Which is Better to Travel To?

Vietnam and Thailand are two of essentially the most visited locations in Southeast Asia, and for good motive. Each have scrumptious meals, historical temples, tropical islands and exquisite surroundings. Nonetheless they every have their very own historic influences that make them distinctive in their very own means. 

So which one is healthier to go to? On this information I’ll evaluate Vietnam vs Thailand when it comes to meals, landscapes, transportation and plenty of different elements that may help you to decide the place to go. 

Vietnam vs Thailand: A Normal Comparability

• Vietnam is located on the east aspect of the Indochina peninsula, whereas Thailand occupies the central west half. 
• Each nations have lengthy stretches of shoreline. Thailand has 2,000 miles (3219km) of shoreline, whereas Vietnam has 2,030 miles (3260km). 
• Vietnam boasts round 2,800 islands, whereas Thailand has round 1380.
• Vietnam has French colonial influences and a posh, turbulent historical past with the Vietnam Warfare. Thailand’s tradition is closely influenced by Buddhism, and also you’ll see a lot of Buddha statues all around the nation. . 
• Thailand’s capital metropolis of Bangkok feels extra westernized and cosmopolitan with extra luxurious lodges than Ho Chi Minh Metropolis. 
• Each locations are reasonably priced, though Vietnam is cheaper to go to than Thailand. 

Vietnamese Delicacies vs Thai Delicacies

Each Thai meals and Vietnamese meals are highly regarded all through the world. Each style nice, though my private favourite is Vietnamese. Thai delicacies tends to characteristic curries and coconut milk, whereas Vietnamese delicacies has an emphasis on noodle soups.

Vietnamese Delicacies

Vietnamese delicacies is fairly wholesome, with tons of contemporary greens, low sugar, minimal cooking and little or no oil or fats. Dishes are full of nutritional vitamins and minerals, and are usually very aromatic, with lots of contemporary herbs and spices. 

Recipes have a tendency to incorporate issues like cilantro, lemongrass, ginger, mint, chili, lime and Thai basil. A variety of dishes characteristic rice paper or rice noodles, which is ideal for people who find themselves gluten illiberal. 

Vietnam is without doubt one of the few locations in Asia the place bread is fairly in style – the French launched baguettes to Vietnam within the nineteenth century, and right now the banh mi sandwich is one in all Vietnam’s most iconic meals. 

Common Vietnamese dishes embrace: 

• Pho – Noodle soup accessible in every kind of eating institutions throughout Vietnam. Pho accommodates broth, rice noodles, and meat comparable to beef or rooster. It’s usually served with garnishes comparable to beansprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, chili and chili sauce.
• Gỏi cuốn summer season rolls – Uncooked greens and generally shrimp, wrapped in a contemporary rice paper roll. Not like spring rolls, summer season rolls are uncooked. 
• Banh Mi – Brief baguette crammed with meats, greens, cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots, and pickled daikon. This tasty sandwich is normally served with condiments comparable to pâté, crimson chili and mayonnaise. 

Thai Delicacies

Thai delicacies is well-known all through the world, and was primarily influenced by Indian delicacies, though it incorporates the culinary traditions of many neighboring nations.  Rice and chili pepper are the 2 most necessary elements in Thai delicacies, which is spicy and aromatic. 

Different frequent elements embrace pineapple, papaya, cashews, peanuts, and coconut milk. Thai menus characteristic a lot of delicate curries and stir-fries, with loads of contemporary greens. 

Listed here are some frequent Thai dishes:

• Pad Thai – stir fried noodles made with rice noodles, shrimp, peanuts, crunchy bean sprouts, greens and scrambled egg. 
• Tom Kha Gai – very flavorful coconut soup with rooster. 
• Pad Kra Pao Moo – minced pork stir-fried with chili and basil. 
• Som Tam – spicy inexperienced papaya salad with tomatoes and peanuts. 
• Gaeng Daeng – curry made with crimson curry paste and coconut milk. 

Verdict: Thai meals and Vietnamese meals each include staples like rice and noodles, however they’ve lots of variations. 

