What budget for a trip to Vietnam ?
First of all, Vietnam is not an ultra cheap country, especially in big cities like Hanoi and Sai Gon where the standard of living of the inhabitants has increased considerably, but know that the rate of the euro allows European travelers to travel to Vietnam in good conditions. There are some key values and information to create a budget that is close to reality!
1. What type of traveler are you?
This is the question to ask yourself first, because we will give some indications depending on the type of traveler you are:
+ Globe-Trotter: I eat like the locals in the markets or on the sidewalk, and I travel by bus or train. I go to the essentials and limit paid activities.
+ Traveler: I sleep in cheap hotels (or with locals), I eat in small restaurants for tourists, I organize my trips according to time / cost to optimize my time there. I choose my visits well so as not to spend unnecessarily.
+ Dandy-Voyageur: I sleep in hotels that are always well located, I enjoy at least one good restaurant per day, I move around depending on the weather and the convenience of transport. I do not hesitate to enjoy the city by participating in tours such as: cooking classes, guided bike tours, discovering less touristy places with private drivers and guides, ...
2. Transportation:
This is often the most expensive way to spend while traveling! So this is the one to act on!
+ International plane ticket:
Count for one flight (round trip) from Paris:
In general, flights to Ho Chi Minh are cheaper than those to Hanoi.
International plane ticket Paris - Hanoi Paris - Ho Chi Minh
A ticket with stopover 550 € - 650 € 500 € - 550 €
A direct flight € 800 - € 900 € 750 - € 850
This is an average price, you can find Paris-Ho Chi Minh return plane tickets at € 470 in certain periods. To find the best price for a flight to Vietnam, we recommend that you do date simulations on flight comparators and on the websites of airlines such as Air France or Vietnam Airlines (for direct flights), Etihad Airways, Qatar and Emirates (for flights with a stopover in Vietnam). To take advantage of the best prices, it is best to book your tickets at least 8 weeks before the date of the flight.
On site, transport also takes up a large part of the budget. On long journeys, choose the plane or night trains that last a long time but are cheaper and you save the night at the hotel. For the plane, the price is higher but you will save time on the spot. To give you an idea:
+ By bus:
Hanoi - Ninh Binh: 8 € / person
Hanoi - Ha Long: 10 € / person
+ By night train in a soft sleeper:
Hanoi - Lao Cai / Sapa (9 hours): 25 € / person
Hanoi - Hue (14 hours): 40 € / person
Hanoi - Saigon (33 hours): 60 € / person
+ By plane:
Hanoi - Hue: 90 € / person
Hanoi - Da Nang: 80 € / person
Hanoi - Saigon: 110 € / person
Danang - Saigon: 80 € / person
In rare cases where you want to go to more inaccessible places, it will be necessary to provide the bus or a private car. There the best is to search on the forums.
Private car service is the first choice for those who want to see the most things in Vietnam with limited time.
In cities, here is a budget idea for getting around:
Globe-Trotter (on foot and by bus): 10 € / day
Traveler (by bus and taxi): 20 € / day
Dandy-Voyageur (by private car or taxi): 35 € / day
Note that as a general rule, transport fares are higher during national holidays, such as Reunification Day April 30, National Day September 2, Tet (which lasts about 10 days between January and February). Above all, the price of theft increases: from 30% to 40%.
3. Food
In Vietnam, it is quite possible to eat very well for a few euros. On the other hand, in the big cities, the bill climbs quite quickly! Here is an idea of the prices per day and per person. Be careful, don't forget that in summer it is very hot and that you will swallow liters of water. 1 liter of fresh water in a mini-market is 50 cents of Euro!
Globe-Trotter: 10 € / day
Traveler: 20 € / day
Dandy-Voyageur: 30 € / day
4. Accommodation
Vietnam is affordable but you will quickly see that in big cities, standard hotels have prices comparable to yours in Europe! Little tip: traveling with two or more will be cheaper in Vietnam. Here are the prices given for one night for 2 people:
Globe-Trotter: 25-30 € / day (2-star hotels)
Traveler: 35-65 € / day (3-star hotels)
Dandy-Voyageur: 70-200 € / day (4-5 star hotels)
Night (s) at the inhabitant's: 10 € / night
5. Activities
This is the most complicated part to encrypt because it dependsreally everyone's desires. But here is an idea of expenses:
Visit of Halong Bay on land: € 15 / person
Halong Bay cruise: € 100 / person (2 days, 1 night)
Cooking class in a big city: 40 € / person
Guided bike tour: 25 € / person
Private boat in the Mekong Delta: 20 € / person
Helicopter tour over Halong Bay: 150 € / person
Cost of entrance tickets to major Hanoi sites: € 20 / person
Cost of entrance tickets to major sites in Hue / Hoi an: € 30 / person
Cost of entrance tickets to major Sai Gon sites: € 25 / person
Note: the rate is for your reference, it may change according to the time of year
6. Other expenses
You are probably going to want to bring back some souvenirs, gifts, a drink,… this can quickly increase the budget for your trip.
A good idea might be to give yourself a budget that shouldn't be exceeded:
A glass of coffee in Vietnam: 1 € -2 € / person
Small souvenir in the pedestrian street: 2.50 € / minimum object
Purchases in a quality shop: € 15 / minimum item
Cigarette cartridges: 10 € / cartridge minimum
Discover the impressions and opions from our customers after their explorations with us
