Vietnam offers tourists the most amazing and various options shopping, in Vietnam you can buy almost anything, from miraculous medicinal ointments with snake venom, to fake clothes from world brands, the choice is huge. Prices in Vietnam for many local goods will pleasantly surprise you, but it is still worth knowing in advance the places where prices for Vietnamese goods can be significantly lower than in tourist cities and seaside resorts.
There are several types of local goods that tourists certainly bring with them from Vietnam - this is already a rule.
Such products include the following:
- Vietnamese coffee and tea;
- silk and products made from it;
- crocodile leather products;
- pearl products;
- medicines and cosmetics.
I was surprised that in Vietnam there are no rubber products on sale (at least they are not noticeable), which are present in abundance in neighboring Thailand (latex pillows, latex mattresses, etc.). While Vietnam is a major global exporter of rubber, there are no products made from this material in the country - this surprised me.
Shopping in Vietnam
Here are a few things every tourist should know about shopping in Vietnam:
Be sure to bargain- you need to bargain everywhere and very furiously, otherwise you can buy all sorts of things at Moscow prices. In Vietnam, you can bargain not only in the markets, but also in some more civilized places. For example, if you buy pearls in one of the shopping centers, then bargaining is simply necessary.
Keep track of your things- crime in Vietnam is not widespread, but if you are heading to the market, then I urge you to watch your bags and wallets.
Branded items for the price of a bowl of soup- if you think that in Vietnam you can buy original branded items cheaply, then I will disappoint you. In Vietnam, branded items cost the same, and sometimes more, than in Moscow. It is unclear who and for what purposes is disseminating information that Nike, Adidas, etc. branded sneakers. in Vietnam you can buy it for the price of a movie ticket. Despite the fact that many global brands manufacture their products in Vietnam, prices in the Vietnamese market are the same as elsewhere. A simple and logical example: Ford cars are assembled in St. Petersburg, but the cost of a car for residents of St. Petersburg is the same as for a resident of Moscow, and why should it be lower?
Counterfeits of branded items- in Vietnam, the fight against counterfeits is either not carried out at all, or is carried out in its own way, lazily in the Vietnamese way. You can see entire stores selling outright fakes, and sellers and owners will assure you that this is how the original should look. However, fakes are sometimes found very good quality(I studied fakes in particular sunglasses Ray Ban), but it's still a fake.
Vietnamese sizes- if you have never seen a living Vietnamese, then I will tell you that most Vietnamese are short - this fact should be taken into account when shopping. But if you are also not tall, then do not rejoice ahead of time; finding clothes of the right cut and style is still very problematic.
Chinese goods disguised as Vietnamese- this is generally already beyond the boundaries of “Good and Evil”. My friend bought an obvious fake of Puma brand sneakers (he was ready for this) and only in St. Petersburg did he notice the label on which was proudly written “Made in China”.
Vietnamese discounts lie- in Vietnam I have not seen honest discounts, if you see that there is a discount on some product, it means that there is something wrong with the product (defective product, expired, poor quality, etc.), it cannot be otherwise. Vietnamese discounts and sales should be treated very carefully.
Refund VAT- before departure from Vietnam, you can return VAT (Tax Free), although there are a number of restrictions (only checks or invoices are accepted that indicate an amount of at least 2,000,000 dong and not older than a month from the date of purchase), but the money is returned.
What to bring from Vietnam
In this part of the post, we’ll talk about what to bring from Vietnam. And a little further, let’s talk about in which areas of the country it is most profitable to buy these goods.
Many tourists who have already been to this exotic country, speak well of the locals medicines(it is recommended to take with caution and be sure to consult a doctor), high-quality clothes made of natural silk (it is recommended to buy several sizes larger, since after washing the clothes will definitely shrink, otherwise it is not natural silk), aromatic Vietnamese coffee and other useful Vietnamese things.
Clothes from Vietnam
Many travel sites recommend buying branded clothing and claim that some of the branded clothing that is sewn in legal factories (Adidas, Nike, and others) goes to the domestic market under the “Noname” brand and the cost of such clothing is a penny. This is all complete nonsense, but many tourists believe this nonsense. There have been cases when guides told similar stories to tourists, what can I say.
You can bring original branded items from Vietnam, but they will cost the same, and sometimes more, than in Russia. There are places where you can buy blatant fakes of branded clothing, shoes and other accessories. For example, in the city of Sapa you can buy a fake jacket under the North Face brand with GORE-TEX thermal membrane tags at every step, and in the city of Dalat I tried on half a store of fake Ray Ban sunglasses, which were passed off as original Ray Ban products, etc. .
What should you bring from Vietnam if 80% of the clothes produced here are fake? Everything is very simple, either nothing, or what they do right on the spot, an excellent choice would be to buy clothes made from natural silk, directly from the factory in Dalat. Or order boots made to your measurements in the ancient town of Hoi An.
Medicines from Vietnam
As the saying goes, “It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick,” however, some medicines from Vietnam can be a great gift. Any medicine, even alcohol with spirits preserved in alcohol, should be used selectively and it is advisable to consult a doctor before use.
Cobratoxan- ointment based on snake venom, an excellent warming agent. This ointment is suitable for sprained joints and ligaments, back pain, radiculitis, etc.
“Zvezdochka” ointment - I don’t think it’s worth saying anything about this ointment; the popularity of this legendary drug in the Soviet Union was at its height.
Ling zhi mushrooms- this natural drug can help normalize blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, increasing immunity, protecting the liver, etc. Scientists from the USA have a strong interest in studying this plant, and there are several scientific research, which talk about the beneficial properties of this mushroom.
Glucosamine- this drug helps solve joint problems, promotes the restoration of cartilage and intervertebral discs, and also strengthens joints and ligaments. Before use, be sure to consult your doctor.
Cebraton- the use of this drug helps improve memory, concentration and develop resistance to stress. The drug is based on medicinal herbs, most of which are collected in areas of Vietnam.
Cosmetics from Vietnam
If Vietnamese medicines are recommended to be used with caution, then there are no restrictions on the use of Vietnamese cosmetics; most Vietnamese cosmetics are made based on natural ingredients, so they definitely will not harm.
Lana Safra clear det-cell Fruit Peeling and Clearing Jelly- peeling based on fruit acids. This drug actively removes dead skin cells and cleanses pores. Reduces superficial wrinkles and minimizes signs of aging, visibly improves general form skin, etc.
Lolane Natura daily hair serum magic in One- hair serum. This cosmetic product has a light consistency and is quickly absorbed when applied to the hair. Enriches dry and damaged hair with life-giving moisture, makes hair smooth, silky and manageable.
O"nalyss Natural Extract Series Hair Treatment- hair mask with orchid extract. A unique system for hair care, hair after using this cosmetic product becomes softer, smoother and acquires a vibrant shine.
Shampoo Thorakao Soapberry- hair shampoo with soap tree extract. The shampoo gently cares for your hair, actively fights dandruff and stimulates hair growth. This shampoo is made from soap tree extract and natural herbs.
Thorakao Hair Lotion- hair lotion. Prepared using grapefruit flower extract. The content of natural active elements allows you to nourish the scalp, which in turn helps get rid of dandruff and stimulates hair growth.
Souvenirs from Vietnam
In Vietnam, you can buy both standard souvenirs—fridge magnets—and very local (in the literal sense of the word) souvenir trinkets. It remains a mystery to me why tourists bring Chinese refrigerator magnets from Vietnam to Russia and this happens year after year?
Of the truly Vietnamese souvenirs, it’s worth taking a closer look at these things:
- national wooden dolls;
- national musical instruments;
- Vietnamese fans (an absolutely useless thing, but beautiful);
- ointments and balms based on snake venom;
- unique porcelain dishes self made with hieroglyphs;
- bronze coins and small Buddha statues;
- decorative silk or bamboo lanterns;
- aroma sticks;
- keychains made from crocodile legs (Greenpeace is against it!);
- patchwork dolls and toys in the form of various animals.