• Vietnamese delicacies makes use of lots of uncooked greens, whereas Thai meals options extra stir-fried veggies.
• Vietnamese cooking strategies embrace extra boiling and steaming, whereas Thai cooking strategies primarily contain deep frying and stir frying. 
• Thai meals tends to be a bit spicier than Vietnamese meals, and the spices are normally included within the cooking course of. In Vietnamese delicacies, the spices are sometimes served individually and added by the individual consuming it. 
• Vietnamese delicacies is influenced by neighbors comparable to China, Cambodia and Laos. The delicacies additionally has some French influences, therefore the love of baguettes and banh mi sandwiches. Thailand’s delicacies is principally influenced by its neighbors India, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Personally I simply love Vietnamese meals. Pho is so flavorful and heartwarming, and summer season rolls are very contemporary and wholesome. I really like how Vietnamese meals all the time tastes easy and clear, with a lot of uncooked greens and aromatic herbs. Don’t get me fallacious, Thai meals is wonderful too, however Vietnamese delicacies has the sting for me. 

Vietnam vs Thailand: Seashores

Seashores in Vietnam

With 2,030 miles of shoreline, Vietnam has a large alternative of seashores to put on. The nation sits on the South China Sea and has quite a few resorts and islands to find. 

One of the in style seaside resorts is Nha Trang, which is positioned within the south of Vietnam about 400km north of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis. The primary seaside stretches for 6km, and is backed by a promenade lined with lodges and eating places. Many guests take a ship or journey by cable automotive to Hon Tre island, which boasts an amusement park and an attractive sandy seaside known as Bai Tru Seashore.

About half means up the coast lies Da Nang, which is house to one in all Vietnam’s most well-known picture spots – Golden Hand Bridge. If you wish to take in the solar right here, head over to My Khe Seashore, which boasts a 20-mile stretch of sand in addition to a plethora of high-end resorts and seafood eating places. 

The most important and most visited island in Vietnam is Phu Quoc island, which might be reached by home flight. The island is understood for its seafood eating places, which serve a number of the freshest seafood in all of Vietnam. Sao Seashore is the preferred seaside on the island, that includes powder white sand and aqua blue waters. 

Seashores in Thailand

Thailand is house to a lot of well-known seaside resorts and islands, together with Krabi, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Lipe, Koh Lanta, Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan. 

The 2000 film “The Seashore”, starring Leonardo DeCaprio was shot at Maya Bay, which lies on the island of Phi Phi Leh. This island is accessible by boat from close by islands comparable to Phuket or Phi Phi. 

Thailand additionally boasts tons of white, sandy seashores, together with Klong Dao in Koh Lanta, Railay Seashore in Krabi, Chaweng in Koh Samui, Sundown Seashore in Koh Lipe, and Thong Nai Pan Noi in Koh Phangan. 

In case you’re actually into diving, then you definitely’ll wish to go to the Similan Islands, that are identified for his or her considerable coral reefs and clear blue waters. 

Verdict: Each nations have glorious seashores and 1000’s of miles of shoreline, though Thailand’s seashores are extra well-known and extra stunning. Vietnam’s seashores are nonetheless wonderful and undoubtedly underrated, however Thai seashores are a bit cleaner and extra scenic. In case you take pleasure in diving or wish to get your PADI certificates, you actually can’t beat the diving alternatives in Thailand. 

Vietnam vs Thailand: Tradition and Historical past

• Vietnam’s tradition is extra intently linked with China, whereas Thai tradition has been largely influenced by India. 
• Vietnam’s fundamental faith is a mixture of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, whereas the primary faith in Thailand is Buddhism.
•  The 2 nations even have totally different political methods – Vietnam is a communist nation, whereas Thailand has a constitutional monarchy. 

Vietnamese Tradition

Vietnam has been by means of lots of warfare within the final hundred years, together with a civil warfare and the warfare for independence from France. Tales of the nation’s turbulent historical past are advised within the numerous warfare museums all through the nation, together with the Warfare Remnants Museum and Hoa Lo Jail. On account of these wars, lots of buildings and landmarks have been destroyed and reconstructed through the years.  

All through the nation you’ll see proof of French colonial structure left over from the French colonization. The nation’s delicacies additionally has some French influences, with one in all its main meals being the banh mi (baguette sandwich). 

Vietnam formally turned built-in into French Indochina in 1887, and remained beneath French rule till World Warfare II, when the Pacific Warfare led to an invasion by Japan. After Japan’s army defeat in World Warfare II, France tried to regain management of Vietnam as soon as extra, resulting in the First Indochina Warfare (1946-1954). 

Vietnam emerged victorious, however it wasn’t lengthy earlier than a full scale civil warfare broke out between the north and the south. The Vietnam Warfare was a protracted and arduous warfare that lasted from 1955 to 1965 – a interval of twenty years. 

