Vietnam · Itinerary📅 Updated 2026-06-16 · last reviewed by Phuong Le📖 19 min readPLPhuong Le15-yr Hanoi history guide
Last reviewed by Phuong Le: 2026-06-16 · Quarterly review
Quick answer
Day 1–2 Hanoi (Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem, Ninh Binh optional). Day 3–4 Halong Bay overnight cruise. Day 5 fly HAN–DAD; base in Hoi An (lantern town, An Bang Beach). Day 6 Hai Van Pass or My Son. Day 7 fly to HCMC. Day 8–10 Cu Chi, Mekong Delta, city sights.
Route: Hanoi–Halong–Hoi An–HCMCFlights: HAN–DAD–SGNCu Chi + Mekong day trips
Why this guide
🗺️12,000+ trips run since 2011
✍️Written by our Hanoi DMC team, not freelancers
🔄Reviewed quarterly · last update Jun 2026
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About this guide
Ten days gives first-time visitors enough time to move through Vietnam's three distinct regions — north, central, and south — without rushing past the details that make each place different. The itinerary opens in Hanoi, where the Old Quarter's roughly 100 hectares of guild streets and tube houses sit within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake, then extends to the limestone karst landscapes of Ninh Binh and an overnight cruise across Hạ Long Bay's 1,553 km² of islets before heading south.
The central portion of the trip lands in Da Nang, gateway to Hoi An Ancient Town — a 30-hectare UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site inscribed in 1999 that contains 1,107 timber-frame buildings shaped by Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European influences. A road journey over the Hải Vân Pass at 496 m above sea level connects the coast to Hue, Vietnam's imperial capital under the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 to 1945, whose citadel walls reach up to 21 m thick and are enclosed by a 10-km moat.
The final stretch drops into Ho Chi Minh City, a metropolitan area of more than 9 million people, where the Reunification Palace marks the site where the Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975. Day trips reach the Cu Chi Tunnels — an underground network stretching over 250 km located about 70 km northwest of the city — and the Mekong Delta, a region producing more than half of Vietnam's rice and supporting roughly 17 million people across 13 provinces.
Key facts & good to know
Best time to go
Oct–Apr for the north and south; central Vietnam (Hoi An, Hue) is driest Feb–Aug. Expect regional climate variation throughout.
Currency
Vietnamese Đồng (VND). USD widely accepted at hotels and tours. ATMs available in all cities on this itinerary.
Language
Vietnamese is the official language. English is spoken at most hotels, tour operators, and restaurants in Hanoi, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Time zone
Indochina Time (ICT) — UTC+7 year-round. No daylight saving. Vietnam runs on a single time zone north to south.
Plug type
Types A, C, and F sockets are common. Voltage is 220V / 50Hz. Bring a universal adapter; USB-C chargers generally work fine.
Getting around
Domestic flights link Hanoi–Da Nang (~1 hr 20 min) and Da Nang–Ho Chi Minh City. Taxis, grab-hailing apps, and shuttles cover local transfers.
Scam / safety note
Agree on taxi fares or use a metered cab before boarding. On busy streets like Bùi Viện, keep bags zipped and worn in front to deter bag-snatching.
Dialing code
Vietnam country code is +84. Local SIM cards with data are inexpensive and available at airports — recommended for navigation and ride-hailing apps.
Pick your route · 3 alternatives
Route A · Recommended
North to South: Hanoi → Halong Bay → Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Fly into Hanoi and spend two days covering the Old Quarter, heritage sites, and a Ninh Binh day trip before joining a one-night Halong Bay cruise. From the bay, fly south to Da Nang, then finish in Ho Chi Minh City with a Cu Chi Tunnels excursion and a Mekong Delta day trip before departure. This linear route follows the geographic grain of Vietnam, eliminating backtracking and keeping internal flights to two legs.
Best for: First-time visitors with 10 days who want geographic flow, a mix of nature and city, and straightforward logistics.
Route B · Alternative
South to North: Ho Chi Minh City → Hoi An → Halong Bay → Hanoi
Begin in Ho Chi Minh City to cover Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta while energy is high, then fly to Da Nang for three nights in Hoi An. Head north to Halong Bay for the overnight cruise before finishing with two days in Hanoi. The route reverses Route A, which can suit travellers whose international connection lands in Ho Chi Minh City or departs from Hanoi.