Silk from Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the world's largest producers of silk and silk products. Prices for this product in Vietnam are much lower than the prices for Chinese and Indian silk, and the quality is no worse. In Vietnam, silk can be used to produce anything from handkerchiefs for $2, to huge paintings for $20,000, from stylish outerwear to fashionable shoes, etc.
I recommend buying products made from natural silk either in specialized tourist stores, which are found in every major city (in Nha Trang this is a store - the XQ exhibition), or in small shops at factories.
If you go to Dalat, there are many silk factories where you can see all stages of production (from the birth of a caterpillar to the finished silk item). Prices in shops at factories are much lower than in tourist shops, but the choice and assortment is poor.
You should buy silk in Vietnamese markets with special care; if you can easily distinguish the original product from a fake, then everything is fine, but if you do not have such a skill, then it is better not to purchase silk in the markets.
Vietnamese coffee
When visiting coffee plantations, you can also buy local varieties of tea, especially a large selection of green teas.
What is important to know when buying tea and coffee in Vietnam:
- bargain- this is a prerequisite if you take a lot of goods;
- taste- be sure to try tea or coffee before buying, don’t trust your nose (local manufacturers use flavoring agents, so all products can smell very pleasant), be sure to try it;
- price- you shouldn’t be naive and believe the price of 30 dollars per kilogram of real Kopi Luwak. If conditionally natural Luwak on farms costs more than $180 per kg, although there is no guarantee of its naturalness. Focus on the following prices: Robusta costs approximately $10 per kilogram, Arabica costs approximately $20 per kilogram.
What and where to buy in Vietnam
Despite the small area of the country, there are a number of areas in Vietnam in which the production of one or another local product is localized. For example, in Dalat you can buy high-quality and cheap coffee, and in Phan Thiet and on the island of Phu Quoc you can buy the famous fish sauce, etc.
What to buy in Phan Thiet
In Phan Thiet you can buy the famous fish sauce, which has a specific smell (the smell of rotting fish) and a corresponding color, but is considered a seasoning for true gourmets. The production of this smelly seasoning is located near Phan Thiet (between Phan Thiet and Mui Ne). If you are riding a moped from Phan Thiet to Mui Ne, the specific fishy smell will tell you the location of the factory. Look for this sauce not in tourist Mui Ne, but in Phan Thiet, at the market.
In the tourist area of Mui Ne you can buy souvenirs (there are plenty of souvenir shops here), crocodile leather products (tourist price, but still cheaper than in Russia), silk products (not a very large selection), pearl jewelry.
What to buy in Hanoi
Hanoi can become a real “golden Eldorado” for any shopaholic, there are many huge shopping centers and countless small markets, there is street selling of souvenirs and there are brand stores.
In Hanoi you can also buy all the goods that are available in Russia and Russian shopping centers, but the price for them will be several times less than in our homeland.
What to buy in Sapa
The Vietnamese city of Sapa is located in the north of the country (almost on the border with China) - this is a mountainous region of Vietnam and it can be quite cold here. Some useful things can be found in great abundance in this town. If you came to Sapa in shorts and a T-shirt, then it’s time to buy warm clothes.
In Sapa, I discovered an abundance of warm jackets and other clothes with a Gortex membrane (GORE-TEX - a patented thermoregulating membrane), mostly things were under the North Face trademark.
The price of Vietnamese fakes of The North Face brand is ten times lower than the original products, the choice of models is huge, there are very amazing colors and styles. Whether or not to buy fake The North Face items is up to you, but the items last a long time. In large cities there are brand stores with original products of this brand, but the prices for things are the same as in Moscow.
What to buy in Hoi An
The old Vietnamese city of Hoi An is suitable for any traveler; it has everything you need. The city has a great beach, there are many attractions (mostly historical), due to the mixture of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, the city has very tasty local food and of course there is excellent shopping.
Shopping in this city leans towards individuality; at every turn you will find tailoring and shoe shops. The order will be completed within 24 hours (if there is no time, the order can be completed faster), you will need a little money (stylish shoes made to measure here cost from $50) and measurements will be taken.
What to buy in Da Nang
Da Nang is a fairly large city with an abundance of markets and shops; I counted more than 30 different markets and markets in it, but I’m sure there are many more. You can find anything in the city, be sure to visit the largest market in Da Nang - Han Market. When visiting Han Market, bargain until the last minute; for tourists, prices are higher here, so feel free to double the price.
A special feature of Da Nang is the abundance and variety of seafood. Treat yourself to sea creatures, the prices of which are much lower than in more tourist places in Vietnam.
What to buy in Nha Trang
The tourist mecca of Vietnam is Nha Trang, but surprisingly, there are not many places in Nha Trang where you can indulge in rampant shopping. Of the hottest places for shopping in Nha Trang, I would recommend the Cho Dam market (it has all kinds of goods, from souvenirs to live fish), but the prices there for tourists are several times higher than for the Vietnamese. When visiting Cho Dam Market, be sure to bargain and may the force be with you.
It is no secret that products from all over Vietnam are brought to Nha Trang, counting on generous tourists, of whom there are plenty in Nha Trang. Here you can buy almost any type of goods, from coffee grown in Dalat to pearl jewelry brought from Phu Coc, etc. The only thing that pleased me in Nha Trang was the ripe and cheap durians at the Cho Dam market.
What to buy in Dalat
Dalat is located a few hours' drive along mountain roads from Nha Trang or along the same roads from Mui Ne (Phan Thiet). The city is located at altitudes of more than 1,500 meters and at one time was a resting place for French colonists. There is something left from the presence of the French invaders in Dalat: delicious pastries and aromatic coffee, beautiful miniature houses (unfortunately there are very few of them) and the Eiffel Tower in the city center.
Thanks to the temperate climate and abundance of moisture, in the vicinity of Dalat the Vietnamese grow quite suitable coffee and tea (at a sufficient distance from the city). The price of coffee and tea in Dalat is lower than in large cities in Vietnam and significantly lower than in tourist cities (Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, etc.). Not far from the coffee plantations you can find silk factories.
All the immediate surroundings of Dalat are “covered with a thin layer” of flower farms, so there are a lot of flowers in the city. If you come to Dalat during the strawberry season (from May to June), you can enjoy this berry at reasonable prices. I recommend to all alcohol lovers to try the local wine, which is called Merlot Dalat.
Be sure to visit the local indoor market Dalat Market, part of the market is located in a two-story building (they sell souvenirs, unique knitted items, dried fruits, household appliances etc.), and part of the market is located around the building (all the most interesting and fresh things are sold here). Finding the market is very simple, go to the city center and you are already at the market. Be sure to bargain, otherwise shopping will be very expensive.
What to buy in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City can captivate every tourist, I’m not even talking about shopaholics, they will simply fall in love with this city. Among the everyday chaos of a large Asian metropolis, with crazy traffic jams, noise and din of the streets, hide giant shopping complexes with brand stores and European prices.
You can buy anything in Ho Chi Minh City, if you don’t find something in shopping centers, then head to the local markets and you’ll definitely find it there.
Main shopping centers in Ho Chi Minh City:
- Vincom - located in the very center of the city at 72 Le Thanh Ton street;
- Parkson - located at Le Dai Hanh street, District 11;
- Nowzone - located at 235 Nguyen Van Cu, District 1.
If you want to save money and don't mind local brands, then head to the bustling markets of Ho Chi Minh City. All prices in the markets require mandatory bargaining, and only after bargaining can you find out the true cost of the item.
Main markets of Ho Chi Minh City:
- An Dong - located at Dong An Market, 34-36 An Duong Vuong, Ward 9, District 5;
- Tan Dinh - located at 48 Mã Lộ, Tân Định, Quận 1;
- Binh Tay - located at 57A Tháp Mười, Phường 2, Quận 6.
What to buy on Phu Quoc Island
Shopping on Phu Quoc Island is much more boring than in Ho Chi Minh City or Dalat, however, there are things that you can buy on this island. There is a pearl farm on Phu Quoc Island, but don’t think that pearls are cheap here.
Phu Quoc is famous for its black pepper plantations, be sure to buy this spice, at home you will regret that you took so little.
For true lovers of Asian seasonings, I recommend buying fish sauce, which is produced on the island of Phu Quoc. The product is very specific, so such a gift is not suitable as a souvenir; it should not be given to your boss or mother-in-law.
