Vietnam From Australia: Real Costs, 10-Day Itinerary & Insider Tips (2026)

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, Halong Bay, Hoi An lanterns and street food worth flying for — the honest Aussie guide to Vietnam in 2026 with real AUD pricing.

Vietnam is having its moment with Australians — direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have made it cheaper and easier than ever to visit. And with the AUD strong against the dong, your money goes absurdly far.

The classic 10-day itinerary: Hanoi (3 nights) → Halong Bay overnight cruise (1 night) → Hoi An (3 nights) → Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights). North to south, you get the political capital, a UNESCO natural wonder, the most photogenic town in Southeast Asia, and the chaotic energy of HCMC.

Flight costs: direct Sydney-Ho Chi Minh on Vietjet from $650 return, Vietnam Airlines from $850. Melbourne-Ho Chi Minh from $700. Internal flights between Hanoi, Da Nang (for Hoi An) and Saigon are $40-80 one-way on Vietjet or Bamboo Airways.

Daily costs that will surprise you: a beautiful 4-star hotel room in Hoi An is $60-90 AUD/night. A bowl of pho from a street vendor is $2-3. A hand-tailored suit in Hoi An: $150-300 (and yes, it'll actually fit). A full-day private guide with car: $80-120.

Halong Bay tip: skip the day trips from Hanoi. They're 4 hours each way for 3 hours on the water. Instead, do an overnight cruise on a boutique boat (Indochine Junk, Bhaya Cruises) for $250-400pp all-inclusive. You'll wake up in the middle of limestone karsts with breakfast on deck. Worth every dollar.

Best time to go: November to April is dry season across most of the country, but Vietnam is long — the north (Hanoi, Halong) gets cool and misty in January-February (still beautiful), while the south stays warm year-round. April-May is shoulder with great prices and good weather everywhere.

Total trip cost from Australia (10 days, mid-range): $2,800-3,800 AUD per person all-in. That includes flights, hotels, internal transport, food, activities, and a Halong Bay cruise. Almost no other international destination delivers this much for the money.

Our Vietnam Escape package starts at $1,337 AUD pp (land only) — see /vietnam-escape for the full breakdown including per-city flight surcharges. Or get a fully custom quote tailored to your dates.