Vietnam north to south: two weeks without rushing
Planning · · 2 min read
Vietnam is long. The mistake is treating it as one destination rather than three, and spending the difference on buses.
The route
- Hanoi (3 nights) - the old quarter, the lake, and the best street food in the country.
- Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay (1 night aboard) - go with a smaller boat and to Lan Ha if you can; the scenery is the same and the crowds are not.
- Hue (1-2 nights) - the citadel and the royal tombs along the Perfume River.
- Hoi An (3 nights) - the old town, the tailors, An Bang beach, and the easiest place in Vietnam to do nothing.
- Ho Chi Minh City (3 nights) - the war museum, the Cu Chi tunnels, and a different tempo entirely.
Getting between them
The Reunification Railway is scenic and slow; the Hue-Da Nang stretch along the coast is the one to do by train even if you fly the rest. Internal flights between Hanoi, Da Nang and Saigon take about an hour and cost little - use them for the long hops and keep the train for the beautiful section.
When
The country does not share one season. North: October to April is cool and dry, with a cold, grey January. Centre: February to May, with typhoon risk in autumn. South: December to April is the dry season. A two-week trip almost always involves accepting one imperfect region.
Practical notes
Book the Ha Long boat through a reputable operator and read what "private bay" actually means. In Hoi An, clothes take two or three days to make properly - order on arrival, not the day before you leave. Cash is still king in markets.