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Indonesia Knowledge
comparison

Indonesia vs Vietnam for travel

Indonesia and Vietnam are Asia's emerging tourist heavyweights. Indonesia offers archipelago variety and Bali; Vietnam offers a long thin country with everything from northern mountains (Sapa) to southern islands (Phu Quoc).

Last reviewed:

Choose Indonesia for surf, diving, Bali culture and island variety. Choose Vietnam for outstanding food, cool northern mountains, ancient towns (Hoi An, Hue) and a longer-stay value destination. Itineraries don't overlap so it's often a holiday-by-holiday choice.

Best for

  • Indonesia: Surfers and divers
  • Indonesia: Bali specifically
  • Indonesia: Hindu/Indonesia cultural travellers
  • Indonesia: Island-hop travellers

Not best for

  • Vietnam: Foodies
  • Vietnam: Cool-climate / mountain travellers
  • Vietnam: Ancient-town enthusiasts (Hoi An)
  • Vietnam: Long-stay budget nomads
Indonesia — GeographyArchipelago — requires flights
Vietnam — GeographyLong thin country — overland workable
Indonesia — Cost mid-rangeUSD 60–150/day
Vietnam — Cost mid-rangeUSD 50–110/day
Indonesia — CuisineIndonesian regional variety
Vietnam — CuisineOutstanding (pho, banh mi, bun bo Hue)
Indonesia — BeachesBali, Gilis, Komodo
Vietnam — BeachesPhu Quoc, Mui Ne, Da Nang
Indonesia — Mountains / cool climateLimited (Bandung, Berastagi)
Vietnam — Mountains / cool climateSapa, Da Lat, central highlands
Indonesia — Ancient sitesBorobudur, Prambanan
Vietnam — Ancient sitesHue, Hoi An, My Son
Indonesia — VisaVOA 60 days, E33G 5y
Vietnam — VisaVisa exempt 45 days, DTV 5y
Indonesia — SurfWorld-class
Vietnam — SurfOK (Da Nang area)
Indonesia — DivingWorld-class
Vietnam — DivingOK (Phu Quoc, Nha Trang)

Choose Indonesia if…

  • Surfers and divers
  • Bali specifically
  • Hindu/Indonesia cultural travellers
  • Island-hop travellers

Choose Vietnam if…

  • Foodies
  • Cool-climate / mountain travellers
  • Ancient-town enthusiasts (Hoi An)
  • Long-stay budget nomads

Related guides

Frequently asked

Which is cheaper?

Vietnam at the budget end; comparable at mid-range. Bali Canggu has caught up with central Saigon and Hanoi for many categories.

Which is easier to travel?

Vietnam — overland by train and bus is straightforward. Indonesia requires flights between islands, which adds cost and time.