Travelers will be scrutinizing spend in 2021, with 76% of Vietnamese travelers indicating they will be more price-conscious when it comes to searching and planning a future trip, according to Booking.com.

House by the Lake homstay in Moc Chau plateau. Photo: Booking.com

As the longest holiday of the year, Tet, although bringing many options for visitors, also makes many people with limited budget wonder because of high costs in the peak season. The hotel booking platform in Vietnam has just given out tips for traveling during the Tet holiday while ensuring savings and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Go off the beaten path: explore lesser-known destinations in Vietnam

Vietnam is full of hidden gems that are waiting for travelers to explore, so don’t just default to popular tourist destinations but opt for lesser-known destinations for their next holidays.

A recently research indicates that nearly 54% of Vietnamese travelers are looking at visiting alternative destinations in a bid to avoid travelling during peak season. These destinations will not only offer a new and unique travel experience but the prices at these places may also be more affordable during peak holiday season.

The heartbreaking beauty of Moc Chau plateau. Photo: An Khang

Travelers could look at exploring Tay Ninh, Moc Chau and Tam Dao, some beautiful lesser-known destinations, for their upcoming Tet holidays. It doesn’t take much time and costs for traveling to these places but still offering beautiful landscapes and interesting things to explore.

As a province in the Southeast, Tay Ninh is about 100km northwest of the center of Ho Chi Minh City. There are three choices of transportation to travel to the place: ride your own motorbike, car (it takes around two hours) or take a bus.

It takes travelers around three days to explore all the famous Tay Ninh’s sightseeing such as Nui Ba Den - the highest mountain in the southern part of the province- attracting visitors with majestic mountain views, wonderful caves and magnificent temples; Cao Dai- Tay Ninh Holy Church- a religious church with a unique architecture built in 1933; and Binh Thanh Ancient Tower – a typical architecture of the Oc Eo culture. The extremely rare legacy features intact stone walls since the days it is discovered in 1886.

Sunrise on Dau Tieng Lake in Tay Ninh province. Photo: Dinh Van Quoc Thanh

Situated in the Northwest mountainous region, Moc Chau is about 200 kilometers from Hanoi or five hours drive with a motorbike. You can get over this long journey by breaking it down with small breaks. From October to April every year is the time when Moc Chau turns to be beautiful the most.

Located at an altitude of 1050m above sea level, the plateau has a fresh climate and charming scenery with white plum flowers, forests of flame peach blossoms, and fields of mustard flowers stretching to far-away hill sides.

This place is also the residence of some ethnic minorities such as Yao, Tay, Thai - who still retain their own distinctive cultural identities. Travelers should rent a bicycle or go for a walk through the villages to discover locals’ life, learn about techniques of bamboo and rattan weaving as well as buy some products for home decoration.

Be accommodations savvy: explore budget-friendly options

House by the Lake homestay in Moc Chau plateau.

For budget-conscious travelers, you can opt for alternative accommodations like hostels, bed and breakfasts, homestays or look for budget hotels which are easy on the pocket.

Another tip is to avoid staying in touristy or central areas. While it might be more convenient to get around from these areas, accommodation prices could be higher during Tet.

A neighborhood that is further away from the busy touristy areas will allow you to immerse in the locals’ way of life while at the same time being kinder to your wallet.

Some funky homestays in Moc Chau that won the hearts of the young-hip travelers are  House by Lake, Moc Chau homestay and Arena village.

Get the most bang for your buck: keep an eye out for promotions

Peach blossoms in Moc Chau. Photo: An Khang

One of the most common money-saving tips is to never buy anything at full price - and this piece of wisdom certainly applies to travel, too. The research by Booking.com shows that 67% of travelers are more likely to hunt down promotions and savings, a trend that is likely to last years.

To avoid missing the opportunity to get luxurious trips on a budget, travelers should "work hard" to update ads, regularly visit the website of travel companies and sign up for periodic newsletters via email.

In addition, many travelers often look for accommodation discounts on social networks or private forums. Registering to become a member of online hotel booking sites, in most of the cases, also helps travelers to reduce the price by 10% compared to the normal price.

Flexible booking policy: book accommodations that offer flexibility in case you need to change your plans last-minute

Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh province. Photo: Duong Duc Kien

There has been an increased importance of flexibility for travelers wanting to make changes to their travel plans, particularly during these uncertain times. Tourists also need to consider the “Flexible No-Charge Policy”.

Travelers looking to save money can book early to enjoy the offers, however, if they need to cancel their reservations or change their plans at the last minute, they can still do it without charges. Some booking websites apply this policy, travelers need to research carefully if they want to have maximum savings for upcoming vacations.

Been there, done that: pick up saving tips from other travelers

Tam Dao in the mist. Photo: Pham Hung

Travelers love to share their experiences and you will often find valuable money-saving tips in their reviews that you might not have thought of. The best way to get relevant advice and tips is to search for reviews on the places and services of where you are planning to go.

This is especially true when it comes to accommodation, as where you stay can make or break your trip. When choosing accommodation on accommodation booking platforms, make sure to read through the reviews posted on the website, which are verified hotel reviews from real guests who have stayed at the property.

Not only will these reviews give you a better picture of the accommodation, you might also find relevant cost-saving tips to help keep your travel budget in check.