How should a first-time traveller route Vietnam without rushing it?
For a first trip of about two weeks, combine Hanoi, one northern landscape and central Vietnam. A good route is Hanoi, Ninh Binh or Ha Long Bay, then Hue and Hoi An. Add Ho Chi Minh City only if you are comfortable flying and moving at a faster pace. With three weeks, the whole country becomes much easier.
Full answer
Vietnam looks like one continuous route on a map. In practice, the distances are large and the country changes markedly from north to south.
For most first visits of around two weeks, Hanoi and central Vietnam make the best starting point.
Hanoi deserves several days. The Old Quarter is busy and immediately engaging, but the city is better when you also have time for a morning around Hoan Kiem Lake, a bowl of noodles before the streets fully wake, a museum or temple, and an evening somewhere beyond the same few blocks.
From Hanoi, choose one northern landscape.
Ninh Binh is the easiest addition. The rivers run between limestone cliffs and rice fields, and the area is close enough to reach without using another flight. Stay at least two nights so the visit is not reduced to a crowded boat ride and a return to Hanoi.
Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay suits travellers who want time on the water. The quality of the boat and the route matter more than the number of advertised stops. One night is enough for an introduction; two is better if the cruise avoids spending most of the time collecting and returning passengers.
Sapa or Ha Giang need more time. Both involve long road journeys, and Ha Giang in particular should not be treated as a quick detour from Hanoi. Choose them because mountain roads, villages and hiking are a central part of the trip.
Then continue to central Vietnam.
Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang sit close enough to combine, but each has a different role. Hue is quieter and more historical, with the imperial citadel, royal tombs and food worth staying for. Hoi An is easy to enjoy in the early morning and evening, though the old town becomes very busy at peak times. Da Nang is the practical city between them, with a long beach, good food and easy transport.
Three or four nights in one central base can work. Five or six nights allow Hue and Hoi An to be visited without rushing between them.
Should you include the south?
Ho Chi Minh City is not simply a warmer version of Hanoi. The streets are broader, the city feels more modern and outward-looking, and the history and food are different.
Include the south when you have at least two and a half to three weeks, or when you are happy to fly and keep the rest of the route simple. A short southern section might mean three nights in Ho Chi Minh City and one or two nights in the Mekong Delta.
Leaving the south out of a two-week trip means missing an important part of Vietnam. It does not mean the trip has failed. It means the north and centre get enough time to be enjoyed.
A sensible two-week route
- four nights in Hanoi;
- two or three nights in Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay;
- two nights in Hue;
- four nights around Hoi An and Da Nang;
- the remaining time for flights, trains and arrival or departure.
This route contains city life, food, history, countryside and coast without asking you to pack every second morning.
What to leave out
Do not add Sapa, Ha Giang, Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh to the same short northern stay. Choose one or two.
Do not take an overnight train simply because it sounds romantic if the arrival time, sleep and onward transfer make the next day miserable.
Do not add Ho Chi Minh City for one night between flights. Either give the south enough time or save it for another trip.