Unveiling the Secrets of a 4-Day Hong Kong Journey with $400

With strategic planning, you can have a high-quality trip, covering expenses for flights, visas, meals, and accommodation without the need for rough sleeping and facing criticism.

Unveiling the Secrets of a 4-Day Hong Kong Journey with $400

Flight and Hotel: 4 million VND

If you want to travel on a budget, plan details regarding timing, destinations, and the amount you want to save.

Detailed planning only makes it easier to request time off; two days on Thursday and Friday, combined with the weekend, will give you a delightful Hong Kong trip.

Preparing for my December 2016 journey, I began the hunt for budget airfares in May.

At that time, with Vietjet Air yet to open the Ho Chi Minh City – Hong Kong route, Vietnam Airlines was the only option. I snagged a promotional deal, securing a round-trip ticket for 2.6 million VND.

Now, you have more choices with Jetstar and Vietjet Air. Recently, Jetstar launched a promotion for flights to Hong Kong and other international destinations in 2017, ranging from 11,000-88,000 VND (excluding airport taxes).

After buying tickets, the next step was finding places to eat and stay. Hong Kong is renowned for its high cost of living in Asia and the world. A comparison reveals that renting a room in Hanoi or Saigon for around 500,000-700,000 VND will get you a fairly good room, while in Hong Kong, it falls within the range of 2.3-3.5 million VND.

Being a large city with limited space, Hong Kong buildings are often narrow yet tall. Hotels follow similar standards, making them somewhat inconvenient due to limited space. However, for solo travelers or groups of 2-3 on a tight budget, hostels are a better option.

In contrast to hotels, hostels are located in relatively central areas, offering decent accommodation though lacking some amenities. I chose Hong Kong Hostel on Paterson Street in Causewaybay, a bustling area with many shopping centers, priced at just over 300,000 VND per bed per night (excluding taxes and service fees). Thus, my 4-day accommodation cost me around 1.5 million VND.

If the total budget for the trip is 400 USD, the hotel and accommodation expenses amount to only 4 million VND, which is less than 200 USD. The exchange rate at the time of my travel in mid-December 2016 was 23,000 VND = 1 USD.

Challenging Gateway: Applying for a Visa

Obtaining a tourist visa for Hong Kong poses considerable difficulties for Vietnamese travelers. Visas are issued only 3 days before the traveler's departure, and sometimes you may receive it just one day before the trip.

However, the processing time also depends on the time of the year. During non-tourist seasons, you may receive it earlier, within 7-10 days.

Therefore, if you decide to visit Hong Kong, book your flight tickets early and avoid last-minute reservations.

Ensure your visa application is well-prepared because, in reality, Hong Kong's application process is relatively straightforward. You only need an employment contract, bank statement, household registration (or ID card), flight ticket, and passport to secure your visa.

Hong Kong tourist visas are granted through two channels: the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, or by submitting directly to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. There are various types of visas, including single-entry (typically issued for a 7-day duration for tourists), multiple-entry (allowing multiple visits within a specific timeframe), and business visas. The appearance and color of these visas vary depending on the issuing authority.

Introduced by a friend, I opted for a whimsically named Hong Kong visa service: Sea Horse. My application will be sent directly to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, and upon approval, you'll receive a visa sticker. Simply peel it off and affix it to your passport before hitting the road.

This method is incredibly convenient. Just scan your documents and send them via email. Translating the texts is not challenging, as employment contracts often come with bilingual templates readily available on the Internet.

For bank statements, utilize online banking services, select the English option, export the file in Excel format, and then convert it to a JPG file. Your application, along with personal documents, is now ready.

Throughout the application process, if there are any discrepancies, the authorities will contact you for clarification, although this is rarely the case. If you've traveled extensively, be sure to photocopy or scan pages with visas from other countries and include them in your application; it adds weight. Don't forget to provide the hotel code book for the visa issuing unit to see your travel itinerary.

With fees starting at 90 USD per person for group travelers (minimum of 3 people) and 120 USD for individual travelers, Hong Kong visa fees are relatively high. However, considering the alternative of forfeiting the entire flight cost and hotel booking, it's a worthwhile investment.

The convenience of compiling documents solely through email is a significant advantage. You save the time of carrying physical copies, rushing to submit, and waiting for supplementary requests, all while juggling daily tasks without the luxury of dealing with such cumbersome details.

At this point, I've allocated 294 USD out of the 'budget' of 400 USD, leaving me with a modest 106 USD for indulgence. Can you believe that amount is sufficient for a lavish 4-day stay in the expensive city of Hong Kong?

According to Travel Sage/Zing News

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Reference: Travel Guide Mytour