Two weeks itinerary in Vietnam

If you plan on spending around 10-15 days in Vietnam and want to make the most of it, here’s the best two weeks itinerary in Vietnam. 

From the beautiful Hoi An, to the Ha Long Bay, including the incredible Ha Giang Province and buzzling Hanoi, I’ll show you the ultimate circuit around the country. If you need a longer itinerary, I’ll also indicate which activities and sightseeing can be added when coming for a few more days.

I also made an article about everything to know before coming to Vietnam.

Moving on to this itinerary !

• Day One : Discover Hoi An
• Day Two : Explore Hoi An surroundings
• Day Three : Motorbike tour to Hue with Le Family Riders
• Day Four : Visit of Hue
• Day Five : Discover Ninh Binh and surroundings
• Day Six : Explore Tam Coc
• Day Seven : Enjoy a calmer day in the ricefields of Pu Luong
• Day Eight : Explore Hanoi
• Day Nine to Eleven : Head to Ha Giang Province for a three days motorbike tour 
• Day Twelve and Thirteen : Cruise on Ha Long and Lan Ha Bays

Note : We decided to skip Sapa and Mu Can Chai District which have breathtaking terrace ricefields, because we went in Vietnam in April and it’s not rice season in those regions. This is also why we went to Pu Luong instead.

Day One – Hoi An

We started of the day at Chùa Chúc Thánh, a Buddhist temple away from the center of Hanoi. We were there around 9am and the place was empty, no tourists, very serene and very peaceful, definitely worth a visit.

Fee : Entry is free, but the man looking after this place will encourage you to give a little something.

Opening hours : open 24/7

We then visited the tailor’s district and chose to stop by Thanh Design to get some custom made clothes. The ladies were lovely, the whole process was enjoyable, we didn’t feel rushed or pushed to buy things. You get to choose the design, the fabric, the colours or pattern, the measurements, everything ! Note that if you try to negotiate the price, you will just get cheaper materials for your clothes so it’s not worth it. For the record, we got linen pants, a linen shirt and a long dress, everything turned out perfect, even after many wash. So I can only recommend this tailor shop 100% !

We walked by Chùa Pháp Bảo, another beautiful Buddhist temple :

Fee : free entrance

Opening hours : open 24/7

In the morning, talk a walk along the Thu Bon River, you will see many beautiful boats cruising on the water :

At the end of the day, you will see all tuk-tuk drivers closing shops and resting along the river :

Before visiting the other places of interest, you will have to make a pit stop to the Tourist Guiding Office to get a ticket allowing to visit 5 sites among a hefty list for 120.000 VND (4,3€). Those 5 entry tickets are valid for 24 hours, so if you don’t plan on visiting the traditional houses or temples you don’t need the ticket, it is not a ticket to enter the old town (some signs will falsely imply that).

We chose to visit :

• Old House of Tan Ky : Built in 1741, it is one of the rarest houses that is a UNESCO world heritage site. The house was badly damaged by many floods throughout the years and is now a “living museum” and a witness of the unique architecture of ancient Hoi An.

• Hoi Quan Phuoc Kien : The Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation was built in the 1690s, and is now devoted to worship a Chinese sea goddess. The exterior is really unique and stunning :

• Hội quán Triều Châu : Also known as the “Chaozhou Assembly Hall”, it was constructed in 1845. Its traditional architecture and peaceful atmosphere are really enjoyable.

• Hội quán Quảng Đông : This Cantonese Assembly Hall is a significant relic of the late 18th century.

• Museum of Folk Culture : We went to the Folk Performing Arts show. You will have the chance to see Thien Cau dance (a special mascot dance), as well as the singing Ba Dao (a popular folk performance of Hoi An fishermen) and Bai Choi (a popular folk game where each card has its lyrics to express and performed). Because there were not any more seats available when we got there, they didn’t took our last ticket..which means we got to visit another temple !

