When traveling around the world, you always want to bring something to remember your trip. Therefore, it is not surprising that everyone abroad asks the question: “What should I bring as a souvenir?” And Vietnam is no exception. This Asian country has a lot of interesting and useful things: Vietnam is a paradise for shopaholics and lovers of exotic souvenirs. You will be surprised not only by the range of products, but also low prices.
Markets and shops
Prices in local markets and in stores are not very different, but they differ. Typically, stores sell branded clothing and shoes, appliances, jewelry and souvenirs. By the way, there are few such stores in Vietnam. In the markets you can buy all the same things, but handicrafts, plus an abundance of hand-made products. They are aimed at local buyers and those who want to save money on goods.
The only disadvantage of market products is their quality (not counting food products). With low prices and excellent bargains, tourists stuff their suitcases with whatever they can find. Usually, the choice of souvenirs depends entirely on what region of the country you are in. Then there is the question of the amount you have available. And one last thing. You must decide what it should be: a gift or souvenir.
Coffee and tea
Tourists usually bring tea or coffee from Vietnam. They sell it everywhere here green tea– pure and with various additives – lotus, ginger, oolong and others. In order not to make a mistake when choosing tea, we advise you to buy it in a store that lets you try it. Usually they buy teas from the Than Nguyen brand. A kilogram of tea will cost from $6.5 (with additives) and $4 (pure tea).
Vietnam has very high quality coffee (the second largest coffee exporting country in the world). However, there is one point: the Vietnamese know their secrets and secrets of brewing coffee. They have a whole ceremony here. Therefore, if you want the same coffee at home as in Vietnam, you need to buy a special cup for brewing coffee and watch the brewing process in a cafe. Popular coffee varieties are usually Nguyen Chung or Kopi Luwak. Typically, a kilogram of high-quality coffee will cost from $4 (it all depends on the bean size and variety).
Fabrics
As you know, Vietnam is famous for its natural silks. But it is best to buy silk not in the market from traders, but in shops at the factory. If you take a silk product, pay attention to the item completely - so that the pattern is uniform, so that there are no defects (hooks, knots). Usually they buy robes, dresses, stoles, shirts. So, a robe will cost about $11, pajamas – $6-8.
Silk paintings or fans are also brought from Vietnam. self made. But the cost of such products is high. For a painting embroidered on silk you can pay up to $100 (size 60x40), large canvases cost from $350, and handkerchiefs cost $2. Please note that the product “shrinks” after washing. Therefore, it is worth buying silk clothes one size larger.
Leather Products
Compared to other countries, reptile leather products are not that expensive. They are usually sewn from crocodile or snake skins. For example, a men's belt costs $6-10, wallets and small bags cost $10-15, and a women's small bag costs from $2.
Clothes and shoes
Branches of famous brand companies Nike and Adidas have been opened in Vietnam. Therefore, you can buy clothes and shoes of these brands at low prices (in Ukraine they cost four times more, and it’s not a fact that you will buy a branded item). For example, here you can buy sneakers for $50, and T-shirts for $6-10.
Jewelry and gems
As with other goods, prices for items made of silver, gold and pearls differ significantly in Vietnam from Ukrainian prices. And, naturally, you need to buy such products in specialized stores. Require certificates for all products! The cheapest pearl products are sold on the shores of the China Sea. It is there that he is caught (raised). In Saigon you pay twice as much for pearl products. Before making a purchase, consult with someone who understands pearls. Pearl products cost from $8 and above (depending on what you want to buy - a ring, beads or the pearls themselves). And pearls are sold in white, black and pink.
The country has the cheapest silver products. And they are very beautiful. A pair of silver earrings will cost from $2. Products made of silver with precious stones will be expensive, almost like ours, but you won’t find such a cut in Ukraine. Some bring silverware and cutlery from Vietnam.
