The short answer
Pick Thailand if New Year's Eve is the reason you're going. Our Thailand group rings in 2027 at the NYE beach party on Koh Phangan, with the ticket and ferry included, and there's no visa to apply for. Pick Vietnam if you want more variety for less money: Saigon nightlife, lantern-lit Hoi An, the Golden Hand Bridge and a Ha Long Bay cruise, for about ₹6,000 less on the land price.
Vietnam is also the fast riser with Indian travellers. It received around 553,000 Indian visitors from January to July 2026, up 42.9%. Thailand is still the bigger market, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand is targeting 2.7 million Indian arrivals in 2027 (a target, not a result).
Side by side
| Vietnam New Year | Thailand New Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Trip dates | 28 Dec 2026 – 4 Jan 2027 (7N/8D) | 28 Dec 2026 – 4 Jan 2027 (7N/8D) |
| Route | Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay | Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Krabi |
| Land price now | ₹61,999 till 28 Oct, then ₹63,999 | ₹68,000 till 28 Oct, then ₹70,000 |
| With flights | ₹1,10,000 till 28 Oct, then ₹1,15,000 (from Delhi or Bangalore) | ₹1,12,000 till 28 Oct, then ₹1,14,000 (from Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore) |
| Visa | e-Visa online, US$25 (~₹2,200), usually 3–5 working days | Visa-free for up to 30 days, no fee |
| Other entry steps | None beyond the e-visa | Free TDAC arrival card, within 72 hours of landing |
| Getting around | Internal flights: Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Da Nang to Hanoi | Ferries and coach transfers between islands |
| Where you spend 31 Dec | Hoi An, after a day at Ba Na Hills | Haad Rin, Koh Phangan, at the NYE beach party (ticket included) |
| December weather | Dry and hot in the south, showery in Hoi An, cool in Hanoi | Dry on Phuket and Krabi, some showers still possible on Samui |
| Signature days | Cu Chi Tunnels, Golden Hand Bridge, lantern boat ride, Ha Long Bay cruise | Bangla Street, NYE on Koh Phangan, Phi Phi island hopping, Krabi fire show |
Prices are per person before 5% GST and 2% TCS, from our trip pages on 20 October 2026, and rise by booking date. Rupee conversions are approximate.
New Year's Eve itself
Thailand: Koh Phangan, all night
Day 4 is 31 December. You take it easy on Koh Samui, then catch the evening ferry to Koh Phangan for the New Year's Eve party on Haad Rin beach: neon, body paint, buckets and thousands of people counting down together. It runs late, and the NYE ticket and transfers are in the package. 1 January is a slow day back on Samui, with Fisherman's Village and a rooftop sunset.
Vietnam: Hoi An, lanterns
Day 4 is 31 December, a full day up at Ba Na Hills: the cable car, the Golden Hand Bridge and Fantasy Park. You're back in Hoi An for the night, a lantern-lit old town on the river, and your Trip Leader plans the evening with the group. On 1 January you take a basket boat through the Coconut Forest and an evening lantern boat ride on the river.
Honest take: Thailand's NYE is one of the biggest beach parties in the world, and the whole trip builds to it. Vietnam's New Year is prettier and calmer, and there's no ticketed party in the package. The Vietnam week is about everything around the night, not the night itself.
Visa and entry: Thailand is simpler
Thailand is visa-free for Indians for up to 30 days since 15 September 2026, with no fee. The one step is the free TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card), which every traveller fills in for themselves online in the 72 hours before landing. Our Thailand visa guide covers it.
Vietnam needs an e-visa, applied for online on the official portal. It costs US$25 (about ₹2,200) for single entry and usually takes 3–5 working days, longer around holidays. For a 28 December departure, apply by early December at the latest, and use the government site rather than a look-alike agent. Our Vietnam e-visa guide walks through each step.
Weather in late December
Thailand: Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi are in their dry season, so expect hot, sunny beach days around 30°C. Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are on the Gulf side, which is coming out of its rainy season, so a passing shower is still possible around New Year.
Vietnam runs north to south, so you get three climates in one week. Ho Chi Minh City is dry and hot. Hoi An and Da Nang are milder, in the low to mid-20s, with regular showers at the tail of their rainy season. Hanoi and Ha Long Bay are cool and mostly dry, around 15–20°C by day and colder at night. Pack a light jacket.
