If you are planning a trip that spans the length of Vietnam this post might be of some use to you. I don’t think our route was perfect and I would add some stops and shorten others, but I will go through all that and describe my perfect route through Vietnam. Like most people I’ve spoken to who have visited this amazing country, Vietnam very quickly became one of our overall favourite countries and we have already returned.
Everyone travels differently and that’s important to remember when taking advice from anyone about activities and routes. For some background on me, I am 28, travelling with my fiance, not into drinking and partying too much, we are on a pretty low budget but also not staying in dorms and although we would love to see everything we possibly can, we are not pushing ourselves and we enjoy taking it slow, as we might never get the chance to take it slow again. Our first time in Vietnam was for 42 days in summer, citizens of the UK can stay up to 45 days, and our second time was a month in Hanoi during winter. So with all that in mind, here is my best route through Vietnam.
How long to spend in Vietnam
I would say the longer you can stay in Vietnam the better. It is a huge country, probably a lot bigger than you realised with a wildly varying climate and landscape, so each stop will have something different to experience. The history of the country is also vast and although it seems like you could visit one museum to learn all you need to know about it, each city and town was affected differently by colonisation and war, so we learnt more about the history in each area we visited.
It is important in Vietnam to take into consideration how long it takes to get between places and even more so if you are limited on time. Aeroplanes seem like the quickest option but it isn’t always the case, and buses might seem longer but they get you to exactly where you need to be in one go. It is also why I recommend visiting for as long as you can as even the trains can be 14 hours between the tourist towns.
Obviously not everyone has 45 days to spend in one country but if you are long term traveling I would recommend making it as long a trip as you can. A lot of people visit for two weeks in Vietnam and it is enough time to see the whole length of the country but it will be very intense. It is quite an intense country anyway, especially as your journey will most likely start in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, so you will get a feel of the culture quickly but there is just so much to see and do. You can get a good feel of the place in less than two weeks if you are doing a whistle stop tour of South East Asia but you will miss out on some incredible places.
Top to Bottom or Bottom to Top
I preferred the North of the country to the South whereas others preferred the South. Although some people would say to start with the least favourite, I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s the best option. I think the main thing to consider is where you are planning to go afterwards. If you want to go to Laos then do the North last and if you are heading to Cambodia go to the South last, because that’s the closest and easiest way to travel over the borders, especially by bus. If you are flying home though I would check flights first and take that into consideration, you don’t want to plan your whole trip then find out the flight leaving Hanoi is three times as expensive as Ho Chi Minh for example.
I realise that if somewhere was your favourite it would make sense to have that place as your last memory however, as you will probably be quite tired by the end of the trip I would want to have all my energy for the ‘best’ places. There is time to recuperate in the middle of the country in Da Nang and Hoi An where the beaches are fantastic and it’s a little more chilled out.
For me personally, figuring out whether to travel north or south isn’t as big a deal as people make out unless you are traveling Vietnam as part of a bigger trip and are dependent on your next country. Just check flights and buses first and build from there. Whats more important are the specific towns and cities to visit along the way.
Things to do and places to see
I would say there are a few definite places that should be in your Vietnam itinerary, some places I would highly recommend and others that you should visit only if you have the time.
Whether you are planning a quick visit or a long stay, Hanoi is my number one. That’s why we ended up staying a whole month in the city and loved it. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the capital, as typically I don’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of major cities and before I went myself I had seen many other travelers say it was intense. Now don’t get me wrong it is intense and at times chaotic but it is full of life and history. How long you stay in Hanoi is defendant on how long you’re visit is, a few days is enough to try the main food and drink spots, explore the old quarter and hit up the main attractions, but there is also quite a lot of places to shop and cafes to relax in if you want to really soak up the atmosphere. Hanoi is also a good base to get to Sapa, the Ha Giang Loop, Ha Long Bay and even Ninh Binh.
