Vietnam 7 Day Itinerary
Vietnam 7-Day Itinerary
Seven days in Vietnam is enough to see the north and central regions properly, or to scratch the surface of north and south combined. Most first-time visitors try to do too much. The train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes 30+ hours; the country is 1,650 kilometres long. This itinerary runs north to central, ending in Hoi An, which gives you coherent pacing without turning the trip into a series of airport lounges. If Ho Chi Minh City is your primary goal, fly in there instead and run the itinerary in reverse.
Visa and Entry
As of 2025, Vietnam’s e-visa is open to all nationalities worldwide. Single-entry costs USD 25; multiple-entry USD 50. The visa is valid for 90 days and is processed through the official portal at evisa.gov.vn. Apply at least a week before travel; the stated processing time is 3 to 5 working days. You need a passport valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date, a digital passport photo, and an international credit or debit card.
Citizens of 38 countries currently have visa-free entry for 30 to 45 days, including the UK, most EU nationalities, Japan, and South Korea. Check your specific country, as exemptions have been extended and updated in 2025. Even if you qualify for visa-free entry, the 90-day e-visa gives you more flexibility if the trip extends.
Best Time to Visit
March, April, and October give the most reliable weather across the north and centre. July and August bring monsoon conditions in the north (Hanoi, Halong Bay) and typhoon risk along the central coast. If you travel in these months, book a Halong Bay cruise with a reputable operator that has a clear weather cancellation and refund policy in writing, since plenty of cheaper operators will keep your money regardless of conditions.
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) is 45 kilometres from the Old Quarter. A metered taxi costs around VND 300,000 to 400,000 (approximately USD 12 to 16) and takes 40 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. The airport bus (Route 86) costs VND 35,000 and terminates near Hoan Kiem Lake, which is slower but perfectly functional if you are travelling light.
Afternoon: Drop bags and walk the Old Quarter. The 36 guild streets each have a trade history encoded in their names (Hang Bac = silver street, Hang Gai = silk street) and while the trades have shifted, the narrow shophouse architecture is intact. Hoan Kiem Lake takes 20 minutes to circumnavigate and the Ngoc Son Temple on its small island is worth the VND 30,000 entry.
Evening: Bia Hoi Corner at the junction of Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien streets is where local drinkers gather on plastic stools with very cheap fresh-brewed lager (bia hoi, around VND 10,000 a glass). It is crowded and chaotic and the right introduction to Hanoi evenings. Dinner at Bun Cha Dac Kim on Hang Manh: grilled pork patties in a sweet-savoury broth with rice noodles, the defining Hanoi dish. A full meal costs VND 60,000.
Stay: The Old Quarter has dozens of boutique hotels; Little Charm Hanoi and Hanoi La Siesta Premium are consistently reviewed well. Budget guesthouses on Ta Hien and Ma May streets are around USD 20 to 30 per night; mid-range hotels USD 60 to 100.
Day 2: Hanoi Sights
Morning: The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opens early (typically 7:30 AM to 11 AM Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday to Sunday) and closes at midday. Queues form quickly; arrive before 8 AM. Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body is displayed in a glass case under strict rules: silence, both arms at your sides, no photography. It is a singular experience regardless of where you stand politically on the man.
Adjacent to the mausoleum: the Presidential Palace (exterior only), Ho Chi Minh’s simple wooden stilthouse on the grounds, and the One Pillar Pagoda. Together these take about 90 minutes.
Afternoon: The Temple of Literature, built in 1070 as Vietnam’s first national university, is the most peaceful major sight in Hanoi. Admission is around VND 30,000. The stone stelae in the third courtyard list the names and hometowns of doctoral graduates from 1442 to 1778, a total of 1,307 graduates recorded over three centuries.
Evening: The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre near Hoan Kiem Lake runs 45-minute shows through the evening. Tickets cost around VND 200,000 to 400,000 depending on seat. Water puppetry is a uniquely Vietnamese art form originating in the Red River Delta, and the Hanoi theatre is the best in the country. Book online.
Day 3 and 4: Halong Bay
The standard overnight Halong Bay cruise departs from Hanoi by bus (3 to 4 hours each way, usually included in cruise packages) and returns the following afternoon. Prices range from around USD 120 per person for a basic two-day one-night cruise to USD 300+ for luxury operators. The price gap is meaningful: cheaper boats have smaller cabins, worse food, and higher likelihood of itinerary changes without notice.
The Halong Bay cruise scam to know: Many operators post photos of boats they do not actually operate. Book only with operators who have verifiable TripAdvisor reviews with photos taken aboard that specific vessel. Emeraude Classic Cruises, Indochina Junk (Dragon Legend), and Bhaya Cruises are established mid-to-upper-end operators with consistent track records. If the price seems dramatically lower than comparable boats, ask why.
