23-Year-Old Explores Europe with 65 Million Dong

30 days, 18 cities, 8 countries, 65 million Dong... These numbers shaped Nguyen Hai Nam's European adventure.

Dream Trip Originating from a Joke

Since his university days, Nam always made it a point to take at least a week, sometimes even a month, each year to venture into new territories. And by the end of 2011, during a casual conversation with friends discussing potential travel destinations, Nam jokingly declared: 'I'm going to Europe.'

Nam scoured forums, sought insights from seasoned travelers, particularly about itineraries and finances, and soon realized it was entirely within reach. Thus, what began as banter among friends turned into reality a year later.

The 30-day expedition spanned from October 26 to November 25, 2012, covering 8 countries: France – Greece – Italy – Austria – Hungary – Czech Republic – Germany – Switzerland, and 18 cities including Paris – Blois – Tours (France); Athens – Santorini Island (Greece); Rome – Pisa – Florence – Venice (Italy); Salzburg – Hallstatt – Vienna (Austria); Budapest (Hungary); Prague (Czech Republic); Munich (Germany); Zurich – Interlaken – Bern (Switzerland). The route followed a closed loop to optimize travel time.

Only France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands in the Schengen area accept tourist visas for Vietnamese nationals. Nam's group, consisting of 4 individuals (1 male, 3 females) aged 23 to 26, all single, decided to choose France because they knew the country was actively promoting tourism and it was also where the group stayed the longest.

“I consulted forums, asked many young people like myself, cases like mine, with the highest risk of visa denial, and realized I had up to a 90% chance of failure. But my hope remained because I knew there was a Vietnamese student who was granted a visa to France for independent travel,” Nam recounted.

Nam revealed that the French consulate rigorously examines financial matters, itineraries, reasons for visiting France, and randomly cross-examines group members to ensure familiarity and connections. Due to the low likelihood of obtaining a visa, Nam only booked flights through an agent, refrained from purchasing hotels, train tickets, etc., merely making reservations online and printing documents for embassy submission. The only travel insurance (760,000 Dong) Nam bought for real. Additionally, Nam's itinerary spanned 7 pages, incredibly detailed, down to the hour.

According to the plan, on October 26, 2012, the group embarked on their journey. On July 13, Nam and his friends initiated their visa campaign by scheduling appointments via phone. The French consulate only accepts applications up to 3 months in advance. On July 30, the documents were submitted. All members attended the interview. On August 1, the consulate requested additional documents, including a letter outlining the purpose of the trip. Nam disclosed that he poured his heart into this letter, expressing his genuine affection for France. On August 3, the consulate called again, asking for a comprehensive expense report and clarifications on financial sources for the trip. And on August 15, while Nam was at work, he checked the visa progress link, barely hopeful. That day, the consulate announced that all procedures had been completed but did not confirm whether the visa had been granted. It was only upon arrival that Nam and his friends received the unexpectedly joyous news, immediately sharing it on Facebook. “For someone not wealthy and still young like me, it's incredibly fantastic,” Nam said. After many tense moments, the group officially obtained tourist visas to France.

Preparing for the Journey

Immediately after obtaining the visa, Nam and his friends' first task was to book all hotels and modes of transportation such as flights, trains, ferries, etc., according to the prearranged itinerary because the longer they waited, the more expensive the tickets became. The advantage of Nam's group was having visas two months before the departure date, so there was a significant opportunity to buy cheaper tickets. The most challenging was the round-trip airfare from Hanoi to Paris (with layovers in Bangkok and Dubai) on Qatar Airways, costing 21 million Dong.

At the last minute, the journey took a slight turn from the original plan. The entire group decided to opt for the dreamy island of Santorini (Greece) instead of heading to Barcelona. Looking back almost a year after the trip, Nam affirmed that it was a very wise decision.

During ticket booking, Nam noticed that traveling by train was very convenient for several reasons. Firstly, train journeys don't require early arrivals (unlike airports). Secondly, train stations are usually located in city centers, saving a considerable amount on transportation costs (airports are often far away). Furthermore, based on the experiences of previous travelers, European trains are very modern and typically not overcrowded, so one can enjoy business class comfort. Additionally, trains usually operate at an average speed of over 150 km/h, making travel time relatively short.

Only on long-haul or sea-crossing routes (such as Paris - Athens and Athens - Rome) did the group have to fly. Nam chose Easyjet, Europe's leading low-cost airline. According to experience, Easyjet, Ryan Air, and German Wings are the cheapest airlines in Europe. However, not all routes are served by these airlines. Therefore, you can flexibly choose the most suitable option.

