7 days in Vietnam: an itinerary by city
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 13 of 27 free; 14 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 7 days, 9:30 to 16:52 each day
- Start and finish
- Tran Quoc Pagoda → Mekong Delta
- On foot
- ≈ 2 h 1 min in total
- Transport
- 4 rides, ≈ 2 h 53 min; 3 transfers between cities
- Lunch
- around 13:02
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- February to April: warm in the north, dry in the centre and south.
Cities in order
- Hanoi2 days · 7 places
- ≈ 1 h 20 minflight
- Da Nang1 day · 5 places
- ≈ 30–45 minGrab or taxi
- Hoi An2 days · 8 places
- ≈ 1 h 20 minflight from Da Nang
- Ho Chi Minh City2 days · 7 places
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Hanoi09:30–16:52 · 6 places · 7 h 20 min
Tran Quoc Pagoda
· 30 min · Free
- 21 min · transport or taxi
Temple of Literature
· 1 h · 70,000 VND, under-16s free
- 11 min on foot
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
· 1 h 30 min · 100,000 VND
- Lunch · 1 h
- 18 min on foot
St Joseph's Cathedral
· 20 min · Free
- 6 min on foot
Hoan Kiem Lake
· 1 h · Free
- 6 min on foot
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
· 1 h · 100,000–200,000 VND
Day 2 · Hanoi09:30–13:30 · 1 place · 4 h
Ha Long Bay
· 4 h · Fee 250,000 VND; tours cost more
Day 3 · Da Nang09:30–16:32 · 5 places · 7 h
Morning transfer: flight · ≈ 1 h 20 min
Dragon Bridge
· 30 min · Free
- 8 min on foot
Museum of Cham Sculpture
· 1 h · 60,000 VND
- 13 min on foot
Da Nang Cathedral
· 20 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 22 min · transport or taxi
My Khe Beach
· 2 h · Free
- 29 min · transport or taxi
Lady Buddha
· 1 h · Free
Day 4 · Hoi An09:30–16:03 · 6 places · 6 h 30 min
Morning transfer: Grab or taxi · ≈ 30–45 min
Hoi An Central Market
· 45 min · Free
- 3 min on foot
Fujian Assembly Hall
· 30 min · Old Town ticket, 80,000–120,000 VND
- 3 min on foot
Quan Cong Temple
· 20 min · Old Town ticket, 80,000–120,000 VND
- Lunch · 1 h
- 5 min on foot
Hoi An Ancient Town
· 3 h · 80,000–120,000 VND; streets free
- 3 min on foot
Tan Ky Old House
· 20 min · One Old Town ticket coupon
- 4 min on foot
Japanese Covered Bridge
· 20 min · Old Town ticket: 80,000–120,000 VND
Day 5 · Hoi An09:30–16:41 · 2 places · 7 h 10 min
An Bang Beach
· 2 h · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 101 min · transport or taxi
My Son Sanctuary
· 2 h 30 min · 150,000 VND
Day 6 · Ho Chi Minh City09:30–15:46 · 6 places · 6 h 20 min
Morning transfer: flight from Da Nang · ≈ 1 h 20 min
Ben Thanh Market
· 1 h · Free
- 10 min on foot
Independence Palace
· 1 h 15 min · 40,000–80,000 VND
- 9 min on foot
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon
· 20 min · Free
- Lunch · 1 h
- 3 min on foot
Saigon Central Post Office
· 30 min · Free
- 9 min on foot
Saigon Opera House
· 30 min · Free
- 10 min on foot
Bitexco Financial Tower
· 1 h · 240,000 VND
Day 7 · Ho Chi Minh City09:30–13:30 · 1 place · 4 h
Mekong Delta
· 4 h · Day tour from $25
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
13 of 27 are free; 14 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 2 | Temple of Literature | 43 | 1 h | 70,000 VND, under-16s free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Imperial Citadel of Thang Long | 39 | 1 h 30 min | 100,000 VND |
| 6 | Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre | 38 | 1 h | 100,000–200,000 VND |
| 7 | Ha Long Bay | 32 | 4 h | Fee 250,000 VND; tours cost more |
| 9 | Museum of Cham Sculpture | 38 | 1 h | 60,000 VND |
| 14 | Fujian Assembly Hall | 39 | 30 min | Old Town ticket, 80,000–120,000 VND |
| 15 | Quan Cong Temple | 39 | 20 min | Old Town ticket, 80,000–120,000 VND |
| 16 | Hoi An Ancient Town | 34 | 3 h | 80,000–120,000 VND; streets free |
| 17 | Tan Ky Old House | 39 | 20 min | One Old Town ticket coupon |
| 18 | Japanese Covered Bridge | 40 | 20 min | Old Town ticket: 80,000–120,000 VND |
| 20 | My Son Sanctuary | 26 | 2 h 30 min | 150,000 VND |
| 22 | Independence Palace | 45 | 1 h 15 min | 40,000–80,000 VND |
| 26 | Bitexco Financial Tower | 40 | 1 h | 240,000 VND |
| 27 | Mekong Delta | 29 | 4 h | Day tour from $25 |
| Other 13 places | 11 h | Free | ||
| Total | 32 h 30 min | 13 of 27 free |
Who this route is for
- A first trip to Vietnam
- Independent: domestic flights and Grab
- Cities, history and nature in a week
- Beach only — go straight to Nha Trang, Phu Quoc or Mui Ne
- Sapa and Ninh Binh need more days in the north
February to April: warm in the north, dry in the centre and south.
