I’m a traveller and here’s why the sleeper bus in Vietnam is a bargain (for starters, it only costs £8)
- A video shared by TikToker Remy Gumbs in defence of sleeper buses is now viral
- She tells MailOnline that the buses are ‘so affordable for long-distance travel’
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Overnight sleeper buses are a budget-friendly alternative to flying or travelling by rail – and they’re particularly popular amongst backpackers travelling through Vietnam.
Travellers exploring the Southeast Asian country are taking to TikTok to document their experiences aboard the buses, with many praising the buses’ bargain prices and efficiency.
Not everyone is impressed by the vehicles, however. One TikToker, Mia Challiner, claimed her 20-hour journey on a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Hoi An was ‘one of the worst nights’ of her life, as we reported, citing issues such as a lack of toilet on board and the beds being too short for her 6ft 2in frame.
However, in a now-viral video, TikToker Remy Gumbs (@remygumbs) avidly defends the sleeper buses, asking her followers: ‘What do you… expect for such low prices?’
The 27-year-old from Leicester captured footage of her 15-hour journey from Ho Chi Minh city to the beach resort of Mui Ne, revealing the entire bus journey cost just £8 ($10).
Some have complained about Vietnamese sleeper buses online, but TikToker Remy Gumbs (pictured in Hanoi) defended the mode of transport in a video that has now gone viral
Remy captured footage of her 15-hour journey from Ho Chi Minh city to the beach resort of Mui Ne. The entire journey on the sleeper bus cost just £8 ($10)
POPULAR SLEEPER BUS SERVICES IN VIETNAM
Sao Viet: This bus company operates routes between some of the most popular destinations in Vietnam, including Hanoi to Sapa and Hanoi to Lao Cai. Prices from just £6 ($7.33) per ticket. Visit saovietbus.com.
Mai Linh Express: This bus firm runs services from Ho Chi Minh City to a variety of destinations in Vietnam, including Ha Noi, Can Tho and Quang Ngai. Prices start from $4 (£3.27) per ticket. Visit mailinhexpress.vn.
Sapa Express: This bus company takes passengers between Hanoi and Sapa, a six-hour journey. Prices start from £6 ($7.33). Visit sapaexpress.com.
Tra Lan Vien: The most popular routes this bus company operates on include the Ho Chi Minh to Khanh Hoa route and the Nha Trang to Ho Chi Min route. Prices from £8 ($9.78). Call +84 933 727 474.
Queen Cafe Bus: This bus firm operates on routes throughout Vietnam with tickets starting from £6 ($7.33). Call +84 1900 6558.
Source: 12GO Asia
In the clip, she explains how passengers remove their shoes when they board the bus, place the footwear in a bag, and then are allocated a place to sleep.
The video pans through the bus, showing bunk beds arranged with blankets and pillows. ‘You pay £8, so don’t expect luxury,’ Remy says in the video.
She tells her 4,300 followers that passengers can expect to get a water bottle and ‘maybe some air-conditioning if you’re lucky’. On top of that, she explains that ‘you do get toilet breaks where you can grab food and snacks’.
Remy – who spent a month travelling around Vietnam – continues: ‘Everyone always complains about these sleeper buses, but when you’re paying £8 – what do you f***** expect?
‘It’s like literally £8 for a 15-hour… journey. I think that’s a bargain.’
The TikToker notes that while the seats can get uncomfortable, the whole bus is illuminated by LED strips at nighttime, which she describes as ‘quite relaxing’.
Speaking to MailOnline Travel about her experience, Remy says she would ‘most definitely’ recommend the sleeper buses to other travellers.
She says: ‘It’s cheap and so affordable for long-distance travel compared to other transport [options]… sleeper trains are more expensive and I feel you get the same standard of travel.’
Remy says that sleeper buses were her most-used form of transport when travelling around southeast Asia – she used them on five separate occasions. ‘Some buses were styled differently but [all of them] had a bed for you to sleep on,’ she reveals.
Remy’s popular TikTok video has gained 1.5million views so far and has received hundreds of enthused comments from followers.
Remy explains how passengers remove their shoes when they board the bus, place the footwear in a bag, and then are allocated a place to sleep
Remy reveals that passengers can expect to get a water bottle and ‘maybe some air-conditioning if you’re lucky’. She says she would ‘most definitely’ recommend the sleeper buses to other travellers
Remy declares sleeper buses ‘a bargain’ in the clip, which has racked up 1.5million views. She notes that while the seats can get uncomfortable, the whole bus is illuminated by LED strips at nighttime, which she describes as ‘quite relaxing’
One person, named Emily, wrote: ‘I would easily pay eight quid, especially if it’s a 15-hour journey, literal bargain.’ To which Remy replied: ‘Trust me! Best deal ever had.’
Another user echoed: ‘Every country should have this.’ And user ‘salmaay92’ wrote: ‘We need this in the UK.’
User ‘Gary72’ agreed, writing: ‘They need these in the UK, especially [for] travelling to Spain and stuff, [it] would be brilliant.’
Meanwhile, others were concerned with the logistics of the sleeper buses, with user Ava asking: ‘What about if your phone dies – is there a port or do you need a portable charger?’
Remy clarified: ‘Yeah they had nothing – so bring your own.’
To see more videos from Remy, visit her TikTok account.
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