Is Vietnam on your radar for an epic stag/buck’s or bachelor party? We think it should be with its party atmosphere across the country, amazing food, great beaches, and to top it all off it’s incredibly affordable. In this article we look in depth whether Vietnam is a good stag/buck’s/bachelor party destination having been here for a month. Don’t forget to see the ratings for Vietnam at the end of this article.
Vietnam as an alternative stag/buck’s bachelor party to Europe
Vietnam will be make a hugely memorable stag/buck’s bachelor party destination. One of the main differences will be the availability of nightlife that occurs on all days of the week and goes on in to the early hours in all major cities in the country.
One of the most stark differences between Europe and Vietnam is the demographics on the population. Vietnam is a young country and that shows in the people in the cities. While it’s important not to stereotype the Vietnamese people they are some of the most friendly I have ever met, we were regularly offered and invited for drinks by complete strangers. They will show you a great time if you have a stag here.
How long does it take to get to Vietnam and how much does it cost?
Flying from Europe will take around 11/12 hours, while flying from the U.S.A. west coast is 16 hours and 20 hours from the east coast. Our return flight from London cost $1300 with Bamboo Airways. It may seem like a lot of money to spend on flights for a stag party however the prices in Vietnam are very cheap so it will balance out.
Most international flights will land at Ho Chi Min city as it is the bigger city and has a larger airport than the capital Hanoi. We booked our flights 3 months before leaving. Want the best price on flights to Vietnam?
Best to check on Skyscanner.
Is a Vietnam expensive?
Absolutely not, it’s very cheap. Hotels and accommodation in Vietnam are very reasonably priced and still high quality, expect to pay only 25% of the price you would in Europe and North American. Similarly drinks and eating out are considerably cheaper than back in the west. More about food and drink later on in this article. Planning on moving around the country, transport is totally affordable, more on moving around Vietnam further down the article. This will be one of the most important questions for yourselves as flying to Vietnam initially is going to be pricey.
Where can I get a sim card?
Need a sim card on landing or about to fly off? Rather than the hassle of finding/getting a physical sim card, an easier method these days is to get an e-sim. Simply select the country or region you are in and get data and calls on your phone. More info can be found here.
Prices are reasonable, usually only $25 for 20GB of data. We now always use this method when travelling as it just saves so much time and bother!
How long should a stag/buck’s bachelor party be in Vietnam?
Realistically you will need a least two weeks to explore Vietnam. This might seem like a long time for a stag party however need to remember that this will be the ultimate adventure so go for it. You could do a week here and stay in one location. Best places to stay for a short amount of time are probably the tropical island of Phu Quoc as it’ll be the most relaxing. However all the places below can be considered great places to visit for a Vietnam for a stag/buck’s bachelor party.
Vietnam’s 5 best cities for a bachelor party: Vietnam nightlife
1/ Sapa
Vietnam’s northern mountain city. It’s small so you wouldn’t need more than a few days here. Trekking and taking in the lives on the Hmong Tribes among the rice fields are the ultimate activities here. You may not expect it, but Sapa has some great nightlife here with a massive selection of bars and restaurants.
Some brilliant activities in Sapa:
2/ Hanoi
Busy and buzzy as any city can get. The endless amount of scooters will make you dizzy at first but after a few days you won’t be bothered by them at all. Best to stay in the Old Quarter where there are large numbers of bars and restaurants. The craziest street of them all, aptly named Beer Street is open late into the night and has all any stag party could want. Some of the best Vietnam nightlife can be found on Beer Street.
These are some of the best activities in Hanoi:
3/ Hue
Hue located in central Vietnam (around 13 hour bus journey from Hanoi) is Vietnam’s old capital. Loads of cultural sites to see but the main town itself is compact with loads of rooftop/balcony bars. They do great BBQ as well. Stay here at least two days to see everything. Don’t forget to explore the abandoned water park!
Some awesome activities in Hue:
You can read more about Hue here.
4/ Hoi An
Located 3 hours drive away from Hue this amazing city on the Thu Bon river will blow your mind. The entire city is lit with coloured lanterns. The specialty food called Cao Lau here will become a favourite as its delicious. Great nightlife to be found all along the river in the center. Stay here at least three days to soak it all in.
Some activity suggestions for the lantern lit city of Hoi An.
5/ Phu Quoc
Vietnam’s tropical island paradise. This large island to the south of the country borders Cambodia. Amazing beaches and laid back vibes. If you get tired of the bustling cities then head here. Best to catch a flight rather than the buses or trains as it is long way. Think about renting a scooter here in order to reach all the beautiful beaches. The centre of Phu Quoc has some of the best Vietnam nightlife too.
