r/desitravellers

We are 9 adults and 5 kids, planning a trip to Vietnam.
Since we are a big group, our preference is to stay in Airbnb or apartments or anything where we rent the entire property.

We reached out to a travel agent who is suggesting us that hotels are a better option as airbnb are more expensive and they may cancel at the last moment or have last minute issues due to language barrier.

Has anyone here travelled to Vietnam who didnt stay in a hotel? What was the experience like?
What would be the advice for us?

Thank you.

Hey folks, I am looking to go on a trip next yr in q1 with friends and their families. We are 3 friends with 10 people in total. Our kids are 1, 2, 5 and 6 yrs old. I have traveled to Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, hk and macau before and I am familiar with the processes. The help I need is in choosing the destination with such group. I had plans to go to phuquoc island before but the flights are now insanely priced and the airasia ones from bkk are even more expensive. Vietjet is ok for now but the added cost of visa and the hassle of changing terminals in sgn looks daunting. Also, I have begun to rethink if phuquoc island alone would be worth going at all. I am now considering Thailand, north Vietnam and phuquoc island.

Can you guys pls share your experience in these countries with the small kids and suggestions on what place is better? I am open to other countries as well provided the itinerary isn't too rushed and the entire trip cost is less than 2 lac.

I have booked flights like more then 15 times, used every platform skyscanner has redirected me to, bought these several times without reading what I was buying.

Went through the actual terms on each. They are not variations of one product, the mechanisms are fundamentally different, and the price is just one part.

Type 1 - a fee waiver. MakeMyTrip's is the one example, from about ₹149. It waives the cancellation charge. Conditions that matter: select domestic flights only, and the full waiver applies only if you bought the ticket at least 24 hours before departure. Promotional and last-minute fares are excluded. It does not help with delays and schedules.

Type 2 - an insurance policy. Cleartrip's runs through Liberty General from about ₹500, sum insured up to ₹5,000. That's a claim. You cancel, then you claim, then it's assessed, then you're reimbursed. Different thing entirely from a waiver, and the fact that it costs 3× the waiver product doesn't make it better.

Type 3 - a refund to your original payment method. ixigo's Assured is the one I've found that's structured this way: cancel and the money goes back the way it came, rather than into platform credit.

I mean high chances there will be a catch in each type, just putting it here for my fellow next traveller.

And before you buy any of them, know that you may already have the thing for free. DGCA rules give you a zero cancellation and change fee if you cancel within 48 hours of booking, provided the departure is at least 7 days away and you booked direct with the airline. Refund within 14 working days.

All the best for your flgiht. bye bye.

Hi Redditors! I have a 2025 expired Schengen Visa which I’ve used twice. As per Taiwan ROC Immigration, Indian passport holders can obtain online TAC for short stay and no need of a visa. I have already obtained it and my flight is with Singapore Airlines. I’m worried that they won’t allow me to board since I have an expired Schengen visa. Has anyone faced a similar situation? Were there any complications? Please advise, I’m travelling solo so want to be careful 😢

This will be my first international trip and I want to go with my sister. Just wanted to ask a few questions related to visa

1.) bank account details and itr are required?

2.) do we need to show flight and hotel bookings?

3.) approx. how much bank balance is required, since i will be sponsoring the trip can we show the same bank statement for both of us?

4.) is there any case where visa can get rejected?

Hey everyone!

Planning to go to: Colombo, Galle, Weligama/Mirissa, Kandy for 8 days. Is this gonna be rushed or is it doable?

Apart from that got a few quick questions:

Cash or Card? Which one is actually king for daily stuff on this route? Should I carry mostly cash or can I get by with card in most places?

Getting around: What’s the easiest way to move between these spots? Was considering renting a car to drive myself, Or should I just stick to trains for long distances?

Food budget: Any rough idea what to budget per day for food? Plan is mostly hit up cafes and mid-range places, with maybe one or two nicer dinners thrown in.

I’m planning a solo trip to northern Vietnam and I’m a little stuck between Sapa/Ta Van and Mai Chau.

I get motion sickness, but trains (which I loveeee) and being a pillion on a motorbike are usually fine. Very short bus/van rides are manageable too, though not my favourite. I don’t want to miss out on a place I’d really enjoy just because of motion sickness, but I also don’t want to push myself too hard.

I’m hoping to experience different kinds of landscapes and local cultures, food, temples, cafés, and everyday life. I’d also love opportunities to meet other travellers and connect with people along the way.

Plan 1:
Hanoi > Mai Châu > Ninh Bình > Nam Định > Hải Phòng > Cát Bà & Lan Hạ Bay > Hanoi

Plan 2:
Hanoi > Sa Pa & Ta Van Valley > Ninh Bình > Nam Định > Hải Phòng > Cát Bà & Lan Hạ Bay > Hanoi

Sa Pa + Ta Van: I like that I can take the train to Lào Cai and only have to deal with a shorter road journey afterwards. It also seems like there’s quite a bit to explore, so I was thinking of spending around 4–5 days there.

Mai Châu: This seems more like the slower village experience I would like, cycling around, homestays, cafés, local life, etc. My only hesitation is the road journey, since I get motion sickness and there doesn’t seem to be a train option.

I know these are quite different places, but based on the rest of my itinerary and the kind of trip I’m hoping to have, which one would you recommend?

So please advise. Any recommendations welcome, even outside of this! Thanks

Recommend E sims for a Usa trip please

Has anyone used matrix ?

Recently got married to the love of my life. And she's been insisting on going on a international trip.

Now I haven't travelled anywhere outside India. And I have limited experience travelling anywhere. It was mostly with my best buddies.

I am shit scared as I've to do all the planning.

We both don't know shit about travelling outside country: money, travel, stay, visa and everything in general.

How do I start planning? What things to take in consideration and must be prepared for?