Things to know when visiting the sacred bear land of Yaroslavl.

Visa

You need to prepare an invitation letter along with your personal documents to apply for a visa at the Russian embassy in Vietnam. If you don't have time, you can also go to travel agencies for Russian visa services at a cost of 180-250 USD per person. However, if you are a football fan, you may be exempt from Russian visa requirements during the 2018 World Cup. You can follow these steps:

- Buy tickets online via: www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/ticketing/purchase.html

- Register for FanID at: www.fan-id.ru/

- Receive your ticket and FanID via email. After receiving your ticket and FanID, you will receive a visa waiver letter.

Trip

Currently, many airlines from Vietnam offer flights to Moscow. Some airlines have direct flights, such as Vietnam Airlines and Aeroflot, while others require one or two layovers, such as Qatar Airways, S7 Airlines, and Etihad Airways.

If you have enough time to take a budget-friendly trip like I did, you'll have to spend some time hunting for cheap tickets. Airlines have different promotional programs depending on the time of year.

Accommodation

- The hostel system in Russia is considered to meet all the needs of backpackers, except for the issue of staff communicating in English. In some major tourist cities, hostel staff can communicate in English. In Yaroslavl, I booked a room at Hostel Kislorod O2, and their staff spoke English quite well and were willing to introduce their services to guests.

- The bed system in Russian hostels is quite "private," meaning each bed has curtains on all sides for guests' privacy. The individual lockers are also quite large, allowing tourists to store backpacks or bulky suitcases.

- Almost all hostels have bedside lamps and power outlets for each bed. I also appreciate the cleanliness of the bedrooms and bathrooms in these hostels.

- You will also have access to free internet in your room, free use of the kitchen and some cooking ingredients; a refrigerator and microwave are also provided in the kitchen.

- All the guesthouses I stayed in had washing machines and irons for guests to use. However, you should check if these services are free at the place you're staying.

- You can easily find a bed in a shared dorm room at a hostel for $5-7, which is quite cheap in Europe. Most of the places I stayed were $8-10, because I usually chose hostels right in the city center.

Means of transportation

Russia is a vast country, so if you have limited time, consider air travel with a fast and efficient online ticketing system.

- Trains are an efficient mode of transportation when you're on a tight budget and have plenty of time. Russian trains come in many types, including regular trains and high-speed trains. Each type offers various classes of seating.

First class has two beds and very good amenities. Second class has four beds and is usually for tour groups with relatively good service. Third class has six beds and is the class I used throughout my trip. Fourth class has only seats and is usually for passengers on short trips under eight hours. There is a significant price difference between each class.

- Trains are also a convenient mode of transportation for tourists who want to combine sightseeing with watching football in cities around Yaroslavl. You can buy train tickets at the train station in Moscow or Yaroslavl, or book tickets online at: www.pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en.

- Public transportation in Russia is excellent, especially the metro in major cities, costing 50 rubles per ride. You can also use the bus or tram system, which is quite inexpensive, costing around 22-15 rubles for different routes. Taxis are relatively expensive for budget travelers, so unless absolutely necessary, you shouldn't use them.

Money

Russia only uses the ruble, and you should only exchange a small amount at the airport as the exchange rate is quite low. Exchanging foreign currency in Russia is very easy. You can find exchange rates displayed everywhere at most banks, so compare them when exchanging. There are also some private currency exchange points in the city center or near tourist attractions with even better rates for budget travelers.

Food expenses

- You'll spend around 250-300 rubles for a meal at KFC or McDonald's. If you want to be like a Russian, add a glass of draft beer for about 80-120 rubles. I usually cook in the hotel, so it saves me almost half the cost compared to eating out.

- The depreciation of the ruble against the US dollar is also an advantage for tourists visiting Russia at this time.

Luggage storage system at tourist attractions and train stations.

When traveling solo, your biggest concern is where to leave your luggage while sightseeing. Most attractions, such as museums and palaces, offer free luggage storage services. Therefore, you can rest assured and feel comfortable without having to lug around your luggage throughout your visit. Train stations and airports also offer this service at reasonable prices. For example, luggage storage at a train station costs 170 rubles per piece per day.

Weather

Many tourists from tropical countries like Vietnam are hesitant to visit Russia because of the cold weather. In Yaroslavl during winter and spring, temperatures can drop to several tens of degrees below zero Celsius, and some tourist attractions often close.

However, summer is more suitable for Vietnamese tourists as temperatures range from 20-30°C. In some places, nighttime temperatures can drop to 10-15°C, but this is still suitable for backpackers who don't want to carry bulky cold-weather gear.

Cost of a 7-day backpacking trip to Yaroslavl

- Airfare from Vietnam: 600-800 USD

- Train ticket: Moscow – Yaroslavl – Moscow: 30 USD

- Train ticket: Yaroslavl - Nizhny Novgorod - Yaroslavl: 40 USD

- Visa service: 180 USD

- Accommodation: $80

- Food and drink: $100

- Entrance fee: 50 USD

- Tickets to watch 2 football matches: 320 USD

- Miscellaneous expenses: $100.

Other notes

- Souvenirs:In Russia, there are many souvenir shops for tourists. You can buy them outside tourist attractions, in museums, churches, palaces, metro stations, train stations, etc., and the cost is almost the same. If you buy them at souvenir shops in airports, city centers, or shopping malls, the prices will be a bit higher. You should bring back a Matryoshka doll as a souvenir.

- Phone SIM card:SIM cards are sold at airports, train stations, metro stations, and shopping malls, allowing you to make calls within Russia. I bought a Super SIM for 500 rubles, which included unlimited local calls and 3G data for my trip to Russia.

- Plan your own trip itinerary:Typically, you would consult the travel advice in a Lonely Planet guidebook to find a suitable itinerary that fits your available time. This is the method commonly chosen by backpackers. Each itinerary provides detailed information on how to get there, where to eat, where to sleep, and what to do at each destination.

This is a great option for those who are already skilled at backpacking. You can spend a week experiencing Yaroslavl and enjoying 2-3 football matches, which will include visits to the capital Moscow and the beautiful city of Yaroslavl, located on Russia's Golden Ring.

- Tourism safety issues:In Russia today, the gap between rich and poor is quite pronounced, leading to certain social consequences such as illegal immigration, begging, and violence. Russians also frequently consume alcohol, even during daily meals.

You'll often smell alcohol in elevators or subway cars, see many drunk Russians in the mornings, and frequently witness street fights. Therefore, you shouldn't go alone to deserted places, and don't strike up conversations with strangers on your own...

Before I left, I read about the racism perpetrated by skinhead gangs in Russia, or the prejudice of Russians against women based on gender. But none of that happened on my trip; instead, I received enthusiastic help from elderly Russians.

Nguyen Hoang Bao