ONE MONTH VIETNAM ITINERARY
Planning One Month Vietnam Itinerary promises an unforgettable journey through a country steeped in history of war, rich in culture, and blessed with breathtaking natural beauty.
From the bustling streets of Hanoi to the serene waters of Ha Long Bay, and from the historic sites of Hue to the vibrant energy of Ho Chi Minh City, this itinerary offers a comprehensive exploration of Vietnam’s diverse landscapes and vibrant heritage.
From the beautiful beaches in the south to the lush mountains in the north, meanwhile, experience cities and modern life in Ho Chi Minh City, dine with locals in countrysides, and discover the captivating alpine north – I am thrilled to share my very own 1-month Vietnam itinerary.
Vietnam is obviously a stunning destination in Southeast Asia, famous for its vivid green mountains and unbelievably diverse landscape, curvy roads and motorbike packed cities. It is a 4 season land of contrasts while experience bone cold in the north, in same day you’ll have sun and warm weather in the south.
Enough said – to spend 4 weeks in Vietnam, you can plan to enter the country from south and exit from the north, starting in Ho Chi Minh City and ending in Hanoi, or just vise versa.
Check list: Who needs a visa to travel to Vietnam?
Firstly, once decided to spend 4 weeks in Vietnam, figure out if you required to apply for an e-visa to enter Vietnam – we strongly advice to apply it well in a head of time to avoid missing your flight!
Secondly, Vietnam offers 1 and 3 month tourist visas (single & multiple entry), that should only be applied through the immigration appointed website. Some nationalities are exempt from visa and can get anything from 15 to 45 days free visa on arrival while a large number of nationalities are required to apply for an e-visa in order to enter Vietnam.
The Ultimate Vietnam One Month Itinerary for Any Traveler
1 month Vietnam itinerary summary
Ho Chi Minh City – 5 days
Nha Trang – 3 days
Dalat – 2 days
Hoi An + Danang – 5 days
Hue– 2 days
Phong Nha – 3 days
Hanoi– 4 days
Halong Bay – 2 days
Ha Giang loop adventure – 4 days
Ho Chi Minh City including Mekong & Cu Chi Tunnels → 5 Days
Ho Chi Minh City (Still Saigon to many of us) is surely the heart and soul of Vietnam. It’s a bustling, dynamic and similarly an industrious centre, the largest city (Over 9 million), the economic capital and the cultural trendsetter.
In other words, the streets, where much of the city’s life takes place, is undeniably a myriad of coffeeshops, restaurants of all kinds, stands-on-wheels and vendors selling wares spread out on sidewalks.
The city churns, ferments, bubbles and fumes. While within the teeming metropolis are the timeless traditions and beauty of an ancient culture. A one month itinerary in Vietnam starts right here where sights include the not to be missed War remnant museum, the neo-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral, Reunification Hall, Cholon market and the former Nguyễn Huệ walking street , and just, a lot more to do.
The BEST Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City (UPDATED)
Once you done with what buzzing Saigon has to offer – head out for an excursion to experience some of the most popular day trips from Ho Chi Minh City.
A day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels would be a great start, some 2 hours out of the city center enable visitors to experience the claustrophobic life led by villagers and guerrillas in the battle during the American war. To get there, go for a private tour, join a bus tour, or arrange it yourself.
In addition, few other day trips from Ho Chi Minh City to Mekong Delta including Can Tho, Cai Rang, Cai Be and floating markets – On one hand, all of them are slightly different form each other, on the other hand, you get great glimpse into the life in the Mekong Delta.
Nha Trang → 3 Days
Obviously, as a highly rated and popular beach town, and in fact, a rival to Thailand’s Pattaya Beach, Nha Trang could surely be a destination worth considering for a few days in a one-month Vietnam Itinerary. However, the town is still fairly quiet compared to those flashy resort towns.
Even though located within 6 hours bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City and only 3 hours from nearby Dalat. Nha Trang offers 6km long white sandy beach stretching along the Tran Phu street.
With very clear turquoise waters, Nha Trang Island Hopping, Snorkeling & Floating Party and diving are prime activities, and indeed lazing on the town beach is an experience in itself. You’ll be offered everything from lunch to a manicure. Budget to luxury high end resorts and hotels and homestay, anything from A to Z.
