A visa run from Ho Chi Minh City usually means one day at the Moc Bai crossing into Cambodia, about 70-80 km from the city centre and roughly 2.5 hours by bus. The whole round trip costs $50-100: the Cambodian visa is $30, and the upper end applies if you buy an agent ticket with help at the border. One of the options below is the trip I arrange myself, and I list its downsides too.
Do You Need to Leave Vietnam at All?
No, if your stay fits inside the limits: citizens of 12 countries, Russia among them, enter Vietnam visa-free for 45 days under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, valid from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. An e‑visa lasts up to 90 days and costs $25 for a single entry or $50 for multiple entries on evisa.gov.vn.
The e‑visa fee is not refunded when an application is refused. Vietnam does not issue visas on arrival at land borders either, so a traveller who arrives without a valid visa or exemption is sent back into Cambodia. The slip I watch for is assuming the airport visa-on-arrival rule carries over to the land gate. My comparison of e‑visa, visa on arrival and a run shows when each one wins.
Which Border Is Closest to Ho Chi Minh City?
Moc Bai, in Tay Ninh province, is the closest land crossing and the one most people from Saigon use. It faces Bavet in Cambodia, and Vietnam lists it among the land ports where an e‑visa works. Ha Tien, in Kien Giang province, sits much further away and mostly serves people who start from Phu Quoc or the Mekong Delta.
| Route | Gets you there | Typical total | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moc Bai by city bus 703 | about 2.5 h | $50-80 | Self-organised, one day |
| Moc Bai by bus to Phnom Penh | 6-7 h to Phnom Penh | $9-19 ticket plus visa | A few days in Cambodia |
| Ha Tien and Prek Chak | about 1.5 h by ferry from Phu Quoc | $60-120 | Phu Quoc and Mekong Delta residents |
| Moc Bai arranged by me | about 2.5 h | quoted per dates | A ready-made day without forms or queues |
| E‑visa for 90 days | one exit, then 90 days in Vietnam | $25 or $50 | Stays longer than 45 days |
What Will You Pay Before You Are Back in Saigon?
The Moc Bai round trip costs $50-100 in 2026: the Cambodian visa is $30, city bus 703 from Ben Thanh market to the border is about $1.5 (40,000 dong) each way, and the rest goes on food and small extras. One 2026 review puts the range at $63-105 once a Vietnamese e‑visa is included.
The Cambodian tourist visa comes in three versions:
- at the Bavet border post, $30;
- online at evisa.gov.kh, $36 including a $6 service fee, with processing up to three working days and payment by foreign bank card;
- through a bus agent, $35-40.
What Happens at the Moc Bai Gate?
Each side of the border takes 30-60 minutes, so the full day depends mostly on the road. Sources give two different opening times for the gate, 06:00-22:00 and 07:00-20:00. I plan to arrive in the morning, because a gate that closes earlier than expected ruins the day.
- Take city bus 703 from Ben Thanh and ride to the border, about 2.5 hours.
- Clear Vietnamese exit control, where an officer stamps you out.
- Walk the roughly 300 m of neutral ground into Bavet.
- Pay for the Cambodian visa unless you already hold an e‑visa, then collect the entry stamp.
- Turn around and re-enter Vietnam on your 45-day exemption or your e‑visa.
- Take bus 703 back to Saigon and ask at the stop when the last one leaves.
The organised alternative to bus 703 is a two-row sleeper that boards at An Sương bus station at 04:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and reaches the gate in the morning. Prices and what the day includes are on the Ho Chi Minh City visa run page.
Where Do Visa Runs from Ho Chi Minh City Go Wrong?
Three things ruin most days: an e‑visa issued for the wrong entry port, a Cambodian visa bought from an agent for $40 when the price at the border is $30, and arriving too late for a gate that closes early. Each one costs money, a day, or an outright refusal at the border.
You can fill in the e‑visa form yourself in an evening, and bus tickets are sold at the stop. The port choice and the government-fee payment are where trips usually fall apart. At BestBus Vietnam I handle that part for Ho Chi Minh City departures on request: I fill in the application, pay the fee with my own card and set the correct entry port. Send me your dates and starting city on WhatsApp and I will tell you which day is open. Details of my service are on the visa services page.
Is It Worth Continuing to Phnom Penh?
A coach from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh crosses at Moc Bai and Bavet and takes 6-7 hours including the border. Departures leave from the Pham Ngu Lao area in District 1 several times a day; Phuong Heng, for example, runs buses at 05:00, 07:00, 08:30, 11:30, 13:00 and 15:30.
Tickets cost $9-12 with Sapaco, Mekong Express or The Sinh Tourist, and about $19 (500,000 dong) with Phuong Heng. A helper on board collects passports at the border. This option fits a few days in Cambodia, since the tourist visa lasts 30 days; for a same-day return it is the wrong tool.
When Does Ha Tien Beat Moc Bai?
Ha Tien makes sense when you already live on Phu Quoc or in the Mekong Delta. The ferry or speedboat from Phu Quoc to Ha Tien takes about 1.5 hours. A Ha Tien run costs $60-120 in total.
On the Cambodian side, a bus from Prek Chak reaches Kampot in about 2 hours and Sihanoukville in about 4, for $6-10. Sources disagree on whether Prek Chak accepts the Cambodian e‑visa, so I would carry the $30 for a visa on arrival and treat evisa.gov.kh only as a way to double-check. My Ha Tien guide covers the crossing in detail.
What Should You Plan Around Tet 2027?
Tet falls on 6 February 2027, and public offices close from 4 to 10 February according to the Ministry of Home Affairs notice. Nobody has published how Moc Bai and Ha Tien will operate on those days, so I plan any run for before 4 February and leave extra time for queues. The Tet visa-run timing guide helps you pick the date.
Which Option Should You Pick?
If you live in Ho Chi Minh City and your exemption is ending, a one-day Moc Bai run at $50-100 is the simplest choice. Phu Quoc residents do better through Ha Tien. For a stay beyond 45 days, price a 90-day e‑visa against the run. My own service has a downside: it is small, so dates before Tet fill up early.
You can cross on your own with bus 703 and some US dollars. To skip the guesswork over entry ports and gate hours, message me with your expiry date and I will check what fits.
Frequently asked questions
How many times in a row can I do a visa run on the exemption?
Resolution 44/NQ-CP contains no cap on the number of entries and no waiting period between them. Each new entry opens a fresh 45 days, provided you meet Vietnam’s general entry requirements.
How much is a taxi to the Moc Bai border?
A Grab ride to the border costs $35-45 according to 2026 reviews. City bus 703 costs around $1.5 for the same distance, but it is slower and runs to a timetable.
What does a visa-run bus ticket from an agent include?
A ticket sold as a return to Bavet with help at the border costs about $34, and a helper collects the passports on the bus. A ticket to Moc Bai without help costs around $19.
Can I extend the Cambodian visa if I stay longer?
The tourist visa can be extended once, by 30 days. It must be used within 90 days of issue, so applying for the e‑visa months before your trip is a mistake.