Best for: Travellers whose international flights route through Ho Chi Minh City on arrival and Hanoi on departure.
Route C · Alternative
Hanoi Hub: Ninh Binh & Halong Bay First, Then Fly to Hoi An & Ho Chi Minh City
Start with both northern day trips — Ninh Binh on day 3 and Halong Bay cruise on days 4–5 — before flying directly from Cat Bi (Haiphong) or Noi Bai to Da Nang for Hoi An. This front-loads the slower-paced, nature-heavy activities before the pace picks up in central and southern Vietnam. The sequence works well if the Halong cruise disembark timing aligns with an afternoon flight south.
Best for: Travellers who prefer to ease into the trip with boat and nature days before the busier city and cultural stops.
The honest pacing
We designed this 10-day route to cover the practical distance between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City without turning every day into a transit exercise. Domestic flights between Hanoi and Da Nang run around 1 hour 20 minutes, the Ninh Binh day trip is a roughly 2-hour drive from the capital, and the Mekong Delta towns of My Tho and Bến Tre sit about 70–80 km south of Saigon — manageable as a day trip before an evening departure.
Each stop has a different pace: Hanoi rewards slow walks through Hàng Bạc and Lãn Ông streets, Hoi An suits early mornings before the heritage zone fills up, and Ho Chi Minh City works well with structured half-day excursions paired with evenings on Bùi Viện Walking Street. We've kept the itinerary linear — north to south — so there's no doubling back, and every overnight is pre-positioned for the next day's activity.
Route A · day-by-day
The version we book most often. 10 days, ten meal slots, one big nature day, one cultural day, two flexibility buffers built into Day 1 and Day 10.
Day 1
Arrive in Hanoi & Old Quarter Essentials
Hanoi's Old Quarter packs 100 hectares of guild streets, lake legends, puppet stages, and street-food counters into a single day — a practical orientation that sets the tone for the nine days ahead.
Arrival
Land at Noi Bai International Airport and transfer to your hotel in the Old Quarter. Check in and leave your bags — the quarter's narrow tube houses and lane-by-lane layout rewards walking from the first hour.
14:00
Walk to Hoan Kiem Lake, a short stroll from most Old Quarter hotels. The lake sits at the heart of the district and is tied to the legend of Emperor Le Loi returning a magical sword to a divine turtle — the red Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple on the northern islet are worth a look before the afternoon crowds thin.
15:00
Begin a self-guided walk through the '36 streets' — each historically named after the craft or goods traded there. Hang Bac (Silver Street) still operates jewellery stores continuing a centuries-old silversmithing tradition. Lan Ong Street runs fragrant with traditional herbal medicines. Budget 60–90 minutes to cover a reasonable cross-section on foot.
17:00
If arriving on a Friday or weekend evening, the pedestrian walking zone activates and motorbike traffic is removed from the Old Quarter streets — a noticeably calmer window for exploring the lanes and browsing stalls.
18:30
Dinner at one of the Old Quarter's bun cha spots. The dish — grilled pork patties with rice vermicelli and dipping broth — originates here in the north and differs markedly from central and southern Vietnamese cooking. Expect to pay a few dollars at a street-side table.
19:30
Water puppet performance at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre on the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake. Shows run roughly 50 minutes and are performed in a waist-deep pool; the art form originated in the Red River Delta over a thousand years ago. Book tickets in advance during peak season — the 300-seat theatre sells out.
21:00
Wind down with a glass of bia hoi — draught beer brewed fresh daily and sold from low plastic stools at corner joints throughout the Old Quarter, typically for the equivalent of around 25–50 US cents per glass. The junction of Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien streets is a well-known concentration of these spots.
Jet lag and the bun cha question: Most long-haul flights into Hanoi arrive in the early afternoon local time, which means Day 1 is genuinely short. Resist the urge to over-schedule — the Old Quarter's value is in unhurried wandering, not ticking off every street. If you arrive late or fatigue sets in, skip the water puppet show and rebook for Day 2; the theatre runs multiple performances daily.
