Vietnam — find the right stay, from deciding to booking
“Beautiful nature, delicious food, and easy on the wallet”
Vietnam is the best value and most varied destination in Southeast Asia — world-heritage Ha Long Bay, the lantern-lit old town of Hoi An, the rice terraces of Sapa, the alleys of Hanoi, and the beaches of Da Nang, paired with pho, egg coffee, and banh mi that's delicious at every meal for just a little money.
Vietnam at a glance
Choose a city in Vietnam
Each city has its own things-to-do and food guides plus in-depth ranked hotel reviews with real photos and price comparison — start with the city that fits your trip.
Decide — is Vietnam right for you?
Why people love Vietnam, how it compares to its neighbors, and which travel style suits you
World-heritage Ha Long Bay
Thousands of limestone islands in an emerald sea — cruise overnight and watch the sunset.
Delicious and cheap
Pho, banh mi, egg coffee, fresh spring rolls — world-class flavor for next to nothing.
Charming old towns
Lantern-lit Hoi An and Hanoi's 36 old streets — nostalgic atmosphere and photogenic scenes.
Varied nature
The Sapa rice terraces, the Phong Nha caves, and the beaches of Da Nang and Phu Quoc.
Excellent value
A low cost of living means cheap stays and food, and easy travel without overspending.
Vietnam vs its neighbors
| Vietnam | Thailand | Cambodia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily budget (per person) | $30–65 | $25–55 | $25–50 |
| Visa (Thai passport) | Free 45 days | Home country | Free 30 days |
| Getting around cities | Grab + buses work well · no MRT | BTS/MRT in Bangkok · traffic upcountry | Tuk-tuks + Grab · easy roads |
| English | Enough to get by in tourist areas · better among the young | Decent in tourist areas | Limited, but enough in Siem Reap |
| Known for | Street food · old towns · varied nature | Food · beaches · temples | Angkor Wat · ancient atmosphere |
Figures are rough per-person, per-day estimates — your real budget depends on your travel style.
How do you travel?
Following the S-curve
Start in Hanoi, fly down to Da Nang-Hoi An, then continue south to Ho Chi Minh City — seeing north, center and south in one trip using domestic flights.
See this plan → 🌿Nature and escaping the city
Sapa's rice terraces and ethnic villages, or a Ha Long Bay cruise among the islands — world-class nature at reachable prices.
See this plan → ⏱️Short 3–4 day trip
Base yourself in Da Nang, head out to Hoi An in the morning and return in the evening to a My Khe beachfront hotel — no need to change hotels, and plenty to enjoy.
See this plan →Plan — stay, eat, see
Start with where to stay (the heart of the trip), then add food and sights, and gauge your daily budget.
Find the stay you want
13 ranked reviews
Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Da Lat, Vietnam (French Colonial Hill Station)
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Da Nang, Vietnam: Honest 2026 Beach Picks
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Da Nang — My Khe Beach & Dragon Bridge 2026
10 hotels · Read review →
Reviewed10 Best 4-5 Star Hotels in Hanoi — Lake & Old Quarter (2026)
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Reviewed10 Best Pham Ngu Lao Hotels HCMC: Backpacker District 2026
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Reviewed12 Best Hotels in Hoi An — Lantern Old Town & River 2026
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Reviewed10 Best Ha Long Bay Cruises 2026 — UNESCO Karst Overnight
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Hue, Vietnam — UNESCO City on the Perfume River
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Reviewed12 Best Hotels in Sapa — Rice Terraces, Mist & Mountain Views
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Da Nang, Vietnam — My Khe Beach & River Stays
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Reviewed11 Best Old Quarter Hotels in Hanoi — Real Picks, Honest Take
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Reviewed10 Best Ho Chi Minh City Hotels — Pham Ngu Lao Picks
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Reviewed10 Best Hotels in Da Lat — Vietnam's Misty Mountain Escape
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City-by-city food guides — standout dishes and places to try, with real photos
🍜 EatDa Lat Food Guide
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🍜 EatDa Nang Food Guide
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🍜 EatHa Long Bay Food Guide
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🍜 EatHanoi Food Guide
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🍜 EatHo Chi Minh Food Guide
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🍜 EatHoi An Food Guide
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🍜 EatHue Food Guide
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🍜 EatSapa Food Guide
Read the guide →Signature dishes across Vietnam
- 1🍜
Pho
A clear beef or chicken noodle soup with herbs — Vietnam's national breakfast dish.
📍 Nationwide - 2🥖
Banh Mi
A Vietnamese sandwich with a crisp baguette, meat and pickled vegetables — French-Vietnamese heritage.
