Short answer: with 7 days, do Hanoi, an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay and a night in Ninh Binh, then fly to Da Nang for two nights in Hoi An. With 10 days, add Hue and the drive over the Hai Van Pass. With 14 days, either travel the whole country north to south, adding Sa Pa’s rice terraces, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, or swap the south for four beach days on Phu Quoc. Vietnam is long and narrow, so the trick is to fly the long legs and take trains, vans and boats for the short ones.
This guide turns the sample trips on our Vietnam travel guide into day-by-day plans, with travel times between stops and the best area to sleep each night. Because the north, center and south have different seasons, check our best time to visit Vietnam guide before you fix the route; March and April suit a north-to-south trip best. Our top 10 places to visit in Vietnam explains each stop. For a plan built around your dates and interests, use our AI trip planner. Everything here was checked as of October 2026.
The three routes at a glance
| Route | Days | Stops | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| North and Hoi An | 7 | Hanoi (2 nights), Ha Long Bay cruise (1), Ninh Binh (1), Hoi An (2) | First trip, a taste of north and center |
| North and center | 10 | Hanoi (2), Ha Long Bay (1), Ninh Binh (1), Hue (2), Hoi An (3) | History, food, karst scenery, an easy pace |
| North to south | 14 | Hanoi (2), overnight train (1), Sa Pa (1), Ha Long Bay (1), Ninh Binh (1), Hue (2), Hoi An (3), Ho Chi Minh City (2) | Seeing the whole country, mountains to Mekong |
| North, center and Phu Quoc | 14 | Hanoi (2), Ha Long Bay (1), Ninh Binh (1), Hue (2), Hoi An (3), Phu Quoc (4) | Ending on the beach, December to April |
Book “open-jaw” flights: into Hanoi (Noi Bai) and out of Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat) or Phu Quoc, so you never backtrack. Most visitors need an e-visa; apply only on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn. Citizens of several European countries, Japan and South Korea get 45 days visa-free; our Vietnam guide has the lists.
Travel times between the main stops
These are the legs used in the plans below. Vietnam Railways publishes departure times but its booking site, dsvn.vn, does not show journey times in a form we could read, so train, road and flight durations here are approximate; check the time for your date when you book.
| Leg | Fastest or most practical | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noi Bai airport – Hanoi Old Quarter | Taxi or Grab | about 30 km (19 miles); about 45–60 min (approximate) | General reference |
| Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (Tuan Chau or Bai Chay ports) | Cruise shuttle or limousine van by expressway | about 2.5 h (approximate) | Cruise operators, general reference |
| Hanoi – Ninh Binh | Road or train | about 2 h (approximate) | General reference |
| Ha Long Bay – Ninh Binh | Limousine van | about 3.5 h (approximate) | General reference |
| Hanoi – Lao Cai (for Sa Pa) | Overnight train (SP trains, daily) | overnight; then about 1 h by road up to Sa Pa (approximate) | Vietnam Railways (service); time approximate |
| Hanoi – Sa Pa | Expressway bus or limousine van | about 5–6 h (approximate) | General reference |
| Hanoi – Hue | Flight, or overnight Reunification Express | about 1 h 15 by air; overnight by train, leaving Hanoi in the evening (approximate) | Flight schedules; Vietnam Railways (departures) |
| Hue – Da Nang | Train along the coast, or car over the Hai Van Pass | about 2.5–3 h by train (approximate) | Booking sites |
| Da Nang airport – Hoi An | Taxi, Grab or hotel transfer | about 30 km (19 miles); 40–50 min (approximate) | General reference |
| Hanoi – Da Nang | Flight | about 1 h 20 (approximate) | Flight schedules |
| Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City | Flight | about 2 h 10 (approximate) | Flight schedules |
| Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City | Flight | about 1 h 25 (approximate) | Flight schedules |
| Ho Chi Minh City – Can Tho | Bus or limousine van | about 3.5–4 h (approximate) | General reference |
| Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc | Flight (also from Hanoi and Da Nang) | about 1 h (approximate) | Flight schedules |
On Vietnam Railways’ summer 2026 timetable, the Reunification Express overnight trains SE3 and SE1 left Hanoi at 19:20 and 21:45, reaching Hue the next morning; daily “heritage connection” trains also run between Da Nang and Hue, and since 28 August 2026 a tourist train has linked Hue with Dong Hoi for Phong Nha. Domestic flights are frequent and cheap, but fares rise sharply around Tet and the summer holidays.
7 days: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Hoi An
The classic first week: the capital, the bay, the karst landscape inland and the lantern-lit old town of Hoi An. Fly into Hanoi and home from Da Nang.
