The motorbike appears from nowhere, weaving through a gap you were certain didn’t exist, and then the street opens into a square where a woman in a conical hat sells pho from a cart so small you wonder how the broth stays hot. The air smells of lemongrass, exhaust, and something charred and wonderful from a grill two stalls down. You’ve been in Hanoi for six hours and you already know you haven’t booked enough time. Vietnam does this to people.
Two weeks is the minimum to do Vietnam properly. A 2 weeks in Vietnam itinerary covers the country’s greatest highlights: the capital’s French-colonial streets, the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay, the lantern glow of Hoi An’s ancient town, and the controlled chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, with time left to drift through the Mekong Delta on a wooden boat. This vietnam itinerary 2 weeks guide covers everything you need to plan your vietnam trip.
Why Vietnam Belongs on Your Bucket List
Few countries pack this much variety into one long, narrow strip of land. Vietnam stretches about 1,650 kilometres from north to south, and along the way you move through distinct climates, a dozen regional cuisines, and centuries of layered history: Cham temples, French boulevards, imperial palaces, and the remnants of a war that still shapes the country’s identity. The value is exceptional. A good hotel room costs $40 to $80 a night, and a bowl of street food $1.50 to $3. Ha Long Bay cruises, Hoi An cooking classes, and Mekong boat trips are all within reach without a luxury budget. Vietnam is one of the few places where travelling well and travelling affordably are the same thing.
Your 2-Week Vietnam Itinerary
Days 1 to 3: Hanoi
Start in Hanoi: chaotic, layered, and completely compelling. The Old Quarter’s 36 guild streets, each historically dedicated to a single trade, are the best way to orient yourself. Walk them slowly, duck into the courtyards behind the shopfronts, and eat everything.
What to do:
- Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple at dawn, before the crowds
- Wander the Old Quarter on foot: Hang Bac (silver), Hang Gai (silk), Hang Ma (paper goods)
- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology for context on the country’s 54 ethnic groups
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square (mornings only, closed Monday and Friday, and closed for annual maintenance each autumn: 4 September to 2 November in 2026)
- Temple of Literature, founded in 1070, home of the Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first university (1076)
Where to eat in Hanoi: Bun cha at Bun Cha Huong Lien (24 Le Van Huu), where Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama ate in 2016. Banh mi from Banh Mi 25 on Hang Ca. Egg coffee, a Hanoi invention, at Cafe Giang on Nguyen Huu Huan.
Where to stay in Hanoi:
- Budget: La Siesta Classic Ma May (Old Quarter, excellent location)
- Splurge: Sofitel Legend Metropole (colonial landmark from 1901, usually from about $250 a night, worth one special night)
Days 4 to 6: Ha Long Bay
From Hanoi, take a cruise on Ha Long Bay. The roughly 1,600 limestone islands rising from the Gulf of Tonkin are among the most extraordinary landscapes on earth, and a day trip barely scratches the surface. Spend at least one night on the water, two if you can. Most cruises include a shuttle from the Old Quarter, now about 2.5 to 3 hours each way on the expressway.
Look for kayaking included, a smaller boat (20 cabins or fewer), and a sunrise session on the top deck. Skip the cheapest day trips, which are crowded and rushed. A mid-range two-day, one-night cruise runs about $145 to $250 per person; expect drinks, tips, and extras to add more.
For the full guide, see our Ha Long Bay Vietnam kayaking guide.
Days 7 to 9: Hoi An
Fly from Hanoi to Da Nang (about 1 hour 20 minutes), then drive 45 minutes south to Hoi An. This is the visual heart of Vietnam: a UNESCO-listed trading port where Chinese merchant houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge, and French colonial facades line a river lit nightly by silk lanterns. The Ancient Town is compact enough to walk in a morning and rich enough to fill three days.
What to do:
- Walk the Ancient Town at dawn and again at dusk when the lanterns come on
- Take a cooking class (half-day, with market visit, about $25 to $35)
- Cycle to An Bang Beach, about 4 kilometres from town
- Visit a tailor: a simple made-to-measure dress costs roughly $30 to $60, a suit $120 to $220. Allow at least two fittings over two days
- My Son Sanctuary: ancient Cham Hindu temples in a jungle valley about an hour’s drive away, a half-day trip most visitors skip and shouldn’t
Where to eat in Hoi An: Cao lau (thick noodles with pork and crispy crackers) at Thanh Cao Lau on Thai Phien. White rose dumplings at White Rose Restaurant on Hai Ba Trung. Banh mi from Banh Mi Phuong on Phan Chau Trinh.
