A Backpacker's Guide to Shipping Stuff Home from Vietnam

You started your Vietnam trip with a half-empty backpack and good intentions. Now, three weeks later, you’ve got Vietnamese coffee, a tailor-made jacket, ceramic bowls, and a collection of souvenirs that definitely won’t fit in your bag — especially since you’re heading to Thailand next.

Sound familiar? Here’s how to ship it all home without breaking your budget.

Why backpackers should ship, not carry

Most backpackers are moving between countries. Carrying extra stuff means:

• Paying for extra luggage on budget flights (VietJet, AirAsia charge $15-50 per bag)
• Struggling with heavy bags in hostels and on buses
• Risking damage to fragile items in a packed backpack

Shipping once from Vietnam is often cheaper than paying extra baggage fees on 2-3 flights across Southeast Asia.

What to ship vs. what to carry

Ship home:

• Coffee and tea (heavy, takes up space)
• Ceramics and fragile souvenirs (too risky in a backpack)
• Bulky items: conical hats, lanterns, clothing
• Art and paintings
• Anything you bought as gifts (you don’t need to carry gifts for 3 more weeks)

Carry with you:

• Essentials you’ll use on the trip
• Documents and electronics
• Medication
• One or two small, non-fragile souvenirs

How to save money on shipping

Consolidate into one shipment

Don’t ship small packages from multiple cities. Collect everything and ship once from HCMC or Da Nang. Shipping one 10kg box is much cheaper than two 5kg boxes.

Time it right

Ship mid-trip or near the end of your Vietnam leg. Buy your souvenirs during the trip, then do one big shipment before moving to the next country.

Choose the right carrier

We work with DHL, FedEx, and UPS. For most backpacker shipments (5-15kg), the rates are competitive. We’ll recommend the best option for your destination and budget.

Skip the airport shops

Airport shops charge 2-3x more than street markets or supermarkets. Buy in town, ship from your hotel, and save both the markup and the luggage hassle.

What it costs

Backpacker shipments are usually 5-15kg. Here’s what to expect:

• 5kg to Australia: from ~$150
• 10kg to USA: from ~$350
• 5kg to Japan/Korea: from ~$125
• 10kg to Europe: from ~$350

These are estimates — exact prices depend on dimensions and destination. Get an exact quote by telling us what you’re shipping.

How the process works

1. Message us on WhatsApp — tell us what you want to ship and where it’s going
2. We quote you — usually within 30 minutes
3. We pick up from your hotel — free in HCMC and Da Nang
4. We pack and ship — professional packing included
5. You get a tracking number — follow your package home

The whole process takes about 30 minutes of your time. The rest of your trip is bag-free.

Pro tips from fellow backpackers

• Ship early in your trip — don’t wait until the last day. Give yourself a buffer.
• Keep receipts — you’ll need them for customs declarations
• Take photos — photograph your items before we pack them, for your records and insurance
• Budget $150-350 — a reasonable range for most backpacker shipments to the US/EU/AU

The bottom line

Shipping from Vietnam lets you enjoy the rest of your trip without extra bags. It’s often cheaper than accumulating excess baggage fees across multiple flights, and your fragile items actually arrive intact.

Check our tourist shipping service or see the full step-by-step shipping guide for more details.