Money-saving in Vietnam & Southeast Asia: 5 travellers offer their tips
Five seasoned travellers offer tips for keeping costs down when travelling in Vietnam – and Southeast Asia more generally.
Sunny weather, superb beaches and friendly people – these are just some of the reasons Southeast Asia is so popular. But the region is also incredibly affordable, enabling those on a budget to travel for weeks, or even months.
However, if you’re not careful, you can wind up spending more than you bargained for.
In this article, a group of five season travellers offer their tips for controlling costs across Southeast Asia, but with a particular focus on Vietnam. We join them around the dinner table in Da Nang, central Vietnam’s beachside metropolis.
Koko
Koko, from Japan, emphasises the importance of finding cheap or fee-free ATMs: “Here in Vietnam the cost of ATMs varies a lot. Some – like BIDV – are quite expensive, while others don’t charge anything. For example, VP Bank and TP Bank are often used by foreigners – because they don’t charge a withdrawal fee.”
Koko also reminds visitors that the withdrawal limits in Vietnam are quite low – usually 3,000,000 (95 GBP) or 5,000,000 (160GBP). Koko says: “If you need a large amount of cash, you can just put your card bank in the ATM and take out more. But only do this at a fee-free ATM, or you’ll be spending a lot on fees.”
Koko also recommends The Marine Sky Bar in Da Nang: “They offer some great deals on cocktails – and the views are fantastic.”
Patrick
UK-based Patrick is a big fan of using Google Lens to translate menus – eliminating the ‘lucky dip’ element that often comes with overseas dining.
Patrick also suggests buying a cheap phone for going out in the evenings, and keeping your ‘good’ phone in the hotel (with the UK SIM card inside it): “This means you’ll still have access to banking etc. if your cheap phone gets lost or stolen,” explains Patrick.
He also underlines the importance of seeking out happy hours to control socialising costs.
Ellie
Ellie, also from the UK, recommends exploring areas away from the tourist hotspots, where food and drinks are invariably cheaper.
Ellie also gives the local markets of Da Nang a big thumbs up – “The riverside night market in Da Nang sells allsorts – everything from phone protectors to colourful lanterns and nodding buddhas – at super-low prices. It also has a great atmosphere.”
Craig
Scottish Craig highlights the importance of finding a low-cost way of withdrawing cash from ATMs in Southeast Asia. Craig explains: “Your regular debit card is likely to charge high fees for overseas withdrawals. It’s best to plan a head before your trip and take out a prepaid credit card or debit card that is designed for use abroad. You could save a surprising amount.”
Craig doesn’t recommend taking UK cash with you and then exchanging it while abroad. He says: “It’s a real hassle to find reputable, low-cost money changers, and even if you find good ones you’ll probably end up paying as much as you would by using ATMs. It’s also not a good idea to carry a lot of cash with you.”
Lee
Cost-conscious Lee, from Plymouth, suggests using hotel water coolers to fill up water bottles: “The cost of buying water at convenience stores can quickly mount up.”
For those seeking to travel long-term, Lee suggests renting rooms, apartments and motorbikes for longer periods. “Paying for a month in advance can be half the cost of staying in hotels – especially in places like Da Nang. And if you plan to rent a motorbike, try to start the contract on the same day as you begin your apartment stay – that way you’ll get maximum use of your motorbike.”
Travel Writer Bio
Kerry McCarthy is a Writer, Editor, Artist & Breathwork Instructor who loves to travel. Sadly, she didn’t travel to Vietnam to meet with this lovely lot, but she did catch up with them virtually to get these great money-saving tips to share with you!
You can find out more about her adventures over on instagram at @kerrymccarthystars
Wishing I was in Vietnam.
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