📍 Nationwide - 3☕
Egg Coffee
Coffee topped with whipped egg cream, sweet, rich and smooth — a Hanoi specialty.
📍 Hanoi - 4🍲
Bun Bo Hue
Round-noodle soup in a bold beef broth from the city of Hue.
📍 Hue - 5🥗
Fresh spring rolls
Rice-paper rolls of prawn, vegetables and noodles with a peanut dip — fresh and light.
📍 Nationwide
City-by-city sightseeing guides — real photos, locations and unmissable highlights
📸 SeeDa Lat Things To Do
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📸 SeeDa Nang Things To Do
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📸 SeeHa Long Bay Things To Do
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📸 SeeHanoi Things To Do
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📸 SeeHo Chi Minh Things To Do
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📸 SeeHoi An Things To Do
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📸 SeeHue Things To Do
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📸 SeeSapa Things To Do
Read the guide →Top sights across Vietnam
- 1⛵
Ha Long Bay
A world-heritage seascape of limestone islands, popular for overnight cruises.
📍 Quang Ninh - 2🏮
Hoi An Old Town
A lantern-lit riverside old town with tailor shops and a romantic night market.
📍 Quang Nam - 3🌾
Sapa
Mountain rice terraces, hill-tribe villages, and Fansipan, the roof of Indochina.
📍 Lao Cai - 4🛕
Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake
The capital's 36 old streets, the Jade Temple, and lively street-side coffee.
📍 Hanoi - 5🏖️
Da Nang & Ba Na Hills
White-sand beaches, the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, and the fire-breathing Dragon Bridge.
📍 Da Nang - 6🕳️
Phong Nha
Among the largest caves in the world — take a boat inside to see the stalactites and stalagmites.
📍 Quang Binh
🚆 Getting around Vietnam
Domestic flights
The country is long and north-south distances are big; flying between Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City is easiest.
North-south railway
A scenic coastal train, especially lovely on the Da Nang-Hue stretch.
Grab
Hail a Grab Car or Bike in any city — cheap and no haggling.
Sleeper bus
Budget overnight buses between cities, great for backpackers.
🛂 Etiquette & culture in Vietnam
A city of motorbikes
Motorbikes fill the streets; cross slowly and steadily and the traffic will flow around you.
Cash
Small shops mainly take cash; watch the zeros (thousands to tens of thousands of dong).
Visa
Thais enter Vietnam visa-free for the permitted stay — check the latest conditions.
Bargaining
You can haggle at markets and for souvenirs — smile and bargain politely.
💸 Daily budget — a rough guide
Budget
🛏️ Hostel / mini-hotel $9–20
Eat congee and banh mi from street stalls and take a motorbike taxi or Grab — you can save a lot upcountry.
Comfortable
🛏️ 3–4★ hotel in the center $25–50
Da Nang-Hoi An is the best value, with lovely mid-priced stays and fresh seafood on a budget.
Premium
🛏️ Beachfront resort / villa $70+
Hoi An and Da Nang have world-class resorts cheaper than Thailand, and an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay is an experience not to be missed.
🗓️ When to visit Vietnam
Spring
Feb – AprGood weather nationwide with flowers blooming in the north — the best time to visit.
Summer
May – AugHot and the beach season for the center and south; the north sees rain.
Autumn
Sep – NovCool, comfortable weather in the north, with the Sapa rice terraces turning golden — beautiful.
Winter
Dec – JanCold in the north (Sapa may see snow), good weather in the south — great for Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc.
Book — hotels our team picked
Hand-picked from the highest guest-rated hotels we've reviewed in Vietnam — compare prices across 3 sites.
★ 9.8🎒 Great for your trip
★ 9.8🎒 Great for your trip
★ 9.7💑 Great for your tripWant to see every option in Vietnam?
Browse all our ranked stay reviews — every budget and area, with real photos and price comparison.
View the top city guide →FAQ — visiting Vietnam
Which part of Vietnam should I visit first?+
The north (Hanoi-Ha Long-Sapa) for nature and culture, the center (Da Nang-Hoi An-Hue) for beaches and old towns, and the south (Ho Chi Minh City-Phu Quoc) for cities and islands.
What budget do I need for Vietnam?+
The cost of living is low — around $25–45 per day covers food, sightseeing and transport comfortably, cheaper than many countries in Southeast Asia.
Do Thais need a visa for Vietnam?+
Thai passport holders enter Vietnam visa-free for the permitted period — check the latest conditions before you travel.
Tips before you go to Vietnam
- Download Grab to hail rides without haggling.
- Count your dong carefully — there are a lot of zeros.
- Cross the road slowly and steadily; don't stop suddenly.
- The north and south have very different weather — check each region's forecast before you pack.