For instance, when you tire of the beach, there are some interesting sites to visit, such as the Cham Towers of Po Nagar, built between the 7th and 12th centuries on a site that had been used for Hindu worship as early as the 2nd century.
What’s the best time of he year to visit Nha Trang?
Nha Trang’s dry season runs from June to September, different from Ho Chi Minh City’s. In the past, accommodation here tended to be fully booked much of the time, but many newly built skyscrapers hotels are being built, however, book them in advance specially if you’re heading to the beach town in weekends and public holiday.
In other words, Nha Trang is a major fishing port, so excellent seafood is available. You’ll find the best restaurants in the central area. The exotic dragon fruit (thanh long) grows only in the Nha Trang area. It’s about the size and shape of a small pineapple, but tastes something like a kiwifruit. The fruit is in season from May to September, when you can find it served as a drink.
Dalat → 2 Days
Surely, Dalat is the main centre of the Southern Highlands region. It is therefore renowned as a cool, green resorted city with a park-like environment specially around the Xuan Huong Lake which dominated the city center. Dalat is definitely worth a visit specially if you’re planning a 4 weeks itinerary in Vietnam.
Dalat however it’s a good base for trips into the surrounding highlands, which remain tranquil. In Dalat, make sure you visit the Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery, nicknamed by locals the Crazy House. Try crémaillère Railway Station where you can visit famous Linh Phuoc Pagoda.
“The most popular way to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat is on the overnight sleeper bus that takes around 8 hours.”
The Emperor Bao Dai’s Summer Palace is stuffed with interesting art and everyday objects, and is well worth a look. It’s also interesting to stroll around the old French Quarter. The Valley of Love, five km north of the city centre, is a bizarre place where you can hire a paddle boat on the lake or a horse from one of the Dalat Cowboys (no relation to the Dallas Cowboys), who are, indeed, dressed as cowboys.
There are some pleasant walks around Dalat night market – Another of Dalat’s most popular attractions is the Datanla Waterfall. Also Dalat is famous for its cozy coffee shops, and is extremely popular with locals and honeymooners.
In addition, there’s a lot of accommodation suitable for any budget. In the meantime, daily flights are available from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, book them in advance. Best Dalat Attractions & Things to do
Hoi An & Da Nang → 5 Days
Undoubtedly, Hoi An and Da Nang are favorite part of the following 4 week planned itinerary in Vietnam. An important river port 30 km south of Danang, Hoi An is rich in history and has a unique character as it is a UNESCO heritage town. It was a contemporary of Macau, attracting Dutch, Portuguese and Japanese trading vessels, and it still retains the feel of centuries past.
Hoi An’s yellow colored magnificent collection of almost 850 older structures and intact streetscapes just beg to be explored. They include merchants’ homes, pagodas, public buildings and a whole city block of colonnaded French buildings.
A popular way to explore Hoi An’s charm is by bicycle, get one from your hotel and explore the lush countryside your way. Tra Que village is one example. One of the very popular activities in the first place including basket boat in the coconut island, very touristy, yet very fun.
Regardless of traveling time, Hoi An is one of the best places to visit in Vietnam that suits to any Vietnam itinerary.
Some of the other great activities in Hoi An such as shopping where you can order a tailor-made suit with a very reasonable price. In addition, for one of the best things and activities to do at night, go for Hoi An night-market plus the ride a rowing boat on the river.
Top Activities to do in Danang
In addition to Hoi An, head to nearby Danang to visit a city of evolving, that said, Da Nang still has few conventional sightseeing spots, except for a very decent museum and a stunningly quirky bridge and the extremely popular golden bridge dominating Ba Na hills.
In conclusion, most travelers choose it for a few days enjoying the city’s beaches, restaurants and nightlife is probably enough. Book an after-dark tour to see Danang at its shimmering neon-lit best. The city’s street food scene also deserves close investigation.
Danang also makes a great base for day trips. The city is part of a long thin peninsula, at the northern tip of which is Nui Son Tra (called Monkey Mountain by US soldiers). China Beach and the five Marble Mountains lie southwest of the city.