Exotic tinctures and alcoholic drinks
There is no excise tax on alcohol in Vietnam, so high-end foreign drinks are inexpensive. In addition, the country produces more than 100 types of alcoholic beverages. From local alcohol they prefer to bring rum, with different additives and tastes. As souvenirs, they bring alcoholic tinctures with various reptiles - snakes, lizards, iguanas, scorpions and frogs. Usually such souvenirs are sold in markets and private shops. The price depends on the container and the animal that is preserved in the bottle - from $2 to $10.
Fruits
This country has a huge selection of exotic fruits. There are also non-perishable items that you can bring home. For example, lychee, longan, mangosteen, rambutan and many others. Before buying, be sure to bargain, because prices for fruits are several times higher. In stores, the price for fruit is set (bargaining is inappropriate). We advise you to purchase phytosanitary documents from sellers. And find out at Ukrainian customs (before flying to Vietnam) which fruits are prohibited from being imported into our country. So that upon arrival they are not simply confiscated from you. As a gift, you can buy fruit chips from mango or ginger, or candies with fruit fillings in Vietnam.
National souvenirs
The abundance of souvenirs on the market stalls in Vietnam is eye-opening. Craftsmen are trying their best. Here you will find bamboo products, wooden plates, trays, figurines, painted vases, musical instruments, objects inlaid with mother-of-pearl, household utensils - spoons, forks, hairpins, chopsticks, paintings, masks, boxes, national dolls and more.
Traditional souvenirs in the country are flip-flops and panama hats made of banana (or palm) leaves. However, do not look at the size of the slippers - they do not correspond to our sizes (measure the length with a ruler). Flip flops are cheap and cost $1 a pair. The hat also comes at the same price (sometimes cheaper).
Traditional medicine
Many tourists bring from Vietnam as souvenirs medications traditional medicine. This includes the famous “Zvezdochka” balm (6 pieces for $1) and various rubs – cobra, python or tiger fats. Balms for rubbing against radiculitis here cost from $1.5, creams for dermatitis from $4, tinctures for “male strength” from $2, a lot of ointments, balms of natural origin, dietary supplements. And, of course, all of them need to be bought only in pharmacies, and not in markets.
Are you convinced that you can bring a suitcase of souvenirs from Vietnam as a gift to your family and friends? So, make sure you have extra luggage for everything you plan to buy in this exotic country. Good luck and have a nice time!
Tourists are happy to go to Vietnam not only to get to know this amazing country, but also to indulge in profitable shopping. This country is famous for shopaholics low level prices and high quality of popular products. This rare combination attracts numerous flows of shopping tourists to Vietnam. They experience certain difficulties in choosing: there are a lot of goods and they are so good that you are simply at a loss: to buy this time or leave for the next. And you can buy so much that you won’t be able to take it away later.
In Vietnam, people usually buy jewelry, including with precious stones, as well as silk, shoes and clothes, ceramics, coffee and tea, dwarf bonsai trees, elaborate stone and wood products, balms based on snake venom and medicinal herbs, including including “Zvezdochka”, which was brought from here back in Soviet times.
In order not to spend extra money on purchases, you need to know how to bargain. Sellers usually ask for an inflated price, hoping that during the bargaining process it can be reduced somewhat. This method of trading allows you to get mutual pleasure: the seller is happy that he got what he got, and the buyer is happy that he lowered the price.
Souvenirs
It is necessary to bring gifts for friends and acquaintances. It’s better to think about this at the beginning, when not all the money has been spent and there is time to choose inexpensive and original items. There are many such things everywhere you go. They differ only in price: in places where tourists gather they are more expensive, but as they move away they become cheaper.
Very good gift– hand-embroidered paintings and tapestries. Old hand-made technologies are used here, and we must hurry to acquire such things before talented human hands have not yet replaced impersonal sewing machines.
Handmade items made from bamboo, mahogany, ivory, silver or ceramics are beautiful. They also buy vodka with cobra in it, and other exotic things. Tourists wear opium pipes, characteristic Vietnamese non hats, items made from natural silk, traditional T-shirts and caps with a local interpretation.
