Vietnam 10-Day Travel Itinerary
Street Food, Karst Mountains & Ancient Lantern Towns
February to April for dry weather across all three regions
$38-310 per day — Vietnam is phenomenal value for money
Ha Long Bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, HCMC, Golden Bridge
Your 10-Day Vietnam Adventure
Arrive at Noi Bai Airport, transfer to Old Quarter hotel
Hanoi
Explore Hanoi Old Quarter — 36 streets, each named after its trade
Hanoi Old Quarter
Street food tour — phở bò, bún chả, egg coffee at Cafe Giang
Hanoi
💡 Pro Tip:
Grab a SIM card at the airport ($5 for 30 days unlimited data). Crossing Hanoi streets looks terrifying — just walk steadily and traffic flows around you.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed Mon/Fri), One Pillar Pagoda, Presidential Palace
Ba Dinh District
Temple of Literature (Vietnam's first university), Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
Hanoi
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, craft beer on Ta Hien 'Beer Street'
Hanoi
💡 Pro Tip:
Dress modestly for the mausoleum — no shorts, tank tops, or hats inside. Water puppets are surprisingly entertaining — book tickets in advance.
3.5-hour drive to Ha Long Bay, board overnight junk boat cruise
Ha Long Bay
Cruise through limestone karsts, kayaking through caves and grottoes
Ha Long Bay
Sunset on deck, squid fishing, seafood dinner on board, stargazing
Ha Long Bay
💡 Pro Tip:
Book a 2D/1N cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay (less crowded than Ha Long). Budget cruises start at $80/person, mid-range $150-250. Worth every penny.
Tai chi on deck at sunrise, swim in the bay, brunch on board
Ha Long Bay
Return to Hanoi, transfer to airport for flight to Da Nang (1.5 hours)
Da Nang
Dragon Bridge light show (Sat/Sun) or beach walk on My Khe Beach
Da Nang
💡 Pro Tip:
Flights from Hanoi to Da Nang are cheap ($30-50 on VietJet or Bamboo Airways). The Dragon Bridge breathes real fire and water every weekend at 9 PM!
Transfer to Hoi An (30 min), explore Ancient Town — Japanese Bridge, assembly halls
Hoi An
Get custom clothes tailored (24-hour turnaround!) — suits, dresses, shoes
Hoi An
Lantern-lit Old Town at night, Cao Lầu noodles, riverside dining
Hoi An
💡 Pro Tip:
Hoi An tailoring is legendary — get measured on Day 5, pick up on Day 6. Custom silk suit: $80-150, dress: $30-60. Visit at least 2-3 shops before committing.
Vietnamese cooking class — market visit + hands-on cooking ($25-35)
Hoi An
An Bang Beach — swim, coconuts, beach bars. Pick up tailored clothes.
Hoi An
Release floating lanterns on the Thu Bon River (full moon night is magical)
Hoi An
💡 Pro Tip:
The cooking classes in Hoi An are among the best in Southeast Asia. Red Bridge and Morning Glory are top-rated. Full-moon festival (14th of lunar month) is extraordinary.
Day trip to Ba Na Hills — ride the world's longest cable car (5.8 km)
Ba Na Hills
Walk the iconic Golden Bridge (held by giant stone hands), French Village
Ba Na Hills
Return to Hoi An or Da Nang for dinner
Hoi An
💡 Pro Tip:
Buy Ba Na Hills tickets online ($25 including cable car). Go on a weekday — weekends are extremely crowded. The temperature is 8-10°C cooler at the top.
Flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (1.5 hours)
HCMC
Reunification Palace, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum
District 1
Bui Vien Walking Street (backpacker area), rooftop cocktails at Saigon Saigon Bar
HCMC
💡 Pro Tip:
The War Remnants Museum is emotionally heavy but essential viewing. District 1 is walkable — save money by walking instead of taxis for short distances.
Cu Chi Tunnels — crawl through Viet Cong underground network (half-day tour)
Cu Chi
Mekong Delta cruise — floating markets, coconut candy workshop, sampan ride
Mekong Delta
Farewell dinner — Vietnamese BBQ (lẩu) or Cơm Tấm (broken rice)
HCMC
💡 Pro Tip:
Combine Cu Chi + Mekong in one day tour ($30-50). The Ben Thanh Night Market and Nguyen Hue walking street are great for an evening stroll.
Ben Thanh Market souvenir shopping, coffee at The Workshop (specialty coffee)
HCMC
Last phở, last cà phê sữa đá (iced milk coffee), grab final souvenirs
HCMC
Transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport for departure
HCMC
💡 Pro Tip:
Vietnamese coffee makes a great souvenir — buy at Trung Nguyen or Highlands Coffee stores. Haggle hard at Ben Thanh Market (start at 40% of asking price).
Vietnam Regional Weather Guide
✓ Pros:
Dry and cool in Hanoi/Ha Long, perfect for sightseeing, Tet festival (Jan/Feb)
✗ Cons:
Can be chilly in December-January (10-15°C), drizzly
✓ Pros:
Dry weather in Hoi An/Hue/Da Nang, warm beaches, clear skies
✗ Cons:
Very hot May-August (35°C+), typhoon season starts September
✓ Pros:
Dry season in HCMC/Mekong, perfect weather, Tet celebrations
✗ Cons:
Peak tourist season, slightly higher prices
Vietnam Travel Budget Estimates
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (9 nights) | $90-180 | $300-600 | $1200+ |
| Internal Flights (2-3) | $60-120 | $80-150 | $200+ |
| Meals & Street Food | $50-100 | $120-250 | $400+ |
| Activities & Tours | $100-200 | $250-500 | $800+ |
| Ha Long Bay Cruise | $80-120 | $150-250 | $500+ |
| TOTAL (per person) | $380-720 | $900-1750 | $3100+ |
Getting Around Vietnam
Grab app is essential — works for motorbike taxis (cheapest), cars, and food delivery
VietJet and Bamboo Airways have $30-50 flights between major cities — book early
The Reunification Express train (Hanoi-HCMC) takes 30+ hours — fly instead unless you love train travel
Overnight buses (sleeper buses) are comfortable and save a hotel night ($15-25)
Renting a motorbike is only for experienced riders — traffic is genuinely chaotic
Ha Long Bay cruise boats depart from Tuan Chau Marina — most tours include hotel pickup from Hanoi
Avoid These Vietnam Mistakes
Only eating in restaurants (the BEST food in Vietnam is street food — $1-3/meal)
Skipping Ha Long Bay cruise to save money (even budget cruises are unforgettable)
Not getting clothes tailored in Hoi An (you'll regret it — prices are incredible)
Using taxis without checking the meter (use Grab app — Vietnam's version of Uber)
Visiting in September-November (typhoon season in central Vietnam — floods in Hoi An)
Not trying egg coffee in Hanoi (sounds weird, tastes like liquid tiramisu)