Vietnam 3 Week Itinerary: Highlights & Hidden Gems from South to North
- Shal & James
- Jan 28
- 23 min read
Updated: Jan 30
A Vietnam 3 week itinerary that balances bucket-list highlights with quieter detours, taking you from the buzz of the south to the misty calm of the north. Iconic sights, slow travel moments, and the kind of places you only hear about once you’re already there.
Three weeks in Vietnam, and we didn’t exactly dawdle. From ticking off UNESCO heavy-hitters and gliding through Lan Ha Bay’s limestone dreamscape by yacht (as one does), to lantern-lit evenings in Hoi An and misty mornings wandering Pu Luong’s remote rice fields, this trip was a masterclass in contrast.
There were giant Buddhas at every turn, countless bowls of pho (purely for research purposes), and a Vietnamese coffee habit that escalated quickly. But more than the scenery, it was the work ethic, resilience, warmth, and generosity of the people that made this journey impossible to forget.
CONTENTS
We’ve included what we paid with currency conversions based on current exchange rates to help with planning, but things change, so it’s always worth double checking to dodge any last-minute surprises.
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VIETNAM: GOOD TO KNOW
If it’s your first time in Vietnam, don’t miss our 15 essential travel tips, including how to cross the street without panicking and a few other handy nuggets we learned the hard way.
TOURIST VISAS
If you're a UK citizen you can visit Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa. Here's a list of countries exempt from visas. If you're a US citizen, a visa is required for any stay.
Your passport must be undamaged, valid for at least 6 months from arrival, and have two blank pages. Visa rules can change, so double-check official government guidance before you fly.
HEALTH
No vaccinations are required for entry, but it’s sensible to be up to date on routine jabs unless advised otherwise by your doctor. We chose to get rabies, as Vietnam is considered high-risk by the WHO, and Japanese encephalitis due to time spent near rice fields and rural areas.
Mosquitoes are common, bite day and night (even in cities), and can carry dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and, more rarely, Japanese encephalitis. It's our understanding that the risk of malaria for most travellers is low and largely limited to remote rural border areas, not cities or classic travel routes.
We recommend using a 50% DEET insect repellent throughout the day and covering up slightly in the early morning and early evening, when bites are more likely. We brought three trusty 100ml cans of LifeSystems Expedition Max (50% DEET) and did not get bitten when we wore it correctly.
SAFETY
We felt safe everywhere we went and violent crime against tourists is rare, but the UK government's advice on safety and security is definitely worth a read.
WATER
Tap water is not safe to drink. Stick to bottled or boiled water, and that includes brushing your teeth!
BEST TIME TO GO
Vietnam’s dry season runs from November to April, making it the most popular time for sightseeing.
That said, weather varies by region:
North Vietnam: Nov–Mar is cooler and drier
Central Vietnam: Jan–Aug brings beach weather
South Vietnam: Nov–Apr is warm and dry
We travelled 15 March - 6 April, and it was mostly dry and partly sunny with just two hiccups: a rainy day in Ninh Binh (bring a light jacket!) and a quick shower our last night in Hanoi.
If you’re travelling the length of the country, expect a bit of weather variety rather than one perfect forecast everywhere.
IDEAL TRIP LENGTH
2 weeks works, but 3 weeks is the sweet spot. It gives you time to see the highlights, slow down in places like Hoi An and Pu Luong, and add a few off-the-beaten-path stops without feeling rushed.
GETTING HERE
Most international flights arrive into Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) in the south or Hanoi (HAN) in the north. Both are excellent starting points, making it easy to plan a south-to-north route or vice versa.
GETTING AROUND
In cities, GrabCar is cheap, reliable, and less chaotic than hailing taxis or paying hotel transfer prices.
Between nearby cities or rural areas, reputable private car transfers are worth every dong. For long distances, internal flights are fast, affordable, and save a huge amount of time.
MONEY
Vietnam uses the Vietnamese dong (VND). Cash is king, and card payments often come with fees, if accepted at all. Tourist prices are often listed in USD, but you’ll still pay in VND at the day’s exchange rate.
Most ATMs accept foreign cards, with a typical withdrawal limit of 3,000,000 VND per transaction (converted: £84 / €96 / US$115). Multiple withdrawals are usually allowed.
