Discover the ultimate Vietnam travel itinerary 10 days covering the country’s most breathtaking destinations. Whether starting from cultural Hanoi or bustling Ho Chi Minh City, this guide takes you through UNESCO sites, emerald bays, ancient towns, and rural villages. Learn what to pack, when to visit, and how to maximize your 10-day journey through Vietnam’s diverse landscapes and rich heritage.
Where to start? Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi?
You can begin your Vietnam adventure in either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, as both of Vietnam’s largest cities offer convenient international flight connections. Your choice might depend on which part of Vietnam you’re most excited to explore first – the historic charm of the north or the vibrant energy of the south. Below is our 2 ideas itinerary starting from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city that you can take as references.
10 days Vietnam itinerary ideas
Option 1: Vietnam travel itinerary 10 days from Hanoi
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arriving in Hanoi, take some time to settle into your hotel and relax. In the evening, you can take a short walk around the Old Quarter to get your first taste of Vietnam’s lively street scenes, sample some local street food, and watch the daily life unfold around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Day 2: Hanoi full-day city tour
Start your morning exploring Hanoi’s historic sites including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the One-Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first national university dating back to 1070. In the afternoon, wander through the charming narrow streets of the Old Quarter, visit Hoan Kiem Lake, and enjoy an authentic Vietnamese coffee at a local café. End your day with a delicious dinner featuring northern Vietnamese specialties.
Day 3: Hanoi – Drive to Pu Luong
Leave the busy city behind as you head to the peaceful Pu Luong Nature Reserve. The journey takes about 4 hours through beautiful countryside. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and spend the afternoon exploring the surrounding rice terraces, meeting local farmers, and enjoying the breathtaking mountain views.
Day 4: Pu Luong
Dedicate a full day to discovering Pu Luong’s natural beauty. Take a guided trek through bamboo forests and terraced rice fields, visit traditional stilt houses of the Thai ethnic minority, and cool off in natural swimming pools beneath waterfalls. Don’t miss the chance to see how local villagers use water wheels for irrigation – an ingenious traditional technique that’s still in use today.
Day 5: Pu Luong – Drive to Ninh Binh
After breakfast, our private car take you to Ninh Binh and having lunch. In the afternoon, explore Trang An Landscape Complex by boat, where local rowers will guide you through limestone karst formations, caves, and past ancient temples.
Day 6: Ninh Binh – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise
Head to Halong Bay in the morning for one of Vietnam’s most iconic experiences. Board your overnight cruise and enjoy lunch while sailing among the thousands of limestone islands. Your afternoon includes activities like kayaking, swimming, or visiting floating villages. As evening falls, enjoy a freshly prepared seafood dinner on deck while watching the sunset over the bay.
Day 7: Halong – Hanoi Airport – Fly to Danang – Hoi An
Start your day with a peaceful morning tai chi session on the deck (if offered by your cruise) before breakfast. After checking out, return to Hanoi to catch your flight to Danang. Upon arrival, transfer to the charming ancient town of Hoi An. After checking in at your hotel, take a relaxing evening stroll through Hoi An’s lantern-lit streets.
Day 8: Free day in Hoi An
Today is yours to spend as you wish in Hoi An. You can take a walking tour of Hoi An’s Ancient Town in the early morning then visit the My Son Sanctuary. Alternatively, relax on An Bang beach, visit local tailor shops for custom-made clothing, or join a Vietnamese cooking class to learn how to prepare local dishes.
Day 9: Hoi An – Danang – Fly to Saigon – Half-day city tour
Fly from Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in the morning. Upon arrival, embark on a half-day city tour visiting key attractions like the Independence Palace, War Remnants Museum, Colonial-era Central Post Office, and Notre Dame Cathedral. End your tour with some shopping at Ben Thanh Market where you can find souvenirs, clothing, and local snacks.
Day 10: Saigon free & easy
Enjoy your final day in Vietnam at your own pace. You might choose to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, explore the vibrant food scene, or simply wander around District 1 for last-minute shopping. In the evening, consider a dinner cruise on the Saigon River as a perfect way to end your 10-day journey through Vietnam.
