Quick answer: 10-day Vietnam itinerary covering Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 through Day 10. Best months: November-April (dry north + south). Avoid May-October monsoon. December-January is peak in the north (cool and dry).. Total cost: US$700-1100 backpacker / US$1500-2200 mid-range / US$5000+ luxury per person. Excludes international flights..
Ten days is the sweet spot for Vietnam — 3 nights Hanoi + Halong Bay, 3 nights Hoi An, 3 nights Ho Chi Minh City + Mekong Delta. This itinerary uses internal flights (cheap on Vietnam Airlines/VietJet) instead of long sleeper trains. Built across 2 personal Vietnam trips.
Day-by-day breakdown
Day 1
Arrive Hanoi. Stay Old Quarter. Evening: bia hoi corner near Beer Junction. Easy first day adjusting to time zone.
Day 2
Hanoi essentials: Hoan Kiem Lake + Old Quarter walk + Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum + Temple of Literature. Evening: water puppet show + street food crawl.
Day 3
2-day/1-night Halong Bay cruise. Skip the budget boats (overcrowded). Mid-range: Indochina Sails or Paradise Cruises ($150-200/night). Book ahead.
Day 4
Return Halong Bay to Hanoi. Late afternoon flight Hanoi → Da Nang (1h20m). Drive to Hoi An (30 min).
Days 5-6
Hoi An magic: Day 1: Ancient Town walking + lantern night. Day 2: An Bang Beach + Hoi An cooking class. Custom tailoring (book 3+ days ahead for delivery).
Day 7
Day trip: My Son Sanctuary (UNESCO Cham temples) morning. Afternoon free in Hoi An. Or alternative: Marble Mountains + Da Nang beach.
Day 8
Fly Da Nang → Ho Chi Minh City (1h20m). Settle District 1. Walking tour: Notre Dame Saigon + Central Post Office + War Remnants Museum.
Day 9
Day trip: Cu Chi Tunnels (90 min from HCMC) or Mekong Delta full-day. Or stay in HCMC for District 3 cafe culture + Ben Thanh Market.
Day 10
Last day: Saigon coffee culture + last shopping. Departure from Tan Son Nhat airport.
What to book ahead
- Halong Bay cruise: Book 2-3 months ahead for premium boats. Mid-range: Indochina Sails ($150/night). Premium: Paradise Cruises or Au Co ($250+).
- Internal flights: VietJet, Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways — book online 30-60 days ahead for $30-60 flights.
- Hoi An tailoring: Allow 3-5 days from order to delivery. Yaly Couture, Bebe Tailor — both excellent.
- Hoi An cooking class: Red Bridge Cooking School or Morning Glory — book at least 1 week ahead for season.
A local insider tip
Skip the Cu Chi Tunnels full-day tour and visit the My Tho version of the Mekong Delta instead (closer to HCMC, less touristy, more authentic). Most tourists do Cu Chi half-day morning + Mekong half-day afternoon, when actually the Mekong full-day is more rewarding than the Cu Chi crowds.
Best time for this trip
November-April (dry north + south). Avoid May-October monsoon. December-January is peak in the north (cool and dry).
Two routing mistakes that quietly burn days in Vietnam
With only 10 days, the country’s 1,600 km north-to-south stretch punishes anyone who tries to add a stop. Two errors come up again and again.
- Doing Halong Bay as a day trip. The bay sits 2.5 to 3 hours by road from Hanoi each way, so a day tour gives you four to six hours of actual sailing wrapped in five to six hours of bus. A 2-day, 1-night cruise (commonly US$120 to US$250 per person) reaches quieter water, catches sunrise and sunset over the karsts, and costs you no extra calendar day because you sleep aboard.
- Hunting for a Hoi An airport. There is no airport in Hoi An. You fly into Da Nang, then it is a 30 km, 45-minute taxi or transfer south. Plan the flight as Hanoi to Da Nang, not Hanoi to Hoi An, or your driver booking will not line up.
Skip the temptation to bolt Sapa onto this loop. The overnight train or bus burns two of your ten nights, and the northern highlands deserve their own trip.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 days enough for Vietnam?
Yes for the classic 3-city trip. 14 days adds Sapa rice terraces or Phu Quoc beaches. 21 days for complete north-to-south overland.
How much does a 10-day Vietnam trip cost?
Backpacker: US$500-700. Mid-range: US$1500-2200. Luxury: US$5000+.
Best time to visit Vietnam?
November-April for dry season. Best month for all-country travel is March (warm but pre-summer).
Vietnam Airlines or VietJet for flights?
Both are reliable. Vietnam Airlines is slightly more comfortable + on-time. VietJet is cheaper but has more delays.
Is Vietnam safe?
Very safe for tourists. Pickpocketing in HCMC and Hanoi (in crowded areas). Otherwise low crime, friendly locals.
Plan your Vietnam trip
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.