• Quan Cong Temple : This temple established in 1653 by Chinese immigrants in Hoi An is a place of worship devoted to an esteemed Chinese military general.

If you are visiting Hoi An, the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum is worth the detour. The famous photograph Rehanh created this museum to honour and remember the 54 Vietnamese minorities. You will see their traditional outfits and beautiful pictures. It is a great place to learn more about the history of those minorities, plus it’s free.

Those two markets are a nice addition to you visit of the old town. From lanterns to fresh fruits including clothes, you’ll find everything you can think of and more !

To end the day, walk along the Thu Bon River and admire the spectacle of hundreds of small lantern-lit barques cruising the river :

Make sure to also walk by the night market stalls to see the beautiful handcrafted lanterns :

Across Hoi An bridge there’s a night market all along the river, making the area very lively and the place to be. Get a fresh beer or a smoothie in a local bar, try some street food and wander on the main street. This is the best way to enjoy the last hours of the day, plus you are facing the thousands lanterns on the river !

For a Vietnamese coffee or a tea, I would suggest either :

• Reaching out tea house : a quiet and tastefully decorated tea house held by hearing impaired staff. They serve great tea and biscuit in a silent yet welcoming house.

• Hoi An Roastery : lovely place, very calm, nicely decorated and great coffee !

For lunch and dinner here are the best places we tried and would recommend :

• Banh Mi Phuong : the best Banh Mi we had during our entire trip. Fresh ingredients, everything was well balanced and the bread was perfect. Their Cao Lau noodles was also very tasty.

• Hoi An Cuisine street food : an amazing discovery ! They make a combo platter to try many specialties, but you can also get fewer plates from the menu. Everything was well presented and absolutely delicious.

• Vy’s Market Restaurant : this is kind of an elevated food court in a beautiful location. Everything we tried tasted so good, so fresh, so much flavours, I would love to come back there !

if you have more time in Hoi An, you can attend a lantern making class, it’s a fun activity plus you get to bring back a souvenir you made from scratch :

Day Two – Hoi An surroundings

Start your day by driving through the ricefields in direction of Lò gạch cũ cầu tre. This little tower in the middle of the ricefields is your destination point but the drive to get there is even better :

Don’t be afraid to get lost on the little roads in the ricefields, you will find the main road again easily and you’ll see some amazing landscapes.

After a lunch break in Hoi An, you can head to the ricefields in the North-East (here are the coordinates : 15°53’08.7″N 108°20’30.2″E).

You can keep going towards Cam Thanh Rice Fields, driving alongside de river to see the coconut rowing boats (for example you can put this address as a middle stop : 15°53’23.1″N 108°21’17.3″E) :

And what better way to end the day that being the sunset and fishermen on the beach ? You can head to ”Hidden Beach” Hoi An or An Bang Beach.

Around 5pm, you will also see many locals preparing a little feast on the beach.

Day Three – Hoi An to Hue in motorbike tour

After two whole days in Hoi An it was time to get to our second destination : Hue, the old imperial city.

To get there you can take a train, a bus or even take a motorbike tour. We chose this last option because it allowed us to visit other sites on the way.

I have made a detailed article here regarding our motorbike tour from Hoi An to Hue with Le Family Riders, but in a nutshell : it is absolutely worth doing the route this way.

We visited the Marble Mountains :

Stopped at many amazing viewpoints and had a fantastic seafood lunch by the beach :

Swam in a waterfall and drove by amazing ricefields :

And we ended the day by visiting a fishermen village :

Day Four – Hue

Start early with a visit of the Imperial City. It’s huge and will take at least 2 and half hours to see the majority of the sites. But more importantly it can be really hot in Hue and there’s no shadow whatsoever on the site.

The Imperial City was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It contains the palaces that housed the imperial family, as well as shrines, gardens, and villas for mandarins.

Fee : 200 000 VND per adult (7,3€), but you can get combo tickets for visiting the Emperor’s tombs. We chose the combo number 4 below which included the imperial city and the 3 major tombs, for 530 000 VND or 19€.

