Ten days in Vietnam are definitely not enough if you wanna see the beauty of this country. You’ll probably need a month or two to truly dive deep into the culture, connect with locals, and be in nature.
Nevertheless, if you don’t have that much time, there are plenty of activities you could do and, with this detailed itinerary, you’ll be able to have an idea of what Vietnam looks like.
You could surely squeeze in more attractions and cities, but I strongly believe that slow traveling is one of the best ways to connect with locals and to actually have an idea of the county you are visiting!
I traveled through this beautiful country together with my mum, and we choose to start our trip from South to North.
Ten days in Vietnam: the itinerary
Day 1 – Flight + Ho Chi Min
Day 2 & 3 – Da Nang + Hoi An
Day 4 & 5 – Hue
Day 6 – Hanoi
Day 7 – Cat Ba island
Day 8 – Hanoi
Day 9 – Ho Chi Min
Day 10 – Flight
Landing in Ho Chi Min City
We started our Vietnam adventure in Ho Chi Min City, the most vibrant and modern city in the country. Also called Saigon by the locals, Ho Chi Min is famous for its food variety and crazy nightlife.
Coming from two different countries (Australia for me, and Italy for my mum), we met up in our Airbnb late at night. Everything was closed by that time, but we explored the area nearby and, almost by mistake, we ended up in Bui Vien walking street.
This is the place where you would be able to find everything, food and night experiences wise. The street is constantly crowded (you’ll see many western faces) and every small bar is pumping loud music till early in the morning.
Begin your Vietnam itinerary with a bowl of Pho and a Saigon Special beer.
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Day 1: Ho Chi Min
Start your first out of ten days in Vietnam by taking a walk in the famous Ben Thanh Market. You could find any kind of fruit or veggie, traditional and non-traditional clothes, typical Vietnamese coffee and so much more. This is the place to go if you, like me, forgot a travel adaptor!
After the market, head to the people committee building. This beautiful palace was originally used as a hotel and was designed by a French architect. It’s one of the oldest and biggest French-style buildings in Ho Chi Min but, unfortunately, since it’s a government workplace, travelers are not allowed inside at any time.
In front of the committee, you’ll find a cute small garden with a pretty big Ho Chi Min statue. Also known as Uncle Ho, Ho Chi Min was the most loved politician in Vietnam. He was considered one of the most influential leaders in the world and his ideology and thoughts inspired many more people and leaders on a global scale.
During your visit to Vietnam, you’ll see how locals still refer to him as a great leader and example. Just imagine they dedicated a whole city to him!
Now that you know a bit of the city’s history, head to the Notre-Dame cathedral and admire another beautiful French-style building. Right next to it, you’ll find the famous post office. And guess what? Another typical French palace! The post office is incredibly beautiful and well maintained, and still function as a post office. You can buy postcards and stamps here and have a drink at the post office cafe or, if you are more of a book reader, the book market might be the right place for you.
Day 1 recap:
- Ben Thanh Market
- People committee building
- Ho Chi Min statue
- Post office
- Notre-dame cathedral
- Book market
Don’t miss:
- Tan Dinh pink church
- Take a day trip (or stay longer) to Megonk delta river
- Cu Chi Tunnels (a network of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War)
- Thien Hau Pagoda
- Chinatown
Day 2: Da Nang + Hoi An
We caught a flight early in the morning and landed in the beautiful Da Nang. After taking our time to explore the city and strolling on the beach, we had a relaxing lunch in a vegan restaurant nearby.
As with the Bui Vien walking street in Ho Chi Min, we found out (by total chance) that the Full Moon Festival in Hoi An was going on that day! We immediately hopped in a taxi and in less than 40 min we were walking in the colorful street of Hoi An.
During this typical festival, all street lights switch off and thousands of colorful lanterns light the city up. It’s a wonderful festival and, besides the city being completely crowded, it’s a once in a lifetime experience.
TRAVEL TIP: Since Hoi An and Da Nang are so close, I would suggest booking your Airbnb in Da Nang, simply because it’s much cheaper. Depending on when you are visiting Hoi An, you could easily save some money.
If you are visiting Hoi An during a Full Moon Festival, you’ll be happy to know most temples are free! It’s a perfect night to explore the city, try some local delicacies and admire beautiful lanterns.
Some locals will tempt you with a canal cruise, where you’ll be able to light your own lantern and place it gently on the water. This is for attracting abundance, as well as health and good luck.
Day 3: Da Nang & Hoi An
We started our third day with a morning dip in the sea and, after grabbing our scooters, went back to Hoi An.
By day, Hoi An is a lovely little village, with cute shops and cafes filling its streets. The reason why we went back there, is because Hoi An is home to a Deaf Cafe, called Reaching out.
It’s a very peculiar cafe, where you’ll have some wooden bricks to communicate with the staff (together with pen and paper). They serve delicious Vietnamese tea and coffee, and they run a small shop as well.
I highly suggest you stop nearby and relax for a couple of hours while beating the heat. This way, you’ll directly support the local Deaf community!
Now that you are refreshed and ready to go, it’s time to do some sightseeing. Hoi An is relatively small and you could easily move around by bike, scooter, or simply walking.
