Vietnam

Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia's cheapest destinations. Street food costs $1–2, excellent meals $3–5, and mid-range hotels $25–50. You can travel very comfortably on $40–60 per day.

Carry Vietnamese Dong cash for daily spends. Cash is still king for street food, markets, Grab rides and small vendors, while Visa and Mastercard work mainly in hotels, malls and larger restaurants in cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Indian UPI is not yet live for payments in Vietnam, so do not rely on PhonePe or Google Pay at shops. A practical budget is around USD 40 a day for mid-range travel; Fly Goldfinch can pre-pay hotels, transfers and tours so you mostly carry cash only for meals and small purchases.

Apply for an e-visa through the official Vietnam Immigration portal. It costs $25, takes 3 working days, and allows single entry for 30 days.

Yes. The earlier 30-day visa-free arrangement and the loophole of entering visa-free via Phu Quoc have been narrowed in 2026, so Indian travellers now need an e-visa for any trip that touches mainland Vietnam. Apply on the official portal evisa.gov.vn; the e-visa costs about USD 25 for single entry (around INR 2,100) or USD 50 for multiple entry, with a stay of up to 90 days. Visa-free entry only survives if you fly directly to Phu Quoc, stay only on the island, and exit straight to another country. Fly Goldfinch files and tracks the e-visa for you so the right category is applied before you book flights.

The e-visa is normally processed in 3 to 5 working days, but you should submit the application at least 7 working days before departure to absorb delays. Your Indian passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival date and have at least two blank pages. You apply entirely online at evisa.gov.vn with a clear scan of the passport photo page (JPEG under 2 MB), so no embassy or VFS visit is required.

Direct flights run from Delhi, Mumbai and other metros on IndiGo, Air India, VietJet and Vietnam Airlines, taking roughly 4.5 to 5 hours to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Indian food is widely available, including dedicated vegetarian and Jain restaurants such as Gujarat Indian Restaurant (multiple branches), Rama Krishna and Tadka in Hanoi, and Makhan Bhog and Tanishq in Ho Chi Minh City. This makes Vietnam comfortable for families, honeymooners and groups who want familiar meals; Fly Goldfinch can plan stays near these options and customise the itinerary around your dietary needs.