You can either apply for a visa

2022.07.31
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You can either apply for a visa

You can either apply for a visa through your local Vietnamese embassy or consulate, or apply for an e-visa online (which is a cheaper and faster option). Sapa is a 7-hour bus ride from Hanoi, and Halong Bay takes 2.5 4 hours depending on the boat you choose (some take the longer route to avoid the toll fee) so its tough to do both in the same day. It does not store any personal data. In terms of attractions, some of Ho Chi Minh Citys cant-miss sights include the Saigon Opera House, Jade Emperor Pagoda, Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum all of which are scattered throughout District 1 (the citys most visited area) and District 3.

mekong tunnels cambodia map rail vietnam mekong delta included tour greatrail Next Stop: Da Nang Youll be ready for some downtime after exploring HCMC for a few days, and Nha Trang is the perfect place to unwind. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Ashley is a Content Editor at TourRadar. Also, with all the wonderful shopping youll be able to stuff your bags before you leave. If this was all we saw we wouldnt have even included it in our travel guide for Vietnam! This is just what I was looking for! How To Get There: To continue on this 2 week Vietnam itinerary take the morning train to Mui Ne. By clicking Accept All Cookies you agree with the use of analytical and tracking cookies. Rooms are large and airy with lots of natural light and lots of amenities. There are also beautiful islands that you can day trip to from Nha Trang. There are counters at the airport offering transfers or you can pre-book a bus, minivan, or private driver online on Bookaway. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. And most of all youll love the super friendly owners who go out of their way to make you feel at home. Its a contradictory country that has both manic metropolises and tranquil seaside towns; towering skyscrapers and centuries-old temples; haute cuisine and humble street food. Of all the amazing places to visit in Vietnam, Ninh Binh is by far our favorite. argentina itinerary weeks unique map kimkim This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This beach town has lovely beachfront resorts, delicious restaurants, a few lively bars, and a peaceful sandy beach for lounging. We would also highly recommend that you visit the Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum during your stay. But if you are looking for more adventure, theres plenty of that as well. And if they dont, you can expect the trip to take closer to 4 hours. Required fields are marked *. Leather shops with gorgeous bags, shoes, and belts line the Old Town and custom dress shops are on every corner. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If your boat company takes the toll road, it should take about 2.5 hours. You can also consider a day trip north from Hoi An to Danang to see its fire-breathing dragon bridge or ride the cable car up to Sun World Ba Na Hills where you can walk across the famous Golden Hands Bridge. The closest airport to Hoi An is in Danang which is just a short, 45-minute drive south of town. The rooms at the resort are absolutely stunning with unbelievably plush beds and enormous bathrooms. When you arrive at Mui Ne train station youll have to take a taxi 45 minutes to town. To be fully transparent, the first time we visited Hoi An was planned for 3 nights, and we ended up staying a whole week! You can focus on relaxing on the boat and enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Domestic flights are also extremely affordable in Vietnam, and theyre often the best option for those lengthy stretches (like between Hoi An and Hanoi, for example). Visit the giant Lady Buddha that overlooks the city. But youll be sharing the island with the passengers from probably 20 different boats at the same time. Other popular activities in the Ninh Binh region include hiking to the top of Mua Caves and visiting the Bich Dong Pagoda. Plus they offer a beautiful outdoor pool, a gym, and lovely rooms. How To Get There: Time to Fly! The shopping in Hoi An is incredible! The Sapa region is located about 200 miles north of Hanoi and is not serviced by an airport. Its best to purchase tickets ahead of time because Sapa is an incredibly popular tourist attraction, especially during high season. Bicycle or motorbike around the countryside and through the rice paddies. But if you want a longer trekking adventure to a more remote village, youll want to hire an experienced trekking guide. Youll feel like this is a quiet, peaceful oasis, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This is also the place to be when it comes to affordable and quality tailors; Hoi Ans tailoring services are notorious, and you can get your hands on custom-made clothing, bags, shoes, and more at a fraction of the price youd normally pay back home. Take a self-guided street food tour (Full foodie post below!). And if you stay outside of the Old Quarter, many offer a pick-up in front of the Hanoi Opera House. We ended up booking a hotel on the beach, and at once felt like it fully lived up to its reputation as the Miami of Vietnam. There are tourists everywhere you look and we found almost nothing authentic. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Prices are set and posted on a large sign, but weve yet to find a driver who honors them. If you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we may earn a small commission (dont worry, its at no extra cost to you). We would recommend the bus option as it is quite comfortable and affordable and always leaves on time. Our preferred bus company is the Sapa Express and we would recommend the seated bus (called the Limousine Bus) over the sleeper seats as it is much more comfortable. There is a lot to explore in this little ocean town so it will be an action packed two days on your Southern Vietnam itinerary.

