10 days in Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong and Hoi An

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival in Hanoi — first evening in the Old Quarter

   Land at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), 35 km from the centre. Bus No.86 express to the Old Quarter (45 min, 35,000 VND / €1.30) — the most economical option from the airport. Alternative: Grab taxi (essential app in Vietnam) for 200,000-250,000 VND / €7-9, no negotiation, GPS-tracked — far preferable to street taxis.

   Settle into the Old Quarter (Hoàn Kiếm) — the ideal base: 36 guild streets within walking distance, lakes, temples and street breweries at every turn. First move of the evening: sit down at a bia hoi (pavement brewery, draught beer at 5,000-10,000 VND / €0.20-0.40) on the corner of Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến. A bowl of bún chả (grilled pork vermicelli, 50,000-70,000 VND / €2-2.50) as a first Vietnamese meal.

   Tips

   • · Download the Grab app before departure — it is the only reliable way to get around without being overcharged in Vietnam.
   • · Best area to stay: Hoàn Kiếm, within 500 m of the lake — good selection of boutique hotels between €25 and €60 per night, breakfast often included.
   Hanoi →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Hanoi: Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and train street

   The orientation day. Walk to Hoan Kiem Lake — full circuit (40 min), stop at Ngoc Son Temple on its islet connected by the red Huc Bridge (30,000 VND / €1.10). Explore the 36 guild streets: each historic street still bears its craft specialty name. The quarter is dense, loud and alive — getting lost is the plan.

   Essential lunch: phở bò at Phở Gia Truyền (49 Bát Đàn, queue expected, 60,000-80,000 VND / €2.20-2.90). Train Street in late afternoon (Lê Duẩn street): twice daily (around 3:30pm and 7:30pm), a train passes 50 cm from the houses — a unique spectacle. Arrive 30 minutes before the train. Evening: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum lit up from the outside, then a gastronomic dinner at Chả Cá Thăng Long (turmeric-dill fish specialty, 150,000-200,000 VND).

   Tips

   • · Hanoi pho is a morning food — most historic spots close between 10am and 2pm. Plan for morning pho on Day 2 or 3.
   • · Train Street: do not step onto the rails as the train approaches — security agents push back anyone too close.
   Hanoi →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Hanoi: Temple of Literature, Mausoleum and street food

   Leave at 7:30am for the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free, open Tue-Thu + Sat-Sun 8am-11:30am) — expect a queue, smart-casual dress required (no shorts, shoulders covered). Nearby: Ho Chi Minh's stilt house (25,000 VND) and the Presidential Palace Museum in a beautiful park.

   Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu, 30,000 VND) — founded in 1070, Vietnam's first university, stone turtles bearing laureate doctoral tablets. Lunch at Đồng Xuân covered market (Hanoi's largest market, 3 floors, 2,000 stalls). Afternoon: Museum of Ethnology (40,000 VND, Cầu Giấy district) — the best introduction to the country's 54 ethnic groups. Evening: light dinner before tomorrow's early departure for the Halong cruise.

   Tips

   • · The mausoleum is closed during annual maintenance (typically Sept-Nov) — check the official calendar before planning your trip.
   • · Pack light for the Halong cruise the night before: a small bag (swimwear, sunscreen, warm layer) — main luggage stays at the Hanoi hotel.
   Hanoi →
4. 4

   Day 4

   Hanoi → Halong Bay cruise: boarding

   Depart by bus from Hanoi to Tuần Châu or Cái Rồng port (3h30-4h, transfer included in most cruise packages). Board between 11:30am and noon. Halong Bay — 1,969 limestone islets rising from the South China Sea, UNESCO-listed since 1994 — is one of Asia's most spectacular landscapes.

   Afternoon on deck: sailing between limestone pinnacles, kayaking in hidden lagoons, visiting Sung Sot Cave (Cave of Surprises, the bay's largest, included in the package). Sunset at sea with islets silhouetted against the sky — the circuit's signature moment. Dinner on board (fresh seafood, 3-4 courses), overnight on the boat in the bay.

   Cruise budget 2 days/1 night: €120-180 in mid-range (3-star boat, double cabin, meals included). Avoid boats under €80. Book through Era Cruises, Stellar Cruises (mid-range) or Indochina Junk, Paradise Cruises (premium).

   Tips

   • · Book the cruise at least 3 weeks ahead in high season (Nov-Mar) — quality boats sell out long before departure.
   • · Halong Bay vs Bai Tu Long Bay: Bai Tu Long (the adjacent bay, less known) is virtually identical visually but 3x less crowded — ask the agency if they offer cruises in this area.
5. 5

   Day 5

   Halong Bay cruise: morning at sea → return to Hanoi

   Wake up at sea, in the morning mist wrapping the limestone towers. Most quality boats offer tai chi at sunrise on the upper deck (5:45-6:30am). Breakfast on board, then activities depending on the boat: Vietnamese cooking class, visit to a floating fishing village, or snorkelling.

   Cabin check-out at 9:30am, farewell lunch on board, return to port around noon-1pm. Bus back to Hanoi (3h30-4h), arriving late afternoon. Collect luggage at the hotel. Quiet evening in Hanoi — Old Quarter night market (Friday-Sunday, Hàng Đào street, 6pm-11pm) or a seafood dinner in the quarter to recover from the cruise. Hanoi → Da Nang flight to plan early tomorrow morning.

   Tips

   • · Morning mist over Halong Bay is most dramatic from November to March — visually spectacular, but overnight temperatures can drop to 12-15 °C in January; pack a warm layer.
   • · Book the Hanoi → Da Nang flight when planning the trip — morning slots (6:30-8am) allow arrival in Hoi An for lunch.
   Hanoi →
6. 6

   Day 6

   Hanoi → Da Nang flight → Hoi An transfer

   Domestic flight Hanoi (HAN) → Da Nang (DAD), 1h15, €30-70 depending on airline and booking lead time — Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air and Bamboo Airways serve the route multiple times daily. Da Nang is the regional airport for Central Vietnam, 30 km from Hoi An.