MOBILE DATA
We never travel without an Airalo eSIM on our phones (much cheaper than mobile data roaming charges!). Use our links for 15% off if you’re new, or 10% off if you’re already an Airalo user.
An eSIM is a digital SIM card, allowing you to buy mobile data for any country before you travel, install it in minutes, and land with internet already working.
It removes the hassle of buying a physical SIM card on arrival or relying on unreliable WiFi. Having data from the moment you land is really helpful for Google Maps, transportation apps, and translations.
We love Airalo because it offers inexpensive country-specific data packages and a simple setup, even if you’ve never used an eSIM before.
LANGUAGES
Vietnamese is the official language, but many people speak French and English.
VIETNAM 3 WEEK ITINERARY OVERVIEW
Below is our exact Vietnam 3 week itinerary, broken down by region and pace, with notes on what’s worth lingering over and what you can comfortably move through.
The itinerary excludes international travel days. With a 12-hour direct flight from London to Ho Chi Minh City, a seven-hour time difference, and a similar journey home from Hanoi, we added two travel days, turning this into a gloriously epic 23-day adventure.
DAY 10: AVANA RETREAT
DAY 11: PU LUONG NATURE RESERVE
DAY 12: AVANA RETREAT
DAY 13: TRANSFER TO NINH BINH
DAY 14: NINH BINH CORE HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 15: GREATER NINH BINH PROVINCE
DAY 16: TRANSFER TO HANOI
DAY 17: HANOI OLD QUARTER
DAY 18: UNCLE HO'S LEGACY & WEST LAKE
DAY 19: TRANSFER TO HA LONG BAY
DAY 20: HA LONG BAY / LAN HA BAY
DAY 21: TRANSFER TO HANOI
Short on time? Our Vietnam 2 Week Itinerary: The Best Route from South to North trims this trip down to the highlights.
DAYS 1-3: SOUTHERN VIETNAM
This 3-day Ho Chi Minh City itinerary covers the must-sees, the lesser-known gems, and a day trip beyond the city once you’ve mastered crossing the road.
We strongly recommend making District 1 your base. After an unreasonable amount of research, we chose La Siesta Premium Saigon (£150 pn; converted: €174 / US$203), a 5-star hotel that opened in 2023 and comes with a rooftop pool that feels well-earned after a day dodging motorbikes. The rooms are polished without feeling sterile, and the pool alone is reason enough to stay put.
District 1 is very walkable once you’ve cracked the art of crossing the road without panicking. For anywhere beyond it, GrabCar is your best bet. It’s Vietnam’s version of Uber and ridiculously cheap, usually around £1–3 (converted: €1–3.50 / US$1–4) to get across town or even to the airport. We linked our credit card, but you can also book in-app and pay cash.
DAY 1: HO CHI MINH CITY: DISTRICT 1
See the heart of Ho Chi Minh City with this 14-stop District 1 walking tour, covering the city’s standout sights in one easy route. For full details on all 14 stops, including opening times and prices, read 22 Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City (+ District 1 Walking Route). And if you’re wondering where to eat along the way, Best Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City has you covered.
DAY 2: HO CHI MINH CITY: OFFBEAT GEMS
Once you’ve ticked off the headline sights, use GrabCar to venture beyond District 1 and explore some of Ho Chi Minh City’s more unexpected corners. From the sobering War Remnants Museum and the much-photographed pink Tan Dinh Church (District 3), to tucked-away temples (District 5) and a little-known skyline viewpoint (Thu Duc City) that will have your camera roll begging for mercy, this is the day for digging deeper.
For full details, locations, and practical tips on each stop, see 22 Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City.
DAY 3: CU CHI TUNNELS OR MEKONG DELTA
If you’ve got a third day in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ve got options. One classic: the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground maze used by the Viet Cong for everything from hiding to hospitals. But crawling through jungle tunnels on our hands and knees? Hard pass. We opted for a breezier adventure: a day trip to the Mekong Delta instead.
While most tourists cram into buses bound for the coconut candy factory and commercial orchards of the Mekong Delta, we took the road (or river) less traveled, hopping on a speedboat with just eight other people. If you also prefer to go off the beaten path, check out our post, Most Authentic Mekong Delta Day Trip from Ho Chi Minh City and/or book the tour we took here.