Top 4 Beautiful and Memorable Destinations

Santorini Island (Greece) stands out with its houses clinging to cliffs near the sea, truly charming and striking against the backdrop of the vibrant blue autumn sky. The cheapest way to reach the island is by ferry. In the summer, there is a trip from the evening before until dawn, while in winter, there is only one trip per day. The ticket price is 37.5 Euros one way. During peak season, it's advisable to book in advance online, otherwise, you can ask the hotel reception.

Budapest (Hungary) is a stunning city at night, glittering with its bridges spanning the Danube River connecting the two sides of Buda and Pest.

Tranquil Hallstatt town (Austria), nestled by the lake, is world-famous for its picturesque and peaceful scenery, rated as one of the 20 most beautiful towns in Europe. For Nam, this place is an ideal relaxation spot.

Jungfraujoch snow mountain (Switzerland) with its mountain-climbing train featuring wide glass windows for clear views outside. The highlights here are the ice palace and sculptures, the panorama view room offering a panoramic view of the mountain peak with large screens and sound, outdoor play area, and snow slides. The ideal time to visit is from May to October.

The Dream Journey by Numbers

- Longest Stay: Paris (France): 5 days (4 days at the beginning and 1 day at the end of the journey)

- Shortest Stay: Pisa centre (Italy): 2 hours and 30 minutes just to admire the leaning tower.

Total of 18 nights spent in hostels, 9 nights hosted by acquaintances, and 2 nights on buses + trains, including:

- Most expensive: Apartment in Paris: 27 Euro/night/person

- Cheapest: Hostel in Athens, Greece: 10.375 Euro/night/person

- Most satisfactory: Apartment in Paris and Vila Manos Hotel in Santorini, Greece

Utilizing a variety of transportation including two flights with low-cost airline Easyjet, 11 train rides, 2 bus rides, and 1 boat ride. Among them:

- Most expensive train journey: Bern (Switzerland) – Paris (France): 90 Euro/person

- Cheapest train journey: Florence – Venice: 9 Euro/person (booked 2 months in advance)

- Longest delay experienced: Easyjet flight from Athens to Rome: over 3 hours

- Most expensive and delicious meal: Beef steak at Hippopotamus Restaurant - Paris: 13.5 Euro/person, while regular meals cost only 5-6 Euro/person.

- Most expensive attraction ticket: Jungfraujoch, the highest peak in Europe in Switzerland: 81 Euro/person (discounted by half).

- The only museum visited during the entire trip: Sex Machine Museum in Prague: 10 Euro/person

- Nam's total expenses were nearly 65 million VND (including all expenses except personal shopping), much cheaper than about 80 million VND for a standard tour at travel companies in Hanoi, which lasts longer and includes more destinations.

Advice after the trip from Hai Nam and friends

- Don't travel too long for a European trip if you don't have other purposes such as visiting relatives or studying… 3 weeks is the ideal time for you to ensure excitement and health. Choose wisely so as not to chase the number of destinations but miss the chance to enjoy the special things in special places. If you travel too long and have to move a lot, you may get bored.

- To avoid having to forfeit flight or train tickets, do not book consecutive flights or train journeys too close together. Train and flight delays or cancellations are quite common everywhere, so book tickets for the next journey at least 5 to 6 hours after the previous journey.

- Train or flight tickets should be booked at least 2 months in advance for the best prices, Italy is 2 months, France can be booked early 3 months. However, it should be noted that Switzerland does not differentiate between booking tickets closer or farther from the departure time. Switzerland only prioritizes Swiss nationals or those with visas for 1 year or more (50% discount).

- When going up the mountain, it is best to prepare water and bread in advance. The outdoor temperature when the group ascended on November 21, 2012, was about -4 degrees. In addition, playing at an altitude above 3,000 m can cause fatigue quite quickly, so it is necessary to bring ginger candy to soothe the throat.

- If traveling a lot, pack fewer clothes for lighter luggage. Note that in the luggage, you need 2 pants, 2 shirts (one thin, one thick), and waterproof clothing is essential.

- It is advisable to exchange money from Vietnam, especially euros and high-value currencies like Swiss Francs. The exchange rate is relatively good and helps you save time.

- Ideal shopping destinations for luxury goods are France and Germany. In Italy and Greece, you can buy many souvenirs and affordable items.

- It's essential to prepare the contact numbers of the Vietnamese embassies in each country to handle emergencies such as passport loss or getting lost.

- Be sure to prepare a carefully packed personal belongings bag, safeguarding cash and phones. Theft is quite common and sophisticated in Europe.

Source: Travel Guide from Mytour - According to Ngoisao