Vietnam

Vietnam: Two week itinerary

Cultivating flowers at Sa Dec (Photo: Dan Gair Blind Dog Photo / Lonely Planet Images)
Cultivating flowers at Sa Dec
"Rent a bike or visit the flower market at Sa Dec (an hour west), where Marguerite Duras based her novel The Lover."
 

With an "open-jaw" ticket flying into Ho Chi Minh City and leaving from Hanoi, it's possible to hit Vietnam's main attractions in a couple weeks.

Start with a couple of nights in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), enough time to shop on Dong Khoi Street and see some war sights (Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum and a half-day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels).

Most visitors see the Mekong Delta on organised, three-day tours, but if you're feeling a bit more adventurous and you have time to go on your own — just take a bus to Vinh Long (about three hours).

Mekong Travel (phone +84 70 383 6252, e-mail vinhlongmekongtravel@yahoo.com, 1 Thang 5 Street, No 8) can arrange a homestay on An Binh Island. The next day rent a bike to go around the island or take a motorcycle taxi or car to the flower market at Sa Dec (an hour west), where Marguerite Duras based her novel The Lover.

Bus back to Ho Chi Minh City, fly to Danang in central Vietnam and take a taxi to nearby Hoi An for three nights. A former Chinese trading town, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the centre is packed with handicrafts stores and tailors who can create suits and dresses in 24 hours. The next day take a dawn trip to beat the crowds at the Cham ruins of My Son (Vietnam's best ancient site, though no Angkor Wat). After breakfast, ride 3km to the Cua Dai Beach. The last day, either take a full-day snorkel tour to Cham Island; a cooking class at Red Bridge (phone +84 510 3933 222), reached by a boat ride from the centre; then pick up your new Hoi An tailor-made outfit.

The five- or six-hour ride north to Hue is best enjoyed if you take it in one full day by private taxi. You can stop off at Marble Mountain south of Danang, and visit cave pagodas and see views of China Beach below. Then drop by Bach Ma Mountain, a national park with a couple of thrilling jungle hikes, before finishing up in the former capital Hue for a couple of nights.

A day is enough time to see the Citadel in town (bombed during the Tet Offensive in 1968, now largely renovated), ride to a couple of royal tombs (Tu Duc's and Khai Dinh's are the best), and sample Hue's unique contribution to Vietnamese cuisine: bite-sized glutinous rice, tapas-style snacks, usually served with shrimp and topped with dried pork, and dipped into fish sauce.

Either go by overnight train or fly to Hanoi, for two nights. Walk around the historic neighbourhoods and Hoan Kiem Lake; shop in the cathedral district just west; and spend another day visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature) and the superb Ethnography Museum, a taxi ride east of the centre.

Finish the trip with a two-day cruise past limestone caves and swimming spots at Halong Bay, named for its "descending dragon" shape. Budget trips sometimes mean dodgy boat conditions; a reliable mid-range option is Kangaroo Cafe tours (phone +84 4 328 9931, www.kangaroocafe.com, 18 Bao Khanh Street, Hanoi). Return to Hanoi and fly home.

Next: Awesome links

Have you tried any of the places on this itinerary? Got any ideas we haven't thought of? Have your say using the comments form below.

 
Share with MessengerShare
User comments
I would easily recommend over a week in Hoi An, and perhaps only 1 day in Hue. The town centre of Hoi An is so easy to fall in love with. I stayed 6 days in total and could've stayed longer. I recommend staying at a hotel that provides you with a free bike. The ride to Cua Dai beach was amazing. I also went to Cham Island and enjoyed scuba diving. With Hue, one night is more than enough. The city is bigger than Hoi An, but lacks atmosphere. Visit the Citadel and if you don't mind getting lost, then ride to the Royal Tombs. But otherwise, use a taxi. If you have an extra few days, I definitely recommend adding a trip to Sapa at the end of your holiday. While Halong Bay was amazing, if I had to choose between both, I would say a homestay in Sapa wins out. There's an overnight train that departs from Hanoi.

Write a comment
Email: *
Your email will not be shared with any third parties or published with your comment.
Nickname: *
Location: *

Subject:
*
Comment:
*
Maximum characters 1000

Comment guidelines
Avoid using:
  • Personal attacks
  • Irrelevant comments
  • HTML tags
  • Personal information
  • Offensive language
  • Text in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
See full comment guidelines
Comment guidelines X
Thank you for sharing your opinions with other users of NineMSN. People will find your comments more helpful if you include relevant information and avoid some common pitfalls.
Please note: All reviews and comments submitted are subject to moderation, NineMSN reserves the right to alter and / or remove any content that does not comply with usage guidelines.
What to include in your comment:
  • A title that briefly summarizes the opinion expressed in the comment.
  • Additional comments adding more detail.
  • Comparisons to other similar products, if this is relevant.
  • To create a new paragraph, press the Enter key twice.
What not to include:
  • Information that will quickly go out of date.
  • Comments on other comments or commenters.
  • Language that other users may find offensive.
  • comments of one sentence or less. Provide information to support your opinion.
  • Personal information like your email address or telephone number.
  • HTML coding. Tags like <b> or <i> will not be recognized.
advertisement
WORST THINGS ABOUT FLYING
From screaming babies to loud drunks — these are the most annoying things about flying.