Best activities for Phu Quoc:
Read more about Phu Quoc here.
6/Ho Chi Minh
This buzzy city perhaps has the most potential for stag/ bachelor parties. Almost open all hours any day of the week, here are some the best things to do while in the fun city.
You can read more about Ho Chi Minh City here and found out about the best nightlife in Vietnam.
Is food and drink in Vietnam delicious?
There are no words to describe how wonderful Vietnamese food and drink is. The range of flavours across the whole country in incredible and we loved it a bit too much! Everyone I know that goes to Vietnam puts on weight. It’s just that good folks! The food alone makes Vietnam a great destination for a stag/buck’s bachelor party destination.
Here were some of our absolute favourites.
1/ Cao Lau Hoi An
2/ Hot Pot Sapa
3/ Papaya Salad Phu Quoc
4/ Shrimp Banana Leaf Salad Hanoi
5/ Meat on Lemongrass Skewers
Is Vietnam accommodation cheap?
Best place for hotel deals in Vietnam can be found on Booking. Accommodation is plentiful in Vietnam and often prices are reduced last minute so hotels can be full. Of all the places I’ve visited this is one of the very few where you don’t necessarily need to book way in advance. The accommodation here is also very reasonable for the quality compared to Europe and is one of the main reasons Vietnam would make a good stag/buck’s destination.
How much does alcohol cost in Vietnam?
Lets talk more about Vietnam nightlife. Alcohol is cheap in Vietnam compared to western countries. Lower place eateries will normally only charge 20,000 dong ($1) for bottle of Vietnamese beer. While a mid range restaurant will up the price to around 35,000 dong ($1.75). Not exactly breaking the bank.
A draft beer in bars is often served in a frozen glass and well worth doing with the heat. Foreign drinks like Heineken will cost more, however reading the beer labels some Vietnamese beers are made by Heineken so pretty pointless to buy foreign drinks while you are here.
A bottle of Vietnamese finest wine from the Dalat region will cost around $10, however has to be said for wine lovers there is not much choice in Vietnam. If you favour something stronger I suggest the local tipple of rice wine, cost usually around $3 for a 500ml bottle. Often mixed with various fruity flavours it packs a powerful punch, this drink can be found mostly found in northern Vietnam.
Best Bars in Vietnam: Vietnam Nightlife
The bars in Vietnam are epic with cheap drinks and good times. Staff are always friendly and open to a chat in English. Here are the best bars we found in Vietnam.
1/ The Terminal – Hanoi
Located near Hanoi’s famous old railway track this bar is somewhat like a speakeasy. You enter through a small door and enter a room with a large circular bar that looks like railway terminus. On the pricey side compared to more simple bars but the idea for this bar meant we had to put it in.
2/ Shamrock Irish Pub Hoi An
This epic pub in the centre of Hoi An really is the best pub in town with live music every night. Pool and darts available inside, has a nice owner and amazing staff.
3/ Zen bar Phu Quoc
Chilled out vibes at this cool beach club along Long Beach Phu Quoc. They do a ‘beer buffet’ $10 for all you drink beer, 3 hours long, food is also damn tasty.
4/ Brown Eyes Bar Hue
You will most likely be greeted with shots on entry. Dance floor and good vibes at this late night club. Drinks are reasonable for a club.
5/ Color Bar Sapa
This art inspired bar is one of the best places get a drink and get sociable. Prices are reasonable and the staff are super friendly.
Is it cheap and easy to get around Vietnam?
Vietnam is a large country so if you want to explore more than a few places you’ll need to book either buses, trains or flights. It is easy to get around Vietnam using Bookaway, we used it for buses mainly. If you are not a fan of long bus journeys then best to get flights that will get you most places in a few hours, Vietjet was one we used often and we found the best rates on SkyScanner. The aiports in Vietnam were super modern and clean, we were really impressed.
Is Vietnam safe for a stag party?
Vietnam is an incredibly safe country to travel. With the advent of smart phones pricing for transport, hotels and accommodation is now very transparent with apps like Booking.com. Therefore the risk of scams is now much reduced. Restaurants nearly always have the prices listed. If they don’t as we found once in Hanoi it’s best to avoid as a price may be made up when the bill is made. Gentlemen walking around by themselves late at night may be offered ‘services’, best to avoid unless you want to be relieved of all your money.
Can you pay with contactless Visa/Mastercard in Vietnam?