Visit the local night market on Phu Quoc Island for fun handmade souvenirs and other useless tourist gizmos.
The range of gifts and souvenirs that can be brought from this Asian country is incredibly wide. At the same time, many of the goods will cost the traveler truly ridiculous sums - you just need to be able to choose and “know the places”, since the same product in a shop in the center of the capital or a remote village can differ in price by 2-4 times.
4. Tea and coffee
Are you aware that Vietnam ranks first in the world in coffee exports? Now you know. It is of quite high quality and quite inexpensive - a kilogram of first-class Robusta coffee will cost $4. About 30 varieties of coffee are produced in the country, and Nguyen Trung coffee is considered the most popular. By the way, almost no local coffee is supplied to Russia; everything goes to the European Union countries.
Of course, the most interesting thing is to buy Vietnamese coffee directly at the plantations (for example, in the vicinity of Dalat): here they will not only sell you the variety you like, but will certainly give you a tour and introduce you to the intricacies of preparing the most delicious drink. However, you will find high-quality local coffee in shops and markets throughout the country.
Vietnamese tea is in constant demand all over the world. Green, black, white, artichoke, pu-erh, oolong, with ginger or jasmine - there is an incredible variety of it here. Cost: 5-8 $ per kilogram. The most popular premium tea is green Thai Nguyen from the province of the same name.
It is best to buy local tea in specialized stores in large cities (for example, Dalat or Phan Thiet). There they will offer you different varieties, tell you how to brew each one correctly, and will definitely let you try the selected tea before purchasing.
5. Exotic spirits
A separate item in the gifts is local alcohol: vodka, rum, wine and “snake” liqueurs. The wine here is not of particular quality, but rice vodka and rum with various additives are worth trying - you will be pleasantly surprised.
As for bottles with alcohol-preserved bastards, they are often bought as an exotic souvenir to decorate a bar, rather than as a pleasant drink, although here it is believed that such a tincture relieves many ailments. Tourists still prefer to buy bottles with snakes, scorpions and salamanders inside just “as a souvenir.”
6. Local goodies
If you love edible souvenirs, then you cannot do without local sweets. Unusual fruits for Europeans (lychee, longan, mangosteen) are brought from here both fresh and in candied or dried form - such “chips” can be found in almost any store or market.
Also popular are Vietnamese candies made from coconut milk and unusual-tasting candies with lotus seeds.
7. Bamboo and mahogany products
In any shop or store you will see boxes, figurines, frames, trays, wall decorations made of bamboo and mahogany - Vietnamese artisans make and sell a lot of such souvenirs.
These trinkets cost about $10-15, and the largest selection is perhaps in the center of Hoi An, where several specialized shops are located.
8. National clothes and masks
If you are a lover of exotic things, pay attention to inexpensive local national clothing - bright and cheap. However, tourists rarely bring clothes from here: much more often they limit themselves to traditional conical hats made of palm leaves (check out the city of Hue) and pith “colonial” helmets (visit the Nha Trang market).
By the way, don’t be surprised that tourists bring souvenir masks not only from Venice - on the shelves of Vietnamese shops you will definitely find hand-painted masks made of coconut or bamboo. This is a very colorful souvenir with unforgettable emotions on your face.
Well, and flip-flop slippers, which you should definitely try on before buying, yes, where would you be without them?
Pleasant trifles
In addition to all of the above, you can easily find a lot of other nice little things and souvenirs in Vietnam. From here they bring:
- national wooden dolls and musical instruments;
- ointments and balms based on snake venom;
- porcelain dishes with hieroglyphs;
- bronze coins and Buddha figurines;
- decorative silk or bamboo lanterns;
- incense sticks and incense burners;
- keychains made from crocodile legs;
- patchwork animal toys...
Useful information about goods from Vietnam
Trade in the country is thriving: tourists can not bother with choice and spend the whole day walking around the huge specialized stores and shopping centers of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Vincom City Towers, Trang Tien plaza, Saigon Square) or look for unusual things in craft centers, local markets, and small souvenir shops or on the islands and suburbs. Just remember: bank cards accepted only in supermarkets; to pay in other places you need to have local cash (Vietnamese dong), which can be exchanged at any bank or exchange office.
Although the range of goods in the country is not very different, each city and province in Vietnam traditionally has its own “specialization”. Thus, green and artichoke tea, as well as coffee, are usually brought from Dalat. They buy porcelain in Bat Chang, and pearls in Phu Kok. Silk Village is famous for its natural fabrics, Phan Thiet for its incense sticks and incense burners, and Nha Trang for its crocodile skin products.
And the most important thing that you will definitely need after many hours of shopping is additional bags and suitcases to bring all these souvenirs from Vietnam back home. Happy shopping!
Welcome, dear readers of the blog about Nha Trang site. In this article, we want to examine in detail the issue of shopping in Nha Trang, and in particular, what you can buy in Nha Trang. What do tourists bring from Vietnam as a gift to their homeland? The review is current for 2019.
A new online store has opened for shopping in Nha Trang with delivery to the hotel. See the link for product prices
Due to the increased flow of tourists from Russia, more and more more people are asking questions about what to bring with them from Vietnam, and whether there is any shopping in Nha Trang? We will talk about this in this article. Magnets are, of course, a good thing, but when it comes to something significant or useful, the question is “What should I buy in Nha Trang?” becomes very relevant.
What to buy and is there shopping in Nha Trang?
Mountains of rags and Chinese souvenirs are sold out in Nha Trang markets with a bang. Is this why you went to Vietnam? How do you like the story from 10 years ago about Adidas and Nike and their sewing factories? sportswear? Many tourists still ask guides and passers-by on the streets, where is the Adidas store? And when they find them, they are horrified by the prices, since they are often even higher than in Russia. In general, throw this story out of your head. There is nothing else like this in Vietnam!
There is shopping in Nha Trang! And if you follow the following 7 main directions, then you will definitely take away valuable and high-quality things from Vietnam at uniquely low prices. We have divided shopping in Nha Trang into 7 main areas, indicating the nuances and details that you cannot do without if you really want to make profitable purchases.
About “where to buy?” we will only talk a little in this article, but read the main places and shops for purchasing valuable goods and souvenirs in the special detailed review shops in Nha Trang. We will inform you about it in a special letter, which is received by those who have already read it, which has become popular among tourists.
Pearl
The first thing worth talking about is pearls. Many people know that in Nha Trang you can buy pearls at low prices and of good quality. The questions remain: “Where?” and “How to choose?”. In this blog we have already described how to choose real pearls. For more details, read about this in the article about. Pearls in Nha Trang are sold on every corner and all sellers assure that they are real. To buy really good pearls, first of all, you need to choose one of the following paths.
How to buy pearls in Nha Trang?
The first way is to buy pearls in the tourist area in one of the shops with beautiful windows on Tran Phu, Nguyen Thien Thuat or Hung Vuong streets. The advantage of this route is that you will definitely be provided with all the certificates for the purchased pearls. Minus - You will pay 2-2.5 times more expensive than if you take the second path.
The second way is to go for pearls in non-tourist places, in stores where there are no beautiful windows and sellers trying to speak Russian. There are many such shops in the Cho Dam market area, or on some streets in the blocks around the market. The advantage of this route is the price - it will be 2-2.5 times lower than in the tourist area, but the disadvantage is that if you go alone, you may be given a low-quality product or a fake. You can use this option if you have a familiar guide or Vietnamese who will accompany you to the store and who will have his own interest, but you will not be given a low-quality product, and the price will be much lower.
Pearl shops in Nha Trang
If you do not want to use the services of a guide, but want to buy a quality product and affordable price, then we recommend the following stores: (these stores were selected based on tourist reviews about service, price and quality of products)
Princess Jewelry
The store has a large network throughout the city. Quite a large collection of jewelry. There are promotions, discounts and gifts.
Here are the store addresses:
24B Hung Vuong (Opposite Galina Hotel)
32 Biet Thu street
96 Tran Phu
This is not necessary, but if you suddenly want to thank us for useful information, then before paying, tell us that you learned about the store from the Internet from Uncle Vanya, and they will do it for you good discount. Usually sellers always ask about this.