Opening hours : everyday from 7:30am to 5pm

Right outside the imperial city is the Dong Ba Market. In this huge indoor market, you’ll find everything from food to clothes. Beware of the strong smell, which can be explained by the fact that most Hue’s specialties are based on dried shrimps.

After a lunch break, head to the southernmost site: Minh Mạng Tomb. It is peaceful lakeside temple complex built around the highly decorated mausoleum of the 19th-century emperor, Minh Mang.

Fee : included in the Imperial city combo ticket at 530000 VND.

Opening hours : everyday from 7:30am to 5pm

While heading to the next tomb, you can make a pit stop halfway to see the Standing Buddha Temple.

Fee : free

Opening hours : always open

The tomb of Khai Dinh, the twelfth Emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty of Vietnam was completed in 1931 after 11 years of construction. The tomb became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 as part of the Complex of Hué Monuments.

Fee : included in the Imperial city combo ticket at 530000 VND.

Opening hours : everyday from 7am to 5:30pm

On the way back to Hue is Hồ Thuỷ Tiên, an abandoned water park. Opened in 2004, it closed very quickly after and never reopened since. It is famous for its dragon attraction and gloomy atmosphere, the rest of the park is in fairly bad conditions.

Fee : some “security agents” will ask you money to enter the complex, personally we only paid 20000 VND (0,7€) for 2 bottles of water to the lady that was watching the parking lot.

Opening hours : it is always open, apparently if you go really early the guards won’t be there, but try to go around 4-5pm for the sunset, the lighting makes the place nicer.

10 minutes from the water park is Vong Canh Hill, a wonderful place to watch the sunset. Plus, you will get to drive through some ricefields and beautiful landscapes to get there :

Fee : free, but if you park right in front of the beginning of the path, you will have pay a small fee for the parking. If you park further away it will be free, but we didn’t mind having to pay a few cents to have someone looking after the motorbike.

Final site included in the combo ticket : Tu Duc tomb. It was built for the Nguyen Emperor Tu Duc, from 1864 to 1867.

Fee : included in the Imperial city combo ticket at 530000 VND.

Opening hours : everyday from 7am to 5:30pm

Final stop of the day : Thuy Xuan Incense-making Village. We just passed though honestly because it was mainly shops and we didn’t saw/learned much of the incense-making process, but it is beautiful nonetheless, and it’s on the way back to Hue anyway !

Visiting Hue by night is a nice way to end the day.

First of, head to Madam Thu, an amazing restaurant where you’ll get to try many of Hue’s specialties. It was the best restaurant we ate at during our entire stay in Vietnam.

Then you can walk along the Cầu Đi Bộ Gỗ Lim, a wooden bridge alongside the Perfume River. There’s also the Loi Park which is nice to see by night.

After that we hopped on a sleeping bus to get to our next destination : Ninh Binh.

Day Five – Ninh Binh

First of all, if you are staying in Ninh Binh / Tam Coc, I cannot recommend enough staying at Tam Coc Windy Fields. The surroundings are breathtaking, the room was amazing and the food at breakfast and lunch was simply delicious. We even did our laundry there and it came out perfect, plus the hosts are very kind and helpful. We rented a motorbike for two days at at reasonable price, and they even booked a cab for us to get to our next destination

Head to Trang An boat departure to start of the day with a 3 hours boat tour on the beautiful Ha Long Bay on land.

We chose to take the Route number 3 as it seemed the most diverse, and we were not disappointed ! You will pass through many caves, stop to see some temples, all by being surrounded by an incredible scenery.

Fee : 250 000 VND per person or 9€ for 3 hours

Opening hours : everyday from 7am to 5pm

We decided to have lunch at Nhà hàng Phố Xưa Ninh Bình, because we needed to enjoy a last time the landscapes. It was really good and cheap, plus the service was fast as well, I can only recommend this restaurant !

