Vietnam Trip Cost Breakdown: 5 Days in Ho Chi Minh City

This one is a throwback — I went to Ho Chi Minh City in July 2024. Sharing the itinerary and cost now, with the entry requirements updated for anyone planning the same trip in 2026.

For more Asia cost breakdowns in this same format, see my Japan (Osaka & Kyoto) and Seoul, South Korea guides.

Heads up: this post contains affiliate links. Booking through them may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Requirements for Vietnam (2026)

Good news first: Philippine passport holders travel to Vietnam visa-free for tourism, for stays of up to 21 days. What you actually need to prepare:

• eTravel QR code — this is the Philippine departure registration, not a Vietnam requirement. Fill it out within 72 hours (3 days) before your flight at etravel.gov.ph and save the QR code for check-in and immigration.
• Flight booking reference — airlines ask for it at check-in, and Vietnam immigration can ask for proof of onward or return travel, so have your return ticket handy.
• Passport valid at least 6 months beyond your travel dates.
• E-SIM — I booked mine through Klook (Agoda also sells them). Install it before you fly and activate on landing.
• Philippine travel tax — ₱1,620 full economy rate, payable via TIEZA online or at the airport.
• Some cash — bring a bit of USD to exchange; rates in the city (District 1) beat the airport.

Entry rules change — confirm the current visa-free window and documents before you book.

The Itinerary

Day 0 — June 29: Flight P8000 roundtrip

Evening flight into Tan Son Nhat, straight to the hotel in District 1.

Day 1 — June 30

• Tan Dinh Church (the pink church)
• Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)
• Cong Caphe — the coconut coffee is the one to order
• Ben Thanh Street Food Market
• Nguyen Hue Walking Street for dinner

Day 2 — July 1

• Full-day Mekong Delta excursion
• 7:30 AM departure, back around 5:30 PM

Day 3 — July 2

• Little Hanoi Egg Coffee
• The Cafe Apartment on Nguyen Hue — dessert, coffee, and the little boutiques floor by floor
• Afternoon shopping around District 1: Diamond Plaza, Vincom Center, the Catinat Building (local boutiques), and The New Playground
• Evening bus tour
• Dinner at Hoi An Sense

Day 4 — July 3

• Saigon Central Post Office
• Ho Chi Minh City Book Street
• Supermarket run for pasalubong
• Indochina dinner cruise on the Saigon River

What It Cost

Estimated total: ₱30,000–₱35,000 per person for the 5 days — flight, hotel in District 1, the Mekong Delta and cruise tours, food, coffee, and some shopping. Saigon is easy on the budget: street meals run cheap, Grab rides are short and inexpensive, and most of the District 1 sights are walkable or a few minutes apart. Rough exchange rate at the time: ₫10,000 ≈ ₱23.

Apps We Used

Only two, and that was enough:

Final Thoughts

Ho Chi Minh City is one of the easiest, cheapest trips you can do from Manila — short flight, visa-free, walkable District 1, and food that barely dents the budget. Two big tours (the Mekong Delta and the river cruise) plus daily coffee, shopping, and meals still landed comfortably in the ₱30,000–₱35,000 range per person. If you split a hotel with friends the way we did, it goes lower.

Book Your Own Trip

All the tours I did — the Mekong Delta day trip, the evening bus tour, the Indochina cruise, and the e-SIM — are in my Klook Kreator Shop, and my discount codes are below.