Vietnam Full Route

Trip cost

Day 1 — Hanoi Old Quarter & Hoan Kiem Lake

1. 

   Photo by Elliot Andrews on Unsplash

   9:00am (2 hrs)✓ Must visit

   Hanoi Old Quarter walk

   Wander the 36 trade-named streets — chaotic, motorbike-heavy, and the best way to get a first feel for Hanoi.

   → Walk 10 minutes south to Hoan Kiem Lake.

2. 

   Photo by Quan Pham on Unsplash

   11:15am (1 hr)

   Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple

   Cross the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple, then walk a loop of the lake.

   → Rest at hotel through the afternoon heat.

3. 1:00pm–5:00pm

   Lunch & afternoon rest

   A com binh dan lunch near your hotel, then a break before the evening.

4. 6:00pm (2.5 hrs)

   Old Quarter street food crawl

   Banh mi at Banh Mi 25, pho on Bat Dan street, then a bia hoi corner on Ta Hien street.

Day 2 — Hanoi Culture & Transfer to Ha Long Bay

1. 

   Photo by Raissa Lara Lütolf (-Fasel) on Unsplash

   8:30am (1 hr)✓ Must visit

   Temple of Literature

   Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070 — walk the five courtyards past the stone stelae.

   → Grab or taxi 15 minutes to the Museum of Ethnology.

2. 

   Photo by Falco Negenman on Unsplash

   10:00am (1.5 hrs)○ Can visit

   Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

   Exhibits on Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, plus an outdoor garden of full-size traditional houses you can walk through.

   → Lunch nearby, then transfer to Ha Long Bay.

3. 12:00pm (1 hr)

   Lunch near the museum

   A casual com binh dan restaurant in the Cau Giay area before the transfer.

   → Board the pre-arranged transfer to Ha Long Bay.

4. 1:00pm (3-3.5 hrs)

   Private transfer: Hanoi → Ha Long Bay

   Roughly 170-190km — 2.5-3 hours via expressway, up to 3.5 on the older coastal road.

   → Board the cruise at Ha Long/Tuan Chau harbour.

5. 

   Photo by Marina Lobato on Unsplash

   4:30pm (2.5 hrs)✓ Must visit

   Board overnight cruise & sunset on deck

   Check in, welcome briefing, then sunset on deck among the karsts. Book the cabin well ahead of travel.

6. 7:00pm

   Dinner onboard

   A set seafood dinner is standard — flag dietary needs with the operator in advance.

Day 3 — Ha Long Bay Morning, Then Fly to Da Nang & Transfer to Hoi An

1. 

   Photo by Duc Nguyen on Unsplash

   8:00am (2 hrs)✓ Must visit

   Kayaking & cave stop

   Kayak between the karsts to a floating fishing village, then a guided stop inside a limestone cave.

   → Brunch onboard, then disembark.

2. 10:30am (1 hr)

   Brunch & disembark

   Check out and transfer off the boat.

   → Private transfer direct to the airport, skipping the city.

3. 11:30am (3 hrs)

   Transfer: Ha Long Bay → Hanoi Noi Bai Airport

   Confirm with the cruise operator that the return transfer routes straight to the airport instead of back into central Hanoi.

4. 3:00pm (1 hr 20 min)

   Domestic flight: Hanoi → Da Nang

   The fast way to cover the north-to-central jump — book this leg in advance, especially in peak months.

   → Private transfer or Grab from Da Nang airport to Hoi An.

5. 4:45pm (45 min)

   Transfer: Da Nang Airport → Hoi An

   Roughly 30km by Grab or private transfer.

6. 6:00pm onward

   Check-in & evening in Hoi An

   A relaxed first evening — a riverside stroll and dinner near the Ancient Town.

Day 4 — Hoi An Ancient Town & Lantern Evening

1. 

   Photo by Claudio Poggio on Unsplash

   9:00am (2.5 hrs)✓ Must visit

   Hoi An Ancient Town walk

   The Japanese Covered Bridge, old merchant houses, and Chinese assembly halls make up the core of the UNESCO-listed old town. If tempted by a tailored suit, get a shop recommendation from a trusted source first — rush-tailor shops that swap fabric after a deposit are a well-known trap here.