Digital technology
Various electronic products are sold inexpensively here, as in many countries located closer to China. The problem is that it is almost impossible to find a Russian keyboard. Also with a license for the Kaspersky anti-virus product - it is five times cheaper here than in Russia, but there is no Russified version.
In specialized stores big choice laptops and smartphones of all types. DVDs with movies, games and music are sold for $1 per disc.
Many people buy the iPhone 5. If you buy it in Ho Chi Minh City, you will have to pay about 29 thousand in rubles for the iPhone 5 32GB. In dollars it is $950, and in dong – 16-19 thousand. In Nha Trang, the same purchase will cost 50-100 dollars more.
Clothes and shoes - cheap and high quality
In Vietnam are production capacity such well-known companies as Adidas and Nike, as well as other companies that are no less famous. This suggests that the country is slowly but surely taking a leading role in the list of countries - the world's sewing workshops. Vietnam has already risen to second place after China on this list. Here they sew clothes, make shoes and bags, and produce other goods, and the materials are natural and the work is first-class. Therefore, shopping tourists from Western Europe come here for the best combination of price and quality.
Vietnamese goods are exported to Europe, Japan, Russia and America. These are, first of all, clothes made of natural silk and linen, leather goods (often under popular brands).
Pearls of Vietnam
In Vietnam, pearls are both mined and grown. The best is on the island of Phu Quoc, on a farm there, but there are many farms that deal with pearls. Interested parties travel to the coast, closer to the producers. It’s bad that only those who understand pearls can afford such purchases. In Vietnam, there is no guarantee for sold pearls; they don’t give it in stores, much less in the market. Therefore, everyone either buys at random or turns to a local expert; in Ho Chi Minh City there is such a service. At the same time, Vietnamese pearls are approximately 20-30% cheaper than in other countries.
Precious stones and metals
In Vietnam, it is worth buying precious items, especially inexpensive ones made of silver and gold. They are decorated with sapphires, pearls, or ivory. These are, for example, various beads, earrings and pendants, silver rings with ivory.
Furniture
The furniture itself is of good quality, with hand-made elements, forging and inlay, and wood carvings. It costs much less here than in other countries, but the problem is the delivery of such bulky and heavy items.
However, if you travel by sea, this is quite doable. Many Russian tourists who bought furniture in Vietnam send the purchase on some cargo ship, and then return home lightly and wait for its arrival.
You can also make useful and interesting purchases for your home in Vietnam. These are, first of all, reed mats, household items made from fabric or bamboo. For example, different types kitchen utensils.
HAI DUONG, VIETNAM, SEPTEMBER, 8: people at Market selling bed mats on September, 8, 2014 in Hai Duong, Vietnam Ceramic objects
In the Hanoi suburb of Bat Trang, there are many enterprises that produce porcelain and ceramic products. These include large factories and small workshops. Here they produce tableware and decorative items, useful and amazing.
If you are driving from Hanoi to Halong, it is worth stopping along the way for a small market. He specializes in ceramics. There is a very large selection of similar products here, and the price is much lower than in other places.
What not to buy
Plant products purchased here may be confiscated by Russian customs if the cargo is not accompanied by permits. Alas, if products are bought on the market, no one, including the buyer himself, thinks about such documents. Risky categories include indoor flowers, vegetables, fruits, seeds, sweet potatoes and ginger, palm and lotus leaves, and greens.
Places for profitable shopping
There are many such places in the country. True, if you want to buy cheaper goods, you should not go to shopping areas intended for tourist business, but to those stores where the local population prefers to shop. There prices are significantly lower, and the quality is excellent. You can contact your guide with such a request, he will not refuse you. There are, however, cases when the guide has an agreement with a certain store owner he knows and takes clients to him. Here, depending on your luck, you can make a successful purchase from such a seller. Here are some favorite shopping areas among tourists:
- The old town in Hanoi is good for buying all the souvenirs at one time and forgetting about this problem for the rest of the trip. There's a huge selection and good prices. At the same time, you can look into modern shopping centers, of which there are also plenty. So a trip through this area will be extremely productive.
