Tourists visit Hanoi on double-decker bus (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Australia’s tourism newswire Escape has recently published an article hailing Vietnam as an ideal budget destination for Australian tourists.
In the article entitled “On a budget? Why Vietnam delivers Asia’s best value”, the author highlighted reasons for why this Southeast Asian country is the best “worth every penny” choice for Oceanian visitors.
The author, Jeremy Drake, quoted the World Bank as saying that Vietnam has the fastest-growing economy in all of Southeast Asia with its GDP forecast to climb 7.2% this year. It’s this sort of number, coupled with a multitude of geopolitical factors which have kept inflation and the cost of living in the country at an enviable rate compared to what’s happening in Australia.
Lower inflation in Vietnam and a stronger-than-usual Aussie dollar against Asian currencies are a good confluence of events for those wanting to travel to Vietnam.
“Not only can you nab some incredible deals on budget direct flights from Australia, but there’s also a tonne of distressed accommodation rates due mostly to the country’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns which brutalised their tourism industry for over two years,” the author wrote.
Drake said that he has always measured the affordability of a place based on the price of its beer and coffee. While this is by no means a scientific method to analyse the cost of goods and services of a country (or an appropriate way to measure the effect of global inflation on a tourism economy), these two products represent a tangible yardstick for across-the-board affordability.
He pointed to seven real-life examples for budget travelers when they visit Vietnam.
1. Alcohol
‘Bia hoi’ (fresh beer) (Photo: VNA) Drinking cheap ‘Bia hoi’ (fresh beer) on a Hanoi street corner was made ubiquitous for tourists when former US President Barack Obama joined celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain in an Old Quarter noodle shop in 2016. You should expect that from midday, on any given day, glasses of this local lager are enjoyed by both locals and tourists from as little as 0.20 to 0.50 AUD (0.14-0.34 USD) a glass. Even a pint of craft beer from a premium brewery like East West in Ho Chi Minh City will set you back just 4-5 AUD.
2. Coffee
The Vietnamese have perfected coffee culture to a point where it rivals even Melbourne or Milan. A basic Vietnamese coffee, with the usual addition of sweetened condensed milk, will set you back just 1.6 AUD. But a popular Hanoi delicacy is an ‘Egg Coffee’ which is the yolk of an egg, machine-whisked with milk, then poured over an Americano. Depending on where you are, this will range from 2-3 AUD. For a coffee experience like no other, try Lacaph Espresso Bar in Ho Chi Minh City where they’ve concocted a double espresso, lemon rind-soaked soda water, and kaffir lime-infused honey. Trust us, it’s worth every bit of the 3 AUD.
3. Flights
With the introduction of the new international and domestic carrier Bamboo Airways, flights between Australia and Vietnam have become even cheaper. The carrier has not just put pressure on competitors Jetstar and Vietnam Airlines, their domestic flights are incredibly affordable too. Pick up a direct, return flight between Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City in March 2023 from 700 AUD. In the same month, fly between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from just 97 AUD per person.
4. Ground transport
Vietnam’s Uber equivalent, Grab, is not only ridiculously cheaper, it’s also way more efficient. That’s because most of the ridesharing is done on the back of a scooter or motorbike. A trip across the entire Old Quarter of Hanoi on the back of a Grab (with a helmet supplied) will set you back about 2-3 AUD.
5. Food
Vietnam's 'pho' (Photo: VNA) The average price for a bowl of steaming, hot, delicious ‘pho’ (noodle) is about 2.5 AUD in Hanoi. While the price of a ‘banh mi’ (bread) ranges from about 0.5 AUD to 1.5 AUD. There are hundreds of banh mi shops around the city, but you can tell a joint is popular just by looking at the lunch lines. Most Vietnamese sleep during the hot part of the afternoon and then hunt out lunch after that.
6. Accommodations
You don’t have to spend much to live like a King or Queen in Vietnam. If you’re looking ahead to March or April next year, a night at the five-star Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel in Hanoi will set you back just 160 AUD including breakfast. Looking for something even cheaper? The Mayflower in Hanoi is a very affordable 29 AUD per night.
7. Grooming & Pampering
It isn’t a trip to Southeast Asia without a pampering session. Facials, pedicures, massages, and skin-close shaves are all part of the experience. You can get a two-hour spa package from Serene Spa in Hanoi from 70 AUD which includes a herbal foot soaking, manicure, pedicure, facial, massage, and sauna experience. For the blokes, a basic haircut, wash, clean shave, local beer and head and shoulders massage will set you back 28 AUD at Brothers Boutique in Ho Chi Minh City./.
