state religion in Vietnam.
In the 16th century, the political life of Vietnam was characterized by an intensification of the struggle for power. During this period, Vietnam is engulfed by several civil wars.
In the middle of the 19th century, France intensified its colonial policy towards Vietnam. As a result, Vietnam becomes a French colony (i.e. Vietnam became part of French Indochina).
French dominance in Vietnam continued until World War II, when Japanese forces invaded French Indochina in 1941. During World War II, the communist movement became widespread in Vietnam. As a result, in September 1945, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was formed.
France tried to maintain its influence in Vietnam, which led to the French-Vietnamese War after World War II. By 1954, Vietnam had managed to defeat France.
Then, with US support, the Republic of Vietnam was established in southern Vietnam. Between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which was helped by the USSR, and the Republic of Vietnam (it was helped by the USA), hostilities broke out. In 1965, the United States was forced to send its troops to the territory of southern Vietnam, because. Vietnamese communists won a number of major victories there.
The United States continued the war in Vietnam until 1973, losing several tens of thousands of soldiers and officers killed in it. Only in 1973, in accordance with the Paris Peace Agreement, did the US withdraw its troops from Vietnam.
The Vietnamese Unification War ended in April 1975 after North Vietnamese troops entered Saigon.
In 1977, Vietnam became a member of the UN.
Culture of Vietnam
Until the 1980s, most Vietnamese lived in villages. Now in Vietnam there are already several megacities with a population of more than 1 million people (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong and Cant Tho).
The traditions of Vietnam are based on respect for parents and ancestors. The head of a Vietnamese family is its oldest man. Parents choose wives or husbands for their children based on their own ideas of what is best for their child.
However, the French brought Western values to Vietnam (individual and sexual freedom, for example), and this began to undermine the traditional way of life of the Vietnamese. Now the Vietnamese authorities are striving to fight Western influence on traditional Vietnamese culture.
Art (ceramics, pottery) among the inhabitants of Vietnam appeared in the Neolithic era. Buddhism contributed to the development of ceramics (Buddhist statues were made from ceramics).
In Vietnam, there are still craftsmen who are engaged in wood carving. We advise tourists in Vietnam to definitely buy any items made by these masters.
Festivals are an essential part of Vietnamese life. Several dozen large and small festivals are held annually in this country. The most popular of them are Huong Pagoda Festival, Da Lat Flower Festival, Dak Lak Province Elephant Festival, Da Nang Fireworks Festival, Holy Whale Festival, Do Son and Baba Bullfights.
Separately, you need to remember about the Vietnamese New Year according to the lunar calendar – Tet. In terms of scale, nothing can compare with this holiday in Vietnam.
Kitchen
We are sure that Vietnamese dishes will please anyone, even the most demanding traveler. When cooking, the Vietnamese often use lemongrass, mint, ginger, and soy sauce. Traditionally, Vietnamese people add very little oil to their dishes. Therefore, Vietnamese cuisine can be safely called one of the healthiest in the world.
The main food products in Vietnam are rice, vegetables, meat (pork, beef, poultry), fish and seafood. Note that many Vietnamese are supporters of vegetarian cuisine, adhering to Buddhist precepts.
In Vietnam, we recommend tourists to definitely try such dishes as:
– Pho soup – rice noodles, filled with chicken broth, with green onions and aromatic herbs;
– Nem – a pancake with a variety of fillings (meat, fish, shrimp);
– Ban Cuon – Vietnamese dumplings made from rice dough, which are steamed;
– Banh Trang – pancakes made from rice dough with various fillings;
– Ka Kho To – fish in caramel sauce;
– Ka Ran Chua – fried fish with sweet and sour sauce.
The traditional Vietnamese soft drink is green tea (Tra). The Chinese drink tea hot (Tra Nam) and cold (Tra Da). Green tea in Vietnam is most often drunk in rural areas, and black tea in cities.
As for alcoholic drinks in Vietnam, we recommend trying (in moderation, of course) local wine, Lua Moi vodka (its strength is 45 degrees), HA NOI vodka (its strength is 29.5 or 33.5 degrees), as well as Vietnamese rum.