Creams, ointments, tinctures, cosmetics
Who doesn’t remember the famous Vietnamese “star”? There is practically no Russian person who has not used it at least once. But besides the “star”, in Vietnam there is a huge variety of ointments using natural herbs and having a wide healing effect.
Committing shopping in Nha Trang, be sure to replenish your first aid kit with ointments such as “White Tiger” and “Cobratoxan” (or their analogues “Hon Lin cat - red cobra” or “Nayatox” ointment), which will help get rid of different pains and, first of all, will help you overcome joint pain.
Many tourists often pay attention to the so-called snake tinctures, sold in various pharmacies and Vietnamese shops. Friends, remember - no one will ever put a real cobra or other rare snake in a bottle of tincture! This is prohibited by law, and even more so, such goods cannot be exported outside of Vietnam and imported into the territory of the Russian Federation. However, you should not try to take out other animals in any form - usually problems arise with this as well.
But still, real snake tincture exists, and to find it, you don’t have to go to an ancient shaman in a remote Vietnamese village. Such a tincture is often made by local residents themselves, offering it in their shops and small cafes. Usually the drink is contained in a plastic barrel, at the bottom of which coiled snakes are tightly packed: the most different types, but still you are unlikely to find at least one rare and expensive specimen there.
Also, about Vietnam, there are many other types of tinctures and specific decoctions - among them, for example, tincture for geckos and seahorses, as well as the herbal mixture “amakong”, consisting of a variety of medicinal roots, herbs and even tree bark!
Distinctive a feature of all Vietnamese ointments, balms and tinctures is that they are made exclusively on natural basis. Due to this, a powerful healing effect is achieved. The fame of these drugs has spread far beyond the borders of Vietnam itself and more and more people around the world are using these remedies. At the same time, many traditional Vietnamese drugs are extremely undervalued, because... repel the buyer with their specificity, which in no case should scare you - after all, all this was created by people to strengthen their own health.
Of course, all the advantages of Vietnamese traditional medicine cannot be described in one article, therefore, if you need more detailed and in-depth information on this issue, we recommend consulting with Russian-speaking specialists who work in many tourist Vietnamese pharmacies throughout the city. We will tell you a little about them below.
“The famous Luwak coffee” – is it worth taking?
There are many stories about this, to put it mildly, unusual type of coffee - one more contradictory than the other. In fact, everything is much simpler than many people think: Luwak coffee really exists, and it can even be found in Vietnam. But there are pitfalls here too...
First of all, it is worth saying that Luwak coffee is a specific, exotic type of coffee, which is obtained by fermenting coffee beans in the stomach of a small animal similar to a marten. His name is Luwak, or “chon”, as the locals call him. It is believed that passing through intestinal tract This animal, the coffee bean acquires special taste and aromatic properties, being saturated with certain acids.
And as they say on numerous forums on the Internet, a cup of drink made from such grain can cost as much as $50-60!
Here in Vietnam, you have the opportunity to try and purchase this coffee at much lower prices than those you can find on the Internet. And the explanation for this is very simple - when Luwak coffee is mentioned somewhere at several thousand dollars per kg - we are talking about wild Luwak, which is incredibly difficult to produce. To create it, many factors must successfully coincide, which determines its fabulous cost. In Vietnam, local residents were able to simplify the process of producing such coffee by creating farms where hundreds of similar animals live, and, with the help of a special diet, produce kilograms of the coffee product of the same name. Hence the large volumes and fairly low price for an exotic type of coffee.
You can try this coffee, as well as get to know its furry producers, as part of an excursion to the mountain town of Dalat, when visiting the Prenn eco-park.
Green tea from Vietnam - how good is it?
Green tea is the traditional national drink of Vietnam. Tea trees were brought from China during the formation of the first Vietnamese state, and thanks to the suitable climate and mountainous terrain, they took root here perfectly. Remember the main thing is that if you are offered to try tea, you should not refuse. This is not accepted here.
Artichokes have long been grown in the mountainous province of Lam Dong, in the vicinity of the city of Dalat. Therefore, prices for artichoke products are lower in this area.
But still, for me personally, there is nothing better than a cup of green tea with lotus. The enchanting aroma and rich taste will not let you forget this drink. It tones the body and removes negative toxins from it. Be careful to look at the packaging for the manufacturing date. In the above mentioned products, freshness is extremely important.
In Nha Trang there are many tea shops specializing in Vietnamese tea, as well as offering some Chinese varieties. Most of them employ sales consultants who will definitely advise and help you choose a drink to suit your taste.
We recommend that you always carefully approach the choice of tea drink, and do not allow yourself to be lured by the low price or exoticism of the product - because often tea with “mango”, “jasmine”, or various “milk oolongs” are just a flavored parody of real delicious fermented tea. In order not to fall for the bait of an unscrupulous manufacturer, we recommend that you first look for the inscription “ huong“, which means flavor or aroma.
On our own behalf, we can recommend products to you Long Dinh Company– we managed to verify its quality personally! Growing their tea on the sun-drenched high mountain slopes of Lam Dong province, professionals in their field collect only the juiciest and youngest top leaves of the tea bush so that you can enjoy the fullest taste and aroma of the drink.
Long Dinh offers a large assortment of premium quality green and roasted (black) tea. Their products can be found both in some tea shops in the city and in the showroom of our partners, the company “La Viet Coffee” and on the website of the online store nhatrangshop.ru
P.S. Also in the city there is good network Vietfarm stores, which sell a large selection of tea without “firewood”.
Here you can buy just such tea, and more than ten types (milk, lotus, jasmine, ginger, etc.). Also, in addition to tea, there is a good choice coffee BY WEIGHT, dry roasted, without oil. All products are packaged for you in a special foil-lined bag, which is also sealed.
Store Address: 123 Nguyen Thien Thuat see location on the map
Tell the seller that you learned about the store from Uncle Vanya, and they will give you the highest discount in the city - 15%.
Alcohol products
Vietnam produces quite a wide variety of alcoholic products of varying quality, both for the domestic market and for export. In addition to traditional alcoholic liqueurs, rum, wine, beer and local vodka are produced here.
At the same time, the Vietnamese themselves do not really favor alcohol stronger than beer, putting strong drinks on the table only on special occasions.
For example, local wine - many people think that thanks to the French, there are still “those” authentic wineries here that produce a worthy product. In fact, absolutely nothing remains of the famous French quality here. Most wine products are produced on an industrial scale, counting on mass consumption by tourists. The quality of these drinks leaves much to be desired, as does the taste.
But no one says that you can’t find good wine here at all. First of all, Nha Trang has a ton of wine shops that stock a variety of excellent world wines. In addition, if you search well and ask the price, you may well find a private collection of local small wineries located in the vicinity of the city of Dalat. The prices for such wine are usually more than modest, and the taste may well satisfy even the most demanding lovers of this drink.
The quality of most types of local alcoholic products is at a quite acceptable level. For example, local rum - in addition to its cheapest varieties, this drink is very soft and is made from completely natural raw materials (which grow in huge quantities on plantations around the city, we are, of course, talking about sugar cane). And Hanoi rice vodka, which is the official main strong drink of Vietnam, is not inferior in quality and softness to our premium varieties.
The most important thing is to take the time to compare prices in different places, so as not to give away too much of your hard earned money for a product that is not the most expensive.
And of course, we must definitely warn you that you should not take alcohol that is supposedly infused with various fruits, coffee and cocoa, but is sold in original containers. None of the Vietnamese will complicate their lives and really infuse rum with mango or chocolate - it is much easier to add flavoring to the bottle, which is what most manufacturers of rum drinks with “non-classical” flavors do. And even if such a drink is sold on tap in the tourist quarter - trust our experience - most likely it is a flavored cane distillate...
There are several of the most famous brands of Vietnamese strong alcohol. For example:
- Rum Chauvet
- Rum Asia
- Vodka Hanoi
- Vodka Men
There is no need to look for a specialized alcohol market - you can find these drinks in almost any store in the city.
