A scenic view of a body of water surrounded by trees

Hanoi · Hai Phong · Cat Ba · Hue · Da Nang · Hoi An · Duy Xuyen · Ho Chi Minh City · Cu Chi · Can Tho

14 days in Vietnam: Lan Ha Bay, Hoi An lanterns & the Mekong

14 days · 71 stops · kept in November 2026

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Two weeks north to south: Hanoi's Old Quarter, a night on Lan Ha Bay, the sleeper train to Hue's citadel and tombs, Hoi An and My Son, Saigon's history and street food, and a dawn floating market in the Mekong Delta. Best February to April; the central coast floods October to December.

Hanoi → Cat Ba → Hai Phong → Hue → Da Nang → Hoi An → Duy Xuyen → Ho Chi Minh City → Cu Chi → Can Tho

On foot: 12 km · 2h 53m
By train or taxi: 1189 km · 12h 36m
Widest point to point: 1228 km

All 14 days at once. Each day is its own line — nothing is drawn across a night.

On footBy train or taxi

Neablis

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All 14 days, as they ran them

Day 18 am – 9:30 pm · 7 stops
8 am 1
Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son TempleHanoi
Start where most first-timers start: the lake loop and the red Huc Bridge out to Ngoc Son Temple (50,000 VND, opens 08:00). Early morning you share the shore with tai chi groups rather than tour buses.
12 min walk · 900 m
9:15 am 2
Old Quarter streets to Dong Xuan MarketHanoi
Walk north through the old guild streets (Hang Bac, Hang Ma) to the covered Dong Xuan market. Crossing the motorbike traffic is the skill every report mentions: walk at a steady pace and let it flow around you.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.3 km
11:45 am 3
Bun cha at Bun Cha Huong LienHanoi
Grilled pork, rice noodles and herbs in a sweet-sour broth, the Hanoi lunch. This is the shop made famous by the Obama and Bourdain visit; order the combo with a fried crab spring roll. Bun cha is a lunchtime dish, so go before 13:00.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.2 km
1:30 pm 4
Temple of LiteratureHanoi
Vietnam's first university (1070), five courtyards and the stone turtle steles naming doctoral laureates. 70,000 VND, open 08:00 to 17:00. Some nights run a lit evening tour for 199,000 VND.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.0 km
3:45 pm 5
Egg coffee at Cafe GiangHanoi
The family that claims to have invented ca phe trung in the 1940s. Egg yolk whipped with sugar over strong coffee; order it hot, set in a bowl of warm water.
4 min walk · 300 m
6:30 pm 6
Thang Long Water Puppet TheatreHanoi
A 50-minute show of lacquered puppets on a water stage with live folk music. Tickets 100,000 to 200,000 VND at the box office (resellers charge more); shows usually at 16:10, 18:30 and 20:00. Buy in the morning for the evening show.
6 min walk · 450 m
7:45 pm 7
Bia hoi on Ta HienHanoi
Fresh draught beer on plastic stools, with grilled skewers from the stalls around the corner. Loud and touristy by 21:00, so step a block off Ta Hien for a quieter corner.
Day 27 am – 9 pm · 6 stops
7 am 8
Pho at Pho Gia TruyenHanoi
Beef pho, queue at the counter, pay first, carry your own bowl. The early queue moves fast; it sells out by late morning.
17 min walk · 1.3 km
8 am 9
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh SquareHanoi
Free, mornings only, closed Monday and Friday (open 08:00 to 11:00 from November to March, 07:30 from April). It closes for about two months most autumns for maintenance, so check the announced dates. Shoulders and knees covered or you are turned away. The One Pillar Pagoda is next door.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.8 km
10:15 am 10
Hoa Lo PrisonHanoi
The French colonial prison later nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton. 50,000 VND, 08:00 to 17:00 daily; the audio guide is worth renting.
8 min by train or taxi · 5.2 km
1:30 pm 11
Vietnam Museum of EthnologyHanoi
The best museum in the city for Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, with full-size stilt and communal houses in the garden behind. 40,000 VND, 08:30 to 17:30, closed Mondays. It is out west, so take a Grab.
8 min by train or taxi · 4.0 km
4:30 pm 12
Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake at sunsetHanoi
Hanoi's oldest pagoda on a little island in West Lake, free. Walk the Thanh Nien causeway as the light goes.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.2 km
7 pm 13
Dinner and the Old Quarter night walking streetHanoi