A 10 minute drive will take to the beautiful Tuyệt Tịnh Cốc. You can walk around this lovely lake surrounded by mountains. It is a 2km loop, and you even visit a temple uphill which also offers a nice viewpoint. There is as well a temple built within a cave, it has a very peaceful and calm atmosphere.

Fee : 50 000 VND or 1,8€

Opening hours : everyday from 8am to 6pm

A few minutes from this lake is Hoa Lu, the ancient capital, dating from the 10th century, with many temples and fortress ruins.

Make sure to do the little walk uphill to get the view of the site. My tip would be to visit this place with a guide because there are no explanations at all of this important place.

Fee : 20 000 VND per person or 0,7€

Opening hours : everyday from 7am to 5pm

Bai Dinh Pagoda is renowned as one of the biggest temples in Southeast Asia and the largest temple in Vietnam today.

In the early 2000s some major construction were made to the site to transform it into one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes. So everything you see today at Bai Dinh, apart from the Ancient Pagoda, is new. 

Because it’s new and so big, there’s not the same atmosphere when you visit it, it lacks history but I would still recommend to go there, at night preferably because it’s much more beautiful when all the lights are on.

Fee : Entry is technically free but because the complex is so vast, and a few kilometers from the entrance, you will need to take a shuttle to get to the site. You can even get a shuttle from a temple to the other.

The option with the shuttle to the entrance and back plus the visit to the top of the pagoda was 100 000 VND per person (3,6€), which is what we took.

It’s only 60 000 VND if you don’t plan on getting to the top of the pagoda, but I would say it’s worth it for the view.

Opening hours : everyday from 6am to 10pm (we went from 5 to 7pm so see both by day and by night and it was the best decision).

Final destination of the day : Phố Cổ Hoa Lư. This is the ancient city of Hoa Lu, which lights up at night : the Tu An tower located in the middle of Lake Ky Lan is ten times more beaiutiful than by day, there are lanterns everywhere and murals with phosphorescent paint.

Fee : free

Opening hours : everyday from 6:45am to 11pm

Day Six – Tam Coc

Start of this day in Tam Coc with a short but intense hike : climbing the 500+ stairs to get to Hang Mua viwpoint is definitely worth it !

After climbing 300 steps, you can decided to take the path up to the dragon head (see picture 2 below), or to the little pagoda (see picture 1 below). If you do the hike, try to go see both viewpoints as they offer a different view.

When coming back down, you will see the cave, which has nothing interesting to be honest. However, there’s a little wooden ponton over a lily pond that makes for a pleasant little stroll.

Fee : 100 000 VND per person (or 3,6€)

Opening hours : 6am to 7pm (I wouldn’t recommend going for sunrise or sunset as it can get crowded at those times, and honestly the path can get even more dangerous when there’s too much people).

Nestled in the mountains, the Bich Dong Pagoda (“green pearl” pagoda), housed in a beautiful cave, was originally constructed in 1428. In 1705, this pagoda has been re-constructed into three levels by two buddhist monks.

Fee : entrance is free, we just paid 20 000 VND (0,7€) for parking the motorbike.

Opening hours : information vary, but between 8am to 5pm should definitely be open. We were there around 10:30-11am.

Located a few minutes from the pagoda, the Buffalo Cave is owned by a farmer’s family that offers tourists the possibility to learn more about the agricultural background in rural Vietnam.

You can discover the cave, bathe in the small waterfall, walk along the ricefields, learn how to plant rice (depending on the season) or to fish by rod, and also feed the baby ducks and the buffalo. You can even book a cooking class or a tour or the region.

But even better than the activities is the enchanting location and views that this place offers :

Fee : 75 000 VND per person (or 2,7€)

Opening hours : everyday from 9am to 6pm

After this, it was time for us to head to Pu Luong to discover the terrace ricefields, but if you plan on spending more time in Ninh Binh and Tam Coc, here are some places you can visit :

• Thung Nham Bird Valley
• Cuc Phuong National Park
• Tam Coc boat tour

Day Seven – Pu Luong

Time to wander in the beautiful terrace ricefields of Pu Luong !