Thai Tradition

Thailand, then again, is the one nation in Southeast Asia that wasn’t colonized by the Europeans. The remainder of its neighbors had been both colonized by the British or the French. 

The nation hasn’t had any civil wars like Vietnam has, which suggests its financial system and infrastructure superior at a quicker charge. Thailand’s former monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was one of many longest reigning monarchs on this planet, reigning over Thailand for 70 years from 1946 to 2016.  

Along with Buddhist temples and statues, Thailand is understood for its exuberant festivals, comparable to Songkran and Loy Krathong Pageant, referred to as Thailand Lights Pageant, 

Verdict: Each nations have very attention-grabbing cultures, histories and traditions. Nonetheless, for those who’re very occupied with trendy historical past, notably the Vietnam Warfare, then you definitely’ll be taught quite a bit by visiting Vietnam.

Vietnam vs Thailand: Landmarks & Surroundings

Each Vietnam and Thailand have very numerous landscapes, with mountains, seashores and exquisite inexperienced rice fields. They do have their variations although. Vietnam is legendary for its karst landscapes, French colonial structure, the Mekong Delta and the historic city of Hoi An. Thailand, in the meantime, is understood for its Buddhist temples, glittering palaces, elephant sanctuaries and historical rainforest. 

Well-known Points of interest in Vietnam

Chu Chi Tunnels – An in depth community of tunnels utilized by the Viet Cong in the course of the Vietnam Warfare. These tunnels had been used to deal with troops, transport provides, lay booby traps and mount shock assaults on enemy forces. 

Ha Lengthy Bay – Ha Lengthy Bay is an attractive bay positioned within the north of Vietnam, identified for its emerald inexperienced water, limestone islands and spectacular caves. Most guests discover Ha Lengthy Bay by reserving a multi-day cruise on a junk boat. 

Hanoi’s Previous Quarter – On the coronary heart of Hanoi lies its charming Previous Quarter, which dates all the way in which again to the thirteenth century. The world is crammed with hole-in-the-wall eating places and avenue stalls the place you may order pho and different Vietnamese dishes. d 

Warfare Remnants Museum – Situated in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, this museum options displays documenting the Vietnam and First Indochina wars. 

Hue Imperial Metropolis – Hue was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty and  Vietnam’s capital from 1802 to 1945. Town’s most spectacular landmark is the Forbidden Purple Metropolis, which was primarily based on China’s Forbidden Metropolis.

Hoi An UNESCO World Heritage Web site – With its yellow-hued buildings, historic footbridges and scenic river, Hoi An is without doubt one of the prettiest locations to go to in Vietnam. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Web site in 1999 and is understood for its cooking colleges and avenue meals market. 

Well-known Points of interest in Thailand

The Grand Palace – Constructed in 1782, this opulent palace was the official residence of the Kings of Siam, and later Thailand. In the present day the palace is generally used for official occasions and state capabilities, and is Bangkok’s most visited attraction. 

Khao Yai Nationwide Park – Khao Yai Nationwide Park is the third largest nationwide park in Thailand, masking greater than 2,000 sq. kilometers of forest and grassland. The park is house to all types of flora and wildlife, together with elephants, macaques, gibbons, and bears. 

Wat Arun – Wat Arun is an attractive Buddhist temple positioned on the west financial institution of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. The temple incorporates a central prang (spire), which is adorned in colourful porcelain. 

Phang Nga Bay – A well-known bay within the Strait of Malacca, with attention-grabbing limestone cliffs and small islands. Phan Nga Bay is house to probably the most photographed spots in Thailand – James Bond Island. 

Sukhothai Historic Park – Sukhothai is a UNESCO World Heritage website that includes 193 ruins. Town was the capital of the primary Kingdom of Siam within the thirteenth and 14th centuries.

Ayutthaya – Based in 1340, Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom and flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries, earlier than it was bulldozed by the Burmese. This archeological website consists of ruined palaces, temples, statues and monasteries. 

Verdict: Vietnam has lots of points of interest and museums centered on the Vietnam Warfare and the French colonization interval. Thailand is finest identified for its spectacular palaces, ornate pagodas and Buddha statues. Each have very spectacular issues to see and do, however my private choice right here is Vietnam since I discover trendy historical past fairly fascinating.  

