Vietnam has quietly become one of the best-value international trips available to Indian travellers — direct and one-stop flights have gotten cheaper, the visa process is fully online, and a rupee stretches noticeably further here than in most of Southeast Asia. Limestone karsts in Ha Long Bay, lantern-lit streets in Hoi An, and some of the best street food in the world, all on a trip that a first-timer can realistically plan in a weekend.
This guide covers exactly what you need before booking: visa process and cost, flight options, city-by-city hotel and food costs, a realistic sample budget, and a 7-day itinerary that works whether you’re backpacking or want a comfortable trip.
Quick Answer: How Much Does a Vietnam Trip Cost From India?
For a 7-day Vietnam trip, most Indian travellers should budget:
- Backpacker style: ₹40,000–₹50,000 per person
- Mid-range comfort: ₹60,000–₹85,000 per person
- Comfortable/couple trip: ₹90,000–₹1,30,000 per person
This includes visa, flights, stay, food, local transport, entry fees and one or two paid experiences like a Ha Long Bay cruise.
1. Visa: What Indians Need Before Flying
Indian passport holders need a visa for Vietnam — there’s no visa-free entry, with one exception: Phu Quoc Island offers a 30-day visa-free stay if you fly directly into Phu Quoc International Airport without passing through any other Vietnamese port of entry. Everyone else needs a visa.
The e-visa is the standard route for Indian tourists:
- Apply online at the official government portal (evisa.gov.vn) — no embassy visit needed
- Validity: up to 90 days
- Fee: USD 25 for single-entry (≈ ₹2,100–₹2,500), USD 50 for multiple-entry (≈ ₹4,200–₹5,500)
- Processing time: 3–7 working days — apply at least 7–10 days before departure
- You’ll need a digital scan of your passport bio page and a passport photo
Practical tip: Double-check every detail on the approved e-visa PDF (name, passport number, entry port) before you fly — corrections aren’t possible once submitted, and airlines will check it at boarding.
2. Flights: Direct Options Have Gotten Better
Flight connectivity from India to Vietnam has improved significantly, with direct and one-stop options from major metros.
- From Delhi/Mumbai (direct or via Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur/Singapore): roughly ₹14,000–₹26,000 round trip if booked 6–8 weeks ahead
- From smaller cities (via a metro hub): add ₹3,000–₹6,000 for the connecting domestic leg
- Peak season (Oct–Mar, especially around Tet/Lunar New Year): expect 30–40% higher fares — and avoid travelling within Vietnam during Tet itself, since many local businesses close
Practical tip: Flying into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City (or vice versa) avoids doubling back and works well with the itinerary below — check if your airline allows an open-jaw booking.
👉 Compare current flight prices to Vietnam from your city
3. Where to Stay and What It Costs
Vietnam’s accommodation spans the same wide range that makes Southeast Asia easy on a budget.
| Style | Per Night (₹) | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | ₹500–₹800 | Shared room, AC, social atmosphere, common in Hanoi/Hoi An/HCMC |
| Budget hotel/guesthouse | ₹1,200–₹2,000 | Private room, AC, often includes breakfast |
| Mid-range hotel | ₹2,500–₹4,500 | Better location, pool access common even at this tier |
| Boutique/resort | ₹6,000+ | Higher-end furnishings, beach or riverside locations |
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City tend to run slightly higher than Hoi An or Ninh Binh for the same star rating, simply due to demand.
👉 Compare current Vietnam hotel rates for your dates
4. Food: One of Vietnam’s Biggest Budget Wins
Vietnamese street food is both excellent and genuinely cheap, which is a big part of why this trip is such good value.
- Street food (pho, banh mi, bun cha): ₹80–₹150
- Local restaurant meal: ₹200–₹400
- Mid-range restaurant: ₹500–₹900
- Fine dining/Western restaurant: ₹1,500+
- Vietnamese coffee (ca phe sua da): ₹50–₹100
A realistic daily food budget eating mostly local, with one nicer meal, is ₹500–₹800 per day.
5. Getting Around
Vietnam is a long, narrow country, so getting between cities needs a bit of planning.
- Within a city: Grab (ride-hailing) ₹100–₹300 per trip; scooter rental ₹300–₹500/day if you’re comfortable riding
- Between cities: overnight sleeper bus ₹800–₹1,500 (Hanoi–Hue, Hue–Hoi An, etc.); domestic flights (VietJet, Bamboo Airways) ₹3,000–₹6,000 for longer hops like Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City
- Trains: the Reunification Express is scenic but slow — better for a leg of the trip than the whole journey
For a first 7-day trip, most travellers fly the long Hanoi–HCMC hop and use buses or short flights for shorter legs like Hue–Da Nang.
6. Hanoi: Where Most Trips Begin
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is the classic first stop — narrow streets, street food stalls on every corner, and an easy walking pace. Budget a full day for wandering, a street food crawl, and the Old Quarter’s lakes and temples.
👉 Check current hotel rates in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
7. Ha Long Bay: The Must-Do Day or Overnight Trip
Ha Long Bay’s limestone karsts are one of the reasons people book Vietnam in the first place. Most travellers do this as a day trip or overnight cruise from Hanoi (2.5–4 hours each way by road).
