Vietnam Travel Guide: Destinations From North to South
City and region guides for planning each stop: how many days to give it, where to stay, what it costs, how to get there and when to go. Ordered north to south, the way most trips run.
Northern Vietnam
Hanoi, the karst bays and the mountains. Cool to cold winters, hot and wet summers.
Destination
Hanoi
Give Hanoi 2 to 3 days, stay in the Old Quarter or French Quarter, and budget 70,000 to 100,000 VND for the big heritage sites. Plan it here.
Destination
Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay rewards one night aboard more than a rushed day trip. Compare official 2026 route fees, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long, real costs and storm-season risks.
Destination
Ninh Binh
Choose Trang An for the UNESCO boat route, Tam Coc for river and rice-field scenery, and stay two nights near Tam Coc. 2026 ticket prices, routes and tips.
Destination
Sapa
Give Sapa two or three nights: trek the Muong Hoa valley, ride the 850,000 VND Fansipan cable car on a clear day, and time the terraces for May water or autumn gold.
Destination
Ha Giang
Ride the 350 km Ha Giang Loop in 3 to 4 days, behind an easy rider unless you hold a valid license. 2026 tour prices, license rules, safety and buckwheat dates.
Destination
Cat Ba & Lan Ha Bay
Lan Ha Bay's day fee is 120,000 VND against Ha Long's 200,000 to 250,000, but kayaking there is suspended. 2026 fees, the national park, beaches and storm season.
Destination
Cao Bang & Ban Gioc
Ban Gioc needs no special permit, but foreigners cannot cross into the China side. When the falls run fullest, the 3-day Cao Bang loop, how many days and 2026 costs.
Destination
Mai Chau & Pu Luong
Mai Chau is the easy valley, about 3 hours from Hanoi, with flat cycling and Thai stilt-house homestays. Pu Luong, 42 km on, is for terraces and trekking.
Central Vietnam
The old capital, Hoi An and Da Nang. Dry spring and summer, storm and flood risk in autumn.
Destination
Hue
Give Hue two full days: one for the Imperial City (200,000 VND), one for the royal tombs. Avoid the October and November flood peak if you can.
Destination
Hoi An
Hoi An's Old Town ticket costs 80,000 to 120,000 VND. Stay in town for lantern evenings, at An Bang for the beach, or in Da Nang for the airport.
Destination
Da Nang
Da Nang's airport is 3 to 5 km from the center, My Khe beach runs along the city, and Hoi An and Hue are within reach. Plan your days, stay and budget here.
Destination
Da Lat
Give Da Lat two or three nights. It sits about 1,500 m up, so pack a warm layer, expect rain from May to October, and book canyoning only with licensed operators.
Destination
Nha Trang
Nha Trang is at its best from February to August. Stay on the city beach or near Hon Chong, snorkel the bay islands, and avoid the October to December rains and floods.
Destination
Phong Nha
Give Phong Nha two nights: Paradise Cave and the boat into Phong Nha Cave are the easy wins, Son Doong costs 80 million VND, and autumn floods close caves.
Southern Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. Warm all year, with a rainy season from about May.
Destination
Ho Chi Minh City
Stay in old District 1 (now Saigon and Ben Thanh wards), District 3 or Thao Dien, ride Metro Line 1 from 7,000 VND, and plan Cu Chi and Mekong trips.
Destination
Phu Quoc
Phu Quoc gives direct international arrivals 30 days visa-free on the island. Stay south for Sao Beach and the cable car, or on Long Beach for sunsets and food.
Destination
Mekong Delta
Skip the rushed day trip if you can: one night in Can Tho gets you to Cai Rang by 5 to 7 am, and Chau Doc adds Tra Su forest. 2026 fares, tours and flood months.
Destination
Mui Ne
Mui Ne is best from November to April, when the kite wind blows and rain is rare. Stay on the Ham Tien strip, see the dunes early, and expect no airport until 2027.
Destination
Con Dao
Give Con Dao three or four days: the prison sites and Hang Duong cemetery, diving from March to September, and nesting turtles from April to November.