Vietnam in 2026: Southeast Asia’s Rising Star Leaves Thailand & Philippines in Its Wake
Picture this: You’re sipping Vietnamese egg coffee in a Hanoi café as motorbikes weave through streets lined with French colonial architecture. Later, you’ll cruise through emerald waters past limestone giants in Ha Long Bay. This isn’t just another Southeast Asian getaway – it’s the Vietnam experience that’s capturing travelers’ imaginations worldwide. As we look toward 2026, Vietnam isn’t just joining the ranks of top Asian destinations – it’s sprinting past established favorites like Thailand and the Philippines in a breathtaking tourism revolution.
The Dragon’s Ascent: Vietnam’s Tourism Meteoric Rise
Recent statistics paint a vivid picture: Vietnam welcomed over 18 million international visitors in 2026, representing a staggering 34% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Tourism analysts project this growth trajectory will accelerate through 2026, potentially positioning Vietnam ahead of Thailand and Malaysia in annual visitor numbers. But what’s fueling this remarkable ascent?
3 Drivers Fueling Vietnam’s Tourism Rocket Ship
- Infrastructure Revolution: Billions invested in new airports (like Long Thanh International near Ho Chi Minh City), expanded highways, and upgraded coastal facilities
- Diversity Factor: From misty Sapa mountains to Phu Quoc’s ivory beaches, Vietnam packs staggering variety into one compact country
- Global Perception Shift: Increased exposure in travel media and influencer content reshaping Vietnam’s image from war-torn to must-visit
Vietnam vs Thailand: The Changing Tide
While Thailand’s temples and full moon parties remain iconic, savvy travelers are noticing compelling reasons to choose Vietnam instead:
Cost Comparison: Where Your Dollar Stretches Further
| Expense | Vietnam | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury Hotel (night) | $85-150 | $120-250 |
| Street Food Meal | $1-2.50 | $2-4 |
| Local Beer | $0.75-1.25 | $1.50-3 |
Beyond costs, Vietnam offers a less commercialized cultural experience. You’ll find fewer “tourist price” surcharges at local markets compared to Bangkok’s Khao San Road or Chiang Mai’s night bazaars. The countryside remains largely undiscovered – cycle through rice paddies in Ninh Binh without competing with tour buses.
Philippines vs Vietnam: The Island Paradise Dilemma
With over 7,000 islands, the Philippines boasts jaw-dropping beaches rivaling Vietnam’s coastline. Yet Vietnam holds distinct advantages:
Accessibility & Connectivity
Vietnam’s elongated shape creates an efficient north-to-south travel corridor. Major highlights connect via affordable domestic flights (under $50) or scenic overnight trains. Contrast this with island-hopping in the Philippines, which requires costly inter-island flights or lengthy ferry rides between destinations.
Culinary Diversity
While Filipino food has its charms, Vietnam’s culinary reputation is skyrocketing. From Hanoi’s pho to Hue’s royal cuisine and Hoi An’s fusion dishes, Vietnam offers one of Asia’s most nuanced food cultures – all readily accessible to tourists through street food tours and cooking classes.
Vietnam’s Secret Weapons: Beyond Beaches & Budgets
Vietnam’s advantages extend beyond practical considerations into truly transformative travel experiences:
1. Living History at Every Turn
Walk through Hoi An’s 15th-century merchant houses, explore Hue’s Imperial Citadel, or tour Hanoi’s colonial-era opera house. Vietnam preserves its layered history in ways that feel organic rather than staged for tourists.
2. The Coffee Culture Revelation
Vietnam’s coffee scene surpasses anything in Thailand or the Philippines. From ca phe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk) to egg coffee and weasel coffee, caffeine enthusiasts find paradise here.
3. Mountain Majesty
While Thailand has northern hills and the Philippines has Cordilleras, Vietnam’s mountainscapes offer unparalleled diversity. Trek through terraced rice fields in Mu Cang Chai, summit Fansipan (Indochina’s rooftop), or explore the world’s largest cave system in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
Sustainable Tourism: Vietnam’s Forward Thinking
As overtourism plagues Thailand’s Maya Bay and Boracay in the Philippines, Vietnam proactively develops sustainable models:
- Phu Quoc’s new cable car system reduces carbon emissions from boat transport
- Community-based tourism initiatives in Mai Chau and Mekong Delta villages
- Plastic reduction campaigns in coastal cities like Da Nang
This progressive approach ensures Vietnam retains its authentic charm while accommodating growth – a critical advantage as conscientious travel becomes mainstream.