Sights of Vietnam
The history of Vietnam goes back many centuries. During this time, the Chinese, Japanese, French, and Americans visited Vietnam (and were expelled from there). Many countries tried to impose their traditions and customs on Vietnam. However, despite this, Vietnam has remained an original country, in which there are a lot of various attractions. The top ten Vietnamese attractions, in our opinion, may include the following:
- Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue
- Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi
- White Horse Temple in Hanoi
- “Palace of Supreme Harmony” in Hue
- Imperial Tombs in Hue
- Seven-tiered Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City
- Turtle Tower in Hanoi
- Guerrilla Tunnels in Cu Chi
- Museum of Emperors Bao-Tang-Ku-Wat in Hue
- Cot Co Tower in Hanoi
Cities and resorts
The largest Vietnamese cities are Hanoi (more than 6.5 million people), Ho Chi Minh City (more than 7.4 million people), Hai Phong, Kant Tho, Da Nang (more than 900 thousand people), and Bien Hoa (more than 800 thousand people).. pers.).
There are many excellent beach resorts in Vietnam that provide good conditions for recreation, including fishing, diving and excursions. The most popular beach resorts in Vietnam are Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Vung Tau and Halong.
In recent years, foreigners have increasingly begun to come to Vietnam, appreciating the beaches of this country.
Nha Trang – the beaches of this resort are recognized as one of the best in all of Vietnam. This is a favorite place for divers, because. in its vicinity there are a lot of fish and corals. Nha Trang has 5-star hotels and many entertainment options, including an amusement park.
Another popular beach resort in Vietnam is Phan Thiet. It is located 3 hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City. Wealthy foreigners and residents of Ho Chi Minh City come to Cape Mui Ne beach near Phan Thiet to relax on the unusual pink dunes.
However, many tourists admit that the best beaches in Vietnam are on the island of Phu Quoc, which is located in the west of the country. The sand on the beaches of Fukuoka is fine white.
It should be noted that almost every hotel in Vietnam offers spa services to its guests. In Nha Trang, for example, there is a very large spa center with mud-salt baths, the Center for Traditional Medicine operates in Hanoi, and there are excellent spa hotels in Kimboi (located on mineral waters). In general, mud therapy is very developed in Vietnam.
Spa treatments in Vietnam are developed according to French standards, and, of course, French cosmetics are used.
Separately, mention should be made of the resort of Sapa, located in the north-west of Vietnam. It belongs to the mountain-climatic resorts, and it is no less popular with tourists than beach resorts.
Souvenirs/Shopping
Tourists from Vietnam usually bring silk or cotton clothes, handicrafts, Vietnamese headdresses, bronze Buddhist bells, traditional Vietnamese musical instruments (for example, a flute and a jew’s harp), souvenirs reminiscent of the Vietnam-American war, tea and much more.
Office Hours
Banks:
Mon-Fri: 08:00-16:00
On Saturday, banks are open until lunch.
Shops:
Mon-Sat: 08:00-20:00 (or until 21:00).
Most private shops, restaurants and kiosks are open 7 days a week, often until late at night. Temples and pagodas are open every day from 05:00 am to 21:00 pm.
Visa
Ukrainians need to apply for a visa to visit Vietnam.
Currency
The official currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong (its international designation is VND). One dong = 100 sous. Most hotels and restaurants accept all major credit cards.
Customs restrictions
Import and export of currency is not limited. An amount of 3 thousand dollars or more must be included in the declaration. The national currency from Vietnam can be exported only after it has been documented.
Objects of art and antiques and Vietnam can be taken out only with a special permit.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Address of the Embassy of Vietnam in Ukraine:
Index: 01103, Kiev, st. Tovarnaya, 51 A T:
(044) 284-57-40
mail: [email protected]
Address of the Embassy of Ukraine in Vietnam:
Hanoi, Ba Dinh district, Le Hong Phong 6
T: (+844)
3734-4484 Email: [email protected]
Emergency numbers
113 – Police
114 – Fire brigade
115 – Ambulance
Time
The difference with time in Kyiv is +5 hours. Those. if in Kyiv it is 10:00, then in Hanoi it is 15:00.
Tips
Tipping is not customary in Vietnam. However, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and in other cities and resorts where foreign tourists come, paying for the service is slowly starting to become a tradition. Many prestigious hotels and restaurants in Vietnam already add a service charge to the bill (it’s about 5-10%).
The Vietnamese are very proud people, and tips can offend many of them (but the Vietnamese are always happy with gifts). In restaurants in most Vietnamese cities, it is not customary to give money for “tea”. However, taxi drivers do not expect tips either.
The medicine
No mandatory vaccinations are required to visit Vietnam. Perhaps some of the tourists will want to be vaccinated against malaria, hepatitis, cholera, tetanus, and diphtheria before traveling to this country, as recommended by doctors.
Security
Violent crimes in Vietnam against foreign tourists are very rare. Sometimes foreigners in this country become victims of pickpockets.
In general, Vietnam is safer than most major cities in the US and Europe. And, of course, Vietnam is much safer than, for example, Thailand or Mexico.