DAY 4: TRAVEL HO CHI MINH CITY TO HOI AN
Hop a 1.5-hour Vietnam Airlines flight to Da Nang (DAD), then book a GrabCar for the 40-minute drive to your hotel in Hoi An. One small but glorious perk of domestic flights in Vietnam: there are no liquid restrictions for carry-on luggage, so that recently acquired bottle of hair conditioner can fly with you.
We booked a private airport transfer through our hotel and spent the entire journey being enthusiastically encouraged to have our tailoring done at the driver’s sister’s shop. In hindsight, we should’ve stuck with Grab. It would’ve cost around a third of the price and come with far less salesmanship.
DAYS 5-8: CENTRAL VIETNAM
Yes, UNESCO-listed Hoi An Ancient Town is crowded and touristy, and while that's not normally our vibe, we loved it here anyway. It feels like the Venice of Asia and it's worth a stop, especially because you can use Hoi An as a base to visit two other stunning UNESCO-listed sites: My Son Sanctuary and Complex of Hue Monuments.
We stayed at The Signature Hoi An (£79 pn; converted: €91 / US$106), a boutique 4-star hotel with a traditional feel and atmospheric, lantern-lit pool that was just a 5-minute stroll away from the pedestrianised Ancient Town. The rooms are small, the beds are firm and there's no hair conditioner or body lotion, but you can't beat the location.
The super luxe stays are mostly by the beach or riverfront, such as the The Four Seasons Resort: The Nam Hai or Anantara, both around 15 minutes from Ancient Town by taxi or on foot (respectively).
DAY 5: HOI AN ANCIENT TOWN
Crossing the bridge into Hoi An Ancient Town feels like stepping into a time capsule, with its lantern-lit streets, wooden rowboats, and yellow colonial buildings. Once a bustling global trade hub from the 15th to 18th centuries, it faded into a sleepy riverside town after Da Nang rose to prominence, leaving behind a perfectly preserved slice of Vietnam’s rich history.
Explore Hoi An Ancient Town’s 22 historic and cultural sites, from the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge to temples, assembly halls, and old merchant houses. For a breakdown of how the Ancient Town ticket system works, which sites are actually worth your time, and what you can comfortably skip, read 15 Best Things to Do in Hoi An: What’s Worth It & How the Ticket System Actually Works.
A quick note on food:
Morning Glory is often cited as the place to eat in Hoi An, but we preferred Hoi An Ancient Remedy – Dim Sum Tea House (by the same restauranteur), which felt far more atmospheric. Sitting out on the pedestrianised street became such a habit that we ended up befriending the manager and meeting her family on our final night.
Another solid option is Met Vietnamese Restaurant & Vegetarian Food 6. There are several branches, but we liked the patio at 73B Bach Dang, right on the Hoai River.
If you’re staying at The Signature Hoi An, we’d skip Salt Restaurant. It just didn’t deliver.
No matter where you eat, make a reservation. Hoi An doesn't accommodate spontaneous dining.
DAY 6: MY SON SANCTUARY & MARBLE MOUNTAINS
There are a few day trips you can take from Hoi An, and we highly recommend going on a private tour to UNESCO-listed My Son Sanctuary. Tucked away in the jungle, this ancient gem was the heart of the Hindu temple complex of the Champa Empire. It’s a mind-blowing 800 years older than UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat in Cambodia and a lot less crowded.
You can either call it a day or book a full-day private tour that includes the Marble Mountains, a dramatic cluster of limestone peaks dotted with caves, pagodas, and sweeping views over Da Nang.
DAY 7: COMPLEX OF HUE MONUMENTS
For a deep dive into Vietnam’s royal past, Hue is where it’s at. Home to UNESCO-listed sites like the Imperial City, a sprawling two-square-mile labyrinth of temples, palaces, gates, and gardens, complete with a Forbidden City plus opulent royal tombs. Complex of Hue Monuments was Vietnam's first UNESCO listing and for good reason.
After far too many hours of research, we realised that tours in Hue make you choose. You can either visit the Imperial City or the Imperial Tombs (usually with Thien Mụ Pagoda tagged on), but not both. So we went rogue and hired a private driver to collect us from Hoi An and explore Hue at our own pace.