Day 2
Hanoi Heritage & Street Food Night
Hanoi rewards those who walk slowly — a morning among temple courtyards and colonial streets gives way to an afternoon inside a notorious prison, before the Old Quarter's guild lanes fill with smoke and the smell of charcoal-grilled pork.
08:30
Start at the Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu), Hanoi's first university, founded in 1070. Arrive early to beat school groups; the complex is calm before 09:30. Walk the five courtyards at your own pace — stone stelae list the names of doctoral graduates dating back to 1442.
10:00
Head west to the Ho Chi Minh Complex on Hùng Vương Boulevard. The site includes Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, the Presidential Palace grounds, his modest stilt house, and a small museum. Note that the mausoleum closes on Mondays and Fridays for maintenance; confirm hours before visiting. Dress conservatively — shoulders and knees covered.
12:00
Lunch break in the French Quarter. The grid of wide, tree-lined boulevards around Hoàn Kiếm Lake contrasts sharply with the narrow Old Quarter streets. Look for a bánh mì stall or a sit-down bún chả restaurant — grilled pork with vermicelli noodles is one of the dishes closely associated with Hanoi's culinary identity.
13:30
Walk or take a short taxi ride to Hỏa Lò Prison (Maison Centrale), located on Hỏa Lò Street near Hàng Bài. The French colonial-era prison — later nicknamed the 'Hanoi Hilton' by American POWs — is now a museum. Allow 60–75 minutes. Exhibits cover both the French colonial period and the American war era.
15:15
Return to the Old Quarter and walk Hàng Bạc (Silver Street), which still operates jewellery stores and money changers in a tradition of silversmithing that supplied the royal palace for centuries. Continue one block to Lãn Ông Street — a narrow lane lined with traditional herbal medicine shops, part of the historic guild system that organized the quarter's original 36 craft streets across roughly 100 hectares.
16:30
Rest at your accommodation. The Old Quarter's weekend pedestrian zone removes motorbike traffic from key streets, so if your visit falls on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening, the area is noticeably easier to navigate on foot.
18:00
Join a street food walking tour of the Old Quarter. A guided evening tour typically covers phở, bún chả, and egg coffee — dishes either originating or closely associated with Hanoi. Tours generally run 2.5 to 3 hours and move through several stops across the quarter.
20:30
End the evening with egg coffee (cà phê trứng) at one of the small cafés around Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The drink — made with egg yolk, sugar, and condensed milk whisked into robusta coffee — was invented in Hanoi and remains specific to the city's café culture.
Hỏa Lò Entry & Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Closures: The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum closes every Monday and Friday for maintenance, and also closes for several months each year (typically September–November) when the body is sent to Russia for preservation work. Check the official schedule before building your day around it. If it's closed, swap the order — visit Hỏa Lò first and spend the extra time at the stilt house and museum on the same complex grounds, which remain open independently.
Day 3
Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi
A 100-km drive south of Hanoi lands you in a landscape of limestone karsts rising from rice paddies, navigable rivers threading through hidden grottoes, and a citadel that served as Vietnam's first feudal capital — all within a single day trip.
06:30
Depart Hanoi by private car or shuttle. Ninh Binh sits roughly 100 km south — plan on about 2 hours by road depending on traffic leaving the city.
08:30
Arrive at Tràng An or Tam Coc and board a traditional rowboat. Your boatwoman (most are local women) rows through the UNESCO-listed Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, navigating limestone karsts and passing through a series of river caves. The Tràng An circuit typically runs 2–3 hours; Tam Coc is shorter but busier with souvenir sellers on the water.
11:00
Walk to Hang Mua (Mua Cave Peak). The climb involves nearly 500 steps cut into the hillside. At the top, you get a direct panoramic view over the Tam Coc valley and surrounding rice paddies — the perspective that appears in most photographs of this area.
12:30
Lunch at a local restaurant near Tam Coc. Grilled goat (dê núi) and rice-paddy fish are the regional specialties worth ordering here.
14:00
Drive 15–20 minutes to Hoa Lư Ancient Citadel. This was Vietnam's first feudal capital, seat of the Đinh and Early Lê dynasties from 968 to 1009 AD, before the capital transferred to present-day Hanoi. The remaining temple structures commemorate Emperors Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Lê Đại Hành.