A recommended length of stay is included with each destination below, but, of course, you can adjust this itinerary accordingly to suit your specific interests and preferences. If you want to trek with our favorite Hmong trekking guide, A Hang Thi, you can contact her via her Facebook page, on WhatsApp at +84 94 736 0557.

Accommodation: Compare multiple sites for hotels such as Booking.com and Agoda. The personalized service that youll receive here will make you feel right at home. The city is absolutely stunning, characterised by French-colonial architecture, lovely lantern-lit alleyways, and a dreamy riverside setting, but theres something else about Hoi An a certain je ne sais quoi, if you will thats difficult to put into words. One Month Vietnam Itinerary: Ultimate Guide From South to North, 10 Day Northern Vietnam Itinerary: Boats to Motorbikes. Whats Brewing at the Phu Quoc Night Market? We find the daily excursions in Halong Bay to be significantly more crowded than those in Lan Ha Bay. Visit the famous Saigon Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Check out our complete list of the best things to do in Hanoi here! Its where we stay when we visit Hoi An. Dotted with tropical islands, postcard-perfect beaches, and thriving reefs, Nha Trangs claim to fame is its six-kilometre stretch of sandy coastline and crystal-clear turquoise seas. Rooms are large and comfortable with a large patio for enjoying the striking views all around you. *The bus ride will be very bumpy at parts due to road conditions. Let us know in the comments below! Watch the kite surfers from Sun Rise Bay. The town is small, the guesthouses are inexpensive, and the locals go out of their way to make you feel welcome. While accommodation, transport, and food are cheap in Vietnam, activities and excursions are likely to eat up a good portion of your budget. Hopefully at this point you will leave with a deeper appreciation for the south and central part of the country. A quick word of warning about Hoi An: theres a strong chance youll fall head over heels for the place (like many a backpacker before you) and want to stay forever or at least for the rest of your time in Vietnam. This beautiful and peaceful property has a gorgeous pool surrounded by lush gardens. Plus the cruises want to pick you up early in the morning. Most people choose to fly into Danang and then hire a private driver to get to Hoi An. Shop, eat, and get lost in Ben Thanh Market. You can easily trek to Cat Cat Village on your own as youll just need to follow one road that is well-signed. Unfortunately, there is only one train that leaves daily so get ready for an early start! Mui Ne has grown in popularity over the years mostly due to the fact that its the closest beach town from Ho Chi Minh City. To get there youll need to take a bus, take the sleeper train, or hire a private driver.

The spring and summer months generally have the most pleasant temperatures across the country. Budget junk boat companies generally opt to avoid the toll to save money. With just 10 rooms onboard, your cruising experience will be personalized and intimate. When temperatures peak in the mid-afternoon, youll be happy to have two beautiful pools to lounge in!

