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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.
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.
Check out the post here:
The viral post was shared on July 30, 2025, and has sparked mixed reactions online.
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.
