For anyone planning the trip of a lifetime to the Far East, the country of Vietnam can feature quite high on the list of places to visit. Increasingly popular as a tourist destination in recent years, foreigners are becoming more aware of the breath-taking natural scenery and fascinating culture to witness here.
If deciding to make a voyage to any distant nation though, it is necessary to inform yourself yourself about the potential cost of your trip, so that you do not find yourself running out of money soon after you land at the airport.
A piece of good news for any potential tourist is that the cost of a visa for Vietnam is very low. Although it is possible to obtain your visa at the Vietnamese Embassy in your home country, there is also the quicker and potentially more cost effective option of using an online Vietnam visa service.
The cost of obtaining a visa for Vietnam from a reputable online company can range from as little as 17 USD to 50 USD per person. Although this may seem expensive, it is certainly a lot cheaper than visa costs for other popular tourist destinations around the world. Bear in mind that the cheapest cost of a Vietnam visa will still get you a very quick and reliable service.
The actual journey to and from Vietnam may well be the largest part of your budget. Prices for return flights generally fall between 700 USD and upwards of 1,500 USD depending on which airline you use, which class you sit in and how many stops you make.
To make sure you get the best value for money, it is worth looking into the best time to book from any particular airline, as they may offer advance booking reductions, or conversely, reduced price tickets closer to the departure date.
It is also worth shopping around for your airline tickets. Many price comparison websites will help you find the best deals on tickets, and it is often possible to find the same flight available for a cheaper rate on one website compared to another. Although searching can take time, it may well be worth it so you have more money to spend on enjoying your actual time in Vietnam.
When reserving your stay in Vietnam, you will want to take into account the price of your accommodation in addition to your flight expenses and cost of your visa. Like in many tourist destinations around the world, Vietnam has accommodation to suit a wide variety of different requirements and tastes.
The cheapest place to spend the night in Vietnam is usually a dorm or hostel; these will typically be priced under 10 USD. For a cheap hotel, expect to pay between 10 and 15 USD, and for midrange accommodation the cost of a room for the night is usually between 20 and 50 USD in Vietnam. If you have money to spare, a luxury hotel room can cost around 70 USD per night.
Food is also a significant budget concern when traveling, as there is nothing worse than having to resist indulging in new and exotic foods after not having accounted for their expense beforehand. To get the most out of your culinary experience of Vietnam, count around 2 USD for a local meal of noodles, and from 15 USD for an outing at a gourmet restaurant.
The cheapest way to travel in Vietnam is by bus, where you can expect to buy an hour long bus ride for approximately 1 USD. Another popular form of transport in the city is the motorcycle taxi, where you can get a ride for less that a dollar. It is also possible to hire a motorcycle taxi and its driver for the whole day at around 7 USD.
There are, of course, many other factors to take into account after totaling the cost of your Vietnam visa, flights, food, accommodation and local transport. However, with the cost of a visa, transport and food being so low, if you have a larger budget you can expect to be able to splurge on more comfortable flights and a first-class experience while staying in Vietnam.