Vietnam Itinerary: 14 Days from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

The Classic Route

Vietnam is long and narrow — 1,650 km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Two weeks lets you see the four most-different regions: the northern capital, the bay, the ancient port town, and the southern metropolis. It's the standard first-timer itinerary for a reason: it works.

The 14-Day Plan

Days 1–3: Hanoi

Use the **Hanoi guide**. Day 1: Old Quarter exploration + Temple of Literature. Day 2: Ho Chi Minh Complex + Museum of Ethnology + train street. Day 3: Cooking class, or day trip to **Perfume Pagoda**. Evening: book your Ha Long Bay cruise for the next day.

Days 4–5: Ha Long Bay (or Lan Ha)

Use the **Ha Long Bay cruise guide**. Recommend 2 days/1 night. Day 4: transfer from Hanoi (2.5 hrs), board the junk, afternoon kayaking, sunset, squid fishing. Day 5: sunrise, cave visit, brunch, return to Hanoi by 2pm.

**Evening of Day 5:** Night train or flight to Hoi An. The night train (SE7/SE9, 16 hours) is the experience; a 1-hour flight saves a day.

**Flight option:** Vietnam Airlines or VietJet from Hanoi to **Da Nang** (closest airport to Hoi An, 30 min drive).

Days 6–8: Hoi An

**Hoi An** is the ancient trading port (UNESCO, 1999), preserved as a 15th-19th century merchant town. The old town is pedestrian-only at night, lit with lanterns — the most romantic town in Vietnam.

**Must-do:** - **Old Town walk** (Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese assembly halls, the old houses) - **Tailor shop** — Hoi An is famous for made-to-measure clothing in 24 hours - **Cooking class** — Hoi An's cuisine is unique (white rose dumplings, cao lau noodles) - **Bike ride to An Bang Beach** (15 minutes, the beach is lovely) - **Evening lantern-lit river** — the iconic photo

**Day trip from Hoi An:** **My Son Sanctuary** (Hindu temple complex, 4th-14th century, "Vietnam's Angkor") — half-day, guide recommended.

Days 9–11: Ho Chi Minh City

Fly from Da Nang to HCMC (1 hour). Use the **HCMC guide**. Day 9: War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Basilica, Ben Thanh Market. Day 10: Cu Chi Tunnels (half-day, the underground Viet Cong network). Day 11: Mekong Delta day trip (My Tho or Ben Tre — boat through the canals, coconut candy workshop, honey tea, tropical fruit).

**Food tour:** Book an evening walking food tour in **District 1** — banh mi, pho, spring rolls, and Vietnamese iced coffee (ca phe sua da).

Days 12–14: Options

**Option A: Phu Quoc Island** (fly from HCMC, 1 hour). Beach resort, snorkeling, fish sauce factories, night markets. Best option for a slow end to the trip.

**Option B: Mekong Delta homestay** (drive 2 hours). Stay overnight in a Can Tho homestay, visit the **Cai Rang floating market** at dawn. Authentic Vietnam.

**Option C: Binge on HCMC** — food tours, rooftop bars (Saigon Saigon, Chill Sky Bar), shopping at Saigon Square, and the simply astonishing **Giac Lam Pagoda** (oldest in the city).

Transport Within Vietnam

| Route | Best Option | Time | Cost | |---|---|---|---| | Hanoi → Ha Long | Shuttle bus | 2.5 hrs | $10 | | Hanoi → Hoi An | Night train or fly | 16 hrs / 1 hr | $25 / $50 | | Hoi An → HCMC | Fly | 1 hr | $40-80 | | HCMC → Phu Quoc | Fly | 1 hr | $40-80 |

**Book trains at:** baolau.com or their official dsvn.vn. **Budget flights:** VietJet (cheap but strict luggage limit), Bamboo Airways (medium).

Budget

- **Budget:** $30-50/day (hostels, buses, street food) - **Mid-range:** $70-120/day (3-star hotels, domestic flights, nicer restaurants) - **Comfortable:** $150-250/day (4-5 star hotels, private tours, fine dining)

The Single Most Important Tip

Vietnam is a **north–south country**, and this route is one-way. The mistake travelers make is trying to add too many stops (Sapa, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phong Nha) and spending half the trip on buses. **The core four** (Hanoi, Ha Long, Hoi An, HCMC) fill two weeks properly. Save the rest for next time.