Vietnam stretches roughly 1,650 km from Hanoi in the north to the Mekong Delta in the south, across three distinct regions that each feel like a different country. Most first-timers underestimate the transit time and try to squeeze all three into a week.
This guide gives you a tested 10-day route through the highlights without burnout. It covers the day-by-day plan, transport between cities, paperwork you need before you fly, and the mistakes first-time visitors usually make.
Is 10 days enough for Vietnam?
The honest answer: yes for the highlights, no for everything.
Ten days lets you cover three cities and one big day trip at a comfortable pace, or two regions in proper depth. It is not enough to cross all three regions, add Sapa, an overnight Halong cruise, and a beach stop without spending half the trip in transit.
If your priority is depth (slow food culture, local markets, longer cruises), pick two regions and skip the third. If your priority is breadth (a taste of north, central, and south), the route below is built for you.
Three popular 10-day routes (pick one)
| Route | Cities | Internal flights | Pace | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Classic North-Central-South | Hanoi, Hoi An, HCMC | 2 | Moderate | First-timers who want the full country |
| B. North-focused + overnight Halong | Hanoi, Halong, Hoi An, Da Nang | 1 | Slow, scenic | Travellers who prefer fewer moves |
| C. South-focused with beach | HCMC, Mekong, Phu Quoc, Hoi An | 2 | Beach-heavy | Travellers wanting a tropical add-on |
Route A is the most popular for a reason. It gives you Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Hoi An culture and food anchor, and Saigon’s high-energy finish. The day-by-day plan below follows Route A.
The recommended day-by-day plan
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi
You land at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), Vietnam’s northern gateway. Evenings here can run busy: long-haul flights from Europe and East Asia tend to land within the same window, and the immigration hall fills up fast. Many travellers book a Noi Bai Fast Track Service so the first hour on the ground does not eat into Day 1.
The drive from HAN to the Old Quarter takes around 35-45 minutes by Grab or hotel car, $13-18 (around 320,000-450,000 VND).
Full options sit in the Hanoi Airport to City Centre Guide.
Keep Day 1 light. A loop of Hoan Kiem Lake and dinner at one of the Old Quarter pho stalls is plenty.
Arrival Hanoi Fast Track Immigration Lane USD $35
No Dedicated Agent with Standard Package
Day 2: Hanoi deep dive
Spend a full day on foot.
- Morning: Train Street for a coffee while the train passes (check the schedule, it changes).
- Late morning: Temple of Literature and the surrounding streets.
- Afternoon: an Old Quarter food walk hits banh mi, bun cha, egg coffee, and beer street if you have the appetite.
- Evening: water puppet theatre or rooftop drinks over the lake.
Day 3: Halong Bay or Ninh Binh day trip
You have two main options for the day trip from Hanoi:
- Halong Bay (1-day cruise): leaves around 8am, returns 8pm. Lower cost, but rushed. Better as an overnight if you can extend.
- Ninh Binh, ‘the dry Halong’: shorter drive, limestone karsts over rice paddies, calmer crowds. Often the better day-trip pick for first-timers on a tight schedule.
If you can shift the itinerary, an overnight Halong cruise is the version most travellers wish they had done.
Day 4: Fly Hanoi to Da Nang, transfer to Hoi An
Take the first or second flight out (Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, and Bamboo all run this route, around 1h20m, $50-80 / 1.25-2 million VND). Book at least 2-3 weeks ahead.
Land at Da Nang Airport (DAD), then drive 35-45 minutes south to Hoi An. Most hotels arrange airport pickup for $15-22 (around 380,000-550,000 VND). Check in, walk the riverside, eat banh mi at one of the famous shops.
Day 5: Hoi An ancient town
Hoi An’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most photogenic place on the route. Spend the morning on the lantern-lit streets, the bridges, and the assembly halls. Drop into a tailor and order a custom shirt or dress for pickup in 24-48 hours. Afternoon, cooking class, riverside coffee, or a basket-boat tour through the coconut palms. The lantern night is the evening event. Cross the Japanese Bridge after dark.
Day 6: Hoi An countryside and My Son
Half-day morning trip to My Son Sanctuary, a ruined Champa temple complex an hour inland. Smaller than Angkor, but moving in its own way. Go early to beat the heat.
Afternoon: countryside bike ride, beach hour at An Bang, or a second pass through the old town for the shops you missed.
Day 7: Fly Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City
DAD to SGN is around 1h25m, similar pricing to the Hanoi-Da Nang leg. Land at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), Vietnam’s busiest gateway, which moves more than 40 million passengers a year.
