In spite of a middle-income country, Vietnam is a preferable tourist destination due to reasonable prices for a tour there. This could be seen very clearly in Hanoi, the capital of the country, although the locals have to agree that the cost of living is quite high in comparison with their earnings. If you want to rejoice in a journey in Hanoi on a budget, this is also feasible but firstly, you need to know how to do that exactly.
Why do I assure this issue? In fact, some travelers sometimes spend more money than they should have done owning to the lack of experience. For example, if you don’t negotiate with local sellers for a price of your favorite souvenir, perhaps you will pay twice as much as the real value of the product. Therefore, when you follow such useful methods below, I believe that you are likely to spend merely around 50 USD/day on discovering Hanoi.
1. Accommodation
Price: 5-20 USD/person
Thanks to the development of tourism industry in Hanoi, the birth of numerous hotels in the inner city has led to the decrease in the price for a rent room. Apart from budget hotels very common in Hoan Kiem District, hostels are also available there to diversify your suitable selections. In the case you are a single traveler, a dormitory in the hostel is not a bad choice. Moreover, if lucky, you will make new friends too. But for hotels, it would be better on the condition that you have some companions. Hopefully, certain cheap hotels in Hanoi allow you to live with 1 or 2 individuals in the same room. Some suggestive locations are:
– Hotel Des Arts – The Noble
Address: No.98 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem District
– Hanoi Rocks Hostel
Address: No. 56 Hang Duong Street, Hoan Kiem District
– Cheetah Hostel
Address: No. 117 Hang Bac Street, Hoan Kiem District
2. Transportation
Price: based on what you prefer
Regrettably, subways don’t exist in Hanoi at the moment. That’s why for those who love public means of transport, buses are their only choice. The ticket fare is fixed at under 0.5 USD/route, very affordable, but you must understand some Vietnamese words to make sure that you can know where you will arrive finally.
Taxis are ubiquitous in the city, but for traveling in Hanoi on a budget, favoring Ubers and Grabs is greater. Nonetheless, the majority of Vietnamese drivers are not really good in English. As a consequence, in my opinion, the best and simplest way of transportation is to rent a bike. Because of a short distance between Hanoi attractions, you can ride around the capital to view them within a day. Meanwhile, the fee you have to pay is about 4 USD/day. Some hotels and hostels also provide this services.
3. Meal
Price: 2-3USD/meal/person
Thanks to tropical weather causing the diversity of plants and animals, travelers can experience the abundance of food and drinks in Vietnam. Plus amazing recipes passed down from many generations, many of them are stunned by the flavors inside Vietnamese dishes. That is not to mention the price since you usually have to pay 2-3 USD/meal in a restaurant. Of course, such a low cost is only offered by budget eateries, but they still guarantee all standards of food hygiene. You can find high-qualify restaurants in Ly Quoc Su Street and Cha Ca Street in the Old Quarter, or the north of Hai Ba Trung District. Some suggestive sites are:
– Huong Lien Restaurant
Address: No.24 Le Van Huu Street, Hai Ba Trung District
– Pho Thin
Address: No.13 Lo Duc Street, Hai Ba Trung District,
– Cha Ca La Vong
Address: No.14 Cha Ca Street, Hoan Kiem District
I advise you to taste Pho, rice noodles with beef, for lunch, and Bun Cha, a type of kebab rice noodles, for dinner. Regarding to beverages, fresh beer is suggested in lots of lively bars in Ta Hien Street. In addition, street food is very inexpensive too, while the taste is superb. For instance, you can have breakfast with a piece of Banh My, traditional Vietnamese sandwich having the price of 1 USD. A journey to Hanoi on a budget is easily achievable, isn’t it?
4. Attractions
Price: 7-8 USD/day in total
As you mightn’t know, Hanoi has got several natural attractions for visitors, such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake and Red River. Admittedly, if you want to spend the whole day there, you will not be requested to pay anything. Apart from this, certain artificial places of interest, for instance, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi Ancient Gate and Long Bien Bridge, allow you to enter with no ticket. By the way, you should ask the securities firstly to assure whether a ticket is required.
However, in the case you continue your trip at Ho Chi Minh Stilt House, Jade Mountain Temple, Hoa Lo Prison or any museum in the city center, a small sum of money must be paid. Fortunately, the price for an entry ticket is pretty low, averagely 2 USD/attraction/person. The total expenditure for excursion is dependent on how many tourist spots you visit, but I think it doesn’t exceed 8 USD/day because you will need a great deal of time to explore an attraction.
5. Shopping
Price: From 1 USD/product
The final leisure activity for a trip in Hanoi on a budget could be shopping. Based on a variety of cultural aspects that have been built up for over a century, the city comprises countless souvenirs and addictive objects to gratify shopaholics entirely. On the condition that you still pay attention to your pocket, you can acquire something economical but enough to become a meaningful gift for your loved one. The must-visit shopping destination is Dong Xuan Market in the north of the Old Quarter. At night, thousands of clothes shops, gift stores and groceries emerge to meet the high demand for souvenirs. Fascinatingly, you can attain awesome things with merely 1 USD, such as paper fans, palm-leaf conical hats, and small statue, there.
If you cannot present in Dong Xuan Market, Night Market in the Old Quarter could be an alternative. The event is only hold on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it stretches from Hang Dao Street to the vicinity of Dong Xuan Market. Sometimes, musical performances are demonstrated for free. So do not miss this one once you live in Hanoi.
Silverware, jewelry, ceramic decorations, silk products are obtainable too, but you are able to find them more easily in some streets in the Old Quarter. Dating back to hundreds of years, the Old Quarter was formed on the basis of 36 streets each of which was famous for a product. Although this feature has still remained in very few roads, some highly appreciated shops for silverware and jewelry have been shown up in Hang Bac Street, those for silk clothes in Hang Gai Street, and ceramic appliances in Hang Trong Street.
Conclusion for a trip in Hanoi on a budget
Generally, after attempting to do what I propose in this writing, my friends completed perfectly their journeys in Hanoi on a budget. They also save up sufficient money that finances an extra adventure in the outskirts, expanding the time they dwell in the city. As a consequence, why don’t you imitate them to enjoy your striking holiday there? Ultimately, that will not be a letdown.