If you can only spare a day, we’d absolutely recommend doing the same, though two days is the sweet spot if you have the time. For full details on the route, must-see sites, what we’d tweak next time, and how to stretch this into a two-day stay, read Hue Day Trip from Hoi An: DIY Itinerary by Private Car.
DAY 8: AN BANG BEACH
Nothing says “vacation mode” like a fresh coconut, swaying palms, and waves on repeat. So on our last day in Hoi An, we kicked back at An Bang Beach — a sandy stretch lined with beachside cafés, all ready to rent you loungers and umbrellas so you can live your best lazy vacation life. If you’re craving something even quieter, Cua Dai Beach might just be your jam.
While it was blissful to slow down during such a fast-paced itinerary, sacrificing this beach day would allow you to spend two unhurried days in Hue instead.
DAY 9: TRAVEL HOI AN TO MAI CHAU
Okay, this one’s a bit of a mission, but trust us, it’s absolutely worth it if you’re keen to get properly off the beaten path. If squeezing it in really isn’t realistic, Sapa is the easier alternative, but be prepared to share those rice fields with a steady stream of other visitors. We made the effort for one simple reason: Pu Luong Nature Reserve, remote rice terraces surrounded by mountains with not another tourist in sight.
To get there, hop a 1.5-hour Vietnam Airlines flight from Da Nang (DAD) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), then connect to a 2-hour flight to Tho Xuan Airport (THD). There’s no closer airport to Mai Chau and no direct flights, so routing through a major hub is unavoidable.
From Tho Xuan, it’s a roughly 3-hour private car transfer to Mai Chau that will need to be arranged by your hotel or you could see if Hanoi VIP Transfer is willing to handle the job. We had a great experience with them for our private transfer from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh.
DAYS 10-21: NORTHERN VIETNAM
We saved Northern Vietnam for last and went properly off-grid, with a mountains and remote rice fields in Pu Luong Nature Reserve and a stay at Avana Retreat. After soaking up the UNESCO-listed scenery in Ninh Binh, we headed to Hanoi before finishing on the water. What was meant to be a cruise on UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay became Lan Ha Bay, its quieter, more exclusive little sister, a mistake we’d happily repeat.
DAY 10: AVANA RETREAT
You could stay in Mai Chau for the classic valley experience, but for something truly unforgettable (and insanely luxurious), head to Avana Retreat £260 pn (converted: €302 / US$350), a 15-hectare eco-luxury hideaway where jungle mist hangs low and waterfalls set the soundtrack. Almost entirely staffed by Thai, Hmong, and Muong locals, it feels deeply authentic and special.
With more activities than a summer camp for adults, we even made a spreadsheet to squeeze the most out of our time here and still didn’t get to everything. Activities include yoga, singing bowl meditation, local craft demos/workshops in Avana's own stilt house museum, candle-making (we loved this!) and feeding goats in a bamboo forest. Check out our full review of Avana Retreat here.
DAY 11: PU LUONG NATURE RESERVE
Sure, you could just use AI to erase everyone from your photos, but you’d miss that real, spine-tingling sense of awe when you’re standing in the middle of somewhere remote and perfectly preserved for generations.
Pu Luong Nature Reserve sits just 1.5–2 hours from Mai Chau, a serene valley in northern Vietnam famed for its emerald rice fields, ethnic minority villages, and misty mountain views. When we were researching, we could only find one private day tour for Pu Luong that looked remotely legit (all the others were part of multi-day lower budget excursions across the region).
Fortunately, this day trip was fantastic and we highly recommend you repeat what we booked. Read our post How We Visited the Most Underrated Rice Fields in Vietnam: Pu Luong Nature Reserve for all the details, costs and links you need to repeat our trip.
DAY 12: AVANA RETREAT
Avana also offers a number of guided hikes and we tried the 4-hour private nature trek. The trek was far too easy, but we got a fascinating glimpse into local life when we visited with a local farmer in his stilt house in Co-Cham, a 35-family village.
If you're not fussed about having the afternoon to laze around Avana's stunning, infinity-edged Cloud Pool, then opt for a bigger hike or skip the excursions altogether to have a completely relaxing day.