Vietnam vs Thailand: Infrastructure

Getting Round Vietnam

In relation to getting round Vietnam, the primary choices are prepare, bus and flight. 

The primary home airways in Vietnam are Vietnam Airways, VietJet Air and Bamboo Airways. You may fly to locations like Da Nang, Nha Trang and Hue for fairly low-cost, however sure locations require overland journey. 

To get to Hoi An you’ll both need to journey by bus or e book a non-public automotive from Da Nang. Sapa additionally requires overland journey, and most guests e book multi-day excursions that depart from Hanoi. I like to recommend checking GetYourGuide or Viator for the most effective Sapa excursions.  

In case you’re touring on a price range, Vietnam has deluxe evening buses which have sleeper beds, WiFi and TV. Buses might be booked on-line utilizing a website known as Baolau. I traveled by bus all the way in which up the nation and located them to be fairly snug. 

The nation additionally has greater than 2,600 kilometers of railway, with trains stopping in fundamental cities like Hanoi, Hué, Danang, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh Metropolis. The prepare is a little more snug than the bus and means that you can see some fairly epic surroundings alongside the way in which. Tickets might be booked by means of Baolau.com or by means of 12Go.asia. 

Getting Round Thailand 

Thailand has a very good infrastructure and a reasonably nicely trodden vacationer route. The primary home airways are Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, Lion Air, Nok Air, Thai Smile, Thai Airways and Orient Thai. 

You may attain quite a lot of locations by air, together with the key cities and islands like Phuket and Koh Samui. If you wish to go to a number of the different islands, you’ll normally must fly into Phuket or Koh Samui after which catch a ship or ferry. 

In relation to overland journey, there are two fundamental choices; prepare or bus. For getting between cities, Thailand has a lot of vacationer model buses with air con, WiFi, comfortable chairs and generally leisure onboard. The easiest way to e book is through the use of 12Go Asia. 

Alternatively, you may catch a prepare. The prepare is normally a bit faster, but additionally costlier. 

For shorter distances you should utilize a taxi, or rent a non-public driver for the day. If you wish to go to sure points of interest, you too can e book excursions with GetYourGuide or Viator. 

When you’re within the huge cities, normally one of the best ways to get round is by tuk tuk or taxi. Thailand doesn’t have Uber, however cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai do have a experience sharing app known as Seize. Bangkok additionally has a metro system, plus the Sky Prepare which matches to and from the airport. 

Verdict: Each nations have a number of modes of transportation for getting round. In case you aren’t on a decent price range, then you may simply get round each nations by taking home flights. In case you’re on a strict price range otherwise you wish to scale back your carbon footprint, then each Vietnam and Thailand have vacationers buses and trains to get you from A to B. . 

Vietnam vs Thailand: Flights

Most guests touring to Thailand fly into Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Worldwide Airport, which is a significant transportation hub and has 1000’s of connecting flights to locations all around the world. 

Locations like Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Chiang Rai and Koh Samui all have worldwide airports too, making Thailand a very simple vacation spot to fly to.

Vietnam’s two busiest airports are Hanoi and Phnom Penh, that are positioned at reverse ends of the nation. Locations like Da Nang, Nha Trang, Hue and Phu Quoc even have airports, however if you wish to get to Hoi An, you’ll must arrive by automotive, prepare or bus. 

Vietnam is lengthy and skinny, so one of the best ways to do it’s fly into Phnom Penh and work your means north to Hanoi. Or you could possibly do it the opposite means spherical, beginning in Hanoi and dealing your means south to Phnom Penh. 

Operating a fast search on Google Flights, I can see {that a} round-trip ticket from London to Phnom Penh or Hanoi prices roughly $1000, with a stopover in Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. 

A round-trip ticket from London to Bangkok on the identical dates (Might) prices round $800 round-trip for those who’re prepared to have a stopover in Helsinki, Zurich, Dubai or Vienna. In case you’d favor a direct flight, count on to pay round $1000 round-trip with Thai Airways. 

I additionally ran the same seek for flights from New York. A round-trip ticket from New York to Bangkok prices from $1100 to $1600, whereas a ticket to Phnom Penh prices round $1200 to $1700.

Flights to Thailand appear to be a bit cheaper, and there’s usually extra availability.

Vietnam vs Thailand: Visas

Guests from locations just like the US, Australia and the UK don’t want a visa to enter Thailand. On arrival on the airport, Thai immigration officers will place a stamp in your passport that enables entry for as much as 45 days relying on the nation.  