- The Diamond shopping mall will provide an opportunity to have a pleasant rest between purchases. There is a large selection of fashion products for wealthy clients.
- Tax Trade Centre, on the contrary, offers inexpensive goods, imported and local. The quality of the products is excellent, so there are a lot of tourists here who want to buy good things inexpensively.
- Mong Khai and Lang Son, towns on the Chinese border, also attract seasoned shopaholics. Here, at the border crossings, there are markets that are interesting and profitable to walk through. The goods are mostly local, inexpensive and of high quality.
- The small town of Hoi An, with narrow streets and small shops, is very attractive to tourists. It is famous for its sewing machines designed for express sewing. They are inexpensive, work like a clock, so people come for them from everywhere. Here, on the spot, you can order custom tailoring. 4-6 hours after taking measurements, you will receive an almost finished product that needs minor modifications.
- Ben Thanh market, in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. The shopping areas here are vast and expensive, but the goods are extremely cheap. In essence, this is a huge bazaar, a great place for shopping. Tourists do not deprive it of their attention.
Tax free in Vietnamese
If you want to receive a tax free refund, your purchase must be a check for at least VND 2 million and be brand new. Refunds are made when flying home from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, but 15% of the amount to be refunded will be withdrawn as a service fee.
You must also remember that a tax free check is valid for 30 days, after which the right to a refund is lost. And not all products purchased in Vietnam are eligible for return. In particular, there is a list of names of goods that are prohibited for export or withdrawn from circulation. Here the matter already smells not only of the loss of VAT refund, but also of direct losses. Therefore, you need to familiarize yourself with this list in advance.
It will be more pleasant to communicate with market traders and shop assistants if you learn at least a few words in Vietnamese. This:
- "muah" means "purchase";
- “deputy for” – “discount”.
If you know at least these 2 words, you can let the seller know that you think his price is unreasonably high. True, sellers, as a rule, speak English, and some have not forgotten Russian. Interest in the language was born during the war with America, when the Russians fought on the side of the Vietnamese, and therefore the attitude towards Russian tourists is still colored with sympathy.
Bonus for the curious. What to try from local cuisine
The dishes are local cuisine, which is unique, although it borrows a lot from Indian, Thai and Chinese.
Vietnamese dishes are not too greasy or spicy. They will not create any particular heaviness for the stomach. Rice is one of the main products for many dishes. The cuisine also includes a lot of seafood, and fruits are actively involved. There are also exotic dishes, for example, from cobra, other snakes and lizards. This dish is considered a delicacy and is served in famous restaurants in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet and other cities.
Delicacies are offered in expensive establishments, but the country has a wide class of trade and catering establishments that are designed for poor clients.
There are many such establishments among cafes and restaurants, and among hotels. Here you can get dinner for a couple of dollars per client. Small restaurants that are not particularly popular serve deliciously prepared food. Lunch for four can cost 10-15 dollars. Coffee in Vietnam is very popular, it is drunk always and everywhere, hot and cold, in pure form or adding milk and spices.
The famous Dalat wine is produced in Vietnam using Italian technology and is of excellent quality. Connoisseurs rate it higher than many French brands, despite the fact that the Vietnamese version is much cheaper.
In addition, supermarkets and street shops offer for sale a large assortment of alcoholic beverages, liqueurs, beer, and soft drinks, locally produced and imported from other countries.
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, strengthening male strength. 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 green variety Vietnamese tea- "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 the 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. Various products and a huge selection: from handkerchiefs for $2 apiece to large linens for $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, in large quantities purchased by tourists in Vietnam are tinctures of vodka containing snakes and various insects, as well as various tinctures of ginseng, lemongrass, and other herbs. 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.
