Vietnam vs Thailand — Which is Better for Australian Retirees?
⭐ FIND THE BEST DEALS FOR YOUR TRIP
Compare thousands of hotels across both destinations on Trip.com — the easiest way to find the best price before you decide.
🇻🇳 Browse Vietnam hotels on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=vietnam&trip_sub3=D18818718
🇹🇭 Browse Thailand hotels on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=thailand&trip_sub3=D18818718
30 day cookie — browse now and book when you’re ready.
Vietnam or Thailand. Two of Southeast Asia’s most extraordinary destinations — both within easy reach of Australia, both offering remarkable value for money, but genuinely different experiences that appeal to different travellers. Vietnam is ancient, raw, and extraordinarily diverse — a country of dramatic landscapes, French colonial history, and a food culture that has taken the world by storm. Thailand is vibrant, accessible, and endlessly varied — from the chaos and energy of Bangkok to the serenity of Chiang Mai’s temples and the extraordinary beauty of the southern islands. Here is the honest comparison to help you decide which one is right for you — or whether the answer is simply both.
Quick Comparison
| Factor | Vietnam | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Flight time from Sydney | 9-10 hours via hub | 9-10 hours via hub |
| Daily budget | From $50 AUD | From $60 AUD |
| Best time to visit | February — April | November — February |
| Visa | eVisa required — USD 25 | Visa free — currently 60 days |
| Food culture | World class street food | World class street food |
| Beaches | Ha Long Bay, Phu Quoc, Da Nang | Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Phuket |
| Cultural highlights | French colonial, ancient temples | Buddhist temples, floating markets |
| Pace of life | Varied — Hoi An relaxed, HCMC busy | Varied — Chiang Mai relaxed, Bangkok busy |
Getting There — Draw
Vietnam: Vietnam requires a connecting flight from Australia — most travellers connect through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Hong Kong. Total travel time from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi is approximately 9-10 hours. Direct flights are not currently available from Australia.
Thailand: Thailand also requires a connecting flight from Australia — most travellers connect through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Hong Kong. Total travel time from Sydney to Bangkok is approximately 9-10 hours.
Winner: Draw — both require similar travel times from Australia
Visa Requirements — Vietnam Requires More Planning
Vietnam: Australian passport holders must obtain a Vietnam eVisa before travelling. The eVisa costs USD 25 (approximately AUD 38), allows a stay of up to 90 days with multiple entries, and is processed online in approximately 3 business days at the official Vietnamese immigration portal. Apply at least 5-7 days before your intended travel date.
Important: From 1 March 2026 the 6-month passport validity rule is strictly enforced — boarding will be refused if your passport expires within 6 months of arrival. From 15 April 2026 a Digital Arrival Card is mandatory at Ho Chi Minh City airport, to be completed within 72 hours before arrival.
Thailand: Australian passport holders can currently enter Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days — no application required before travel. Simply arrive with a valid passport and receive an entry stamp at immigration.
Important update: Thailand’s cabinet approved changes in May 2026 to reduce the visa-free period from 60 days back to 30 days. The exact date these changes take effect had not been confirmed at the time of writing — check current requirements before you travel at smartraveller.gov.au.
Winner: Thailand — visa-free entry is simpler than Vietnam’s eVisa process
Cost — Vietnam Wins
Both Vietnam and Thailand offer extraordinary value for Australian retirees — but Vietnam edges ahead as one of the cheapest destinations in all of Southeast Asia.
Vietnam:
- Comfortable mid-range hotel in Hanoi or Hoi An — $30-60 AUD per night
- Meal at an excellent local restaurant — $5-10 AUD
- Bowl of pho for breakfast — $2-4 AUD
- Day tour including transport and guide — $20-50 AUD
Browse Vietnam accommodation on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=vietnam&trip_sub3=D18818718
Thailand:
- Comfortable mid-range hotel in Bangkok or Chiang Mai — $60-80 AUD per night
- Meal at an excellent local restaurant — $5-15 AUD
- Pad thai from a street stall — $3-5 AUD
- Tuk tuk across Bangkok — $3-5 AUD
Browse Thailand accommodation on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=thailand&trip_sub3=D18818718
Winner: Vietnam — consistently lower daily costs across most categories
Food — Draw
Both Vietnam and Thailand are among the world’s great food destinations — and choosing between them on food alone is genuinely impossible.
Vietnam: Vietnamese food is one of the world’s great culinary traditions — extraordinarily fresh, extraordinarily diverse, and extraordinarily affordable. Pho — the iconic beef noodle soup — for breakfast in Hanoi. Banh mi from a street cart in Ho Chi Minh City. Fresh spring rolls in Hoi An. Bun bo hue in Hue. Each region has its own completely distinctive food culture — travelling Vietnam from north to south is a food journey unlike anything else in Asia.
For a complete guide to Vietnam — see our Vietnam travel guide.
Thailand: Thailand’s food culture is one of the world’s most recognised and most loved — pad thai, tom yum, green curry, massaman curry, mango sticky rice, and the extraordinary variety of the Bangkok street food scene. Thai cooking classes — where you learn to cook 5-6 dishes in a morning with an expert local chef — are among Southeast Asia’s great travel experiences.
For a complete guide to Thailand’s best activities — see our 10 best activities in Thailand guide.
Winner: Draw — two of the world’s greatest food cultures — genuinely impossible to separate
Beaches — Thailand Wins
Both Vietnam and Thailand have beautiful beaches — but Thailand’s extraordinary island diversity gives it a clear edge for beach lovers.
