Vietnam in Two Weeks: The Classic Route

Two weeks is the right length for a first Vietnam trip. You can move from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City without the trip feeling like a relay race, you can fit in Sapa or Ha Giang in the north, and you get a full coastal segment with Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An. You can also still keep a day in the Mekong Delta at the end.

The shape of the trip

Hanoi 3 nights, Sapa 2 nights, Ha Long Bay 2 nights (cruise plus a Cat Ba night), central Vietnam 4 nights split across Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An, HCMC 2 nights, Mekong Delta 1 night. Internal flights handle the long jumps; trains and buses handle the short ones.

Day-by-day

Day	Base	Activity
1	Hanoi	Arrive, Old Quarter, bun cha
2	Hanoi	Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh complex, night train to Sapa
3	Sapa	Cat Cat village, valley trek
4	Sapa	Fansipan or full-day trek, night train back to Hanoi
5	Ha Long Bay	Transfer to bay, board cruise
6	Cat Ba	Disembark, transfer to Cat Ba, evening swim
7	Hanoi/Hue	Return to Hanoi, fly or train to Hue
8	Hue	Citadel, royal tombs, Perfume River
9	Da Nang	Hai Van Pass by car or motorbike to Da Nang
10	Hoi An	Move to Hoi An, old town lanterns
11	Hoi An	Cooking class, My Son ruins, beach
12	HCMC	Morning flight, War Remnants, district 1
13	HCMC/Mekong	Cu Chi tunnels morning, drive to Can Tho or Ben Tre
14	Mekong	Floating market dawn, return to HCMC, fly home

How to get between segments

• Hanoi to Sapa: overnight sleeper train (8 hours) or sleeper bus. Train is more comfortable.
• Hanoi to Ha Long: highway minibus, 2.5 hours. The cruise operator usually includes transfer.
• Hanoi to Hue: domestic flight (75 min) or the Reunification Express sleeper (13 hours).
• Hue to Da Nang: the Hai Van Pass by private car with photo stops, or the short train ride which hugs the coast.
• Da Nang to Hoi An: 45-minute taxi or Grab, around USD 18.
• Da Nang to HCMC: 90-minute flight, USD 30-70.
• HCMC to Mekong: private car or organised tour, 2.5-3.5 hours depending on destination.

Estimated cost

Per person, mid-range:

Item	USD
Hotels and Ha Long cruise (13 nights)	600-1,100
Three internal flights or train/flight combo	130-220
Food and drink (14 days)	200-300
Local transport and Grab	80-150
Activities and entry fees	150-280
Sapa trek and Mekong tour	100-180
Total (excluding international flights)	1,260-2,230

Backpackers can do this on USD 900-1,100. Luxury travellers easily spend USD 5,000 plus.

When to do this trip

October to April covers most of the country reasonably well. December and January can be cold and misty in Sapa and grey in Hanoi but spectacular in Hoi An and HCMC. March and April are arguably the sweet spot: warming north, dry centre, dry south. Avoid late September to mid-November on the central coast (typhoon season for Hoi An and Hue). See the weather by month guide.

What it skips

• Ha Giang loop. The single biggest omission for the adventurous. Add four nights and you get it.
• Phong Nha caves. Worth the detour but adds 2 nights between Hue and Hanoi.
• Phu Quoc. No proper beach week. Add 4 nights for that.
• Da Lat and Mui Ne. The southern central coast is skipped entirely.
• Cat Tien or northern national parks. No wildlife stop.

For a trip that covers more, see the three-week itinerary.

Practical notes

Book the night train to Sapa, the Ha Long cruise and all three internal flights at least three weeks ahead in peak season. Pack layers: Sapa can be 12 C while Hoi An is 32 C the same day. Get your e-visa sorted before flying. A wheeled carry-on plus a daypack handles this whole trip; you will not need a big rucksack.

Related: north-only week, central-only week, foodie itinerary, Ha Giang region, HCMC vs Hanoi.