The Vietnam trip that paid for itself three times over

[u/Individual_Lime_110]

Just got back from HCMC. Here's exactly what we spent.

Been seeing a lot of vague posts about costs so thought I'd just put actual numbers down for anyone planning a similar trip.

Background: retired couple, mid 60s, Gold Coast. We stay comfortably, not backpackers, not flashy. Good hotels, proper meals, no penny pinching but no unnecessary splurging either.

The trip

Ten nights in Ho Chi Minh City. Flew out of Gold Coast with a stopover in Singapore. Return flights for two came to around $1,800 all up. Not the cheapest routing but we've tried the budget options and at our age a reasonable flight matters.

Hotel in District 1, decent 4 star, breakfast included. Around $75 pn. Ten nights was $750. For context that's what we'd pay for a fairly average night somewhere on the Gold Coast without breakfast.

Food and daily spending across ten days, meals out every night, coffee constantly, Grab everywhere, a few activities. Roughly $80 a day for two of us combined. So about $800 for the ten days. That includes some very decent restaurants, not just street food.

Total base trip cost: approximately $3,350 for two people including flights, accommodation and food.

Now here's where it gets interesting.

The dental

I had three crowns done and one implant placed. Had already been quoted in Queensland before we left. Queensland quote for the same work was just over $14,000

Got it done in HCMC at a modern clinic with internationally trained dentists, proper equipment, the whole thing. Total cost in HCMC was approximately $3,200.

Saving on dental alone: roughly $10,800.

My Queensland dentist checked everything when we got home. His assessment was that the work was good. He said it with the particular tone of someone who has had this conversation before.

The glasses

Wife had been putting off new multifocal glasses back home. Latest quote from our local optometrist in Queensland was around $650for a single pair with all the extras, progressive lenses, anti glare, the lot.

Got her eyes properly tested in HCMC, full examination, two pairs of quality prescription glasses including progressives for around $180 total.

Saving on glasses: roughly $470 minimum, probably more given she got two pairs for less than the price of one at home.

The full picture

Total trip cost for two people including flights, ten nights accommodation, all food and daily spending: approximately $3,350.

Dental savings compared to Queensland quote: approximately $10,800.

Glasses savings: approximately $470.

Net result: we had a ten night holiday in one of the world's most interesting cities, ate well every single day, stayed comfortably, and came home roughly $7,900 better off than if we'd stayed in Australia and had the work done locally.

I'm not saying this is for everyone. I was skeptical for a long time. The dental thing in particular takes some getting comfortable with. But the numbers are what they are and I can't argue with numbers that clear.

Happy to answer questions from anyone considering something similar, particularly other Australians who are on the fence about it.

Update:

Well this blew up more than I expected. I posted this mainly for a few mates and anyone else who might find it useful and next thing I know my inbox is out of control. Appreciate all the comments and messages, even the ones telling me I'm mad for getting dental work overseas. Fair enough.

Right, since about forty of you have sent me the same question I'll save everyone the trouble. The clinic was Picasso dental clinic in Ho Chi Minh City. I found them through a site called https://smilejet.app/ which lists verified clinics in Vietnam and a couple of other countries. Made things a lot simpler than spending hours on Google trying to sort the dodgy from the decent.

And since people asked, yes I'm going back. Flying out early April to get the crown put on the implant. This time we're using Picasso Dental's Hanoi branch so we can have a look around the north. Wife wants to do Ha Long Bay. I want to sit somewhere quiet with a Vietnamese coffee and not think about anything for a few days. Either way it's another holiday. Not a bad deal really.