Digital Nomad Revolution
Vietnam’s emergence as a digital nomad hub accelerates its tourism transformation. Da Nang now rivals Chiang Mai with its:
- High-speed fiber optic infrastructure
- Co-working spaces with ocean views
- Vibrant expat communities
- Lower cost of living than Thailand’s popular nomad centers
Seasonal residents contribute to year-round tourism stability and spur development of amenities that benefit all travelers.
The 2026 Outlook: Vietnam’s Tourism Tipping Point
Industry experts identify several developments poised to cement Vietnam’s lead:
Transportation Transformation
The North-South High-Speed Railway project (slated for partial completion by 2026) will connect Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in under 10 hours. This bullet train system will revolutionize domestic travel, making Vietnam’s diverse regions more accessible than ever.
Luxury Sector Expansion
Major hospitality players are doubling down on Vietnam. Six Senses plans three new properties while Aman resorts expands its Vietnamese portfolio. This luxury boom attracts high-spending travelers previously drawn only to Thailand’s five-star offerings.
Festival Tourism Momentum
Vietnam’s festival calendar gains international recognition, with events like:
- Hue Festival (biannual cultural extravaganza)
- Da Lat Flower Festival (explosion of blooms each December)
- Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations (more elaborate than Thailand’s Loy Krathong)
The Path Forward
While Thailand and the Philippines maintain certain strengths, Vietnam’s holistic travel experience – combining affordability, diversity, authenticity, and forward-thinking development – creates an irresistible value proposition. As Vietnam Airlines expands its global routes and the government simplifies visa processes, barriers to entry continue falling.
Savvy travelers looking beyond crowded Thai beaches or complicated Philippine island hops are discovering Vietnam’s sweet spot: a perfect blend of familiarity and adventure, comfort and authenticity, tradition and innovation. This delicate balance positions Vietnam not just for tourism growth, but for the emergence of a new Asian travel icon.
The question isn’t whether Vietnam will surpass Thailand and the Philippines as Southeast Asia’s premier destination – it’s how quickly travelers worldwide will realize what in-the-know explorers already understand: Vietnam in 2026 isn’t just worth visiting; it’s essential.
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How long ago was this content filmed? What about the massive floods and hurricanes, did you not get effected by the recent storms?
The grow rate is good but the return rate is one of the worst in the world at only 5 to 10%. Why is this?
Just change the video title to “why am I lying”
As someone who grew up in Da Nang, I really hope Western YouTubers stop making videos about how 'cheap' Vietnam is.
We appreciate that tourism creates jobs for local people. However, when you promote our country as just a 'cheap' place, you attract people who only care about low prices. Many of these visitors don't care about our culture; they only want a deal. Some visitors come with entitled behavior and a lack of respect for our people.
I miss the days when Da Nang’s beaches were lined with casuarina trees. Now, they are replaced by loud beach clubs that only cater to tourists.
Please stop selling our home as a 'cheap' destination.
I was on the bus yesterday in Melbourne Australia and I was sitting next to an older guy and we got chatting and he told me that he'd been to Vietnam 13 times and was heading back in 2 months for his 14th visit. I've been to Saigon with family to celebrate my sisters birthday, 3 times return with Vietnam Airlines (fabulous airline), stopping in Saigon en route to Paris, France and 2 years ago to visit Da Nang and Hanoi. There are large Vietnamese communities in Melbourne and Sydney Australia and there are heaps of Vietnamese restaurants and also supermarkets. It's a fabulous country and the people are wonderful. I can see why Travis has chosen to make Vietnam his home.
I spent 6 months in Danang last year. Left end of October. Honestly couldn't wait to leave. The combination of honking traffic from dawn till late in the night, the construction sites everywhere, the karaoke, the oppressive heat and the pollution made it an insufferable toxic hell. I actually went there after watching you videos. I ended up hating the place. The way people just dump their trash everywhere was depressing. The beach is littered with plastics and polystyrene from one end to the other except in front of resorts. I witnessed locals everyday walking and leaving their plastic behind. The fishermen are the worst. Their livelihood depends on the beach but they have absolutely no respect for nature. They use massive blocks of polystyrene to float nets then leave it all over the beach aswell as nylon nets and bags of rubbish. Very sad. The burning of plastic trash in the streets was horrific. The baking hot is difficult but when you add toxic smoke to that it's unbearable. I saw a construction site like all there trash on an empty lot including paint cans , plastics etc then light the whole thing on fire. My street was only 250 metres long and I counted 11 sites!!! By the last month I was counting the days. I prefer Thailand any day. The people are nicer. Vietnamese are quite conservative and very comforming.
Im in Da Nang right now, amazing place, first time in Vietnam, we really love it here, and will be back many many times, however there are way too many tourists here, filled to the brim, the beach is complete tourist chaos, more so than any beach I have been in Thailand, but I guess that comes with the current hype.