- Day cruise: ₹2,500–₹4,000, includes lunch and kayaking/cave visit
- Overnight cruise: ₹6,000–₹12,000 depending on boat class, includes meals and a cabin
Who should do the overnight version: anyone with time to spare — waking up on the water is worth the extra cost if your itinerary allows it. Who should skip it: travellers on a tight 5-day trip, where a day cruise covers the highlights without eating into time elsewhere.
8. Hoi An: The Lantern Town
Hoi An’s ancient town is compact, walkable, and genuinely photogenic after dark when the lanterns come on. It’s also known for affordable custom tailoring — a popular reason travellers extend their stay here.
- Ancient town entry ticket (covers several heritage sites): ₹300–₹500
- Custom tailored shirt/dress: ₹1,500–₹4,000 depending on fabric and complexity
- Basket boat ride on the river: ₹300–₹500
👉 See current tours and activities in Hoi An
9. Ho Chi Minh City: The Modern Endpoint
Ho Chi Minh City (still commonly called Saigon) is a good closing stop — rooftop bars, a faster pace, and easy access to the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels as half-day trips.
- Cu Chi Tunnels half-day tour: ₹1,500–₹2,500
- Mekong Delta day trip: ₹1,800–₹3,000
- War Remnants Museum entry: ₹150–₹250
10. Sample 7-Day Vietnam Budget (Mid-Range, Per Person)
| Category | Cost (₹) |
|---|---|
| Flights (round trip) | 20,000 |
| Visa (single-entry e-visa) | 2,300 |
| Accommodation (7 nights, mid-range) | 21,000 |
| Food (7 days) | 4,900 |
| Local + intercity transport | 6,500 |
| Activities (Ha Long Bay day cruise, Hoi An, Cu Chi Tunnels) | 5,500 |
| eSIM/data | 700 |
| Total | ≈ ₹60,900 |
Cutting accommodation to hostel/budget level and skipping the overnight cruise brings this closer to ₹42,000–₹45,000.
11. Sample 7-Day Itinerary
- Day 1–2: Hanoi — Old Quarter, street food crawl, Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature
- Day 3: Ha Long Bay — day cruise from Hanoi (or start an overnight cruise if time allows)
- Day 4: Fly/travel to Da Nang → Hoi An — settle in, evening at the lantern-lit ancient town
- Day 5: Hoi An — tailoring, basket boat ride, day trip to Ba Na Hills (optional, adds cost)
- Day 6: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City — rooftop bar evening, War Remnants Museum
- Day 7: Ho Chi Minh City — Cu Chi Tunnels or Mekong Delta half-day trip, departure
Common Mistakes That Blow the Budget
- Not booking the e-visa early enough — processing delays near Tet or peak season can force last-minute express fees
- Trying to cover Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by road — the country is over 1,600 km long; use a domestic flight for the long hop and save road travel for shorter, scenic legs
- Skipping travel insurance — scooter accidents are common among tourists in Vietnam, and a single hospital visit can cost far more than the premium
- Exchanging currency at the airport — city gold shops and licensed exchange counters typically offer better Dong rates than airport counters
👉 Compare travel insurance plans before you go
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam? Yes, all Indian passport holders need a visa except for direct arrivals at Phu Quoc Island, which allows a 30-day visa-free stay. Everyone else applies for the e-visa online before travelling.
Is Vietnam cheaper than Thailand for Indian travellers? Day-to-day costs in Vietnam — food, local transport, budget accommodation — are generally comparable to or slightly cheaper than Thailand, though flight prices can vary depending on your departure city and season.
What’s the best time of year to visit Vietnam? Vietnam is long enough to have different climates in each region. Roughly: north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay) is best October–December and March–April; central (Hoi An, Da Nang) is driest February–July; south (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta) is fairly consistent year-round with a wet season June–October.
Is 7 days enough for a first Vietnam trip? Yes, for hitting Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City without feeling rushed. Ten days lets you add Sapa or Ninh Binh comfortably.
Do I need cash or is card accepted in Vietnam? Cards are accepted at hotels, malls and larger restaurants in cities. Street food stalls, local markets and smaller towns are largely cash-based, so carry Vietnamese Dong for daily spends.
Quick Takeaway
- Backpacker budget: ₹40,000–₹50,000 for 7 days
- Mid-range budget: ₹60,000–₹85,000 for 7 days
- Biggest savings levers: eating street food over restaurants, choosing a day cruise over overnight for Ha Long Bay, and flying (not busing) the long Hanoi–HCMC leg
What Would You Choose?
Are you planning a north-to-south route like the one above, or focusing on just one region? Found flight or hotel prices lower than what’s listed here? Let us know in the comments — it helps other readers planning the same trip.
Get the Free Vietnam Trip Budget Planner
Want this entire breakdown in a spreadsheet you can edit with your own dates and numbers?
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- Editable 7-day cost tracker (auto-totals in INR and VND)
- Flight and accommodation comparison sheet
- Complete things-to-do checklist from budget to luxury
- Packing checklist for Vietnam’s varied climate
- A downloadable “places to visit” map
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