An Indian man is being praised for his smart planning that helped him buy a MacBook at a lower price while enjoying an eleven-day holiday in Vietnam.
The user (@Shuict) shared his story online, explaining how a simple idea turned into a clever way to save money and take a break.
“If you’re planning to buy a MacBook or iPhone worth ₹2 lakh+ in India, trust me, it's worth making a short trip to Vietnam,” the caption of the post reads.
In his post, he mentions that he booked the cheapest round-trip flight ticket and headed to Hanoi, where he worked remotely and also enjoyed exploring the city.
The cost breakdown:
One of the smartest parts of his plan was taking advantage of Vietnam’s lower Apple prices and tourist-friendly VAT refund system.
“Always ask: ‘Do you provide VAT refund documents for the airport?’ Some stores won’t,” he adds.
In India, the MacBook he wanted would have cost around ₹1,85,000, even with card offers. But by purchasing it in Vietnam from a store that issued the right VAT documents and claiming the refund at the airport, he managed to get the same model for about 1,48,000. That alone saved him ₹36,500, roughly the price of his flight.
{{/usCountry}}In India, the MacBook he wanted would have cost around ₹1,85,000, even with card offers. But by purchasing it in Vietnam from a store that issued the right VAT documents and claiming the refund at the airport, he managed to get the same model for about 1,48,000. That alone saved him ₹36,500, roughly the price of his flight.
{{/usCountry}}What makes the story even more impressive is the overall cost. After including the MacBook, flights, stay, food, and activities, the entire trip came to about ₹2,80,000. Once the VAT refund was processed, his total spend dropped to approximately ₹1,97,000.
After removing the cost of the MacBook, the Vietnam trip came to just ₹48,000 all in.
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Check out the post here:
The viral post was shared on July 30, 2025, and has sparked mixed reactions online.
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Many Reddit users praised the clever budgeting and planning, calling it a “Crazy genius travel hack”. Some were surprised that the savings covered nearly the entire trip, while others shared similar experiences of buying expensive devices abroad.