Vietnam runs the length of the country, so this guide goes stop by stop along the usual backpacker route, from Hanoi in the north to Saigon in the south. Hanoi and Saigon already have their own detailed hostel guides; everywhere else, the ranges and areas below are the current picture.
We don't rate hostels or copy reviews here. Prices change with the season, so treat every figure as a guide and check current rates before you book.
Hanoi
Hanoi has the country's widest hostel choice, split between the social Old Quarter, the calmer streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, and quiet West Lake (Tay Ho) further out. A Vietnam price guide updated in 2026 puts dorm beds at about 120,000 to 350,000 dong, with the top of the range at social hostels with a pool or rooftop bar, and female-only dorms are easiest to find in and around the Old Quarter. Our dedicated hostels in Hanoi guide covers areas, named hostels and current prices in full, and the Hanoi travel guide covers what to do while you're there.
Ha Giang
Ha Giang town, at the foot of the Ha Giang Loop, has a small backpacker hostel scene where most loop operators are based, and many of them store your main luggage for free while you ride. Once you're on the loop itself, nights are mostly in family homestays in Yen Minh, Dong Van and Du Gia rather than in hostels, and the cost is usually bundled into your loop tour rather than booked separately. Female-only dorms aren't really a feature here: homestay rooms are typically mixed, shared dorm-style spaces. Our Ha Giang guide and Ha Giang Loop guide cover the route and how to book a loop tour.
Sapa
Sapa town has a growing hostel scene of its own, but the highlight for most people is a night in a family homestay in the Muong Hoa valley, in villages such as Ta Van. Homestays cost roughly 250,000 to 900,000 dong a room a night (US$10 to US$36), sometimes with dinner and breakfast included, and rooms are simple, sometimes a shared loft with mattresses and mosquito nets. As with Ha Giang, female-only dorms aren't a feature of the homestay side of a Sapa stay. See the Sapa travel guide for trekking routes and fees.
Ninh Binh (Tam Coc)
Tam Coc village, the usual base for exploring Ninh Binh's limestone peaks and rice fields, has a handful of backpacker hostels close to the boat pier, alongside the more common guesthouses. Dorm beds run from about 50,000 to 150,000 dong at the simplest hostels. It's a small, low-key scene rather than a party one, and female-only dorms are rare here; most rooms are mixed dorms or private guesthouse rooms.
Phong Nha
Phong Nha is mostly guesthouses strung along the Son river rather than a dorm-hostel scene, since most visitors are here for two nights of caving rather than a long, social stay. If a dorm bed matters to you, check listings carefully, since many "hostels" here are really small guesthouses with a mixed dorm room or two rather than a dedicated backpacker hostel. Our Phong Nha guide covers the caves and how many days to give the park.
Hue
Hue's hostels sit mostly in the centre, within walking distance of the Imperial City and the Perfume River. Dorm beds run from about 130,000 to 210,000 dong, with a social, communal-kitchen feel at most of them and a few offering free breakfast. Female-only dorms are patchy outside the biggest hostels, so filter for one directly on a booking site if it matters to you.
Hoi An
Hoi An's hostels sit a short walk from the lantern-lit old town, ranging from social hostels with a pool and daily activities to quieter homestay-style guesthouses just outside the centre. Dorm beds run from about 100,000 to 300,000 dong. A handful of hostels run female-only dorms, mostly among the larger, more social properties.
Da Nang
Da Nang's hostels cluster around My Khe Beach and the An Thuong area, a few minutes' walk from the bars and restaurants. Dorm beds run from about 150,000 to 470,000 dong, with the social, pool-and-rooftop hostels at the higher end and simpler beach-adjacent options lower down. It's a beach-and-nightlife scene rather than a female-dorm-heavy one, so filter for a female-only dorm directly if you want one.
Dalat
Dalat's cooler climate and coffee-and-waterfalls scene draws a smaller but social hostel crowd, mostly around the city centre. Dorm beds run from about 80,000 to 130,000 dong, and several hostels run their own weekly family dinners or organise motorbike day trips to nearby waterfalls and coffee plantations.
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Saigon's hostel scene is Vietnam's other big one, centred on Bui Vien and Pham Ngu Lao, with quieter alternatives in District 3 and Binh Thanh. A September 2026 price guide puts dorm beds at about 120,000 to 350,000 dong, with the top of the range at social hostels with a pool or rooftop, and female-only or adults-only dorms cluster around Bui Vien. Our dedicated hostels in Saigon guide covers areas, named hostels and current prices in full.
Vietnam hostels by type
| Type | Where it's easiest to find | Typical dorm price |
|---|---|---|
| Social or party-leaning | Hanoi's Old Quarter, Bui Vien in Saigon, An Thuong in Da Nang, central Hoi An | 150,000 to 470,000 dong |
| Quiet | Hanoi's West Lake, Saigon's District 3 and Binh Thanh, Dalat, Tam Coc | 50,000 to 350,000 dong |
| Homestay-based (little to no dorm scene) | Ha Giang Loop villages, Sapa's Muong Hoa valley, Phong Nha | 250,000 to 900,000 dong a night (per room, sometimes with meals) |
| Female-only dorm | Hanoi, Saigon, and the larger hostels in Hoi An and Da Nang | 150,000 to 400,000 dong |
Prices checked October 2026 and will drift with the season. Expect rises of 20 to 30% from December to February, and a further jump around Tet, which falls on 6 February 2027 (the length of the public holiday has not been decided).
What to check before you book
- City versus homestay stops. In Hanoi, Saigon, Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang you're booking a dorm bed much like anywhere else in Southeast Asia. On the Ha Giang Loop and in Sapa's valley villages, you're usually booking a homestay night as part of a tour or trek rather than a stand-alone hostel.
- Air-con vs fan. Nearly all city hostels have air-con now, but check before booking anywhere unusually cheap, since the centre and south get hot and humid for long stretches of the year.
- Filtering for a female-only dorm. Availability is concentrated in Hanoi, Saigon and the bigger hostels in Hoi An and Da Nang, so filter for it directly on a booking site rather than assuming a given hostel has one. Our hostels for solo female travellers guide has more on choosing where to stay.
- Booking ahead around Tet. Tet, in early February 2027, closes many family-run guesthouses and homestays for several days and sells out transport across the country. Book well ahead if you're travelling then.
Skip the planning and travel with a group
If you'd rather not book a string of hostels and homestays yourself, our small-group trips for solo travellers aged 18 to 40 include your accommodation for every night on the route.
