Vietnam, in recent years, has become one of the most favourite destinations for Indian travellers, and rightly so because of how cheap it is. But when I ask travellers how much they spent in Vietnam for a week-long trip, they always tell me they spent close to Rs80,000- Rs90,000, with some even quoting six figures!
This surprises me because when I backpacked Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia for close to two months,
I spent just around Rs2 lakh. You might say yes, this is possible when going on longer trips, and I would partially agree with that. In this article, I share tips that will save you money, whether it’s a week or month-long trip.
Apply for a Vietnam E-visa in advance
Now, you might ask how applying for an e-visa in advance is a budget hack. I cannot tell you about the number of people I have met who thought either Vietnam was visa-free or visa-on-arrival and ended up paying US$100 for fees or even more money to one of these companies to expedite the process.
The best solution to this is to apply at least 10-12 days in advance so that you don’t have to worry about it in the last moments when you are leaving for the airport. I even wrote a guide on
how to apply for Vietnam e-Visa.
Choosing the Places in Vietnam To Visit
For anyone thinking they can easily travel across Vietnam, you might be partially right if you take flights. But that also burns a hole in your pocket. Here is the list of popular destinations in Vietnam.
North Vietnam
Hanoi - Administrative capital but also the best stopover for all the places to visit in Northern Vietnam
Sapa - Great for hikes and countryside views
Ninh Binh - The Ha Long Bay at land; if you don’t have time for Ha Long Bay, you should definitely head here
Ha Long Bay - Limestone mountains and cruise
Ha Giang Loop (a must for motorbike lovers)
Central Vietnam
Hoi An - A favourite among couples because of the lantern show and for tailoring clothes
Da Nang - Bike rides and beautiful beach views
Hue - Historical capital of Vietnam
Phong Nha - The biggest cave in the world, but you also visit other caves
Southern Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City - Famous for the war museums and spots related to the war
Da Lat - Adventure capital of Vietnam
Mui Ne - For anyone who wants to experience beaches and desert in the same place and also to learn kitesurfing
Nha Trang - The Goa of Vietnam (Russians’ favourite)
In my opinion, if you are going for a week it’s best to visit just Northern Vietnam as it has a lot of places to cover, you can also add Hoi An to your itinerary.
Use Buses To Travel across Vietnam
If you choose just one region, you reduce the flight costs and each of the places is easily accessible by bus. Traveling by bus is already cheap but you can still save some more money by directly going to the bus station or booking your tickets using the local website: Baolau. You can also book trains on their website. This is a cheaper alternative to 12GoAsia.
Stay at Hostels and Join Group TripsThe best way to save money is on accommodation, also because as you are mostly exploring throughout the day, in the end all you need is a bed to sleep in. Hostels start at as little as Rs300-Rs400 per night but this would differ if you are looking for a property with a pool.
Another advantage of staying in hostels is that you get to join group trips, which would cost more if you did it yourself.
Cash vs Card - Which Is Better?
While cash and card have their pros and cons, I carried cash (US dollars) for my trip. Since I was travelling on a budget and didn’t want to pay 2%-5% extra card charges, I chose to carry cash and exchange it there. While I did use my credit card for higher transactions like the Halong Bay cruise, it’s best to have a forex card which doesn’t charge you any markup.
Likewise, I also tried withdrawing cash from the ATM and you can expect 25,000-30,000 VND charges for every withdrawal. In my opinion, if you’re a solo traveller it’s best to carry cash and if you’re traveling in a group or with family you can partially carry cash and make the other transactions using the card.
Don’t Exchange Cash at the airport, instead Exchange at Gold Shops
This is the most common hack, though it’s not a significant amount that you will save if you are travelling solo. If you are traveling with a group, the best option is to carry currency notes and then exchange them at the gold shops in Vietnam. The exchange rate there is way better than at the airport. This comes with a negative because you are carrying a lot of cash.
Take the Day Cruise to Ha Long Bay
In my opinion, Ha Long Bay was overrated. I stayed on the overnight cruise and it was nothing worth the hype created. Rather, I preferred the boat ride in Ninh Binh which is also known as the Ha Long Bay at land.
I agree everyone might not feel the same about the place and if you are with a group, you will love the place. So instead of an overnight cruise, I would suggest a day trip as it covers almost everything that’s present in an overnight one.
I disliked it because I saw a lot of trash in the sea and the activities (kayaking, fishing, etc) were nothing exciting.
Rent a Scooter and Go around the Destinations
The best way to explore a place is to have your vehicle and renting a scooter is really cheap in Vietnam. You can rent it for US$5-US$10 a day and roam around as you wish. As per the laws, you need to have an IDP (international driving permit) to drive around Vietnam. Not once was I troubled while driving around. Don’t forget to wear the helmet at all times.
For places like Da Nang, Ning Binh, Phong Nha, and Da Lat, I preferred the scooter as the best alternative to go around.
Travel Light To Avoid Extra Baggage Fees
Whenever you’re travelling domestically within Vietnam, especially when on a budget airline like Viet Jet, ensure you go with only those things that will be in your hand luggage. Carrying hand luggage is usually free rather than paying for bulky check-in luggage for which most domestic airlines have low limits.
Simply bring a smaller bag to avoid any excess fees. Reducing the amount of both load and luggage makes it easier when using a bus rather a train or scooter.
A tip that I have saved for my next trip is to carry a small bag and do all the shopping in Vietnam because it’s so cheap.
Haggle while Shopping
In Vietnamese culture, bargaining is quite common; this is especially true in local markets and small stores. It’s not embarrassing to ask for discounts when purchasing souvenirs, clothes, or food from the streets. Some vendors raise the price as a strategy aimed at tourists, and bargaining can help a lot.
I have always understood that it is not wrong to haggle and, if the shopkeeper is not able to give you the price you asked, he/ she would simply not sell it.
Buy a Local SIM Card
While I chose to buy the SIM card at the airport, if you have sorted the initial transport from the airport to your accommodation, I would suggest getting a SIM card from the local market.
International roaming can truly burn one’s pocket and you can get the same amount of data or even more at times for Rs500-Rs700 which would last at least a month.
I hope these tips help you cut your expenses and plan a budget trip to Vietnam. I have also shared all my
Vietnam cost details in my Twitter (now known as ‘X”) thread. For more budget travel inspiration, do check out
Storiesofraku where I share all my travel information.
