Vietnam vs Cambodia.
Direct comparison for Indian travellers, visa, cost, best months, sights. Vietnam ended its 30-day visa-free for Indians in 2026; mainland now needs a paid 90-day e-Visa ($25). Only Phu Quoc island keeps a 30-day visa-free exemption. Meanwhile in Cambodia: Cambodia e-Visa is online at evisa.gov.kh (~$36); use only the official .gov.kh site, clone sites overcharge. The Angkor pass is separate ($37 for 1 day, $62 for 3 days). No direct India flights, route via Bangkok or KL.
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa for Indian passport | paid e-Visa 90 days (visa-free for Phu Quoc only, 30d) | e-Visa ~$36 (₹3,000) at evisa.gov.kh, 90-day validity, 30-day stay |
| Visa cost (per person) | ₹2,100 | ₹3,000 |
| Round-trip flight (Chennai) | ₹16k | ₹24k |
| Daily mid-range cost | ₹2.5-5.0k | ₹2.0-4.5k |
| Best months | Oct-Apr | Nov-Mar |
| Top city | Hanoi | Siem Reap |
- 1. Halong Bay
- 2. Hoi An old town
- 3. Saigon street food
- 4. Phu Quoc beach
- 1. Angkor Wat sunrise
- 2. Ta Prohm (tomb raider temple)
- 3. Phnom Penh Royal Palace
- 4. Koh Rong beaches
For first-time Indian travellers Vietnam is the cheapest paid e-Visa to clear ($25 / ₹2,100) and pho-and-banh-mi food costs sit at ₹150-300 a meal, half what you'd pay in Thailand post-tourism-hike. Pair it with the /architect Vietnam plan for a 7-day Hanoi→Hoi An→Saigon route.
Cambodia is the Angkor Wat trip, one of the great wonders, plus a cheap ₹2-4.5k/day on the ground. The ₹3,000 e-Visa and a Bangkok or KL connection are the only friction. Best paired with /destinations/vn or /destinations/th on one Indochina loop.
Vietnam or Cambodia for first-time Indian travellers?
Vietnam has the simpler visa for Indian passport (paid e-Visa 90 days (visa-free for Phu Quoc only, 30d)). Vietnam has cheaper flights from India (~₹16k). If budget is the constraint, pick the one with the lower combined visa+flight cost.
Which is cheaper to travel daily, Vietnam or Cambodia?
Cambodia is cheaper at mid-range (₹2k/day baseline vs ₹3k). The gap is biggest on stays + food; transit costs are roughly similar.
When should I visit Vietnam vs Cambodia?
Vietnam is best in Oct-Apr. Cambodia is best in Nov-Mar. Different windows means you can do both as a multi-country trip if windows align.