   → Lunch in the old town.

2. 12:00pm (1 hr)

   Lunch: cao lau

   Hoi An's signature noodle dish, made with water from a specific local well — order at any family-run noodle shop in the old town.

   → Rest at hotel through the afternoon.

3. 2:00pm–5:00pm

   Afternoon rest

   A break before the Ancient Town lights up for the evening.

4. 

   Photo by Thanh Soledas on Unsplash

   5:30pm (2.5 hrs)✓ Must visit

   Lantern evening & river lantern release

   The Ancient Town switches to lantern light at dusk — walk the riverfront and float a paper lantern on the river.

5. 8:00pm

   Riverside dinner

   Any of the riverfront restaurants along Bach Dang street.

Day 5 — Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge Day Trip

1. 7:30am (1 hr)

   Transfer: Hoi An → Ba Na Hills base station

   By private car or Grab — roughly 40km. Leave early to reach the cable car before the peak-season crowds build.

   → Ride the cable car up.

2. 8:30am (30 min)

   Cable car up to Ba Na Hills

   Book cable car tickets online in advance — during peak season (March-September) they can sell out, and the on-site queue runs long.

   → Walk to the Golden Bridge.

3. 

   Photo by Linda Gerbec on Unsplash

   9:00am (3 hrs)○ Can visit

   Golden Bridge, French Village & gardens

   The giant stone "hands" holding up the walkway are the iconic photo — go straight there first before the crowds arrive, then explore the French Village and Le Jardin d'Amour gardens at a slower pace.

   → Lunch at the resort.

4. 12:30pm (1 hr)

   Lunch at Ba Na Hills

   Buffet or à la carte options at the resort — by now the midday crowds have arrived, so treat this as a break rather than rushing back down.

5. 2:00pm (1.5 hrs)

   Cable car down & transfer back to Hoi An

   Head down mid-afternoon before the evening rush — by this point in the day the crowds are at their worst, exactly what an early start avoids.

6. Evening

   Free evening in Hoi An

   A quiet dinner back in town after a full day out.

Day 6 — Marble Mountains & Da Nang City

1. 

   Photo by Christian on Unsplash

   8:30am (2 hrs)○ Can visit

   Marble Mountains

   Five limestone hills named for the five elements, riddled with pagodas and cave shrines — Thuy Son (Water Mountain) is the main one open to visitors, with candlelit Buddhist grottoes and a lift or stairs to the summit viewpoint.

   → Private transfer or Grab 20 minutes into central Da Nang.

2. 11:00am (1 hr)

   Transfer & lunch in Da Nang city

   A seafood lunch near the riverfront before the afternoon at the beach.

   → Walk or Grab to My Khe Beach.

3. 

   Photo by Jess Silaya on Unsplash

   1:30pm (2 hrs)

   My Khe Beach

   A wide, genuinely good stretch of sand with the city skyline behind it — a relaxed afternoon swim or beach walk before the evening.

   → Grab 15 minutes to Dragon Bridge.

4. 4:00pm (1 hr)

   Dragon Bridge by daylight

   Walk the Han riverfront near the dragon-shaped bridge before the evening crowds gather for the fire show.

   → Dinner nearby, then return for the evening show.

5. 

   Photo by Christian on Unsplash

   9:00pm (30 min)

   Dragon Bridge fire-and-water show

   The dragon breathes fire and water only on Saturday and Sunday nights at 9pm — plan this day for a weekend if you want to catch it, or just enjoy the bridge lit up on other nights.

Day 7 — Free Morning & Departure

1. 9:00am (2 hrs)

   Free morning: My Khe Beach or café hopping

   A relaxed final morning — an early swim at My Khe or a slow café morning near the riverfront.

   → Return to hotel to collect luggage.

2. 12:00pm onward

   Departure prep

   Allow 20-30 minutes to Da Nang International Airport by Grab or taxi.