Vietnam travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

Vietnam is a long, thin country, and the best way to see it is from one end to the other. Hanoi is lakes, old trading streets and noodle soup on plastic stools. Further south are limestone bays, lantern-lit Hoi An, tunnels and mountain passes, and then Ho Chi Minh City, loud and fast and full of motorbikes. Food is the best reason to go, and it changes every few hundred kilometres.

Weather is the thing to plan around, because the country has three climate zones and they don't share a calendar. This guide covers when to go, where, a twelve-day route, and how to plan it with friends.

Capital: Hanoi
Currency: Vietnamese dong (₫)
Languages: Vietnamese
Plugs: Type A, C and F, 220 V
Driving: On the right
Time zone: UTC+7, no daylight saving
Best time to go: March to April and October to November
Daily budget: About US$60–120 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Vietnam has a different climate in the north, the centre and the south, so the best month depends on your route. If you're travelling the whole length, the shoulder months of March to April and October to November work best for most of it.

The north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa) has four seasons. Winter, from December to February, is cool and grey, and it can be cold in the mountains, with frost in Sapa. Summer is hot, humid and wet. Spring and autumn are the pleasant seasons, and autumn is especially clear and golden.

The centre (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An) is driest from roughly February to August. From about September to December it rains heavily, typhoons can hit the coast, and Hoi An and Hue sometimes flood for a few days at a time. Check the forecast if you're travelling then.

The south (Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc) has a dry season from about December to April and a rainy season from May to November, with showers that often come in the afternoon and clear quickly. It's hot all year.

Tet, the lunar new year in late January or February, is the biggest holiday of the year. Many businesses close for several days, transport is fully booked, and families travel home. The streets are decorated and it's a special time, but plan carefully. National holidays around 30 April and 1 May and 2 September also crowd transport.

Where to go

Hanoi

The capital is old and busy, with a tangle of narrow streets in the Old Quarter, a lake at its heart, French colonial buildings and some of the best street food in Asia: phở, bún chả, egg coffee. Walk, eat and cross the road slowly and steadily as the bikes flow around you. Three days. For a day-by-day plan, see the 3-day Hanoi itinerary.

Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay

Thousands of limestone islands rise from green water. Most visitors spend a night on a boat. Lan Ha Bay, next to Ha Long, is quieter, with beaches and kayaking. Choose a smaller boat and go on a weekday if you can. Two days and a night.

Ninh Binh

Known as Ha Long Bay on land: limestone peaks over rice fields, rivers you can row through caves and old temples. It's about two hours from Hanoi, and it's lovely at sunrise. One or two nights.

Sapa and the Ha Giang loop

Sapa, in the north-west, has terraced rice fields and villages of the Hmong and Dao peoples. It's most beautiful in September and October before harvest. The Ha Giang loop, near the Chinese border, is a spectacular mountain route that most visitors do by motorbike with a local driver. Both need at least two or three days.

Hue

The old imperial capital, with a walled citadel, royal tombs along the Perfume River and a refined local cooking style. A good stop for one or two days, between Hanoi and Hoi An.

Hoi An and Da Nang

Hoi An is a small trading port of yellow houses, lanterns and tailors, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a beach and rice fields close by. Da Nang, 45 minutes away, has the airport, long beaches and the Marble Mountains. Allow three days, and walk the old town in the early morning or late evening, when the day-trippers have gone and the lanterns are lit.

Phong Nha and Dalat

Phong Nha is a national park of huge caves, including Son Doong, the largest cave passage in the world. Dalat is a cool highland town of pine trees, flower farms and waterfalls, reached by road or short flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Both suit a second trip.

Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta

The old Saigon is the south's capital in everything but name: wide boulevards, rooftop bars, the War Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels outside the city. Give it three days. The Mekong Delta, a few hours south, is a world of rivers, floating markets and orchards, best seen on a day trip or one night.

Phu Quoc and Con Dao

Two islands in the south for beaches, snorkelling and quiet. Phu Quoc is the larger and easier to reach; Con Dao is more remote and wilder.

A 12-day itinerary

Days 1–3: Hanoi. Arrive, walk the Old Quarter and lake, and spend a day on the museums and temples. On day three, head to Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay for a night on a boat, or go to Ninh Binh.

Day 4: Ninh Binh. About two hours from Hanoi by road. Row through the caves, climb a peak for sunrise and stay the night.