- Day 1, Hanoi: Arrive and head to the Old Quarter. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, see a water puppet show and eat bun cha and pho at street stalls. Sleep: Old Quarter or near Hoan Kiem Lake (2 nights).
- Day 2, Hanoi: The Temple of Literature, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area, egg coffee, and the Long Bien Bridge at sunset.
- Day 3, Ha Long Bay: Cruise shuttle from the Old Quarter (usually around 8 a.m., about 2.5 hours). Afternoon kayaking among the limestone islands, a cave visit and a night on the boat. Sleep: cruise boat (1 night).
- Day 4, to Ninh Binh: Sunrise on deck and a morning stop, then a limousine van from the port straight to Ninh Binh (about 3.5 hours). Climb Hang Mua’s steps for the sunset view over the rice fields. Sleep: Tam Coc (1 night).
- Day 5, Trang An and fly south: An early rowing-boat trip at Trang An (2.5 to 3 hours through caves and temples), then a car to Noi Bai airport and an evening flight to Da Nang (about 1 h 20). Transfer to Hoi An. Sleep: Hoi An (2 nights).
- Day 6, Hoi An: The UNESCO-listed old town with its Japanese Covered Bridge, assembly halls and merchant houses (buy the old-town ticket before entering), cao lau noodles, and the riverside lanterns after dark. Cycle to An Bang beach in the afternoon.
- Day 7, home: A last coffee in the old town and a transfer to Da Nang airport (40–50 minutes).
Swap it: starting in the south? Do Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights), a Mekong Delta night in Can Tho (1) and Phu Quoc (3) instead; it is at its best from December to April. Stop-by-stop details are in our Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Hoi An guides.
10 days: Hanoi to Hoi An via Hue
The same northern start, then Hue, the former imperial capital, and a slower stay in Hoi An. You can fly from Hanoi to Hue or take the overnight train.
- Days 1–2, Hanoi: As in the 7-day plan. Sleep: Old Quarter (2 nights).
- Day 3, Ha Long Bay: Overnight cruise. For a quieter bay, choose a route into Lan Ha Bay or one of the less busy official routes. Sleep: cruise boat (1 night).
- Day 4, Ninh Binh: Van from the port to Tam Coc; the Tam Coc boat trip (about 2 hours) or a bike ride through the rice fields. Sleep: Tam Coc (1 night).
- Day 5, to Hue: Trang An by boat in the morning, then a flight from Hanoi to Hue (about 1 h 15). Or take the overnight Reunification Express from Ninh Binh station, which most trains call at, and arrive in Hue next morning. Sleep: Hue, near the river (2 nights).
- Day 6, Hue: The Imperial City inside the citadel walls in the morning, the Thien Mu Pagoda in the late afternoon, and Hue’s spicy bun bo noodles for dinner.
- Day 7, royal tombs and the Hai Van Pass: The tombs of Minh Mang and Khai Dinh, then a car with driver over the Hai Van Pass, with a stop at Lang Co lagoon, to Hoi An. Or take the scenic coastal train to Da Nang (about 2.5–3 hours). Sleep: Hoi An (3 nights).
- Day 8, Hoi An: The old town early, before the tour groups; a tailor fitting or cooking class; lanterns at night.
- Day 9, My Son or the Cham Islands: The Cham temple ruins at My Son (about 1 hour by road; go at opening time), or a speedboat to the Cham Islands for snorkeling (boats run mainly March to September).
- Day 10, Da Nang and home: The Marble Mountains on the way to Da Nang airport, or a morning on My Khe beach.
Swap it: cave lovers can add Phong Nha between Ninh Binh and Hue: the overnight train to Dong Hoi, two nights near the national park, then the Hue–Dong Hoi tourist train south. More in our Hue, Da Nang and Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park guides.
14 days: north to south, from Sa Pa to the Mekong
The full length of the country in two weeks, using one overnight train and two flights. It is busy but rewarding; March and April give the best chance of good weather from Sa Pa to Saigon.
- Day 1, Hanoi: Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. Sleep: Old Quarter (1 night).
- Day 2, Hanoi and the night train: A full day of sights, then the overnight train to Lao Cai. Sleep: sleeper train (1 night).
- Day 3, Sa Pa: About an hour by road up from Lao Cai. Ride the Fansipan cable car (about 15 minutes) to just below the 3,143 m (10,311 ft) summit; it reopened after maintenance on 28 September 2026, with hours that vary by day. Sleep: Sa Pa town (1 night).
