Mini-Retirement Update: 3 Weeks in Vietnam and August Finances

The Golden Bridge in Da Nang and view from the junk boat in Halong Bay

 

Giant Buddha in Nha Trang

 

One of My Favorite Countries

The last few weeks since my last mini-retirement update have been quite the whirlwind since leaving Phnom Penh, Cambodia back in the beginning of August. After taking a bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, I spent 3 weeks in Vietnam, and I can easily say it was one of the best countries I’ve visited and definitely my favorite of the Southeast Asia destinations I’ve been to since starting this mini-retirement back at the end of May.

There were so many great aspects of traveling Vietnam that it would be way too much to list them all, but here are a few of the highlights:

• Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Out of just about any country I have ever visited, the Vietnamese were probably the most friendly and hospitable to visitors. There were a few exceptions in areas that were heavily tourist-focused, but despite the somewhat dark history between Vietnam and America, just about everyone greets American tourists with a smile and enthusiasm. Most Vietnamese people are curious to practice English and here about what life is like in the U.S.
• Awesome food. Bahn mi, pho, Bun cha, roast pork, fresh seafood, coffee, so many rice noodles and much more!
• Beaches and scenery. Though not the same as the Thai beaches, Vietnam has incredible coastline and jungle areas that are fairly untouched by tourism making it a much more authentic experience.
• Culture was a big aspect of what set Vietnam apart. There is so much to learn and experience by just spending a few weeks in the country, speaking with the locals and enjoying the food and sites.

 

 

A few of my favorite food and drinks. Coconut cream coffee, pho bo (beef noodle soup) and fruit smoothie

It wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine though, and actually there were some pretty tough times that we went through during the past few weeks. On our last day in Phnom Penh, Lauren and I both were struck with a pretty bad case of food poisoning (her much worse than me). It made the bus trip to Vietnam and the first few days in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) pretty miserable. And what was even worse is that neither of us really got completely better the entire time we were in Vietnam. Minor stomach issues hung around for WEEKS, and it made enjoying the food and hot weather a lot more difficult, since it really zapped our energy and made us prone to dehydration. So anyone who tells you that living a life of travel on the road is all fun is probably not telling you the truth. There were many times we would’ve loved to be back in the comfort of home enjoying plain food and clean tap water….

We did end up going to a doctor in Nha Trang to make sure that we didn’t have any serious stomach issues. The hospital and doctors there were of a very high quality, especially just for treating food poisoning. We were able to see a doctor immediately and get some basic medicine and the bill was only $34! It still baffles me how we can allow medical care to be so expensive in the United States.

 

Hospital in Nha Trang

 

So over the course of our 3 weeks in Vietnam we hit a few different cities while traveling north up the coast, starting in Ho Chi Minh City and finishing in Hanoi, following this path:

 

HCMC (Saigon) —> Nha Trang —> Quy Nhon —-> Hoi An/Da Nang —> Hanoi —> Halong Bay

 

We took trains in between each city except for Da Nang to Hanoi, which was an hour-long flight that cost $50/each. The cost of the trains ranged from $10/each for a second-class trip from Saigon to Nha Trang, to $20/each for a first-class trip from Quy Nhon to Da Nang. Overall the trains were actually pretty good and a very interesting experience. They had air-conditioning, bathrooms (though not always the cleanest) and food service. At one stop, a group of farmers hopped onto the train and were selling everyone fresh fruit. We passed on the fruit, but many of the locals were buying it by the box!

 

Trains in Vietnam second-class. Lauren made a friend 🙂

 

If I had to choose, my favorite destinations were Quy Nhon and Halong Bay/Hanoi. Quy Nhon is a small beach city in Central Vietnam which does not have a lot of tourist activity, so we were definitely a rare sight for the locals who greeted us with much enthusiasm and curiosity. Hanoi was just a great food and culture city that was not too modern, and then Halong Bay had incredible views. I’d highly recommend hitting these locations if you plan a trip to Vietnam.

So now I’m sure you’re wondering how much it cost to spend 3 weeks in Vietnam…

 

Famous circle boats on a beach in Quy Nhon. No other tourists in site!

 

August Finances

 

 

 

Vietnam was a very reasonable in terms of cost and probably the cheapest country I’ve been to in Southeast Asia. This is probably due to the fact that we did not spend as much time in highly-touristed destinations, and Vietnam in general doesn’t have as many tourists as Thailand or some areas in Cambodia. For the first 28 days of August, I spent AUD$1,484 which is about USD$1,100.

Here are a few baseline numbers for what things cost for us while we were in Vietnam (prices are lower than this in small cities and non-tourist areas, but it bit more in big cities and tourist areas):

• Nice room with private bathroom and air-conditioning for about USD$20/night
• Trains for USD$10-20/per person depending on distance traveled and cabin class
• Meal and drink from casual restaurant or street food for USD$3-$5/per person
• Use Grab ride-sharing app to get a 5-10 minute ride for about USD$1-2

 

Now the USD$1,484 was not the total for what I spent during the month, but what I spent on Vietnam. In the last few weeks, we had to book AirBnb accommodation in Italy for September because it’s high season and most rooms are booked up already. This was cost about AUD$1,000, which was paid upfront but will not be realized until September when we stay there, so I’m actually putting it into my September finances. Then I also got a great deal on 2 flights from London to Chicago in November, which only cost USD$500 on Norwegian Air. This was paid for in August, but I’ll be putting this expense into my November finances (fancy accounting trick haha).

I’m sad to think that my mini-retirement travels will be coming to an end in mid-November right before Thanksgiving, but after seeing how expensive Europe is, I don’t think I could stomach paying the high prices with no income for too long!

 

What’s Next?

 

After leaving Vietnam on August 28th, we flew from Hanoi to Rome via Doha on Qatar Airways. These flights were pretty expensive at USD$700/each for one-way tickets, but it’s peak holiday season for travel to Europe so this wasn’t a surprise.

We’ll be spending one month in Italy, with the first few weeks spent hitting the sites in Rome, Florence and Pisa, followed by 10 days doing another Workaway where we will be volunteering at an agriturismo in Northern Tuscany. I’ve already completely adjusted to the Italian life of wandering the old cities, checking out the sites, eating the great food and drinking the wine!

 

Really adjusting well to Italian living

After Italy, it’s on to Germany and Oktoberfest in Munich, followed by a few more weeks seeing the sites Germany. From there, it’s likely off to Poland (an underrated and cheap country as I’ve been told), France, the Netherlands and then finishing off in England. With our first full month in Europe coming up, it’ll be interesting to see how we are able to stick to our AUD$100/day budget per person. It’s already overwhelming how expensive everything is, but I’m sure we’ll make it work!

Question: Have you done much budget travel in Europe? Have any tips for a fellow traveler?

Leave a comment or send me an email!

NYPFGuy