Customised holidayTRVN10S
Vietnam north to southVietnam in 10 nights
- 11 Days · 10 Nights
- Vietnam · 7 Cities
- Signature pace
- Any date you choose
Hanoi (2N)Ha Long Bay cruise (1N)Hue (1N)Hoi An (2N)Ho Chi Minh City (2N)Mekong Delta (1N)Ho Chi Minh City (1N)
View day-wise itinerary →Holiday includes
- Hotel
- Meals
- Sightseeing
- Transport
- FlightsOptional
- Visa
Private car and driver throughout, private airport transfers. Prafull plans and answers every message himself.
Holiday highlights
- Overnight cruise among Ha Long Bay's limestone islands
- Hue's Imperial Citadel and Thien Mu Pagoda
- The coast road over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An
- Hoi An old town and a vegetarian cooking class
- Cu Chi tunnels and the War Remnants Museum
- Dawn boat to the Cai Rang floating market in the Mekong Delta
Itinerary (day wise)
Vietnam end to end in ten nights: Hanoi and a night on Ha Long Bay, the imperial city of Hue, the coast road over the Hai Van Pass to Hoi An, then Ho Chi Minh City and a night in the Mekong Delta. The route runs north to south with two domestic flights and one scenic drive, so you never double back. It suits couples, families and repeat travellers who want the whole country, with time in each place rather than a rush.
Day 1Arrive in Hanoi (2 Nights)
About 30 km · 45 minutes–1 hour by road
Your driver meets you at Noi Bai arrivals and drives you over the Red River to your hotel in or near the Old Quarter. After check-in and a rest, you take a cyclo, the pedalled rickshaw with the seat in front, through the Old Quarter's narrow streets, many still named after the goods once sold there, and around Hoan Kiem Lake. Walk over the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple. Dinner is at your own pace; Indian and vegetarian restaurants are a short walk away. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Hanoi Old Quarter by cyclo
- Hoan Kiem Lake
- Ngoc Son Temple and the Huc Bridge
- Note: Hotel check-in is usually from 2 pm; a guaranteed early check-in costs extra.
Prafull’s tipCarry some US dollars to change in the Old Quarter; rates are better there than at the airport.
No meals included today
Day 2Hanoi
A full day with a private English-speaking guide and car. You begin at the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070, with its courtyards and stone tablets carried on tortoises. Then Ba Dinh Square, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the yellow Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda. After lunch, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology gives a good picture of the country's many peoples, with full-size village houses in its garden. In the evening you watch a water-puppet show, a northern folk art played on a pool of water to live music. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Temple of Literature
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
- Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
- Note: The Mausoleum opens only in the morning, is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and shuts for some weeks each year for maintenance.
- Note: The Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays; we plan around it.
Prafull’s tipCover shoulders and knees today; you'll be at temples and the Mausoleum.
Breakfast
Day 3Hanoi – Ha Long Bay Cruise (1 Night)
About 170 km · 2.5 hours by expressway
Your driver collects you after breakfast for the expressway drive east. You board the cruise around midday and lunch is served as the boat moves out among the limestone islands. In the afternoon you kayak, or take a bamboo rowing boat, into a sheltered lagoon, and walk through one of the bay's large caves. There's time on the sundeck for sunset, often a cooking demonstration, and dinner on board. You sleep in a private cabin with its own bathroom and, on most boats in this class, a small balcony. Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.
- Ha Long Bay's limestone islands
- Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave or a similar cave
- Kayaking in a lagoon
- Note: The coastguard can hold boats in port during storms, most often between July and October; if that happens we rebook or switch you to a day cruise.
- Note: Take an overnight bag on board; your main luggage stays in the cruise's luggage room.
