Day 4 Vietnam Travel Diary: Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau Ferry, Beach Adventure & Hotel Saving Tip
Planning a Vietnam trip from India and looking for an exciting day trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau?
Our Day 4 in Vietnam was full of adventure, beautiful coastal views, Vietnamese coffee, a short spell of unexpected rain, a relaxing cloudy beach experience, affordable Indian food and a useful hotel-booking money-saving tip.
This is our real Vietnam travel experience from Day 4, including our itinerary, ferry experience, transportation costs, food expenses and practical travel tips for Indian travellers.
If you are planning your first Vietnam trip, you can also read our detailed Vietnam Trip Cost from India 2026 guide.
💡 Smart Hotel Booking Tip: Online Booking vs. Direct Hotel Rate
Before sharing our Vung Tau day trip, I want to share an important money-saving tip that we discovered during our stay in Ho Chi Minh City.
When we first arrived in Vietnam, we booked our hotel rooms online for September 1–3.
We liked the hotel and decided to extend our stay.
Instead of booking the additional nights online, we went directly to the hotel reception and asked about the price for extending our stay.
The hotel gave us a lower direct rate.
🏨 Our Hotel Price Comparison
- Online booking rate: 890,000 VND per room per night
- Direct hotel rate: 850,000 VND per room per night
- Saving: 40,000 VND per room per night
Our family had booked 4 rooms.
So our daily saving was:
40,000 × 4 rooms = 160,000 VND per day
That was a useful saving for our family.
📌 My Hotel Booking Tip for Indian Travellers
For the first 1–2 nights, booking through a trusted online hotel platform can be convenient because you can check reviews, location, cancellation policies and room details before arriving.
However, if you decide to stay longer, ask the hotel reception about their direct rate.
Sometimes the direct rate can be lower, although this is not guaranteed. Always compare the online price and direct price before making your decision.
For our trip, this simple question helped us save money.
☕ Morning Departure from Ho Chi Minh City
Our Day 4 in Vietnam started with breakfast at around 8:00 AM.
After breakfast and getting ready, we left our hotel at around 9:30 AM.
Our destination was the ferry terminal near the Saigon River, close to the famous Nguyen Hue Walking Street.
After enjoying Nguyen Hue Walking Street on our previous day, we were excited to see a different side of southern Vietnam.
👉 Read Day 2: Vietnam Travel Diary – Celebrating Independence Day in Ho Chi Minh City
🚢 Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau by Greenlines DP Ferry
For our Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau day trip, we decided to travel by the Greenlines DP high-speed ferry.
We wanted to experience the journey by water instead of travelling by road.
At the ferry terminal, buying the tickets was quite easy. The staff took our passport details and issued our tickets.
Our ferry was scheduled for 12:00 PM.
🎟️ Greenlines DP Ferry Ticket Prices
Our ticket prices were:
- Adult: 320,000 VND per person
- Child (9 years old): 270,000 VND per person
The journey took approximately 2 hours.
If you are planning the same journey, always check the latest ferry schedule and ticket prices before travelling because fares and timings can change.
☕ Highland Coffee Before the Ferry
While waiting for our ferry, we stopped at Highland Coffee near the terminal.
Trying Vietnamese coffee was one of the enjoyable experiences of our Vietnam trip.
We ordered iced coffee and enjoyed it while waiting for our ferry.
The coffee was rich, strong and sweet, and the ice made it very refreshing in Vietnam's warm weather.
☕ Our Coffee Expense
We ordered 7 cups of Highland Coffee and paid:
490,000 VND in total
That worked out to exactly:
70,000 VND per cup.
It was a nice way to spend our waiting time before boarding the ferry.
🚤 Our Greenlines DP Ferry Experience
At around 12:00 PM, we boarded the ferry.
The ferry was clean and comfortable, with indoor seating and washroom facilities.
But what made the ferry journey more enjoyable for us was the small refreshments provided after we took our seats.
💧 Water, Refreshing Wet Wipes & Snacks
Once we were seated, the staff first provided us with drinking water.
After that, they gave us refreshing wet wipes, which were very useful for cleaning and freshening our faces during the journey.
They also provided us with a light snack, something similar to a small savoury breakfast snack/biscuit, which was a nice little refreshment during the ferry ride.
These small services made the two-hour journey more comfortable for our family.
📸 Outdoor Deck: Photos & Ferry Activities
Another memorable part of our ferry journey was the outdoor deck area.
