A long, narrow country of limestone bays, lantern-lit old towns and street food that changes every few hundred kilometres.
Vietnam runs from the mountains of the north to the Mekong Delta, and a good trip follows that line: Hanoi, a night on the bays, Hue, Hoi An, then Ho Chi Minh City and a beach to finish.
It suits curious travellers who like to eat. The food shifts from region to region, from pho and bun cha in Hanoi to cao lau in Hoi An.
The honest caveat is weather, because the country has three climates at once. There is rarely a month that is good everywhere, so we plan the order of the trip around the season, and suggest skipping the central coast in October and November.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
Ha Long Bay is famous and crowded. Lan Ha Bay, its southern neighbour off Cat Ba Island, has the same limestone towers with far fewer boats. A small cruise with a handful of cabins lets you kayak through arches, swim from the deck and watch the sun rise over the water. One night is enough; two is a luxury.
Hanoi’s old quarter is a grid of narrow streets once named for the goods sold on them. Eat pho for breakfast, bun cha at lunch and egg coffee in the afternoon, sitting on low plastic stools. Go with a food guide on the first evening, then return on your own. Hoan Kiem Lake is at its best at dawn, when locals exercise on its banks.
Hoi An was a trading port, and its yellow merchant houses, Chinese assembly halls and Japanese bridge survive almost intact. The old town is car-free and lit with silk lanterns in the evening. Cycle out through rice fields to An Bang beach, and have clothes made in a day. Visit early or late: midday is hot and busy with tour groups.
Hue was the capital of the Nguyen emperors, and their walled citadel sits on the Perfume River. Spend a morning in the Imperial City, then take a boat upriver to the Thien Mu pagoda and the royal tombs of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Drive on to Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass, a winding coast road with long views down to the sea.
South of Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong splits into a web of channels lined with fruit orchards and villages. Go by private boat to the floating market at Cai Rang near Can Tho, which is busiest just after dawn. Stay a night in a riverside lodge rather than rushing it as a day trip.
Con Dao is a small archipelago off the south coast, reached by a short flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Most of it is national park, with forest trails, empty beaches and green turtles nesting on the beaches in summer. It is quieter than Phu Quoc and a better place to finish.
Stay in Hanoi’s old quarter or the French quarter, on a small boat in Lan Ha Bay, then choose between the old town and the beach in Hoi An. In the south, a District 1 hotel in Ho Chi Minh City and a quiet island resort on Con Dao round off the trip.
We match each trip in Vietnam to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsSample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Old Hanoi's street food, a night on a small boat among the limestone islands of Lan Ha Bay, four nights in the lantern-lit trading port of Hoi An, and three dawns at the temples of Angkor, each with a private guide.
Think of three climates. The north has a cool, damp winter from December to February and a hot, wet summer. The south is warm all year, dry from December to April and wet from May to November. The centre follows its own pattern, dry from February to August and wet from September to December.
FCDO notes that tropical storms can hit between May and November. For one trip covering the whole country, March and April are the safest bet. Tet, the lunar new year in late January or February, is lively but many businesses close.
A 13-night journey down the length of Vietnam, from the bays of the north to a beach on Con Dao. Best from February to April. 13 nights.
A food walk in the old quarter, the Temple of Literature and the water puppets.
Drive to the coast for kayaking, swimming and a night at anchor among the karsts.
Fly south to the imperial capital. The citadel, the royal tombs and a boat on the Perfume River.
Drive over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An. Old town mornings, cycling in the rice fields and time on An Bang beach.
Fly south. A city day, then an early boat to the floating markets of the delta.
A short flight to the islands for beaches and forest walks, then home via Ho Chi Minh City.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Vietnam (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
Vietnam Airlines flies direct from Heathrow to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in about 12 hours. Domestic flights link the main cities in one to two hours.
UK passport holders can currently visit visa-free for short stays, and apply for an e-visa for longer trips. Check your entry stamp on arrival and read the FCDO entry requirements (opens in a new tab).
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Vietnam (opens in a new tab)
See TravelHealthPro (opens in a new tab) well before travel. Traffic is the everyday hazard: cross streets slowly and steadily. Drink bottled water and use mosquito repellent.
The dong comes in large denominations, so knock off three zeros to get your bearings. Cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops; keep cash for markets and street food.
SIM cards are sold at airports, and eSIMs online. Wifi is free in most hotels and cafes.
Tipping is not a Vietnamese custom, though it is increasingly common for guides and drivers. We suggest tipping them for good service; elsewhere, rounding up is fine.
March and April are the best months for a trip covering the whole country. The north is warm without the summer rain, the central coast is dry, and the south is still in its dry season. October and November suit the north but bring heavy rain to Hue and Hoi An.
We usually suggest Lan Ha Bay. It has the same limestone scenery, but with far fewer boats, so kayaking and swimming feel much more peaceful. Either way, stay overnight: day trips spend most of their time on the road from Hanoi.
Two weeks is the right length to travel from Hanoi to the south without rushing. With 10 days, focus on two regions, for example Hanoi, the bays and Hoi An. Vietnam also pairs well with Cambodia: Siem Reap is a short flight from Ho Chi Minh City, which makes a natural three-week journey.
Yes, especially with children over about eight. The bays, cycling in Hoi An and boats in the Mekong Delta are all good fun, and the food can be kept mild. Beach time in Hoi An or on Con Dao gives everyone a break between the cities.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: February to April.
Angkor at dawn, a riverside capital, Kampot pepper farms and islands with very little development.
Temple cities, cool northern hills and two coasts with opposite monsoons, so there is nearly always a good beach somewhere.
Neon Tokyo, temple Kyoto and hot-spring inns, all joined by trains that run to the minute.