DAY 13: TRANSFER TO NINH BINH
The most efficient way to get to Ninh Binh is by private car, with the journey taking around 4 hours.
We used Hanoi VIP Transfer, which we’d happily recommend (TripAdvisor reviews here). We paid 2,420,000 VND (converted: £67.15 / €77.28 / US$92.60). We booked a 7-seat vehicle (which you should also do if you're tall), paid a 30% deposit by card, and settled the balance in cash on the day.
We contacted them via WhatsApp +84982804399 to check whether they’d collect us from Avana Retreat, as it’s a little more remote, and they offered a very fair rate for booking directly rather than going through Viator. They were also flexible with timing, easy to deal with by email, and offered free cancellation up to 48 hours before pick-up.
DAY 14: NINH BINH CORE HIGHLIGHTS
Ninh Binh has a way of surprising you. Part of the UNESCO-listed Trang An Landscape Complex, it’s a stretch of flat rice fields abruptly interrupted by dramatic limestone karsts that feel almost unreal.
We’ve mapped out the highlights, the pacing, and how long you actually need. 7 Best Things to Do in Ninh Binh & How Long to Stay has you covered.
Often rushed as a Hanoi day trip, the sheer number of unique things to do in Ninh Binh is exactly why we stayed longer. Tam Coc is a functional home base, but luxury is thin on the ground.
We booked the 4-star Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort (£81 pn; converted: €93.42 / US$108.42). The rooms are spacious and the bed is comfortable, though the pillows are lumpy and the breakfast, horrible. It’s within walking distance of Tam Coc’s backpacker-heavy strip and the family-run Tam Coc Kitchen, where we ended up eating dinner every night, surprisingly good given how cheap it is.
DAY 15: GREATER NINH BINH PROVINCE
Further afield (but still just a GrabCar away) is Bai Dinh Pagoda, Southeast Asia's largest Buddhist complex and a private meeting with a rescued moon bear at Four Paws was one of the highlights of our entire trip. More on both of these sites in 7 Best Things to Do in Ninh Binh & How Long to Stay.
DAY 16: TRANSFER TO HANOI
The most efficient way to get to your hotel in Hanoi is by private car, with the journey taking around 2.5 hours.
We originally used Viet Technology Travel Company Limited via GetYourGuide, but as that option is no longer available, we recommend Hanoi VIP Transfer instead. We had a great experience with them on our transfer from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh.
You can book Hanoi VIP Transfer via TripAdvisor £43.71 per group (up to 3 people) (converted: €50.30 / US$60.24) or message them on WhatsApp +84982804399 and book direct, which may work out cheaper.
As we mentioned before, they were flexible with timing, easy to deal with by email, and offered free cancellation up to 48 hours before pick-up.
DAY 17: HANOI OLD QUARTER
If Ho Chi Minh felt like a bustling city, then Hanoi Old Quarter was an absolute fever dream. The streets were a non-stop blur of motorbikes zipping in every direction, fruit vendors weaving through traffic, and sidewalks that had long since abandoned their original purpose, commandeered instead by parked scooters or overflowing café seating. Pedestrians? Good luck.
You’ll want to stay in the Old Quarter to be close to everything, but it didn’t take long to notice the masks. Within hours, James had what locals call “Hanoi Throat,” a smog-induced sore throat and a rite of passage for tourists, though Shal somehow got a free pass.
We stayed at L'Hotel du LAC Hanoi (£85 pn; converted: €97.54 / US$114.06), a 4-star boutique hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. The room was pretty benign, but breakfast was solid and the live traditional Vietnamese music (with a modern twist) from 8 -10PM at its tiny rooftop bar on Saturday nights was an unexpected gem.
For an efficient walking route through Hanoi Old Quarter, plus what to skip, where to eat, and how to spend your evenings, see Things to Do in Hanoi Old Quarter (and Beyond): Highlights + 2-Day Itinerary. And because no trip to Hanoi is complete without a heart-in-mouth moment on Train Street, don’t miss our full guide.
DAY 18: UNCLE HO'S LEGACY & WEST LAKE
Since Ho Chi Minh Complex and the temples near West Lake are outside Hanoi Old Quarter, GrabCar became our go-to to skip the long walks in the smog. We cover this part of the city in more detail in our Things to Do in Hanoi Old Quarter (and Beyond) guide.