Option 2: 10-day itinerary Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City
Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
After arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, check into your hotel and take some time to rest. In the evening, step out to explore the vibrant streets around your hotel. You might want to visit the walking street near Nguyen Hue Boulevard or enjoy dinner at one of the many local or international restaurants in District 1.
Day 2: Half-day Ho Chi Minh City tour
Start your morning with a visit to the historic Independence Palace, an important landmark in Vietnam’s history. Continue to the War Remnants Museum for a sobering look at the Vietnam War through local perspectives. After lunch, admire the colonial architecture of the Old Post Office designed by Gustave Eiffel, then finish your tour at Ben Thanh Market where you can practice your bargaining skills for souvenirs.
Day 3: Explore the Mekong Delta
Take a day trip to the lush Mekong Delta. Cruise along narrow waterways shaded by coconut palms, visit fruit orchards and honey farms and enjoy a home-cooked lunch at a local farmhouse. You’ll get to experience rural life as you visit small cottage industries making coconut candy and rice paper, and perhaps take a ride in a traditional sampan boat through smaller canals.
Day 4: Flight to Da Nang – Drive to Hoi An – Hoi An walking tour
Fly to Da Nang in the morning and transfer to the ancient town of Hoi An. In the afternoon, take a walking tour of Hoi An’s UNESCO-protected Ancient Town, visiting centuries-old merchant houses, the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, and colorful Chinese assembly halls. As evening falls, the town transforms with thousands of colorful lanterns lighting up the streets.
Day 5: Hoi An Tra Que vegetable village – Drive to Hue
Start your day with a bicycle ride to Tra Que Vegetable Village where you’ll learn about traditional farming methods and join local farmers in preparing the soil and planting vegetables. After lunch, drive to Hue along the scenic Hai Van Pass, stopping at the Cham Museum and Marble Mountain. Arrive in Hue by evening and check into your hotel in this former imperial capital.
Day 6: Full-day Hue city tour – Flight to Hanoi
Explore Hue’s Imperial Citadel in the morning, learning about Vietnam’s royal history. Take a dragon boat ride along the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue’s most iconic temple. After lunch featuring Hue’s royal cuisine, visit the elaborate tomb of Emperor Tu Duc before catching your evening flight to Hanoi.
Day 7: Hanoi street food tour
Spend today discovering Hanoi’s famous food scene. In the morning, visit the bustling local markets where locals shop for fresh ingredients. In the afternoon, take a guided street food tour through the Old Quarter, sampling dishes like pho, bun cha, banh mi, and egg coffee. End your day with a performance of the traditional water puppets, a uniquely Vietnamese art form dating back hundreds of years.
Day 8: Hanoi city tour – Street food at night
Visit Hanoi’s most important cultural and historical sites today, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the One-Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, and Hoan Kiem Lake. In the afternoon, explore the fascinating Museum of Ethnology to learn about Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. In the evening, venture out for more delicious street food specialties in the bustling night markets.
Day 9: Hanoi to Halong Bay – Overnight cruise
Depart Hanoi for the approximately 4-hour drive to Halong Bay. Board your overnight cruise and enjoy lunch while sailing among the bay’s famous limestone karsts. Spend the afternoon kayaking around hidden lagoons, swimming in the emerald waters, or visiting floating fishing villages. As the sun sets, enjoy a fresh seafood dinner on board under the stars.
Day 10: Halong Bay – Return to Hanoi
Wake up to stunning views of the bay and perhaps join an early morning tai chi session on deck. After breakfast, continue cruising through the bay, visiting more caves or islands before returning to the harbor. Transfer back to Hanoi where you’ll have time for last-minute shopping or exploring before your departure flight.
If you are looking for more trip ideas, check out our list of Vietnam tour packages with various tour durations including estimated prices. Please note that you can take them as a reference. We do PRIVATE TOURS so your itinerary is customizable to match your travel interests as paces, budget, activities, and accommodations.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
The ideal time to visit Vietnam is from November to April when the weather is pleasant across the country. During these months, you’ll generally experience less rainfall and more comfortable temperatures throughout most regions of Vietnam.
FYI: If you’re Australian, Italian, Spanish, or anyone planning to travel in July, August, and September, you’ll be visiting Vietnam during its summer season. Here are the weather conditions in each region you should notice during these three months:
North Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong, Ninh Binh and Pu Luong
- Temperatures are rising in the north along with the chance of rain although dry days are still prevalent (avg. temp: 28 °C).
