Best of Vietnam - 14 Days

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City

Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy your free time with a visit to the commercial areas of the city, where you can browse the shops and grab an authentic bite to eat.

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Start your tour after breakfast, to see the real HCMC through the eyes of a local. Visit the bustling Cho Lon Market and a hidden Chinese pagoda, the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, the historic Central Post Office, and City Hall. Continue the fun in the late afternoon, when you'll join a night tour on the back of a vintage Vespa. Everybody else in this city is riding a scooter, so why not join them? This tour is part night excursion, part street food adventure. 

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta & Can Tho

Depart after breakfast for Cai Be, about a 2.5-hour drive. On arrival, board a boat to visit the floating market, then cruise across the mighty Mekong River to Dong Phu Island. Cycle around here under the green canopy, exploring the orchards and daily life of the local farmers.

Have lunch on the island, then cruise to Vinh Long, a town on the edge of the mighty Mekong. In the afternoon, spend two hours checking out the immense rice fields by bike. Cycle through rural riverside villages and learn more about rural Vietnamese life and farming. Enjoy free time in the evening to promenade along the city's quay.

Day 4: Can Tho, Flight to Danang & Transfer to Hoi An

Go for a morning boat trip to the chaotic and interesting Cai Rang Floating Market, then continue up a quiet canal for more cruising. Get back on your bikes (for about two hours) to enjoy the beautiful Mekong Delta scenery, and meet the locals, many of whom will also be on a bicycle. After lunch, head back to HCMC and transfer to Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) for your flight to Danang.

From Danang, transfer to your hotel in Hoi An, about an hour's drive away. Spend the evening at your leisure, enjoying the excellent restaurants, bars, and colorful lights of this pretty town.

Day 5: Countryside tour & Hoi An

You will get picked up after breakfast and then be taken to the boat docks. From there, you'll be taken to a fishing village where you can see and experience the life of fishing communities. Hop in a basket boat for a short row around the village, and then enjoy a delicious local lunch.

After lunch, cycle along country roads through fields of rice, coconut, and corn, and head back to the town of Hoi An. In the afternoon, tour the famous cultural sites around Hoi An, including the Japanese Bridge, numerous temples, and beautiful merchant townhouses.

Day 6: Free day in Hoi An 

Hoi An is renowned as a culinary center of Vietnam, and on this free day, you can sample its delights. Alternatively, you could spend the day at the beach. The choice is yours!

Day 7: Hoi An, Bach Ma National Park

Today, travel to Bach Ma National Park. En route, you'll have the chance to stop and check out the view at the Hai Van Pass, the highest mountain pass in Vietnam at 1,627 ft (496 m).

On arrival at Bach Ma National Park, hike the 700 steps down to Do Quyen waterfall, which has the same name as the flowers that grow by the stream underneath. Continue hiking through the forest to reach Five Lakes, where you can swim in the pure water of these romantic pools, and enjoy a picnic lunch. The climate here is cool and very different from the heat and bustle of Vietnamese cities.

Day 8: Bach Ma National Park to Hue

Get up early to catch the sunrise over the park from Hai Vong Dai. Trek along nature trails to see diverse fauna and flora. The bird watching is especially great.

Have breakfast at a restaurant after your visit, then set out for Hue along National Highway 1A. Along the way, pass through beautiful landscapes of rice fields, mountains scenery, and bamboo ranges, as well as the Cau Hai lagoon.

Day 9: Hue & Flight to Hanoi

Today, explore the old imperial treasures of Hue, which are on a very grand scale. Visit the Royal Mausoleum of Nguyen’s Kings; Khai Dinh's tomb, which combines Western and Oriental architectural styles; and Minh Mang's tomb, with its perfect harmony of design.

Later, transfer to Hue Airport for your flight to Hanoi. Enjoy the bustling nightlife of Hanoi at your leisure this evening.

Day 10: Villages near Hanoi by bike

Transfer outside of Hanoi after breakfast, and travel to some rural villages. Here, you have the morning to learn about northern Vietnamese village life. Walk and cycle around the villages, visiting local markets, old houses, temples, communal houses, and farmland. Watch a small food demonstration before having lunch with a local family.

In the afternoon, set out from Dong Ngac and cycle along the mostly rural lanes through the surrounding villages to Lien Mac, a beautiful area of immaculately tended vegetables and flowers. Chat with the local people caring for their crops. After returning to Dong Ngac via a different route, have a short refreshment stop with your local host family, bid your farewells, and return to Hanoi.

Day 11: Hanoi to Halong Bay

Depart for Halong Bay and arrive at the port around noon. You'll be shown to your private cabin before being briefed on the trip.

Enjoy a lunch of fresh local seafood while cruising to Bai Tu Long Bay. The fascinating rock formations rising out of Halong Bay are incredible and seem to go on forever. Paddle around Cap La fishing village in a kayak, then continue cruising to Cong Do. From the boat, you can go for a swim or just relax and enjoy the sunset. Overnight on board.

Day 12: Cong Dam & Dinner in Thien Canh Son Cave

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breathtaking beauty of the bay. Have breakfast on board, then take a morning cruise to Cong Dam, amid the thousands of islands and islets. Have lunch on board before cruising to Hon Co Island for swimming or kayaking. Take time to relax in your cabin with beautiful views, before enjoying a deluxe dinner in Thien Canh Son Cave.

Day 13: Explore Bai Tu Long Bay & Return to Hanoi

Enjoy the fresh morning air and gentle breezes of Bai Tu Long Bay, especially gorgeous early in the day. Have breakfast on board before cruising further around the bay. Enjoy a rowboat ride with the locals, and go for a swim.

Check out from your cabin before lunch, which will be on board. Slowly cruise back to port, then depart by road for Hanoi. Stop en route for a water puppet show performed by local artists at a traditional Vietnamese village.

Day 14: Depart Hanoi

Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or stay in Hanoi for further exploration.

More Great 14-Day Vietnam Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Vietnam? Check out these other 14-day Vietnam itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.