Prafull’s tipTell us your veg or Jain needs when you book; we brief the boat's kitchen a week before.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4Ha Long Bay – Hue (1 Night)
About 2.5–3 hours by road to Hanoi airport · 1 hr 10 min flight to Hue · 30 minutes by road to the city
Tai chi on deck at sunrise, a short morning visit and brunch as the boat sails back; you're ashore by about 11 am. Your driver goes straight to Noi Bai airport for the afternoon flight to Hue, the seat of Vietnam's Nguyen emperors from 1802 to 1945. A local driver meets you and takes you to your hotel by the Perfume River. In the evening you walk along the river bank, where the Truong Tien bridge changes colour after dark, and through the small night market. Overnight in Hue.
- Tai chi on deck
- Perfume River
- Truong Tien bridge
- Note: Domestic flights usually allow 20–23 kg of checked baggage in economy; we confirm your allowance with the ticket.
Prafull’s tipIt's a long travel day; keep dinner close to the hotel and save your energy for the Citadel.
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 5Hue – Hoi An (2 Nights)
About 130 km · 3.5–4 hours by road via the Hai Van Pass, with stops
You spend the morning with a guide inside Hue's Imperial Citadel: the moat and walls, the Noon Gate, the throne hall and the restored courtyards of the Forbidden Purple City. A short drive west takes you to Thien Mu Pagoda, with its seven-storey tower above the river. After lunch your driver heads south along the coast, past the Lang Co lagoon, and climbs the Hai Van Pass, where old fort walls sit at the top with the sea below on both sides. You reach Hoi An by late afternoon. Overnight in Hoi An.
- Imperial Citadel, Hue
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- Lang Co lagoon
- Hai Van Pass
- Note: In heavy rain or fog the driver may take the tunnel instead of the pass; it's faster but you lose the view.
- Note: The Citadel involves about 2–3 km of walking on flat paths.
Prafull’s tipSit on the left side of the car heading south for the best sea views on the pass.
Breakfast
Day 6Hoi An
A morning walk through the old town with a local guide: the Japanese Covered Bridge, a centuries-old merchant's house and a Chinese assembly hall full of incense coils. Then a cooking class: a short visit to the market for herbs and vegetables, a basket-boat ride through the Cam Thanh coconut forest, and three or four dishes you cook and eat for lunch, all vegetarian if you like. The evening is free for the lantern-lit streets, the night market and a paper candle-boat on the Thu Bon river. Overnight in Hoi An.
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- Old merchant houses
- Basket-boat ride in the Cam Thanh coconut forest
- Cooking class
- Hoi An lanterns by night
- Note: The old-town ticket covers several houses, halls and the bridge; it's included.
- Note: Optional: a sampan ride to float a paper lantern on the river, paid locally per boat.
Prafull’s tipOrder any tailored clothes this morning; most tailors need 24 hours and a fitting.
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 7Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City (2 Nights)
About 45 minutes by road to Da Nang airport · 1 hr 20 min flight to Ho Chi Minh City
A free morning for the beach at An Bang or a last walk in the old town, then your driver takes you to Da Nang airport for the flight south. In Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by most locals, a driver meets you and takes you to your hotel in District 1. In the evening you walk past the old French post office and the red-brick cathedral to a rooftop terrace on one of the downtown towers, and watch the city's motorbikes stream below as the lights come on. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
- An Bang beach
- Saigon Central Post Office
- Downtown Saigon from a rooftop
- Note: Crossing the road in Saigon: walk slowly and steadily and the motorbikes flow around you; don't stop suddenly or run.
Prafull’s tipKeep phones and bags on the side away from the road; snatch thefts from motorbikes do happen in District 1.
Breakfast
Day 8Ho Chi Minh City
Cu Chi: about 70 km each way · 1.5–2 hours by road
An early drive with your guide to the Cu Chi tunnels, the network of narrow underground passages used during the war. You see hidden trapdoors and kitchens with smoke vents, and can crawl a short, widened stretch if you wish. Back in the city after lunch, you visit the War Remnants Museum, then the Independence Palace, kept much as it was in 1975. The day ends at Ben Thanh market, with stalls of coffee, lacquerware, dried fruit and souvenirs, and street-food stands around it in the evening. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Cu Chi tunnels
- War Remnants Museum
- Independence Palace
- Ben Thanh market
- Note: The War Remnants Museum has graphic photographs, especially on Agent Orange; parents may want to guide younger children.