What the cruise offers: Halong Bay contains around 1,600 limestone karst islands rising from calm emerald water. Kayaking through sea caves, watching the sunrise from deck, and visiting one of the floating fishing villages are the standard highlights. A two-day one-night itinerary gives you one afternoon and one full morning on the water; two nights provides meaningfully more.
Bai Tu Long Bay, immediately northeast of Halong, has the same geology with fewer boats. Several operators run there instead and it is worth requesting specifically if you want less company.
Day 5: Hue
Fly from Hanoi to Hue (Da Nang airport + 90-minute drive, or direct to Phu Bai Airport). Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, and Bamboo all serve this route; tickets range from USD 30 to 80 with advance booking.
Hue was the imperial capital from 1802 to 1945. The Imperial Citadel, modelled loosely on the Forbidden City in Beijing but significantly smaller, contains the Purple Forbidden City at its centre. Much was destroyed in the 1968 Tet Offensive; restoration has been ongoing since the 1990s. Admission to the citadel complex costs around VND 200,000.
Afternoon: The Royal Tombs of the Nguyen emperors are scattered 7 to 15 kilometres south of the city. Minh Mang’s tomb is the most architecturally complete; Tu Duc’s is the most atmospheric, set in a pine forest with a lake. Each tomb has its own admission fee (around VND 100,000); a combined ticket covers the main sites. Hiring a motorbike and driver for the afternoon costs around VND 150,000 to 200,000 and is the most efficient way to cover multiple tombs.
Food note: Hue cuisine is distinct from the rest of Vietnam. Bun bo Hue (lemongrass-based beef noodle soup, spicier than pho) is the local breakfast dish. Banh khoai (stuffed crispy crepes) and com hen (rice with tiny clams) are the other local staples. Eat at Quan Hang Me on Nguyen Binh Khiem for bun bo Hue from VND 40,000 a bowl.
Stay: Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort on the outskirts of town has the best pool and spa; La Residence on Le Loi is the colonial-era landmark hotel with Perfume River views. Budget guesthouses cluster in the Pham Ngu Lao area near the Citadel.
Day 6: Transfer to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass
The Hai Van Pass (Pass of the Ocean Clouds) crosses the mountain range dividing central Vietnam at 496 metres. The road is one of the most scenic coastal drives in Southeast Asia. Hiring a motorbike (if you are confident riding one in Vietnamese traffic) or booking a car with a stop at the pass costs around USD 20 to 40 for the transfer from Hue to Hoi An, around 120 kilometres. The alternative is a direct bus (VND 120,000) which is faster but bypasses the pass.
Hoi An Ancient Town: The best-preserved trading port in Southeast Asia from the 15th to 18th centuries, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entry requires a ticket (VND 120,000) that includes five attraction vouchers within the Old Town. The Japanese Covered Bridge at the western end of Tran Phu Street is the icon; the Chinese assembly halls (Fujian, Cantonese, Hainan) are the genuinely interesting architecture. The Old Town is manageable in half a day if you focus.
An Bang Beach is 4 kilometres from the Old Town and far less crowded than Cua Dai. Sunrise at An Bang is genuinely one of the better things in central Vietnam.
Tailors: Hoi An’s tailors are real and many are genuinely skilled. Three fittings over two to three days produces better results than a 24-hour rush job. Kim Bong on Hoang Dieu has been cited consistently; Mango Mango for ready-to-wear adaptations.
Food: White rose dumplings (banh bao vac), cao lau noodles with pork and greens, and the Hoi An-style chicken rice are the three dishes that do not exist elsewhere in the same form. Banh Mi Phuong on Phan Chau Trinh is the most-visited banh mi shop in Vietnam for the record; arrive before the midday rush.
Day 7: Hoi An to Danang Departure
Danang International Airport (DAD) is 30 kilometres from Hoi An. A taxi costs around VND 350,000 and takes 45 minutes. Danang is a major regional hub with connections to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Singapore, and several Chinese cities.
If you have a late flight, the Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son) are halfway between Hoi An and Danang airport and take about 90 minutes: five marble and limestone hills with Buddhist sanctuaries built into the caves and tunnels inside them. Admission is VND 40,000; the elevator to the top of the main hill is an additional VND 15,000.
Practical Notes
Use Grab (the dominant ride-hailing app in Vietnam) in cities for consistent metered pricing. Cash in Vietnamese dong (VND) is essential outside major hotels and restaurants. ATMs are available everywhere; foreign card fees apply. The VND 500,000 note (around USD 20) is the largest denomination and useful for most transactions.
Tap water is not safe to drink anywhere in Vietnam. Filtered or bottled water from reputable sources only. Street food is generally safe when it is cooked to order in front of you at a busy stall; standing water, pre-prepared items, and places with no visible customers are higher-risk.