Vietnam
10 days in Vietnam: itinerary
Yes — 10 days is enough for two regions plus a taste of the third, if you fly the long legs. Take Hanoi (3 nights) with a Hạ Long overnight and Ninh Bình, fly to Đà Nẵng for Hội An (3 nights), then fly to Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights). Skip it if you want the Mekong, Hà Giang or Phú Quốc as well — that needs 14 days.
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Key facts
- Best route
- Hanoi → Ninh Bình → Hạ Long cruise → fly to Đà Nẵng → Hội An → fly to Ho Chi Minh City
- Nights per stop
- Hanoi 3, Ninh Bình 1, Hạ Long 1 aboard, Hội An 3, Ho Chi Minh City 2
- Hotel changes
- 4 in 10 days; keep it there
- Long legs
- Fly Hanoi–Đà Nẵng and Đà Nẵng–Saigon; each saves a day over rail or road
- Domestic flights
- 2 (Hanoi–Đà Nẵng, Đà Nẵng–Ho Chi Minh City), 2026 estimate
- Budget, mid-rangecheck
- About 18,000,000–30,000,000 VND per person for 10 days, excluding international flights (2026 estimate)
- Add a spare nightcheck
- One per week for storms, delays or a closed bay
Route map
The 10-day line runs north to south in three blocks: the north (Hanoi, Ninh Bình, Hạ Long), the centre (Đà Nẵng, Hội An) and the south (Ho Chi Minh City). Two domestic flights join them, so you lose half a day to airports rather than a full day to a bus.
Đà Nẵng is the centre's airport: Hội An is 30–45 minutes south by road. Saigon is the exit point for most international flights, and the Mekong fits as a long day trip from there rather than an overnight.
| Day | Where | Moving how | Time | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanoi | Arrive, Old Quarter on foot | — | — |
| 2 | Hanoi | Walking and taxis | — | — |
| 3 | Ninh Bình | Road from Hanoi | 2 h | 200,000–400,000 VND |
| 4 | Hạ Long | Road from Ninh Bình or Hanoi | 3–4 h | 300,000–600,000 VND |
| 5 | Hạ Long → Hanoi → Đà Nẵng → Hội An | Cruise morning, flight, road | 1 h 20 flight + 45 min road | 1,200,000–2,500,000 VND flight |
| 6 | Hội An | Walking, bicycle | — | — |
| 7 | Hội An | Walking, bicycle | — | — |
| 8 | Hội An → Đà Nẵng → Ho Chi Minh City | Road, then flight | 45 min + 1 h 20 | 1,000,000–2,200,000 VND flight |
| 9 | Ho Chi Minh City | Walking, taxis | — | — |
| 10 | Ho Chi Minh City | Depart, or Mekong day trip | 2 h each way | 400,000–900,000 VND tour |
Flight and transfer prices are 2026 estimates and move with season and how early you book; check at booking.
Day by day
Days 1–2, Hanoi. Land, drop bags in the Old Quarter and walk. One full day covers the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area and a lake loop; the evening is for bún chả, bia hơi and a water-puppet show if you want one. Book the Hạ Long cruise before you arrive — the good boats sell out in high season.
Day 3, Ninh Bình. Two hours south by road or train. Rowboats through the karst at Tràng An or Tam Cốc, then Mua Cave steps for the view. One night is enough; two if you want to cycle the rice fields.
Day 4, Hạ Long. Three to four hours from Ninh Bình or Hanoi. Board by early afternoon, sleep aboard. Lan Hạ Bay, reached from Cát Bà, is quieter than the main Hạ Long strip.
Day 5, the transfer day. Cruise returns to port late morning, drive to Hanoi, fly to Đà Nẵng, then 30–45 minutes by road to Hội An. Book the flight for mid-afternoon or later.
Days 6–7, Hội An. Old town on foot, tailors and cooking classes, bicycle to An Bàng beach. Two full days is the minimum that feels unhurried.
Day 8, fly south. Road to Đà Nẵng, flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Afternoon for the War Remnants Museum or a rooftop.
Days 9–10, Ho Chi Minh City. Markets, the museum you missed, District 1 on foot. Day 10 is either the Mekong as a long day trip (Cần Thơ is better with a night) or a slow morning before the airport.
- Book Hạ Long and the two domestic flights before you leave home.
- Keep day 5 and day 8 as pure transfer days; do not stack a tour on them.
- Hội An floods most Octobers — check the month before you commit.
- One spare night per week absorbs storms and delays.
Getting around
Fly the long legs. Hanoi–Đà Nẵng and Đà Nẵng–Ho Chi Minh City are both about 1 h 20 in the air; the reunification train and buses take a day or more. Domestic fares swing widely, so book early for the best band.
For the short legs, road transfers are the norm: Ninh Bình 2 h from Hanoi, Hạ Long 3–4 h, Đà Nẵng to Hội An 30–45 min. Sleeper buses exist but cost you a night's sleep and a day's energy; on a 10-day trip they are not worth it.
