By admin Planning my trip to Vietnam was rather daunting, as the long, thin country offers much to see and do. The nation has no shortage of history, the food scene is incredible, and the people are beyond welcoming. I wanted to experience it all.
While narrowing things down for my first visit, I relied heavily on advice from my friend Lindsay, who had visited Vietnam several years earlier, as well as my own internet research. Deciding when to visit Vietnam can be tricky, as the weather can differ in the northern and southern regions of the country. Monsoon season is April through October, which I wanted to avoid. The weather can be quite hot, humid, and sticky in March and April, particularly in the south. Meanwhile, the temperatures in the north can get rather chilly in the winter months (lows in the 50s). I ultimately opted to visit in November, hoping for warm, temperate, dry weather. Some days were hotter than others, and we did experience some rain, but the weather worked out well for the most part.
By the time my friend Vicki confirmed that she could tag along a month before the trip, my itinerary was pretty much set in stone (fortunately, I had planned everything with hopes that she’d be able to join). Of course, we kept some days relatively open so we could plan activities on the fly. I’m going to write more detailed posts on each of our destinations, which I’ll link here, but wanted to also offer a higher level summary of our travel itinerary in case it helps with your own planning.
One final tip: I wholeheartedly recommend reading Graham Holliday’s book Eating Vietnam before visiting. It will teach you all about Vietnamese food culture and get you very excited to eat everything that you possibly can in the country.
Without further ado, behold the itinerary for our ultimate first trip to Vietnam:
Days 1-3: Hanoi
Most visitors looking for a comprehensive visit to Vietnam start in either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (still often called Saigon by locals) and make their way down (or up) the country. Saigon is slightly larger in terms of population size (8.6 million people), but Hanoi is not far behind with nearly 7.8 million people, and is also the country’s capital. As such, both cities host international airports offering an array of options for travelers from abroad. Since I was coming from the Maldives, I flew on Singapore Airlines from Malé to Hanoi, with a stop in Singapore. Vicki was coming from New York, and she opted to fly on Korean Air from JFK, with a stop in Seoul.
Accommodations in Hanoi: My travel agent friend Kathy at Cartology Travel advised me that I had to stay at the Sofitel Legend Metropole. The five-star hotel was opened in 1901 by two Frenchmen when Vietnam was still a colony of France. The property is steeped in history, and boasts a long list of famous guests. I opted to stay in the Historical Wing over the newer Opera Wing; the Historical Wing has been updated, so it still provided modern amenities, but also seemed to offer more character. I noticed that a Four Seasons hotel was under construction nearby the Metropole, which I’m sure will be lovely when it opens, but I’d still recommend the Metropole, as it’s impossible to beat the hotel’s historical legacy.
Things to Do in Hanoi: I’ve posted more details about our time in Hanoi here, but at a high level, we made sure we had time for these activities in Hanoi: a food tour with a local (I actually went on two food tours since I arrived a day before Vicki did), a show at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, and a day trip to Ha Long Bay for a cruise (you can also do an overnight cruise, which I’m sure would have been fabulous, but we just did not have the time). We also saved plenty of time to explore the Old Quarter and walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, which proved to be quite entertaining. Oh, and our hotel even offered a tour of the Metropole grounds exclusively for guests, which was worth the time (spoiler: there is a secret bomb shelter on the property).
Day 4: Hue
The imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue is best known for its expansive citadel, which houses the Imperial City, among numerous other sights. While it is possible to take a train from Hanoi to Hue, the ride takes about 14 hours, so I would not recommend this option. Vicki and I opted to book a morning flight on Vietnam Airlines, which took just over an hour, went without a hitch, and got us to Hue by 10am.
Accommodations in Hue: We chose to stay at the Azerai La Residence, easily the nicest hotel in Hue, but not outrageously priced ($300/night) for five star lodgings. Similar to the Metropole, the hotel featured grand French colonial design, and had a convenient location along the Perfume River and within walking distance to the citadel.
