In this article, we will share with you the places you cannot miss on a visit to Vietnam to get the best of this country in 15 days.
Vietnam is an incredible country, with unforgettable landscapes, a captivating culture rich in history, and delicious cuisine. This is how we can summarize this country.
We arrived in Vietnam through Laos, on a crazy bus trip that lasted more than 26 hours! We explored the country from north to south for 29 days and then headed to Cambodia.
During this period, we always used public transport and buses to travel.
In general, it is very easy to get around Vietnam; We always booked transport through 12go and it always went very well. We ate at street stalls, tried the local cuisine, and tried to do as many activities as possible at each destination.
Although we were in Vietnam for practically a month, we know that not everyone can vacation and travel for such a long period.
Therefore, today we are going to share with you a 15-day itinerary through Vietnam so that you can make the most of everything this country has to offer.
Disclaimer: In this article you will find some links to different travel's partners. They are all trustworthy and if you use some of them to book an experience or stay, for example, you are helping us maintaining the work we do on this project.
15 DAYS IN VIETNAM: ITINERARY
Hanoi - 2-3 days
We started this country in the capital, Hanoi. It’s a chaotic and intense city, with motorbikes everywhere, horns blaring, and food stalls with mini benches along the sidewalks…
Hanoi has a lot to offer and cannot, under any circumstances, be missing from your itinerary.
Don't forget to visit the Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Train Street, Dong Xuan Market, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, and Tran Quoc Pagoda.
About 1h30 from Hanoi is the incense village - Quang Phu Cau. If you have days available, we recommend you pay a visit.
Sapa - 2 days
We left Hanoi heading to Sapa, took an overnight bus, and, that same morning, we started a 2-day/1-night trek through the mountains of Sapa.
The landscapes are truly fascinating; we walked through the rice terraces and slept on the mountain with a local family.
The day we finished the trek, Inês was sick, so we returned that night to Hanoi, on a night bus.
Ha Long Bay - 2 days
We continued our journey to the place we most dreamed of visiting: Halong Bay.
We took a 3 day/2 night cruise with Indochina Junk, but if you don't have that many days, we recommend the one-night cruise.
This was one of the highlights of our trip; the landscape these days is breathtaking. The cruise conditions were incredible, it had everything included and several activities planned outside the boat. We had the opportunity to kayak in the middle of this paradise, completely alone, one of the 7 Nature Wonders of the World!
The round-trip transfer from Hanoi was included, so at the end of the tour, we returned to the capital and continued to the next destination.
Ninh Binh/Tam Coc - 2-3 days
We then arrived at Tam Coc, a small region surrounded by mountains. We loved the atmosphere of the town, very peaceful and with lots of activities to do!
This area is known as "Land's Ha Long Bay" for its natural beauty.
You can't miss the boat trip in Trang An, visit the Mua Caves and Bich Dong Pagoda. There are huge rice fields in the region; you can rent a bike and get lost among them.
You can also take a boat trip in Tam Coc, which offers a unique view of the limestone formations and rice fields that surround the region. It is on this tour that they drive with their feet, providing a unique and traditional experience.
Da Nang - 2 days
We took a night bus to Da Nang, which is located in the central region of Vietnam.
Da Nang has an airport, so if you don't want to take the night bus, you can choose to return to Hanoi and take a flight there.
Of all the places we were going to visit in Vietnam, Da Nang was the one we had the least expectations of, and we loved the city!
You have several activities to do during the day, such as visiting the Marble Mountains, going to the Ba Na Hills theme park, going to the Dragon Bridge, Lady Buddha, and the Con Market. At night, don't forget to visit the Night Market, which is very complete.
It was here that we went to the beach for the first time on the trip; My Khe beach is one of the most beautiful in the country where you can do various water activities.
Hoi An - 2 days
About 1 hour from Da Nang, you can't miss Hoi An, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The ancient city of Hoi An is the most visited destination in Vietnam! Its well-preserved architecture with Japanese, Chinese, and French influences, and the streets lit up with colorful lanterns make Hoi An the most romantic city in Vietnam!
You can't miss the historic center, the Japanese Bridge, Quan Cong Temple and Cổng chùa Bà Mụ. At night, have dinner at the Night Market and take a boat trip along the river.
Ho Chi Minh - 2-3 days
We ended our visit to Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, originally called Saigon. The city changed its name after the Vietnam War, in honor of the leader of the Communist Party, who was called Ho Chi Minh.
Here we visited the War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral (which was under construction in May 2023), the Central Post Office, and Ben Thanh Market.
Also, don't miss the Cu Chi tunnels, the boat trip along the Mekong, and the Reunification Palace.
More days available?
If you have more days available, we recommend that you visit Hue and Dalat.
Hue is a city full of history, where you can explore the Imperial City, Dong Ba market, and the abandoned water park.
Dalat was included in the itinerary at the last minute, to avoid such a long journey from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh. So, we chose Dalat as it was halfway there and we loved it!
It is a mountainous city with several activities to do. We visited Lumiere Dalat, Clay Tunnel, New Alpine Coaster, and Night Market.
This is our suggested itinerary for 15 days in Vietnam. As we already mentioned, the more days you have available, the better, so you don't miss anything.
We love Vietnam, it's a super complete country, with unforgettable landscapes, friendly people, and excellent cuisine.
We hope this article is useful in planning your trip to this incredible country and that you have an experience as positive as ours.
Kisses and see you soon.
Staying Connected
If you plan to visit Vietnam, don't forget that mobile data does not work outside the European Union!
The best solution to stay connected to the Internet is to buy an eSIM or a local SIM. This time we used a Local SIM, but in other travels, we bought an eSIM at Airalo, and it always worked well. Just have a phone compatible with eSIM and buy the card through the Airalo app. It's very easy!
Get Travel Insurance
It is essential to be prepared for any trip you take, especially outside of Europe. Unexpected events happen, and no one wants to come back from vacation with a huge hospital bill to pay. That's where travel insurance comes in, an indispensable ally to ensure tranquility and safety for your holidays.
IATI offers numerous types of travel insurance depending on your type of trip and various coverages. Moreover, by purchasing insurance through our link, you get a special 5% discount.
Don't let unforeseen events ruin your adventure!
Click here to get your discount.
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