How many days do you need in Vietnam? Perfect itineraries experts

How many days do you need in Vietnam - some people may wonder this when planning a trip to visit Vietnam. Despite being relatively small in size, Vietnam has so many spectacular attractions to offer North, Centre to South. Sao La Tours will reveal the perfect time to spend, where to visit and what to do in this beautiful Southeast Asian country according to your preferences.

How many days do you need in Vietnam?

If you go on a short tour for 4 - 5 days, the best option is to concentrate on the two major cities: Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, along with a natural wonder such as Ninh Binh or Halong Bay. To incorporate more destinations in your trip, we suggest staying in the country for a little longer. In 7 - 8 days tourists can get to see most of the highlights in Vietnam, among which Phu Quoc and Sapa.

Nevertheless, transferring one destination to another in such a short time can make your trip quite exhausting. Therefore it usually takes about 10 days or more to truly immerse yourself in the richness of nature, culture and history of Vietnam.

In short, the average timeframe to spend in Vietnam is at least 10 days. With this length of time, you can explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi, the yellow-green sea of terraced rice fields in Sapa or venture through the bays and islands along the southern and central coast.

Explore Vietnam in 5 days

If you only have 5 days at hand, it’s recommended to focus on the highlights of a single city/area or trek through the hill tribe villages in the mountainous north. The best solution is to go for a culture-and-adventure combined trip.

Option 1: First, spend a day or two in Hanoi to stroll along Hoan Kiem Lake, go shopping at Hang Gai street and pay a visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Next, board a sampan boat and cruise along the Red River Delta. Finally, enjoy a ride around Halong Bay and the Gulf of Tonkin on a sailboat.

Option 2: Discover the highlights of southern Vietnam by starting off in Ho Chi Minh City, visit Cu Chi tunnels and the Reunification Palace. Enjoy the scenic view while cruising along the Mekong River.

Option 3: Go on a hiking journey to explore Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

Explore Vietnam in 1 week

1 week is considered a good answer to the question: “How many days do you need in Vietnam''. A one-week trip can cover most of Vietnam’s highlights the northern mountainous to the beaches and highlands.

Option 1: A mix of both North and Centre of Vietnam. Stroll through the Old Quarter of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake and the Temple of the Jade Mountain. After an overnight stay at Halong Bay, head to the ancient town Hoi An.

Option 2: Explore the coast and highlands of Vietnam on a bicycle. Start off Da Lat down to Nha Trang. Hop on a train ride to reach Quy Nhon. Here tourists will pedal along the historical sites, green hills and dune peninsulas. Stop by a fresh fish market in Tam Ky and end your trip in Hoi An.

Option 3: Go off-the-beaten-track on motorbikes to tour around Hanoi. Then transfer to Dong Hoi to discover Phong Nha, DMZ and Hue Imperial City.

Explore Vietnam in 10 days

Ten days is a perfect timeframe to pack multiple regions of Vietnam in just a single trip. Here are some of the options for you to choose from:

Option 1: Experience all of the highlight attractions in Vietnam North to South. Get an in-depth look the 1000-year-old history of Hanoi. Then depart for Halong to explore the natural aspects and enjoy a water-puppet show. Visit Hue Imperial City and go on a city tour in Hoi An. Discover the major urban center which is Ho Chi Minh City. Take on a boat ride along the Mekong river.

Option 2: Exploring northern Vietnam always adds romantic aspects for a honeymoon trip. After visiting the highlights in Hanoi, the newlyweds transfer to Sapa for total relaxation and go for an exciting hiking experience through ethnic villages.

Option 3: If you’re traveling with family, the top destinations on your itinerary should be: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoian, Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta.

Hopefully the guide above is enough to answer your question: how many days do you need in Vietnam. In practical terms, there’s no fixed length and it all comes down to your preferences. If you want to hear good tips travel experts, feel free to contact Sao La Tours anytime you want. We’d be glad to plan out a perfect trip to Vietnam fully-customized just for you!