Thailand vs Vietnam: which first international trip fits your group

Both countries have changed their entry rules for Indian passport holders more than once in recent months, so treat any number you read in an article, this one included, as a pointer and not as the rule.

Thailand: check the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi and the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the current visa exemption or visa on arrival terms, the permitted length of stay and the digital arrival card. Vietnam: apply through the government e-visa portal, evisa.gov.vn, and check the fee and processing time there. Third-party sites add their own charges for the same form.

For both, the passport usually needs to be valid for at least six months from arrival, and airlines may ask for return tickets and hotel bookings. Confirm the exact list on the official page a few weeks before you fly.

Thailand: Bangkok is about 4 to 4.5 hours from Delhi, with direct flights from several Indian cities. Phuket and Krabi are about 1.5 hours further by a domestic flight.

Vietnam: Hanoi is about 5 to 6 hours from Delhi, and many itineraries involve one stop, so check the routing and the layover. Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are the other usual entry points. Vietnam is long and thin, so a trip that includes both Hanoi and Da Nang needs an internal flight.

Thailand: November to March is cooler and drier across most of the country. April is hot, and the rainy season runs roughly from May to October, with rougher seas on the Andaman side around Phuket and Krabi.

Vietnam: the north around Hanoi and Ha Long Bay is pleasant in October and November and again in March and April, with cold, grey weather in mid winter. The centre around Da Nang and Hoi An is driest from about February to May, with heavy rain and flood risk later in the year. Weather varies by region, so pick the region first and the month second.

Thailand works well in 5 to 7 days: 2 or 3 nights in Bangkok and the rest on one island or in Pattaya. Three destinations in a week means two internal flights and a lot of airport time.

Vietnam needs 6 to 8 days, and it is better to pick the north or the centre than both. Hanoi with an overnight Ha Long Bay cruise is the usual first week, and Da Nang with Hoi An suits a second trip.

The same things move the price of both: your dates, the flight route and how early you book, hotel category, group size, and how many internal flights and paid activities you add. Visa fees and travel insurance sit on top.

In Thailand, the island leg and any speedboat day trips add the most. In Vietnam, the Ha Long Bay cruise category and the internal flight are the big variables. A written quote for your dates is the only firm number.

Thailand suits bigger friend groups and college batches on a first trip abroad: Bangkok's markets and street food, then beaches, island hopping and nightlife in Phuket, Krabi or Pattaya. It also works for couples with a slower plan.

Vietnam suits couples and groups who want culture and scenery over nightlife: Hanoi's old quarter, Ha Long Bay's limestone islands, Hoi An's lantern-lit old town and Da Nang's beaches. It is also a good second international trip after Thailand.

If the group wants beaches, easy flights and a lively trip, choose Thailand. If it wants old towns, scenery and a quieter pace, choose Vietnam. Send us your dates, group size and home city on WhatsApp and we will plan the visa steps, flights and stays together.