Vietnam in two weeks — north to south, and where to sleep
Vietnam is 1,600 km long with three different weathers, and the two-week trip that works runs one way — north to south or the reverse — with a flight between each stop. Here is the route we book, the order that avoids the rain, and the hotels at each end.
The route
| Stop | Nights | What it’s for | Sleep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi + Ha Long Bay | 4 | The old quarter, the French Quarter, a night on a Ha Long cruise | Sofitel Legend Metropole, InterContinental Westlake, Hilton Hanoi Opera |
| Da Nang + Hoi An | 4 | The beach, the Marble Mountains, Hoi An’s old town and lanterns | InterContinental Sun Peninsula, Hyatt Regency Danang, Four Seasons Nam Hai, Anantara Hoi An |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 3 | The war museum, the markets, the Mekong day trip | Park Hyatt Saigon and the District 1 hotels |
| Phu Quoc | 3 | The island: beach, a resort, nothing to do | JW Marriott Emerald Bay and the Khem Beach resorts |
Fly India → Hanoi, then three domestic hops of about an hour each — Hanoi to Da Nang, Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc — and home from Phu Quoc via Ho Chi Minh City, or reverse the whole thing. Every stop is on the Vietnam hotel page with our picks.
Why this order
Vietnam’s three regions have three weathers, which our Vietnam page spells out: Hanoi is best October to April, Da Nang February to August, the south November to April. February to April is the window when all three are good, and the route can run either way. In the winter months, start in the south and finish in a cool, dry Hanoi. In the summer, lean on Da Nang.
The stops
Hanoi and Ha Long. Two nights in the city — the Metropole if the hotel is part of the trip, the InterContinental on West Lake for calm, the Hilton by the Opera for value — then a night on a Ha Long Bay cruise and a night back in Hanoi before the flight. Book the cruise with the hotel; the two-night cruises are for people who like boats.
Da Nang and Hoi An. The stop we’d never cut. Da Nang’s beach resorts are the best hotels in the country for the money — the Hyatt Regency and Danang Marriott on Non Nuoc beach, the InterContinental on the Son Tra peninsula for a honeymoon — and Hoi An’s old town is twenty minutes south. Split it: two nights on the beach, two in Hoi An (the Four Seasons Nam Hai or Anantara), or stay on the beach and drive in for the lantern evenings.
Ho Chi Minh City. Three nights in District 1 — the Park Hyatt by the Opera House is the address — with a day on the Mekong and an evening on the rooftop bars. It’s the busiest stop; it’s also where the food is.
Phu Quoc. The island off the south-west coast: beach, a resort, a sunset. The JW Marriott on Khem Beach is the famous one. Phu Quoc is the only part of Vietnam Indians can enter visa-free for a short stay — useful for a standalone break, irrelevant on a two-week route that already has the e-visa.
Practical
- Flights. VietJet, Vietnam Airlines, IndiGo and Air India fly non-stop from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Domestic hops are cheap and frequent; we book them with the hotels so a delay in one doesn’t strand the next.
- Visa. e-visa, US$25, three to five working days. Multiple-entry if you’ll add Cambodia.
- Money. The dong runs about 300 to the rupee. Cards work in hotels and good restaurants; cash for everything else, and an ATM at every stop.
- Getting around. Grab (the ride app) in all three cities; a car and driver for Ha Long and the Mekong, arranged by the hotel.
Tell us your dates and how many nights you have and we’ll send the route with two hotels per stop, the domestic flights, the e-visa guidance and one INR invoice with GST.
- More on the destination: Vietnam hotels — Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc · all Worldwide destinations
Last reviewed: 18 October 2026
Fly into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City (or the reverse): Hanoi and Ha Long Bay (4 nights), Da Nang and Hoi An (4), Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong (3), Phu Quoc (3). One domestic flight between each stop, about an hour each. It covers the three regions without backtracking.
It depends on the month. From November to January, go south to north — start in the warm south and reach Hanoi last, when it's cool but dry. From February to April, either way works. From May to August, Da Nang is the reliable stop; keep Hanoi short and skip the rainy centre-south.
Yes. Ten days: drop Phu Quoc and fly home from Ho Chi Minh City. Seven days: Hanoi and Ha Long plus Da Nang and Hoi An, or Da Nang and Hoi An plus Ho Chi Minh City. Da Nang and Hoi An is the stop never to drop — it's the best hotels in the country for the money.
Yes — the e-visa at evisa.gov.vn, US$25 for single entry, valid 90 days, taking three to five working days. It's a simple form but not instant; apply two weeks out. If you plan to leave and re-enter — say, a side trip to Cambodia — apply for the multiple-entry version.
Yes, with a little care. Vegetarian (chay) food is a Buddhist tradition and every town has chay restaurants; hotels handle it easily. Fish sauce is in a lot of dishes, so say 'không nước mắm' or let the hotel know. Indian restaurants exist in all three cities.
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