One week in Vietnam, and the two ways to spend it
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One week in Vietnam is a choice between doing one region properly and doing two of them badly. The country runs about 1,650 km end to end, and the arithmetic is unforgiving.
What can you actually do in a week?
One region, with a city, a landscape and one night away from both. The two routes below are the ones that hold up, and they cover the north and the centre.
The south is the third option and the weakest of the three for a first visit, though it is the right answer if your dates fall between December and March.
| Route | Base | Nights away | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long | Hanoi | 2 | Oct-Nov, Mar-Apr |
| Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa | Hanoi | 3 | Sep-Nov, Mar-May |
| Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An | Hoi An | 1 | Feb-Aug |
| Saigon and the Mekong | Saigon | 2 | Dec-Mar |
| Hanoi and Saigon | Neither | Two days gone | Not recommended |
Route one: the north
Seven days based on Hanoi, with two nights away from it. This is the strongest week in the country for a first visit, because the city, the limestone and the water all sit within about four hours of each other and none of the days is spent in transit.
Days 1-2. Hanoi. The Old Quarter, Ba Dinh in the morning while the Mausoleum is open, and an evening at the lake. The three-day route has more than you need; borrow from it.
Days 3-4. Ninh Binh, two hours south. A boat through the limestone and the climb at Mua Cave, with a night there rather than a day trip — the things to do page explains why the dawn matters.
Days 5-6. Ha Long Bay on an overnight boat, or Sapa if you would rather walk than sail. Sapa costs a night more because of the journey.
Day 7. Back to Hanoi and out. Keep the last afternoon empty.
Route two: the centre
The central week is also seven days, and it is the better choice when the northern weather is wrong for your dates. Everything on it sits within about 140 km, from Hue down to Hoi An, which makes it the least demanding route in the country to move around.
Fly into Da Nang. Two nights in Hue for the citadel and the tombs, the Hai Van pass south, then three nights in Hoi An with a day for the beach and one for Da Nang itself.
The five-day central route is the compressed version of the same ground, and this is what the extra two days buy.
Can you do north and south in a week?
You can visit one city in each, and that is the honest ceiling. A week split between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City gives you two half-trips and a day in the air, and most people who try it say afterwards that they should have picked one end and stayed there.
The flight between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City takes about two hours. The day it consumes is closer to six once you count the transfers and the waiting, and a week has seven of them. The comparison page is the better way to choose one, and ten days is the length at which both become reasonable.
What does a week cost?
Roughly 350 to 700 US dollars per person on the ground, excluding the flight in. That covers a room, three meals a day, entry tickets and local transport at the guesthouse and three-star ends of the range.
One internal flight adds 40 to 90 dollars. The cost guide breaks the daily figures down, and a week is the length where staying in one region genuinely saves money as well as time.
Which season decides the region?
Pick the region by the season rather than the other way round. The north is at its best from October to November and March to May; the central coast from February to August; the south from November to April.
Three disagreeing seasons are the single most useful thing to know about planning a short trip here, because Vietnam does not have one season at a time. The month-by-month guide sets out the overlaps.
What should you book before you go?
The e-visa and the first night. The e-visa costs 25 US dollars for a single entry and takes about three working days, so apply a fortnight ahead.
On a week, also book the Ha Long boat if that is your route and any internal flight, because both get more expensive rather than cheaper as the date approaches. Everything else can wait until you are there.
FAQ
Is one week enough for Vietnam?
Enough for one region done properly, or two if you fly between them and accept a shallower trip. Vietnam runs about 1,650 km end to end, so a week that tries to cover north, centre and south spends most of itself moving.
What is the best one week itinerary in Vietnam?
Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long or Sapa, for a first visit. That is the north done at a workable pace with one overnight away from the capital. The central alternative is Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An, which packs three places into a 140 km stretch.
Can you see north and south Vietnam in one week?
You can see one city in each, and that is all. The flight is about two hours but the day it consumes is closer to six. A week split between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City gives you two half-trips rather than one whole one.
How much does a week in Vietnam cost?
Roughly 350 to 700 US dollars per person on the ground, excluding international flights, depending on whether you sleep in guesthouses or three-star hotels. One internal flight adds 40 to 90 dollars to that.
Should you fly or take the train in a one week trip?
Fly the long hop if you are doing two regions, because a week cannot absorb a 33-hour train. Take the train for a short leg inside a region — Hue to Da Nang over the Hai Van pass is the one worth having on any itinerary.
When is the best time for a one week trip to Vietnam?
It depends which region you pick, which is the strongest argument for picking by season rather than by preference. The north is best from October to November and March to May; the central coast from February to August; the south from November to April.