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Vietnam, being one of the very cheap countries, is considered a real paradise for true shopping fans. Tourists like low prices for any goods and at the same time always high quality products. This definitely makes visitors to this country wonder what to buy in Vietnam. After all, the choice is very wide, everything worthy of attention is difficult to buy, and even more difficult to take away.
First of all, Vietnamese silk products, precious stones, jewelry, clothing and shoes, delicious and high-quality teas and coffee, ceramic crafts, products made from natural wood, bonsai, antique stamps, coins, snake venom balms, preserved in alcohol, deserve attention. amphibians, herbal balms (including the “star” balm, familiar to us since Soviet times).
There is another one important point: In local grocery stores, it is very important to bargain with the seller and bring down the original price. The Vietnamese practice provides for a noticeable overestimation of the preliminary cost. The Vietnamese value and respect bargaining, which is a form of entertainment and always occurs with mutual respect between buyer and seller.
What is a must-buy in Vietnam?
When talking about what you can buy in Vietnam, as well as what is worth trying here, you can mention the local traditional cuisine. The food of the Vietnamese has adopted a lot from Thai, Indian and Chinese, although it still remains unique in its own way. The food of this country is not too spicy, oily or heavy to eat. Many dishes are based on rice, seafood and fruits. A truly unique delicacy is dishes made from cobra and other amphibians. You can try these exotic dishes in many restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet, Hanoi, and other major tourist cities.
It is noteworthy that in Vietnam guests of any income are welcome. This applies to both shops and hotels, cafes and restaurants. You can dine here for a couple of dollars per person. And besides, the most tasty food often ends up in small, unpopular restaurants, where a family of four can dine for only $10-15.
We also note that Vietnam is the third largest supplier of coffee in the world. The Vietnamese are accustomed to drinking this drink almost everywhere, always and in any form: cold or hot, with milk, with spices and in other forms.
It’s worth trying Dalat wine here, which is almost as good as French brands, but is an order of magnitude cheaper than popular well-known wine brands. And everywhere in Vietnam - in supermarkets, local shops and grocery stores - you can buy local or foreign strong alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, beer and various liqueurs. Therefore, we can safely say that there will be no problems with choice when it comes to food and drink.
When going to the market, remember a few words in Vietnamese: mua - purchase, zam za - discount. You need to know these words, since haggling is a local custom. Although traders in places with an influx of tourists know the necessary words in English and even Russian. By the way, the Russians are here invariably good attitude: The Vietnamese remember the help of their “big brother” during the American-Vietnamese War, so they still have historically conditioned sympathy for our compatriots.
Tax free in Vietnam
Foreign travelers returning home depart from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City airports. Here they can get a refund of VAT on purchases in Vietnam. To do this, tourists need to keep sales receipts, and each one must be worth at least 2 million dong. The refund is not made in full - 15% of the amount is withdrawn for the service.
It is also worth noting that refunds are made only within thirty days after the purchase of the goods, and the items for which a VAT refund is received must be new (not used) and not prohibited for export or withdrawn from circulation.
Places for profitable shopping in Vietnam
One of the most interesting and popular places to visit and shop in Vietnam is Ben Thanh Market, one of the largest markets in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). This huge bazaar is distinguished by the high cost of retail space and at the same time very cheap goods.
It is also worth visiting the Diamond shopping and entertainment center, where you can find expensive fashion clothing and accessories.
Tax Trade Center is a department store selling inexpensive goods of local and foreign origin. Tourists love it for its competitive prices and excellent quality of goods.
An equally interesting activity is visiting the markets at the border crossings of the cities of Lang Son and Mong Kai, on the Chinese border. Everything here is also very cheap and there is a huge selection of quality local goods.
If you set out to buy souvenirs, visit the Old Town in Hanoi, as well as new modern shopping centers. Fortunately, there are a huge number of these establishments in Vietnam. So there is where and what to choose from.
The town of Hoi An is famous for its variety of shopping streets and shops. But the main feature of this city is inexpensive sewing workshops for individual express tailoring for clients. The high quality and fast turnaround times for orders are impressive (from taking measurements to trying on a semi-finished product - only 4-6 hours).