Vietnam is totally different in that it requires a visa for entry. Residents of 80 nations (together with america) can apply for an eVisa on-line earlier than arrival. This single-entry visa permits entry for as much as 30 days, and requires a fee of $25. E-visa holders could enter and exit Vietnam by means of 33 designated worldwide border gates, together with all worldwide airports. Right here’s the official web site the place you may apply for an eVisa. The visa takes 3 working days to course of, so be sure to do it upfront. 

In case you’re arriving by air, it’s additionally attainable to use for a Visa on Arrival utilizing a web based visa firm. You’ll be issued a visa approval letter, which you’ll be able to present to immigration officers in Vietnam. 

In relation to visas, Thailand is clearly the winner right here, since a visa isn’t required for entry. 

Vietnam vs Thailand: Individuals

When it comes to friendliness, I most popular Thailand over Vietnam. Thailand is named “The Land of Smiles” as a result of there are no less than 13 totally different smiles {that a} Thai individual would possibly use to convey totally different messaging. 

Thailand is understood for its hospitality, and wherever you go, the Thai individuals are usually pleasant, smiley and well mannered. 

There are some scams although that you want to be careful for. Once I first went to Bangkok, we fell for the basic rip-off, the place a tuk tuk driver tells you the palace is “closed” and tries to take you to a bunch of various tailor retailers and smaller points of interest. Ensure you learn up on all of the scams earlier than you go, to keep away from getting ripped off. 

In Vietnam I usually felt hassled and generally ripped off. We took fairly a couple of evening buses, and after we arrived at our vacation spot, the bus would usually be swarmed by locals providing transportation, lodging and so on. Generally they had been fairly persistent and adopted us down the road. In Hoi An, I keep in mind being adopted by somebody wanting me to get one thing tailor-made, and even after I mentioned no, they continued to pursue.

I’m used to problem when touring, however it simply felt much more intense in Vietnam than it did in different Southeast Asian nations. 

Once we rode the bus from Hanoi to Luang Prabang, some vacationers had been bought tickets to Vang Vieng, besides there was no cease in Vang Vieng. They had been dropped off in the midst of nowhere, miles from Vang Vieng, and ended up having to hitchhike to Luang Prabang. 

I’ve heard fairly a couple of tales about individuals being ripped off or overcharged in Vietnam, and Nomadic Matt wrote an article about it right here. Among the native eating places in Vietnam have particular menus for vacationers which have greater costs than the native menus. Nonetheless, it’s necessary to keep in mind that the individuals there are very poor, so tourism is their bread and butter. 

On a remaining be aware, fewer individuals appeared to talk English in Vietnam than in Thailand, so there was a bit extra of a language barrier. This generally led to combine ups and confusion, particularly when looking for our means round. 

A Closing Phrase…

When you’ve got the time, I’d advocate you do each. In case you can solely go to one, that’s a tricky one. In line with Statista, Thailand is essentially the most visited nation in southeast Asia, and welcomed almost 6.7 million vacationers in 2020. Vietnam was the fourth most visited nation in Southeast Asia in 2020, welcoming round 3.7 million vacationers.  

Thailand is clearly highly regarded. It’s an amazing nation for first-time guests, with a really well-trodden vacationer route and really pleasant and welcoming individuals. 

Bangkok is without doubt one of the world’s most iconic cities, with a lot of reasonably priced, but luxurious lodges to remain at. It’s price spending a couple of days within the capital, earlier than heading north to Chiang Mai, or south to Thailand’s stunning islands. In case you’re a seaside lover, you’ll love islands like Koh Tao, Koh Lipe, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. 

But someway, Vietnam wins for me. Don’t get me fallacious, Thailand is unbelievable and value visiting no less than as soon as in your lifetime.   

Nonetheless, I favor Vietnamese delicacies over Thai meals, and will eat pho and summer season rolls for days. I additionally discovered Vietnam’s historical past very fascinating, and liked the French colonial structure and cultural influences. Hoi An was probably the most memorable cities I visited on my jaunt by means of Southeast Asia, and I’d fortunately advocate it to pals.

Whereas Vietnam continues to be touristy, it feels a bit extra genuine than Thailand, and I simply discovered the nation to really feel a bit extra edgy. Generally it’s arduous to place a finger on it, however some locations you simply fall in love with greater than others. Vietnam was a kind of for me.