Luckily Vietnam has quite a few low-cost airlines including Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, and Jetstar that offer flights around the country for less than $50 each way. Weve been using SafetyWingfor the last few years and they are always there when we need them. The lounge chairs and sauna on the boat deck are the perfect places to relax in the evening. And youll love the super friendly and helpful staff members who will assist with anything you need! How To Get There:45 min taxi or shuttle ride from Da Nang. An Bang is a quaint little town with several restaurants, resorts, and even several beach clubs where you can enjoy the pool for a small fee. This is also a good time to do any of the activities that you missed during your first trip to Vietnams capital city! Explore the Cafe Apartments and have a cafe su da overlooking the city. And if you have additional time to spare during your vacation in Vietnam, you should consider spending a few days in Ho Chi Minh City, learning to kiteboard in Mui Ne, or visiting the island of Phu Quoc. It might take little warming up to, but if you embrace and craziness of Saigon youre sure to have a great time! Rooms feature colonial-style decor with dark wooden furnishings, lush fabrics, and big windows. And we cant talk about HCMC without mentioning its glorious food. Plus its nearly impossible not to take at least a few colorful lanterns home with you they are so cheap and pack down to fit in your luggage. Take a photo At Tn nh Church (The Pink Church). Rooms are quite simple but are equipped with air-conditioning, coffee-making facilities, and comfortable beds. Air-conditioned coaches run between all the popular backpacker hotspots, while trains are typically the preferred mode of transport for longer overnight journeys. Some haggling will almost certainly be required on your part. Wondering whether you should fly into Saigon and then travel north, or if you should fly into Hanoi and head south? You should spend an evening drinking beer on the lively beer corner (T Hin street) and shop in the popular weekend night market which takes place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night from 6:00pm until about 11:00pm. Due to the condition of the roads and the lack of taxis, a motorbike is the best way to get around Ninh Binh. If you book a hotel in the Old Town of Hoi An, its easy enough to walk to the main tourist sites. Vietnam is an incredibly affordable country, so your money will go far here.

The country of Vietnam is incredibly long so the distances between Northern, Central, and Southern Vietnam are quite large. There is everything from a Hanoi Cooking Classand market tour to a Mekong Delta Pagoda & rowing boat trip, and even the Phu Quoc Cable Car Ride with three island snorkeling tour! La Siesta Premium Hang Beis a strikingly beautiful hotel located in the heart of the Old Quarter. Its easy to book ahead of time through GetYourGuide, or you can simply wait until you arrive and enlist the services of one of the many Hmong women wandering around town. Its also the jumping-off point for exploring the spectacular scenery around Northern Vietnam. Most tours offer daily excursions to various attractions in the area. Saigon has some of the best restaurants and breweries in the country so youll love eating and drinking your way through this big, bustling metropolis. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".

Regardless of the bay that you choose, this is a must-visit destination in Vietnam that should absolutely be included in your two-week itinerary! For more places to stay in Hoi An on your Central Vietnam itinerary you can explore the latest prices here! Before deciding to move to Ho Chi Minh City in 2019, we spent a significant amount of time exploring Vietnam. Just something to consider on your 2 week Vietnam itinerary. Get lost in the charming back streets of old town. And finally, in southern Vietnam, weve enjoyed taking weekend trips to the Mekong Delta from our home in Saigon. In the afternoons we usually borrow bicycles from our hotel and cruise around the miles of rice paddies or sip cold beers on the beach. If you are traveling within Vietnam, several low-cost carriers like VietJet, Jetstar, and Vietnam Airlines offer daily flights to various popular destinations. These small rowboats will guide you through the scenic countryside and through several caves (depending on water levels).

