Thailand, Bali and Vietnam are the three names every first-time international traveller from Gujarat weighs against each other, and for good reason: all three are close, affordable and forgiving of beginners. But in 2026 they are not interchangeable, and the differences that matter most are the ones people research last, starting with the visa rules, which have quietly shifted. This is the honest three-way comparison we give couples, families and solo travellers at our desk, covering entry paperwork, real budgets, flights from Gujarat and whether you are chasing beaches, scenery or culture. Read it before you fall for a single reel and book on impulse.
The 2026 visa reality, and why it changed
This is the part most blogs still get wrong, so read it carefully. Thailand is no longer simply visa-free for Indian passport holders the way it briefly was; you now need either a Visa on Arrival or an e-visa, and on top of that every traveller must complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card, the TDAC, online before landing. Vietnam is the easiest of the three on paper, offering a straightforward 90-day e-visa that you apply for online and carry as a printout. Bali stays the friendliest at the airport with a Visa on Arrival of around IDR 500,000 for Indians, extendable once. If visa simplicity is your deciding factor, our list of visa-on-arrival countries for Indians puts all three in context.
Getting the paperwork right for each
For Thailand, secure your e-visa or Visa on Arrival first and then fill the TDAC in the days before departure, because arriving without the digital arrival card now causes real problems at immigration. For Vietnam, apply for the e-visa about a week ahead, check every passport detail twice because the system is unforgiving of typos, and print two copies. For Bali, the e-VOA online before you fly saves the airport queue. Our desk files all three regularly, so you can hand off Thailand at start your Thailand visa or Vietnam at apply for your Vietnam e-visa and skip the guesswork entirely.
Beaches vs scenery vs culture
Each destination is really selling a different picture, and knowing which one you want makes the choice easy. Thailand is the all-rounder, pairing world-famous beaches around Krabi and Phuket with buzzing Bangkok nightlife, temples and the best street-food scene of the three. Bali is the mood-and-villa destination, a compact island of rice terraces, private-pool villas and sunset beach clubs where the vibe matters more than ticking sights, and our best time to visit Bali guide helps you time it. Vietnam is the scenery and value winner, a long country of dramatic contrasts from the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay to the lantern-lit old town of Hoi An, ideal if you like your trip to feel like a journey rather than a stay.
Budget, flights and which suits whom
On money, all three are gentle on a first-timer's wallet but in different ways. Vietnam is usually the cheapest on the ground, with the lowest food, hotel and transport costs, though flights connect rather than fly direct from Gujarat. Thailand is the most connected, with the widest flight choice and frequent one-stop routings from Ahmedabad, Surat and Mumbai, and mid-range costs. Bali sits in the middle on flights and slightly higher on nice villas, but you get more resort for the rupee than the Maldives. Whichever way you lean, our curated Southeast Asia packages bundle the flights, stays and transfers so the price is fixed before you commit.
So which one, for whom? Choose Thailand for the safest, most connected first trip with beaches and city buzz in one, just plan the new TDAC and visa step in advance, as we detail in our Thailand travel guide from India. Choose Bali for a romantic, low-effort villa honeymoon or an easy couples' escape. Choose Vietnam for the best value and the most memorable scenery if you do not mind a connecting flight, starting with our Vietnam travel guide from India, and if you are torn between the two mainland options our head-to-head on Thailand vs Vietnam for a first trip settles the tie.
Frequently asked questions
Which is easiest for strict vegetarian and Jain travellers? Bali by default thanks to Ubud's wellness scene, with Vietnam's Buddhist com chay eateries close behind, while Thailand needs more care because fish and shrimp paste hide in dishes, as we map in our Jain and vegetarian friendly destinations abroad guide.
Is Thailand really not visa-free anymore for Indians in 2026? Correct, Indian passport holders now need a Visa on Arrival or e-visa plus the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card, so budget a little extra time and cost for entry.
Which is best for solo travellers on a budget? Vietnam, for its low daily costs and easy 90-day e-visa, with a well-trodden route from Hanoi down to Ho Chi Minh City.
Once you have picked your winner, our Surat team will lock the visa, flights and stays into one costed plan and file the paperwork for you. Message us on WhatsApp or contact our travel desk and tell us which of the three called to you.