As for the world's famous alcohol brands, you should be careful when purchasing drinks from them in Nha Trang. Due to the high demand, many stores unscrupulously sell fake and counterfeit products. It is not safe to consume such drinks, so we strongly recommend that you drink foreign alcohol only in establishments, and buy only local products in stores!
As mentioned above, local residents for the most part prefer to drink beer rather than strong alcohol. Therefore, the beer produced here is of excellent quality. Moreover, all locally produced beer is made from rice - after all, the ingredients we are used to are simply not found in nature here.
The most famous beer brands in Vietnam:
- Saigon Bia
- Ha Noi Bia
- Bia 333
- Bia Tiger
If we talk about draft beer, here the tastes of our compatriots and the Vietnamese begin to differ greatly. After all, the Vietnamese love very light beer, and do not have their own culture of bars and pubs. Therefore, draft beer here is sold freshly brewed, in iron bottles, in special institutions called “Bia Hoi”. Such beer cafes also offer a wide range of different snacks to accompany beer and often become places for mass viewing of sports broadcasts. So we can definitely recommend visiting such places to all lovers of such recreation!
- cask rum
- cask wine
- plastic container
- the largest selection of elite alcoholic drinks in the city, which are cheaper than in Dutyfree
- free tasting
The store is really nicely decorated and most importantly has good prices. Be sure to come if you need good alcohol.
Also, for readers of our blog, there is an opportunity to receive 5% discount in the chain of leather goods stores Anh Thu. To do this, click on the button below and show our coupon to the seller in the store.
Cloth
Silk products
Today in Vietnam there is very a large number of factories where Vietnamese craftswomen sew products no worse than in famous fashion houses (which, by the way, often sew their products here), copying products with amazing accuracy using identical patterns. In Nha Trang itself there are quite a lot of small shops with designer clothes from young Vietnamese designers.
But first of all, Vietnam attracts people with its silk products - clothes and silk paintings. Shopping in Nha Trang gives you the opportunity to choose all kinds of dresses, bathrobes, scarves, as well as pajamas and shirts. By the way, you can order a product to order, individually, according to your measurements.
Note: Traditional Vietnamese pajamas are called Ao ba ba. And the classic women's outfit - a tunic with slits on the sides and trousers - is called Ao dai.
The craftswomen from XQ create stunning, intricate embroideries on silk canvas, not only making custom clothing and traditional Vietnamese outfits, but also creating amazing masterpieces of painting.
Moreover, girls work (and only representatives of the fair sex work in the XQ company) directly in the exhibition halls, among their own works, so that clients can clearly see the complexity of their manual labor.
Silk paintings are incredible works of art that take months to years to complete. There are special specimens that the master works on for half his life or his entire life. Of course, the last copies are priceless and are given to exceptional people, while other copies are available to everyone and at very varied prices - on average, such paintings can be bought for prices ranging from 40 to 20,000 dollars, depending on the size, number of details and colors of the silk threads that were used. used in production.
Clothing made from environmental materials
There are small companies in Vietnam that produce casual and beachwear from environmentally friendly materials. There are several stores of one such company in Nha Trang. They are called “Bamboo” and as you most likely guessed, absolutely all the products in their store are made from green bamboo.
With incredible strength and flexibility, bamboo fibers are an ideal material for creating clothing. Their special structure allows bamboo fabrics to breathe, which is truly indispensable in the hot summer. And this material is absolutely hypoallergenic and does not irritate the skin!
Everyone wants to bring memorable gifts from their vacation that will refresh forgotten impressions after their vacation. Buying souvenirs in Nha Trang is not a problem. The main source for buying gifts is the night market, which is located in the city center, next to the local cultural center. It gained fame as a place with not particularly high-quality products.
Magnets, keychains, figurines, and vases with the symbols of Vietnam are in great demand among tourists. Don't forget about buying national hats, popularly called kon. Agree, the first association that arises when mentioning Vietnam is this headdress.
By the way, the already familiar Vietnamese filter for brewing coffee called “Finn” is an excellent option for a gift souvenir for all coffee lovers!
Wood and stone products
In Vietnam, various boxes, figurines and even entire sets of furniture made from different types of stone and wood are extremely popular. Here, real masters of their craft have been creating such works of art since ancient times. We definitely recommend the works of local craftsmen - it’s hard to think of a more authentic souvenir than a classic piece of furniture from a wealthy Viennese home!
Traditional painting
Nothing conveys the special spirit of Vietnam better than scenes of everyday peasant life among the natural beauties of this country, made using a special technique of painting with varnish on wood. Under with a skillful hand artist, the paint can change color several times, gradually disappearing under layers of varnish.
Many similar works are made by inlaying various stones into the surface of special polished wood. This is how truly masterpiece and large-scale works are created here, sometimes amazing the imagination. Often such works of art can be seen and purchased in large Buddhist temples - the monks themselves earn their living by creating such works.
Electronics
On this moment in Vietnam there is consistently high demand for phones from Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, HTC, Sony and other brands. It's all about the price. In Vietnam it is indeed lower by an average of 30-50 dollars than in Russia, but of course you need to compare these prices before purchasing.
An excellent way to purchase electronics in Vietnam at a low price is the Lazada.vn website - a site similar to our Avito, Slando, etc. Often in the vastness of its catalogs you can find phones, cameras and laptops at a price 10-15% less than in Russia.
We also recommend buying equipment in Vietnam from official dealers. These are the yellow shops THEGIOIDIDONG (thegioididong.com) and FPT shop. There are many of them throughout the city. The most convenient for tourists are perhaps close to the railway station and Vincom Mart.
But in addition to recommendations, we would also like to warn you, dear readers, against unscrupulous sellers offering defective and, as a result, unsafe to use goods. Therefore, try to choose equipment in stores of official dealers. or at least on large and decent-looking market stalls. Also, be sure to check all electronics for serviceability “without leaving the cash register” in order to avoid possible incidents.
Other
You may also find the following services useful:
1. Optics
Shop LILIA. Address: 66 Hung Vuong (Second line, opposite the night market)
2. Our electronic guide to Nha Trang
In our application dedicated to the city of Nha Trang, you will find all the information a tourist needs. Including the location of stores, shopping centers and restaurants, as well as many useful links and directions!
If you don’t like to overpay, but also don’t want to haggle, then take advantage of guaranteed discounts from our partners. It's very simple, show the coupon and get a discount.
Our tourists, spoiled by their usual trips to Turkey and Egypt, have already reached exotic corners of the world. Vietnam has become one of these popular tourism and shopping destinations. Of course, when leaving this fabulous country, you need to buy something to remember the trip (for yourself) and not forget about souvenirs for your family.
If you need souvenirs from Vietnam for your loved ones, then this will not be a problem. This country is famous for its folk crafts and handmade goods. All kinds of jewelry, costume jewelry, clothing, souvenirs and various trinkets are sold in shops and markets.
There are a lot of open-air markets in Vietnam, and the prices are very affordable. For example, prices for paintings on silk range from 300 to 1,500 rubles. ($10-50) depending on the size. The smallest souvenir - a magnet with a national and tourist picture will cost 9-15 rubles. ($0.3-0.5). Painted ceramic plate – 60-90 rubles. ($2-3).
Another plus is that, as in many Eastern countries, it is customary here to bargain for the thing you like.
How to bring fruit from Vietnam
For many tourists, it is simply unthinkable to travel to another country and not enjoy local exotic products. Moreover, the most delicious and non-perishable fruits can be taken home as gifts. As delicious souvenirs, you can buy Asian fruits that are not sold here: longan, mangosteen, lychee, rambutan, dragon's eye, lard, noina and many others.
In terms of price, fruits from Vietnam will cost you much less than at home. For example, 1 kg of pomelo costs 15 thousand dong, which will be approximately equal to 20 of our rubles. A kilogram of mango will cost 30 thousand dongs (44 rubles), mangosteen – 100 thousand dongs (145 rubles), durian – 60 thousand dongs (87 rubles), tangerines – 35 thousand dongs (51 rubles), mango - (35-50 thousand dong (51-73 rub.), apples - 35-40 thousand dong (51-58 rub.), coconut - 10-15 thousand dong (15-22 rub.).