On Friday to Sunday evenings the streets north of the lake close to traffic for a night market and street food. On other nights, eat in the Old Quarter and pack for an early pickup.
Day 38 am – 9 pm · 5 stops
8 am 14
Shuttle from Hanoi to the Lan Ha Bay pierHanoi
Cruise shuttles pick up from Old Quarter hotels between 07:30 and 08:30; the drive is 2.5 to 3.5 hours with a rest stop. Usually included in the cruise price.
1h 1m by train or taxi · 134 km
11:30 am 15
Board an overnight cruise on Lan Ha BayCat Ba
Reports and cruise comparisons favour Lan Ha over Ha Long Bay next door: the same limestone karsts with roughly a tenth of the boat traffic and calmer water for kayaking. One night costs about 2.5 to 5.5 million VND per person, meals included; mid-range boats sit around 3.5 to 4 million.
3 min walk · 0 m
2:30 pm 16
Kayak among the karstsCat Ba
The afternoon kayak through lagoons and under rock arches is the part everyone remembers. Included on most boats.
3 min walk · 0 m
4:30 pm 17
Swim and sunset from the deckCat Ba
Most boats anchor for a swim off a small beach or the stern, then sundowners on deck.
3 min walk · 0 m
7 pm 18
Dinner on board and squid fishingCat Ba
Seafood dinner on board, then squid fishing off the stern lights. Included.
Day 46 am – 11:59 pm · 6 stops
6 am 19
Sunrise tai chi on the sundeckCat Ba
Optional, but the bay at first light is the best view of the trip.
3 min walk · 0 m
7:30 am 20
Cave or floating fishing village by bamboo boatCat Ba
The second-morning excursion varies by boat: a cave, or a rowed visit to a floating fishing village.
3 min walk · 0 m
9:45 am 21
Brunch on board and disembarkCat Ba
Boats dock around 10:30 to 11:00 after brunch.
11 am 22
Shuttle back to HanoiHai Phong
Back in Hanoi by 15:00 to 16:00. Keep your bags with the hotel or shuttle so you can go straight to the station tonight.
5:30 pm 23
Dinner before the trainHanoi
Eat and buy water and snacks; the dining car is basic.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.7 km
7:20 pm 24
Overnight sleeper train to HueHanoi
SE3 leaves 19:20 and arrives in Hue at 07:50 (12.5 hours); SE1 at 21:45 arrives 10:25. A 4-berth soft sleeper is about 1.14 to 1.22 million VND on the Vietnam Railways site. The flight is 1h20 if you would rather save the night, but the train saves a hotel and is the classic way down.
Day 58:30 am – 9 pm · 5 stops
8:30 am 25
Hue Imperial CityHue
The Nguyen dynasty's walled citadel; allow three hours and start here because it is the biggest site. 200,000 VND, or 530,000 for a combo with the Minh Mang, Tu Duc and Khai Dinh tombs (valid two days). Hue and the central coast get heavy rain and floods from October to December, worst in November.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.9 km
12:15 pm 26
Lunch at Madam ThuHue
Two traveller reports send you here for a Hue tasting platter: banh beo, banh bot loc in banana leaf and rice-paper pancakes with peanut sauce.
8 min by train or taxi · 5.2 km
2:15 pm 27
Tomb of Tu DucHue
The most romantic of the royal tombs: pine forest, lotus ponds and pavilions the emperor used as a retreat. 150,000 VND alone, or covered by the combo.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.2 km
4:30 pm 28
Thien Mu Pagoda at sunsetHue
The seven-storey octagonal tower above the Perfume River, free. Reports put it at sunset, and you can come or go by dragon boat on the river.
9 min by train or taxi · 5.6 km
7 pm 29
Evening on the Pham Ngu Lao walking streetHue
Street food, little cocktail bars down alleyways and the lit Truong Tien Bridge across the river.
Day 67:30 am – 8:30 pm · 6 stops
7:30 am 30
Tomb of Minh Mang before the groupsHue
Symmetrical courtyards and lakes stepping down to the burial mound. Get there before 09:30, when the tour buses arrive. 150,000 VND or on the combo.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.7 km
9:15 am 31
Tomb of Khai DinhHue
Small, steep and astonishing inside: walls and ceilings of mosaic made from broken porcelain and glass. Thirty minutes is enough.
8 min by train or taxi · 4.9 km
10:45 am 32
Thuy Xuan Incense VillageHue
The photo stop for bundles of coloured incense fanned out to dry, on the road out to the Tu Duc tomb. Free; makers may ask for a tip or that you buy a bundle if you photograph them.
8 min by train or taxi · 5.1 km
12 pm 33
Bun bo Hue at Dong Ba MarketHue
Hue's lemongrass and chili beef noodle soup in its home town, at the food stalls inside the city's main market.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.9 km