Hue → 2 Days
For many visitors, this is the most beautiful city in Vietnam, Hué was the country’s capital from 1802 to 1945, and has long been a major cultural, religious and educational centre. The remains of the huge, moated Citadel, constructed by the Emperor Gia Long from 1804, contain many interesting sights, such as the Nine Holy Cannons, the Imperial Enclosure, the Palace of Supreme Harmony and the Halls of the Mandarins.
Sadly, the intriguing Purple Forbidden City was largely destroyed during the Vietnam War. About 15 km south of Hué are the Royal Tombs. Hué has many other places of dynastic importance, and some good museums that could be well added to any Vietnam itinerary in one month.
If you want to get out of the city for a swim, head 13 km north-east to Thuan An Beach, where there’s a lagoon, numerous hotels and in fact sampan trips up the Perfume River. Hue is within 3 hours bus ride from Hoi An or Danang.
Overall, there’s a range of accommodation in Hué to suit all budgets, and moreover, a handful of good restaurants. Hué has a long tradition of vegetarian food, which is prepared at pagodas for the monks. Stalls in the markets serve vegetarian food on the 1st and the 15th days of the lunar month, and there are several restaurants serving it all the time.
Hué is about 700 km from Hanoi and 1100 km from Ho Chi Minh City. The Reunification Express train running between those cities stops here, and there are frequent flights and buses to both cities.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park → 3 Days
Home to Son Doong, the world’s largest cave and a popular spot for adventure seekers as often young western tourists on motorbike trip stop and spend a few exciting days in Phong Nha National Park. This, could alone have few exciting days to top up the four weeks Vietnam travel ideas.
Phong Nha town has long been converted from a small riverside village to a touristy one from where many farmers build a homestay and or small bungalow to receive guests and most of them nowadays offer day tours to some of the many caves in the national park.
In addition, the facilities are still limited yet, there are countless guesthouses, and resorts as well as restaurants, there is a few ATM as well.
Things to do while in Phong Nha
Designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2003, the remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park contains the oldest karst mountains in Asia, formed approximately 400 million years ago. Riddled with hundreds of cave systems – many of extraordinary scale and length – and spectacular underground rivers, Phong Nha is a speleologists’ heaven on earth.
Its collection of stunning dry caves, terraced caves, towering stalagmites and glistening crystal-edged stalactites represent nature on a very grand scale indeed, and are beginning to create a real buzz in Vietnam, as more and more riches are discovered.
The Phong Nha region is changing fast. Son Trach village (population 3000) is the main centre. The main and the only way to discover the main cave, the Son Doong, is through an organized tour which costs up to USD3000 per person for a 4 days all inclusive package.
If that’s not your cup of tea, then got for other options to discover some more smaller caves which are mainly organized through the homestay, the best caves to visit including Paradise and Phon Nha Cave.
Hanoi → 4 Days
Nation’s capital and a stopover for Halong and extreme north adventures. Hanoi could easily fill a few days gaps for a 4 weeks travel itinerary for Vietnam.
Hanoi’s streets are home to millions of scooters buzzing its narrow alleyways. traffic isn’t a thing here anymore since it merged with the daily life of the Hanoi residents.
Negotiate a passage past the ubiquitous knock-off merchants and you’ll find the original streets of the Old Quarter. Defiant real-deal farmers hawk their wares, while city folk breakfast on noodles, practise t’ai chi at dawn or play chess with goateed grandfathers.
Dine on the wild and wonderful at every corner, sample market wares, uncover an evolving arts scene, then sleep soundly in luxury for very little cost. Meet the people, delve into the past and witness the awakening of a Hanoi on the move.
Places to visit include the fascinating 11th-century Temple of Literature (site of Vietnam’s first University), the 15th-century Old Quarter, some enchanting lakes and temples, and the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh.
Accommodations are plentiful and suit any budget, from shoestring travelers to luxury high-ends, book them in advance. The best places to stay should be in the old quarter where more boutique hotels are, the more high-end ones are around Hai Ba Trung and French quarter.
Halong Bay → 2 Days
Magnificent Halong Bay, referred to as a star attraction of Vietnam. With its 3000 or more islands rising from the clear, emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, is one of Vietnam’s natural marvels that is without doubt included to Vietnam itinerary of any length.
The tiny islands are dotted with innumerable beaches and grottoes created by the wind and waves. The most impressive of the grottoes is the Hang Dau Go cave, a huge cave of three chambers.
