Vietnam

Average daily budget: $30-40. Vietnam is the undisputed king of budget travel in 2026. A bowl of pho costs $1.50, a beer is $0.50, and a private room in a guesthouse runs $10-15. The country stretches 1,650 km from Hanoi's ancient streets to Ho Chi Minh City's chaos, with Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, and the Mekong Delta in between. The overnight sleeper trains between cities cost $15-25 and are an experience themselves. Vietnam's tourism infrastructure has matured massively since 2019, with new airports and high-speed rail projects underway, but prices remain Southeast Asia's best value.