Vietnam in One Month: The Full Circuit
Thirty days lets you do the whole country properly: the loops, the caves, the islands, the deep delta. The pace allows actual cultural immersion.
A month in Vietnam is the answer to "but what if I had more time?" You get the full north-south circuit plus the side trips that get cut from shorter plans: Phong Nha's cave system, Con Dao's prison-island history, the deep Mekong, and proper rest days that let you process what you have seen.
The shape of the trip
Hanoi 3, Ha Giang loop 5, Sapa 3, Hanoi 1, Ha Long/Cat Ba 3, Phong Nha 3, Hue 2, Hoi An 4, Da Lat 2, HCMC 2, Mekong (Ben Tre and Can Tho) 2, Con Dao 3, fly home from HCMC.
Day-by-day overview
| Days | Base | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Hanoi | Acclimatise, Old Quarter, museums |
| 4-8 | Ha Giang | Full loop with rest days |
| 9-11 | Sapa | Multi-day trek, homestay |
| 12 | Hanoi | Buffer / laundry |
| 13-15 | Ha Long | Cruise + Cat Ba beach |
| 16-18 | Phong Nha | Cave system, Hang En trek |
| 19-20 | Hue | Citadel, tombs, food |
| 21-24 | Hoi An | Old town, beach, cooking, tailoring |
| 25-26 | Da Lat | Pine forest, coffee, French villas |
| 27-28 | HCMC | District 1, Cu Chi, museums |
| 29-30 | Mekong | Ben Tre homestay, Can Tho floating market |
| 31-33 | Con Dao | Beach, prison history, dive |
How to get between segments
- Hanoi to Ha Giang: sleeper bus or limousine van.
- Hanoi to Sapa: sleeper train.
- Hanoi to Dong Hoi: 90-minute flight for Phong Nha.
- Phong Nha to Hue: 4-hour bus or train.
- Hue to Hoi An: Hai Van Pass by car.
- Da Nang to Da Lat: flight via HCMC, or scenic 12-hour sleeper bus.
- Da Lat to HCMC: 6-7 hour bus or 1-hour flight.
- HCMC to Mekong: private car or organised overnight tour.
- HCMC to Con Dao: 45-minute flight on Vietnam Airlines or VASCO.
You can also string segments by the north-south train if you enjoy rail travel; the full Reunification Express journey takes ~33 hours but breaks naturally into the legs above.
Estimated cost
Per person, mid-range:
| Item | USD |
|---|---|
| Accommodation 30 nights | 1,200-2,200 |
| Ha Long cruise + Hang En trek | 400-800 |
| Five-six internal flights | 280-480 |
| Trains and buses | 150-250 |
| Ha Giang loop costs | 250-450 |
| Food and drink | 500-750 |
| Activities, entries, dives | 400-700 |
| Total (excluding international flights) | 3,180-5,630 |
A frugal backpacker month is doable on USD 2,000; luxury at this pace runs USD 10,000-15,000.
When to do this trip
October-November and March-April are strongest. A month-long trip in either window means you can absorb a few bad-weather days without losing key activities. December-February is fine for the south and centre but the Ha Giang loop in January is properly cold (single digits, frost on higher passes). Avoid late September to mid-November on the central coast.
What it skips
Even a month leaves gaps:
- Cao Bang and Ban Gioc waterfall in the far north-east.
- Mui Ne sand dunes (skipped in favour of Da Lat).
- Pu Luong nature reserve.
- Nha Trang beach city (replaced by Con Dao).
- Cat Tien and southern national parks.
For these, plan six weeks plus, or pick one as a substitute.
Practical notes
Book a 30-day e-visa rather than the 15-day version; it costs the same. Pack for cold (Ha Giang, Sapa highlands), hot (Hoi An, HCMC), wet (likely some days) and beach (Con Dao). Use domestic flights for the long jumps and trains for the romantic stretches. Build in two genuine rest days mid-trip (one in Hanoi after Ha Giang, one in Hoi An).
Related: retirees slow itinerary, cultural itinerary, off the beaten path, Phu Quoc vs Con Dao, Mekong Delta.
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