- Note: The tunnel crawl is optional and tight; skip it if you are claustrophobic or have knee or back trouble.
Prafull’s tipBargain at Ben Thanh; start at about half the asking price and smile.
Breakfast
Day 9Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta (1 Night)
About 170 km · 3–3.5 hours by road, with boat stops on the way
You leave the city after breakfast and drive south into the delta, crossing the wide branches of the Mekong on long bridges. Around Cai Be or Vinh Long you board a small boat with your guide and go along narrow canals lined with water palms, stopping at family workshops making coconut sweets and rice paper, and walking through fruit orchards to taste whatever is in season. Lunch is at an orchard house. You continue to Can Tho, the delta's main city, for a quiet night at a riverside lodge. Overnight near Can Tho.
- Mekong river crossings
- Canals of Cai Be or Vinh Long
- Coconut-sweet and rice-paper workshops
- Fruit orchards
- Note: Bring insect repellent and a light long-sleeved top for the evening by the river.
Prafull’s tipAsk your guide for jackfruit or rambutan in season; the orchard fruit is far better than in the city.
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 10Mekong Delta – Ho Chi Minh City (1 Night)
About 170 km · 3–3.5 hours by road
A dawn start: a boat takes you out to the Cai Rang floating market, where wholesalers trade pineapples, pumpkins and watermelons from boat to boat, each hanging a sample on a tall pole to show what's for sale. Small boats sell coffee and noodle soup to the traders. You return to the lodge for breakfast, then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City, arriving by early afternoon. The rest of the day is free for shopping, a spa, or Indian food in District 1. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Cai Rang floating market
- Can Tho riverside
- Note: The market is busiest from about 5.30 to 8 am and thins out quickly after that.
Prafull’s tipTake a light jacket for the boat at dawn; the river breeze is cool.
Breakfast
Day 11Ho Chi Minh City – Departure
About 8 km · 30–45 minutes by road
A last breakfast and a free morning: a coffee at a pavement café, the Saigon Opera House and the old City Hall from outside, or a final round of shopping on Dong Khoi street for lacquerware, silk and Vietnamese coffee to take home. Check-out is usually by noon and the hotel holds your bags if your flight is later. Your driver collects you about three hours before an international departure for the short but often slow drive to Tan Son Nhat airport. Your holiday ends here.
- Saigon Opera House
- Dong Khoi street
Prafull’s tipThe airport is close but traffic is heavy at rush hour; don't cut it fine.
Breakfast
Tour details
Accommodation
Choose the hotel category. The same route and sightseeing in every category.
