Vacation In Vietnam Cost
Vacationing in Vietnam is an affordable option for a number of different travellers. There are great options for the backpacker who just needs a bed to sleep on for the night, a family looking for entertainment and activities for their children, or someone that wants to explore Vietnam’s unique history and culture. There are a lot of things to see and do in Vietnam, many of which can be done on a budget.
A vacation to Vietnam is a great way to get away from it all. Vietnam has everything from ancient temples in the north to white sand beaches in the south, and the food is delicious! But you’re curious about Vietnam travel costs – so I’m going to break down the costs for you here.
If you’re an expat living in Vietnam, you might be considering buying a house and moving away from the chaos of Saigon. Or, if you’re just getting started out here, you might want to save some money on rent by staying outside of the city center. Whatever your situation may be, moving will likely mean finding cost-effective living arrangements.
Vietnam is currently the hottest travel destination. Despite the slow growth of economy over the past five years, tourists have been flocking to Vietnam to see this ancient country and learn about its culture. The best time to visit Vietnam is during the winter season because it has the least rain fall. You should also rent a car while on vacation due to long distances between cities which allows you to travel as you desire. Keep in mind that driving on the road in Vietnam can be hectic and dangerous due to overcrowding, lack of any lanes, and reckless drivers. You should always carry your passport with you at all times because there are police stops all over the place. The Vietnamese traffic rules state that if there is a broken tail light or headlight on your vehicle, you will be stopped by police for further investigation. The cost of living in Vietnam is cheap if compared to other Asian countries but is more expensive than many other Southeast Asian economies.
Vacation In Vietnam Cost
Vietnam is a country that you will fall for at the first bite of its local delicacies, the first sip of Beer Lao, and the first ride on a motorbike through slick Vietnamese streets. Take your much-needed holiday in Vietnam and say ‘Hi’ to this captivating nation that breathes life into old monuments.
Do you want to know how much does it cost to go to Vietnam? You may be surprised at how inexpensive it can be since Vietnam is one of the most visited destinations in Southeast Asia. With delicious food, a rich history, and stunning scenery, Vietnam is one of the most popular destinations in Asia.
For the purpose of this article, I am going to suggest a two-week itinerary to see the highlights of Vietnam. This sample itinerary can start or end in either Ho Chi Minh City or Hoi An and will include the following stops: Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, the Hai Van Pass, Hue, Hanoi, Sapa, and Halong Bay. Please note that this guide is based on the costs for a single person. If you are travelling as a couple, make sure to double these estimates (except for hotels).
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| Estimated cost | |
|---|---|
| Airfare | $800 |
| Accommodations | $550 |
| Local transportation | $300 |
| Attractions | $500 |
| Food and drink | $280 ($20 X 14 days) |
| Random spending | $100 |
| Total | $2,530 USD |
The above estimate is in US dollars, so please use XE.com to find out the average costs with the exchange rate in your home country.
If you’re Canadian, you may want to consider applying for one of the best travel credit cards in Canada to help offset your costs by collecting points. For example, the American Express Platinum Card gives you a signup bonus of up to 85,000 American Express Membership Rewards points which have a minimum value of $850 (potentially more if you transfer your points to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy). There’s also the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card that has no foreign transaction fees and it comes with airport lounge access.
Airfare
International airfare will likely be the most expensive part of your trip. Vietnam is quite far from North America and the costs can be quite high. To get the best deal, start shopping in advance and avoid the main holiday season. With that in mind, I have estimated international airfare to cost approximately $800 per person, though travellers from the west coast of North America can expect to pay less.
Ho Chi Minh City will probably be the cheapest to fly into, but don’t forget to check flights to Hanoi as well. It may also be worth seeing if you can fly into one and out of the other to save you the time of having to backtrack to your starting destination.
Accommodations
Accommodations in Vietnam can range from a couple of bucks a night for a backpacker hostel (dorms or private rooms) to a few hundred for a luxury hotel. This is one of the areas where it’s really easy to save or, if you feel like it, splurge a little. For the sake of this article, I have estimated accommodation costs based on a mid-range hotel. For two weeks in Vietnam (assuming you are flying rather than relying on the overnight buses), you can expect to pay about $550.