In cities, use ride-hailing apps rather than street taxis, and walk the old quarters. Trains are worth it only for the Hải Vân Pass stretch between Huế and Đà Nẵng if you add Huế.
| Leg | Best mode | Time | Cost (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi → Ninh Bình | Road or train | 2 h | 200,000–400,000 VND |
| Ninh Bình → Hạ Long | Road | 3–4 h | 300,000–600,000 VND |
| Hanoi → Đà Nẵng | Flight | 1 h 20 | 1,200,000–2,500,000 VND |
| Đà Nẵng → Hội An | Road | 30–45 min | 300,000–500,000 VND |
| Đà Nẵng → Ho Chi Minh City | Flight | 1 h 20 | 1,000,000–2,200,000 VND |
| Ho Chi Minh City → Mekong | Road, day tour | 2 h each way | 400,000–900,000 VND |
Bands are 2026 estimates; check at booking.
Where to stay
Hanoi: the Old Quarter for food and walkability, West Lake for quiet. Three nights.
Ninh Bình: Tam Cốc for the boats and karst views, or the city if you want transport links. One night.
Hạ Long: aboard the boat — that is the point of the stop. One night.
Hội An: the old town for atmosphere, An Bàng for the beach. Three nights.
Ho Chi Minh City: District 1 for museums and rooftops, District 3 for quieter streets. Two nights.
| Base | Area | Nights | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | Old Quarter | 3 | Street food, lakes, walkable core; base for Ninh Bình and Hạ Long |
| Ninh Bình | Tam Cốc | 1 | Boats and karst on the doorstep |
| Hạ Long | Aboard | 1 | Sleeping on the bay is the stop |
| Hội An | Old town or An Bàng | 3 | Walkable old town, beach by bicycle |
| Ho Chi Minh City | District 1 | 2 | Museums, markets, airport access |
Costs
Mid-range, two sharing: about 18,000,000–30,000,000 VND per person for the 10 days, excluding international flights. That covers guesthouse or 3-star rooms, two domestic flights, one Hạ Long overnight, local transport and three meals a day. Budget travellers who take buses and dorm beds can halve the accommodation and transport lines; the flights are the floor.
The two domestic flights are the biggest single variable. Booked weeks ahead they sit in the low band; booked days ahead in high season they can double. The Hạ Long cruise is the next biggest line and ranges from a basic boat to a luxury one.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation, 9 nights | 2,700,000–4,500,000 VND | 6,000,000–12,000,000 VND |
| Domestic flights, 2 | 2,200,000–4,700,000 VND | 2,200,000–4,700,000 VND |
| Hạ Long overnight | 1,500,000–2,500,000 VND | 3,000,000–6,000,000 VND |
| Local transport and transfers | 1,500,000–3,000,000 VND | 3,000,000–5,000,000 VND |
| Food, 10 days | 2,000,000–3,500,000 VND | 4,000,000–7,000,000 VND |
| Total per person | 9,900,000–18,200,000 VND | 18,200,000–34,700,000 VND |
2026 estimates, per person, two sharing, excluding international flights. Check current fares and room rates.
Variations
Swap the south for the centre. Drop Ho Chi Minh City and add Huế (2 nights) between Hạ Long and Hội An, taking the train over the Hải Vân Pass. You keep three regions but lose the Mekong.
Swap Hạ Long for Sa Pa. Two nights in Sa Pa instead of the bay suits walkers and cool weather, but the road from Hanoi eats more of the trip.
Add the Mekong properly. Take a night in Cần Thơ instead of the day trip; that pushes the trip to 11 days or costs you a Saigon night.
Beach ending. Replace Ho Chi Minh City with Phú Quốc (3 nights) if you want to finish on sand; the island has a 30-day visa exemption.
- 7 days: north plus Hội An only.
- 14 days: add Huế, Đà Lạt or the Mekong with a night in Cần Thơ.
- North-only 10 days: Hanoi, Hà Giang loop, Ninh Bình, Hạ Long.
Questions people ask
Is 10 days enough for Vietnam?
Yes, for two regions plus a taste of the third — Hanoi and the north, Hội An in the centre, and Ho Chi Minh City in the south, joined by two domestic flights. It is not enough for the Mekong, Hà Giang and Phú Quốc as well; that needs 14 days.
What is the best route for 10 days in Vietnam?
Hanoi (3 nights) → Ninh Bình (1) → Hạ Long cruise (1 aboard) → fly to Đà Nẵng → Hội An (3) → fly to Ho Chi Minh City (2). Two domestic flights, four hotel changes, and the Mekong as a day trip from Saigon.
Where should I stay on a 10-day trip to Vietnam?
Hanoi's Old Quarter for food and walkability, Tam Cốc in Ninh Bình, aboard the boat in Hạ Long, Hội An old town or An Bàng beach, and District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City. Four changes in 10 days is the practical ceiling.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVietnam National Authority of Tourism
- officialVietnam Railways
- secondaryWikivoyage – Vietnam