15:30
Begin the 2-hour return drive to Hanoi. Factor in afternoon traffic entering the city, which can extend the journey.
17:30
Arrive back in Hanoi Old Quarter. Evening is free for street food or a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Choose Tràng An over Tam Coc if crowds concern you: Tam Coc is closer to the main road and draws heavier tourist traffic, including persistent souvenir sellers who paddle alongside your boat. Tràng An, as the UNESCO-designated complex, covers more ground, takes longer, and tends to feel less congested — particularly on weekday mornings. Book your boat ticket in advance during Vietnamese public holidays, when both sites become very busy.
Day 4
Halong Bay Overnight Cruise
Halong Bay covers 1,553 km² of limestone islets rising from the Gulf of Tonkin — Day 4 trades city streets for open water, caves, and an overnight cabin aboard a cruise vessel.
07:30
Depart Hanoi by road transfer toward Quảng Ninh Province. The drive to the bay takes roughly 3–3.5 hours depending on traffic through the coastal highway.
11:00
Arrive at the embarkation port and complete boarding formalities. Luggage is brought to your cabin while the crew briefs passengers on the two-day route through the approximately 2,000 limestone islets.
12:00
Lunch is served on deck as the vessel moves into the bay. The name 'Hạ Long' translates as 'descending dragon' — legend attributes the islands to protective dragons sent by the gods, their jewels forming the islets.
14:00
Afternoon activity block: choose between kayaking through the karst formations at water level or joining a guided cave visit. Many cruise routes include access to caverns inside the limestone islets, where formations have developed over millions of years — a geology UNESCO recognized in 2000 under Criterion VIII.
16:30
Return to the vessel and settle on deck as the light shifts across the water. The bay's 120-km coastline means there is consistent visual variety without needing to travel far from anchor.
18:30
Dinner on board, followed by optional squid fishing off the stern. Crew provide rods and lights — squid are attracted to the lamp hung over the water after dark.
20:30
Overnight at anchor in the bay. Cabins vary by cruise class; confirm cabin size and window type (porthole vs. balcony) when booking, as this affects the overnight experience significantly.
Book cruise class carefully — category names vary widely betwee…: Halong Bay cruise pricing spans a broad range, and labels like 'deluxe' or 'premium' are not standardized across operators. Before booking, confirm the specific vessel name, cabin size, whether a private balcony is included, and the maximum passenger count per boat. Smaller boats with fewer than 20 passengers typically allow more flexible scheduling for kayaking and cave visits. The bay was recognized as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site twice — in 1994 and 2000 — and named one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World in 2012, which has driven significant cruise traffic; choosing a less-crowded departure zone (some operators board at Tuần Châu rather than the main port) can reduce time spent in busy anchorages.
Day 5
Disembark & Fly to Hoi An
Morning tai chi on deck, a brunch with open-water views, then a 1 hour 20 minute flight south to Da Nang and a 30 km taxi ride into Hoi An — Day 5 is a transit day, but it ends with lanterns on the Thu Bon River.
07:00
Join the optional tai chi session on the cruise deck before the bay traffic picks up. Sessions typically run 30–45 minutes.
08:00
Brunch is served on board — usually the final meal included in your cruise package. Settle any onboard extras (drinks, spa, kayak rentals) at the front desk.
09:30
Disembark at the marina. Luggage is transferred to the waiting bus for the roughly 3–4 hour road transfer from Halong Bay back toward Hanoi or Haiphong airport, depending on your cruise operator's arrangement.
13:30
Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) or Cat Bi International Airport (Haiphong). Check in for your domestic flight to Da Nang — the sector takes around 1 hour 20 minutes and is one of Vietnam's busiest air corridors.
15:30
Land at Da Nang International Airport. Da Nang serves as the regional hub for Central Vietnam and handles connections from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and international routes.
16:15
Take a taxi or pre-arranged shuttle south toward Hoi An. Da Nang airport sits approximately 30 km north of the ancient town — the transfer takes roughly 45 minutes depending on traffic.
17:00
Check in to your Hoi An accommodation. The inscribed UNESCO heritage zone covers 30 hectares, so choosing a hotel within or just outside the ancient town puts you within easy walking distance of the main streets.
