2 Weeks in Vietnam 2026: The Classic North to South Itinerary

Two weeks is enough to travel the length of Vietnam with meaningful time at four or five key stops. The classic route runs north to south (or south to north), taking the Reunification Express train for the central sections. Flying between the bookend cities saves a full day of travel each way. Before departure, it is worth sorting two practical items: an EKTA travel insurance policy that covers the full trip duration, and an Airalo eSIM activated before landing so you have data from the moment you clear immigration.

Overview

Total distance: Hanoi to HCMC, approximately 1,700km. Main stops: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Da Nang/Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City. Transport: Flights for Hanoi–HCMC approach (or the reverse); train for Hue–Da Nang–Hoi An section; overnight bus or sleeper train for some legs.

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Day 1–3: Hanoi

Arrive Hanoi. Use the first day for the Old Quarter orientation — the 36 guild streets, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple. Day 2: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, and the French Quarter. Day 3: day trip options — Perfume Pagoda (60km south) or a motorbike tour of the countryside.

Stay: Old Quarter for atmosphere (Hang Be area is central). 3 nights.

Day 4–5: Ha Long Bay

Day 4: depart Hanoi by bus or transfer (3.5 hours to Ha Long). Board a 2-day/1-night cruise. Day 5: morning on the bay, return to Hanoi by late afternoon. Alternatively, continue directly south from Ha Long to save retracing.

Alternative: Cat Ba Island 2-night stay as a base for Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay, bypassing the standard cruise.

Day 6: Travel Hanoi to Hue

Overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Hue (12–13 hours, departs approximately 19:00, arrives 08:00). A comfortable option — the SE3 and SE5 trains have 4-berth soft sleeper compartments. ₫350,000–500,000 ($14–20) per berth.

Day 7–8: Hue

Two full days in Hue. Day 7: Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City (half day), afternoon boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda. Day 8: royal tombs (Khai Dinh for the mosaic interior, Tu Duc for the garden setting), bun bo Hue lunch, evening com hen on Con Hen Island.

Stay: South bank near Pham Ngu Lao or Dong Ba for central position. 2 nights.

Day 9: Hue to Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass

Hire a motorbike or take the tourist bus/car transfer via the Hai Van Pass (496m summit, views of Da Nang Bay). Stop at the summit for 30 minutes. Continue to Da Nang, stop at the Marble Mountains, and arrive Hoi An by late afternoon. The drive is 130km and takes 3–4 hours with stops.

Day 10–11: Hoi An

Two full days. Day 10: Ancient Town morning (₫120,000 combined ticket — Japanese Covered Bridge, Fujian Assembly Hall, merchant houses), afternoon at An Bang Beach. Day 11: cooking class (Morning Glory or Red Bridge) in the morning, evening lantern-making and the Thu Bon River boat trip.

Stay: Ancient Town area for proximity. 2 nights.

Day 12: Da Nang (optional)

If time allows, spend a day in Da Nang rather than rushing straight to HCMC. My Khe Beach morning, Museum of Cham Sculpture, and the Dragon Bridge fire show (Saturday/Sunday evenings). Fly to HCMC in the evening.

Day 13–14: Ho Chi Minh City

Two days in HCMC. Day 13: War Remnants Museum, Reunification Palace, Ben Thanh Market, and a Cho Lon afternoon (District 5 Chinese quarter). Day 14: Cu Chi Tunnels day trip (organised tour, 40km northwest, half day), afternoon at Jade Emperor Pagoda, evening on the Bui Vien waterfront or a rooftop bar.

Fly home from Tan Son Nhat on Day 14 or early Day 15.

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Practical notes

Internal flights: Booking the Hanoi arrival and HCMC departure as a one-way combination saves retracing. VietJet and Bamboo Airways have competitive Da Nang → HCMC fares (₫300,000–800,000 / $12–32 booked in advance). For comparing international fares and the open-jaw approach, see our flights to Vietnam guide.

Train booking: The SE3 Hanoi–Hue train should be booked 2–3 weeks in advance for soft sleeper berths, particularly in peak season.

Weather: The central region (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An) receives heavy rain October–December. If travelling in this period, HCMC first and north second avoids the worst flooding risk in Hoi An.