| City | Standard hotels |
|---|---|
| Hanoi2 nights | Mercure Hanoi La Gare / Silk Path Hotel Hanoi / Ibis Hanoi Centre / or similarDeluxe room |
| Ha Long Bay cruise1 night | Bhaya Classic Cruise / Ambassador Cruise / or similarBalcony cabin with private bathroom |
| Hue1 night | Hotel Saigon Morin / Imperial Hotel Hue / or similarDeluxe room, river view where available |
| Hoi An2 nights | Hoi An Historic Hotel / Hoi An Silk Marina Resort & Spa / Allegro Hoi An / or similarDeluxe room with pool or garden view |
| Ho Chi Minh City2 nights | Novotel Saigon Centre / Liberty Central Saigon Riverside / or similarDeluxe room |
| Mekong Delta1 night | 3★–4★ riverside hotel in Can Tho / or similarGarden or river-view room |
| Ho Chi Minh City1 night | Novotel Saigon Centre / Liberty Central Saigon Riverside / or similarDeluxe room |
| City | Deluxe hotels |
|---|---|
| Hanoi2 nights | Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi – MGallery / Hilton Hanoi Opera / Pan Pacific Hanoi / or similar |
| Ha Long Bay cruise1 night | Paradise Elegance Cruise / Bhaya Legend Cruise / or similar |
| Hue1 night | Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa / Indochine Palace / or similar |
| Hoi An2 nights | Anantara Hoi An Resort / Little Riverside Hoi An / Almanity Hoi An Resort & Spa / or similar |
| Ho Chi Minh City2 nights | Caravelle Saigon / Hotel des Arts Saigon – MGallery / Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon / or similar |
| Mekong Delta1 night | Victoria Can Tho Resort / or similar |
| Ho Chi Minh City1 night | Caravelle Saigon / Hotel des Arts Saigon – MGallery / Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon / or similar |
| City | Premium hotels |
|---|---|
| Hanoi2 nights | Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi / Capella Hanoi / JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi / or similar |
| Ha Long Bay cruise1 night | Heritage Line Violet / Heritage Line Ylang / or similar |
| Hue1 night | Azerai La Residence, Hue / Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa Hue / or similar |
| Hoi An2 nights | Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai / Hotel Royal Hoi An – MGallery / or similar |
| Ho Chi Minh City2 nights | Park Hyatt Saigon / The Reverie Saigon / Sofitel Saigon Plaza / or similar |
| Mekong Delta1 night | Azerai Can Tho / or similar |
| Ho Chi Minh City1 night | Park Hyatt Saigon / The Reverie Saigon / Sofitel Saigon Plaza / or similar |
Hotels are confirmed when you book. If a hotel is full, we give you one of the same category in the same area, and tell you before you pay.
Optional add-ons
Not in the price. Prafull can book them for you or you can pay locally.
| Experience | Approx. price |
|---|---|
| Ba Na Hills and the Golden BridgeSwap for the free morning on day 7 with a later flight, or add a night in Hoi An. | On request |
| My Son SanctuaryCham Hindu temple ruins about an hour from Hoi An; best at 7.30 am. | On request |
| Dragon-boat ride to Thien Mu PagodaReplaces the road transfer to the pagoda in Hue; about 30–45 minutes on the Perfume River. | On request |
| Saigon by scooter at nightYou ride pillion with a licensed driver and a helmet; food stops in the side streets. | On request |
Tour information
Read this to prepare for your holiday.
Tour inclusions
- 10 nights' accommodation: 2 in Hanoi, 1 on a Ha Long Bay cruise, 1 in Hue, 2 in Hoi An, 3 in Ho Chi Minh City and 1 in the Mekong Delta, in the hotels listed (or similar), twin sharing
- Daily breakfast; lunch, dinner and brunch on the cruise; lunch at the Hoi An cooking class and in the Mekong Delta
- Economy flights Hanoi–Hue and Da Nang–Ho Chi Minh City with checked baggage
- Private air-conditioned car with driver for all transfers and sightseeing, including the Hai Van Pass drive: sedan for 2 guests, 7-seater for 3–4, 16-seat van for 5–8
- Private English-speaking guides in Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta
- Cruise activities: kayaking or bamboo boat, cave visit, sunrise tai chi and cooking demonstration
- Entry tickets: Imperial Citadel, Hoi An old town, Cu Chi tunnels, War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace
- Cyclo ride, water-puppet show, basket-boat ride and the Hoi An cooking class
- Mekong canal boat and the Cai Rang floating-market boat
- Bottled water in the car every day
- Help with your Vietnam e-visa application; we check the form before you submit
- Prafull's day-by-day trip notes on WhatsApp
- 24/7 helpline while you travel
Tour exclusions
- International flights to Hanoi and from Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam e-visa fee (approx. US$25 for a single-entry e-visa, paid online)
- GST (5%) and TCS as applicable under current rules
- Lunches and dinners not listed, and all drinks on the cruise
- Rooftop bar drinks, spa treatments and shopping
- Sampan lantern rides and tailoring in Hoi An
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tips for guides, drivers and cruise crew, at your discretion
- Early check-in, late check-out and excess baggage on domestic flights
- Personal expenses: laundry, minibar, phone calls and porterage
- Extra costs from cruise cancellations, flight changes or bad weather
Good to know
- Indian passport holders need a Vietnam e-visa before travel. Apply at least two weeks ahead; your passport needs six months' validity.