18:30
Walk into Hoi An Ancient Town as dusk falls. The town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site on December 4, 1999, recognized for its exceptionally well-preserved trading port architecture spanning the 15th to 19th centuries — a fusion of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European influences across 1,107 timber-frame buildings.
19:15
Pick up a set of silk lanterns from one of the stalls near the Japanese Covered Bridge and join the evening lantern release on the Thu Bon River. Vendors sell individual floating candle lanterns; the activity is most active around the 14th and 15th of each lunar month when motorized boats are restricted from the river.
20:30
Dinner in the ancient town. Hoi An's craft heritage extends to its food — dishes such as white rose dumplings (bánh vạc) and cao lầu are specific to this town and worth ordering on your first night.
Buffer your Halong-to-airport transfer: The road transfer from Halong Bay back to Hanoi or Haiphong airport runs 3–4 hours under normal conditions, but traffic on the Hanoi ring road can stretch this considerably. Confirm your cruise operator's departure time the night before and avoid booking a flight before 14:00 to reduce the risk of missing your Da Nang connection.
Day 6
Hoi An Ancient Town Highlights
Hoi An rewards slow mornings: timber-frame shophouses, a 400-year-old Japanese bridge, a tailor fitting, and a bowl of cao lau before the day is done.
08:00
Start at the Tan Ky Old House or one of the 1,107 timber-frame heritage buildings in the 30-hectare inscribed zone. Architecture inside reflects layers of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European influence — look for the mix in a single facade.
09:00
Walk to the Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu), one of 27 national-level relics in Hoi An. The bridge dates to the late 16th or early 17th century and was built by the Japanese merchant community to link their quarter to the Chinese one.
09:45
Tour the Chinese assembly halls along Tran Phu Street — the Fujian (Phúc Kiến) Assembly Hall is among the largest and most detailed, built by the Fujian Chinese community as a place of worship and merchant gathering.
11:00
Visit a tailor for a fitting. Hoi An is part of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network in crafts and folk arts; its tailoring trade is centuries old. Expect 24–48 hours for a finished garment — arrange pickup before you leave town.
12:30
Lunch at a local restaurant serving cao lau — a Hoi An-specific noodle dish made with thick wheat noodles, pork slices, and herbs. Traditionally, the water used to prepare the noodles is drawn from a specific local well, which is why the dish is rarely replicated elsewhere.
14:00
Browse Hoi An Central Market along the Thu Bon River for fresh produce, local snacks, and fabric. It runs daily and gives a practical picture of the town's ongoing role as a trading hub.
15:30
Free time to walk the covered streets, pick up lanterns (another craft tied to the town's heritage designation), or return to the tailor for a second fitting if needed.
17:30
Board a sunset river cruise on the Thu Bon River. The light at this hour reflects off the water and the old shophouse fronts. Cruises typically run 60–90 minutes; arrange through your accommodation or at the riverside booking stalls.
19:00
Dinner in the Ancient Town. After dark, paper lanterns are lit along the streets — a visual tradition tied to the monthly Full Moon Lantern Festival, though lanterns are displayed nightly regardless of the calendar.
Hoi An Ancient Town entry ticket: Most heritage sites inside the inscribed zone — including the assembly halls, old houses, and the Japanese Bridge — require a combined entry ticket purchased at official booths near the main entrances. Without it, you will be turned away at individual sites. Buy it before your first stop of the day to avoid backtracking.
Day 7
Countryside or Hue via Hai Van Pass
Day 7 splits into two distinct routes: pedal through rice paddies and learn to cook local dishes, or ride the Hải Vân Pass by motorbike and explore Hue's imperial heritage — both end with afternoon time at An Bằng beach.
07:00
Choose your route at breakfast. Option A (Countryside): hire a bicycle from Hoi An Ancient Town and ride out toward the surrounding rice paddy villages. Option B (Hue day trip): meet your motorbike guide in Hội An for the drive north toward Da Nang and the Hải Vân Pass.
08:30
Option A: Cycle through farmland and canal paths roughly 5–10 km outside the town center, passing working fields and traditional village houses. Option B: Reach the Hải Vân Pass summit at approximately 496 m above sea level on the Trường Sơn Range spur — the pass historically marked the natural boundary between the ancient kingdoms of Đại Việt and Champa.