It is worth noting one more important point. In Vietnam, as elsewhere, shopping is cheaper in places where there are fewer foreign tourists. For this reason, you should ask your guide or guide to show you a couple of places where locals, not visitors, shop. True, it is also possible that the guide may lead you to a familiar merchant, although, of course, this will not necessarily mean poor quality or an inflated price.
Now a little about the details...
Pearls of Vietnam
It is best to purchase jewelry with pearls on the coast where they are mined or grown. The cost of good Vietnamese pearls is about 20-30% lower than in many other countries of the world. The only sad thing is that there is no guarantee for purchasing high-quality pearls in stores. The only guarantee can be the ability to identify real good pearls yourself. If you do not have the right understanding and knowledge about the subject, take the services of an expert. There is such a service in Saigon. And remember that the best pearls are grown on the island. Phu Quoc.
Stones and precious metals
Ceramics
It is best to buy ceramic dishes and crafts in Bat Trang (a suburb of Hanoi). There are many factories and workshops producing tableware and other porcelain goods.
On the road from Hanoi to Halong city there is a small ceramic market where prices are much more reasonable than in other places and the choice is much wider.
Furniture
Among the things that can be bought in Vietnam, it is worth mentioning furniture and various household goods: reed mats, bamboo kitchen utensils, and various fabric products are also good buys in Vietnam. Furniture with handmade elements, wood carving, inlay and forged metal in Vietnam will cost much less than the same in other countries. But these are all quite heavy things, so it makes sense to buy them here if it is possible to cheaply send the cargo to Russia, for example, on a large cargo ship.
Digital world
Advantageous purchases in Vietnam, as in many countries close to China, include laptops, smartphones and other electronic equipment. True, you are unlikely to be able to find a Russian keyboard. IN major cities There are many shops selling DVDs with music, games and films of various content. Average price per disc is $1.
Many tourists want to buy an iPhone 5 in Vietnam. Remember that in Nha Trang you can make such a purchase, but it is $50-100 more expensive than in Ho Chi Minh City. In Saigon, in large stores, an iPhone 5 32GB will cost from 16 to 19 thousand dong, which is approximately $950 or 29 thousand rubles.
By the way, in Vietnam you can buy a licensed Kaspersky anti-virus five times cheaper than in the Russian Federation, although, again, not the Russified version.
Clothes and shoes: high quality and cheap
Vietnam, following China, is gradually becoming the second “clothing workshop of the world.” Clothes, bags, shoes and other goods produced in Vietnam are exported to the USA, Russia, Japan and Europe. Western tourists love shopping in Vietnam, not only because there is a wide range of different interesting goods and souvenirs, but also because there is excellent value for money.
Vietnamese shoes and clothing are made from high-quality materials, genuine leather, silk and linen. Clothes are also made under world famous brands. Nike and Adidas and other well-known companies produce their goods here. In addition, one of the “tricks” of Vietnam is silk products: dresses, ties, scarves and much more.
What not to buy in Vietnam?
You should not buy plant products without permits confirming their safety. There is a high probability that it will be confiscated at customs in Russia. The most commonly confiscated fruits are herbs, vegetables, lotus, palm leaves, seeds, indoor flowers, ginger and sweet potato.
What souvenirs to bring from Vietnam?
Do you want to buy a souvenir that will remind you of an unforgettable trip to Vietnam? Fortunately, the souvenir counters of this country are full of original goods and crafts: various products made of mahogany, bamboo, ivory, ceramics and silver, cobra vodka, silk fabrics, a traditional Vietnamese non hat, T-shirts, opium pipes. There are also beautiful hand-embroidered paintings and tapestries. Silk patterns are truly hand-embroidered by craftsmen. Perhaps they will soon be replaced by sewing machines, but for now everything is done using old technologies. Therefore, paintings where hand embroidery is used are also a good buy, having a clearly expressed national flavor of this exotic country.
