We did this route right after Vietnam reopened to foreign tourists post-pandemic, in August 2022 — quieter than it would be in a normal year, and a genuinely full north-to-south picture of the country in 14 nights.

At a glance

  • The route: Hanoi (4 nights, with day trips to Halong Bay and Ninh Binh) → Da Nang (3 nights, with day/half-day trips to Hue, Ba Na Hills, My Son, and Hoi An) → Nha Trang (1 night) → Da Lat (2 nights) → Ho Chi Minh City (4 nights, with trips to Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta).
  • How long you need: 14 nights / 15 days, as above — this is a full, unrushed circuit, not a compressed one.
  • Best time to go: Vietnam’s climate varies significantly north to south, so timing depends on which end you weight more heavily — broadly, February to April balances all three regions reasonably well, avoiding the north’s cold winter and central Vietnam’s typhoon season (roughly September to December).
  • Budget: We spent an average of ₹6,000/day (roughly $75/€75 at the time) — this covered flights, stay, food and drinks, local and intercity travel, and visas, for comfort-level travel (neither budget nor luxury). Vietnam genuinely supports both a lower and a higher budget than this. We ate mostly vegetarian, which pushed food costs higher than they’d otherwise be — if you eat non-vegetarian, expect food to cost less.
  • Getting around: We were a group of four, which made rental cars for day trips noticeably cheaper per person than they’d be solo or in a pair — worth keeping in mind when budgeting this route for your own group size.

The route

Hanoi is a strong place to start — 4 nights is enough to properly explore the Old Quarter and French colonial architecture, and to fit in two of the route’s best day trips. Halong Bay, a UNESCO-listed bay of thousands of limestone karst islands, is best experienced from a boat cruise. Ninh Binh, often called “Halong Bay on land,” swaps the sea for rice paddies and cave boat rides at Tam Coc — a genuinely different kind of scenery from the same general area.

Da Nang is your base for central Vietnam, and 3 nights here supports a full slate of day and half-day trips. Hue, the former imperial capital, centers on its UNESCO-listed Citadel and the royal tombs scattered around the city. Ba Na Hills is reached by one of the world’s longest cable cars, and the Golden Bridge — held up by two giant stone hands — is the reason most people go. My Son is a UNESCO World Heritage site of ancient Hindu temple ruins from the Champa Kingdom, set in a jungle valley. Save Hoi An for late afternoon into evening specifically — that’s when the lanterns come on and the Old Town’s night market genuinely comes alive, rather than visiting at midday and missing the actual atmosphere.

Nha Trang gets just one night, deliberately — this stop isn’t for sightseeing, it’s a beach break to slow the pace down before continuing on.

Da Lat gets 2 nights and a noticeably different feel from anywhere else on this route — a French colonial hill station with a cooler climate, flower gardens, and pine forests.

Ho Chi Minh City closes the loop with 4 nights, enough for the city itself (the War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral Saigon, the Reunification Palace) plus two more day trips. Cu Chi Tunnels, a half-day trip, is the underground tunnel network used during the Vietnam War, with sections open to crawl through. The Mekong Delta, a full day trip south of the city, is a different rhythm of Vietnam entirely — floating markets and boat trips through the canals.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do I need for a full Vietnam trip like this? 14 nights / 15 days covers Hanoi, central Vietnam, Nha Trang, Da Lat, and Ho Chi Minh City without rushing.

Is Vietnam expensive? It genuinely supports every budget. We spent around ₹6,000/day (roughly $75/€75) for comfort-level travel, including flights, stay, food, and local transport — you could do it for less, or considerably more.

Does eating vegetarian in Vietnam cost more? In our experience, yes, noticeably — non-vegetarian food is generally cheaper and more widely available.

What’s the best time of year for this whole route? Roughly February to April balances the north, center, and south reasonably well — the north gets cold in winter, and central Vietnam sees typhoon season from around September to December.

Want this route adjusted for your dates, group size, or budget — or built out as a fully custom trip? Tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll put together a real plan.