Explore Vietnam on a $3K Budget for 30 Days: Discover Unmatched Happiness Over Work π
[Money Bag R] Total cost: 3500 (3250 + 250 for visa)
This includes all the big and small expenses from landing to leaving Vietnam (excluding round-trip airfare/bus tickets). It’s a joy of spending a little money and having a lot of fun. I declare that Vietnam has become my first choice for future travel and living!
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πRoute: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An – Nha Trang – Dalat – Mui Ne – Ho Chi Minh City
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[Checklist R] Visa
Vietnam has e-visas, separate paper visas, and visa on arrival approval letters. I got a 30-day single-entry separate paper visa, arranged in advance through a travel agency. With my passport and visa, I was able to smoothly enter the country.
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π Transportation
Ways to get to Vietnam include by plane or overland. I took a bus directly from Nanning to Hanoi. For more details, see my previous notes.
Inter-city transportation is mainly by train and bus. If you only plan to visit a few cities that are far apart, you can also take a flight.
Essential Apps:
– Vexere: Official app for booking train tickets, also for bus tickets
– Futa: The best Vietnamese bus company experience, covering almost all tourist city routes, with free shuttle service to and from hotels
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π Accommodation
Mainly hostels, ranging from 20-50 per night, some even include breakfast.
I miss the days when I could stay for a night for just 30 and have a freshly made breakfast.
(I will share the hostels I stayed at in 9 cities next)
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π Food and Drink
Eating in Vietnam is very cheap. You can find pho for around 10 yuan, fresh juice for 4-10 yuan per cup, and mixed rice in Hue for just 4 yuan per bowl.
If you go to a restaurant, eating your fill usually costs less than 100 yuan per person, and local restaurants are much cheaper than those for tourists.
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ποΈ Tickets + Renting Motorbikes
In Vietnam, motorbikes are the main mode of transportation for locals.
The general rental fee is 100-150k/day, which is about 30-40 yuan per day.
Except for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, public buses are not well developed. It’s highly recommended to rent a motorcycle to ride yourself, and you can also enjoy the scenery along the way.
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π± SIM Card
I got a card at a Viettel store in Hanoi, with 4G data per day, costing about 53 yuan per month. For more details, see my previous notes.
It’s also convenient to buy a SIM card in advance on Taobao. It’s recommended to choose Viettel or Vinaphone as your operator.
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π° Currency Exchange
Currency exchange at the airport, border, in the city, and withdrawing cash from ATMs.
Generally, there are people exchanging currency at the border, and if the exchange rate is good, you can exchange more.
When I exchanged at the Friendship Pass, the exchange rate was 1:3530.
Many gold shops and travel agencies in the city offer currency exchange services. Usually, the exchange rate for US dollars is better than for Chinese yuan, and larger amounts have better rates than smaller ones.
ππ»ββοΈ How much money do you really need to save before embarking on a journey to see the world? Surprisingly, it might be less than you think! Often, the most important thing is simply having the courage to take that first step. Once you’re on the road, you’ll find that solutions to other challenges will naturally fall into place.
