Five seasoned travellers offer tips for keeping costs down when travelling in Vietnam \u2013 and Southeast Asia more generally.<\/em><\/p>\n Sunny weather, superb beaches and friendly people \u2013 these are just some of the reasons Southeast Asia is so popular. But the region is also incredibly affordable, enabling those on a budget to travel for weeks, or even months.<\/p>\n However, if you\u2019re not careful, you can wind up spending more than you bargained for.<\/p>\n In this article, a group of five season travellers offer their tips for controlling costs across Southeast Asia, but with a particular focus on Vietnam. We join them around the dinner table in Da Nang, central Vietnam\u2019s beachside metropolis.<\/p>\n Koko, from Japan, emphasises the importance of finding cheap or fee-free ATMs<\/strong>: \u201cHere in Vietnam the cost of ATMs varies a lot. Some \u2013 like BIDV \u2013 are quite expensive, while others don\u2019t charge anything. For example, VP Bank and TP Bank are often used by foreigners \u2013 because they don\u2019t charge a withdrawal fee.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Koko also reminds visitors that the withdrawal limits in Vietnam are quite low \u2013 usually 3,000,000 (95 GBP) or 5,000,000 (160GBP). Koko says: \u201cIf you need a large amount of cash, you can just put your card bank in the ATM and take out more. But only do this at a fee-free ATM, or you\u2019ll be spending a lot on fees.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Koko also recommends The Marine Sky Bar in Da Nang<\/a>: \u201cThey offer some great deals on cocktails \u2013 and the views are fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n UK-based Patrick is a big fan of using Google Lens to translate menus<\/strong> \u2013 eliminating the \u2018lucky dip\u2019 element that often comes with overseas dining.<\/p>\n Patrick also suggests buying a cheap phone for going out in the evenings<\/strong>, and keeping your \u2018good\u2019 phone in the hotel (with the UK SIM card inside it): \u201cThis means you\u2019ll still have access to banking etc. if your cheap phone gets lost or stolen,\u201d explains Patrick.<\/em><\/p>\n He also underlines the importance of seeking out happy hours<\/strong> to control socialising costs.<\/p>\n Ellie, also from the UK, recommends exploring areas away from the tourist hotspots<\/strong>, where food and drinks are invariably cheaper.<\/p>\n Ellie also gives the local markets of Da Nang<\/strong> a big thumbs up \u2013 \u201cThe riverside night market in Da Nang<\/a> sells allsorts \u2013 everything from phone protectors to colourful lanterns and nodding buddhas \u2013 at super-low prices. It also has a great atmosphere.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Scottish Craig highlights the importance of finding a low-cost way of withdrawing cash<\/strong> from ATMs in Southeast Asia. Craig explains: \u201cYour regular debit card is likely to charge high fees for overseas withdrawals. It\u2019s best to plan a head before your trip and take out a prepaid credit card or debit card that is designed for use abroad<\/strong>. You could save a surprising amount.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Craig doesn\u2019t recommend taking UK cash with you and then exchanging it while abroad.<\/strong> He says: \u201cIt\u2019s a real hassle to find reputable, low-cost money changers, and even if you find good ones you\u2019ll probably end up paying as much as you would by using ATMs. It\u2019s also not a good idea to carry a lot of cash with you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Cost-conscious Lee, from Plymouth, suggests using hotel water coolers to fill up water bottles<\/strong>: \u201cThe cost of buying water at convenience stores can quickly mount up.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n For those seeking to travel long-term, Lee suggests renting rooms, apartments and motorbikes for longer periods<\/strong>. \u201cPaying for a month in advance can be half the cost of staying in hotels \u2013 especially in places like Da Nang. And if you plan to rent a motorbike, try to start the contract on the same day as you begin your apartment stay \u2013 that way you\u2019ll get maximum use of your motorbike.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Kerry McCarthy is a Writer, Editor, Artist & Breathwork Instructor who loves to travel. Sadly, she didn\u2019t travel to Vietnam to meet with this lovely lot, but she did catch up with them virtually to get these great money-saving tips to share with you!<\/p>\n You can find out more about her adventures over on instagram at @kerrymccarthystars<\/a><\/p>\n Wishing I was in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If something happens on holidays and you DON\u2019T have \u00a0travel insurance, it could be very costly indeed!<\/p>\n We have specialist travel insurance policies to suit a range of budgets and needs. All of our policies come with 24\/7 multilingual helpline access and each policy can be tailored to suit your unique needs, no matter where in the world you are!<\/p>\n Get in <\/b>touch with us for a quote<\/b><\/a> or call us on 01892 833338<\/b><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Picture](\"https:\/\/www.worldwideinsure.com\/travel-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/pic2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nKoko<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Patrick<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nEllie<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Craig<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Lee<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Travel Writer Bio<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nGet Thrifty \u2013 Get Travel Insurance!<\/b><\/h2>\n