Vietnam has not fully moved to cashless and nearly all bars and restaurants will require cash as payment. This can be annoying as we found ATM’s only gave our a maximum of (4,000,000 dong) around $180 a time. However as Vietnam is cheap this can go a long way. Hotels will take card, however they will add a 3% charge on top on the bill. Don’t feel too bad about paying this as ATM’s to withdraw cash often charge more than this.
Small tip, some the Vietnamese Dong currency has a similar colour but very different values. The 200,000 dong ($10) note has a similar colour to the 10,000 dong note ($0.5). While the highest Vietnamese note, the 500,000 dong ($21) has the same blue colour as the 20,000 dong ($1). Be aware which one you are taking out after a few beers!
Are people in Vietnam friendly and can they speak English?
Vietnamese people are some of the friendliest and good humoured I have met while travelling. Even in heavy traffic of Hanoi people are good natured weaving around pedestrians in their way. Vietnamese people work long hours in often physical jobs, I have complete respect at how they can have such sunny dispositions.
Vietnamese English level is quite good and while it may be difficult to have more in depth discussions outside the big cities there is a strong basic English level, while those in the hospitality industry English level is often strong. There is often signage in English at bus stop and train stations, so getting around is easy. Vietnamese people are very keen to improve there English so feel free to open up conversations, as more than likely they will make time for you.
Which is better for a stag/buck’s bachelors party Vietnam or Thailand?
Thailand is often mentioned as the ‘crazier’ destination for a stag party, in no part thanks to The Hangover film. However I would counter that Vietnam can easily hold its own against Thailand. The beaches may not be quite as stunning in Vietnam , but the food is more diverse and prices are cheaper here. The range of places and activities in Vietnam is also it’s strong point in its favour. With mountains in the north for trekking and tropical beaches in the south. However both countrres are amazing, you wouldn’t be going wrong with either.
Is it safe to drive a scooter/motorbike in Vietnam?
Vietnam cities have scooters everywhere, it’s how people get around here. While the chaos can seem overwhelming people are considerate and slow drivers. They give way to pedestrians and there is no shouting and screaming we witnessed between drivers. There is an endless honking of horns but this is more to warn other drivers they are passing by. So yes absolutely get a scooter to travel around Hanoi, Hoi An or Ho Chi Min, it’s great fun. However travelling by motorbike or scooter on the main roads between cities is perhaps more dangerous with drivers overtaking you at tremendous speed. We would advise to travel by train or bus between Vietnemese cities.
How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Vietnam?
Best way to rent a scooter is ask the hotel you are staying if they can arrange for them to be delivered. You should not have to surrender your passport or pay a deposit like in other countries, we didn’t have to. We paid 150,000 dong ($8) a day. There didn’t seem to be a discount for booking over a longer period. Some scooters are quite old. Don’t be afraid to send back the scooter if it doesn’t seem road worthy.
Ratings
So lets do the ratings for a stag stag/buck’s bachelor party in Vietnam.
- Food and Drink | 9.5
- Value for Money | 7*
- Activities | 7.5
- Nightlife | 8.5
TOTAL | 8.1
- Value for money would score much higher had it not been for the flight price.
In conclusion
Vietnam for a stag/buck’s/bachelor party? Yes absolutely we think Vietnam is a great destination for a stag/buck’s bachelor party. Perhaps even one of the most value for money destinations for any stag group.
Would you prefer a tour of Vietnam?
We love independent travel, but sometimes a tour can be the best way to travel the country. It’s also a great way to make friends for life.
G Adventures has some excellent tours for Vietnam.
The first, is a 22 day trip which includes the highlights of Vietnam and Laos.
The second, is a great trip, but a little shorter for anyone who doesn’t have as long to spend travelling but still wants to see everything! The ten day trip travels from the North to the South of Vietnam.
Thinking about other stag destinations? We have some suggestions…
We have written about whether Balkan cities Kotor and Budva in Montenegro are good buck’s destinations.
Bilbao in Spain scored highly for us with its value for money and incredible nightlife.
Or perhaps something more adventurous with a bachelor party in Tel Aviv Israel.
Most of our planning is done using other blogs, but you can’t beat a guide book at the bottom of your case. Find them here on Amazon.to get the travelling started!
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Travelling from Hanoi to Hoi An: All you need to know
Are you planning to visit Hoi An from Hanoi? Here’s our short guide on how to get from Hanoi to Hoi An. If you want to read about other amazing places to visit in Vietnam, check out our detailed guide here. Where is…
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