Vietnam - $192.36
We spent about fourteen days in Vietnam and spent $2,654, breaking down to an average daily budget of $192.36. Can you believe we were under our goal?! Our largest expense in Vietnam was Lodging, which this time meant hotels, eco-stays, and uniquely a cruise in Ha Long Bay over two nights. With US passports, we both had to pay for an entry eVisa for Vietnam, and since we were making a trip to Cambodia in the middle of our Vietnam exploration, we opted for a multiple-entry visa. That visa was $50 each, and took up $7.25 of our daily budget. We took a flight to start the second half of our Vietnam trip from Siem Reap to Hanoi, which cost us $211, or $15.32 per day. One category that we did not have any expenses for was Rental Car & Gas, as buses and the Grab app eliminated the need for a vehicle.
While Lodging was our largest daily expense, Sarah and I both agreed that Vietnam now accounts for several of our top 5 hotels of the whole trip. We stayed at the terrific Silverland Ben Thanh in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) for $85.40 per night, but this very unique hotel came with afternoon tea included and had a very cheap breakfast option as an add-on. In Hanoi, we stayed at the Peridot Gallery Classic Boutique Hotel, which also came with free breakfast and what both of us agreed was the most comfortable bed of our entire trip. 10/10 would stay here again just for the silky sheets and plush pillows! In Sapa, we stayed at an ecolodge which had a terrific view over the Muong Hoa Valley and provided us with a sense of tranquility that we’re finding a need for on our worldwide adventure. As great as these places all were, the jewel during our time in Vietnam was our cruise on the Elite of the Seas. We used some travel rewards to take off about 60% of the total cost of the trip meaning we only paid $390 for our all-inclusive 3 day cruise, keeping our daily spending in line with the rest of our trip. While the cruise typically starts at over $1,000 for a 2 night / 3 day itinerary, we highly recommend it if you can swing it. Consider it as a great place to use some of the travel credits you have been banking up!
Our next largest expense category was Food, which we’re always very happy to spend a lot of our money on! The food in Vietnam is pretty terrific, loaded with flavor, and influenced by many cultures, most notably the French. By exploring both the south and the north of the country, we were exposed to many different types of regional foods, as well as national dishes like Banh Mi and Phò. Another helpful thing about Vietnam is that there are a lot of restaurants that cater to a vegetarian diet given Buddhist influences, so there were often plenty of places for both Sarah and I to eat. Vietnam is also known for its coffee, particularly condensed milk coffee and the one I happened to fall in love with: egg coffee. Every city offered plenty of cafe options to explore, each with their own take on coffee. One more impact that French Colonialism had on Vietnamese culture is their affection for pastries, and while we do not endorse colonialism, we were very happy to spend our time sampling different bakeries offerings.
Other Transportation consisted of the following: Grab rides, two overnight trains (from Hanoi to Sapa and back), and a four hour bus journey from Ho Chi Minh to Can Tho. Grab is widely used in Vietnam and is a great way to get around cities when the public transportation options are either limited or very confusing. To get from Hanoi to Sapa and back, we opted to take the overnight sleeper train operated by Vietnam Railways. When first looking to book a ticket for this service it appears there are several options but they are really just individual, nearly identical, carriages on one long train. Pro Tip: if you’re thinking of booking a 2-person cabin instead of sharing with others in a 4-person cabin, consider booking for a 4-person anyway and switching to a 2-person cabin at the station if available. The cash-only fee, paid directly to a conductor, to switch in the moment will be a fraction of the cost of reserving that beforehand.
Within Vietnam we also took advantage of many affordable activities including museums, temples, and several massages. Many of the museums and temples in large cities have very reasonable admission fees, typically below $4 per person, while temples are typically either free or cost less than $2. Our most expensive activities were cultural excursions, consisting of a river trip to the Cai Rang floating market near Can Tho and our visit to Cat Cat village near Sapa. The remainder of our activities expenses came from the numerous massages we got across the whole country. Similar to other Southeast Asian countries, you’ll find countless massage places in any city in Vietnam, however not all are created equal. We had great experiences in Can Tho and Hanoi, but encountered mixed results while we were in Ho Chi Minh. Even though they typically cost less than $12 each, it’s always a good idea to do some research by looking at reviews or asking locals before you go.
Finally we had about $100 of Miscellaneous expenses in Vietnam. This came from a variety of sources including two trips to get our laundry done, our monthly phone bills, and some cash. On that note, cash is still the easiest way to pay for things in Vietnam, something we’re discovering as a theme across Southeast Asia. We recommend bringing between $50 and $100 worth of Vietnamese Dong per day of your trip to ease any payment limitations you encounter.