For more places to stay in Da Nang on your Central Vietnam itinerary you can explore the latest prices here! provides a 5-star cruising experience around Lan Ha Bay. Youll love the comfortable seating area, the big bathtub, and your own private balcony. At this lively hangout, shops and restaurants dole out freshly-made lager to people perched on tiny plastic stools that spill onto the street. And most guesthouses in the area have motorbikes available for you to rent during your stay. An overnight or multi-day Halong Bay tour which typically includes a cabin on a traditional junk boat, a guide, and all meals on board is the most popular way to explore this regions otherworldly landscapes. Ann Retreat Resort and Spa (formally Hoi An River Town Hotel) is located right on the river and just a short walk to Hoi Ans Old Town. The food is amazing, and this small city has some of the best markets weve seen in Asia. Witnessing the Fire Breathing Dragon Bridge of Da Nang Vietnam, Hai Van Pass: A Day Exploring Vietnam by Motorbike, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, 6 Best Rooftop Cafes & Bars in Hoi An Vietnam, My Son Sanctuary: Visiting Vietnams Extraordinary UNESCO Site, How to Plan a Trip Anywhere: 10 Step Easy Guide, Phung Hung Mural Street: Breathtaking Artwork of Hanoi Vietnam, Halong Bay Luxury Boat Tour With Bhaya Cruises, Visiting Halong Bay and Finding the Right Cruise to Fit Your Budget, Mua Caves and Hiking Lying Dragon Mountain in Tam Coc Vietnam, Tam Coc River Boat Ride and Three Cave UNESCO Tour, Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park: Everything You Need to Know, Paradise Cave: An Underground Adventure in Phong Nha Vietnam, Phong Nha Cave Boat Tour and the Climb to Dong Tien Son. When you arrive in HCMC (also known as Saigon), get ready to be bombarded by its frenetic energy, incense-infused temples, and motorbike-flooded streets. This is one of our favorite short hikes from our Central and Southern Vietnam itinerary. Many of the boat drivers are skilled enough to row with their feet! Hoan Kiem Lake is another must-visit spot in this area; local Vietnamese students are keen to say hello and practise their English with tourists here, so dont be surprised if youre approached by several people for a friendly chat.. For more information: Read more by Ashley Nitransky , The Truth About Travel Writing at 4500m Above Sea Level, Australias Northern Territory: Wide Open for Adventure, The Best Places in the World to See Penguins. Ready to dive in and experience it all? Plan on your bus to Sapa taking about 7 hours each way including a few bathroom breaks. Starting in HCMC and travelling north to Hanoi, this itinerary will take you to some of the countrys most captivating cities and staggering natural wonders. Nearly every junk boat makes a stop at Ti Top Island where there is a nice viewpoint at the top of a steep set of stairs as well as a small beach. Athena Royal Cruiseis a newer 5-star cruise operating in Halong Bay. When tourists first started trekking in Sapa it was really the only way to reach some of these tribal villages. Marvel at the silk lanterns at the night market. This city has some of the best street food on the planet, so set aside some time to fill up on local delicacies like pho, banh xeo, and the insanely delicious banh mi sandwich while youre here. Its like a less touristy version of Halong Bay but the impressive limestone cliffs are on land rather than in the water. Its a wonderful value for the price! And there are ancient houses and temples to explore in town that are included in the Old Town entrance ticket. Flights: For cheap flight deals check out Skyscanner and Kayak. Youll love the simple but classic decor and the incredible views of the valley below. Your tour boat company will have smaller boats to transfer you to and from any excursions for the day.

You can even drink a raw snake heart in a shot glass full of rice wine if youre so inclined. We love to wander around the Old Town in the early mornings, admiring the beautiful yellow buildings before it becomes too hot and overrun by tourists. After the sun sets, do as the locals do and head to Bia Hoi Corner, or Beer Corner, a popular nightlife hotspot at the intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen. Plus youll love the spectacular city views from the lively rooftop bar! Once you arrive at the pier you wont have to worry about transportation at all during your time in Halong or Lan Ha Bay. Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without insurance. Both are quite touristy and for good reason. But there are alternatives to Halong Bay that offer a more enjoyable experience, away from the tourist crowds. Also known as Saigon, this bustling major city is sure to overwhelm even the most experienced traveler backpacking Vietnam. Its easy to book bus or train tickets online in advance through Bookaway.

A glass of draught beer will only set you back 5,000 VND (0.17 GBP/0.20 USD). Over the years weve found ourselves in, or passing through Da Nang quite a few times. Tam Coc Sunshine Homestay is a great place to stay if youre looking for inexpensive accommodation where you will be treated just like family. So the views from your room are incredible! Wash your meal down with a decadent cup of ca phe trung (egg coffee), a Hanoi specialty thats made with coffee and a creamy, custard-like mixture of sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Still, after spending a few days here youll see why its a popular spot to start a Southern Vietnam itinerary. Trains and buses are two of the most common and cost-effective ways to get around in Vietnam. It is also possible to visit Ninh Binh as a day tour from Hanoi although we would argue that its worth spending at least a few days exploring the area.

The beds are so comfortable, you may want to spend your entire trip in it! Ready to connect with nature, experience new cultures, and embark on With their webbed feet, handy flippers, and distinguished black and white Dreaming of sandy beaches, vineyards, wildlife, and more? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". If you really want to treat yourself during your stay in Hanoi, then youll want to book a few nights at theSofitel Legend Metropole. Maybe its the rugged nature on a Southern Vietnam itinerary, or quite possibly they might have just not had a good enough travel guide! Our 2 week Vietnam itinerary didnt originally include it because of its reputation as a touristy party town.