2 Weeks in Vietnam Itinerary for First Timers

Vietnam is a fantastic country to dive in and visit several cities to get a full taste of the diversity of the nation. Today, I’ll be sharing the best 2 weeks in Vietnam itinerary with you. I like to stay a bit longer than needed in most cities as I like to explore deeper and eat at a lot of different places.

I’ll share some suggestions of places to visit and the type of traveller it’s best for. Then I’ll provide a sample 2 week itinerary for your first time in Vietnam!

Ha Long Bay – 3 Day 2 Night Cruise

Recommended for Everyone

My most memorable time in Vietnam is seeing the beautiful limestones in Ha Long Bay. It is so beautiful and serene and I’d highly recommend this trip for everyone! I did my Ha Long Bay cruise with Dragon Legend and it did not disappoint! If you have the means to do so, I would suggest to look into the more luxury operators. I had 5 star food, service, and accommodation all for a really reasonable price compared to North American standards.

Some of the activities I did during my cruise were kayaking, visiting a fishing village, and having a beach BBQ. I also enjoyed just relaxing on the boat while cruising through the bay!

How Much to Budget:

$350 USD per person all inclusive for 3 Day 2 Nights (includes transfer from Hanoi)
Can be done for much cheaper depending on your budget and preference

Hoi An – 4 Days

Recommended for Everyone

Hoi An is the most touristy city in Vietnam and surprisingly it was one of my favorites. Usually, I hate touristy set ups and go out of my way to avoid them (looking at you Santorini). But the infrastructure is not set up well for tourists in Vietnam yet, so it was actually really enjoyable to walk around Hoi An. Also, just a short bike ride away, you’ll see the authentic lives of Vietnamese people. Surprisingly the costs in Hoi An aren’t that high either!

Hoi An Travel Guide – 4 Days

Things to Do in Hoi An:

Explore the lantern lit ancient town
Visit the temples and historic sites in ancient town
Get a suit or shirt tailor made for you (I didn’t do this though and I’ll share why)
Do a cooking class (highly recommend Sabirama)
Bike around the farm area (most hotels have free bike rentals)
Hire a boat and sail the river with lanterns and candles
Hoi An Night Market
Watch locals shop at Central Market
Haggle for souvenirs and tourist clothing

How Much to Budget

$50 USD each for cooking class
60,000-120,000 VND for casual meals in a restaurant
40,000-60,000 VND for coffee
$40 USD for mid range hotels

Ho Chi Minh – 3 Days

For Big City Lovers

If you enjoy modern restaurants, craft cocktails, rooftop bars, or shopping in mega malls, you’ll be impressed by Ho Chi Minh. It’s a completely different vibe than the rest of Vietnam. It reminded me of Athens or Mexico City! However, it doesn’t have the traditional Vietnamese life or vibe that you may be looking for. I think if you are not into big cities, Ho Chi Minh is skippable especially if you are short on time. It is also the most expensive city in all of Vietnam! Read my 3 day HMC travel guide!

Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh:

Learn about the horrors of the Vietnam War at War Remnants Museum
Go shopping in boutique stores on Nguyen Trai (don’t worry it’s cheap!)
Hit up all the happy hours at the different bars
Walk along Nguyen Hue at night to enjoy the local vibe
Try out other south east Asian food

How Much to Budget:

40,000 VND for entrance to War Remnants Museum
150,000-200,000 VND for a meal at a modern casual restaurant
60,000-100,000 VND for a coffee
$70 USD for a mid range hotel

Hanoi – 3 Days

For Street Food Lovers

Hanoi is a haven for street food lovers. Mom and pop food stalls line the Old Quarters and the prices will leave you wanting to eat 8 meals a day. Honestly, there’s not a lot of tourist attractions or “beautiful scenery”. But I had some of the best food of the trip in Hanoi and food was so cheap here (check out everything I ate in Hanoi in 3 days)!

Things to do in Hanoi:

Try the local foods like: Banh Mi, Bun Ca, Pho Ga
Try Egg Coffee
Enjoy the peacefulness at Hoan Kiem Lake
Learn how to cross the street like a local
Check out Train Street

How Much to Budget

30,000-60,000 VND for a meal in a very simple restaurant
20,000-40,000 VND for coffee
$40 USD for a mid range hotel

Beach Resort Town – 3 Days

For Beach Lovers

Vietnam is a long skinny country with hundreds of miles of coast line! This allows them to have many beach resort towns. I didn’t actually find the beach is to be as nice as the ones in the Caribbean. But if you are going to Vietnam and would like to have a beach break, there are a few beach resort towns to choose from: Da Nang, Na Trang, Mui Ne, or Puoc Quoc. I went to Da Nang because it’s close to Hoi An and convenient logistically (here’s my 3 day travel guide for Da Nang)

Things to Do in Da Nang:

Stroll the Sandy Beaches
Day Trip to Ba Na Hills (Vietnam’s Disneyland)
Paragliding over the China Sea (about $40 USD)
Eat Korean food (lots of Korean tourists!)
Visit Marble Mountain, Lady Buddha

How Much to Budget:

750,000 VND for entrance to Ba Na Hills
60,000-100,000 VND for a meal at a casual restaurant
30,000-60,000 VND for a coffee
$70 USD for a mid range hotel facing the ocean