10:00
Option A: Join a hands-on cooking class at a local farm or riverside kitchen, learning to prepare central Vietnamese dishes using produce from the surrounding fields. Option B: Continue north into Hue, the imperial capital under the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 to 1945. Enter the Imperial Citadel, enclosed by a 10-km moat and walls up to 21 m thick, modeled loosely on Beijing's Forbidden City.
12:00
Option A: Sit down to eat the dishes you prepared — lunch is the class itself. Option B: Lunch at a local Hue restaurant. Try bún bò Huế, the city's signature spicy beef noodle soup, which differs noticeably from Hanoi-style phở.
13:30
Option B: Walk the grounds of the Complex of Hué Monuments, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. Allocate roughly 90 minutes for the citadel's main halls, gates, and temple courtyards before departure south.
15:00
Both routes: return to Hoi An or head directly to An Bằng Beach, approximately 4 km east of the Ancient Town. An Bằng is a working beach with a mix of local fishing activity and low-key beach bars — less developed than China Beach to the north.
15:30
Spend two hours at An Bằng. Rent a sun lounger from one of the beachfront cafes, swim in the South China Sea, or simply rest. The beach faces east, so afternoon light is softer and shade arrives earlier than on west-facing coasts.
17:30
Return to Hoi An by taxi or bicycle. Freshen up at your accommodation before heading to the Ancient Town for the lantern-lit evening atmosphere along the Thu Bồn riverside — the 30-hectare heritage zone looks notably different after dark.
19:00
Dinner in or near the Ancient Town. Cao lầu — thick noodles with pork and greens, traditionally made using water drawn from local wells — is a Hoi An-specific dish worth ordering. Evening is also a practical time to arrange a tailor fitting if you ordered custom clothing on Day 6.
Option B is a long day — plan the timing carefully: Hue is roughly 120 km north of Hoi An. The Hải Vân Pass motorbike route is scenic but slow; allow at least 1.5–2 hours each way including stops. That leaves only about 2–3 hours inside Hue itself. If you want more time at the Complex of Hué Monuments, consider an early 06:30 departure or book a private car for the return leg to cover ground faster. The Hải Vân Pass road — popularized by the TV show Top Gear — can also be congested with tour groups mid-morning, so earlier is better.
Day 8
Fly to Ho Chi Minh City & City Sights
A morning of war history and French colonial architecture, an afternoon in Ben Thanh Market's organized chaos, and an evening watching the sun drop over the city from a rooftop or craft beer bar — Day 8 covers a lot of ground in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam…
08:30
Fly from Da Nang or connect from Hanoi into Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Domestic flights from Da Nang take roughly 1 hour 10 minutes. Check in to your hotel in District 1 and drop your bags.
10:00
Head to the War Remnants Museum in District 3 — one of the most visited museums in Vietnam. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours to work through its exhibits, which document the American-Vietnam War period from the Vietnamese perspective. The content is direct and detailed; go in prepared.
12:00
Walk or take a short taxi ride to the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, built by French colonists between 1863 and 1880. The neo-Romanesque structure was constructed entirely from materials imported from France. The adjacent Saigon Central Post Office, a 19th-century French colonial building still functioning as a working post office, is worth a 20-minute look inside.
13:00
Lunch near the cathedral. District 1 has a dense concentration of Vietnamese restaurants and street food stalls. Look for bún bò Huế or cơm tấm (broken rice with grilled pork) — both are staple Ho Chi Minh City midday meals.
14:30
Make your way to Ben Thanh Market, a covered market that has been a central trading point in Saigon since the early 20th century. The interior is divided into sections — clothing, souvenirs, dry goods, and a food court. Vendors expect bargaining; start lower than the asking price.
16:00
Optional detour: the Reunification Palace, a short taxi ride away. This was the seat of the South Vietnamese government and the site where the Vietnam War officially ended on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese tank crashed through its gates. The building has been preserved largely as it appeared on that day.
17:30
Return to your hotel to freshen up, then head to a rooftop bar in District 1 for sunset over the city skyline. The light fades fast after 18:00 in Ho Chi Minh City year-round. Alternatively, several craft beer taprooms have opened in District 1 and District 3 over the past decade if you prefer ground level.
