Ho Chi Minh City ranked second on a list of the top 3 incredible destinations in the world where travel dreamers don’t have to worry their money won’t go far enough, by GOBankingRates, a US-based finance site providing news and advice on saving, managing, and making money.

After analyzing 50 cities around the world based on average costs for hostels, food and transport, GOBankingRates released its list of the 15 most inexpensive and exotic locales that can be enjoyed for $15 a day, with the first three needing less than $10 a day.

Ho Chi Minh City mixes the old and the new to transport visitors to a dynamic metropolitan area filled with bustling energy where you can visit for $9.38 a day, with hostels costing an average of $4 per night, two meals a day costing an average of $4.34, and four one-way tickets on local transport costing an average of $1.04, according to the site.

It also recommended travelers walk off their meals by exploring the city’s many free Buddhist temples, such as Jade Emperor Pagoda and Cao Dai Temple. And if you’re a history buff, the War Remnants Museum has exhibits relating to the American War. You can also visit Cu Chi Tunnels, where Vietnamese soldiers dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnels to house troops and supplies and conduct surprise attacks on US forces.

Bali in Indonesia topped the list at only $9.05 a day, with about $4 for a hostel near the beach per night, less than $2 for an inexpensive meal, and some $1 for transport. Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo ranked third, at $9.78 a day, with an average of $5.42 per night for a hostel, about $2 a meal, and just a few cents for one-way tickets on local transport.

With Hanoi in seventh place, Ho Chi Minh City was listed in ninth place last year in the Cost of Living Index 2018 conducted by Numero, a global database providing indexes on living standards in major cities around the world.

It also ranked third on a list of best destinations in Asia in 2018 from renowned travel site Lonely Planet, with aging apartment blocks “being colonized by vintage clothing stores and independent coffee shops, while innovative breweries like Heart of Darkness and East West Brewing are fueling one of the best craft beer scenes in Southeast Asia and a selection of eclectic venues are strengthening the local music scene,” it wrote.

Ho Chi Minh City is also known for its French colonial landmarks, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, made entirely from materials imported from France, and the 19th-century Central Post Office. Known as a city that never sleeps, it boasts pedestrian malls with fountains and beautiful views and all-night coffee shops, while the backpackers’ area around Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien Streets has a range of pubs, bars, street food, and live music cafés.

The city welcomed 29 million domestic visitors and 7.5 million foreign arrivals in 2018, for year-on-year growth of 16 per cent and 17.4 per cent, respectively. VN Economic Times