Itinerio 10 giorni in Vietnam

Vietnam Travel: my 10 days itinerary in the Northern Vietnam

Vietnam had been on my list for a few years, with several “attempts” not going well because another destination took precedence or various commitments occupied the dates meant for Vietnam. Until when we finally made it to Vietnam for the Golden Week workation! Three weeks, half of which we spent in an apartment working and the other half exploring the north if the country. Instead of the familiarity of Northern Thailand, which we had already visited and where we were certain we would enjoy for an extended stay, we decided to take a risk with Vietnam, basing ourselves in Hanoi for workdays and exploring the natural beauty of the country with a 10-day itinerary in Northern Vietnam.

I admit, my expectations for Vietnam were very high, fueled by the beautiful images seen on social media. However, I must admit that the country did not captivate me as much as I had hoped. Of course, the experience is subjective, and maybe the length of the trip played a role, but probably also my limited knowledge of this culture, which is difficult to find books and information about outside of the Vietnam War.

Northern Vietnam is rich in natural beauty and incredible places, but environmental pollution and the general lack of attention to this issue (even in the most touristic and UNESCO Heritage sites) is really impressive. Personally, I couldn’t ignore that floating and burnt plastic by the roadside marred the natural beauty in front of my eyes. The overall experience was also accentuated by a population that I didn’t connect with very well, being decidedly more brusque and less cordial than other Southeast Asian countries.

In Northern Vietnam, I saw beautiful places that exceeded my expectations and others that I found a bit overhyped, especially on Instagram. On this occasion, I am not too enthusiastic about how I organized the itinerary and if I could go back, I would organize the duration of the stops differently. For this reason, besides the useful info and my itinerary as in various recap articles of my travels, you will also find an additional section on how I would recommend organizing your itinerary in Northern Vietnam.

10 Days in Northern Vietnam – Costs & Information

The total duration of my trip to Vietnam was 3 weeks, half of which we spent in Hanoi working remotely in a lovely Airbnb apartment until late afternoon. The actual days we were “on the road” were the central 10 days.

We also decided to focus only on Northern Vietnam, visiting it at a slower pace, and postponing the visit to the center and south for a future trip, as they are easily accessible from Japan with a few hours’ direct flights.

Hanoi - info vietnam

But now let’s the details of my 10 days itinerary in Northern Vietnam:

  • Period and Duration: In total, I spent 3 weeks in Vietnam, from April 20 to May 12, with 13 actual days of leisure and travel. Keep in mind that April 30 and May 1 are holidays in Vietnam, so this period, while theoretically great for the climate in Northern Vietnam, is usually more crowded with Vietnamese tourists, which can affect prices, availability, and crowding.
  • Total Trip Cost: About €1,250 per person for the entire stay, including flights to/from Japan. About €300 went for the apartment and days spent in Hanoi working.
  • Travel Stops: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Sa Pa, Ban Gioc Waterfall.
  • Transportation (cost per person):
    – Flight with Vietjet Air (low-cost airline) with 9kg carry-on each + 20kg checked baggage, direct Tokyo-Hanoi, about €350
    – Bus & Speed Boat Hanoi – Cat Ba (Ha Long Bay) €11 organized by Floating Homestay
    – Bus & Ferry Cat Ba – Ninh Binh €9
    – Night Bus, Cabin Type, from Ninh Binh to Sa Pa €24 and from Hanoi to Cao Bang €17
    – Bus, Cabin Type, from Sa Pa to Hanoi €17
    – Shared Van from Cao Bang to Hanoi €18
    All booked in advance via 12go. In this article about sleeping bus in Vietnam there are all the useful info, reviews of the various companies tried, and tips for surviving them.

    Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio

  • Accommodations As always for my travels, we looked for budget accommodations, but with a nice bathroom, preferably with the shower separated from the toilet, so that the entire room didn’t get wet while showering. We spent two nights on sleeping buses, mainly to optimize time because they ended up costing more than a hotel night!
    Hanoi: Since we had to stay for a total of 10 days and work remotely, we opted for this apartment on Airbnb with two separate rooms and a large table + desk. The best area to stay in Hanoi is around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Town, but it’s also the busiest and noisiest, with the constant sound of motorcycle horns. Not ideal for working, so we decided to stay about 30 minutes on foot (10 by Grab for about €1) on a kind of island on Truc Bach Lake. I can say I am very satisfied with the choice because the area was quiet and also local, with a street that becomes pedestrian on weekends, full of street food restaurants, and a great pizzeria with 50% off pizza every Tuesday (yes, I had it both Tuesdays we spent in Hanoi!).
    Ha Long Bay: For this stop, we decided not to do the classic cruise but still slept on the water in a floating house. The Eco Floating Farm Stay Cai Beo is located at the end of the last remaining Fishing Village and was one of the most beautiful experiences of the trip to Vietnam. The room was tiny and quite hot, with a shared bathroom, but the peace and beauty of Lan Ha Bay, which we could enjoy without the crowd, was worth the small inconvenience. Cost 1,795,000 dong (about €65) with breakfast. We then spent another two nights on Cat Ba Island, in Lan Ha Bay, which is just as beautiful but much less crowded than Ha Long. The chosen hotel was Cat Ba Eco Hotel, very clean and quiet, in Cat Ba town but in a quiet location further from the waterfront. 1,080,000 dong (about €40) per night with a decent breakfast.

    Ninh Binh: Here too, we managed to find a super central accommodation in Tam Coc but in a very quiet street. The Tam Coc Three Princess Homestay has only three rooms, wooden and simple but very spacious, and the owner is super kind. Besides giving us directions and suggestions on how to organize our visit to the surroundings, she also let us shower on the evening of the check-out day when we returned to pick up our bags before the night bus. Moreover, it was the cheapest accommodation with a private bathroom of the trip: only 400,000 dong (14€) for a night with breakfast.
    Sa Pa: Everywhere it was recommended not to stay in Sa Pa town, and we followed the advice by choosing La Beutè Sa Pa about 30 minutes by car from the city (250,000 dong per trip). A delightful homestay managed by Nhung, who is super nice, speaks excellent English, and is always available for any questions or to book a transfer at a fixed and lower price than taxis (or Grab, which is rarely found in Sa Pa). Small room and shared bathroom, but in my opinion, it’s also the best way to experience Sa Pa in its authenticity, made of mountain tribe families who live in shared spaces. From La Beutè, there is a beautiful view of the valley and rice fields, and the sweet dog May will be happy to accompany you on a trek with the local guide. We stayed here for two nights, and they flew by….340,000 dong (about €12) per night with breakfast.
    Cao Bang: Arriving with the night bus around five in the morning, we had to wait until after 7:30 for the Cao Bang Eco House hotel to open to leave our bags….not a great start. The room was large and clean, but since breakfast was not included, I would say that 580,000 dong (about €21) was a bit too much. There aren’t many alternatives in the area, so I recommend opting for a tour organized from Hanoi that includes accommodation in the National Park area.

  • General Costs: You can spend very little in Vietnam. You can easily eat for two for less than €5, Grab rides cost very little, and activities like food tours or excursions are very affordable: about €25 for a food tour in Hanoi and about €50 for a day visit to artisan villages. Massages and beauty centers are also super cheap, and we often treated ourselves to massages, herbal baths, pedicures, and head massage shampoos for prices under €10!
    Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio, Ha Long

Additional Useful Information About Vietnam

Before delving into the details of my itinerary in the north, here is some useful information for any trip to Vietnam:

