Story: Vietnam: Adventures for Frugal Travelers

I am standing at an ATM in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam scooping up tens of thousands of Dong, the Vietnamese currency. It feels as if I have just hit the jackpot in Vegas. I try to stuff the paper currency into my wallet but it is so fat that it won’t close.

For the first time in my life, I feel rich. That is until I figure out what the 50,000 Dong I just pulled out of the machine is worth in dollars. About three dollars. The exchange rate for one USD is about 16,000 Dong. This means that one US cent is worth 167 Dong.

Oh, well. I have three dollars to spend. How far will it get me?

The good news is that in Vietnam, 50,00 Dong will get you a lot. A taxi ride across town, a few local beers , a bowl of noodles and a soft drink. Vietnam is one of the most affordable international travel destinations out there. And I have comparision shopped, having just returned from a four month voyage circumnavigating the globe on a ship with visits to 11 different ports on four continents.

Rand, Rupee, Yen, Yuan, Ringgit, Real, Dong, Dollars-- I’ve spent them all. Though I’m not the most frugal traveler, I know a bargain when I see one. And travel in Vietnam is a bargain.

I’ll start with transportation. Most Vietnamese don’t have cars because the tax on them is too expensive. But the Vietnamese manage to get around quite well, on all maner of vehicles from mopeds, to oxcarts, cyclos, rickshaw, bicycles and foot. It’s not unusual to see entire families of four or five riding together on the back of a motor scooter.

Crossing the street in Ho Chi Minh City is a harrowing experience. Usually there are about 15 “lanes” of traffic. The idea is to either follow a local or just keep going and let the stream of bikes, scooters and cyclos part around you like the Red Sea.

My decision to take a cyclo ride around Ho Chi Minh City was the most cost effective travel adventure of my entire four-month journey. A cyclo is a pedal powered vehicle with a low seat in front for the passengers and a bicycle type saddle in back for the driver.

A cyclo ride in heavily congested Ho Chi Minh City gives passengers an eye level view of every possible traffic accident. Once you get used to this perspective, the fear subsides a bit. The average cost is 50 US cents per kilometer. (Taxis average 45 US cents per kilometer while it costs about 1 USD to rent a bike for a day).

I was advised to bargain and to expect to pay the equivalent of about 6 USD for a one-hour ride around the city. Though my driver was willing to accept 100,000 Dong or 6 USD I decided to pay him 160, 000 Dong or 10 USD. I guess all those Dong were making me rather generous.

My driver was a very pleasant man who had been driving a cyclo for more than 20 years. Though he didn't speak more than a few words of English and my Vietnamese is non existent, we got along famously.

He pedaled me all around the city in hot, sticky weather, pointing out sights and stopping wherever I asked him to stop. He even posed for photos and videos. In the end I tipped him an extra 100,000 Dong. It was worth every penny. And I can also tell my friends that In gave someone a 100,000 tip! (They don't need the details).

Shopping is also an affordable adventure. One of the best buys is clothing. There are many dressmaking and tailor shops where travelers can get measured and have suits and dresses hand made. The quality is excellent and the turn around time can be less than a day.

The Ao Dai, the traditional Vietnamese silk tunic and matching pants for women can be hand tailored for about 15 to 30 USD. Seamstresses will also copy high fashion styles from magazines at bargain prices.

Shoes are also a great deal. My favorite pair of pink bejeweled heels cost about 12 USD at a truck stop shop. Mens’ suits can be hand tailored for 80 to 100 USD. One young man I know had three suits tailored—two for job interviews and one bright yellow suit for fun.

Other items of clothing:

• Silk ties costs 3 to 7 USD
• *T shirts cost 8 to 15 USD

Now for food. Of all the food in all 11 ports I visited, Vietnamese food wins hand down, both for taste as well as cost. Restaurants vary, from street stalls to cafes and family restaurants.

Dishes range from traditional Pho noodles which cost about 1 USD to more complex seafood and vegetarian meals that can range from 4 USD in a café to 6 USD in a local restaurant. In Hanoi, a city with a heavy French influence, meals are prepared with fresh ingredients and French flair and can range from 10 to 20 USD.

Other food items:

*Vietnamese coffee costs about 40 US cents
* Soft drinks cost 50 US cents
* local beer cost 25 US cents

Vietnam has something for every taste and even skinflints will jump for joy when they realize how much they can buy with their Dong. So, if you’re looking for an exotic and affordable Asian adventure, get to Vietnam before the prices go up.
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