If you are looking for a hotel in the village, we stayed at Pu Luong Ecolodge and the location was perfect :

I suggest renting a scooter at your hotel and start exploring.

I don’t have location names but a series of coordinates that will take you the most amazing spots and viewpoints :

Here is the detailed itinerary from Pu Luong village where all the hotels are, just copy-paste the coordinates in Google Maps in that order :

• 20°26’56.3″N 105°09’21.0″E
• 20°26’50.9″N 105°09’28.3″E
• 20°24’47.5″N 105°11’13.3″E
• 20°26’27.4″N 105°10’58.5″E
• 20°28’59.3″N 105°08’00.2″E
• 20°28’15.6″N 105°07’20.6″E (Google Maps won’t link the previous spot to this one but there is indeed a road which takes 5-10 minutes to reach this point to the other)
• 20°27’54.3″N 105°07’36.1″E

At the end of the day, we took a minivan to Hanoi (booked by the hotel), it took approximately 4 hours.

Day Eight – Hanoi

Alright, so first day in the bustling city of Hanoi !

Start of by the Temple of Literature. This temple built in 1070 is dedicated to the Chinese philosopher Confucius.

This is the first university complex in Vietnam and is also where many students come to pray for luck in their upcoming exams and studies.

Fee : 70 000 VND per person (2,5€)

Opening hours : everyday from 8am to 5pm

Next up is Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it in the top 5 of things to do in Hanoi, but it’s on the way to the Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Plus you will not enter any monument, just walking by the huge mausoleum (see picture 1 down below).

Now before walking by, make sure to wear appropriate clothes or you will be denied entry. You have to cover your shoulders, knees and chest, and this is worth for both men and women.

Fee : free

Opening hours : everyday from 7am to 5pm

Right next to the mausoleum is the Presidential Palace, office and residence of Vietnam’s president and vice president. Even though the 1900s French Colonial palace is closed to tourists, the house of Ho Chi Minh and adjacent grounds are open to visitors (see 2nd photo below).

Fee : 40 000 VND per person (1,4€)

Opening hours : Monday to Friday, from 7am to 4pm

Still on your way to Tran Quoc Pagoda is the Quan Thanh Temple. This Taoist temple built in 1010 and renovated seven times, facing north, is one of four sacred temples built at each cardinal point to protect the capital (see 3rd picture below).

Fee : 10 000 VND per person (0,3€)

Opening hours : everyday from 8am to 5pm

Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi. This Buddhist center was built in 541, on a small peninsula.

You will get to read there many illustrations of the Law of Karma :

Fee : free

Opening hours : everyday from 7:30am to 11:30am, then from 1:30pm to 5:30 pm

Make sure to take P. Phan Đình Phùng street to get to the Citadel from the Pagoda. This is a calm street with a lot of crooked trees, which is a nice sight in this busy (and heavily polluted) city.

The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was built in 1010 on the foundation of a Chinese fortress dating back to the 7th century.

It is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Fee : 70 000 VND per person (2,5€)

Opening hours : everyday from 8am to 5pm

Time to finally visit the old quarter !

Start of by a delicious Pho at Pho Khoi Hoi and take a digestive stroll in the Murals street nearby :

Then you can head to the Heritage House at No.87 Ma May Street. This house built in the 19th century serves as a witness of the typical architecture and traditional lifestyle in Hanoi from the old times.

Ma May Street is home to many of the city’s oldest houses. Right after passing the old wooden door, you step into a quiet space, totally secluded from the bustling center.

Fee : 10 000 VND per person (0,3€)

Opening hours : everyday from 8:30am to 5pm, and from 7:30pm to 10pm as well on Saturday and Sunday.

