Vietnam sightseeing on a budget

Doing Vietnam on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Japanese Bridge, Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Experience in Hoi An. Activities in this plan start from about $4.

What kind of trip
Pace
How long
How much do you want to spend

Price bands are thirds of what Vietnam itself charges, not a fixed dollar figure - the cheapest third in Vietnam and in Norway are nowhere near the same number. Flights and accommodation are not included.

Your 5-day sightseeing plan for Vietnam

Where you stayDa Nang 3 nightsHue 2 nightsabout 80 km between them

5 days · packed · 8 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $50

  1. Day 1 Da Nang

    1. Japanese Bridge in Hoi An, Vietnam

      morning

      Japanese Bridge

      Hoi An

      Bridge in Hoi An, Vietnam.

      Just turn up
    2. Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Experience in Hoi An in Hoi An, Vietnam

      afternoon

      Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Experience in Hoi An

      4.77,159 reviewsHoi An · from $5

    3. Han River by Night on My Xuan Cruise in Da Nang in Da Nang, Vietnam

      evening

      Han River by Night on My Xuan Cruise in Da Nang

      4.52,988 reviewsDa Nang · from $4

    4. Boat Ride Ticket and Release Lantern at Hoai river in Hoi An in Hoi An, Vietnam

      evening

      Boat Ride Ticket and Release Lantern at Hoai river in Hoi An

      4.44,390 reviewsHoi An · from $7

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Ba Le Market

      A daily market, open 5am to 7pm.

      Hoi An · 2.6 km away

    • Lunch

      Hoi An Food Court

      Stalls selling Thai and Vietnamese.

      Hoi An · 0.3 km away

  2. Day 2 Da Nang

    1. Han River by Night by Phu Quy Cruise in Da Nang in Da Nang, Vietnam

      morning

      Han River by Night by Phu Quy Cruise in Da Nang

      4.0181 reviewsDa Nang · from $4

    2. Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum in Hoi An, Vietnam

      afternoon

      Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum

      Hoi An · 0.5 km from Han River by Night by Phu Quy Cruise in Da Nang

      Museum located in Hoi An, Vietnam.

    3. My Khe Beach in Da Nang, Vietnam

      evening

      My Khe Beach

      Da Nang · 23.5 km from Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum

      Beach in Da Nang.

      Just turn up
    4. Explore Han River by Night by 7STARS Cruise Da Nang in Da Nang, Vietnam

      evening

      Explore Han River by Night by 7STARS Cruise Da Nang

      3.7346 reviewsDa Nang · from $5

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Phước Mỹ market

      A daily market, open 5am to 6pm.

      Da Nang · 0.6 km away

    • Lunch

      Chợ Nam Phước market

      A daily market, open 4am to 9pm.

      Hoi An · 6.4 km away

    • Dinner

      Son Tra Night Market

      An evening market, open 6pm to 11pm.

      Da Nang · 1.9 km away

  3. Day 3 Da Nang

    1. Museum of Cham Sculpture in Da Nang, Vietnam

      morning

      Museum of Cham Sculpture

      Da Nang

      Museum in Da Nang, Vietnam.

      Just turn up
    2. Hai Van Pass in Da Nang, Vietnam

      afternoon

      Hai Van Pass

      Da Nang · 17.2 km from Museum of Cham Sculpture

      Mountain pass near Da Nang.

      Just turn up
    3. Hoi An Museum in Hoi An, Vietnam

      evening

      Hoi An Museum

      Hoi An · 40.3 km from Hai Van Pass

      History museum in Hội An, Vietnam.

    4. Trees Spa: Hair Wash & Massage Experience in Da Nang in Da Nang, Vietnam

      eveningalso worth doing

      Trees Spa: Hair Wash & Massage Experience in Da Nang

      4.81,049 reviewsDa Nang · from $9

  4. Day 4 Hue

    1. Travel day

      Da Nang to Hue

      About 80 km by road · allow around 2h

      Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.