DAY 19: TRANSFER TO HA LONG BAY
Whether you’re heading to Ha Long Bay or, better yet, following our advice to visit Lan Ha Bay, you’ll arrive at the harbour in a so-called “luxury limousine”, aka a minivan in its Sunday best with cushy seats and air con. A round-trip shared transfer is usually included in the cruise price, as it was for ours.
If it’s not, there’s no shortage of well-reviewed shared or private transfer options to choose from.
DAY 20: HA LONG BAY / LAN HA BAY
This wasn’t your typical Ha Long Bay “luxury” cruise, with boats packed tighter than beach towels in July, over 200 ships anchoring overnight, and a neighbouring vessel massacring Backstreet Boys on karaoke until 2AM.
Short of chartering your own yacht, Elite of the Seas is as good as it gets, swaddling you in rom-com levels of luxury, complete with acoustic guitars, falling rose petals, and a personal butler.
While the route includes UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay, most of the time is spent in Lan Ha Bay — smaller, quieter, greener, and far more exclusive, with around 60 boats and wild orchids that give the bay its name, “descending orchid.”
Curious whether it’s worth the splurge? Read We Paid US$1,274 for a Ha Long Bay Luxury Cruise — Would We Do It Again?
DAY 21: TRANSFER TO HANOI
After a leisurely breakfast onboard, you’ll head back to your Hanoi hotel via the same route, giving you a final evening to soak up the city before departing for home tomorrow.
WHAT WE SPENT
Curious what a luxury trip to Vietnam actually costs? We tracked everything from including a few bucket list splurges, so you can see what two people might spend travelling comfortably and well for 21 days plus 2 international travel days.
Here's our full breakdown to help you budget your own Vietnam adventure, without sacrificing the good stuff.
FX: 1 GBP = 1.15 EUR / 1.38 USD
Short on funds? Our Vietnam 2 Week Itinerary: The Best Route from South to North trims this trip down to the highlights, shaving off thousands in the process.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need a visa for Vietnam?
If you're a UK citizen you can visit Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa. Here's a list of countries exempt from visas. If you're a US citizen, a visa is required for any stay.
Your passport must be undamaged, valid for at least 6 months from arrival, and have two blank pages. Visa rules can change, so double-check official government guidance before you fly.
What's the best month to visit Vietnam?
Vietnam’s dry season runs from November to April, making it the most popular time for sightseeing.
That said, weather varies by region:
North Vietnam: Nov–Mar is cooler and drier
Central Vietnam: Jan–Aug brings beach weather
South Vietnam: Nov–Apr is warm and dry
We traveled 15 March - 6 April, and it was mostly dry and partly sunny with just two hiccups: a rainy day in Ninh Binh (bring a light jacket!) and a quick shower our last night in Hanoi. If you’re travelling the length of the country, expect a bit of weather variety rather than one perfect forecast everywhere.
How long to spend in Vietnam?
2 weeks works, but 3 weeks is the sweet spot. It gives you time to see the highlights, slow down in places like Hoi An and Pu Luong, and add a few off-the-beaten-path stops without feeling rushed.
Is tap water safe to drink in Vietnam?
No. Stick to bottled or boiled water, and that includes brushing your teeth!
What vaccinations do I need for Vietnam?
No vaccinations are required for entry, but it’s sensible to be up to date on routine jabs unless advised otherwise by your doctor. We chose to get rabies, as Vietnam is considered high-risk by the WHO, and Japanese encephalitis due to time spent near rice fields and rural areas.
Are mosquitos a problem when visiting Vietnam?
Mosquitos are part of life in Vietnam, but they’re rarely the trip-ruining menace people fear. You’ll notice them more around water, rice fields, and at dawn and dusk, and yes, dengue is spread by day-biting mosquitos, particularly in cities.
A decent repellent (i.e. 50% DEET) plus covering up a little in the early morning and late afternoon, goes a long way.
Unintended test: at Avana Retreat in Mai Chau, Shal’s repellent rubbed off during an early evening massage and in the five minutes it took to get from the spa to the room, her ankles became a buffet. Lesson learned.
What's the best mosquito repellent for Vietnam?