Adults were allowed to go outside and enjoy the fresh air, scenery and views from the ferry.
However, children were not allowed in the outside area.
So our little son stayed inside with the children, while the adults from our group went outside.
We spent some time outside taking lots of photographs, enjoying the breeze and watching the beautiful scenery around us.
It was a great opportunity to capture real family travel memories from our Vietnam trip.
The ferry ride itself became one of the highlights of our Day 4—not just transportation from one place to another.
After approximately two hours, we reached Vung Tau.
⛈️ Arrival in Vung Tau: A Short Rain Shower
We reached Vung Tau at around 2:00 PM.
Just after arriving near the coastal area, the weather suddenly changed and we experienced a short spell of heavy rain and strong winds.
For a little while, the rain was quite intense. The waves were also crashing strongly around the rocky coastal area, which made the moment a little scary for our family.
Thankfully, the rain lasted only for a short time and then stopped.
After the rain passed, the weather became cloudy, but there was no more rain.
We were able to continue with our plans and head towards Vung Tau Beach.
⚠️ Travel Tip
If you are planning a Vung Tau day trip from Ho Chi Minh City, check the weather forecast before leaving.
Coastal weather can change quickly, so it is always a good idea to be prepared for a sudden shower.
In our case, the rain came unexpectedly but fortunately stopped after a short while.
🏖️ Vung Tau Beach: Cloudy Weather but No Rain
After the short rain shower had passed, we took 2 Grab taxis from the ferry terminal towards Vung Tau Beach.
🚕 Grab Fare to the Beach
- 70,000 VND per taxi
- 2 taxis = 140,000 VND
By the time we reached the beach, there was no rain.
The weather was cloudy, but it was comfortable enough for us to enjoy the beach and coastal views.
The cloudy sky gave the beach a completely different atmosphere, and we enjoyed spending time together as a family.
We rented a large beach umbrella/canopy for approximately:
300,000 VND
We sat together, enjoyed cold drinks and relaxed while taking in the sea views.
So although we had experienced a short rain shower earlier, our actual beach visit was rain-free and cloudy.
That unexpected change in weather became one of the memorable parts of our Vung Tau day trip.
🚕 Returning to Our Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
After enjoying our time in Vung Tau, we decided to return to our hotel.
We booked two Grab taxis for the return journey.
🚕 Return Grab Cost
Our total fare was approximately:
520,000 VND
The exact Grab price can vary depending on traffic, demand, pickup location and the time of booking.
🍛 Finding Affordable Indian Food in Ho Chi Minh City
After returning to our hotel, everyone was hungry.
After several days of travelling in Vietnam, our family was craving familiar Indian food.
While exploring the narrow streets near our hotel, we discovered a restaurant called Indian Cochin.
We decided to give it a try.
And honestly, it turned out to be one of our favourite food discoveries in Ho Chi Minh City.
💰 Indian Cochin: Affordable Indian Dinner
Earlier during our trip, our family had spent approximately 3.2 million VND on a meal at another Indian restaurant.
Indian Cochin was considerably more affordable for our group.
We ordered:
- Dal Makhani: 100,000 VND
- Kadai Paneer: 120,000 VND
- Butter Chicken: 120,000 VND
- Rotis/Naan: approximately 25,000–37,000 VND each
Our total bill was approximately:
1,100,000 VND for our entire group
Compared with our earlier meal of approximately 3.2 million VND, this was a saving of around:
2.1 million VND
The food was hot, satisfying and reasonably priced for our family.
Because we liked the food and the prices, Indian Cochin became one of our preferred places for Indian food during the rest of our stay.
📊 Day 4 Vietnam Trip Expense Breakdown
| Expense Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Highland Coffee – 7 cups | 490,000 VND |
| Greenlines DP Ferry | 320,000 VND adult / 270,000 VND child |
| Grab taxis to Vung Tau Beach | 140,000 VND |
| Beach umbrella/canopy | 300,000 VND |
| Grab taxis back to hotel | Approximately 520,000 VND |
| Dinner at Indian Cochin | Approximately 1,100,000 VND |
| Hotel direct-booking saving | 160,000 VND saved per day |
Note: These are the prices we personally experienced during our September 2026 Vietnam trip. Ferry fares, hotel rates, Grab fares and restaurant prices can change.
