Needless to say, Vietnam is now a first-class tourist destination. But before discovering the most famous sites – the magnificent Halong Bay, the national park of Phong Nha Khe Bang, Hoï An, Tam Coc or the seductive Hanoi – it is necessary to learn about the country. There are several possibilities depending on your destination and your budget. But to make sure you don’t spend too much, there are several options available to you. Departure date, destination, with or without stopover, to prepare your trip to Vietnam at best, here are a few tips.
How to go to Vietnam?
There are several solutions to go to Vietnam and of course, the simplest is undoubtedly the plane. It will take long hours on a direct flight to go to the “Dragon of Asia”.
If you don’t mind a stopover, there is a wider choice of airlines: Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Thai Airways, KLM… The journey will then take more than 15 hours from Europe.
The country has four international airports that currently receive aircraft. They are Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City – also known as Saigon -, Noi Bai in Hanoi, Cam Ranh in Nha Trang and Da Nang (Danang) in the locality of the same name. The largest of these is Ho-Chi-Minh-Ville with its 15 million passengers per year. Located in the south of the country, it allows us to reach Vietnam easily. To the north is Hanoi Airport with its 3.5 million passengers a year. Smaller, it makes it possible to discover the local richness without having to take a bus or a train from the largest city in the country which is Ho-Chi-Minh City. In the center, Danang airport and Nha Trang airport are the two airports with the smallest number of passengers. However, they can be very useful to avoid having to cross the country.
From your country, the airports of Hanoi and Saigon are the most served.
It is also possible to reach Vietnam by sea or train. However, these means of transport are very time-consuming. For the boat, you will have to look for a cargo ship – from Le Havre for example – and wait nearly a month before putting your luggage down. And even if the trip is long, the fares are not much more interesting than with a Vietnam plane ticket. However, these ships are becoming increasingly rare.
For the train, you will have to pay a large sum and travel through Germany, Poland, Russia, and China, which means almost 260 hours and several stops – you may have to add hotels to your trip. It is therefore much better to use the airplane, which is much faster and reasonably priced. It is indeed possible to find a ticket to land in Ho Chi Minh City or around 620 for Hanoi. There are nevertheless several possibilities to find a cheap flight to Vietnam. Discover them here!
Vietnam good deals
In some countries, several flights take place weekly. But prices can vary greatly depending on when you book, your destination and the date of your trip.
Flights with one stopover are the most economical and you can save more money if you book this type of trip to both Hanoi and Saigon. Another solution for a cheap Vietnam trip, as we have just seen: arrive in Ho-Chi-Minh-Ville. Regular flights to this destination are the cheapest from your country and you can save for a stay on the same date. Travel to the other two Vietnamese airports is throughout the year more expensive, sometimes more than 200 euros.
If your destination is not Greater Saigon, you can, of course, use the local connections between airports. You have the possibility to book a flight to Danang to visit Hue or Hoi An at best. The prices of these interregional connections are interesting and allow you to return to your destination without having to empty your wallet. You can book them from France by comparing prices on the net and by booking directly.
In addition to your airport of arrival, the date of your stay will also affect the rate. A flight from your country of origin to Vietnam will cost you the least for a departure in March and May – March being the least expensive. Fares for a round trip to Ho-Chi-Minh-Ville then start at 500 euros – 505 for the month of May. November and June are also periods to select for cheap tickets. A trip in November will cost you an average of 520 euros, while in June it will cost you 540 euros. Conversely, December, August, and July offer very high fares. Prices can rise to more than 800 euros, especially in July. This also applies to other destinations.
Booking your Vietnam ticket in advance is also an excellent option to save money. Count on 2 to 3 months before the date of travel to Hanoi or Danang and 6 to 7 months for Saigon, as the airport is much busier. Be aware that the peak season in Vietnam is between November and early April. Flights fill up very quickly as soon as they are available, so don’t delay. Avoid leaving on weekends and public holidays – both French and Vietnamese – but also during school holidays. Ticket prices are then higher. Little tip for a low fare: leave on Tuesdays. Getting behind your computer and reserving a Monday – for Hanoi – or a Tuesday – for Saigon – can also save you a few euros. Finally, a return flight is always cheaper than a one-way trip purchased separately.
If you want to explore the country’s main tourist sites without spending too much, it can also be useful to opt for a Vietnam tour. In this case, everything is included and tour operators can negotiate the best prices for your trips from your country and Vietnam. This is an excellent solution to travel to Vietnam cheaply.