   Airport → Hoi An transfer: shared taxi or shuttle (150,000-200,000 VND / €5.50-7.30 per person). Arrive in Hoi An early afternoon. First walk through the UNESCO Old Town before sunset. The Japanese Covered Bridge (Lai Viễn Kiều), dating from the 17th century, is iconic. Inaugural dinner: Cao Lầu (local specialty of thick noodles with roast pork and croutons, 60,000-80,000 VND / €2.20-2.90) — a dish found only in Hoi An according to legend.

   Tips

   • · Da Nang has its own attractions (Dragon Bridge, Marble Mountains) — if schedule permits, a 3h stop between the airport and Hoi An is worth visiting the Marble Mountains (40,000 VND).
   • · Hoi An in high season (Nov-Feb): book a hotel inside or just outside the Old Town — riverside Thu Bon properties (with lantern views) go first.
   Hoi An →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Hoi An: UNESCO Old Town and bespoke tailors

   A day in central Vietnam's jewel. Hoi An Old Town (access ticket 120,000 VND / €4.40 including 5 of 21 sites) is Southeast Asia's most complete ancient merchant city. Must-sees: Phúc Kiến Assembly Hall (the most ornate), Tấn Ký Ancient House, the Japanese Covered Bridge.

   Hoi An is the world's capital of rapid bespoke tailoring: 700 tailors in town, a shirt in 24h, a suit in 48h. Reliable addresses: Yaly Couture (109B Nguyễn Thái Học) and A Dong Silk (62 Trần Phú). Order the moment you arrive — not the day before leaving.

   Evening: paper lanterns light up the old town from 6pm. First evening of the month (lantern festival, full moon) — if it coincides with your visit — the old town is lit only by candles and lanterns.

   Tips

   • · The Old Town ticket is checked at the entrance to each included site — buy it on arrival at the tourist office on Trần Phú.
   • · Hoi An tailors work from photos — bring a reference image of the garment you want on your phone: the result is far closer to expectations.
   Hoi An →
8. 8

   Day 8

   Hoi An: An Bang Beach and cooking class

   Morning at An Bang Beach, Hoi An's local beach 4 km from the centre (bicycle rental, 50,000 VND / day — the best way to get around Hoi An). An Bang is less well known than Cửa Đại, with accessible seafront restaurants (bánh xèo Vietnamese crepes). Swimming viable from October to June in central Vietnam.

   Vietnamese cooking class (half-day, 400,000-700,000 VND / €15-26, market included) — the classic formula starts at Hoi An central market at 8am to identify herbs and fresh fish, then cook 3-4 typical dishes: white rose (bánh vạc), cao lầu, nem cuốn. Well-regarded schools: Red Bridge Cooking School (boat to the school along the Thu Bon), Morning Glory.

   Evening: collect clothes from the tailor (fitting + final adjustments), then dinner at Morning Glory restaurant (106 Nguyễn Thái Học, refined regional cuisine).

   Tips

   • · Bicycle rental in Hoi An (50,000 VND / day) is perfect transport for the Old Town and An Bang — scooters are banned in the historic centre between 8-11am and 2-5pm.
   • · Hoi An cooking classes are among Asia's best — choose a school that genuinely teaches techniques rather than just assembly.
   Hoi An →
9. 9

   Day 9

   My Son day trip — Cham ruins

   Scooter or taxi excursion to My Son (35 km from Hoi An, 1h), a Cham temple complex from the 4th to 14th centuries, UNESCO-listed. Over 70 red brick structures in a narrow valley — Vietnam's equivalent of Angkor, on a more intimate scale. Entrance 150,000 VND / €5.50.

   Timing tip: arrive at 2-2:30pm, after the morning groups have left, to enjoy the site nearly empty in beautiful afternoon light. Leave before 5pm (closing). Return to Hoi An for a last dinner.

   Last evening in Hoi An: lantern walk along the Thu Bon — vendors offer floating lanterns to release on the water (20,000 VND, wish included by tradition). Final check of tailor-made clothes before tomorrow's flight.

   Tips

   • · My Son in the morning with a guide means 50 people shoulder to shoulder. Alone in the afternoon means a nearly empty site for the same price — the visiting time makes all the difference.
   • · Final clothing check before leaving: inspect seams, buttons and fit in daylight — tailors generally accept last-minute alterations until 8pm.
   Hoi An →
10. 10

    Day 10

    Hoi An → Da Nang flight → international flight

    Last morning in Hoi An. Wake according to your flight time, last-minute street breakfast: a bánh mì or iced Vietnamese coffee (cà phê đá, 25,000-40,000 VND) at an Old Town café.

    Transfer Hoi An → Da Nang Airport (30-40 min, taxi or shuttle). Da Nang Airport (DAD) is small and manageable — allow 2h before an international flight (or 1h30 for short connections). Return flights to Europe from Da Nang: usually via Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (1-2h connection) with Vietnam Airlines, then Qatar Airways, Emirates or Air France for the final leg.

    Leftover currency: Vietnamese dong (VND) is virtually non-convertible abroad — spend the remainder at the airport duty-free or restaurants. Don't forget to declare nước mắm or sauces in checked luggage (liquids over 100 ml prohibited in cabin).

    Tips

    • · Da Nang Airport is 30 min from Hoi An — book the taxi early for flights before 9am (variable morning traffic).
    • · If the return flight is in the evening: free day in Da Nang — the Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn, 40,000 VND) and the Dragon Bridge lit up at night are worth the detour.
    Hoi An →

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