Where to stay in Hoi An:
- Budget: Hoi An Chic Hotel (pool, rice-paddy setting, free shuttle to town)
- Upscale: Anantara Hoi An Resort (riverside, colonial style, walking distance to the Ancient Town)
Days 10 to 12: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Fly from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (about 1 hour 20 minutes). The contrast with Hanoi is immediate: Saigon is faster, louder, and more international. French colonial architecture survives in pockets, including the Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Cathedral, still undergoing a long restoration.
What to do:
- War Remnants Museum: confronting and necessary, allow two hours
- Independence (Reunification) Palace: preserved much as it was in 1975, one of Asia’s strangest time capsules
- Cu Chi Tunnels: part of a 250-kilometre wartime tunnel network, about 1.5 to 2 hours northwest by road. Book a half-day tour
- Eat your way through the city at night: Bui Vien Walking Street for atmosphere, Vinh Khanh food street in District 4 for seafood
- Rooftop drinks at Chill Skybar on the 26th floor of AB Tower: the dusk view earns its price
Where to eat in Ho Chi Minh City: Hu tieu (pork noodle soup) from neighbourhood stalls in Cholon (District 5). Com tam (broken rice with grilled pork) from any sidewalk stall in the morning. Banh xeo (sizzling crepes) at Banh Xeo 46A on Dinh Cong Trang.
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City:
- Mid-range: The Myst Dong Khoi (central, rooftop pool)
- Splurge: Park Hyatt Saigon (the city’s classic luxury address on Lam Son Square)
Days 13 to 14: Mekong Delta
Take a day or overnight trip into the Mekong Delta. My Tho and Ben Tre, about 1.5 hours by road, offer river villages reached by wooden sampan and family-run coconut candy workshops. Can Tho, now about 2.5 to 3 hours away on the expressway, has the most famous floating market (Cai Rang, best at 6 to 7am) and is worth an overnight. Group overnight tours from Saigon usually bundle transport, a homestay or hotel, and most meals, so compare inclusions carefully.
Best Time to Visit Vietnam
Vietnam’s climate varies dramatically by region.
December to April is the dry season in the south (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta). February to April is ideal in central Vietnam (Hoi An), where September to December brings heavy rain and flood risk.
October to December and March to April are the most pleasant months in the north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay). January and February are cool and often grey; summer is hot, humid, and typhoon-prone.
May to September brings heat and rain to much of the country, but prices drop.
For a north-to-south trip like this one, February to April gives the best odds of good weather everywhere.
Getting There and Around
Fly into Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport) and out of Ho Chi Minh City (Tan Son Nhat International Airport): this open-jaw routing avoids backtracking. From the US, Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City; otherwise connect through Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, or Hong Kong. From the UK, Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop from London, and Singapore Airlines via Singapore is a strong one-stop option. Ho Chi Minh City’s new Long Thanh International Airport is scheduled to begin commercial flights in December 2026; check which airport your ticket uses.
Getting around Vietnam:
- Domestic flights: Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet connect all major cities (Bamboo Airways runs a smaller schedule). Book early. Fares between Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City typically run $25 to $60.
- Grab: Southeast Asia’s Uber equivalent works in every major Vietnamese city and is cheaper and safer than hailing street taxis.
- Sleeper trains: the overnight train from Hanoi to Da Nang (15 to 16 hours, soft sleeper from about $40) is slower than flying but scenic and worth doing once.
Practical Tips
- Visa: Vietnam’s e-visa is open to all nationalities: up to 90 days, $25 single entry or $50 multiple entry, usually processed in 3 to 5 working days. Apply only on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn. Citizens of the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, the Nordic countries, and several other European countries can currently enter visa-free for up to 45 days. US citizens need an e-visa.
- Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND). $1 is roughly 26,000 VND, so double-check notes before handing them over. Use ATMs at bank branches; fees vary by bank.
- Bargaining: expected at markets and with xe om (motorbike taxi) drivers, not in restaurants or shops with price tags. Agree on a price before getting into any vehicle without a meter.
- Street food safety: eat where locals eat, where food is cooked fresh in front of you, and where turnover is high.
- Dress codes: temples require covered shoulders and knees. A light scarf doubles as sun protection and temple cover.
- SIM card: buy a local SIM or eSIM at the airport (bring your passport for registration). Viettel has the best nationwide coverage, and tourist data plans are inexpensive.
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Vietnam will surprise you. Not because it’s undiscovered (it isn’t), but because no amount of reading prepares you for how alive it feels: the food, the pace, the warmth of the people, the landscape at dawn. Two weeks is enough to fall in love with it. It is not enough to see all of it. That’s exactly the point.
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