19:30
Dinner in District 1. The streets around Bùi Viện and Lê Thánh Tôn have a broad mix of Vietnamese and international options. If you want to see Bùi Viện Walking Street — Saigon's main nightlife strip, which operates as a pedestrian zone in the evenings — this is the time. Bars, live music, and street food run until late.
War Remnants Museum: go early and allow enough time: The museum opens at 07:30 and gets noticeably crowded by mid-morning, especially with school groups. Two hours is a realistic minimum — the exhibits across multiple floors include photographic documentation, weaponry displays, and a section on the effects of Agent Orange that requires time to absorb properly. This is not a quick walk-through.
Day 9
Cu Chi Tunnels & Saigon Nightlife
Seventy kilometres northwest of the city, a 250-km underground network once housed an entire wartime society — then back to District 1 for Bùi Viện's street-level chaos after dark.
07:00
Depart Ho Chi Minh City by car or minibus heading northwest. The Cu Chi Tunnels sit roughly 70 km from the city centre — expect around 1.5–2 hours depending on morning traffic.
08:30
Arrive at either Bến Đình or Bến Dược — the two sections open to tourists. Both offer crawlable tunnel segments, visible trap doors, ventilation shafts, and weapon workshops used by Viet Cong fighters during the Vietnam War.
09:00
Walk the outdoor display area: disguised tunnel entrances, preserved bomb craters, and exhibits explaining how the tunnels served simultaneously as hiding spots, supply routes, field hospitals, and living quarters across over 250 km of passages.
10:00
Optional tunnel crawl through the widened sections — the passages are tight even after enlargement for visitors. Those who skip the crawl can spend extra time at the weapons demonstration area or documentary screening room.
11:00
Depart Cu Chi and head back toward Ho Chi Minh City. The return journey takes approximately 1.5–2 hours.
13:00
Lunch in the city. Use the afternoon to wander one of the inner districts — District 1 holds the Reunification Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica if you missed them on Day 8, or simply browse local shops and cafés at your own pace.
16:00
Return to the hotel to rest before the evening. Rooftop bar options in District 1 begin to fill from around 17:30 onward if you want a pre-dinner drink with city views.
19:00
Head to Bùi Viện Walking Street in District 1, which operates as a pedestrian zone in the evenings. The street runs with bars, live music, and street food vendors. Alternatively, join a food tour by scooter to cover more of the city's eating neighbourhoods in a single evening.
21:30
Wind down or continue along Bùi Viện depending on pace. This is the last full night of the itinerary before the Mekong Delta day trip and departure on Day 10.
Bến Đình vs Bến Dược — know the difference before you book: Both sites are open to tourists and offer similar tunnel experiences, but Bến Dược is larger, includes a memorial temple, and tends to draw bigger tour groups. Bến Đình is smaller and often quieter on weekday mornings. Either way, go early — the site gets crowded by mid-morning, and the underground sections are genuinely hot and confined regardless of the time of year. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dusty.
Day 10
Mekong Delta Day Trip & Departure
Your final day trades city streets for river channels — a sampan ride through the Mekong Delta's coconut-shaded canals, a look at floating market life, and a taste of tropical fruit before the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City for your evening flight.
07:00
Depart Ho Chi Minh City by minivan toward Bến Tre or Cái Bè — roughly 70–80 km south of the city, around 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic and route.
09:00
Board a sampan at the riverbank and begin a guided cruise through narrow canals shaded by coconut palms. Your guide will point out small cottage industries along the water — coconut candy workshops, rice-paper drying racks, and brick kilns are common sights in Bến Tre.
10:00
Stop at a local orchard or riverside garden where seasonal tropical fruits — jackfruit, pomelo, longan, and rambutan among them — are served. The Mekong Delta produces a large share of Vietnam's fruit output across its 13 provinces and 17 million residents.
10:45
If visiting the Cái Bè area, observe the floating market from your boat — vendors sell produce and goods directly from boats in a tradition that dates back centuries. Note that activity is heaviest in the early morning, so by this hour the market will be winding down.