Start with the Japanese Bridge, known as a sanctuary for local people. Then look for the Central Market and admire ancient little houses. You could walk your way back on the waterfront and have lunch in one of the many restaurants by the water.
When you feel like you have explored enough of Hoi An, let’s visit one of the most popular highlights in Da Nang: the Marble Mountains.
Those mountains share a fascinating story, as the myth says that an ancient dragon emerged from the water of Non Nuoc Beach and laid an egg. After one thousand days and one thousand nights, from the same egg, a girl was born and, from the broken shell, grew the five Marble Mountains.
We spent three hours here, but you could spend a whole day here, as there are countless temples, caves, and landscapes to admire. Ideally, you want to reach the Marble Mountains early in the morning or in the late afternoon, as the heat will be bearable.
On the way back to Da Nang, or actually every night, go to the Dragon Bridge and admire the show. The Dragon is lit and changing colors and, on the weekend, is spitting fire! If you have a scooter, drive through the bridge and admire the colors!
Day 2 & 3 recap:
- Explore Da Nang by foot or scooter
- Spend some time at the beach
- Watch the show at the dragon bridge
- Visit the Marble Mountains
- Walk in the crowded streets of Hoi An by night
- Sightseen Hoi An
- Relax and refresh in the Deaf cafe
If you have more time in Da Nang:
- Visit Lady Buddha (the tallest statue in Vietnam)
- Go shopping at Con Market & Han Market
- Explore Son Tra Peninsula
- Take a trip to Cham Island
Day 4: Hue
Wake up early and catch the train from Da Nang to Hue. This is a wonderful way to admire your surroundings and you’ll see that even local people will be ready with their cameras to take pictures.
The train will pass through Hai Van Pass, which is a beautiful national route submerged by green hills and white-sand beaches.
Hue was the ancient capital of the country and the Forbidden City, the place where the emperors lived and ruled Vietnam, is now a UNESCO site. Hue is not only culture and history but has a big city feeling as well. It’s lit with cute cafes and colorful temples, and it’s completely surrounded by nature.
Start your first day in Hue by taking a stroll along the Perfume River. There, you’ll be able to see perfectly curated gardens, the “I Love Hue” sign and a famous school where Ho Chi Min used to study. You can either cross the river by boat or walking, taking the colorful bridge. The Perfume River is a beautiful spot for admiring the sunset and have a drink before crossing moving on with your visit.
Once on the other side of the city, we headed straight to a Deaf super-local restaurant, “Mr. Lac Thanh“. This was the funniest and most delicious dinner in Vietnam! Mr. Lac is incredibly social and he can lead the conversation with anyone. Besides running his own restaurant, he also organizes tours around Hue with his own scooters. Unfortunately, we were out of time, but I’m sure they were worth it! Especially if you are gonna spend more than ten days in Vietnam.
Now that you laughed till crying, you are ready to enjoy your evening. Head to the Citadel and watch local families playing with colorful kites all night! This was a perfect way to end our first day in Hue.
Day 4 recap:
- take the train and admire the Hai Van Pass route
- explore the gardens along the Perfume River
- Visit a school attended by Ho Chi Min
- Cross the bridge by boat or by feet
- Have dinner in a local Deaf owned restaurant
- Enjoy local families playing with kites in the Citadel
Day 5: Hue
Wake up early to beat the heat and head to the Citadel. There’s a cheap entrance fee, and you can get a discounted ticket if you plan to visit other sites in Hue. We opted for the Imperial city only and paid 150,000 VND (6euros).
There are two main areas within the Citadel: the Imperial City and the Forbidden City. The area is pretty big so I would suggest you spend at least three hours!
After that, head to the Incense village. Hue is Vietnam’s most spiritual city, where local people use incense almost every day. You can actually smell it during the day! Visiting a small incense village is a wonderful experience, as you’ll be able to see how women produce and apply the scent on colorful bamboo sticks.
Close by the village, there’s a small hill you can climb on. From there, you’ll have an amazing view of the Perfume River from above. Just sit back and relax for some time.
We decided to spend the rest of the day by the ocean, so we drove till the Beach Bar, a wonderful hostel/restaurant by the sea where you can truly unwind and enjoy the sunset.
Of the ten days in Vietnam, Hue was definitely my favorite city! Make sure not to skip it!
Day 5 recap:
- Visit the Citadel first thing in the morning
- Learn how to make incense in an incense village
- Admire the Perfume River from above a green hill
- Unwind at the Beach Bar and swim in the ocean
If you have more time in Hue, don’t forget to:
- Check the Thien Mu Pagoda
- Visit the Temple of Literature
- Take a look at the Quoc Hoc Hue School
- Go to the Tu Duc Tomb, the Minh Mang Tomb, and the Khai Dinh Tomb
Day 6: Hanoi
We arrived in Hanoi late in the morning and took us a while to find our Airbnb. After that, we explored the Old Quarter by feet while looking for a Deaf entrepreneur, owning a hair salon in town. We got lost more than we wanted to, but this way we had a chance to explore the city from a local perspective. Hanoi is a huge city, and most houses are in narrow little streets, where sometimes you are not able to even see the sky!