Typical late-December conditions, not a forecast.
The rest of the week
Vietnam: four cities, two flights
Bui Vien Street on night one, the Cu Chi Tunnels and War Remnants Museum, a flight to Da Nang for the Marble Mountains and Hoi An Old Town, Ba Na Hills, basket boats and lanterns, then a flight to Hanoi for the Old Quarter, Train Street and Beer Street, and a Ha Long Bay day cruise to Ti Top Island and Sung Sot Cave. It's a moving trip with early starts.
Thailand: three islands and a beach town
Bangla Street in Patong on night one, a Phuket Old Town and Karon Viewpoint tour, the ferry to Koh Samui and an evening at Ark Bar, NYE on Koh Phangan, then Krabi for the night market and a fire show, and a Phi Phi speedboat day with Maya Bay, snorkelling and lunch. More beach time, fewer early mornings.
The verdict
Pick Vietnam if…
- You want the lower price and a lot packed into the week.
- History, food and cities matter as much as beaches.
- A lantern-lit New Year sounds better than a beach rave.
- You don't mind applying for an e-visa a few weeks ahead.
Pick Thailand if…
- New Year's Eve is the headline and you want the biggest party.
- You want zero visa paperwork beyond the TDAC.
- Islands, ferries and beach days are your idea of a holiday.
- You're flying from Mumbai and want flights included.
Weighing up other New Year trips too? See Sri Lanka vs Bali for New Year and easy-visa group trips, ranked.
FAQ
Is Vietnam or Thailand better for New Year's Eve?
Thailand, if the party is the point. Our Thailand group spends 31 December at the New Year's Eve beach party in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan, the biggest night of the island's year, and the ticket and ferry transfers are included. Vietnam, if you want more variety and a lower price. Our Vietnam group is in Hoi An on 31 December, with a lantern boat ride on New Year's Day, and the week runs from Saigon to Ha Long Bay.
Which is cheaper for New Year, Vietnam or Thailand?
Vietnam, on the land price. Right now Vietnam New Year is ₹61,999 and Thailand New Year is ₹68,000 for the same 7 nights, both rising after 28 October. Add the Vietnam e-visa (about ₹2,200) and Vietnam is still around ₹4,000 cheaper. With international flights included the gap almost disappears: ₹1,10,000 for Vietnam vs ₹1,12,000 for Thailand.
Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam or Thailand?
Thailand: no. Since 15 September 2026, Indian passport holders get visa-free entry for up to 30 days, free of charge. You only need to fill in the free TDAC arrival card online within 72 hours before landing. Vietnam: yes. You apply online for an e-visa, which costs US$25 for single entry and usually takes 3–5 working days. For a 28 December departure, apply by early December at the latest.
Is Vietnam overtaking Thailand with Indian travellers?
It's growing much faster from a smaller base. Vietnam received about 553,000 Indian visitors from January to July 2026, up 42.9% on the same period of 2025. Thailand still gets far more Indian visitors in total, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand is targeting 2.7 million Indian arrivals in 2027. That's a target, not a result.
What's the weather like in Vietnam and Thailand in late December?
Thailand's Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi) is in its dry season, hot and sunny around 30°C. The Gulf islands (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan) are coming out of their rainy season, so a shower is still possible. Vietnam varies by region: Ho Chi Minh City is dry and hot, Hoi An and Da Nang are mild with regular showers, and Hanoi and Ha Long Bay are cool, around 15–20°C by day and colder at night. Pack a light jacket for the north.
How long is the flight from India to Vietnam vs Thailand?
Both are short-haul. Delhi to Phuket is roughly 4.5 hours non-stop, and Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City is roughly 5.5 hours non-stop. Many routes from other cities connect through Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Schedules change, so check with the airline when you book.
Can I join either trip solo?
Yes. Both are group trips with a dedicated Trip Leader, and both start with the group meeting on day one, so solo travellers are part of the crew from the first night.
Pick your New Year
Vietnam New Year is ₹61,999 and Thailand New Year is ₹68,000 until 28 October. Both prices go up after that.