Ha Giang
Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh City
Ha Long
Sapa
Mekong Delta
Da Nang
Hue
Hoi An
Ninh Binh
Da Lat
Nha Trang
Phan Thiet
Phu Quoc
Quang Binh
Quy Nhon
Vung Tau
Thai Nguyen
My wife and I are putting together a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. We fly out of San Francisco on October 23rd, land early on the 25th in Ho Chi Minh City, and leave again from HCMC on November 13th for our flight back. This will be our first time visiting both nations. We are an active couple (55 years old) who enjoy extensive walking daily, and we lean more toward cultural and historical exploration rather than beach time (though we’re open to anything).
Here is our tentative itinerary for Vietnam:
Arrival in HCMC on Oct 25th – 2 nights (we’re actually covering 3 nights since we arrive at 3 AM on the 25th, so we paid for the night of the 24th)
-
This short stay is purely for jet lag recovery; we plan to save the main HCMC sightseeing for the end of the trip.
Oct 27th to Nov 2nd – Cambodia – 6 nights
Nov 2nd – Fly into Hanoi for 4 nights
-
We are considering a day trip to Ninh Binh.
-
We are also contemplating an overnight trip to Sapa (and are willing to shuffle days on other segments if it’s highly recommended).
Nov 6th – Travel to Ha Long Bay (drive/bus) for 3 nights
Nov 9th – Travel back to Hanoi (drive/bus) to connect with our flight to HCMC
Nov 9th – Stay in HCMC for 4 nights
-
Plans include: War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta excursion, and tailor fittings/pickups.
Nov 13th – Departure for home
We would appreciate any feedback from the TA community on these points:
-
Any advice on adding or cutting days at any of the planned stops.
-
Are there any key places we completely missed that you suggest adding? Note: We intentionally skipped Central Vietnam due to the assumption that it would be the peak of the rainy season then.
-
Any recommendations for lodging, restaurants, or activities at any location? We have secured the Bay Hotel in HCMC for the initial 3 nights, but everything else is still flexible.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Tiếng Việt
한국어
中文 (中国)
日本語
ไทย
Deutsch
Español
Destinations
Instagram
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Threads
Tiktok
Perhaps a bit late for this, but you could fly to Phnom Penh with a layover/stopover. Could save some precious time.
I would want a few more days in Cambodia personally. Easily gained if you can flip things around by just playing around with google maps and flights….
Generally speaking, and hate (but don’t hate) to say it, but AI failed significantly here. The human brain still wins (at least for now). AI has to learn from somewhere right?
Anyway, best wishes for your travel and plan
Replying to TheFiveCentDime
Hey Five – thanks for your feedback. I took it to heart, and added a day to our stop in Phnom Penh (now 7 nights in Cambodia – 3 nights in PP, 4 in SR). Will likely drop a night from HCMC at the end. Best, Vineet
Replying to Vineet S
Also FIve – I had booked my flights with Vietnam Airlines – and they only had a direct flight to HCMC. Not sure if other airlines had direct flights from San Francisco to PP, but will consider next time.
Have you booked your flight from Hanoi to HCM? If not, maybe consider flying from Haiphong to HCM, to save going back to Hanoi.
Not sure what the weather will be like in Sapa at start of Nov, and do not think you would have time to go such a long way anyway. There is plenty to enjoy in Hanoi for 2 days, (including just sitting in a cafe and watching the world go by), plus 1 day in the Ninh Binh area. In HCM, I recommend making time to wander the alleys. VietnamCoracle.com has good info about the HCM alleys.
Replying to India11
Thanks India! I had no idea there was an airport in Haiphong. I actually used ChatGPT to put my itinerary together and it advised to drive back from Ha Lang Bay to catch the flight from Hanoi. I will definitely book the flights from Haiphong instead. Also thanks for the feedback on Sapa.
Better to save Sapa for another time. It’s really a summer/green season project.
You can do a day trip to Ninh Binh (Tam Coc), or not. No need to decide now, very easy to organize upon arrival in Hanoi. Perhaps take a look at the weather before making a commitment.
Take care 🙂
Replying to Michael P
Hey Michael – many thanks for your feedback. I was thinking that trying to include Sapa was probably very ambitious, and if the weather isn’t going to cooperate, then agree it’s best to stay in Hanoi and plan day trips accordingly. Best, V