      Book direct
    2. Thiên Mụ Temple in Hue, Vietnam

      afternoon

      Thiên Mụ Temple

      Hue

      Historical temple in Vietnam. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

      Just turn up
    3. Experience Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs in Hue City in Hue, Vietnam

      eveningalso worth doing

      Experience Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs in Hue City

      Hue · from $8

    4. Maia Wellness Spa & Massage Experience in Hue in Hue, Vietnam

      eveningalso worth doing

      Maia Wellness Spa & Massage Experience in Hue

      Hue · from $8

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Đông Ba Market

      A traditional market in Huế, Vietnam.

      Hue · 5.1 km away

    • Lunch

      Chợ Thuận Hoà

      A daily market, open 5am to 5pm.

      Hue · 3.5 km away

  5. Day 5 Hue

    1. Phủ Cam Cathedral in Hue, Vietnam

      morning

      Phủ Cam Cathedral

      Hue

      Church in Huế, Vietnam.

      Just turn up
    2. Imperial City of Hue in Hue, Vietnam

      afternoon

      Imperial City of Hue

      Hue · 2.2 km from Phủ Cam Cathedral

      Walled enclosure within the citadel of Huế, Vietnam. Dates from 1833.

      Just turn up
    3. Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts in Hue, Vietnam

      evening

      Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts

      Hue · 0.5 km from Imperial City of Hue

      Museum in Vietnam.

      Just turn up
    4. Tomb of Khai Dinh in Hue, Vietnam

      evening

      Tomb of Khai Dinh

      Hue · 8.1 km from Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts

      Royal tomb of the Nguyễn dynasty in Vietnam. Dates from 1920. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

      Just turn up

    Where to eat

    • Breakfast

      Chợ An Cựu

      A daily market, open 8am to 6pm.

      Hue · 1.5 km away

    • Lunch

      Cống Market

      A daily market, open 5am to 9pm.

      Hue · 1.9 km away

Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the sightseeing theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in Vietnam.

Before you fly to Vietnam

The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are Vietnam's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.

Entry

Yes - Australians need a visa for Vietnam.

Vietnam visa and entry rules

Passport

Vietnam wants 6 months of validity beyond the day you arrive. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.

Check your passport against this rule

Your checklist

21 things to sort for Vietnam, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.

Vietnam travel checklist

  • Passport valid - at least 6 months from your date of arrival
  • Apply for your Vietnam E-visa (single or multiple entry)
  • Take out travel insurance

Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.

Sort these before you go

The two things worth having arranged before a sightseeing trip to Vietnam, compared on price.

Vietnam airport transfers

Klook

Private transfer

40k
25-50 min24/7Door-to-door
$22 AUD

Bus 109 to Ben Thanh Cheapest

Air-conditioned and runs to District 1.

45-60 minEvery 20 minDirect
$1 AUD

Grab Best value

Designated Grab pickup zone. By far the easiest option.

25-50 min24/7Door-to-door
$8 AUD

Driving in Vietnam

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Car hire in Vietnam

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Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.

Budget sightseeing questions

What counts as budget here?

The lowest-priced third of everything worth doing in that country, measured against that country's own prices rather than a fixed dollar figure. A budget day in Norway and a budget day in Vietnam are not the same number, and pretending otherwise would just describe the exchange rate.

Does a cheaper plan mean a worse one?

No, and the ordering is the same either way: everything is ranked on its review score first, so a budget plan is the best-reviewed cheap things rather than the cheapest things. Flights and accommodation are not included in any of these figures.

Are the big landmarks worth the queue?

Some are, some are not, and the difference is usually timing rather than the place. Where a timed ticket exists the plan flags it, because the same sight at nine in the morning and at midday are different experiences.

How much sightseeing needs a car?

It depends on the destination, and the plan tells you which items sit outside the main city. If you are driving, check the International Driving Permit rules for the country first - several require one alongside your Australian licence.

Other ways to do Vietnam

Sightseeing trips in other countries

Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.

All sightseeing itineraries

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