A group city tour in Nha Trang runs about $30, an island-hopping boat trip $35-50, and a two-day trip to Ho Chi Minh City from $180 per person. Book the exact same tours through a Russian-speaking hotel desk and you’ll pay two to three times more. If you’d rather skip the guesswork, our team at Vietnam Samurai Tour can line up honest excursions for your dates - just message us.
I’ve lived in Vietnam for years and bring friends over almost every month. I’ve watched the same day trip sold at triple the price depending on where you buy it. Here’s what things actually cost in 2026.
How much do Vietnam excursions actually cost?
A group city tour in Nha Trang costs $30, a snorkeling trip to the Northern Islands $35, and a boat trip to Swallow Island $50. A guided two-day tour to Ho Chi Minh City starts at $180 per person. These are mid-range 2026 prices for a seat in a group; private tours cost several times more, but the car is yours alone.
Prices swing with the season and - more than anything - with where you book. A Russian-speaking hotel guide is the most expensive option. The identical trip through an English-speaking agency or online drops by half or more.
Where should you book to avoid overpaying?
Excursions in Vietnam sell in three places: at the hotel desk, from street touts, and online through Tripster, Sputnik8, or Klook. The hotel is the priciest - a middleman adds margin on top of the guide’s rate. Online is the cheapest, and you can see the itinerary, read reviews, and message the guide before paying.
My rule: book city and island tours online in advance, and grab one-off experiences on the spot after a bit of haggling.
Working out which excursions are actually worth the money — and which are just a hotel desk padding its margin — is where I usually get involved. I’ve run these trips enough times to know the fair rate for your dates, and I can line up the honest operators so you skip the middleman entirely. Send me your dates on Telegram and I’ll tell you what’s worth booking.
Should you buy park tickets separately?
Yes - if you’re exploring on your own, buy entry tickets directly instead of through a tour. VinPearl in Nha Trang is 950,000 VND for adults and 710,000 for kids over 140 cm. Ba Na Hills near Da Nang is 950,000 VND per person, which already covers the cable car, the Golden Bridge, and the French Village. The Po Nagar Cham Towers are just 30,000 VND, plus 60,000 for a guide.
Park, reserve, and cable-car tickets are almost always cheaper on Klook than at the gate. The Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City cost 220,000 VND to enter, but 650,000 with an organized guided tour.
What do water activities cost in Vietnam?
Snorkeling with gear rental runs $20-25, diving $70-80, and a surf-school session $50 in a group or $70 private. A beach massage starts at $6, and a restaurant will cook the fish you caught for about $4.
These prices barely move between Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Da Nang. Haggling works at street stalls, but dive centers hold fixed rates.
How do you get between cities cheaply?
Sleeper buses connect the major cities with flat beds instead of seats. Hanoi to Da Nang is roughly 500,000 VND per person for a comfortable 12-hour overnight ride. A city bus ticket is 10,000 VND, and the airport bus from Cam Ranh into Nha Trang (route 18) is 65,000 VND versus a much pricier taxi.
Use the Grab app in cities for cars and bikes - it runs on a metered app price, so you skip the tourist markup street taxis add. If you’re stitching together a longer trip, our guide to planning a full Vietnam tour covers the routes and timing.
Step-by-step: how to plan your excursion budget
- Pick the 2-3 excursions you’re really coming for - islands, a theme park, a neighboring city.
- Check their price online on Tripster or Sputnik8 first; that’s your baseline.
- Compare park and cable-car tickets on Klook and buy there if it’s cheaper.
- Leave one-off experiences - massage, snorkeling, a fresh-fish dinner - for the spot.
- Budget $90-110 per person per day for everything; up to $130 if you pack the days.
If you’d rather have someone local build the route, pick the honest tours, and take the logistics off your plate, that’s exactly what we do at Vietnam Samurai Tour. We don’t push the priciest package - we match it to your pace and budget. Message me on Telegram or find us on Instagram @vietnam_samurai to see recent trips.