Be careful, sellers can inflate the price several times for tourists, so don’t forget to bargain. But at the same time, bargain with a smile, respecting the seller. This is the norm here.
If you make a purchase in stores or supermarkets, then bargaining is not practiced. But it is quite appropriate in small shops, where the price of industrial goods can be reduced by 20-50%. If we are talking about street trading, then you can count on the price of goods being reduced by 2-3 times!
Please pay attention to one more point: when buying plant products to take home, take care of the phytosanitary permits (about the quarantine safety of fruits). If this is not done, then it is very likely that Russian customs officers will confiscate them at customs. Fruits and vegetables, as well as seeds of exotic plants, palm leaves, lotus tubers, sweet potatoes and beans are the most frequently seized goods at customs.
But fruits are far from the only thing that can be brought from Vietnam. If you don't want to carry heavy fruits home, buy fruit chips (for example, banana, mango or ginger) or candies filled with lotus seeds or coconut milk as a tasty gift for your loved ones.
Exotic gift from Vietnam
Fans of extreme and extraordinary things can be advised to buy a bottle of snake tincture. A bottle of vodka with a snake preserved in alcohol will be an excellent souvenir for connoisseurs of original things in the interior. In the East it is generally accepted that such a tincture can cure all ailments. In Vietnam, these tinctures are sold at every turn, as they are very popular among tourists.
In the markets they are offered in bottles of 0.5-0.7 liters and on tap, and not only snakes are preserved in alcohol. There are tinctures with lizards, turtles, scorpions, birds, iguanas, seahorses and frogs... The price depends on the animal “enclosed” in the bottle and on the volume of the container and starts from 65 rubles. (43 thousand dong) – up to 660 rubles (440 thousand dong).
In the markets they sell tinctures made by “traditional craftsmen”. In stores there are products from snake farms - half-liter squat bottles that cost about 100 thousand dong (150 rubles). Snake tinctures are also prepared in pharmacies, because it is believed that this effective remedy from many ailments.
The most expensive tincture is “Cobra and Scorpio” (Snake Wine). This is a 0.5 liter container, inside of which there is a snake holding a black scorpion by the tail in its mouth). All this is filled with 45-degree alcohol. Price about 1000 rubles. The tincture is considered a tonic, a strong aphrodisiac that strengthens male power. This tincture is allowed to be exported from Vietnam in quantities of no more than two bottles.
But you can also buy other types of alcoholic drinks: Vietnam produces more than a hundred different types of alcohol, most made from rice. Rice vodka is used to make many infusions from herbs, flowers, and plant roots.
In Dalat there is a production of red and white wines; a 0.75 liter bottle of such wine costs 100-300 thousand dong (145-435 rubles).
Also in liquor stores you can buy JIM BEAM whiskey for 350-400 thousand dong (508-580 rubles), Jack Daniels whiskey - 500-600 thousand dong (726-871 rubles), Red Label whiskey - 400 thousand. dong (580 rubles), rum – 120 thousand dong (170 rubles).
What tea to bring from Vietnam
But if you want to give a gift to a person who does not drink alcohol, choose tea. The most popular variety of Vietnamese green tea is Thai Nguyen. You can buy high-quality and inexpensive varieties of tea in specialized stores. They cost about 250 rubles in our money. per kg of tea with additives and from 155 rubles. per kg of pure tea.
Vietnamese coffee, like tea, is famous throughout the world due to its high quality and relatively low price. A kilogram of first-class robusta will cost a tourist approximately 130 rubles. The most popular variety of coffee is Nguyen Trung. They also buy Kopi Luwak coffee beans at a price of 30-70 thousand dong (44-102 rubles) per 100g. and Arabica coffee – 20-60 thousand dong (29-87 rubles) per 100g. The price depends on the quality and size of the grains.
What souvenirs to bring from Vietnam
Edible souvenirs will quickly be eaten and drunk, so it is worth bringing something more “material” from Vietnam.
- Jewelry. Excellent souvenirs from Vietnam are jewelry or beautiful costume jewelry. They will be an ideal gift for women. In the Vietnamese market you can buy inexpensive jewelry made of silver, precious and semi-precious stones, pearls and ivory.
Be careful when buying jewelry so that instead of pearls, for example, you don’t get plastic or rhinestones instead of cameos. The famous Vietnamese sapphires are sold quite cheaply here. However knowledgeable people It is not advisable to make such purchases on your own unless you are a jewelry expert.
Natural pearls in Vietnam are grown on oyster farms, so they are cheap here: a beautiful pearl bracelet will cost a tourist $8-10, a string of pearls - $15-20, a bracelet with a necklace - $25, a silver chain with a pearl - $8-10, and small silver earrings with pearl – only $1-2. At the same time, it is better to buy pearls on the coast of the Chinese Sea - where they are grown, for example, in Mui Ne. If you want to buy in Saigon, you will overpay two or three times.
- Silver. Vietnam sells the cheapest silver in the world. Tourists buy silver jewelry with ivory and pearl inserts, as well as dishes.
- Things. Industrial goods such as clothing and footwear are also popular among tourists. Mainly due to low price and good quality. Shoes, for example, cost 4-5 times less than in Russia with similar quality.
Well-known companies Nike and Adidas produce their clothes in Vietnam. Therefore, a branded T-shirt can be purchased here for $10, shorts for $15, and sneakers for $50.
- Silk. Vietnam also has very high quality and inexpensive silk. When choosing gifts for your family, pay attention to silk clothes, all kinds of scarves, home textiles, men's ties, men's and women's dressing gowns.
The price for silk items starts from 120 thousand dong (180 rubles). Silk pajamas will cost 120-160 thousand dong, a robe - about 200 thousand dong (men's robe - about $10, women's - $9-12).
Experienced tourists advise buying silk products one size larger, because, like any natural material, it shrinks when washed.
Vietnamese silk is one of the best things you can bring from Vietnam. An original gift would be a fan or a picture embroidered on silk. The painting is a rather expensive product, which is understandable. A hand-embroidered painting with silk thread measuring 60x40 cm can cost up to $100.
Hand embroidery on silk is still practiced in Vietnam. Miscellaneous Products and a huge selection: from handkerchiefs at $2 apiece to large cloths at prices starting at $300. However, remember that it is better to purchase silk products in specialized stores or factories.
- Leather. Reptile leather products are also relatively inexpensive here: belts ($7-10), bags ($10-15), wallets ($10-12), small handbags ($2-3). A wallet made of crocodiles and snakeskin is an excellent gift for true connoisseurs of exclusive fashion and quality.
National souvenirs
Speaking of fashion: when thinking about what to bring from Vietnam, do not forget about such a necessary summer accessory as flip-flop slippers, which are the main symbol of Vietnam, because they were invented here and are worn all over the world. Here they cost from $1.
Some nice trinkets include various crafts made from bamboo and mahogany: wall decorations, figurines, boxes, photo frames. Other popular Vietnamese souvenirs include porcelain dishes painted with hieroglyphs, bronze Buddha figurines, ivory pipes, fans and national dolls. Handmade masks made from bamboo and coconut are also sold in abundance at local markets.
But these are not all the souvenirs that you can bring as a souvenir of your trip. Vietnamese markets are full of all kinds of little things that are popular with tourists: hand-painted greeting cards, chopsticks, tablecloths, cloth coasters, napkins, silk-lined boxes, real feather badminton shuttlecocks, hammocks and silk lanterns.
If you still don't know what to bring from Vietnam, pay attention to another common Vietnamese souvenir - a cone-shaped hat made of palm leaves. Such a souvenir costs 15-20 thousand dong (22-30 rubles). This famous hat, known throughout the world from films and photographs, also symbolizes this hospitable eastern country.
And music lovers will not be able to pass by musical instruments: maracas, flutes, bamboo xylophones and, of course, brass gongs. Even if you don’t know how to play them, such an instrument will be a wonderful decoration for your home or country interior. You can also decorate your home with the help of rattan and pagoda wickerwork brought from Vietnam, natural stone boxes (300-400 rubles) and incense burners.
