Planning a trip to Vietnam for a week but don’t know how to get the best out of it?
Our ultimate 7 days itinerary covers the must-visit destinations in Vietnam covering the 4 cities of Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City.
This is a curated travel experience from my personal visits to Vietnam, a country that I admire for its food, culture and cleanliness!
Take a look at your quick Vietnamese getaway:
Day 1: Hanoi
- Morning: Arrive in Hanoi, check into your hotel.
- Afternoon: Explore the Old Quarter, visit Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple.
- Evening: Enjoy a traditional water puppet show.
The water puppet show is an hour long novel experience that you will not see anywhere else in the world.
It is a traditional Vietnamese performance art that dates back to the 11 century. The show is performed by about 20 odd puppeteers behind the stage accompanied by about 10 musicians and vocalists that perform live in front of the stage to bring the show to life!
There are many acts in the show, some of them very humorous while some like the dragon dance quite visually stunning.
One advise, don’t leave it for the last day to book, get you tickets in advance and grab the front rows seat to any of these water puppet show activities:
Day 2: Hanoi
- Morning: Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, and the Presidential Palace.
- Afternoon: Explore the Temple of Literature and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
- Evening: Walk around the French Quarter, enjoy local street food.
Check out and book from these local street food activities that include the train street experience, which is such a unique experience where you sit right next to the train tracks and enjoy a Vietnamese coffee while a train passes by just about half a meter from your face!:
See also: Hanoi nightlife guide
Day 3: Halong Bay
- Morning: Travel to Halong Bay (about 4 hours by bus).
- Afternoon: Board a cruise, enjoy lunch, and explore the bay’s limestone karsts and caves.
- Evening: Dinner on board, overnight on the boat.
Pick any of the overnight cruises run by different operators ranging from affordable to luxurious cruises with 5 star amenities.
It is only the accommodation that is really different among these options.
Most of the on-the-deck activities like Tai-chi classes, sightseeing spots around the Halong Bay and offshore activities these cruises take you to are the same.
Day 4: Halong Bay to Hoi An
- Morning: Continue cruising Halong Bay, visit a floating village or kayak.
- Afternoon: Return to Hanoi, transfer to the airport for a flight to Da Nang.
- Evening: Arrive in Da Nang, transfer to Hoi An, and check into your hotel.
Day 5: Hoi An
- Morning: Explore the ancient town of Hoi An, visit Japanese Bridge, old houses, and local markets.
- Afternoon: Take a bike tour to the nearby countryside or relax at An Bang Beach.
- Evening: Enjoy dinner at one of Hoi An’s many riverside restaurants or go to the Memories show
See also: Hoi An nightlife guide
Day 6: Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City
- Morning: Free time to explore Hoi An or visit the My Son ruins.
- Afternoon: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City.
- Evening: Explore Ben Thanh Market and enjoy the city’s nightlife.
Check out these My Son tours, although if you do take one of these tours I suggest booking a late afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City as you need about 6 hours to get through
Day 7: Ho Chi Minh City
- Morning: Visit the Cu Chi Tunnels
- Afternoon: Explore the War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, and the Central Post Office OR take a tour to Mekong Delta
- Evening: Enjoy a farewell dinner in the city.
Pick any of these Cu Chi Tunnel and/or Mekong Delta Tours:
See also: Ho Chi Minch city nightlife guide
Pro Tip: Add another day to your trip to just explore the Ho-Chi Minh City, get some Vietnamese massage and do some shopping at the Vincom Center or Saigon Mall.
A good Vietnamese massage should cost you around $10
Vietnam Travel Tips
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- Best Time to Visit: October to January are generally pleasant, cooler and drier.
- Currency: Vietnam’s currency is Vietnam Dong. Withdraw around 5 Million VND from TP Bank or VP Bank ATMs at the airport as these banks do not charge fee up to that amount. This should be sufficient to cover you for 3-4 days travelling and eating expenses.
- Visa: You could get an e-Visa in 3 days by paying a nominal amount. Check whether you qualify for a Visa exemption.
- Internal Flights: Book flights between Hanoi-Da Nang and Da Nang-Ho Chi Minh City in advance. I personally recommend Vietnam Airlines flights as their planes are clean, spacious and better.
- Transport: Use Grab (similar to Uber), or hotel-arranged transportation for convenience.
With this 7-day itinerary, you’ll experience the best of Vietnam’s culture, natural beauty, and vibrant cities all in a matter of a week!
However, if you you could afford to spend more days, we strongly suggest you look at our other longer Vietnam itineraries:
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