  • Visa: For some nationality, sich as Italian and passport holders, s not necessary to apply for a visa in advance. A passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity from the exit date is sufficient. Upon entry, a tourist visa valid for 45 days is issued. Other country need to request prior Visa.
  • Time Zone: Vietnam is 7 hours ahead of Central Europe, 6 hours ahead during daylight saving time.
  • Connectivity and Wi-Fi: In Vietnam, you will find Wi-Fi literally everywhere… often with passwords like 12345678 or 00000000, so much so that sometimes I would try randomly and manage to connect! Honestly, you could rely solely on public Wi-Fi, but I always prefer to have a secure connection at hand. This time, I used Airalo again and had excellent connectivity almost everywhere. If it’s your first use, with the code MICHEL5108 you get a $3 discount on the first e-sim.
  • Electricity: Vietnamese outlets use flat pins (Type A), like those in Japan and North America, but also Type C (European), the two-pronged without the central grounding pin. Therefore, it’s not necessary to bring an adapter.
  • Currency Exchange: It is definitely necessary to have cash on hand. Most street food stalls, Vietnamese food places, and many shops and cafes only accept cash. We also encountered two hotels that only accepted cash, and if you book buses on the spot, those too must be paid for in cash. However, we were able to pay with a card at some entrances (like in Ninh Binh), and the Revolut card helped us save on fees, though it wasn’t accepted at two places. For currency exchange, we found the best rates at the airport: there are several stands next to each other, each displaying their exchange rate. Just choose the one with the best rate. In Hanoi, you can change money in the Old Town, specifically at Hang Bach, the street of goldsmiths, where some jewelry shops offer a good exchange rate, as well as various travel agencies. We found the best rate at an agency whose name I regrettably didn’t note down, but its sign read “Best Exchange Rate.” Indeed, it offered the best rate.
  • Climate: Vietnam’s climate varies greatly depending on the region, with the north being generally cooler and having a different rainy season than the south. I visited at the end of April/beginning of May, which should be one of the best periods before the summer brings rain, heat, and humidity. However, we encountered temperatures averaging 5°C above normal (one day it reached 43°C, feeling like 48°C!!) and several days of rain (fortunately mainly in Hanoi or at night). It’s also a great time to visit Sa Pa, which isn’t cold and is when the rice fields are flooded. Another recommended period for northern Vietnam is September/October, at the end of the summer wet season, just before the rice harvest.

    Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio -

My 10-Day Itinerary in Northern Vietnam

As mentioned, we spent three weeks in Vietnam, but the actual days for visiting, excluding work, were around ten. To make my itinerary easily replicable, I’ll skip the days in Hanoi spent working from our apartment, although we managed to do some activities and city exploration by 4 PM during those days, which I’ll cover soon in the article on what to see in Hanoi. Unlike my very satisfying itinerary in Palawan, if I were to go back, I would redo this trip in Vietnam with a few modifications to the itinerary. Following the summary of the places visited, you’ll find a paragraph on how I would suggest optimizing your itinerary.

Day 1: Hanoi

A couple of days are sufficient to visit Hanoi’s main attractions. We landed on a Saturday afternoon, and between immigration, taking the bus to the city center, and checking in, we only managed a quick visit to Hoan Kiem Lake to see Ngoc Son Temple, which generally stays open until 6 PM. However, the next day, having the whole day at our disposal, we woke up early and managed to visit practically all the city’s points of interest, with various stops at beloved Vietnamese cafes and street food spots.

Days 2 – 4: Cat Ba and Halong Bay

Halong Bay unfortunately faces serious environmental pollution and tourist overcrowding issues but is often considered a must-visit in Vietnam. After research and reflection, we decided not to take a cruise but instead to stay on Cat Ba Island, in the sister bay of Lan Ha, and only do a daily boat excursion, which is less impactful on the environment and much cheaper. However, we didn’t want to miss the experience of spending a night in the bay, away from the sounds and traffic of the mainland, so we chose to stay in a floating house, arriving around lunchtime after leaving Hanoi by bus around 7:30 AM. We had an afternoon of relaxation and kayaking available, and the next morning, the boat took us back to Cat Ba, from where we did the boat excursion to Halong Bay the following day.

