Tips on Traveling in Vietnam

Have you ever dreamt about paradise?

If I close my eyes I see endless temple ruins covered in encroaching jungle, white sands and clear waters with colorful boats skimming across, and vibrant, lively cities teeming with outdoor markets—and when I got my first look at Vietnam, it’s exactly what I saw.

Like heaven on Earth, Vietnam has everything to offer an avid traveler—from mountains to oceans—and at bargain prices along the way. But even for those who want to save an extra bundle while on their way from jungle to city, there are ways to keep a week long trip from even breaking $100. So check out these tips before packing your bags and get the biggest bang out of your buck!

1. Pay in exact change whenever possible and try your hand at haggling.

The Vietnamese know you’re a tourist and will take the opportunity to show you that they know you aren’t familiar with their money--so pay in exact change, or with credit card (widely accepted everywhere) whenever possible. Your cheapest bet for everything from food to trinkets is going to be the markets, but the prices are marked up anywhere from 50% to 70%, so don’t be afraid to propose your own price and work with the vendor until you get it down to a figure you want to pay.

Still seem too expensive? Walk away and learn a few Vietnamese phrases like “Com GamUrn” which means “No, thank you”—not only do they like foreigners who know the language, it shows you’re not a newbie and they should take you seriously.  

2. Eat local food from the stalls and create your own tapas-style meal.

Grab a bowl of pho, Vietnam’s most famous cuisine, for less than $2 a bowl or even a toasty banh mi or rice dish for less than $4 a meal. Pair it with bia hoi, daily fresh-brewed street beer and a Vietnam original, for around $1 and you can easily spend less than $8 a day. And to really get the best deal, don’t forget to haggle.

The street food vendors are a colorful bunch and there’s no better way to spend dinner than watching the people of Vietnam wander by, so don’t be afraid to park it on the sidewalk with your dinner and a camera—pictures make for the best (and cheapest) souvenirs!

3. Grab and friend to bunk in a private room from Airbnb.

Most places in Vietnam charge for the room, not just the bed so it’s really much cheaper to travel when you book a private room with Airbnb or a hostel and split the fare. This spacious bedroom with private bath and air conditioning in Da Nang is a perfect example of comfortable lodging close to must-visit places for an incredibly low price—just book well in advance and really spend time to find the best deals. You could spend less than $7 a night and about $43.50 for a week without a trouble at all.

Plus, if you want to be really thrifty, take the overnight bus to your next destination and sleep the next day on the beach while you wait to check in—it’s not necessarily going to be the best night’s sleep, but it will certainly save you enough money to eat for the day!

4. Ditch your international phone plan.

You’re going to want to use your GPS location finder over a map any day, and the only thing standing between you and finding that paradise is an outrageously expensive international plan. Ditch your regular cell phone plan, unlock your phone, and opt for a local SIM card that is a fraction of the price. Try the Mobifone card; it’s $3.67 to activate and $4.58 to load up with minutes and data and you can pick one up virtually anywhere.

Bonus: there is wifi essentially everywhere and it’s almost always free, so take advantage of the internet hot spots to discover the location of your next destination while tapped into it whenever possible.

5. Explore the natural beauty of Vietnam and the many temples for free.

Vietnam is one of those destinations where the best sites don’t require standing in line to look at a painting for half of the day—the reasons you visit are all around you, outside, and usually free. Visit the Muong Hoa Valley for the quintessential rice paddy landscape or if you’re into a really, down-in-the-jungle adventure visit My Son instead of Angkor Wat, it’s a trek off the beaten path  for the brave of heart.

6. Take a bike or the tourist bus.

You can rent a bike for $1 a day, which is an amazingly cheap way to get around and a great alternative to the taxis. Plan on traveling far? Don’t go with the local rate and make sure you buy the tourist ticket at the station because it’s the much cheaper option. For traveling around Ho Chi Min it’s about 16 cents a day—yes, cents—and you can take the train from Danang to Hanoi for less than $35.

Extra tip: Don’t be afraid to walk, and not because it’s free, but because it’s the best way to discover the cities. And take a poncho with you wherever you go, it’s much less than a dollar and will save you a lot of money by letting you continue on your journey instead of ducking into a shop and getting distracted by things you want to buy.  

Vietnam is a real adventurer’s holiday and it’s a great way to get brave and try new foods, new hikes, and new budget saving tips so get to trekking—it will be good for your soul and wallet.

Any budget tips for Vietnam I missed in my list? Add them in the comments and I’ll give them a try next time!

Article is contributed by Margarette Harney, a travel blogger.