Days 5–6: Hue. Fly from Hanoi, or take the sleeper train for a long overnight ride. See the citadel and the tombs and eat well.

Days 7–9: Hoi An. Cross the Hai Van Pass by road, about four hours with stops, for views over the coast. Spend three days in town and on the beach, with a half day in My Son, the ruined Cham temples nearby.

Days 10–12: Ho Chi Minh City. Fly from Da Nang, about an hour and a half. Spend one day on the city, one on the Cu Chi Tunnels or the Mekong Delta, and fly home from here.

The whole length of the country can also be done by train: the Reunification Express takes well over a day from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, so most people use it in legs. For ideas next door, read the guides to Thailand and Indonesia.

Getting around

Domestic flights are cheap and the practical way to cover the length of the country. Book early for Tet and the summer holidays.

Trains run the full length along the coast and give you good views. Overnight sleepers in four-berth or two-berth cabins are a classic. Book the best seats a few days ahead.

Buses are the cheapest way between towns. Sleeper buses run overnight with reclining beds and are fine for one night. Smaller minivans link tourist towns, and hotels will book them for you.

In cities, ride-hailing apps are the easiest way to take a taxi or a motorbike taxi with a fixed price and a record of the trip. Walking is fine in Hanoi's Old Quarter and Hoi An. Learn to cross the road: walk at a steady pace, don't stop or run, and let the bikes go around you.

Driving yourself is hard for visitors; traffic is chaotic and rules differ from most countries. Hire a car with a driver for day trips or mountain loops. See driving abroad for what to check before you drive anywhere unfamiliar.

Money and costs

Cash in dong is used for street food, markets, taxis and small shops; cards work in hotels, malls and more expensive restaurants. ATMs are everywhere in cities. The notes have lots of zeros, so check each denomination carefully before you hand it over.

Tipping isn't expected. Rounding up, or leaving a small amount for a guide or driver, is appreciated. See tipping around the world.

Food and local transport are among the cheapest in Asia. A bowl of noodles, a banh mi and coffee cost little. Domestic flights, boat nights in Ha Long Bay and good hotels are the big items. Agree the price for tours and taxis in advance, or use the meter or app.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

Budget: about US$30–50, with hostels or guesthouses, street food and buses.
Mid-range: about US$60–120, with hotels, restaurant meals, flights and tours.
Comfortable: US$180 and up, with boutique hotels, private drivers and good dinners.

Planning Vietnam as a group

A trip down Vietnam has a lot of moving parts, and a group needs them written down.

Flights and trains. Book the internal flights and sleepers for everyone at the same time, and keep a list of who is on which booking. Prices rise close to Tet and in summer.

Boats and tours. The Ha Long Bay boat, cooking classes and the Hai Van Pass day are usually priced per person, with discounts for private groups. Ask what's included, such as meals and park tickets.

Rooms. Hotel rooms are often for two or three. For a group of five or six, book a family room, a suite or an apartment. Hoi An is a good place for a villa with a pool for the whole group.

Costs. Cash does the work for small things, so someone is always paying for everyone. Log it in the local currency as it happens and settle at the end, rather than at the airport.

Before you go

Entry rules: check the official government site of Vietnam and your own government's travel advice before you book, as requirements depend on your passport.
Travel insurance that covers medical costs, and motorbike riding if you plan it.
Connectivity: an eSIM is simple and cheap; a local SIM is available at airports. See eSIMs and staying connected.
A plug adapter for Type A, C or F; the voltage is 220 V.
Health: ask a travel clinic about vaccines well ahead of the trip. Mosquitoes carry dengue in some regions, so bring repellent. Stick to bottled or filtered water.
Customs: dress modestly at pagodas, take your shoes off in homes and temples, and don't leave chopsticks standing upright in a bowl of rice, which echoes an offering for the dead. Use both hands to give or receive.

What to pack

Bring light, quick-drying clothes, a rain jacket and a small umbrella, since showers can come in any season somewhere along the country. A thin layer is useful for air-conditioned buses and trains and for the northern winter.

In the north in winter, add a warm jacket and a hat. For Sapa and trekking, pack sturdy shoes with grip. For the beach, a swimsuit, a dry bag and reef-safe sunscreen. Carry a small bag for your phone and cash on the motorbike taxis and night markets.