How the week works
The route runs north to south without doubling back: Hanoi — Da Nang — Hoi An — Ho Chi Minh City. Each day is a YesGo city itinerary: two days each in Hanoi, Hoi An and Saigon, one in Da Nang.
Fly into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City, or the other way round.
The cities on the route
Hanoi is the capital in the north: the Old Quarter, the 1070 Temple of Literature and Ha Long Bay 2.5–3 hours away. Da Nang is a seaside city with bridges over the Han River. Hoi An is a UNESCO-listed 15th–19th-century port 30–45 minutes from Da Nang. Ho Chi Minh City is old Saigon: the French cathedral and post office, Ben Thanh Market and the Mekong Delta nearby.
Weather by region
Vietnam has three climates. The north has cool winters of 15–20 °C and hot, wet summers. The centre's rainy season is September to December, when Hoi An can flood. The south is dry from December to April, with short daily downpours from May to November. February to April suits the whole route.
Getting around independently
Hanoi to Da Nang and Da Nang to Saigon are domestic flights of about 1 h 20 min. Da Nang to Hoi An is 30–45 minutes by Grab or taxi. Within cities use Grab, and walk in Hoi An and central Hanoi.
Vietnam itinerary for 5 or 10 days
Five days: Hanoi with Ha Long, and Hoi An with Da Nang. Ten days: add the sea at Nha Trang, Phu Quoc or Mui Ne, and a day in Da Lat in the highlands on the way south.
How to do it right
- Book the Ha Long and Mekong Delta tours the day before.
- The Hoi An Old Town ticket comes as coupons — pick your sites in advance.
- Domestic flights are cheap — use them instead of long train rides.
- Vietnam uses the dong (VND). Markets, pagodas and small cafés want cash; Grab is the easiest way to get a car or motorbike taxi.
- Pagodas and temples want shoulders and knees covered; shoes come off at the door of the halls.
Questions
What is a good 7-day Vietnam itinerary?
Hanoi for 2 days with Ha Long, Da Nang for 1, Hoi An for 2 and Ho Chi Minh City for 2 with the Mekong Delta.
Can you travel around Vietnam independently?
Yes: domestic flights, Grab, and day tours to Ha Long and the Mekong Delta.
How long is the flight from Hanoi to Da Nang?
About 1 h 20 min.
How do I get from Da Nang to Hoi An?
By Grab or taxi, 30–45 minutes.
What can I see in Vietnam in 5 days?
Hanoi with Ha Long, and Hoi An with Da Nang.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
February to April — good weather in all three regions.
Where are the beaches in Vietnam?
Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Mui Ne, each with its own itineraries.
Is it good with kids?
Yes; Da Nang and Ba Na Hills have plenty for children.
Is there a dress code at pagodas?
Pagodas and temples want shoulders and knees covered; shoes come off at the door of the halls.
What currency is used in Vietnam?
Vietnam uses the dong (VND). Markets, pagodas and small cafés want cash; Grab is the easiest way to get a car or motorbike taxi.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism
- Wikipedia: Vietnam
