Vietnam
Sept. 7 - 14, 2014 (8D7N) & Feb. 23 - 24, 2025 (2D1N): I first visited Vietnam during the last leg of a 17-day journey through Thailand and Vietnam in 2014. In previous posts, you can find details of my experiences in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui. While in Vietnam, we explored Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City (HCM or Saigon). These cities are all easily accessible by plane, making this itinerary a great introduction to Vietnam for first-time visitors. You can also combine this trip with visits to other parts of Southeast Asia. In 2025, I returned to Saigon for one night during a 24-hour layover from Siem Reap to Kaohsiung and added new experiences to the itinerary below. So many secret coffee shops and speakeasies have popped up in Saigon in the last few years, so be sure to check out some highly recommended spots.
*Highly Recommended
Day 1 (Hanoi)
Evening flight arrival in Hanoi from Koh Samui
Hotel shuttle pick up from the airport to Oriental Central Hotel*
Day 2 (Hanoi)
Breakfast @ hotel
Taxi to Ba Dinh square:
Ho Chi Minh Museum (learn the history of HCM)
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free; 8 am-10:30 am closed on Monday; no shorts, no camera)
One Pillar Pagoda
Taxi to Temple of Literature
Taxi to Hoa Lo Prison (suggested duration 30 mins)
Lunch @ Quan An Ngon restaurant*
Taxi to French Opera House
Walk around the French quarter
Massage @ SF Spa (massage was average)
Shop around Old Quarter
Water Puppet show @ Thang Long Water Puppet Theater (1 hr)
Dinner @ Restaurant 96*
Grab che (a Vietnamese sweet drink) at some stand nearby
Day 3 (Halong Bay)
Breakfast @ hotel
Bus to Halong Bay (4.5 hrs!! It stops at a gift shop along the way)
1- 4:30 pm: APT Day Cruise (our initial 2D1N boat tour was canceled due to Typhoon)
Lunch on the boat
Bamboo boat to smaller caves
4:30 pm: Bus back to Hanoi (yup, another 4 hrs)
Dinner @ Mum restaurant
Day 4 (Da Nang/Hoi An)
Breakfast @ hotel
Shuttle to airport (1 hr)
Morning flight to Da Nang (1:20hr)
Taxi to Orange Hotel (10 mins)
Hire a hotel driver to visit Da Nang & Hoi An ($60/day)
Lady Budda (free)
Seafood lunch @ My Hanh Restaurant (nice view of the beach but overpriced)
CHAM Spa (AVOID!!)
Pass by The Marble Mountains for a photo
Japanese Covered Bridge
Assembly Halls
Lantern market
Dinner @ Streets restaurant café
Day 5 (Da Nang/HCM)
Breakfast @ hotel
Walk around town:
Lunch @ Quan Com Hue Ngon (BBQ)*
Evening flight to Ho Chi Minh City (1:10hr)
Uber (~240,000 VND) to M City Hotel Saigon (20 mins)
Pho @ Pho Viet Nam*
Stroll through Bùi Viện (vibrant party street) or Nguyen Hue Walking Street
Day 6 (HCM)
Breakfast @ hotel
10 am - 12:30 pm: Highlights & hidden gems of Ho Chi Minh City*:
Cuc Hai Quan TPHCM (Former Opium Building)
Visit secret cafés (Whisfee Café & My House)
Fried banana @ Vina Chuối*
Nguyen Hue Walking Street
UBND City Hall (photo only)
The Rex Hotel (Former CIA Building; photo only)
Union Square (Upscale shopping center)
Stroll through Book Street
Beer @ Heart of Darkness*
Massage @ Saigon Heritage Spa*
Lunch @ Vo Roof*
Visit Ben Thanh Market
6-10 pm: Back of the Bike Food Tour* (best way to sample all the street food in Vietnam) or check out GuruWalks for some free food tours (tip-based).
Cocktails @ Snuffbox*, Refined Saigon*, or Memento Saigon*
Day 7 (Cu Chi Tunnel/HCM)
Breakfast@ hotel
11 am - 6 pm: Cu Chi Tunnel Tour with Les Rives (can also book via Saigon River Express Cu Chi Tunnel Tour)*:
11:30 am - 1 pm: Boat ride to Cu Chi Tunnel
1:15-4 pm: Tour/shooting/lunch
Pool time @ Hotel rooftop pool
Coffee break @ The Cafe Apartment, Cà phê Sài Gòn Ơi, or L'Usine Saigon Centre
Happy hour @ Chill Skybar (5:30-8 pm half-off)
Dinner @ Chả Cá Lã Vọng*
Day 8
Breakfast @ hotel
Uber to the Airport (~150,000 VND)
Other points of interest & food:
Hanoi:
Dinner @ Xoi Yen ($2/bow)
Dinner @ Bun Bo Nam Bo
HCM:
Visit the War Remnants Museum
Dine @ Cuc Gach Quan or Anan Saigon (One Michelin star)
Get Bun thit nuong: a must-try dish of rice noodles, fried spring rolls, and fresh herbs.
Try Sweet Che Thap Cam: chipped ice, coconut milk, and layers of tapioca pearls and soft beans.
Tips:
Don't forget to get your visa if you plan to arrive with your US passport. While I had a VOA (Visa on arrival) in 2014, applying for one online is easy in 2025.
Avoid the wet/summer season (May to October).
Taxi and Uber are very affordable in Vietnam.
The best way to visit Halong Bay is through the overnight cruise (given the RT bus ride is 8 hrs). Be sure to book through your hotel in Hanoi so they can arrange everything for you in case the cruise gets canceled due to weather conditions. We went with Oriental Central, and they were able to rearrange our stay when the cruise was canceled.