11:30
Sit down for a set lunch at a riverside restaurant or family home, typically featuring local fish dishes, fresh spring rolls, and steamed rice from the delta — the region supplies more than half of Vietnam's total rice production.
13:00
Begin the return drive to Ho Chi Minh City. Traffic on the main highways back into the city can build through the afternoon, so factor in 2–2.5 hours for the return leg.
15:30
Arrive back at your Ho Chi Minh City hotel. Use the remaining time to collect luggage, freshen up, and settle any outstanding bills.
17:00
Transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, located in the city's northern districts. Allow at least 2 hours before an international departure given check-in and security queues.
Book a morning departure — floating markets peak at dawn: The Cái Bè and Cái Răng floating markets are most active between 05:00 and 08:00. Day trips that leave Ho Chi Minh City by 06:00 catch the full scene; a 07:00 departure means the markets are already thinning out by the time you arrive. If floating market activity is a priority, confirm departure times with your operator before booking. Also note that the Mekong Delta is the 'Rice Bowl of Vietnam' and draws considerable tourist traffic on weekends — a weekday visit typically means fewer crowds on the canals.
Route B · Alternative
Route C · Alternative
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What to skip on 10 days
These are the 4 mistakes 80% of first-time Vietnam travellers make when researching online.Phuong Le has personally seen each one destroy trips that could have been excellent.
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Booking a Halong Bay day cruise instead of an overnight cruiseWhen to consider · Only if budget is extremely tight and time is the priority
Day cruises spend roughly 3–4 hours sailing and turn back before reaching the more secluded areas of the 1,553 km² bay. An overnight cruise gives you time to kayak, explore grottoes, and actually experience the bay rather than photograph it from a moving deck.
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Trying to walk the entire Old Quarter without checking the weekend scheduleWhen to consider · Weekday visits when the pedestrian zone is not active
The pedestrian walking zone operates on weekends only. Visiting on a weekday means navigating the same streets alongside constant motorbike traffic, which makes the 100-hectare quarter significantly harder to explore on foot.
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Skipping Ninh Binh in favour of a second Hanoi dayWhen to consider · If mobility is limited or rowboat tours are not suitable
Ninh Binh is only about 100 km and a 2-hour drive from Hanoi. Its UNESCO-listed Tràng An complex and the 500-step Hang Mua climb offer a completely different landscape — limestone karsts, river grottoes, and open rice paddies — that no amount of extra time in the city can replicate.
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Rushing through Hoi An in half a day while transiting between Da Nang and HueWhen to consider · Unavoidable if the itinerary has only one central Vietnam stop
Hoi An's inscribed heritage zone contains 1,107 timber-frame buildings across just 30 hectares, plus active craft villages such as Thanh Ha pottery and Kim Bong carpentry. Half a day is enough to walk the main street but not enough to visit the countryside villages or understand the town's layered Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European architectural history.
10-day Vietnam itinerary FAQ
People also ask
Verified sources
- ATL DMC booking log · 12,000+ trips since 2011
- Vietnam Tourism – Explore the Old Quarter Your Way · https://vietnam.travel/things-to-do/explore-old-quarter-your-way
- Vietnam Tourism – A Perfect Day in Ninh Binh · https://vietnam.travel/things-to-do/perfect-day-ninh-binh
- Vietnam Tourism Government – UNESCO World Heritage Site Hoi An Sets Example · https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/en/post/21379
- Wikipedia – Hạ Long Bay · https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BA%A1_Long_Bay
- Asia Pioneer Travel – Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta · https://asiapioneertravel.com/blog/mekong-delta-cu-chi-tunnel-tour/
- Vietnam Travel – Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi · https://vietnamtravel.com/ninh-binh-day-trip-from-hanoi/
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Phuong Le
Senior guide · Hanoi
“Tell us your dates and pace — we'll turn this guide into a realistic, booked-and-paced trip for you, not a generic template.”
Plan my trip with our team →About the authors
PL
Phuong Le · primary author
15-yr Hanoi history guide
Specialty: Hanoi · Halong Bay · Vietnam itineraries.
Editorial process: Pacing and picks tested across thousands of ATL trips · reviewed quarterly.
10-Day Vietnam · Cross-category lattice
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