Living here is been the best mental medicine ever
Went there 2 years ago. Loved everything about it. Problem is that Vietnam is so damn good and comfortable especially Da Nang that it is too good to pass.
Bali 10 years ago was peaceful and a gem. Now not so much, at least the major sections of Bali. Same is gonna happen to Da Nang as well.
Yours and so many YouTube channels have been hyping Vietnam so it’s moving the masses. Eventually, it will get over saturated with tourists and lose its charm. Same thing that’s happened in Thailand, Philippines and Bali. I wish y’all could make $ some other way than YouTube because though the content can be helpful, it does more harm overall.
lots of erbs 😆
How long do you give before it becomes unaffordable 🤔 I would say 5 years 😉
While it is a relief that vietnam is balancing tourism in south east asia. I welcome that. Here are my 2 cents worth. You may or may not agree.
1. To debunk your title, philippines has never been a top tourist destination. The numbers speak for itself without going into details. Usually 4 to 6m visitors annually!
2. While vietnam is cheaper but not all people travel because it is cheap. Europe is not cheap but many people visit it.
3. Thailand and malaysia have solid and mature infrastructure for tourism.
4. What vietnam can offer in nature and landscape, malaysia and thailand have them, however ,what thailand and malaysia have, not necessary vietnam can match. Example flora and fauna. We have fantastic wildlife, and fantastic rainforest some of the oldest in the world. Did you find any great animals in vietnam? Let us be frank, is it the galapagos ?
5. Vietnam has unesco sites, so do malaysia and thailand.
6. Thailand and malaysia, have Solid Medical tourism. Matched only by singapore. Of course simple medical procedure can be treated in vietnam but not life treatening ones.
7. Whatever it is, indochina is still communist. You just cannot change mentality.
8. You are right about indonesia, beside bali, what else. Also indonesia only has 13m visitors. Of course the remote places are worth checking out like labuan bajo. Even vietnam attracts more visitors.
WHY IS NO ONE PERSON addressing the issues that Hundreds of EXPATS are having by LOOSING their IMMIGRATION STATUS??????
I don’t care what this guy says you guys all better check the immigration issues that they’re having there, people have moved there and they’re being denied entry, they’re being denied to renew passports. THIS GUY IS GREAT BUT, REALIZE YOU MUST DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE, IT’S ANOTHER COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LAWS AND WE HAVE NO RIGHTS THERE!!!!
I visited Vietnam for the last two weeks and it was really amazing. It's exactly how you describe it, but I really hope the tourist won't ruin the country. The Vietnamese people are very kind. The food was amazing and travelling was really convenient. We started from the capital and went from north to south. The most favourite destination was Da Nang. Definitely got the Miami vibes there. Keep up the good work.
well explained ❤ greetings from Zurich, Switzerland 🇨🇭
Babyboomers will flock to Vietnam and ruin it with their entitled racist attitudes, and make it too expensive for the locals.
I’m leaving the USA for Asia in the spring my top country and place is de nang on my list because it looks like everything I’ve ever wanted in a place at such a great price I just hope it doesn’t get to crowded
hey I know that park 😉
Great video as always. I love your honest content. No country is perfect. Vietnam is not for everyone. "But if you're open-minded, you can handle a little adversity. It's going to make your experience that much better." Thank you!
Good for Vietnam but i prefer Thailand way more.
So is it Visa on arrival for Australians?
Thank you Travis for making great videos. Would you please show Evan(YouTube) how to make some real videos. All he does talk trash about America and Canada. Evan is so desperate for clicks he started to becoming a traitor. It’s shameful. Keep up the good work and happy that you make it work without negative.
Great vid as always Travis, hope you're keeping well!!
I came last year in 24 and loved it. I just left 1-2-26 and not sure I’ll go back. Scam after scam after scam. Not the same as year before.
Hey big ears shut up
Thank you. Great info and editing. Question. How many McDonald's are there, and are there any Burger Kings? Thanks. They constantly update the eVisa website. I think they are going a great job (I hope they are watching. 🙂
Another country soon to be ruined by tourists then
Its YT,ers like you that are destroying these places.
Vietnam will explode in cost of living and will price most tourists out..Do you seriously think Vietnam will stay cheap??
I agree with the positives you mentioned: food, scenery, value, and many genuinely warm people.
I just want to add another perspective for people considering long-term living here who are wired like me (sensitive nervous system, living day to day rather than short trips). I’m from a Nordic background, so I’m used to quiet, stillness, and personal space. I now finally see being in Vietnam as a learning opportunity and personal development. Immersing myself in Vietnam forces me to speak louder, move faster, and assert myself more than I’m used to. Being more aggressive, not physically but in attitude, would allow me to accomplish my goals faster.
