Short on time but want to see the best of Vietnam? Below is my itinerary after months of research. Okay, so this is a packed itinerary (requiring several morning wake-up calls before 6 AM!). To say it’s ambitious is an understatement. But hey, by the end of this trip, you will pretty much see most of Vietnam. It’s a mixture of city with adrenaline-filled motorcycle riding, cave exploring and 2 full days of hiking through minority village communities. What you’ll miss are the beaches, which aren’t my thing. Happy travels!
This looks just about as uncomfortable as it looks! Ostrich riding in Dalat
VIETNAM TRIP
Day 1:
Travel Day
Day 2:
Arrival in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam at 10:15 AM
Ben Thanh Market
Lunch at Pho 2000, just adjacent to the market (Favorite spot with diplomats, and Bill Clinton even stopping)
Overnight Ho Chi Minh at Thien Xuan Hotel (Budget minded; clean great location)
Hotel address: 108-110 Le Thanh Ton, Ben Thanh Ward; District1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Delux double: 54USD/breakfast, tax/service wifi
Day 3:
Tour to Chu Chi Tunnels/Cricket Farm (Buffalo Tours); 7 AM pick up; Arrive back at 3 PM
Explore the downtown area along Dong Khoi
AO Show (Vietnam’s Cirque Du Soleil)
Overnight Ho Chi Minh at Thien Xuan Hotel
In the Mekong Delta, a shop owner drops his pet onto Kevin’s back (but said he typically doesn’t bite!)
Day 4:
Mekong Delta – full day trip (Tour company, Vihn Café – Cheap)
Return back at 5 PM; relax at Coffee Bean or Starbucks
Dessert at Fanny Ton That Thiep (ice cream!)
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh at Thien Xuan Hotel
Day 5
Ho Chi Minh – Early start at Giac Lam Pagoda
Tour Chinatown and the large Chinese market Binh Te Market
Visit War Remnants Museum
Dinner at Quan An Ngon Restaurant (nearby)
Fly to Dalat (Mountain top community): Evening flight around 5 PM
Visit the Dalat Market in evening
Overnight Dalat – Dream Hotel 1
138-140, 141 and 164B Phan Dinh Phung Street
Confirmed by Mrs. Dung (*Must email 3 days prior to arrival)
Temperatures are much cooler in Dalat, a mountainous community. And great for hitting the open roads.
Day 6
Motorbike ride in Dalat – Scimitar easyrider (fantastic company; lots of copycat businesses)
Pick up at 8:30am at the Dream 1 hotel; just pay at end
On the motorcycles, visit the Crazy House or the temples outside of town; follow rolling hills of coffee plants and stunning pine-dotted vistas as you ride
Overnight in Dalat at Dreams Hotel 1
Day 7
Early afternoon flight out of Dalat arrive in Da Nang
Travel day; Drive to Paradise Cave from airport (5 hours)
Hue Private Cars will meet at airport (another great company, can’t recommend enough)
Overnight in Son Trach at Thien Thanh Hotel (about as budget of a hotel as it gets! Not many options here $25 a night!)
Provincial highway 20, Phong Nha National Park
Son Trach, Bo Trach, Dong Hoi
Hire a boat in the morning – no reservations needed just go to the waterfront across from the hotel recommendation.
Day 8
Go to the river, and flag down a boat (do this early, like 7 AM)
On the boat, visit Phong Nha Cave (2 hours)
9:30 AM head to Paradise Cave – finish at noon?
Drive back to Hoi An (5 ½ hour drive) – Arrive back at 8 PM
Head to Hoi An for dinner
Overnight in Hoi An at Vinh Hung 1 Hotel
143 Tran Phu, Hoi An, Quang Nam, 51000
Old teahouse in the middle of the action; $80 a night
One of the old-time team houses converted to a hotel in downtown Hoi An.
Water buffalo riding/making friends on our eco tour on the outskirts of Hoi An
Day 9
Jack Tran Eco Tour – Farming and Fishing life Tour
Pick up at 8 AM; Finish at 2 PM.
MUST EAT – Banh Mi Phuong shop at 2 Phan Chau Trinh Street (where Anthony Bourdain claimed had the world’s best sandwich)
Visit Chinese pagodas, congregation halls, Japanese Bridge, and old shop houses.
Shop in the evening until around 9pm
Evening, take in the old town or scoot to Cua Dai Beach, a short car ride from town, to dip your toes in the South China Sea.
Overnight in Hoi An- Book Vinh Hung 1
Day 10
9:15 AM Fly out of Danang; Arrive 10:30 AM in Hanoi
Hanoi Elite Hotel sending car to pick us up
Spend day exploring Hanoi
Evening see water puppet show
Overnight in Hanoi – Hanoi Elite Hotel ($80 incl pick up)
10/50 Dao Duy Tu St., Old Quarter
Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam, 10000
Cruise ride through Halong Bay
Day 11
Leave early for Halong Bay; Paradise Luxury Cruise ($419 total for 2 people, top of the line)
Shared Bus: Pick up time: 7:30 AM; Drop off 5 PM
Overnight on boat in Halong Bay
Day 12
Half day on water in Halong Bay
Drive back to Hanoi; return by 5 PM
8 PM pick up from Elite Hanoi Hotel to train station
Overnight in train for Lao Cai (on sleeper car)
Hanoi to Laocai: 9:10 PM Depart; 5.30 AM next morning Arrival/Train SP1
Day 12
Arrive in Laoi Cai; transfer to Sapa (mountain community), hotel arranged pickup
Check into Sapa Paradise View Hotel
Overnight in Sapa – Sapa Paradise View Hotel ($43)
18 Pham Xuan Huan, Sapa town, Lao Cai province
Confirmation #: 1024291823
Superior room (including breakfast)
Phone: +84-912927966
Hiking in the mountains in Sapa
Day 13
Day trekking in Sapa
Catch an early evening overnight train from Lao Cai
Overnight in train back to Hanoi
Laocai to Hanoi: 7:35 PM Depart; 4:10 AM next morning)/Train SP2
Cooking School in Hanoi
Day 14
Cooking school in Hanoi – Hanoi Cooking Center (2 pm)
Hidden Hanoi Cooking School (10 AM – 2 PM) w/ Market Tour
Overnight in Hanoi – Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (high end, way to go out on a bang!)
Sofitel in Hanoi, going out in class after all this roughing it!
Day 15
Explore/shop in the morning
Flight back home in the evening
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