How to get the best out of Vietnam in 30 days. Well to start with you may only be able to get a 30 days tourist visa to Vietnam depending on where you come from. We applied for our E-Visa from the UK and were granted 30 days. Tip: Try to apply for your visa before you leave if you know when your entering the country, if you don’t know try to do this at least 2 weeks before you go, the immigration have lots of applicants daily and it can sometimes take up to 5 working days to get back to you.
Our route is going to take you from the south to the north of Vietnam but it really doesn’t matter which way around you go. We purely took this route for weather reasons (we were chasing the sun). Be sure to research the weather, it was certainly a shock to us when we discovered that the north of Vietnam has complete opposite weather to the south (prepare for jumpers & trousers).
Our route is going to take you from the south to the north of Vietnam but it really doesn’t matter which way around you go. We purely took this route for weather reasons (we were chasing the sun). Be sure to research the weather, it was certainly a shock to us when we discovered that the north of Vietnam has complete opposite weather to the south (prepare for jumpers & trousers).
Day 1-3: Ho Chi Minh City
What to do?
Learn about the history of the American and Vietnam War at the War Remnant Museum. Explore the surrounding shopping plazas or see a the famous water puppet show. We recommend taking a trip out to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, the complex is made up of over 200kms of tunnels used in the war against the US, if your feeling brave you can squeeze yourself into one of the tiny under ground holes. At night there is a huge back packers street called ‘Bui Vien’ where there is a vast variety of food and drinks options (if you love Indian food stop by Baba’s, it is amazing).
Where to stay?
If you love a party or just meeting people I would head to anywhere on or around Bui Vien, there are plenty of hostels which put on pub crawls and party nights giving you the opportunity to meet other travellers. If your looking for more of a quieter time we stayed at the LaLa home, it was just around the corner from back packer street so you are still around the hustle and bustle but you will have a peaceful nights sleep & they had amazing showers (you will appreciate a good shower when you get one).
Norte dam cathedral, Ho Chi Minh,Vietnam.
Day 4-6: Da Lat
What to do?
Discover the notable city sights of this scenic highland town on-foot, by bicycle or the popular option of a guided motorbike tour. Must see sights include the Emperor’s Art Deco-style Summer Palace, the surrealist Hang Nga ‘Crazy House,’ the French Quarter and railway station, as well as the never ending local coffee, strawberry or pepper plantations which lie around the city. Being in the highlands there are an array of waterfalls, datanla waterfalls being the best, you get to ride & control a rollercoaster on the way down (it’s awesome).
Personal recommendation- Mr Rots secret Tour. I won’t say too much because it’s obviously secret but this is one of the best and most rewarding things we’ve done whilst In Vietnam and Mr Rot himself is absolutely nuts and hilarious; give it a go you won’t be disappointed!
Where to stay?
It is such a small town so there is no particular area to stay in. Check out hostel world or booking.com for the best reviewed hostels. We personally stayed at Mr Rots secret hotel as we so desperately wanted to go on his tour but it wasn’t the cheapest of places.
Day 6-9: Nha Trang
What to do?
In all honestly we did absolutely nothing in Nha Trang, we went to the beach, beach and more beach. We also stayed for 5 days. We were travelling for about 6 week straight and needed a rest. The beach in Nha Trang is fun, the waves are huge so it’s great to just play in the sea. You can see vin pearl land from across the sea so if you have time you can visit by the cable car (we went to the one in Hoi An) it’s worth a visit. There is also the I-resort which is slightly more expensive. It consists of a group of hot mineral springs, mud baths and spas, so if you want to relax, splash out and go here.
Where to stay?
In the hustle and bustle of the towering hotels there is a small back street with the ‘livin hub hostel’ sat in it. Right around the corner from the beach this gorgeous little hostel was perfect for a few days relaxing, the owner is lovely and couldn’t do enough for you. They even have free bikes which are great for an evening bike ride along the coast.
What to do?
Discover the notable city sights of this scenic highland town on-foot, by bicycle or the popular option of a guided motorbike tour. Must see sights include the Emperor’s Art Deco-style Summer Palace, the surrealist Hang Nga ‘Crazy House,’ the French Quarter and railway station, as well as the never ending local coffee, strawberry or pepper plantations which lie around the city. Being in the highlands there are an array of waterfalls, datanla waterfalls being the best, you get to ride & control a rollercoaster on the way down (it’s awesome).
Personal recommendation- Mr Rots secret Tour. I won’t say too much because it’s obviously secret but this is one of the best and most rewarding things we’ve done whilst In Vietnam and Mr Rot himself is absolutely nuts and hilarious; give it a go you won’t be disappointed!
Where to stay?
It is such a small town so there is no particular area to stay in. Check out hostel world or booking.com for the best reviewed hostels. We personally stayed at Mr Rots secret hotel as we so desperately wanted to go on his tour but it wasn’t the cheapest of places.
Day 6-9: Nha Trang
What to do?
