Ten days are a very short period of time for a journey to Vietnam. Even if transfers have become shorter and more comfortable, distances still pose a challenge and require careful planning.
While it is possible to organise 10-day itineraries between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, choosing to focus on a smaller region can be a more reasonable approach.
In this page we briefly outline a selection of ten-day itineraries in Vietnam. For each programme we give suggestions on how to organise the transfers.
Ten days in Vietnam: choice of the itinerary
Most people want to see both the north and the south. The two regions are quite different in many aspects such as habits, customs, way of living, manners, climate, landscapes and so on. If you can stay in Vietnam for only 10 days you can indeed visit both the north and the south but with very few intermediate stops and short side trips.
For a 10-day journey we suggest you organise your itinerary around the following destinations:
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Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, a fascinating city that combines well-preserved cultural heritage, historic sites, numerous museums and few traditional neighbourhoods. What makes Hanoi so inspiring is its distinctive atmosphere which derives from a harmonic mix of traditional and modern lifestyle. Hanoi is the gateway of Northern Vietnam and an excellent base to explore the region. Major destinations that can easily be reached from Hanoi are Ha Long Bay (3 hours), Sa Pa (7 hours), Ha Giang (7-8 hours).
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Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Sai Gon - Gia Dinh, the largest city, a busy, chaotic, gigantic sprawl, where laziness and frenzy are deeply intertwined. This city offers a unique number of sites that give insight into the most recent history of the country, particularly the Indochina Wars. Ho Chi Minh City is the gateway of Southern Vietnam and an excellent base to explore the region. Major destinations that can easily be reached from Ho Chi Minh City are the Mekong Delta (My Tho, Ben Tre, Can Tho, in 2-4 hours), Mui Ne (4-5 hours), Phu Quoc (less than 2 hours, by air).
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Hue, former capital during the rule of the Nguyen Dynasty, the city still preserves an important number of historic sites, notable for their beauty, architecture, artistic value and historical significance;
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Hoi An, the most picturesque of all cities in Vietnam with arguably the most beautiful historic centre. The small town is set amid a tranquil countryside context next to the sea. The city invites to long, serene stays and slow travelling. Nearby are Da Nang, the largest city in central Vietnam, famous for its beaches, and My Son Sanctuary, a major religious and archaeological site.
All of the itineraries outlined below can easily be organised independently. Resorting to the support of a travel agency can make things easier and smoother and is practically a necessity when it comes to organising the side trips.
Ten days in Vietnam: recommended itineraries
Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City are the major destination for a 10-day itinerary in Vietnam.
We suggest you focus your journey on three main destinations, devoting an entire week, 7 days to them. The remaining 2-3 days can be used for side-trips.
You should take into account that transfers between Hanoi, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City can take up to two half days. Travelling by plane offers the most convenient transfer options. Night trains are usually cheaper but less comfortable. We recommend using the train only for the Hue-Hanoi leg.
If you are on a budget and you are comfortable with such a tough way of travelling, you can opt for night transfers by bus. This will allow you to save money but for such a short journey it would be better to focus on time saving.
Here are the itineraries we recommend for a 10-day journey in Vietnam:
Itinerary 1: Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay;
Itinerary 2: Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Sa Pa, Ha Long Bay;
Itinerary 3: Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, Hoi An;
We assume that Tan Son Nhat Airport (in Ho Chi Minh City) is the point of arrival and departure. Another option is to enter and exit the country through Noi Bai Airport (near Hanoi).
If you travel from Asia you may also consider other points of entry such as the airports of Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Nha Trang.
Itinerary 1: Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi
Though theoretically feasible, organising a 10-day journey that includes all the four main destinations mentioned above is not advisable because it would impose too strict constraints and a fast-paced schedule.