When we finally found the Deaf hair salon, we had a chat with Thanh Nguyen, the owner and entrepreneur. He proudly shared his story with us and had a very nice time!
Looking and finding the hair salon took us almost the whole day! Ten days in Vietnam are definitely not enough. We visited a temple nearby, where a monk was silently praying, and taste some street food. On our way back home, we passed through the Ho Chi Min Mausoleum, which is beautifully lit and protected by several guards.
Day 6 recap:
- Explore the Old Quarter
- Get a haircut by a Deaf owned hair salon
- Get lost in Hanoi’s narrow streets
- Visit (or admire from the outside) the Ho Chi Min Mausoleum
If you have more time in Hanoi, also consider:
- Hoan Kiem Lake (honestly don’t know how we missed it)
- Beer Corner
- West lake
- The Perfume Pagoda
- Dong Xuan Market
- Ba Vi National Park (about two hours from Hanoi)
Day 7: Cat Ba Island
If you have more than ten days in Vietnam, consider spending here at least three days. We only had one day but I would have stayed for one week! Cat Ba Island is a majestic little island, less crowded than Ha Long Bay but equally stunning.
There are plenty of tour agencies that arrange a bus trip from Hanoi to Cat Ba island. Generally, pick up from your hotel is included, as well as transfer to a speed boat, water, and some snacks.
We decided to go with Cat Ba Express and loved it! The tour guides are extremely kind and will make everything to make your trip as pleasant as possible.
After a three hours bus ride, a quick boat ride, and another 45 mins bus ride again, we made it to Cat Ba island and we stared exploring immediately. The best thing is to hire a scooter, as the island is pretty big and it would be hard to walk around.
If you are up to a trek, the National Park has more than enough options for you to choose from. Just imagine that Cat Ba National Park is a huge UNESCO site, with 6 different ecosystem types! There are plenty of wild animals to spot, including birds, goats, monkeys, and fishes.
If sunbathing is more your thing, you could pick one of the most famous Cat Co 1, 2, or 3, or head to more private beaches like the one on Monkey island (where you could do some snorkeling) or Tung Thu beach.
Make sure you explore some caves as well! The most popular is the Trung Trang Cave, really close to the national park.
Most importantly, just explore! There are plenty of beautiful and unknown places for you, and almost every sign will lead you to stunning viewpoints.
Day 7 recap:
- Hop on a bus to Cat Ba Island and enjoy the ride
- Hire a scooter and head to the National Park
- Check the Cat Co beaches
- Explore the caves
If you decide to stay longer:
- Try rock climbing, or deep water solo diving (check out those badass girls)
- Cai Beo floating village
- Lan Ha Bay
Day 8: Hanoi
Being completely dead from our last day at Cat Ba island, we decided to take our eighth out of ten days in Vietnam a bit slower.
Since the unbearable hot weather, we decided to visit the Ho Chi Min museum (you simply can’t spend ten days in Vietnam without visiting at least one Ho Chi Min museum, right?).
The entrance fee is ridiculously cheap (10,000 VND = 0,40 euro) and it’s totally worth a visit. You’ll learn about the politician’s life and a bit of general history about the country.
After visiting the museum, we went in search of two shops run by Deaf people but, without any luck, decided to give up and head to the famous train street.
If you never heard of this place (which is unlikely), the train street is a residential area in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. It could be very similar to any other street in Vietnam’s capital, except it has a train running through the middle of it!
This place is special not only for watching a train passing centimeters away from locals’ doorstep but also for taking a glimpse of everyday life in Hanoi.
Locals would sit on small plastic chairs outside their homes, drinking strong coffee with condensed milk poured on top, and chatting with friends. Some of them took on their entrepreneurial spirit and now run cool cafes and restaurants along the train street.
Trains are supposed to follow a schedule, and you could find different timetables online. However, the best way to find about the perfect timing, it’s simply by asking locals.
Consider heading to the train street in the early afternoon and purchase a coffee or juice from one of the many cafes, and you’ll be able to catch them!
Once you’ll hear the train coming, you’ll also see locals taking their chairs back home and moving the table a little bit closer to the wall. There will be a bell ringing and an officer whistling. You’ll definitely know what is about to happen! Locals will make pretty clear to spread closer to the wall and will make sure you are safe against the wall!
Whether you are about to spend one month or ten days in Vietnam, make sure not to miss this street!
Day 8 recap:
- Visit the Ho Chi Min Museum
- Have fun a the train street
Day 9: Back to Ho Chi Min City
Committing my last out of ten days in Vietnam to Noir & Blanc Restaurants was arguably the best way to conclude this adventure. Noir and Blanc are two restaurants where you can have either dinner in total darkness (Noir), or dinner where Deaf waiters are serving you (Blanc).
You can read more about the experience here!
Day 10/10 days in Vietnam
The last day of any holiday is always about finishing the very last things and packing up. Since we were heading back to two different countries, we had to arrive at the airport pretty early and saying good.
Ten days in Vietnam are undoubtedly not enough, as you will only have a glimpse of how beautiful this country is.
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