Maybe some of us grew up a little too soft. I did. I also need balance. Quietness, private space, and stillness to recharge.
Short-term travel and long-term living can feel very different. Over time, constant noise (honking, construction, late-night karaoke on loudspeakers) made it hard for my nervous system to truly relax, and it eventually affected my mental health.
Traffic was another major factor for me. Wrong-way driving, aggressive shortcuts, and sidewalks used for parking or riding made daily movement, especially on a bike, feel genuinely unsafe. Trash pollution also became mentally draining over months rather than days.
Socially, I found younger people often warm and curious, while interactions with some older generations could feel blunt or harsh, likely due to language barriers and cultural differences.
You’re an American living here long-term with a Vietnamese partner and clearly thriving, which gives you a very different (and valid) experience. Others may absolutely love Vietnam. I’m sharing this so people wired like me can calibrate expectations before committing long-term. Vietnam has huge potential. I just think showing only the positives can set unrealistic expectations for some personalities.
Is computer science teacher in demand ?
We have just arrived from Vietnam and I admit I chose the country over others because Vietnam has cancelled visa for my country recently. We loved Vietnamese cuisine, the prices are really affordable and there are really no issues with safety.
On the other hand I found harder to learn about REAL hidden gems as everybody is trying to attract your attention to Ha Long Bay or Sapa, but if you really push it and do your best to find real local experience, it is so worth it.
What shop is that where you bought the cao lau? I'm in da nang now and need that
Phu Quoc you can't even find a room
We've been here in DaNang for 7+ months so far, and every time we think about leaving, we stay.
Da Nang should be investing in light rail or at least a modern bus network. Infrastructure is dreadful for such a fast-growing city. Not to mention they desperately need some western-friendly malls — that’s one of the reasons westerners like Thailand: you can always find a mall with the shops and food you know and love. That type of thing goes a long way to keeping people comfortable in a foreign country.
Honestly Vietnam was a lot more enjoyable before all these digital nomad knobs started setting up shop here. This is my fourth trip to vietnam and it will be my last. It’s all downhill from here. If you think Vietnam will remain a low cost budget friendly destination it won’t be in the next few years.
The crazy thing is Vietnam just only visa free for 25 countries , Usa and China must get the visa to come Vn, Thailand and Malaysia free visa for more than 150 countries.
Is just cheap and beautiful. But chaotic, dirty
As demand goes up , prices will go up too , I rather Vietnam stay low key so we can enjoy the peace and low prices
I really liked this video, excellent job Trav.🎸
Give it another 15 years, Vietnam will be expensive. All the expats, retirees, digital nomads will leave. Thanks to all of you keep telling the world "HOW CHEAP IT IS LIVING IN VIETNAM!"
No sorry 2025 Malaysia #1 then Thailand then VN. Still a great place
Wow great video ❤👍
thanks bro, I'm Vietnamese, I hope I will visit all my favorite points on my country on near time, hehe
It's growing in Chinese and Korean tourism due to the massive boom of FDI
Western tourism is down almost 70% in 2025 With a return rate of 4.3% ending Q3 2025
Largest tourism in the entire world, i'd love to see this state, It has moved up fast but its almost all due to Chinese / Korean torusism that typically only stay for 2 weeks at most and on average 6.5 days per Min. of Tourism which is public records.
As of 2025 Q4 Vietnam is the Higest FDI (Selling Personal land to out side businesses) In Human history
The idea of doing visa runs over and over isn't so accurate as 2025 there has been a 20% REJECTION rate at the border for vias runners mostly Western nations, just because an EVisa isa pproved doesn't mean you'll get past the immigration officer.
The crime claim is wild though, gun crime in VN is up 45% just last few months, and robbery is up 400% deomesticly with petty theft being some of the highest in SE Asia found in VIetnam
And road safety is the 3rd highest reason Vietnamese ether lose their lives or end up in ER
The visa extention they added to other nations were mostly African countries which are considered 3rd world status, and they cut back on the EU benefits
You and Wil are my fav youtubers for Da nang, but this video you just bluntly gave out a LOT of false information..like a LOT
All vloggers are full of bs all. 99% of them show only one side of coin. Vietnam is completly destroyed country bcs of many factors vax, floods, immigration, dig id, traffic, chinese investments. All nice places are now different in all se asia. Danang is chinese hanoi city now, like all se asia.
Vietnam is very affordable to travel however the travel infrastructure is not that great and SGN airport is one of the worst in Asia.