Where we stayed: Rainbow Homestay in French Quarter
Tropical Land Little Hanoi Homestay, South of Hoan Kiem Lake
I have never visited Sapa and I do want to visit but I think the time of year you travel to Vietnam will determine if you should go. The scenery looks incredible but the North of Vietnam gets a lot colder than people realise and it can get very foggy so you won’t actually be able to see the views. It is very popular and there are lots of places in Hanoi that do transport to Sapa so if you have the time I would say go, but if its a short trip and you are there in winter I would skip.
Our favourite experience of our whole year long travel is the Ha Giang Loop. For me this is the most non negotiable of Vietnam. It can be quite pricey but it is worth every penny and you can do 3 days instead of 4 like the group we met whilst there who were in Vietnam for two weeks and they where so happy they decided to spend those days in Ha Giang. The views, the people you meet, the hospitality and the experience of being on the back of a bike was incredible. Again, this is the very North of Vietnam so it can be very cold and the views can be covered by cloud and rain so I would recommend summer, that’s when we went.
Who we booked with: Road Kings
For most travelers the next stop after Hanoi is Ha Long Bay and this is another popular place we didn’t actually visit. It is supposed to be beautiful and it is a UNESCO world heritage site so I understand the draw, however we had heard it was very busy and some of the tours weren’t the best. We met some girls from Australia and they said on their tour they ended up getting scratched by loads of rocks and felt quite unsafe. I do believe the cruises you can do are good and are worth the money but for us we couldn’t justify the price and decided to go to Cat Ba island instead.
On our way to Cat Ba, there is a city called Hai Phong, we stopped here just for two nights as it is a major port city and has quite an interesting history because of it’s location. As much as we did enjoy Hai Phong, there isn’t an abundance of tourist things to do but the architecture is interesting, as is the museum there. What was most interesting though was seeing a different side to Vietnam with fewer tourists and more industrial areas. It is still moderately busy with tourists as this is where you can reach Cat Ba from. I wouldn’t say this area is a must see but we are glad we visited and with 42 days in the country we could easily fit it in on our way to Cat Ba.
Cable car is how we had hoped to get to Cat Ba island however it was shut when we arrived so we got the hydrofoil instead. It was probably a good thing it wasn’t open as it was actually raining quite heavily by the time we reached the island. The rain impacted our time there quite heavily as we didn’t want to go on a boat tour where we would get drenched and not be able to see the whole archipelagos so we didn’t book anything. I did enjoy the island though, we stayed in the main city and although touristy, I believe it is less busy than Ha Long Bay eventhough Cat Ba is part of the UNESCO site. There are a few beaches to go to which were packed out in the summer time but the water was calm enough to go in when it wasn’t raining. I would say this area of Vietnam is a must visit whether you decide to stay on Cat Ba or Ha Long but for us Cat Ba was cheaper and quieter, but we did meet a few people in Ninh Binh who told us there experience in Ninh Binh and the landscape there was better than Ha Long Bay.
Where we stayed: Victor Charlie Hostel
I would love to go back to Ninh Binh and stay longer than a couple of days as it was so peaceful and rural. You can do day trips from Hanoi if you are short on time, but Ninh Binh is a definite. The waterways and rowing boats are so peaceful and the rock formations are majestic and iconic of the area. The rice fields in the surrounding area and all the lotus flowers are beautiful as well. Many of the hotels and homestays here have bicycles to use and although I hadn’t rode a bike in many years, we loved riding about the rice fields to get to the main sights. We found the hospitality here the most welcoming and friendly.
Where we stayed: Tam Coc Guest House & Hostel
The next major tourist spot is in Hue and we got an overnight train to here which was a great experience; we payed quite a bit for a more luxury journey and although maybe not quite worth the money it was a good introduction to sleeper trains. I do recommend stopping in Hue as it was the imperial capital and has a lot of historical sites, like the Imperial Citadel, to see as well as lots of food which we hadn’t seen in the North. I don’t think you need to spend loads of time in Hue but it is a good stop before getting to Da Nang and Hoi An.
Where we stayed: Sapphire Hotel Hue
The train we used: Lotus Train
Da Nang is probably a place you have seen many times when researching Vietnam and in particular Ba Na Hills. I loved Da Nang, the beach is great and if you are needing a little bit of food from home you will find it here. We’ve actually been twice to Da Nang. It is touristy but there are some beautiful sights to see such as the Lady Buddha statue and Marble mountains and it is a great place to chill out and have some downtime in the middle of your trip. Ba Na Hills is quite a controversial place as it is on the more expensive side and it can be crowded and cloudy but we found it so worth the money. It is gimmicky and if you are just going to get a picture on the Golden Hand Bridge then maybe it’s not worth it but we loved the cable car ride up there and we went as early as we could and had great views from the top in summer. There is also though some rides and attractions included in the ticket cost as well as some extra cost rides like the alpine coaster but we spent all day there exploring and had loads of fun. If you want some down time I think Da Nang is a must.
Where we Stayed: D&C Hotel, close to Dragon Beach
Sea Queen Hotel, close to beach & has rooftop pool
Where we ate: Bikini Bottom Express, amazing burgers and gravy
Vietnom Local Eatery, I’m still thinking about the banh xeo nachos
A very popular place is Hoi An, and with good reason. It has an old quarter that is easy to walk around, boat rides with lanterns and of course the tailor market. We didn’t stay in Hoi An long though and actually had a full day at the hotel with our friends which was lovely as we were surrounded by rice fields. Also in Hoi An is the viral coconut boats which again, some people think they are overhyped and not worth it but they actually don’t cost much and even if you don’t get spun around or join in the karaoke its still fun to sail around the river. Along with Da Nang, Hoi An is must even if you just get a grab there for one day before moving on.
Where we stayed: Happy Town Hoi An, located by the Old Town
Where our friends stayed: Serene Nature Hotel & Spa, further out of the Old Town
To break up the long ride to Da Lat, we had a few nights in Quy Non. This is not really a foreign tourist place at all even though they are trying to increase the number of visitors. We did struggle to find places to eat based on how we usually find places, through google reviews, so we just had to eat at the local restaurants and hope for the best and we were absolutely fine. The beach is lovely and the lack of tourists was nice for a change, plus when we we visited there happened to be a festival on with a huge outdoor concert and food markets which was fantastic. Another surprise we had was a street dance competition happening by the beach which was great, so when you do plan your trip look out for any events or holidays. The next beach down from Quy Non is actually a leprosy village which was not what we expected and we got to visit it with a local which was really interesting. Even though we had a good time in Quy Non, it is quite a similar vibe to Da Nang so I don’t think it’s a must-visit destination as if it weren’t for the festival there isn’t loads to do but we felt really welcome there if you do fancy it especially if you want to get away from the tourists.
Where we stayed: Suri’s Homestay
Where we ate: Restaurant on Food Street, I recommend the Banh Xeo
Nha Trang is the next most popular city along the coast but we didn’t actually go there. We didn’t go purely because of ease of getting to Da Lat and we already had a few coastal cities we were stopping at. It does look beautiful and maybe more touristy than Quy Non if you wanted a busier coastal city, but again if you are on a short timetable, I don’t feel I missed out not going.
Somewhere that other tourists loved but we weren’t too keen on was Da Lat. Now don’t get me wrong we still enjoyed it, there is an alpine coaster, markets, great food and nice surrounding areas but we didn’t have the best weather which can make a huge difference to the experience and we didn’t want to drive scooters so it limited us. Other people will tell you it’s a must but it is quite a way inland, we flew which was a mistake as the bus would have actually been quicker, and if the weather isn’t great you don’t get to see the views, so I wouldn’t say you HAVE to go but you will still have a good time exploring.
Where we stayed: Khanh Uyen 1 Hotel
Restaurant: Goc Ha Thanh, I recommend the Coconut Curry
Our last stop was Ho Chi Minh and we were nearly 40 days of traveling through Vietnam by this point. I found Ho Chi Minh busier than Hanoi but that might just be because of how much bigger it felt and we were staying a street or two over from Bui Vien which is a party street. This did mean we were in a good location for food and attractions, as well as people watching. What makes Ho Chi Minh one of the top places I’d tell someone to go to is the history. The museums here were by far the most informative and shocking. You could argue that the museums in Vietnam are biased but you can’t deny the photos and stories from every side that is documented here. The Cu Chi tunnels is also a definite to do and there is a strange atmosphere with the guides being humorous but again actually seeing the tunnels and going in them was really eye-opening. Although it was the last city for us, and it doesn’t really matter which way you travel the country, seeing the history first might help you understand the country better before exploring it.
Where we stayed: 102 House
There is an island past Ho Chi Minh called Phu Qoc which I nearly solo traveled to but decided against because of the weather. This is supposed to have beautiful beaches and scenery but it is also home to another SunWorld development that is similar to Disney World which puts a lot of people off going as there’s not much else to do but that and chill on the beach.
Lots of tourists do a trip to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh but for us it was too expensive a trip after traveling the length of Vietnam and we were going to Cambodia after Vietnam so couldn’t fit it in as most people say its best to go for more than one day. It is another place that is apparently very crowded with tourists and doesn’t feel very authentic but that’s not to say you can’t enjoy it just that you may feel a little more pressured to buy things and the boat ride might be a little slow due to congestion. It might have been a definite place to go to a few years ago but for me it’s too busy.
One place we didn’t go to that I kinda wish we could have gone to was Phong Na to visit the duck stop as everyone I have seen who has gone has said it’s so much fun but adding another stop wasn’t feasible especially if it was just for one activity. But I would still love to go and see the ducks and the scenery does look great in this area of the country.
Transport
I would love to go into detail about finding the transport to get around the country but honestly, Ash booked it all whilst I was still working so I did have some input but that was mainly me just agreeing to plans. I do know though that there are many options of buses, trains and flights that are all reasonably priced and I do know that there’s a big difference between normal and luxury options and I’d pick luxury every time. Is the normal/economy buses and trains doable? Of course they are. They are just going to be on the smaller side and you probably won’t get much sleep, but it’s all part of the experience I guess.
Something to consider though when it comes to booking overnight journeys is the check in time on the other side because you might have saved yourself a night in accommodation but you then might have to sit around with all of your bags for the day. We would sometimes book the day before anyway so we could crash when we got there. Also, set alarms when you are on a sleeper, whether it is train or bus, as you need it, we nearly missed our stop in Hue because we were disoriented and didn’t realise the time.
When getting around each city I would recommend Grab. Always use the app and don’t trust that a car with Grab stickers on is the real deal because they probably aren’t. The benefit of grab is that you can pick what size car, or bike, you need and you don’t need to try and explain where you are going. A lot of drivers will also say they can stay to take you back or take you on another trip for an extra fee and will often be cheaper than grab but just check and don’t feel like you have to.
In Conclusion
I can’t express how much I loved Vietnam and how grateful I feel that I got to visit, let alone for 42 days and twice. I have friends who visited the country for just a few days on their honeymoon who said it was their favourite country and everyone we have met traveling has loved it. Obviously people have different tastes and preferences but Vietnam is so diverse in landscapes that there’s something for everyone.
I don’t think it matters too much which way you travel as long as it fits you and your whole trip. I tried to pick my favourites and must visits but feel as though I told you nearly everywhere is a must visit but that’s just because they are. I don’t think you can go too far wrong with where to visit as long as you make the most of each place and be open to new foods, new experiences and treat people kindly because we felt welcomed by so many locals and have learnt so much about a country we knew very little of.
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