🇻🇳 More Vietnam Travel Guides From Our Trip
If you are planning a Vietnam trip from India, you may also find these guides useful.
🛂 Vietnam E-Visa Guide for Indian Travellers
Learn about the Vietnam e-Visa process, documents, fees and application steps.
👉 Read our Vietnam E-Visa Guide for Indians
✈️ Vietnam Airport Guide for Indian Travellers
Our practical guide covering arrival, immigration, airport transfer, SIM/eSIM and other useful information.
👉 Read our Vietnam Airport Guide for Indians
💰 Vietnam Trip Cost From India 2026
Planning a 5-day, 7-day or 10-day Vietnam trip? This guide explains the major travel expenses.
👉 Read: Vietnam Trip Cost From India 2026
💱 Vietnam Currency Guide for Indians
Learn about Vietnamese Dong, exchanging money, cash, cards and ATM use.
👉 Read our Vietnam Currency Guide
🛂 Vietnam Tourist Visa vs Business Visa
Confused about Vietnam tourist and business visas? Read our comparison before planning your trip.
👉 Read: Vietnam Tourist Visa vs Business Visa
🧳 DIY Vietnam Guide: How I Saved Thousands on Visa & Flights
I planned many parts of our family Vietnam trip myself instead of depending completely on a travel agent.
👉 Read: DIY Vietnam Guide – How I Saved Thousands
🚆 Day 1: Mukerian to Saigon
Our Vietnam journey started from Mukerian, Punjab. We travelled by train to Delhi and then continued our journey to Ho Chi Minh City.
👉 Read Day 1: Mukerian to Saigon
🇻🇳 Day 2: Vietnam Independence Day
Read about our second day in Ho Chi Minh City, including breakfast, Nguyen Hue Walking Street and our Independence Day experience.
👉 Read Day 2: Vietnam Travel Diary
🛍️ More Vietnam Guides for Travellers & Boutique Owners
If you are visiting Vietnam not only for tourism but also for shopping, market research or clothing sourcing, you may also find these guides useful:
👉 Vietnam Wholesale Clothing Markets – Complete Guide
👉 How to Import Clothes From Vietnam to India
👉 How to Ship Wholesale Clothes From Vietnam to India
These guides are especially useful if your Vietnam trip includes wholesale shopping, boutique sourcing or market research.
🏨 Book Your Vietnam Hotel on Agoda
For our Vietnam trip, we researched hotels carefully before travelling.
If you are planning your own Vietnam holiday, compare hotel prices, location, reviews, room facilities and cancellation policies before booking.
👉 Check Vietnam Hotels on Agoda
This is my Agoda partner link. If you book through this link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
🛡️ Travel Insurance for Your Vietnam Trip
Travel insurance is another thing worth considering before an international trip.
I also use and recommend checking SafetyWing when comparing travel insurance options for international travel.
👉 Check SafetyWing Travel Insurance
Please compare the coverage, exclusions and terms carefully before purchasing any travel insurance.
🛂 Need Help With Vietnam Visa?
If you are an Indian traveller and need help understanding the Vietnam visa process, you can contact me.
📱 Phone / WhatsApp
+91 7009333152
You can also read my detailed Vietnam E-Visa Guide for Indian Travellers before starting your application.
👉 Read my DIY Vietnam Visa & Flight Experience
Please always check the latest official Vietnamese immigration requirements because visa rules, fees and entry requirements can change.
🌧️ Final Thoughts: Our Day 4 in Vietnam
Our Day 4 in Vietnam was completely different from the previous days.
We travelled from Ho Chi Minh City to Vung Tau by high-speed ferry, enjoyed Vietnamese coffee, received water, refreshing wet wipes and a light snack during the ferry ride, and spent time taking photographs from the outdoor deck area.
After arriving in Vung Tau, we experienced a short spell of heavy rain, but thankfully it stopped quickly.
By the time we reached the beach, the weather was cloudy but completely dry, so we were able to enjoy our beach visit.
We also discovered affordable Indian food and learned an important hotel-booking lesson:
When extending your hotel stay, it can be worth asking the hotel directly for its best available rate.
For Indian travellers planning a Vietnam holiday, I hope our real family experience helps you plan your own trip more confidently.
This was Day 4 of our Vietnam journey, and there are more real experiences from our trip to share.
Have you ever saved money by booking a hotel directly after arriving? Share your experience in the comments!
Comments
Post a Comment