Nha Trang is a fun, bustling city that is considered the beach capital of Vietnam. It attracts tourists sandy beaches, vibrant nightlife, first-class spa treatments. Impressions of your vacation will be complemented by souvenirs, without which it is simply impossible to leave the country.
1. Asian hat “Non la”
The hallmark of Vietnam is considered to be a peasant cone-shaped hat made of straw. The “Non la” hat is multifunctional: it protects from the sun, rain, in hot weather you can fan yourself with it and even use it as a container for water. And its main purpose is to highlight the beauty of a woman’s face.
You can buy a hat everywhere in Nha Trang - both from street vendors and in large stores.
2. Fun bike helmet
People in Vietnam ride bikes to work, to school, and on dates. On every street in the city there is a store that sells motorcycles, face bands, and helmets. You can choose a helmet to suit every taste: with frills, flowers or polka dots. The size can be adjusted even for an infant.
3. Clothes
Most casual Vietnamese clothing is made from natural fabrics, mainly silk. Traditional Vietnamese silk pajamas and tunics with slits on the sides are popular among tourists.
You can buy silk clothes in Nha Trang at mall Nha Trang, at the Silk Factory. There are also many studios in the city where they will make an individual order for you.
4. Medicines
Vietnam is famous for its balms and tinctures, which are made from herbs and components of animal origin (snakes, scorpions). Such medicines are valued far beyond the borders of the country.
If you don't know what to bring from Vietnam, pay attention to:
- Cobra ointment is a warming agent. Relieves pain from bruises, radiculitis, arthritis.
- Tiger ointment - improves blood circulation, helps with colds.
- Preparations based on lingzhi mushrooms improve vision, hearing, and memory. Mushrooms are believed to have a rejuvenating effect.
- Meringa capsules - used for joint diseases, to cleanse the body of toxins, and to strengthen the immune system.
- Mulberry tincture is a remedy for insomnia.
You can buy medications at any pharmacy.
5. Fruit
Vietnam has a very wide variety of exotic fruits.
Fruits that tourists will be interested in trying:
- mango - choose soft fruits without damage or dents;
- guava - should be sweet and soft, with white or pink flesh;
- rambutan - juicy fruits are a bit like grapes;
- noina (sugar apple) - you should choose soft fruits; their creamy flesh melts in your mouth.
You can buy fruits at markets, but it is better to do this in supermarkets. There you will see a name above each fruit, no one will weigh you down or inflate the price. There are often discounts in stores.
6. Nuts and dried fruits
Vietnam supplies nuts to many countries. The macadamia nut is exotic for foreigners.
Myt is a collective name for candied and dried fruits, which are prepared according to special Vietnamese recipes. Traditionally, as a New Year's gift, lunar calendar The Vietnamese bring an elegant box with several types of candied fruits. You can buy washing anywhere:
- coconut;
- from lotus seeds;
- ginger
7. Tea and coffee
Black tea is sold in Vietnam, but locals do not drink it, considering it dirty. The Vietnamese drink green tea, including lotus, jasmine, and lemon balm.
You can buy tea and coffee everywhere in Nha Trang, but buying it at the market will be cheaper.
8. Alcohol
In Vietnam, everything is based on rice. Alcohol is no exception. Exotic lovers are attracted to rice liquor (Rượu thuốc). It is infused with herbs, scorpions and snakes. It is considered healing, you need to drink it little by little. You can buy an exotic tincture in a store or market. When buying, you need to be careful - there are many fakes.
Rum is also produced in Vietnam. The basis for its preparation is sugar cane. The most popular varieties are “Chauvet”, ISC.
Vietnamese wines do not have a special taste. The export wine “Dalat” is considered the best.
9. Pearls
Buy pearls in large stores, where they can show you quality certificates.
Most good feedback tourists about places to buy pearls in Nha Trang: the “Treasures of Angkor” center, “Princess Jewelry”.
