Summary
The cost was $4,493 for a daily cost of $60 in my 76 days of travel.
- $1,184 for Travel and Tour costs.
- $1,915 for Food costs with a daily cost of $25 per day.
- $1,394 Lodging costs for 71 nights with a nightly cost of $20.
Note: I just redeemed my hotel stays of 14 nights and the Halong Bay tour that cost $360 for 36,000 Barclay Credit Card points.
Travel Costs
International Flights
I used 85,000 Alaska Airlines mileage points on Qatar Air, voted the best airline in 2024. The flight from January 10 to March 27, 2025, would have cost $2,220, with a quick stopover in Doha, Qatar, and a 9-hour layover on the way home. The fees were $145.
I paid $139 for two flights from Thailand to Vietnam and back.
Travel Insurance
My Travel Guard Insurance for a 76-day trip cost $107, covering advance hotel reservations in Bangkok and Hanoi, Vietnam, eVisa, Alaska Air fees, and two flights to and from Thailand and Vietnam. I filed a $76 claim for lost sunglasses and a 5,595 Baht claim for a front tooth veneer repair.
- On April 10th, Travelguard denied my sunglasses claim due to the exclusion: “No benefits will be paid for:…(d) loss of, or damage to, artificial prosthetic devices, false teeth, eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, or hearing aids.”
- They approved my dental claim and sent me a check for $166.77. The difference is due to the exchange rate.
Tours and Travel
These expenses totaled $1,184, primarily due to the following tours and travel modes:
International Flights
- $145 for Alaska Air fees and taxes, and 85,000 points for my round-trip flight from Seattle to Bangkok, Thailand via Doha, Qatar on Qatar Air.
- $139 for two flights to Vietnam and return to Thailand.
- $139 for two flights to Vietnam and return to Thailand.
Travel Insurance
- $107 for Travel Guard Insurance.
Tours
- $220 for the three-day tour of Halong Bay.
- $67 for the Phong Nha and Paradise Caves tour.
- $70 for the Ba Na Hills tour including the Roller Coaster.
- $22 for the Hoi An Memories Show.
- $11 for the Chiang Mai Cabaret Show.
Park and Temple Fees
- $33 entrance fees at 7 temples, parks, and the sky walk.
Trains
- $30 for the triple bunk sleeper train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi.
- $9 for the 3rd class night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
- $60 for Bangkok Sky Train, and Airport train rides.
Buses
- $20 for the Phong Nha, Vietnam VIP Sleeper bus to Hoi An.
- $28 for minibus from Chiang Mai to Mai Hong Son.
- $32 for 7 bus rides from 2 to 4 hours distance in Thailand.
Boats
- $8 for 4 ferry boat rides to and from Ko Samet.
- $5 for 12 Bangkok canal and river boat rides.
Moto-Taxis, Tuk-Tuks, Songthaews, and Minibuses
- $55 for 16 rides in Thailand and Vietnam.
Delightful Food Choices
My biggest trip expense was food at $1,915, averaging $25 per day. At home, my daily food cost is $13, so for the 76 days of travel, I spent about $900 more, or $12 more per day.
Here are some of the meals I enjoyed:
Breakfasts
My early morning 7-11 breakfast with a heated ham and cheese sandwich.
Thai and Vietnamese Dinners
Western Style Dinners
Spirit Offerings
Drinking Water
Many travelers and locals use plastic water bottles, which waste resources when discarded or recycled. I use a SteriPen and a wide-mouth 28 oz plastic bottle. The SteriPen’s USB recharger cable allows quick purification with UV light and no chemicals.
I had no intestinal problems during my 76-day trip. I saved over 100 liters of bottled water by using my Steripen.
Lodging Costs
Lodging costs averaged $20 per night. I booked through Agoda or Booking.com a few days before arriving. Read customer reviews and check the map for the location before booking to ensure you get what you expect.
I usually get A/C rooms with hot water showers, a hot pot, a security safe, and a location near attractions or city centers. Most rooms have TVs, but few have English-language channels.
Blue Ocean Guesthouse in Ko Samet, Thailand
Guesthouse Clubeena in Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Pearl Cruise State Room, Halong Bay, Vietnam
Tien's Cozy Homestay, Phong Nha, Vietnam
Country Visa Expenses and Changes
Thailand now grants most tourists a 60-day on-arrival visa, free of charge, regardless of entry method.
Vietnam offers a quick eVisa process valid for 90 days at a cost of $26. To apply, I provided my initial accommodation location, so I booked a reservation in Hanoi.
COVID-19 Restrictions Are Gone
This was my 10th international trip during the COVID-19 era. Border crossings had no COVID-19 documentation requirements. Mask-wearing was rare, except for medical staff. Only about 5% of public transportation passengers wore masks, and even fewer on the streets or in stores.
Getting Money
Before leaving Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, I used an ATM to get Thai Baht for travel and replenished at ATMs everywhere. Many restaurants charge an extra 2-3% for credit cards. 7-11 stores only charge if you spend over 200 Baht and don’t add extra fees.
In Vietnam, ATMs were abundant, and travel booking offices offered money exchanges, often at a higher cost than ATMs. Most places also charge a 2-3% fee for using credit cards.
Getting Bank Fees Back
When traveling internationally, I carry about $300 USD and use ATMs to replenish my funds. My Schwab ATM card reimburses customers for ATM bank charges and exchange fees.
For this trip, Schwab reimbursed me $67.18 for 10 ATM draws of 10,000 Baht, each with a 220 Baht fee ($6 USD). In Vietnam, I did 2 ATM draws, each with a 50,000 dong processing fee ($2 USD).
Daily Walking
For years, I have tried to walk at least 3 miles per day for my health and enjoyment. During my 76 days in Thailand and Vietnam, I walked over 400 miles with an average of 5.5 miles per day, ranging from 2 miles to 11.5 miles per day.
Weather
Thailand’s weather is usually hot and humid, with temperatures ranging from 80 degrees in the early mornings to 93 to 96 degrees in the late afternoons. The humidity is 85%, making it feel even hotter. It rained only twice, once at night and once in the early morning. When it rains, it pours heavily before clearing up.
In Vietnam, it rained daily until I reached Hoi An. Hanoi and Phong Nha had temperatures between 50 and 65 degrees, much colder than expected. I even turned on the heat in some rooms. Hoi An warmed up to 70 to 85 degrees, and the rain stopped.
I prefer the warmer winter weather in Seattle to the cold, rainy, snowy, and gray days there, where I had to bundle up to stay warm.
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