Evening arrivals at SGN are the slowest at any Vietnamese airport. If you are tight on the schedule or just tired of queueing, the Tan Son Nhat Fast Track Service covers the immigration lane on arrival and gets you to the arrivals hall in 10-20 minutes.
Day 8: Saigon city day
District 1 is your base.
The walking loop: Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market, Independence Palace. The War Remnants Museum is intense but worth the visit.
Lunch: Banh Mi Huynh Hoa or Pho Le.
Sunset: a rooftop bar (Saigon Saigon or Chill Skybar). Evening: a street-food walk through District 4, or a sit-down dinner in District 3.
Getting around from the airport on Day 7 and back to it on Day 10 is covered in the 5 Best Ways From Ho Chi Minh Airport To District 1.
Day 9: Mekong Delta day trip
The classic route is Cai Be or My Tho, about 1.5-2 hours south. Boats through the canals, fruit gardens, coconut candy workshops, lunch at a riverside restaurant. Pre-book through your hotel or a verified operator.
If you want a slower version, an overnight in Ben Tre or Can Tho lets you catch the floating market at dawn. It adds a day and drops one of the HCMC days.
Day 10: HCMC departure
Last morning for souvenirs (Ben Thanh and Saigon Square) and a final bowl of pho. For an international flight out of SGN, leave District 1 three hours before departure, four during evening peaks. Lunch near the airport, not in District 1, if your flight is after 2pm.
How to get between cities
| Option | Time | Cost per leg | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic flight | 1h20m-1h30m | $50-90 (1.25-2.3M VND) | Most travellers; the realistic option for 10 days |
| Reunification Express train | 14-17h | $30-55 (760K-1.4M VND) | Scenic slow travel, soft sleeper |
| Sleeper bus | 14-18h | $15-25 (380-630K VND) | Tight budgets, tolerant backs |
| Private car with driver | 12-15h | $250-380 (6.3-9.5M VND) | Multi-stop coastal road trip |
For a 10-day itinerary, fly the two long internal legs. The train is romantic but it eats two of your travel days.
When to visit (and what to pack)
Vietnam’s seasons split by region. There is no perfect month for the whole country, but some are clearly better than others.
| Month | North (Hanoi) | Central (Hoi An) | South (HCMC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan-Mar | Cool, dry, sometimes drizzle | Cool, drier | Dry, warm |
| Apr-Jun | Hot, humid | Hot, dry | Hot, building rains |
| Jul-Sep | Hot, wet | Typhoon risk, wet | Daily rains |
| Oct-Dec | Mild, dry | Floods possible early Oct, then dry | Dry, cooler evenings |
Pack:
- Lightweight clothing, modest cover-ups for temples (shoulders, knees)
- Comfortable walking shoes plus sandals
- A light rain layer (any season)
- Sunscreen and a reusable water bottle
- Small notes in VND for taxis, snacks, tips
- A power adapter for Type A, C, and F plugs
The HCMC Summer Guide goes deeper on packing for the hot months.
Arrival Ho Chi Minh City Fast Track Immigration Lane USD $35
No Dedicated Agent with Standard Package
Before you fly: essential paperwork
Vietnam has tightened entry requirements in [YY]. None of this is hard, it just needs to be done before you board.
- Visa or visa exemption. Check eligibility for the Vietnam E-Visa up to three months ahead. Most US, AU, UK, CA, and NZ passport holders qualify.
- Vietnam Digital Arrival Card. Mandatory at Tan Son Nhat since April 2026, rolling out across other airports. Submit online before you fly. The Digital Arrival Card Guide walks through the form.
- Health Declaration. From July 2026, all entries, exits, and transits require an online health declaration.
- Customs allowances. Know what you can bring in and what to declare. The Vietnam Customs Rules Guide has the current limits.
- Autogate eligibility. Some passport holders can use the autogate at Vietnamese airports to speed clearance. Check the Vietnam Autogate Guide to see if you qualify.
Final thoughts
Vietnam rewards travellers who plan the route but stay flexible on the day. Weather shifts, ferries get cancelled, and the best meals are often the ones you stumble into, not the ones you booked in advance.
The one hour that can derail Day 1 sits between the plane door and the arrivals hall. After a long-haul flight, with luggage, half-asleep, the immigration queue at Noi Bai or Tan Son Nhat is rarely the part of the trip anyone wants to remember.
Fast Track Vietnam puts an agent at the gate the moment you land, walks you through the priority immigration lane, and gets you to the arrivals hall in 10-20 minutes instead of an hour or two.