Read Also: Visit Cat Ba Island

Days 5 and 6: Ninh Binh

We left Cat Ba Island with the worst possible bus-ferry-bus transfer that almost drowned us all, and in the early afternoon, we arrived at Tam Coc just in time for a boat ride steered by local women with their feet. The following day, we rented bicycles to reach the Mua Cave viewpoint and took a boat ride in what is called the “Inland Halong Bay”: Trang An. We returned to town and after a good massage and shower, we took the overnight bus to Sa Pa.

Read About Ninh Bihn, the HaLong Bay on the land

Days 7 and 8: Sa Pa

We arrived in Sa Pa at dawn and reached our homestay among the rice terraces, where we could rest in our room for a few hours. In the afternoon, since the weather didn’t seem favorable for us and it made no sense to climb Fansipan in the midst of clouds, we visited the Cat Cat village independently, which is touristy but very charming and photogenic. The next day, we did a five-hour hike with a local guide called by our host. It was a trek with beautiful views of the rice terraces and quite a few ups and downs, so after the effort, we decided to indulge in the traditional Herbal Bath of the Red Dao tribe.

Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio - Sa PA

Day 9: Transfer to Cao Bang

We left Sa Pa in the morning bound for Hanoi, where we arrived after the long bus ride and stopped for a dinner before taking the overnight bus to Cao Bang. I can say that this day was absolutely wasted, and it would have been much better to stay in Sa Pa until evening (to climb Fansipan, do another trek, or simply enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the place) and take an overnight bus to Hanoi.

Day 10: Ban Gioc Waterfall

About two and a half hours on a local bus through the beautiful Cao Bang province took us to the border with China to see Ban Gioc Waterfall, the fourth widest waterfall on a border after Iguazu, Victoria, and Niagara. Perhaps it wasn’t the best time since it was the end of the dry season with less water than in autumn, but they are still very beautiful, and you can take a boat that goes right under the falls and passes near the Chinese bank, where you absolutely cannot disembark. From what I saw on social media, they seemed a bit disappointing (very beautiful, but below expectations), also because the panoramic viewpoint to see them well from above and in all their grandeur is on the Chinese side… A somewhat wasted trip in my opinion; it would have been much better to visit with a private van tour, stopping at other beautiful places in the area that are not reachable by local buses.

Day 11: Craft Villages of Hanoi

In reality, we visited the craft villages of Hanoi on the last day, after returning and finishing the week of remote work. The main goal was the incense village, which can also be visited independently by taking public buses or renting a motorbike. However, I’m super happy that we chose to participate in a day trip to Hanoi’s craft villages because without a guide explaining everything, it wouldn’t have been the same, and we would have missed out on both the explanations of various artisan processes and the creation of our unique souvenirs. The excursion is from 8:30 AM to around 5:30 PM, starting from the Old Quarter and moving around with a private air-conditioned van. So, you arrive in the evening not too tired and still have the energy to explore the streets of Hanoi.

Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio - Incense Village

How I Would Redo the Trip

I admit, I’ve dreamed of Vietnam, especially the northern part, for years, thanks to photos and videos seen on social media, as well as enthusiastic stories from creators and bloggers. I was prepared for some negative aspects, like the crowds and pollution of Halong Bay, but perhaps my expectations were too high. Don’t get me wrong, Northern Vietnam is rich in natural beauty, and I’m thrilled to have finally visited, but I found it a bit underwhelming compared to the social media narrative.

However, not everything was disappointing. I had read glowing reviews about Ninh Binh everywhere, and many strongly recommended spending at least two days in Sa Pa, and I’m very glad I followed that advice: these are the two stops I enjoyed the most… Sa Pa especially is the only place I would love to return to!