In addition, the name Ha Long means ‘where the dragon descended into the sea’, and refers to a legend about a dragon who created the bay and islands with its flailing tail. There’s even a modern legendary creature, the Tarasque, said to haunt the area.
Halong Bay is one of the top “add to bucket list of Vietnam” and therefore, taking a tour of the bay is the main activity in Halong Bay. If you want to see a lot, choose a 3 days itinerary. If you want a romantic experience and to see more and experience some activities, book a 2 day (most popular) programs. The cruises, or junk boats are varied and the cost of the tour is depends on the cruise class and category.
Ha Giang & Extreme North Adventure → 4 Days
Ha Giang truly sounds like a hidden gem and there are enough adventure to take to easily place a few days when planning an itinerary covering one month in Vietnam! Ha Giang’s remote location seems to preserve its pristine beauty, offering travelers a unique and awe-inspiring experience away from the crowds.
The rugged terrain and stunning vistas must make the journey through the infamous loop covering Yen Minh, Dong Van, and Mai Pi Leng Pass an unforgettable adventure.
It’s often those off-the-beaten-path destinations that leave the most lasting impressions. If someone is seeking an authentic and breathtaking experience in Vietnam, it sounds like Ha Giang Loop is the place to go!
Tourists are keen on motorbike trips to Ha Giang are often those who buy and or rent a Chinese copy motorbikes and travel all the way up the mountains to experience the loop.
There are several hostels in Ha Giang town (base for the loop adventure), that offer pillion experience to take you around the area for 2-3 days – however, we are extremely advice against this as safety is a concerned, the best bet is to rent a proper motorbike and do the loop, or, book a proper motorbike tours that takes you around the secret places Ha Gaign has to offer.
Alternatives on Vietnam Itinerary, what to change?
Vietnam Itinerary could definitely be vary based on preferences of each visitor. Indeed, there are certainly a few aspects I would reconsider or suggest doing differently.
Vietnam boasts 34 national parks, including Cat Ba, Ba Be Lake, and Cuc Phuong national parks in the north; Bach Ma National Park in the center; and Nam Cat Tien National Park in the south. Consequently, travelers may consider adding some or a few of these parks to their Vietnam 1-month bucket list.
Given a constrained timeframe of just one month in Vietnam, it proved challenging to encompass all desired experiences, resulting regrettably in the omission of a visit to Sapa.
In retrospect, this decision appears to have been a misstep. Subsequently, conversing with fellow travelers who explored Sapa left me envious, as their accounts overflowed with admiration, accompanied by stunning visuals.
In hindsight, I would have opted to omit Nha Trang and Hue from the above itinerary, reallocating those days to include a visit to Sapa at the culmination of our journey.
Furthermore, in reflection, I lament not having allocated more time to this captivating locale. Vietnam, without a doubt, left an indelible impression; it emerges as an exemplary destination for exploration, with its breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural tapestry.
How to: Vietnam – Useful things to know before visiting
When Is the Best Time to Visit Vietnam?
Vietnam offers a diverse climate throughout the year, ensuring there are no inherently favorable or unfavorable seasons for visiting. Instead, when one region experiences inclement weather, another region typically boasts sunny and pleasant conditions.
In essence, the southern part of Vietnam witnesses two predominant seasons: the wet season, spanning from May to November (with peak rainfall occurring from June to August), and the dry season from December to April.
The period from the end of February to May stands out as the hottest and most humid. Meanwhile, the central coast remains dry between June and October. In the northern regions, winters from November to April are characterized by cool and damp conditions, followed by hot summers from May to October.
Moreover, the highland areas offer significantly cooler temperatures compared to the lowlands, with winter temperatures occasionally dropping to freezing levels. It’s worth noting the potential impact of typhoons between July and November, particularly affecting the northern and central regions.
How to get to Vietnam?
Vietnam offers convenient access via three main international airports located in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hanoi.
Opting for air travel presents a straightforward and efficient means of entry, albeit at a higher cost compared to crossing land borders. For travelers journeying the length of the country, it is advisable to consider flying into either Ho Chi Minh City and progressing northward to Hanoi, or vice versa.
This strategy entails booking separate one-way tickets for arrival and departure from different airports, unless your airline accommodates multi-city ticket bookings. Learn more about Vietnam on wikipedia
Getting to Vietnam through land borders
Vietnam shares several land borders with Cambodia, Laos, and China.