Vietnam: Vietnam’s coastline is beautiful — Ha Long Bay’s extraordinary limestone karsts rising from the water are one of Asia’s most iconic landscapes, Phu Quoc Island offers beautiful white sand beaches in a relatively undeveloped setting, and Da Nang’s My Khe beach is a long, clean, accessible stretch of sand. Vietnam’s beaches are good — but they don’t quite match Thailand’s extraordinary island diversity.
Thailand: Thailand’s beaches are extraordinary — the Phi Phi Islands rising dramatically from crystal clear turquoise water, Koh Samui’s beautiful palm-fringed beaches, Phuket’s diverse range from party strips to quiet coves, and the extraordinary snorkelling and diving of the Andaman Sea.
Browse Phuket accommodation on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=phuket&trip_sub3=D18818718
Winner: Thailand — extraordinary island diversity and crystal clear water
Culture and History — Vietnam Wins
Both destinations offer extraordinary cultural experiences — but Vietnam’s unique combination of ancient Asian culture and French colonial history gives it a slight edge for history lovers.
Vietnam: Vietnam’s cultural richness is extraordinary — the ancient trading port of Hoi An with its beautifully preserved lantern-lit streets, the imperial city of Hue, the Cu Chi tunnels outside Ho Chi Minh City, the ancient temples of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, and the haunting beauty of Ha Long Bay. The French colonial influence — visible in the architecture of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — adds a completely unique layer to Vietnam’s cultural landscape that no other Southeast Asian destination can replicate.
Thailand: Thailand’s cultural richness is equally extraordinary — thousands of Buddhist temples ranging from the magnificent Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok to ancient ruins at Ayutthaya, the extraordinary Chiang Mai temple circuit, the ethical elephant sanctuaries of the northern highlands, and the living cultural traditions of Thai classical dance, Muay Thai, and traditional crafts.
Browse Chiang Mai accommodation on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=chiangmai&trip_sub3=D18818718
Winner: Vietnam — the unique French colonial layer adds extraordinary depth
Accessibility for Seniors — Draw
Both destinations are generally accessible for older travellers — with some important considerations for each.
Vietnam: Vietnam’s best destinations for older travellers are Hoi An — a beautifully flat, walkable town with extraordinary food and culture — and Ha Long Bay — experienced entirely from the deck of a cruise boat with no significant walking required. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi can be busy and overwhelming — but both have excellent tourist infrastructure and English widely spoken in tourist areas. Medical facilities in major cities are adequate — comprehensive travel insurance is essential.
Thailand: Bangkok is a magnificent city but can be overwhelming — hot, busy, and traffic-heavy. Chiang Mai is significantly more relaxed and more manageable for older travellers — a smaller, cooler, more navigable city with extraordinary culture and food. Phuket and the southern islands are well developed for tourism. Medical facilities in Bangkok are among the best in Southeast Asia — Thailand is actually a popular medical tourism destination for Australians.
Browse Hanoi accommodation on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/hotels/w/home?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=hanoi&trip_sub3=D18818718
Winner: Draw — both accessible with the right planning and destinations
Safety — Draw
Both Vietnam and Thailand are safe, well-established tourist destinations with excellent safety records for Australian visitors.
Vietnam: Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia’s safest tourist destinations — genuine warmth of hospitality, low violent crime, and a well-established tourist infrastructure. Standard precautions apply — watch your belongings in busy markets, use registered taxis, and be aware of common tourist scams.
Thailand: Thailand is a safe and well-established tourist destination — millions of Australian visitors travel there every year without incident. Standard precautions apply in Bangkok and tourist areas.
Winner: Draw — both safe and welcoming for Australian retirees
The Honest Verdict
Choose Vietnam if:
- ✅ You want the cheapest destination in Southeast Asia
- ✅ You love history — French colonial, ancient temples, war history
- ✅ You want extraordinary food diversity across different regions
- ✅ You want a Ha Long Bay cruise experience
- ✅ You want the charm of Hoi An’s ancient lantern-lit streets
- ✅ You want 90 days to explore at a truly leisurely pace
Choose Thailand if:
- ✅ You want visa-free entry — no advance planning required
- ✅ You want extraordinary beaches and islands
- ✅ You want an elephant sanctuary experience
- ✅ You want vibrant city life in Bangkok
- ✅ You want world class medical facilities nearby
- ✅ You want the most accessible introduction to Southeast Asia
Why Not Both?
Many Australian retirees combine both destinations in a single trip — flying into Bangkok, spending a week in Thailand, then taking a short flight to Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi for a further week before returning home. Budget airlines connect Thailand and Vietnam cheaply and frequently.
A suggested 3 week itinerary:
- Days 1-4 — Bangkok, Thailand — temples, floating markets, street food
- Days 5-8 — Chiang Mai, Thailand — elephant sanctuary, temples, cooking class
- Days 9-11 — Phuket or Koh Samui, Thailand — beaches, island hopping
- Days 12-15 — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — Cu Chi tunnels, street food, culture
- Days 16-18 — Hoi An, Vietnam — ancient town, tailors, cooking classes
- Days 19-21 — Hanoi, Vietnam — Old Quarter, pho, Ha Long Bay day trip
Book Your Trip
Compare the best hotel deals across both destinations on Trip.com:
| Destination | Trip.com |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | Browse hotels |
| Hanoi | Browse hotels |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Browse hotels |
| Bangkok | Browse hotels |
| Chiang Mai | Browse hotels |
| Phuket | Browse hotels |
| Thailand | Browse hotels |
Browse all destinations on Trip.com 👇 https://www.trip.com/?Allianceid=9432011&SID=325292885&trip_sub1=homepage&trip_sub3=D18818718
Have you been to Vietnam or Thailand? Which would you recommend? Share your experience in The Good Years Club community 💙
👉 Join The Good Years Club Community — https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Fw4FHNpJr/