3 pm 34
An Dinh PalaceHue
The last emperors' European-style residence with painted interiors. 50,000 VND, quieter than the citadel.
20 min walk · 1.5 km
7:30 pm 35
Ca Hue singing on a Perfume River boatHue
Royal court folk songs performed on a dragon boat after dark, with candle lanterns floated on the river. About 150,000 VND a seat; buy at the riverside piers.
Day 78:30 am – 9:30 pm · 6 stops
8:30 am 36
Over the Hai Van Pass by carDa Nang
Several reports say a private car with stops (Lang Co lagoon, the pass, Marble Mountains) beats the cramped shared shuttle. Hue to Hoi An is about 3.5 hours. The cheaper alternative is the Hue to Da Nang train, which hugs the coast below the pass. In the October to December rains the pass can be closed or fogged in.
25 min by train or taxi · 25 km
11:15 am 37
Marble Mountains caves and pagodasDa Nang
Five limestone hills honeycombed with cave shrines. Climb Thuy Son for the Huyen Khong cave and the view. 40,000 VND, plus a small fee for the lift.
16 min by train or taxi · 16 km
1:45 pm 38
Com ga at Ba BuoiHoi An
Hoi An chicken rice, turmeric rice with shredded chicken and herbs, about 40,000 to 50,000 VND.
6 min walk · 500 m
5:45 pm 39
Lantern boat on the Thu Bon RiverHoi An
Twenty minutes on a sampan floating a paper lantern, about 150,000 VND. Agree the price before boarding; the touts by the An Hoi footbridge are persistent. In flood season (October to December, worst in November) the riverside can be under water.
3 min walk · 150 m
7 pm 40
Dinner at Morning GloryHoi An
Ms Vy's restaurant for central Vietnamese dishes: cao lau, white rose dumplings and banh xeo. Busy, so book or come before 19:00.
3 min walk · 200 m
8:30 pm 41
An Hoi Night MarketHoi An
Lantern stalls and snacks across the footbridge from the old town.
Day 86 am – 8 pm · 5 stops
6 am 42
My Son Sanctuary at openingDuy Xuyen
UNESCO-listed Cham temple towers in a jungle valley about an hour from Hoi An. 150,000 VND, including the shuttle and the Cham dance show; open 06:00 to 18:00. Arrive at 06:00 and leave before the half-day tours arrive around 09:30. Cost includes a share of a car.
26 min by train or taxi · 26 km
10:15 am 43
Banh mi at Banh Mi PhuongHoi An
The banh mi Bourdain called the best; the mixed pork one is about 35,000 VND.
9 min walk · 650 m
11 am 44
Ancient Town: Japanese Bridge and old housesHoi An
The 120,000 VND ticket is required in the old town and covers five heritage sites: pick the Japanese Bridge, Tan Ky Old House and the Fujian Assembly Hall.
5 min walk · 400 m
1:30 pm 45
Tailor fitting at Yaly CoutureHoi An
If you want something made, order on your first full day: shops need about 48 hours and a second fitting.
8 min by train or taxi · 4.1 km
3:30 pm 46
Afternoon and dinner at An Bang BeachHoi An
Cycle or Grab 4 km to the beach, rent a lounger from a restaurant and stay for seafood dinner on the sand. The sea is rough in the October to December rains.
Day 98:15 am – 9:30 pm · 4 stops
8:15 am 47
Cooking class with market tour and basket boatHoi An
A morning class that starts at the central market, goes by boat to the school and ends with lunch. 800,000 to 1,200,000 VND. Morning Glory runs a similar one.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.1 km
2 pm 48
Final tailor fitting and pick-upHoi An
Try everything on before you pay the balance.
23 min by train or taxi · 23 km
4 pm 49
Fly Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh CityDa Nang
Grab from Hoi An to Da Nang airport takes about 45 minutes. The flight is 1h30 and about 55 USD booked ahead.
4h 36m by train or taxi · 607 km
8:30 pm 50
Dinner at Ben Nghe Street Food MarketHo Chi Minh City
A covered hall of stalls by the river, an easy first night of broken rice, grilled seafood and sugarcane juice.
Day 107:30 am – 10 pm · 6 stops
7:30 am 51
War Remnants Museum at openingHo Chi Minh City
The war from the Vietnamese side, with aircraft and tanks in the yard. 60,000 VND, 07:30 to 17:30 daily (last entry 17:00). Go at opening and allow two to three hours; the Agent Orange and Requiem galleries are graphic.
6 min walk · 450 m
10:15 am 52
Independence PalaceHo Chi Minh City
The 1960s presidential palace, frozen in time down to the war room in the basement. 65,000 VND cash; opens 08:00, ticket desk closes 14:00.
9 min walk · 700 m
12 pm 53
Banh mi at Banh Mi Huynh HoaHo Chi Minh City
Saigon's most famous banh mi, overstuffed with pate and cold cuts. Takeaway only; the queue moves quickly.
17 min walk · 1.2 km
2 pm 54
Central Post Office and the cathedral squareHo Chi Minh City
The Eiffel-era post office hall is free and still working; send a postcard. Next door, Notre-Dame Cathedral has been under restoration since 2017: the facade is done and the crosses went back on the towers in March 2026, but the parish says work runs past 2027, so expect to see it from outside. Book Street is around the corner.
11 min walk · 800 m
3:30 pm 55
Coffee at the Cafe ApartmentsHo Chi Minh City
An old apartment block turned into a stack of small cafes overlooking Nguyen Hue boulevard. Small fee for the lift, or take the stairs.
7 min walk · 550 m
6:30 pm 56
Evening street food tour by motorbikeHo Chi Minh City
Several reports call an evening food tour the best way to find Saigon's street food, riding pillion to districts you would not find alone. Expect about 40 to 50 USD with all food included.
Day 117:30 am – 10:30 pm · 5 stops
7:30 am 57
Cu Chi Tunnels half dayCu Chi
The Viet Cong tunnel network about 60 km out, with stretches you can crawl through. Half-day tours leave around 07:30 to 08:00 and drive about 1.5 hours each way; about 25 USD with entry.
37 min by train or taxi · 37 km
1:30 pm 58
Lunch at Ben Thanh MarketHo Chi Minh City
Touristy and pricier than local markets, but the food stalls in the middle are a quick lunch.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.1 km
3 pm 59
Jade Emperor PagodaHo Chi Minh City
A smoky Taoist temple full of carved deities and a turtle pond. Free.
11 min walk · 850 m
4 pm 60
The pink Tan Dinh ChurchHo Chi Minh City
A candy-pink 1870s church; get the best view from a cafe across the street.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.4 km
7:30 pm 61
Bui Vien walking street at nightHo Chi Minh City
Saigon's backpacker street turns into a pedestrian party street at night: cheap beer, loud bars, people-watching. Eat on Pham Ngu Lao first.
Day 128 am – 8:30 pm · 3 stops
8 am 62
Bus to Can Tho in the Mekong DeltaHo Chi Minh City
Futa buses leave every 30 to 60 minutes, about 3.5 hours, 165,000 to 250,000 VND, with a free shuttle to your hotel in Can Tho. Counter is cash only; 12Go or Baolau take cards. Stay overnight: day trips from Saigon reach the floating market too late.
55 min by train or taxi · 120 km
4:30 pm 63
Book tomorrow's boat at Ninh Kieu WharfCan Tho
Walk the riverside promenade and book a sampan for the morning at the pier: cheaper than through a hotel, which can mark up 50 to 100 percent. Agree price, time and route.
3 min walk · 200 m
6:30 pm 64
Dinner at Ninh Kieu Night MarketCan Tho
Grilled seafood and delta fruit by the river. Early night: the boat leaves before dawn.
Day 135:30 am – 9 pm · 4 stops
5:30 am 65
Cai Rang Floating Market at dawnCan Tho
Wholesale boats hang their produce from poles; trade peaks 05:30 to 06:30 and by 09:00 only tourist boats are left. A private sampan for two or three is 300,000 to 400,000 VND for about three hours; shared seats 50,000 to 100,000. Eat hu tieu from a kitchen boat (about 30,000 VND) and bring small notes. December to March is best; September and October are wettest.
8 min by train or taxi · 3.0 km
10 am 66
Bus back to Ho Chi Minh CityCan Tho
Same Futa route back, about 3.5 hours.
1h by train or taxi · 133 km
5:30 pm 67
Sunset from the Saigon SkydeckHo Chi Minh City
The 49th-floor deck of the Bitexco Financial Tower, 240,000 VND, 09:30 to 21:30. The bar higher up the tower is the alternative if you would rather spend it on a drink.
3 min walk · 250 m
7 pm 68
Farewell dinner on Nguyen HueHo Chi Minh City
The pedestrian boulevard fills with families and street performers in the evening; eat in the side streets.
Day 148:30 am – 1 pm · 3 stops
8:30 am 69
Ho Chi Minh City Museum in the Gia Long PalaceHo Chi Minh City
A colonial palace with the city's history inside and a popular wedding-photo backdrop outside. About 30,000 VND.
6 min walk · 400 m
10:15 am 70
Last shopping at Ben Thanh MarketHo Chi Minh City
Coffee beans, lacquerware and dried fruit to take home. Bargain, and compare with Tan Dinh Market if you have time.
8 min by train or taxi · 1.9 km
12 pm 71
A last bowl of pho, then the airportHo Chi Minh City
A long-running southern-style pho house with a big herb plate. Tan Son Nhat airport is 30 to 60 minutes by Grab depending on traffic.

14 days in Vietnam: Lan Ha Bay, Hoi An lanterns & the Mekong

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