- Plenty of sunshine and a clear sky in the daytime.
- A little bit of rain in the early morning and late evening
- August is the beginning of the stormy season in the North – still, a good month to visit. North Vietnam will suffer the storm by 29th July, the next one is forecasted to come by the end of August, so no worries at all.
- The highest temperature could be at 37°C from 11:30 am till 15:00 daily.
- The mountain conditions remain good with early September being a good month to explore the Ninh Binh region and Pu Luong. The weather at night is cooler at around 26°C. It can be a bit misty in the early morning.
- In Pu Luong in September, you can expect cascading waterfalls and blue skies. However, in this period, some trekking routes could be wet, so depending on the situation, our tour guide will choose a suitable trekking route for you.
>>> Travel tips you should note: Casual clothes for days while traveling. Do not forget sporty water-proof suits for kayaking/other water activities during your time on a cruise in Halong. Trekking shoes to discover Ninh Binh & Pu Luong – the mountainous area
Central Vietnam: Hue, Hoi An, Danang
- The good news continues on the beaches of Hoi An with plenty of sunshine and blue skies expected throughout August.
- Temperatures remain high and whilst still predominantly dry, the odd shower is not out of place helping to temper the hot weather
- The average temp is at around 32°C (the noontime, it could reach 40°C)
- Hue could be warmer with the avg. the temperature at 35°C (the highest temperature could be at 40°C sometimes at noon)
>>> Travel tips you should note: Casual short clothes. Swimming suits could not be missed during your time in Hoi An.
South Vietnam: Saigon, Mekong
- The South country will be in the wet season during the beginning of August. However, the shower mostly occurs in the evening and lasts for 2 hours. This makes the temperature at night in the South cooler around 26°C. It is perfect for nightlife activities in this never-sleep city.
- In the daytime, you can expect a blue sky with a lot of sunshine.
- The highest temperature could be at 38°C from 12:00 till 14:00 daily.
>>> Travel tips you should note: Short clothes are highly recommended during your time in South Vietnam.
As we offer PRIVATE CUSTOMIZED TOURS, so the itinerary can be adjusted to suit your interests and expectations. Please let us know your preferred hotel standard (superior 3, deluxe 4, or luxury 5* boutique) so our travel consultant can provide a proper quotation. To get a quote and detailed proposal, it’s better to contact us here or email info@indochinavoyages.com.
What you should bring?
- Insect and mosquito repellent (30%-40% DEET)
- Sport Shoes/ Trekking shoes for easy-medium level. (5-12km/ day)
- Earbuds for deeper sleep, especially at the eco-resort in Pu Luong National Reserve.
- Healing Jelly
- Light Raining Coats
- Sandals
- Cap
- Sporty water-proof clothes
- Light and casual short clothes
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Some clothes/stuff can cover the shoulder and knees to visit temples, pagodas, and mausoleums
- Swimming suits
- Plug Adapters (Plug types in Vietnam: 2-pin outlets, flat and round pins, 220v, 50hz)
- Passport copies (Always keep your original ones in a safe place at your hotels, just need to bring the copy along with you at all times).
- Your prescription medicines.
- Printed Evisa, flight tickets, and service voucher
- Laundry at the hotels is super easy in Vietnam, so you may not need to bring too many clothes. Besides, in Vietnam, there are many local laundry stores near the hotels at very low cost for normal casual clothes. You can find them everywhere in the central area of the big cities in Vietnam like Hanoi, Saigon or Hoi An.
Vietnam offers incredible diversity in its landscapes, culture, and experiences – all of which you can sample in a well-planned 10-day itinerary. Whether you start from the north in Hanoi or the south in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll get to experience Vietnam’s highlights, from breathtaking natural wonders like Halong Bay and Pu Luong to the charming ancient streets of Hoi An and the vibrant urban energy of the major cities.
We offer private customized tours, so the itinerary can be adjusted to suit your interests and expectations. Please let us know your preferred hotel standard (superior 3, deluxe 4, or luxury 5* boutique) so our travel consultant can provide a proper quotation. To get a quote and detailed proposal, it’s better to contact us here or email info@indochinavoyages.com.
