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Thai Nguyen
Hello Everyone,
I am attempting to finalize a travel plan for our family’s October vacation in Vietnam. We are a family of five (ages 10 to 15), and although we have traveled internationally before, none of our previous trips involved this much inter-city movement.
Following extensive research on destinations, I regret that I rushed the booking of our round-trip flights into and out of Ho Chi Minh City; it now seems much more logical to have left from Hanoi.
I compiled a shortlist of places I feel we must see, and this is the schedule that a chatbot provided:
Day 1 – Ho Chi Minh City Arrival (early a.m.) – Gentle sightseeing: Ben Thanh Market, Notre Dame Cathedral
Day 2 – Mekong Delta (Ben Tre) – Full-day excursion originating from HCMC
Day 3 – Cu Chi Tunnels – Half-day tour to Cu Chi
Day 4 – Hoi An – Morning domestic flight to Da Nang
Travel to Hoi An – Explore the Ancient Town heritage area
Day 5 – Hoi An – Lantern-making class, Time at the beach
Day 6 – Hoi An / Sleeper Train
Day excursion to Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
Evening shuttle to Da Nang train station – Board the overnight rail service to Hanoi
Day 7 – Hanoi
Arrive early morning in Hanoi – Sightseeing includes Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Water Puppet Theatre
Day 8 – Hanoi
Visit the Temple of Literature, Train Street, Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)
Day 9 – Ha Long Bay
Drive transfer to Ha Long Bay – Check-in for an overnight cruise with kayaking and cave exploration
Day 10 – Ha Long Bay → Hanoi
Morning cruise activities conclude – Return drive to Hanoi by late afternoon
Overnight stay in Hanoi
Day 11 – Ho Chi Minh City
Fly from Hanoi back to Ho Chi Minh City
Overnight stay at an airport area hotel
Day 12 – Departure from Ho Chi Minh City
Morning flight home
My worry is that this itinerary might be too aggressive for the duration of the trip, and perhaps we should simply concentrate on the Southern region. I also want to incorporate some relaxation time, as I will be celebrating my birthday during our time in Vietnam.
I welcome any critiques or suggestions, many thanks.
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Oh wow, I totally feel your pain about those HCMC flights – been there, done that, regretted it immediately! And honestly, your gut feeling is spot on, this itinerary does look incredibly aggressive for 11 nights, especially with kids that age and trying to celebrate. That flight back to HCMC on Day 11 just to leave on Day 12 is going to eat up so much precious time. If I were in your shoes, I’d seriously consider focusing on *either* the North (Hanoi/Ha Long Bay) or the South (HCMC/Mekong/Cu Chi/Hoi An). You’ll have so much more time for actual relaxation and soaking it all in, which sounds like what you’re aiming for. Vietnam is amazing, but it’s vast!
Thank you to those who have replied, I had missed the weather diversity between the different regions and I can see I am trying to squeeze too much in for the time we have there in effort to tick off all the main attractions in Vietnam I think we will enjoy.
We are after a balance of adventure / relaxing, interesting experiences / chill time by the pool.
One of main reasons for traveling to the central region was so we get to experience the overnight train but I don’t think its worth it considering the weather risk.
We do arrive on the 22nd so getting towards end of October.
I am thinking now we fly into HMC, spend 3 days there doing general sight seeing, Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels
Fly to Hanoi spend 3-4 days doing Train Street, Water Puppet Show and Ha Long Bay (or may be Lan Ha bay)
Overnight cruise.
The we go somewhere for the final days, nice beach resort somewhere preferable something not too far away from HMC for our return flight.
Appreciate any comments/suggestions
Scott’s suggestions re Can Tho and Ninh Binh as lovely countryside places to consider were good.
I used Catbaventures.com for a relaxing 2D/1N cruise in Lan Ha bay, quieter than Halong. They arranged transport from Hanoi, and then onto Ninh Binh. Cruise included kayaking, swimming and great food!
I still think it is a lot of travelling if you include the north, basically spending 2 days flying there and back, waiting in airports, possible delays. You could have a more relaxing holiday if you just did HCM and Mekong, with time for adventure, interesting experiences as well as chill time by a pool!
If you did want to go north, how about this:
Day 1 – arrive HCM
Day 2 – fly to Hanoi
Day 3, 4 – Hanoi.
Day 5, 6 – Lan Ha Bay cruise, stay night in Cat Ba. Day 7 fly Haiphong to HCM?
OR Day 5 train to Ninh Binh, OR fly to Can Tho, Mekong.
Day 6-8 – Ninh Binh Or Mekong.
Day 9 – travel to HCM
Day 10 – HCM
I don’t know about beach resorts!
Pick two regions with that amount of time.
October is the flood and typhoon season in the Central region.
“….that a chatbot provided:”
Apart from the silly rushed itinerary, and the non warning about potential weather issues in the central region, it also gives up this –
“Flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Overnight at airport hotel”
The airport is in the city, and assuming you would ordinarily stay where most tourists tend to stay, is only a ~30 minute drive away.
The future is concerning….. :-/
Anyway, you have eleven nights.
I’d either stay south, or if you want to push it, pick one other region.
Yes, October could / can / will be wet in Hoi An, but it also may not be wet when you’re there.
Always have a Plan B at that time, but with your very limited time, would you want to risk it?
Probably safer, if you want to add a second region, to go North.
So, maybe something like this –
HCMC – 3 nights
Hanoi – 4 nights
Halong Bay – 1 night (in amongst your 4 nights in Hanoi, if you can’t make a flight from Haiphong / Halong City work)
HCMC – 1 night (final night before flying home)
That leaves you two nights.
Either add to what you have, or you could, possibly, add to a place like Ninh Binh in the North, or perhaps head to Can Tho in the Mekong, and spend a little time out in the countryside.
If it’s the Mekong, the advantage of Can Tho is that it has an airport.
And it’s an airport that you can use to fly to, or from, Hanoi.
It also removes the need to do a rushed touristy day trip from HCMC.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
Happy researching, and stick to asking humans. 😉
Scott
Have had new thoughts as I don’t think October is a good month to visit Hoi An in terms of weather.
Maybe just stay in the south for this trip. You could have a bit longer in HCM and the Mekong, plus visit one other place according to your interests.
It would be more relaxing not to be packing, unpacking, travelling about, waiting for planes etc almost every day, especially with children in tow!
It is a lot you have packed in with lots of travelling, especially for a 10 year old.
Maybe say what your interests are and it will be easier for people to suggest what you might cut out.
You could fly from Haiphong, near Halong, straight to HCM, thus cutting out the need to go back to Hanoi. As you are with children, I would then add the extra day to Hoi An.
It all depends on what you want to do.