I’ll start this post by admitting my bias—I’ve published it on the Thailand Starts Here website, after all. (Spoiler alert: I did try to buy VietnamStartsHere.com, but someone beat me to it.)
Indeed, I’ll also begin magnanimously. I love both of these countries; if you told me I had to spend the rest of my life only exploring either of them, I wouldn’t be upset.
At the same time, the Thailand vs Vietnam debate isn’t an especially close call, in spite of Vietnam’s ascendancy and various ways in which Thailand has fallen from grace. I hope you’ll continue reading over the next dozen or so paragraphs to see where I’m coming from.
Why So Many Travelers Now Prefer Vietnam Over Thailand
A few years ago, if you pressed travelers to choose Thailand or Vietnam, I don’t think there would’ve been a competition. Vietnam is nice, most would probably have said, but only for a short while, and in a few places. Thailand, for all its flaws, was simply a more proven and reliable destination. Unfortunately, during and especially after the pandemic, many trends have been exacerbated, most of them in Vietnam’s favor.
While both countries closed their borders for more than a year—and this was counterproductive in both cases—Vietnam returned to normalcy much faster, with both mandates and the tendency of the public to hold onto pandemic-era behaviors expiring much quicker than they did in Thailand. Moreover, prices in Thailand skyrocketed, and the value of its currency did as well. Vietnam, by contrast, has remained cheap, even as infrastructure and safety have dramatically improved.





Ways to Compare Thailand with Vietnam
Price
Vietnam is the clear winner in this category. Whether at the high end or for budget backpackers, Vietnam is—at minimum—half the price of Thailand, and sometimes even cheaper. What’s remarkable is that this has stayed steady over the years—prices for many things in Vietnam have stayed almost the same since I first visited in 2010. By contrast, the costs of many items in Thailand have (at least) doubled during that time.
Destinations
Comparing Thailand and Vietnam on this front, the advantage is less clear. Thailand, for its part, certainly has better beaches and islands; Bangkok is more cosmopolitan than either Hanoi or Saigon. On the other hand, while I love northern Thailand, it doesn’t really have the extreme highland scenery you find in Sapa, to say nothing of how Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region is so culturally unique.
Food
Likewise, I think there’s an argument to be made that it’s more or less a draw between these countries on the food front. Thai food is certainly spicier, and I would argue that Thai street food is more ubiquitous and accessible. With this being said, I think I prefer the simplicity of Pho over the complexity of Thai soups like Tom Kha or Tom Yam; I generally enjoy the availability of beef in Vietnam compared to Thailand, which is a very pork-y country.
Infrastructure and safety
If I were to make a list of countries (let alone Asian countries) with the best roads and rails, Vietnam and Thailand would both be near the bottom of the list; the same (mostly as a result of traffic accidents) can be said for public safety. Indeed, while I’d say that Thailand (especially Bangkok) is objectively “better” in this regard, travelers in Thailand also tend to be more aware of this fact, leaving them to let their guard down.
Visas and immigration
As of 2025, Thailand offers visa-exempt entry (for between 30-60 days) for nationals from literally dozens of countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand most of Europe. By contrast, Vietnam requires many foreigners to obtain an e-visa before travel, even if this process has become much less convoluted over time. Of course, neither of these countries offers across the board 90-day entry stamps like Malaysia or Singapore, so both have a ways to go.





What About the Rest of Southeast Asia?
I’ve extensively traveled in Southeast Asia as a whole, and while Thailand is my favorite overall, I have nice things to say about most Southeast Asia countries:
- Myanmar in many ways feels like a forlorn version of Thailand, trapped at least a couple decades in the past. On the other hand, it’s mired in what feels like perpetual war and conflict.
- I like Cambodia, but there’s just not a lot to it. Outside of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Koh Rong island, the country feels empty. The same can be said about Laos, which is beautiful, but boring.
- When it comes to Muslim-majority Southeast Asia, I tend to value the ease of exploring Malaysia over the incredible diversity and vastness of Indonesia.
- Among very rich countries, I prefer tiny Singapore over larger Brunei, both because of how much more there is to do in Singapore (and how much easier it is to get around), and also due to Brunei’s conservatism.
- Frankly, I have just never really liked The Philippines. The people are friendly, and many places are beautiful, but the country is a hot mess with terrible food, questionable safety and an odious penchant for dictators.
Other FAQ About Comparing Thailand to Vietnam
Is it better to go to Thailand or Vietnam?
I think you should visit both Thailand and Vietnam if you can! If you can only visit one, however, I’d start with Thailand. Vietnam is a beautiful and diverse country with amazing food and friendly people, and is far cheaper than it should be. However, Thailand offers a much safer and more reliable travel experience, and also a richer and more eclectic one.
Is it cheaper in Thailand or Vietnam?
Vietnam is much cheaper than Thailand. This is due both to overall prices being lower, but also because the Vietnamese dong has remained steady in recent years, while the Thai baht has dramatically increased in value compared to foreign currencies, especially the US dollar.
Is Thailand or Vietnam safer for tourists?
On one hand, you are unlikely to experience violent crime in either Thailand or Vietnam. On the other hand, while both have questionable roads and also require travelers to endure other hassles that are not present in Western countries, I’d say that Thailand’s higher level of development compared to Vietnam makes it slightly safer.
The Bottom Line
Comparing Thailand vs Vietnam is a helpful exercise, even if you ultimately opt to visit both these countries. Obviously, Thailand wins my heart—I do own one of the web’s premier Thailand travel websites—but I love Vietnam a lot as well. At the same time, I do find that Thailand is an overall “better” travel destination, in spite of recent developments both for Thailand (increasing prices; political turmoil) and Vietnam (rapid economic growth; improved infrastructure). Indeed, I do think you should see Thailand and Vietnam for yourself, if you can, and make your own judgment! The best way to do this? Commission a custom Southeast Asia itinerary, and let me sweat the details of your trip.