Ha Giang
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Mekong Delta
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Phu Quoc
Quang Binh
Quy Nhon
Vung Tau
Thai Nguyen
I’ve just finished a 10 day trip in Vietnam and wanted to share a more honest, real experience, especially if you’re wondering whether to go fully independent or book tours. I ended up doing a mix of both, and it honestly made the whole trip feel much smoother and more meaningful.My route was quite simple: a bit of city time, a short cruise, and then the mountains. But the real highlight, without a doubt: Ha Giang and Cao Bang.I think what worked best for me was not trying to do everything on my own. For places like the mountains, where distances are long and logistics can get tricky, I chose to go with a small local travel company. Nothing fancy or overly structured, just a more personal setup. And that made a huge difference. It didn’t feel like a “tour” in the typical sense, more like traveling with people who actually know the place and care about your experience.Ha Giang was intense in the best way. The roads, the landscapes, the feeling of being completely out of your usual environment… it’s hard to explain, but it stayed with me. Cao Bang, on the other hand, felt quieter and somehow even more raw. Fewer people, less noise, and moments where you just stop and take it all in.For the rest of the trip, I explored more freely, walking around, finding random cafés, sitting longer than planned, and not really following a strict schedule. That balance between “having things taken care of” and “having space to wander” made the whole journey feel right.A few small things I learned along the way:- Don’t overpack your itinerary. Vietnam looks close on the map, but travel takes time.- Pack light, especially if you’re heading to the mountains. You’ll thank yourself later.- And give yourself time to just sit somewhere and do nothing. That’s when the place really starts to sink in.Vietnam wasn’t a place that overwhelmed me instantly. It grew on me, slowly, in a very real way. And by the end of the trip, I kind of understood why people keep coming back.If you’re planning your trip and unsure how to do it, maybe you don’t have to choose. Mixing a bit of both might be the best way to experience it 👍
I’ve just finished a 10 day trip in Vietnam and wanted to share a more honest, real experience, especially if you’re wondering whether to go fully independent or book tours.
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Sounds like a great adventure. I’ve just done a few days in Y Ty ,Muong Hum and Ta Phin & thinking about getting across to Cao Bang. Totally agree re-travelling light, this trip I’ve came with just a 35L backpack I’ve had to sacrifice and bring a kit lens and just one prime….😀 it’s about 15 kg so fine on bikes, it’s much better to leave anything you can get here , homestays have everything you need and will help.
Can you share more about the cao bang tour?
I stayed in Old Hanoi for 4 + 2 days, did the Ninh Bình 1 day group tour and went on the private 6 days tour Lang Son, Cao Bằng, Ha Giang with 5 friends from Montreal Canada in the 16 places mini bus, tour guide and driver provided. Love the experience pretty much, the pointed mountains and Nho Que River in Ha Giang are magnificent, love it!
Agreed.. Always good to have a mix of both…
Vietnam is not a place, it is an unending experience.
Brilliant summation.Been Four times and done some of the Touristy things and some just get into a car and drive with good company.Its difficult sometimes when you’re trying to describe a place when you tell them it’s one of those places where you need to just take the time to just take it in .Sit quietly in a cafe or Bar and just take it all in .Pleasing to read someone else gets it 🤗🦘
Hi. How typically U book a local tour? like from your hotel, local travel agency or klookm thanks
I totally agreed with the mix in the planning even though I speak the language, like in Ca Mau, I showed up at a hotel and hire a driver to take us to point of interest which is to the most southern tip of Vietnam, it would be hard to hail a cab back so we were glad we were able to arrange something like that. We are 40% of our 70 days time here in VN, learned a lot.
Great advice. I was dreading Vietnam after 2 months in Thailand, but I loved it, did the Ha Giang loop motorbike tour for 4 days, trekking in Sapa and Cat Ba, then down to Ninh Binh and Phong Nha, much slower paced, then Hue, Da Nang and Hoian for Tet time, their new year, beaches, more colourful and lovely cafes and restaurants and creative activities too. Plus the food was much easier for me, plenty of tofu and rice as I generally don’t eat meat or eggs. Learned a lot about their history too.
So refreshing to read your thoughts. You have approached Vietnam in the most sensible way possible