Buses connect Cambodia and Laos with Vietnam, while there’s a train service connects Nanning in China to Hanoi. Crossing from Vietnam to Laos and or Cambodia would be fairly easy and with no-hassle. Get your ticket directly from the bus terminal.
Most travelers are eligible to get a visa on arrival to Cambodia at the land borders, however, Laos doesn’t offer visa on arrival on land borders except “Lao Bao”, if yore attempting to cross through other land borders, please apply a Laos visa in advance
In 2025, Moc Bai stands as a bustling land border crossing linking Cambodia’s Phnom Penh to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. When crossing via land borders into Vietnam, ensure your visa is sorted in advance (unless your nationality is eligible for visa exemption).
Getting around Vietnam: Transportation Tips
Travelling throughout Vietnam presents little hassle. In urban areas, such as towns and cities, taxis and motorbike taxis stand at the ready. Moreover, public buses provide a cost-effective means of transportation, particularly in larger cities.
For longer journeys between destinations, overnight sleeper buses emerge as the optimal choice, especially for budget-conscious travelers. Booking these buses can easily be done through your hotel and or directly at the bus terminal.
However, it’s worth noting that these sleeper buses often arrive ahead of schedule, potentially leaving you waiting to check into your hotels as early as 5am!
Alternatively, One Month Vietnam Itinerary may or may not lets you to add an air travel, which, basically proves the swiftest option for covering long distances.
Recommended activities in Vietnam
Vietnam has 3260 km of coastline, and you can hire snorkelling and diving gear at most beach resorts. One Month Vietnam Itinerary should definitely add a few days to the most popular beaches including Vung Tau, just north of the Mekong Delta, and Nha Trang, near Dalat.
There is good hiking, horse riding and cycling in the beautiful countryside around Dalat. Vietnam is a favourite place with long-distance motorbike lovers because much of the distance from Hanoi to South is flat.
Spelunkers should head for the spectacular Pong Nha river caves, north-west of Dong Hoi. Those interested in the Vietnam War can ride part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a series of roads, trails and paths used as supply routes by the North Vietnamese during the war, and, Thebes way to do this would be through a Vietnam Motorbike Tours
It ran from North Vietnam southward through the Truong Son Mountains and into western Laos. Those with a 4WD can drive a 60-km stretch between Aluoi and Hue.
In addition, the network of tunnels at Cu Chi (35 km from Saigon) and Vinh Moc (near the old border between North and South Vietnam) enable visitors to experience the claustrophobic life led by villagers and guerrillas during the war.
How much money do you need for 30 days in Vietnam?
How much should I budget to travel in Vietnam for a month? Firstly, let’s take a little look at what an average spending tourist would spend during one month time in Vietnam and the average costs of flights, foods and drinks and activities, to give you a better idea of what your Vietnam adventure could look like, in general, budget travelers are likely to spend over USD50 per day, moderate visitors are expected to spend over USD100 and high end tourists expected to easily spend around USD200 daily.
The cost of accommodation in Vietnam
While accommodation takes a bigger part of planning and spending for a One Month Vietnam Itinerary , expect to spend anything from $3 a night for a simple mattress in a homestay dorm room to a $100 a night for a luxury room in a 5 star hotel with pool overlooking the ocean. Identically, Do Not Compare Cost of traveling in Vietnam with Thailand!
The cost of Transportation in Vietnam
There’s a plenty of different mods of transportation available to experience in Vietnam. From rickshaw in cities to metered taxis and Xe ôm (motorbike taxi) and more. For a hassle-free in city transfer, we recommend you to download a grab app to book anything for a fixed price.
In addition, domestic flights are widely available through Vietnam airline, Vietjet, Viettravel and more. Book in advance or expect to pay 300% more during the public holidays.
The cost of Foods and drinks in Vietnam
Spending for food and drinks are also one big factor when adding cost of one month Vietnam Itinerary. If you’re okay to eat local foods including Pho noodle soup, lots of veggies and sticky rice, then you may end up paying USD10/ daily, for eating.
If you’re picky and can’t get to eat local foods, then expect to pay anything from USD5 for a simple sandwich to USD20 for a well portioned western dish.
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