Things to Do in Hue: We were glad that we only planned one day in Hue. We were able to fit in everything that we wanted to do, and it didn’t feel overly rushed. Our agenda included a self-directed tour of the citadel (assisted by audio guides), a dragon boat ride on the Perfume River to the Thien Mu pagoda, and a nighttime food tour by motorbike (we were passengers) through Vespa Adventures. You’ll notice that we took food tours in nearly every city that we visited, and I’m happy that we did, because a) all the food in Vietnam is incredibly fresh and delicious, and b) each region of the country offers its own local specialties and flavors. We wanted to taste it all! Read more about our time in Hue here.
Days 5-7: Hoi An
The port city of Hoi An is popular with tourists for its charming, lantern-lined old town, covered Japanese Bridge, abundant shopping, and nearby beaches. While it is possible to fly into the growing city of Da Nang (45 minute drive from Hoi An), we opted to hire a private driver to take us from Hue to Hoi An, which I would fully recommend doing. In total, the drive took seven hours, but we were able to make multiple stops to see sights along the way, including the Insta-famous Golden Bridge.
Accommodations in Hoi An: Although located a fifteen minute drive from Hoi An’s old town, the undeniable top hotel choice in the area is the Four Seasons Nam Hai. The beachside property features several stunning pools, a wonderful spa, incredible restaurants, and grounds that are simply gorgeous. It was the most expensive of all our hotels in Vietnam, but so, so worth it. Our large oceanfront villa (we were immediately upgraded since we booked through my friends at Cartology Travel) included a luxurious bed, a giant bathroom with outdoor shower, private outdoor seating area, and two bikes for us to explore the property.
Things to Do in Hoi An: We set aside plenty of time to walk around the old city and shop (especially Vicki), as well as enjoy our beautiful hotel. In addition, we booked a bike tour through the countryside (we went through Heaven and Earth Bicycle Tours) and a cooking class through Hoi An Eco Cooking Class, which was an absolute blast. Hoi An is particularly well known for its affordable tailors, so it’s a great place to get some new bespoke clothing, although we unfortunately did not take advantage of this opportunity.
Days 8-10: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
The final stop on our Vietnam tour was Saigon, the largest city in the country, and the former capital of South Vietnam until the end of the Vietnam War (well, the American War to the Vietnamese). We flew from Da Nang to Saigon in the morning; the ninety minute flight with Vietnam Airlines was nice and easy, and we were in the city around noon.
Accommodations in Saigon: I was initially torn between staying at the Park Hyatt or the Reverie, but ultimately decided to go with the Park Hyatt once I realized that it was a Category 4 property in the World of Hyatt loyalty program, which meant I could use the free night award offered by my Hyatt credit card. I covered the other two nights with points (15k/night), so our stay cost us no cash, and I ended up being quite happy with the hotel. Our room wasn’t anything particularly special (especially after the Four Seasons Nam Hai), but it overlooked the nearby Opera House, and the property included an excellent cocktail bar, lovely pool, and spacious gym. I had everything I needed.
Things to Do in Saigon: On our our must-do list in Saigon: a walking nighttime food tour (of course) through Street Food Man and a motorbike tour of the city that included the Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and War Remnants Museum, as well as a walk through Book Street and a stop at a local coffee shop. Vicki had to leave a day earlier than I did, so I booked a trip to the Mekong Delta on my final day, which featured a long bike tour and a kayak ride.
All things considered, I was quite pleased with our Vietnam itinerary. We packed a lot in, but I never felt fatigued, and I also didn’t feel like I regretted missing out on anything. The country exceeded my expectations in every way, and was a very easy place to visit as an American tourist. I would love to return. The destinations on my list for my next trip? Trekking through the rice terraces and villages of Sapa in the north and staying on the coast of Ninh Van Bay in the south. Not to mention devouring all the street food I can find, of course.
