Vietnam Itinerary 2 Weeks: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, Day by Day

Our Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks route works best as a one-way trip: four days in Hanoi and the north, five on the central coast around Hue and Hoi An, and five in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. This plan from our Vietnam travel blog gives the route day by day, how to travel each leg, which direction to choose and how to adjust it.

Two weeks in Vietnam usually means flying into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City, or the reverse. The e-visa lists the airports you will use, so plan the route first, then apply for a Vietnam e-visa online with both airports.

The 2-week route at a glance

This Vietnam travel route uses two domestic flights to cover the long distances and a road trip for the scenic middle section. Each base gets at least two nights, so you change hotels less often.

Days 1 to 4: Hanoi and the north

Spend three days in Hanoi and one night on Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay. That pace gives you the capital's history and food without racing, plus the limestone bay most visitors come for.

Day 1 is for recovering and walking around Hoan Kiem Lake. Day 2 covers Ba Dinh and the Temple of Literature, and day 3 the Old Quarter, West Lake and a water puppet show; our Hanoi guide has the details. On day 4, take an overnight cruise. Lan Ha Bay, reached via Hai Phong, is quieter than Ha Long. If you prefer land to water, swap the cruise for Ninh Binh's river caves.

Days 5 to 9: Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang

The central coast gets five days: two in Hue for the imperial history, then three in Hoi An with a beach afternoon and a day trip. Fly from Hanoi to Hue in the morning after your cruise returns.

In Hue, visit the Imperial City on day 5 and two royal tombs by boat or bike on day 6. On day 7, hire a car over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, stopping at Lang Co beach; the drive takes about three hours with stops. Days 8 and 9 follow our Hoi An travel guide: the Old Town early, lanterns at night, and My Son or the Cham Islands.

Days 10 to 14: Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta

Fly from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City on day 10, then split the last five days between the city and the Mekong Delta. The flight is about 80 minutes.

Day 11 covers the War Remnants Museum, the Reunification Palace and Ben Thanh Market. Day 12 is a half-day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. On days 13 and 14, stay a night in Can Tho or Ben Tre to see a floating market at dawn, then return for your flight home. Our guide to getting from Tan Son Nhat to the center covers the airport runs.

North to south or south to north

A Vietnam itinerary from north to south and the reverse cover the same places, so the choice comes down to weather and flight prices. Start where the weather is better when you land.

From December to February, the south is dry and sunny while Hanoi is cool and grey, so many travelers end in the south for warm days. From May to August, the north is hot and the south has afternoon showers. Long-haul flights into Ho Chi Minh City are sometimes cheaper; compare both directions before you book.

Three changes come up often once the outline is set: adding a beach or the mountains, planning around the weather, and getting the visa right for an open-jaw trip.

Adjusting the Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks plan

The base route above is a starting point. Swap parts of it to match your interests and season.

Adding a beach or the mountains

For a beach finish, replace the Mekong days with two or three nights on Phu Quoc, a one-hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City. For mountains, swap Ha Long for two nights in Sapa, or give up the Mekong for the four-day Ha Giang loop if you have a few extra days.

Weather by region

Vietnam's regions have different seasons, so a two-week trip often crosses two climates. The central coast between Hue and Hoi An gets its heaviest rain from October to December. In those months, keep one spare day in the center and book flexible tickets. Our guide to the best time to visit Vietnam covers each month.

Visa for an open-jaw trip

On an e-visa, you choose your entry and exit points when you apply, and the UK government notes that you are restricted to the points you selected. For this route, choose Noi Bai for entry and Tan Son Nhat for exit. Our list of e-visa ports of entry shows every approved airport.

VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you would like us to check your entry and exit airports before submission, start your application with us.