Vietnam itineraries | Three food and travel routes

Ten days from Hanoi to Saigon

Three bases, with time for breakfast in each. Leave the islands for another trip unless you can add days.

Days 1–3 · Hanoi · Start with phở or bánh cuốn and a walk around Hoàn Kiếm. Keep one morning free for the Temple of Literature or a cooking class.
Day 4 · Ninh Bình · Choose one boat route and a proper lunch. If you prefer the countryside at dusk, stay overnight and trim the next stop instead.
Days 5–7 · Đà Nẵng and Hội An · Make the transfer your only fixed plan on day five. Give Hội An one full day, then use the spare day for the beach or a market meal in Đà Nẵng.
Days 8–10 · Ho Chi Minh City · Pair a central-city afternoon with a street-food evening. Go to Chợ Lớn on a different morning and keep departure day free.

Base yourself by the beach for morning walks, or in Hội An if you want to step out for dinner after dark.

Day 1 · River to beach · Start with mì Quảng and the Museum of Cham Sculpture. Head toward Mỹ Khê when you are ready for a break.
Day 2 · Old Town · Try cao lầu at lunch and leave the afternoon for the old lanes. If the weather turns, ask about an indoor lantern workshop.
Day 3 · Keep it open · Use the morning for whichever you missed: the beach, the market, or another coffee. Allow a separate buffer for the airport.

Start with fish-cake noodles by the coast and finish with hot pot in the hills.

Days 1–2 · Nha Trang · Spend one day around the city and the towers. Decide about an island trip only after checking sea conditions.
Day 3 · Up to the highlands · Keep the road transfer as the main plan. Pack a warm layer where you can reach it, then try the market when you arrive.
Days 4–5 · Đà Lạt · Walk by the lake, set aside a long coffee stop and share a chicken hot pot. Keep the last afternoon free for the return journey.

Sa Pa · Add two nights from Hanoi for a valley walk and a meal at a homestay.
Huế · Spend two nights for the Imperial City and a food tradition of its own.
Quy Nhơn · Choose it over a second beach resort stop if you want fish noodles and a coastal walk.
Cần Thơ · Sleep in the Delta instead of setting out from Saigon before dawn.

Build in time for transfers. Check schedules and cancellation terms with the operator for your date.