If you are looking for recommendations, I suggest the following:
Ho Chi Minh City
- Hostel: City Backpackers Hostel or Long Hostel
- Mid-range: Aristo Saigon Hotel or Central Palace Hotel
- Luxury: Alagon Zen Hotel and Bar or The Reverie Saigon
Hoi An
- Hostel: Tribee Kinh or Leo Leo Hoi An
- Midrange: Green Heaven Hoi An Resort and Spa or Little Beach Hoi An Boutique & Spa
- Luxury: Lantana Hoi An Boutique Hotel and Spa or Hoi An Odyssey Hotel
Hue
- Hostel: Freedom Hostel or Sunshine Hostel Hue
- Midrange: Moonlight Hotel Hue or Midtown Hotel Hue
- Luxury: Indochine Palace or Imperial Hue Hotel
Hanoi
- Hostel: See You at Lily’s or Golden Time Hostel
- Midrange: My Moon Hotel Hanoi or Hanoi Antique Legend Hotel
- Luxury: The Lapis Hotel or Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Sapa
- Hostel: Venus Sapa Hostel or Mountain Clouds Sapa Hostel
- Midrange: Phuong Nam Hotel or Eden Boutique Hotel Sapa
- Luxury: Azure Sapa Hotel or Silk Path Grand Resort and Spa Sapa
If you have the right credit card, you can save a fair amount of money on hotels. Americans should strongly consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card since you can earn up to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and $200 back at U.S. restaurants as a welcome bonus.
Canadians should consider the Marriott Bonvoy American Express which gives you up to 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That’s enough points for a few free nights at some hotels which could easily have a value of over $500.
Local transportation
Getting around Vietnam is a bit of an adventure. In the cities, I suggest walking as much as possible as the transit systems (if available) can be confusing. If you do take a taxi, remember to set a price ahead of time or you will be taken advantage of. You can also use car services such as Uber or Grab Car in parts of Vietnam.
In terms of getting around the country, you have a few options. Buses are the cheapest option and you sometimes have an overnight route option which takes care of both transportation and accommodation. However, the buses in Vietnam are not always the safest and can be pretty stressful. More than one traveller has had to get off early because they have felt unsafe or unwell.
For this reason, I suggest flying with a local airline to get to the main cities when possible. So, Ho Chi Minh City to Hue (Danang Airport), Hue to Hanoi, then Hanoi back to Ho Chi Minh City for your return flight (or vice versa if you are starting and ending in Hanoi). Flights within Vietnam are quite affordable with some planning. If you book well in advance you can get one-way tickets between these cities for $50 or less.
To get to Sapa you will need to take either an overnight train or a bus from Hanoi. I suggest the train as it is a little safer, but it is more expensive and you also need to take a shuttle bus for the last leg (about 1 hour). A roundtrip ticket with a sleeping berth shouldn’t cost you more than $100 (this includes buying the mini-bus ticket when you arrive).
Getting to and from Halong Bay will be included in the price of the Halong Bay cruise that I have included in the itinerary.
Attractions
Vietnam has plenty to see and do but what you end up deciding on really depends on your interests. I always recommend buying your tickets and tours in advance through Klook as you can often save a bit of money and skip the lines. Here are a few must-see attractions which are absolutely worth your money.
- The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh city really is a must and is only a couple of dollars.
- The Hai Van Pass from Hoi An to Hue is an incredibly scenic drive and can be done by motorbike (you can rent or use an easy rider program) or you can hire a private car.
- The tombs in Hue are very impressive and are worth taking a day trip to see a few.
- Full day excursion to the Mekong Delta
- Ba Na Hills in Da Nang
- Cu Chi Tunnels half day tour
Finally, I highly recommend taking a Halong Bay cruise. Halong Bay is truly magnificent and is worth spending the money on a two-night cruise to really experience it and escape some of the crowds. Cruise costs include all food, transportation to and from Hanoi, accommodation, and some additional activities such as kayaking. There are a number of different cruise companies offering different activities and different levels of comfort. I personally recommend spending a bit more on these cruises as you really do get what you pay for.
I’d say these are the basics but would also add an extra $100 or so for any museums, tours, or shows you may be interested in.
Food and drink
The cuisine in Vietnam is the highlight for many. The food is delicious, changes across the country, and is incredibly affordable. No matter your travel style, the best way to eat in Vietnam is to take advantage of the street food- which has the added bonus of being the cheapest option as well. However, I also recognize that for some meals, especially dinners, a proper sit-down at a local restaurant is a nice option.
With that in mind, I suggest budgeting for street food type food (pork and noodles in broth, banh mi) for breakfast and lunch, and spending a bit more for dinner which means your costs will look something like this: