Limestone karsts rising from Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Vietnam · Itinerary

Vietnam 10-Day Itinerary

Hanoi, a Lan Ha Bay cruise, Da Nang, Hoi An, Saigon and the Mekong — all three regions of Vietnam in ten days.

10 days
Budget
Backpacker · Couple · Solo

Itinerary in progress — routes and timings are structurally complete; costs and hotel picks will be added from real trips.

Ten days is the sweet spot for a first trip to Vietnam: enough to see all three regions properly without spending the whole time in transit. This route runs north to south — two days in Hanoi, an overnight cruise among the limestone karsts, the central coast around Da Nang and Hoi An, then Saigon and the Mekong Delta — linked by two short domestic flights that each save a full day over land. It works just as well in reverse if your flights suit, and every stop has an obvious swap if you would rather trade a beach day for a temple or a museum for a river.

Day 1

Day 1

Arrive in Hanoi

Land, drop your bags and let the Old Quarter do the work — a deliberately gentle first day built around a lake loop and your first bowl of bun cha.
Morning Noi Bai International Airport

Arrival at Noi Bai
- Clear immigration with your e-visa approval saved or printed
- Activate an eSIM or buy a local SIM
- Head into the Old Quarter
Transport:
Grab or a metered taxi takes 40 to 55 minutes into the Old Quarter. Airport bus 86 runs the same route for a fraction of the price and stops near Hoan Kiem Lake.

Book the car in the Grab app rather than accepting a driver who approaches you in arrivals.
Google Maps
Afternoon Hoan Kiem

Hoan Kiem Lake and the 36 streets
- Walk the lake loop
- Ngoc Son Temple on its red bridge
- Get deliberately lost in the Old Quarter
Food:
Your first egg coffee. The old cafes around Hang Gai and Dinh Tien Hoang are the ones everyone means.

Cross roads at a slow, steady pace without stopping. Traffic flows around people who move predictably.
Google Maps
Evening Old Quarter

Bun cha and bia hoi
- Bun cha for dinner
- A bia hoi on the corner at Ta Hien
- An early night to break the jet lag
Food:
Bun cha is grilled pork in a bowl of broth with cold noodles and a pile of herbs. It is Hanoi on a plate.
Stay:
Two nights in the Old Quarter or the French Quarter so you can walk everywhere.
Day 2

Day 2

Hanoi history, coffee and Train Street

The city's serious side in the morning, its cafe culture in the afternoon, and water puppets to finish.
Morning Ba Dinh and Dong Da

Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh complex
- Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the One Pillar Pagoda
- Presidential Palace grounds
Transport:
About 15 minutes by Grab from the Old Quarter. The two sites are a 20-minute walk apart.

The Mausoleum only opens to visitors in the morning, closes on certain days and shuts for a maintenance period each year. Check before you go, and dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered.
Google Maps
Afternoon Old Quarter and Phung Hung

Coffee, the market, and Train Street done legally
- Egg, coconut or salt coffee
- Dong Xuan market
- Train Street from inside a licensed cafe
Train Street is only partly open. The famous stretch is barriered at the Tran Phu and Phung Hung entrances and organised group tours have been banned since March 2025. The legal way in is as an individual, seated inside one of the licensed cafes that host visitors — follow the staff when a train is due and stay off the tracks.
Google Maps
Evening Hoan Kiem

Thang Long water puppets
- Water puppet show, about an hour
- Dinner on Cau Go or Ma May
Food:
Cha ca la vong — turmeric and dill fish cooked at your table — is Hanoi's other signature dish and worth booking.

Book the show a day ahead in high season. The theatre is small, so the cheaper seats are perfectly fine.
Google Maps
Day 3

Day 3

Overnight cruise in Lan Ha Bay

Swap the city for limestone. Lan Ha is the quieter neighbour to Ha Long and the better choice if your operator gives you the option.
Morning Hanoi to Ha Long or Got pier

Transfer to the bay
- Hotel pick-up
- Expressway transfer with one rest stop
- Board around midday
Transport:
Cruise-operated shuttle from Hanoi: roughly 2.5 hours to Ha Long City, or about 3 hours to Got pier for Lan Ha. Pick-ups usually run between 07:30 and 08:30.

Ask which bay the boat actually sails. Ha Long is the famous one and the busiest; Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long offer near-identical scenery with a fraction of the boat traffic.
Google Maps
Afternoon Lan Ha Bay

Kayaking, caves and swimming
- Kayak or bamboo boat among the karsts
- Visit a sea cave or floating village
- Swim off the back of the boat
A cabin with a balcony is one of the few upgrades genuinely worth paying for here — you spend more time in it than you expect.
Evening On board

Sunset on deck
- Sunset from the top deck
- Seafood dinner on board
- Squid fishing or a spring roll demonstration
Food:
Dinner is included on essentially every overnight cruise. Drinks are not, and are marked up considerably.
Stay:
Overnight in a cruise cabin.
Day 4

Day 4

Back to Hanoi, fly to Da Nang

A genuine transit day, so plan it properly. Cruises dock late morning, which means an afternoon or evening flight south rather than a tight midday connection.
Morning On board

Sunrise, brunch and disembark
- Optional tai chi on deck at sunrise
- Brunch as the boat returns
- Dock and shuttle back towards Hanoi
Most cruises reach the pier between 11:00 and 11:30 and get back to Hanoi around 15:00. Book a flight from about 18:00 onwards — and ask whether the shuttle can drop you at the airport directly, as many operators will.
Afternoon Noi Bai to Da Nang

Fly Hanoi to Da Nang
- Domestic flight, roughly 1h20
- Grab from Da Nang airport to the beach, about 15 minutes
Transport:
Vietnam Airlines, VietJet or Bamboo. Noi Bai's domestic terminal is separate from the international one, so allow time if you are transferring.

Google Maps
Evening Da Nang

My Khe beach
- Sunset walk along My Khe
- Seafood dinner
Food:
Da Nang sells seafood by weight — choose from the tanks and agree the price per kilo before it is cooked.
Stay:
One night in Da Nang near My Khe, or push straight on to Hoi An if you would rather have the extra morning there.
Day 5

Day 5

Da Nang: mountains, marble and the Dragon Bridge

The set-piece day — the Golden Bridge first thing, cave temples in the afternoon, and the river after dark.
Morning Ba Na Hills

Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
- Cable car up to Ba Na Hills
- The Golden Bridge held by two stone hands
- French Village and the gardens
Transport:
About 45 minutes each way by Grab or a booked car.

Take the first cable car on a weekday. By 10:00 the bridge is shoulder to shoulder. Be clear that Ba Na Hills is a full theme park rather than a viewpoint — if that is not your thing, swap it for the Hai Van Pass by car or motorbike.
Google Maps
Afternoon Ngu Hanh Son

Marble Mountains
- Climb Thuy Son
- Huyen Khong cave
- Views back along the coast
There is a lift for the first ascent, but you still climb steps inside. Bring water — the caves are humid.
Google Maps
Evening Han River

Dragon Bridge fire and water show
- Riverside walk along the Han
- The dragon breathes fire and water
The show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 21:00 and lasts about half an hour. It is free — arrive by 20:30 for a spot near the dragon's head.
Google Maps
Day 6

Day 6

Hoi An ancient town

Move down to Hoi An, learn how the heritage ticket actually works, and watch the old town light up after dark.
Morning Da Nang to Hoi An

Transfer to Hoi An
- Check in
- Borrow or hire a bicycle from your hotel
Transport:
About 40 minutes by Grab or private car. Ask for the coastal road past the Marble Mountains rather than the highway.

Google Maps
Afternoon Old Town

The Ancient Town
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- One or two old merchant houses
- A Chinese assembly hall
- A first tailor fitting if you want clothes made
Food:
Cao lau, noodles that genuinely only exist here, plus white rose dumplings and a Hoi An banh mi.

The 120,000 VND ticket for international visitors is a booklet of five tear-off coupons, each admitting you to one of roughly 22 heritage buildings — the Japanese Covered Bridge, old houses, assembly halls and museums. Walking the streets, eating and shopping needs no ticket at all; it is only checked at the door of each heritage site.
Evening Thu Bon River

Lanterns on the Thu Bon
- Lantern boats on the river
- Night market on An Hoi islet
- Riverside dinner
Stay:
Two or three nights in Hoi An — riverside for the old town, An Bang if you would rather wake up at the beach.

If you want clothes tailored, place the order this evening. You will need two fittings and 24 to 48 hours.
Day 7

Day 7

Hoi An countryside and beach

The reason to give Hoi An two days: rice paddies by bicycle in the morning, the beach after lunch, and a cooking class to finish.
Morning Cam Thanh

Cycle the paddies at Cam Thanh
- Bicycle loop through the rice fields
- Water coconut palms
- Basket boat ride
The basket boats at the main jetty have turned into a loud, spinning circus. Ask your hotel for a quieter operator further along the river.
Google Maps
Afternoon An Bang

An Bang beach
- Swim
- A lounger at one of the beach clubs
- A very slow lunch
The central coast gets rough seas roughly from October to December and swimming is sometimes closed. Watch the flags rather than the other tourists.
Google Maps
Evening Hoi An

Cooking class
- Market tour
- Cook banh xeo, fresh spring rolls and a curry
- Eat what you made
Food:
Choose a class that starts at the market. Learning the herbs is more useful than the cooking itself.
Day 8

Day 8

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City

South to Saigon. A morning flight buys you a full afternoon on foot in District 1.
Morning Da Nang to Tan Son Nhat

Fly Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City
- Domestic flight, roughly 1h20
- Grab into District 1, about 30 to 45 minutes
Transport:
Da Nang airport is 30 minutes from Hoi An, so leave about two and a half hours before departure.

Google Maps
Afternoon District 1

District 1 on foot
- Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office
- Book Street
- Ben Thanh Market
- Nguyen Hue walking street
Ben Thanh is heavily geared to tourists and opening prices are high. Treat it as a look rather than a shop, or buy at An Dong market instead.
Google Maps
Evening District 1

Rooftops and com tam
- A rooftop bar over the river
- Com tam or banh xeo for dinner
Food:
Com tam, broken rice with grilled pork, is the Saigon plate.
Stay:
Three nights in District 1 or District 3.
Day 9

Day 9

Mekong Delta day trip

Out to the river and back. Choose Ben Tre over My Tho and you spend the day on small canals instead of in a queue of coaches.
Morning Ben Tre

Down to the delta
- Boat through the coconut canals
- Coconut candy workshop or brick kilns
Transport:
Roughly 2 hours each way by road. Book a small-group tour to Ben Tre rather than one of the big My Tho coach trips.

Full-day delta tours are long. If four hours in a van does not appeal, swap this for the Cu Chi tunnels, which are a half day.
Google Maps
Afternoon Mekong Delta

Island lunch and cycling
- Elephant-ear fish lunch
- Cycle the island lanes
- Honey tea and tropical fruit
Evening District 4

Back in Saigon
- Street food on Vinh Khanh street
- A last ca phe sua da
Food:
Vinh Khanh in District 4 is where Saigon eats snails and seafood late into the night.
Day 10

Day 10

War Remnants Museum and departure

The one museum to make time for, a final coffee in the old apartment block, then the airport.
Morning District 3

War Remnants Museum
- Museum visit — allow about two hours
It is confronting, particularly the photojournalism and Agent Orange rooms. Go early while it is quiet, and plan somewhere gentle to go afterwards.
Google Maps
Afternoon District 1

The cafe apartment block
- The cafe apartments at 42 Nguyen Hue
- Any last shopping
Take the tiny lift or walk the stairwell — every floor is a different independent cafe, and the balconies look straight down the walking street.
Google Maps
Evening Tan Son Nhat International Airport

Depart from Tan Son Nhat
- Grab to the airport
- Departure
Transport:
The airport is 30 to 45 minutes from District 1, but allow considerably longer in evening traffic. Aim to arrive three hours before an international flight.

Tips for this itinerary

Check whether you need a visa at all before applying. More than 30 nationalities enter Vietnam visa-free for 30 or 45 days; everyone else applies for the e-visa on the official portal at evisa.gov.vn, US$25 single entry, roughly three working days.
Book the two internal flights early. Hanoi to Da Nang and Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City are cheap booked ahead and climb steeply close to the date.
Run the route in reverse if it suits your flights. South to north works exactly as well and open-jaw tickets are often cheaper than a return.
Do not cut the day 4 connection fine. Cruises dock late morning and the road back to Hanoi takes around three hours, so book an evening flight south.
Pack for two climates. Hanoi is genuinely cool and damp from December to February, while the south stays hot all year.
Avoid the central coast between mid-September and mid-November if you can. This is peak typhoon season and Hoi An floods most years.
Book the bay cruise directly with an operator you have researched, never through a street agent, and check whether it sails Ha Long, Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha.
Give Hoi An two nights minimum. Almost everyone wishes they had given it three.
Carry small notes and use Grab for taxis and motorbike rides — the fare is fixed in the app.
Easy swaps: Ninh Binh instead of the bay cruise gives similar karst scenery without a boat; Hue instead of Da Nang suits history over beaches; the Cu Chi tunnels are a half day if the Mekong feels too long.