- Weather differs by region: Hanoi is cool from December to February, central Vietnam is wettest from October to December, and the south is dry from December to April.
- Pack layers for the north and light cottons for the south, plus comfortable shoes for the Citadel and Cu Chi.
- Vegetarian food is called 'chay'. Saigon and Hanoi both have Indian restaurants, and we pre-brief the cruise, cooking class and lodge.
- Domestic flights in Vietnam can be rescheduled at short notice; we track them and adjust your transfers.
- The currency is the Vietnamese dong; carry cash for markets, boats and tips. Vietnam is 1.5 hours ahead of India.
When to go
October to April. Hanoi and Ha Long are cool and dry from October to April; Hoi An is best from February to August; the south is dry from December to April. October to December brings rain to the centre.
Our favourite months
Cancellation policy & payment terms
Payment terms
| To confirm your holiday | 25% of the package cost, or ₹25,000 per person, whichever is higher |
|---|---|
| 30 days before travel | Balance payment |
| Booking within 30 days of travel | Full payment at booking |
| Flights, trains and visa fees | Paid in full at booking, as the airline or authority requires |
Cancellation charges
| 45 days or more before travel | 10% of the package cost |
|---|---|
| 30–44 days before travel | 25% of the package cost |
| 15–29 days before travel | 50% of the package cost |
| 7–14 days before travel | 75% of the package cost |
| Less than 7 days, or no-show | 100% of the package cost |
- Cancellations must be sent in writing, on email or WhatsApp; the date we receive it is the cancellation date.
- Flights, trains, visa fees and non-refundable hotel or activity bookings are refunded only as their own rules allow.
- Date changes are free when made 30 days or more before travel, subject to hotel availability and any difference in price.
- Refunds are paid within 14 working days of us receiving them from the hotels and suppliers.
- No refund is possible for services not used during the holiday.
- Hotels may ask for a refundable security deposit at check-in, paid directly to the hotel.
Questions about this holiday
How much does the Vietnam north to south trip cost?
The 10-night Vietnam north to south journey starts at ₹85,000 per person on twin sharing in Standard hotels (about ₹1,15,000 in Deluxe and ₹1,61,500 in Premium hotels), land only. Flights are extra and quoted for your dates.
What is the best time for this Vietnam trip?
October to April. Hanoi and Ha Long are cool and dry from October to April; Hoi An is best from February to August; the south is dry from December to April. October to December brings rain to the centre.
Can this itinerary be changed?
Yes. Every TripRoutes trip is private, so we can add or remove nights, swap Hanoi or any other stop, change hotels, or adjust the pace.
Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes — Indian passport holders apply online for an e-visa before travel. We help you apply and check the form, and confirm the current rules when you book.
How many days are enough for Vietnam?
Five nights for Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, seven to add Hoi An, and ten to travel from north to south.
Vietnam
Other ways to see Vietnam
5 nightsEasyHanoi & Ha Long Bay
- Hanoi's Old Quarter and street food
- An overnight Ha Long Bay cruise
- Rowing boats through Ninh Binh's karsts
7 nightsClassicHanoi to Hoi An
- Hanoi and a Ha Long Bay cruise
- Hoi An's lantern-lit old town
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
Plan with Prafull
Make this holiday yours
Tell Prafull your dates and who is coming. He will send a revised plan and an exact price, usually within a few hours.
- WhatsApp +91 74800 66666
- Call +91 74800 66666
- prafull.pitale@triproutes.in
- 304, Kailash Plaza Business Park, Ghatkopar East