What medicines to bring from Vietnam
Vietnam is a country with a rich tradition of traditional medicine. Therefore, a significant part of the souvenirs purchased by visiting tourists are medicines.
The familiar Vietnamese “Star” is very popular here, as well as all kinds of balms based on animal fat: cobra, tiger, python.
The popular balm for radiculitis and joint pain “White Tiger” will cost tourists 30 rubles. (five times cheaper than in Moscow), another balm - “Red Tiger” - costs the same, although it is considered “stronger” than “white”, since it is enhanced with red hot pepper extract.
A popular anti-dermatitis cream called “Silkeron creme” costs 75 thousand VND (112 rubles), the dietary supplement “Glucosamin” is a mixture of sugars and amino acids to support joint health, and the “Cobratox” cream contains snake venom.
Medicines purchased in large quantities by tourists in Vietnam are tinctures of vodka on snakes and various insects, as well as various tinctures of ginseng, lemongrass, and other herbs. There are many balms for pain in the joints and spine, herbal remedies for cleansing the kidneys and liver, for removing stones from the gallbladder, etc. And, of course, there are a lot of different products from plants and animals that have a positive effect on potency.
In Vietnam, balms, ointments and tinctures are sold not only in pharmacies, but, of course, you should not buy them in the markets.
As you can see, Russian tourist there is something to bring home from Vietnam. The choice is incredibly wide. If we add to all this the low prices of almost all goods, it becomes clear that in addition to souvenirs, you will also need additional suitcases to accommodate everything you have purchased.
Shopping in Vietnam: what to bring from Vietnam, where to buy souvenirs and fashion brands. Markets, outlets, famous shopping centers of Vietnam. Expert advice and reviews from tourists about shopping in Vietnam on the “Subtleties of Tourism”.
- Last minute tours to Vietnam
- Tours for May Worldwide
Shopping in Vietnam is pleasant primarily because of its cheapness. Here you can buy inexpensive silk clothes, ceramics, pearl jewelry and souvenirs made of mahogany and bamboo. Large Vietnamese cities have shopping centers and large malls, but the most interesting and colorful shopping here is still in the markets.
Store opening hours
Shops in Vietnam are open from approximately 7:30-8:00 until late in the evening - 22:00-23:00, only a few small private shops close earlier. There are no lunch breaks, and in major cities and popular tourist resorts there are supermarkets that are open 24 hours a day.
Sales
There are no organized seasonal sales in Vietnam. Here, goods are sold at discounts if they are not taken at full price or if they have some kind of defect. Items that have expired, such as cosmetics, often become cheaper.
Such price reductions occur at any time of the year and in any season. It is very easy to spot a store that has announced a sale: there will be a sign “Dai Ha Gia” (“very low prices”) and a crowd of people at the entrance. You shouldn’t be tempted by low prices and wait in line - discounts there are usually no more than 30%, and prices even without sales are quite low for almost everything.
Duty free at Saigon airport is considered the cheapest in the world.
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What to buy in Vietnam
- clothes and shoes,
- cosmetics,
- traditional medicine drugs,
- ceramics,
- Jewelry,
- technology and electronics,
- food, alcohol and coffee.
Clothes and shoes
Vietnam, along with China, is considered the largest sewing workshop in the world. Nike, Adidas and other popular brands of clothing and shoes sew their collections here, so the prices for goods of these brands in Vietnam are slightly lower than in the rest of the world.
Vietnamese clothing is worth special attention. These are, as a rule, high-quality items made from natural silk, linen and cotton: T-shirts, dresses, tunics, stoles, etc. The colors are very bright and the styles are youthful, there are a lot of clothes with colorful prints - this applies to both T-shirts and rag bags and backpacks. National women's Vietnamese clothing “ao dai” is also sold in local stores and markets - an outfit consisting of a tight-fitting long shirt-dress with slits and pants (they are usually sewn to order, but you can also find ready-made ones).
Here you can buy high-quality and inexpensive leather accessories (bags, belts, wallets) - both quite traditional and exotic - from the skin of crocodiles and snakes. Traditional straw hats are usually bought for one photo on the beach, but the legendary “flip-flop” shoes are very comfortable and last for more than one season.
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Cosmetics
Vietnamese cosmetics are not as popular in the world as Korean ones, but they are also of very decent quality and are made mainly from natural ingredients. In Vietnam, cold-pressed coconut oil is popular (as in pure form, and as part of skin care products), aloe gel and snail extract. Snail mucus is an almost magical substance; it contains a high content of natural collagen, elastin and glycoic acid - everything you need to maintain elasticity and youthful skin. Creams, lotions and disposable fabric face masks are made with snail secretion.
Vietnamese women pay a lot of attention to protecting their skin from sun rays: firstly, to preserve its youth, and secondly, fair skin is the local standard of beauty. For a whitening effect and slowing down the aging process, pearl powder is often added to cosmetics.
Vietnamese people ride bikes a lot, so the problem of acne from road dust is almost eternal here, and Vietnamese cosmetics manufacturers pay close attention to it. Anti-acne products are made here with turmeric root extract (a very powerful natural antiseptic) and activated carbon. The choice is huge, there are many brands - you can choose any, the quality is very good everywhere.
Very unusual and effective mask for the face - from seaweed seeds. The smoothing effect is immediate (enough for about 20 uses), but the manufacturer warns that you should not wash it down the sink - the seeds can germinate in the drain and cause a blockage.
One of the most popular cosmetic brands in Vietnam is Thorakao, its soap root shampoos, rice powder face masks and snail mucus cream are especially good.
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Traditional medicine drugs
Vietnam is famous for its traditional medicine, and some balms and tinctures can be purchased at the pharmacy for home use. Here they sell the famous “Star” balm “for everything”, ointments based on scorpion and snake venom for sprains and bruises, aloe extract, which perfectly helps with sunburn, a variety of herbal infusions and preparations from seahorse for male potency. Medicines can be sold in souvenir shops and supermarkets, but it is better to go to a pharmacy for them - they are more carefully monitored there. the right conditions storage
Saigon has an interesting Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, where you can try different healing teas, ointments, and then buy what you like at your local store.
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Ceramics
The most famous type of Vietnamese porcelain is called Batch Trang, which is produced in the village of the same name near Hanoi. Previously, it was made from rare white clay and delivered to the imperial table. One fine day this clay ran out, but this did not stop the local craftsmen.
In Bat Chang, to this day, there are many factories and small private workshops that make dishes and other porcelain products, and almost every family here has its own kiln. The design of porcelain products is very different - from traditional to minimalistic a la Ikea. The best place to go for porcelain is here, in the village of Batchang, but, of course, it is sold everywhere.
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Jewelry
Saigon sells beautiful gold items of a fairly high standard. There you can also buy 925 sterling silver, ivory jewelry, sapphires, emeralds, rubies and other precious and semiprecious stones, one of the most popular jewelry stores with reasonable prices is Sapphire.
Jewelry made from pearls is also popular, mainly from artificially grown river pearls, less often from cultured sea pearls. It is most profitable to buy pearls in cities and resorts on the coast where they are grown or mined.
The best pearls are grown on the island of Phu Quoc. Stores do not provide guarantees, but if you doubt the quality, you can order an examination; such a service is definitely available in Saigon.
It is not difficult to distinguish real pearls from fake ones: genuine pearls are irregular shape and a bit heavy. The perfectly round shape is usually plastic coated with pearlescent paint.
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In Vietnam, as in all countries near China, you can buy inexpensive but good quality gadgets: laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc. For electronics, you need to go to big cities - there is more choice there, but it is best to do this in Saigon. For example, the latest generation iPhone will cost much cheaper there than in Nha Trang.
All equipment is sold here without Russian firmware; in Vietnam you can still find broken DVDs with films at every turn varying degrees decency.
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Food, coffee and alcohol
Vietnamese coffee considered the best in all of Southeast Asia, the best region in Vietnam to buy coffee is Dalat. You should purchase beans or already ground coffee in specialized stores, where, most likely, they will also offer you a cup to try. The price depends on the variety. Che Phin 4 coffee is very good - a mixture of Arabica, Robusta, Catimora and Excels (one of the main components of elite coffee blends). However, regular coffee from the supermarket is very good here.