We saw mosquito repellent for sale in Vietnam, but most local stuff doesn’t pack enough DEET to truly keep the biters at bay. So we came prepared with three trusty 100ml cans of LifeSystems Expedition Max (50% DEET).
We applied it like sunblock (BUT after sunblock): spraying a bit into our hands, then rubbing it on, including a careful dab on our faces and even a sweep through our hair. Needless to say, keep it out of your eyes, off your contact lenses, and far away from any open cuts. Whenever we wore this repellant, we did not get bitten.
Is Vietnam safe to visit?
Yes, Vietnam is generally safe, with low violent crime and a welcoming vibe. The main thing to watch for is petty theft, particularly bag snatching and pickpocketing in busy areas, often involving passing motorbikes. Keep valuables zipped and close, use basic street smarts, and you’ll be fine.
We felt safe, but the UK government's advice on safety and security is definitely worth a read.
Is Vietnam cheap?
Vietnam is refreshingly affordable for travellers, particularly when it comes to comfort and experiences. Luxury hotels, private transfers, spa treatments, and memorable splurges cost far less than in Europe or North America, making it one of the easiest places to travel well on a reasonable budget.
What currency is Vietnam?
Vietnam uses the Vietnamese dong (VND). Tourist prices are often listed in USD, but you’ll still pay in VND at the day’s exchange rate.
Should I carry cash or use cards in Vietnam?
Cash is king, and card payments often come with fees if they’re accepted at all. Paying by card? Always choose VND, not your home currency, to avoid unnecessary fees.
Most ATMs accept foreign cards, with a typical withdrawal limit of 3,000,000 VND per transaction (converted: £84 / €96 / US$115). Multiple withdrawals are usually allowed.
Should I travel North to South or South to North in Vietnam?
Most international flights arrive into Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) in the south or Hanoi (HAN) in the north. Both are excellent starting points, making it easy to plan a south-to-north route or vice versa. With that said, the season should dictate your direction of travel.
Spring (Feb–Apr): South to North: Follow improving weather as the north warms up and clears. This is what we did since we travelled Mar-Apr.
Summer (May–Aug): Either direction: Hot and humid everywhere, so route choice matters less.
Autumn (Sep–Oct): North to South: Start with the north at its best and move south as rain increases.
Winter (Nov–Jan): North to South: Finish in the south’s sunshine rather than the north’s mist.
Is the Ha Giang Loop worth it if I only have 3 weeks?
The Ha Giang Loop can be worth it in a 3-week Vietnam itinerary, but it’s not an automatic yes for a luxe-leaning crowd. While the scenery is undeniably spectacular, the experience itself is rugged: long, winding roads, basic accommodation, and a vibe that skews younger and more backpacker-heavy.
There are upgraded options with private drivers, but even then it’s more adventure than indulgence. For us, trading the Loop for Pu Luong’s rice terraces and the calm, polished comfort of Avana Retreat felt like the smarter use of time, all the beauty, none of the bone-rattling.
How many days in Hoi An vs Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City?
What most people do:
Travellers often spend 3–4 days in Hanoi, 2–3 days in Ho Chi Minh City, and 2–3 days in Hoi An, with Hanoi’s longer stay usually accounting for nearby add-ons like Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh.
What we did:
We treated Ha Long Bay as a separate 3-day experience, spent 2 full days in Ninh Binh, kept Hanoi to 2 days, did 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City plus a Mekong Delta day trip, and gave Hoi An 5 days to allow for two relaxed day trips. For us, the cities worked best when kept efficient, while slower destinations deserved the extra time.
What is the best way to get around Vietnam for 3 weeks?
In cities, GrabCar is cheap, reliable, and far less chaotic than hailing taxis or paying hotel transfer prices. Between nearby cities or rural areas, reputable private car transfers are worth every dong. For long distances, internal flights are fast, affordable, and save a huge amount of time.
Is Grab available in Vietnam?
In cities, GrabCar is cheap, reliable, and far less chaotic than hailing taxis or paying hotel transfer prices. Download the app, link your credit card or book rides and pay in cash.
We took GrabCar everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Walking through the endless sea of motorbikes felt like a full-contact sport, and we used GrabCar in Ninh Binh too since the sights were pretty spread out. We also used GrabCar in Hoi An to get to access the beach and airport from Ancient Town.
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