Destinations · Asia
Vietnam
Hanoi, the mountain roads of the far north, and the karst bays on the coast.
Currency
Dong (VND)
US visa
E-visa, 90 days
Ride app
Grab
Best time, north
Mar to May, Sep to Nov
Tap water
Don’t drink it
Daily budget
About $35
Guesthouse room, local food
Routes
How much time have you got?
Vietnam is 1,000 miles top to bottom, so each route is built around how far you can realistically get. Each one gets its own day-by-day itinerary.
Short on time
7 days, 6 nights
Hanoi · Ninh Binh · Lan Ha Bay
A tight loop from Hanoi. Two nights in the Old Quarter, two in Ninh Binh’s karsts, one on a boat in Lan Ha Bay, then a last night in Hanoi for your flight.
Full itinerary coming soon
My pick · The classic
14 days, 13 nights
Hanoi · Ha Giang Loop · Ninh Binh · Lan Ha Bay
Three nights in Hanoi to beat the jet lag, four on the Ha Giang Loop, then the overnight sleeper straight to Ninh Binh. Finish on Cat Ba and fly home from Hanoi.
See it all
24 days, 23 nights
Hanoi · Ha Giang · Ninh Binh · Hue · Hoi An · Saigon · Mekong
Fly into Hanoi and out of Saigon. Ten days in the north, a flight to Hue, the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, then Saigon and two nights on the Mekong.
Full itinerary coming soon
Flying in from the US? Add your travel days on top. Every length here is time on the ground.
Seasons
When to go
For the north. The south runs on a different calendar, so check before you book.
Best
Mar to May, Sep to Nov
Clear, mild, good for the mountains
Hot and wet
Jun to Aug
Storms most afternoons
Cold and gray
Dec to Feb
Pack a real jacket for Ha Giang
Read next
Stories from Vietnam
I spent most of July 2023 in the north, and this is what I’d tell a friend. The Hanoi guide is up now. The rest are on the way.
Route guide · Coming soon
The Ha Giang Loop: self-drive or easy rider?
How many days, what it costs, and the stretch worth the whole trip.
Money · Coming soon
What a day in Vietnam actually costs
Rooms, food, buses, and the dollar-here, dollar-there stuff that adds up.
Before you fly · Coming soon
Vietnam e-visa photo rejected? How to fix it
What the portal wants from your photo, and what to do when it comes back.
Before you go
What I’d sort out before the flight. Some of these are referral links.
Data
Airalo eSIM
Install it before you fly and you land with data. No SIM kiosk hunt at the airport.
Money
No foreign fee card
Mine is the Capital One Venture X. When a card machine offers dollars, pay in dong.
Free guide
First 24 Hours in a New Country
The night before, hour by hour after landing, and the traps. Free with the monthly letter.
