3 week itinerary: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

A 3 week itinerary for travelling Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh.

As a newly retired couple we thought we’d try something a bit different to our usual 2 weeks of splodging on a beach with maybe a trip or two.

Armed with a guidebook and access to the internet, I happily sat and planned our route, booking accommodatIon and transfers as I went.

Map of Vietnam
Map of Vietnam

Being the first time doing this I wanted to be sure we had places to stay. So below is the route we took and my thoughts on what we could do differently.

We flew into Hanoi and arrived early evening. So once we checked in at the hotel – pickup arranged by the hotel – and dumped the rucksacks, we took off for Beer St.

Beer st
Beer St

First full day we did a walking tour of the main sites, the guide we had was recommended on a Facebook page and was very good. Her price was the same for both of us as it would have been for one person on Get Your Guide or similar. She tailored the tour to what you wanted to see and where you could get to in the 4 hours.

St Joseph Cathedral
St Joseph Cathedral
Egg coffee
Egg Coffee
B52 lake
B52 lake

The afternoon we just mooched a bit more and changed some money. Top tip, use the gold shops and make sure your notes are in good condition.

In the evening we went back to Beer St again. Such a great place for people watching.

Day 2 was an early start for a trip to Lan Ha Bay, the slightly less busy sister to Ha Long Bay. This was a full day trip starting at 6am and we got back to the hotel approx 6pm.

I was a bit disappointed, maybe because of all the beautiful pics I had seen on the internet or because the weather was a bit cool and dull, but I was not as blown away as I thought I’d be.

Lan Ha Bay
Lan Ha bay

Day 3 we did the incense and conical hat village tour and Train St in the evening. The incense village is exactly how you see it on Instagram. The conical hat village was a bit more interesting, watching the ladies make the hats.
Train St can be a bit hectic. We were met by a gaggle of people wanting to take us to their bar. I can imagine that right before a train comes it would be even crazier. Top tip, you can go the opposite way down the tracks to a much quieter part, less bars but still some with better views of the trains.

Incense village
Incense village
Train st
Train st
Train st
Train st

Day 4 was a travel day.
We got a minivan to Tam Coc in Nimh Binh. We arrived around lunchtime so grabbed a quick snack and had a wander around the lake watching the foot rowing that the area is famous for.

Then we walked approx 45 mins to the Bich Dong pagoda and spent an hour or so exploring the different levels there.

Bich Dong Pagoda
Bich Dong Pagoda

Day 5 we went to Hang Mua cave and viewpoint. The cave is nothing special but the viewpoint is what everyone goes for. Even on a dull day it’s worth climbing the 500 steps to the top

Hang Mua views
Hang Mua views

Day 6 travel day again, this time by train. Although it was a morning train, it had come from Hanoi or even further up north so was a sleeper train.

On reflection I would have liked another day here in Tam Coc to explore the Trang An area and take a boat trip.

The train dropped us off in Hue at around 8pm, so it was a quick taxi to the hotel and out to grab some food in the local area.

Day 9 we took a hop on/off bus to the Imperial Citadel which you could easily spend all day at, it is large. We also got off at the Tu Doc Tomb, again this was quite a large area and you would need a good couple of hours to enjoy it properly.

Imperial Citadel
Imperial Citadel
Tu Doc tomb
Tu Doc tomb

Hue was another place I could have added an extra day or 2.

Day 10 travel to Hoi An via minivan. Sadly we did not go via the Hai Van pass but if you arrange a different transfer you could do this. (We had been on the Pass a few years ago)

Day 11 to 13 were spent in Hoi An.
We spent a day at Bang An beach, and the other day was walking around the Old Town, mooching the market and the riverside cafes. We had been to Hoi An before, so if this is your first time I would add in another day or 2 so you can go to the Marble Mountains or DaNang for a day.

Fresh Beer in Hoi An
Fresh Beer in Hoi An
Lanterns
Lanterns

Day 14 was a long travel day via bus to Quy Nonh.
After arriving late evening we just found somewhere to eat and crashed out at the homestay.

Days 15 to 20 were spent in Quy Nonh, whch was supposed to be our beach break. Although the beach at Quy Nonh was large and clean, there was no-one on it. No places to rent a sunbed at all.

Quy Nonh beach
Quy Nonh beach

So we explored the town a bit. It’s a very Vietnamese place, not really a place where many tourists go. No menus in English and a very Vietnamese menu when you were able to decipher. Things like frogs, snails, jellyfish and eels featured highly.

One of the days we took a taxi to Bai Xep, a lovely little beach with a couple of resorts on. A pleasant place to spend a day

Bai Xep beach
Bai Xep beach

Due to changing a transfer from a bus to a train we ended up staying here an extra day before moving on to Mui Ne.

Day 21 at Mui Ne, we were going to have 2 days here but ended up with one. Not sure there was too much to do there apart from the Sand Dunes but the hotel was worth staying another night at.

Day 22 was a transfer day again, this time to our final destination, Ho Chi Minh city.
We arrived mid afternoon and just chilled for a bit before exploring the local area.

Day 23 a trip into the Mekong Delta, a quick stop at a Buddhist temple, then on to the river. A ferry across to an island where we tried local fruits, were serenaded by village singers, watched coconut candy being made and tried snake wine before being rowed down the river. Onto another island for lunch and a wander around before heading back to the city.

Mekong delta
Mekong Delta

Day 24 I planned a walking route taking in the Central Post Office, the Notre Dame Cathedral, War Remnants Museum, Cafe Apartments and the Skydeck.

Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon
Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon

The museum evokes many emotions and is pretty graphic.

The Cafe Apartments makes for an interesting picture and the Skydeck is pretty good with stunning views across the city and not too pricey.

Day 25 we were supposed to head home but our flight was cancelled late in the evening so we were put up in a lovely 5 star hotel, which was a bit of a result.