Nevertheless if you choose this route, a possible schedule is the following:
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Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City
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Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City (day trip to Mekong Delta or Cu Chi)
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Day 3: transfer to Hoi An; first visit to the city centre
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Day 4: Hoi An
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Day 5: Hoi An; excursions (to My Son Sanctuary or Cham Islands)
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Day 6: transfer to Hue by bus or car. Possible stops at Da Nang, Son Tra Peninsula, Lang Co; arrival in Hue in the evening
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Day 7: Hue; night train to Hanoi (or late evening flight)
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Day 8: Hanoi
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Day 9: Ha Long Bay
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Day 10: Hanoi
As already said, time is very limited for such an ambitious plan and limitations are numerous, the most significant one being the inability to plan satisfying reasonably long day trips. With such a plan you are most likely limited to day trips to Ha Long Bay and a locality in the Mekong Delta. If you with to prolong your stays you inevitably have to delete either the visit to Hue or Hoi An.
With such a schedule it is impossible to see the mountains.
How to organise the transfers
If you choose a round trip flight itinerary (entry and exit through the same airport, typically Ho Chi Minh City airport), you have to include a long transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City:
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Ho Chi Minh City-Hoi An (via Da Nang by plane and by taxi or bus)
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Hoi An-Hue (by bus or taxi)
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Hue-Hanoi (by night train or plane)
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Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City (by plane)
Itinerary 2: Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Sa Pa, Ha Long Bay
The second itinerary follows our suggestion and focuses on a more restricted area, i.e. the centre and the north of the country.
A possible route between Hoi An and Hanoi follows the schedule below:
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Day 1: arrival in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to Hoi An; first visit to the city centre
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Day 2: Hoi An
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Day 3: Hoi An; excursions (to My Son Sanctuary or Cham Islands)
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Day 4: transfer to Hue by bus or car. Possible stops at Da Nang, Son Tra Peninsula, Lang Co; arrival in Hue in the evening
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Day 5: Hue; night train to Hanoi (or late evening flight)
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Day 6: Hanoi
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Day 7: Sa Pa
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Day 8: Sa Pa, night transfer to Ha Long
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Day 9: Ha Long Bay
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Day 10: Ha Long Bay, return to Hanoi, end of the journey
This programme includes a short visit to Sa Pa. The time is very limited and the most reasonable option is to have the whole trip organised by a local agency that will also take care of making sure the return matches the schedule of cruise in the Ha Long Bay. Some operators offer combo packages (Sa Pa - Ha Long Bay).
How to organise the transfers
If you choose a round trip flight itinerary (entry and exit through the same airport, typically Ho Chi Minh City airport), you have to include a long transfer from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City:
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Ho Chi Minh City-Hoi An (via Da Nang by plane and by taxi or bus)
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Hoi An-Hue (by bus or taxi)
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Hue-Hanoi (by night train or plane)
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Hanoi - Sa Pa - Ha Long Bay (by bus or minivan, organised by a travel agency)
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Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City (by plane)
Itinerary 3: Southern Vietnam
The third itinerary is restricted to the south. As such, it is probably the best option for those who visit Vietnam in winter and are not comfortable with cold weather. Furthermore, in this season you can enjoy the sea in the southern regions.
A possible programme is the following:
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Day 1: arrival in Ho Chi Minh City; first visit to the city centre
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Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City
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Day 3: Ben Tre; transfer to Can Tho
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Day 4: Can Tho
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Day 5: transfer to Phu Quoc
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Day 6: Phu Quoc
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Day 7: Phu Quoc
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Day 8: Phu Quoc
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Day 9: Ha Tien
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Day 10: Chau Doc, return to Ho Chi Minh City, end of the journey
There are many other variants:
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Mui Ne, another major seaside destination, along the coast between Vung Tau and Nha Trang. You can include a visit to Mui Ne as part of an itinerary between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat. The latter is a popular travel destination, mostly appreciated by locals for its mountain landscape and enjoyable climate;
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Cambodia; you can combine this itinerary with a journey to Cambodia. If you plan to do so, you can cross the border at Chau Doc and reach Phnom Penh either by coach or by boat.
How to organise the transfers
In general you can easily get around by bus in the whole southern region. You can reach Phu Quoc easily by plan from Ho Chi Minh City.
Related articles:
Itineraries in Vietnam (general article) | 7 days
First journey to Vietnam: classic two-week itinerary