The biggest letdown (besides the total disregard for the environment) was unfortunately Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site praised and celebrated everywhere. Personally, I didn’t find it as breathtaking as I expected, and with prices disproportionately high not only compared to the rest of the country but also considering what was offered. This is unfortunately one of the consequences of wild and irresponsible tourism that all of us have fueled over time, and unlike other places in the world, there seems to be minimal interest here in changing towards more sustainable tourism practices…

Certainly, the landscape, similar to the Philippines I visited in November, didn’t help… El Nido enchanted me, and the difference between the emerald waters of Halong and the crystal-clear waters of El Nido is significant. Having been on the world’s most beautiful island just a few months earlier, the comparison was really harsh.

As already mentioned, for Bang Gioc Waterfall, touted as Vietnam’s hidden gem, the effort of independent travel wasn’t rewarded, and I deeply regret not spending a bit more for an organized excursion that would surely have allowed me to better enjoy an area that seemed beautiful as it passed by outside the windows of the local bus…

Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio - Tran An

So here’s how I would redo the 10-day itinerary in Northern Vietnam:

Days 2 and 3: Halong Bay

Unless you’re interested in hiking routes in the Cat Ba Island Natural Reserve, I recommend optimizing time by doing the boat excursion in the bay the following morning directly from the Floating House, requesting the boat to pick you up there instead of going to the port. After the boat tour, either stay another night in Cat Ba or take the bus + ferry to Ninh Binh, perhaps considering an overnight bus.

Days 4 and 5: Ninh Binh

If you arrive the night before or by overnight bus, gain that half-day to explore the area more calmly, including visiting Bich Dong Pagoda (we found it closed, now closing at 4 PM, not 7 PM as indicated online) or doing a half-day excursion to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu.

Days 6 – 8: Sa Pa

Certainly, one more full day in Sa Pa, even a total of 4 days, fits well. There are many treks to do in the surroundings, but also consider spending a night in town to explore various cafes and shops that, yes, may be touristy but are incredibly photogenic! Return to Hanoi by overnight bus.

Days 9 and 10: Excursion to Cao Bang

There are many agencies offering a 2-day, 1-night tour from Hanoi to Cao Bang Province, with transfer in a minivan, lunch in a local restaurant, visits to Bang Gioc Waterfall, Bang Gioc Pagoda, and various caves and rock formations in the area. The package includes overnight stays in the countryside near the waterfalls, two lunches, one dinner, and one breakfast. I’ve also seen day trips, but from Hanoi to the falls is about 6.5 hours, and doing a 13-hour round trip in one day seems like an even worse idea than my autonomous travel with public transport.

Vietnam - itinerario di viaggio - Bang Cioc Waterfall

Reflections and Considerations on My Trip to Vietnam

As I mentioned, Vietnam didn’t captivate me as I had imagined, but that’s naturally subjective, and I’m thrilled to have finally visited this corner of the world. Certainly, it required a bit more patience than I usually have, and maybe I didn’t return as enthusiastic as from other countries, but I will return to Vietnam again, to explore the central and southern regions because it’s still an extremely interesting and diverse country.

Northern Vietnam is renowned for its beautiful landscapes, and it’s a shame to see nature so mistreated by humans, but this also helps us realize how careless we’ve been so far and makes us more aware of the small actions we can take to make a difference.

Moreover, the food in Vietnam is excellent and incredibly affordable. There’s a vast selection of dishes with simple and delicate flavors capable of satisfying even the most discerning palates, along with excellent coffee, traditionally sweet without needing to add sugar. Vietnamese cuisine is truly a great delight!

Lastly, I’ve truly come to realize how important it is not to believe everything shown on social media, and how subjective the travel experience can be, often influenced by other countries we’ve visited, our backgrounds, and our habits. It’s true, traveling means adapting to the local cultures, but it’s undeniable that, just like people, there are countries that captivate us more than others, and I think it’s fair to admit that without always saying that every trip is wonderful.

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Looking for more travel itineraries in Asia?
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Northern Thailand Itinerary
Palawan Itinerary, Philippines

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