- Day 4, trek and back to Hanoi: The classic walk with a local guide from Sa Pa down through Lao Chai to Ta Van, about 12 km (7.5 miles) among the rice terraces, then an afternoon limousine van to Hanoi (about 5–6 hours). Sleep: Old Quarter (1 night).
- Day 5, Ha Long Bay: Overnight cruise. Sleep: cruise boat (1 night).
- Day 6, Ninh Binh: Van to Tam Coc, sunset at Hang Mua. Sleep: Tam Coc (1 night).
- Day 7, to Hue: Trang An by boat, then fly from Hanoi to Hue. Sleep: Hue (2 nights).
- Day 8, Hue: The Imperial City, royal tombs and Thien Mu Pagoda.
- Day 9, Hai Van Pass to Hoi An: By car with driver, or train to Da Nang. Sleep: Hoi An (3 nights).
- Days 10–11, Hoi An: The old town, An Bang beach, My Son or a cooking class.
- Day 12, to Ho Chi Minh City: Fly from Da Nang (about 1 h 25). Afternoon at the Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum (allow two hours), then dinner in District 1. Sleep: District 1 (2 nights).
- Day 13, Mekong Delta or Cu Chi: A full-day Mekong Delta trip by boat and bike, or the Cu Chi tunnels (1.5 to 2 hours each way) in the morning and Chinatown’s Binh Tay Market in the afternoon.
- Day 14, home: Fly home from Tan Son Nhat, which is only about 7 km (4 miles) from the center.
Swap it: want the floating market? Drop Sa Pa (days 2–4) and use the time for a night in Can Tho, about 3.5–4 hours from Saigon by road, to reach the Cai Rang floating market by boat between 5 and 8 a.m., when it is busiest. See our Sa Pa, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho guides.
14 days: north, center and the beaches of Phu Quoc
The 10-day route plus four nights on Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island. Best from December to April, when the center has dried out after its autumn rains and Phu Quoc’s west coast is calm and sunny.
- Days 1–9, Hanoi to Hoi An: Follow the 10-day plan to the end of day 9. Sleep: Hanoi (2), cruise (1), Tam Coc (1), Hue (2), Hoi An (3).
- Day 10, to Phu Quoc: Fly from Da Nang to Phu Quoc. Sunset on Long Beach. Sleep: Long Beach or the west coast (4 nights).
- Day 11, the southern islands: A boat trip around the An Thoi islands for snorkeling, or the Sun World cable car from An Thoi to Hon Thom island (about 15 minutes over the sea); go early to avoid midday queues.
- Day 12, the north of the island: The quieter beaches and forest of the north, a pepper farm and a fish sauce factory.
- Day 13, beach day: Nothing planned.
- Day 14, home: Fly from Phu Quoc, directly to some Asian cities or via Ho Chi Minh City (about 1 hour).
Phu Quoc has its own 30-day visa exemption for visitors who stay on the island, but you need a proper visa or exemption to see the mainland too. Boat trips are rougher from May to October, when the west coast catches the wind; take tours only with established operators. More in our Phu Quoc guide.
Where to sleep, by stop
| Stop | Best area for a short stay | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | Old Quarter or around Hoan Kiem Lake | Walk to the sights and street food; cruise shuttles pick up here |
| Ha Long Bay | On an overnight cruise boat | The bay at sunset and sunrise; one night is limited to 24 hours from departure |
| Ninh Binh | Tam Coc village | Homestays among rice fields, close to Tam Coc, Hang Mua and Trang An |
| Sa Pa | Sa Pa town, or a village homestay in the Muong Hoa valley | Treks start from town; homestays put you among the terraces |
| Hue | South bank of the Perfume River, or inside the citadel | Restaurants and hotels on the south bank; quiet early starts inside the walls |
| Hoi An | Near the old town, or An Bang beach | Old-town lanterns on foot, or a beach base 4 km (2.5 miles) away |
| Ho Chi Minh City | District 1 | Central for museums, markets and food; close to the airport |
| Can Tho | Riverfront near Ninh Kieu, or Cai Rang | Early boats to the floating market |
| Phu Quoc | Long Beach or the west coast | Sunsets, restaurants, 15 minutes from the airport |
Vietnam is good value at every level; our Vietnam guide has typical daily costs. Book Ha Long cruises and the Sa Pa train early for weekends and holidays.
Alternatives by interest
Beach lovers
Match the beach to the month. From about April to August, stay on the central coast at Da Nang’s My Khe or Hoi An’s An Bang, with Nha Trang for diving from February to May. From December to April, head south to Phu Quoc. Cut Ha Long and Ninh Binh to one night each and give the beach five or six nights. Details in our Nha Trang and Phu Quoc guides.
