Muscat to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on a budget

Ho Chi Minh City — still Saigon to most of the people who live there — is one of the best-value big cities left in Asia: a bowl of pho costs less than a coffee back home, and the war-history sites that matter most charge only a modest entry fee. An e-visa is simple to arrange, which makes this one of the easier long-haul trips on this list to actually plan.

• Flight from Muscat~9h one-stop
• Visa (Omani citizens)E-visa available online for Omani citizens — apply a few days ahead
• CurrencyVietnamese dong (1 OMR ≈ 64,000 VND)
• Best time to goNovember to April (dry season)

What a trip really costs

Wijha plans around ~15 OMR/person/day here: meals, local transport, and entry tickets. Estimates for a typical mid-range trip, not quotes. Fares swing with season and how far ahead you book; the live search shows real prices for your dates.

Worth your rials

• The War Remnants Museum — a genuinely difficult, genuinely worthwhile few hours, for a few thousand dong.
• Ben Thanh Market's night stalls and the street-food alleys of District 1, cheap and constant until late.
• The rooftop bars looking down on the Bitexco Tower's skyline — many have no cover charge if you buy one drink.
• A wander through the Cu Chi tunnels' district on a half-day trip — book the budget version, not the deluxe one.

Good to know

• Eat at plastic-stool street stalls, not restaurant menus translated into English — the food is the same, the price is a fraction.
• A Grab (ride-hailing) account makes getting around cheaper and easier than hailing a taxi on the street.
• Carry small dong notes — street vendors and buses rarely make change for anything larger.

Common questions

How much does a 5-night Vietnam trip cost from Muscat?

For two people, plan from roughly 475 OMR all-in: return fares from ~110 OMR each, a mid-range double from ~15 OMR a night, and about 15 OMR per person per day — one of the cheapest trips on this list.

Do Omanis need a visa for Vietnam?

An e-visa is required but straightforward: apply online a few days before you fly, print the approval, and travel.

Is Ho Chi Minh City safe and easy for a first Vietnam trip?

Yes — it is the country's most visited city for a reason: English is workable in tourist areas, transport is cheap, and the food scene alone justifies the trip.