In all honestly we did absolutely nothing in Nha Trang, we went to the beach, beach and more beach. We also stayed for 5 days. We were travelling for about 6 week straight and needed a rest. The beach in Nha Trang is fun, the waves are huge so it’s great to just play in the sea. You can see vin pearl land from across the sea so if you have time you can visit by the cable car (we went to the one in Hoi An) it’s worth a visit. There is also the I-resort which is slightly more expensive. It consists of a group of hot mineral springs, mud baths and spas, so if you want to relax, splash out and go here.
Where to stay?
In the hustle and bustle of the towering hotels there is a small back street with the ‘livin hub hostel’ sat in it. Right around the corner from the beach this gorgeous little hostel was perfect for a few days relaxing, the owner is lovely and couldn’t do enough for you. They even have free bikes which are great for an evening bike ride along the coast.
Day 9-11: Bai Xep
What to do?
This gorgeous little fishing village is well and truly off the grid. There’s a near by waterfall which is beautiful to walk to on a cloudy day, take your swimming stuff and go in for a dip. The village has only 2 restaurants both over looking the South China Sea, the big tree bistro has the cutest friendly dog. We weren’t fortunate with the weather whilst there but if you are, there are plenty of basket boats on the shore ready to take you for a little trip out to sea.
Where the stay?
I would recommend staying at the life’s a beach backpackers or the big tree hostel. We stayed at the confetti house, the price might tempt you but don’t do it. The shower was just a pipe and was freezing, it didn’t help that the bathroom was open on the balcony. The roof was straw and we was woken through the night to something moving and probably nesting in there… just don’t do it.
Day 9-11: Bai Xep
What to do?
This gorgeous little fishing village is well and truly off the grid. There’s a near by waterfall which is beautiful to walk to on a cloudy day, take your swimming stuff and go in for a dip. The village has only 2 restaurants both over looking the South China Sea, the big tree bistro has the cutest friendly dog. We weren’t fortunate with the weather whilst there but if you are, there are plenty of basket boats on the shore ready to take you for a little trip out to sea.
Where the stay?
I would recommend staying at the life’s a beach backpackers or the big tree hostel. We stayed at the confetti house, the price might tempt you but don’t do it. The shower was just a pipe and was freezing, it didn’t help that the bathroom was open on the balcony. The roof was straw and we was woken through the night to something moving and probably nesting in there… just don’t do it.
Bai Xep, Vietnam.
Day 11-16: Hoi An
What to do?
Stay here as long as you can! Hoi An was our favourite place we have visited up to yet in south east Asia. How can you not love being surrounded by beautiful french colonial architecture and a colourful array of light from the stunning Chinese lanterns. I won’t go into too much detail about what to do here as I would bore you to death but here is a list for you to research of what there is to offer in Hoi An.
Explore the coconut village by basket boat tour
Vin pearl land theme & water park
Wander around the old town
Visit the Japanese bridge
Chow down on a Bahn Mi From the famous ‘Bahn Mi Phuong’
Take a bicycle ride to the hidden beach (avoid An Bang beach)
Get something tailor made, there are over 200 tailor shops in Hoi An
Where to stay?
Aim to stay around the Old Town as it is full of bars & restaurants. Check out hostelworld or booking.com to find something with in your price range. We used Air BnB for this section of our trip at the CIC boutique hotel however it was quite far to the old town if your walking on foot (we used a scooter most of the time here).
Hoi an, Vietnam.
Day 16-18: Hue
What to do?
We found There wasn’t too much to do in Hue so I would maybe just spend 2 nights here. Here you’ll see many elaborately decorated temples and beautiful pagodas, including the seven-storied Thien Mu Pagoda, the intricate Citadel and Forbidden Purple City. If your feeling adventurous go and explore to abandoned water park, it is technically off limits but the security guard will let you in with a small bribe.
Where to stay?
Please research where to stay in Hue, try and stick near the river if possible as this is where the most popular areas of Hue are. We made a huge mistake of just looking at reviews and not areas whilst in Hue and ended up miles away from everything with it costing us a bomb for Grab fares into the hotspots.
Day 18-20: Phong Nha
What to do?
Phong Nha is one of the smallest places we visited on our travels through Vietnam but it is in no way any less spectacular than the rest. This little town is home to numerous caves including the paradise cave, if you can make your way up the 480 (approx) steps you will be blown away. The cave will have you questioning who and how did someone discover this place, it certainly did us. Whilst I’m Phong Nha the Duck Stop is an absolute must, it is exactly what it says on the tin, a small farm full of ducks. It was one of the best things we did and 100% a great photo opportunity, the owners make your time there great and it will having you laughing until you cry.
Where to stay?
We stayed at Vu’s home stay which was an absolute bargain and really lovely, it also had a pool which we didn’t use due to the weather being too cold. You can walk end to end of the town in around 15 minutes and there is plenty of options, if your looking for something lively there is a central backpacker Hostel where you can find cheap drinks, fun and games. We called in for a few drinks and they had beer pong tournament etc. Going off whilst we were there.