Hikers and mountain lovers
Give the north more time: three nights in Sa Pa with village homestays (the terraces turn golden in September), and the Ha Giang loop, a multi-day ride with a local driver through limestone passes on the Chinese border, best from October to December. Our Ha Giang and Sa Pa guides cover the routes and seasons.
Food lovers
Eat your way down the country: pho, bun cha and egg coffee in Hanoi, imperial dishes and spicy bun bo in Hue, cao lau and banh mi in Hoi An, and Saigon’s street food in District 1 and Chinatown, finishing with fruit in the Mekong Delta (best from May to August). Book a street-food walk in Hanoi and Saigon and a cooking class in Hoi An.
Families and slow travelers
Use fewer bases and fly the long legs: Hanoi with a Ha Long cruise, then a week split between Hoi An and Da Nang’s beach, where hotels have pools and the cooking classes, lantern-making and bike rides suit children. Avoid the sleeper trains with small children. Our Da Lat guide covers a cooler highland alternative.
Tips for planning your route
- Match the route to the season. March and April are the best months for a north-to-south trip. The central coast around Hue and Hoi An gets heavy rain and floods from about September to December (Hue’s Imperial City flooded in October 2025), the south is driest from December to April, and Hanoi is cool and gray in winter. See our best time to visit Vietnam guide.
- Plan around Tet. The Lunar New Year falls on 6 February 2027, with a public holiday from 2 to 10 February. Trains, flights and buses fill up and many shops close; Vietnam Railways began selling Tet tickets on 5 September 2026.
- Book the e-visa early. It costs US$25 for single entry or US$50 for multiple entry, is valid for up to 90 days, and the fee is not refunded if refused. Use only evisa.gov.vn.
- Book trains on the official site. Buy tickets on dsvn.vn or at stations. Soft sleeper berths on overnight trains sell out at weekends.
- Buy Ha Long tickets the official way. The bay’s management board sets fixed routes and fees and asks visitors to buy at the port terminals or through their cruise operator, not from touts. Cruises can be suspended when storms approach, mainly from June to November.
- Don’t plan to drive. Vietnam accepts only international driving permits issued under the 1968 convention (US permits are under the 1949 one), so most visitors use trains, flights, Grab and cars with drivers.
Vietnam itinerary FAQ
Is 7 days enough for Vietnam?
Yes for one or two regions: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh in the north, plus Hoi An in the center with one flight. Seeing the whole country from north to south needs at least two weeks.
Should I start in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City?
Either works; start wherever your flight is cheapest. In March and April it hardly matters. From December to February, ending in the warm south or on Phu Quoc is nicer, since Hanoi can be cool and gray.
Is one night on Ha Long Bay enough?
For most visitors, yes: one night gives you sunset, sunrise, kayaking and a cave. A two-night cruise reaches quieter areas. A day trip from Hanoi is possible but means about five hours on the road for a few hours on the water.
Train or plane between Hanoi and Hue?
Fly if time is short (about 1 hour 15 minutes). Take the overnight Reunification Express if you want the experience and to save a night’s hotel; trains leave Hanoi in the evening and reach Hue the next morning.
Do I need a car in Vietnam?
No. Trains, cheap domestic flights, limousine vans and Grab cover every stop in these plans. For day trips such as the Hai Van Pass or My Son, hire a car with driver.
Can I do Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by train?
Yes, on the Reunification Express, but the full journey takes well over a day. Most travelers ride only the best sections, such as Hanoi to Hue overnight and Hue to Da Nang along the coast, and fly the rest.
What is the best month for a Vietnam itinerary?
March and April are the best all-round months for a north-to-south route. October and November are lovely in Hanoi and the north but bring heavy rain to Hue and Hoi An; December to April is best for the south and Phu Quoc.
Sources
Researched and last reviewed by TravelerCenter on 8 October 2026. Train services and departure times come from Vietnam Railways and the Ministry of Construction’s summer 2026 timetable announcement as reported in the press, the Hue–Dong Hoi tourist train from the Hue Department of Tourism, and the Tet dates and e-visa rules from the Government of Vietnam. Ha Long Bay routes and rules come from the bay’s World Heritage Management Board, Ninh Binh boat trips from the Trang An Landscape Complex Management Board, the Fansipan cable car from its operator, Sun World, and Cai Rang market hours from the Vietnam News Agency. Train, road and flight durations come from booking sites, flight schedules and general references and are approximate. Schedules, fares and rules change, so check with the operator before you travel.
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