After you can head to Hoan Kiem Lake, and have a walk around the lake. You will see a small temple, Ngoc Son Temple, in the middle of the lake.

Close to the lake is the St. Joseph Cathedral, a catholic church built in the 19th century. It is the oldest church in Hanoi.

Fee : free

Opening hours : everyday from 8am to 11am , then from 2pm to 5pm

Take a break at the Loading T café which is close by. They make wonderful Vietnamese coffee and the calm atmosphere makes you forget you are in downtown Hanoi.

End your afternoon at the famous train street. We preferred to come when the train is not passing by, that way you are allowed to walk on the railway and it is a more authentic atmosphere.

However, if you plan on staying to see the train pass, sit at a coffee or restaurant and order something, and most importantly listen to the owner when they give you instructions on how to sit and behave when the train arrives.

There are many great places to eat in Hanoi, we loved Bánh Cuốn Quang An which serves Banh Cuon (Vietnamese rice rolls filled with pork mince, egg, mushrooms or vegetables). This is a Hanoi specialty and you won’t regret it, it is simply delicious !

You can also head to Banh Mi 25 or Banh Mi Hoi An for a traditional Banh Mi.

For a night stroll, head to Pub Street and Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square (the nighttime gathering square with many street vendors and night market).

Wander along the Hoan Kiem Lake and try the absolute best light and fluffy sweet buns at King Roti – Hang Gai.

If you have more time in Hanoi, here’s a list of additional places to check out :

Day Nine to Eleven – Ha Giang

After a few hours in a sleeping bus from Hanoi, you will arrive in Ha Giang City, departure point for the mythical Ha Giang motorbike loop in the mountain roads of Ha Giang Province.

Ha Giang Province is a mountainous region with unique and unmatched landscapes in the extreme north of Vietnam. The typical (and most exciting) way to discover this beautiful region is by doing a three or four days motorbike loop on the legendary roads of Ha Giang.

I have made a detailed article regarding our three days Ha Giang loop, you can read it here.

Basically it will explain how to book your sleeping bus, how to book a tour (private or group tour), and what to expect from this three days loop.

Here’s approximately how the trip will break down : 

• Day One : Ha Giang – Yen Minh – 100km
• Day Two : Yen Minh – Dong Van – 70km
• Day Three : Dong Van – Ha Giang 150km

The loop can be done both ways, we started towards Yen Minh but as many people did it the other way around.

Lunch and dinner will be taken care of every day, and you will definitely have a feast each time !

In addition to spending three days marvelling at the incredible scenery, we learned a lot about Hmong culture and Vietnamese traditions, and tasted many specialities.

In a few words : definitely an unforgettable experience, unique landscapes and perfect organisation thanks to our guide and organizer.

Day Twelve and Thirteen – Ha Long Bay

To end perfectly your trip to Vietnam, book a cruise on Ha Long Bay, a natural wonder of the world.

We had the chance to have the best experience possible for our two days cruise on Ha Long and Lan Ha Bays, I wrote a detailed article here.

I explain how to book and what to expect from a 2 days 1 night cruise, which is the best way to experience Ha Long Bay. A day cruise will be cheaper but you won’t get to experience a sunrise, a sunset, a night on a boat, and 2 nights would be a lot on a 15 days itinerary.

We booked with Sunlight Cruise, and got an amazing cabin, did some kayaking, squid fishing, took a cooking class, visited a fishermen village and had fantastic meals on board ! The landscapes are truly stunning and you even get to enjoy the views from your bed and shower !

And that wraps up my two weeks itinerary in Vietnam !

It was truly a magical and wonderful trip, in two weeks you get a really good feel of the North and Center of the country and can do a lot ! If you plan one going there three weeks or more, it’s totally possible to add the South of Vietnam to your itinerary and even more steps in the North such as Sapa, Mu Can Chai, Huang Su Phi or even Phong Nha National Park.

If you need a personalized itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll find you the best accommodations, flights and itinerary !