A separate story is Kopi Luwak coffee or, as the Vietnamese call it, Chon coffee. This variety is one of the most expensive in the world, primarily due to the specific processing method. Musangs (animals that resemble martens) feed on coffee fruits, the pulp is digested, and the coffee beans, which have passed through the animal’s digestive tract, are then collected by people. Connoisseurs believe that jeon coffee has a special taste due to the fact that in the stomach of the musang the substances that give bitterness disintegrate. When musangs live in freedom and choose the berries themselves (that is, the juiciest and most delicious), they manage to collect no more than two to three hundred kilograms per year - hence the high price.
IN Lately“chon” began to be produced on an industrial scale: large quantities of musangs are kept on farms in the vicinity of Dalat. There they can no longer choose the best food and eat what they give, so it is believed that such coffee is inferior in taste to that collected in natural conditions.
Tea in Vietnam is not as popular as coffee, but there are interesting herbal teas, such as artichoke flower tea, green tea with jasmine or ginseng, tea with dried ginger.
Worth bringing from Vietnam fish sauces“Nuok Mam”, which is produced in Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet. The aroma is not for everyone, but experienced chefs know how to use them correctly so that the dish acquires a special taste. Local spices are also worthy of attention, especially the fragrant Fukuoka black pepper.
Little is known about Vietnamese wine in the world, but it is also produced here. In Dalat there are plantations of Cardinal grapes and strawberry fields; they make quite good wines here, the quality of which is not inferior to French ones. A more popular alcoholic souvenir from Vietnam is a tincture of snake or scorpions, which are placed in transparent bottles and poured with whiskey.
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- The best cities for shopping in Vietnam are Saigon and Hanoi. It is worth going there for clothes, appliances and jewelry;
- Sapa sells excellent sports equipment from local brands, the quality is no worse than Nike and Adidas, and the prices are several times lower. You should also buy inexpensive bed linen and pillows there, as well as clothes and other textiles with handmade embroidery;
- for gold and silver you should go to the village of Chau Khe in Hai Duong province and in the village of Cat in Lao Cai province;
- for silk, tourists go to Nha Sa village in Ha Nam province;
- Hoi An (30 km from Da Nang) is famous for its inexpensive sewing workshops. They sew very efficiently and quickly - from taking measurements to trying on the finished outfit, it only takes 5-6 hours.
The cities of Lang Son and Mong Cai are located right next to the Chinese border, where in addition to Vietnamese there are many Chinese goods, special attention There are local clothing markets.
Bargaining in Vietnamese stores is a must. The seller may perceive a refusal to bargain as disrespect - here it is part of the buying and selling ritual. The trader always names the price taking into account future bargaining; sometimes it can be doubled or even tripled.
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Shopping centers in Vietnam
There are shopping centers in major cities, with the largest selection in Saigon and Hanoi. Duty free at Saigon airport is considered the cheapest in the world. You can't shop there upon arrival, but you can get some great deals before flying home. Here you can find both the usual range of duty-free shops - cosmetics, perfumes, alcohol and accessories from famous world brands, as well as local goods: Vietnamese cosmetics, spices, sauces, scorpion tinctures and much more.
There are no outlets in the usual sense in Vietnam. In cities there is a Factory Outlet chain, but they don’t even qualify for a shopping center, they’re a small store.
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Saigon
- Vincom Center is a huge shopping complex in the city center, more than 250 stores on 5 floors, a standard assortment: clothes, shoes, cosmetics, accessories, jewelry, etc.
- Diamond Plaza is a city landmark, a shopping center in the shape of a giant diamond, hence the name. Luxury boutiques, the most expensive brands, in particular, exclusive designer clothing are located here.
- Parkson is a three-story shopping complex, which also belongs to the elite segment. In addition to shops and a food court, there is one of the most fashionable nightclubs in the city - Bounce.
Kenly Silk in Saigon offers the largest selection of quality silk clothing in the country. Shirts, blouses, kimonos, negligees, ties, scarves, loungewear and pajamas are sold on the first floor, and fabrics are sold on the second floor: chiffon, taffeta, cotton, muslin, “wet silk”, etc.
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Hanoi
- Vincom City Tower is a huge shopping complex occupying three buildings (three high-rise towers). There are boutiques and shops of the middle and high price segment, an entertainment center and a concert hall where fashion shows and other shows are regularly held. This is one of the few shopping centers in the world that has a residential section with private apartments.
- Parkson Moll - mainly imported brands are represented here: clothing, perfumes, jewelry, household goods and accessories. There is a supermarket and a good food court with Vietnamese cuisine and more.
- Savico Megamall is one of the largest shopping centers in the country, representing both local and global brands. It is located on the outskirts of the city, so prices here are lower than in many other shopping complexes.
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Nha Trang
- Nha Trang Center is the largest shopping center in the city, 4 floors of clothing stores, perfumes, watches, etc. There are few branded clothes here, but there is a good selection of gold and other jewelry, as well as souvenirs. There is a children's room with animators, a cinema, bowling alley, slot machines and a huge food court with panoramic windows overlooking the city.
- Maximapark is one of the most popular shopping complexes among tourists. It is also 4-storey, but smaller than Nha Trang Center. However, the prices here are slightly lower (by about 10-15%), the assortment is almost the same.
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Markets
It’s definitely worth visiting the markets in Vietnam: these are not so much bargain shopping (although that too), but rather national flavor and entertainment. You should always bargain in the markets, and in order for the seller to reduce the price to the maximum, in no case should you demonstrate interest; it is best to consider the goods indifferently and lazily. This little spectacle is a common part of the deal here; the price can end up falling by half or even three times.
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The most famous markets in Vietnam
- Ben Thanh (Saigon)- the largest and most popular market in Saigon, the main assortment is fakes of famous brands (sometimes high-quality ones), Rolex made from samovar gold, cosmetics, fruits, coffee and souvenirs. There are express sewing workshops where you can, in a few minutes and for an additional fee, adjust an item to size or sew a simple cut skirt or trousers from a piece of fabric.
- Night Market (Saigon) opens in the evenings on the site of the Ben Thanh market immediately after it closes. People come here not so much to shop as to walk and hang out, try street food in eateries and drink beer. In the evenings, prices rise, but there are always a lot of tourists and locals here.
- Antique Street (Saigon) located next to the Grand Hotel. Here you can buy real rarities - gramophones, old books, vintage clothes and much more. There are a lot of scammers in this market, so there is a risk of shelling out a large sum of money for “antiques” from a Chinese flea market. On Antique Street you can also buy inexpensive and original souvenirs.
- Cho Dam (Nha Trang)- the largest and most popular universal market among tourists in the city. You can buy everything from fresh papaya to silk pajamas here, but due to the crowds of tourists, prices at this market are higher than in less popular places. It is convenient because here you can buy everything you need at once and save time; a visit to Cho Dam is often included in sightseeing and other excursions.
- Night Market (Nha Trang)- located next to the embankment and is designed primarily for tourists who come to relax on the beach. Open from 18:00 to midnight, everything is sold here - from souvenirs to clothes and cosmetics.
- Dong Xuan (Hanoi)- the oldest bazaar in the city, built during French colonization in 1889, and reconstructed in 1994. The building itself of this indoor market is very colorful - 5 separate entrances in the form of domes, and inside, on 3 floors, everything that is produced in Vietnam is sold. After 19:00 a night market opens here, but not in the building, but on the streets around it. In the evenings, Dong Xuan hosts performances, performances by local comedians, art exhibitions, people sit in eateries and walk until about midnight. =
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Tax free
In Vietnam, you can return up to 10% of the money spent on purchases, but this is not very easy to do: there are few stores that work with the tax-free system.
To do this, you need to spend at least 2,000,000 VND in the store, fill out a special receipt at the checkout and present it along with your passport and purchases at the airport before flying to Russia. The money will be returned immediately in cash or transferred to a card minus 15% - this is the cost of the return service.
Best places to shop
All articles about shopping on Subtleties
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