Duck stop, Phong Nha, Vietnam.
Day 20-22: Ninh Bình
What to do?
Truthfully we didn’t get as much time in Ninh Binh as we would have liked, we arrived late afternoon and left early the next morning. Ninh binh is known as the Ha Long Bay on land. You arrive surrounded by mountains of limestone rocks, some which you can venture up to view different pagodas. On the morning we left Ninh binh we visited the Trang An Grottoes, it is truly beautiful. There are 3 different trip length options to choose from. We opted for the second which was long enough, in fact we actually got quite bored on the way back to land as it became a bit repetitive. I would either choose the shortest option or go for the middle like us.
Where to stay?
We actually didn’t stay in Ninh binh city itself so we cannot comment on this. We stayed in a town just outside called Tam Coc, it is a quaint little village but filled with character and actually plenty of places to eat and drink. Here you will find lots of home stays which are well maintained and cheap, I would use Booking.com as hostelworld is sometimes limited in small unknown places
Day 22-24: Hanoi
What to do?
Frankly there’s not that much to do in Hanoi, we spent a total of 5 days there and just found ourselves wandering around aimlessly. There’s a big lake with a temple in the middle you can have a walk around. Around a mile away there is the body of Ho Chi Minh, they have preserved him and showcase his body between 9-12am every day (pretty weird thing to see unless dead guys are your thing). The nightlife in Hanoi is pretty buzzing particularly around Pub Street which has tonnes of people shoving boards in your face trying to give you the best deal, they all have happy hours with pretty cheap beer though. The Hanoi train street is also a must do, there are only so many trains that pass through a day so make sure to stop by and check the local boards in the coffee shops to find out when to go, if you order a beer be sure to pop your bottle top on the track for a souvenir of your visit. My favourite thing we did in Hanoi was by far the note café, it is 4 stories high covered floor to ceiling in people’s notes (the english breakfast tea & cake was a bonus). The café adds a little smile to your day reading everyone’s notes, taking in strangers stories from a small piece of paper. If you do nothing else in Hanoi just go visit the Note café.
Where to stay?
In Hanoi we actually stayed in a dorm, as with everywhere in the world capital cities can be pretty expensive so when we stumbled upon the Hanoi Amazing Hostel for £7 a night it was a no brainer (price was a for a double bed too). The hostel offer a free walking tour on certain days and their happy hour is free beer (not the greatest beer but who doesn’t love a freebie), they also offer a wide range of things for breakfast for no extra cost. It is a big city so there are many places to stay and places which cater to everyone’s style of travel.
Hanoi, Train Street, Vietnam.
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The Note Cafe, Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Day 24-29: Halong bay & Cat Ba island/Sapa/Ha-Giang Loop
What to do?
I will start with Sapa as we actually didn’t visit because it was dry season and the sights just aren’t there unless it’s rainy season. I hear sapa is extremely beautiful full of budding green rice fields, one for the photographers out there. Sapa also is huge with travellers who love trekking so if that includes you, you may want to book on to a trekking tour to see this part of Vietnam.
The Ha-Giang Loop. Again we didn’t actually do this but it is something that is popular with travellers and is mainly done on a motorbike tour, Our friends we met in vietnam went and did this. It is a fun way to get off the beaten track and adventure round on a scooter (see our advice on renting a scooter before doing this) be prepared if this is something you take part in as the weather isn’t always the best, take jumpers or something warm as well as a water proof coat.
We did choose to spend our last few days between Cat Ba Island and Ha Long Bay mainly because the other two options were rainy and we wanted to see some more beaches. We had been told to just visit Cat Ba however we decided to do both. If you want to skip Ha Long you can, as it is easy to do the Bay tour from Cat Ba. Cat Ba was beautiful, stunning clear water & mountains with breathtaking views particularly from the Fort right at the top of the island. Halong was on the quieter side however we found this was because of the Covid-19 virus. We hopped on a day tour from here which is completely worth doing as you get a number of activities included and is something you’ll never get to see again. We actually also went to the cinema while in Halong which was really fun and gave us some form of normality to what we would do back home.
Where to stay?
Obviously we can’t comment on Sapa or Ha-Giang however if you book a tour most of them usually include some form of accommodation, be sure to check when booking. Cat Ba Island has plenty of nice home stays on the island for extremely cheap. We stayed at the Cat Ba family hotel for £9 a night. We opted for the BBQ hostel in Ha Long, it was in a nice new upcoming area slightly away from the hustle and bustle but we really enjoyed the peace and quiet and the family who owned it were wonderful.
Where to next?
You will probably head back to Hanoi for a night or two before jetting off to your next destination. Our guide is tailored to what we did/visited and what worked best for us, so you may want to change it up and add or swap some places out because everyone is different. we hope you’ve got enough insight from us to help you plan your journey through Vietnam. It truly is a breath taking country with a great mix or beach and countryside, there is something for everyone.
