Vietnam rewards curiosity. Centuries-old temples and French-era boulevards frame the streets, while bowls of steaming phở and glasses of fresh bia hơi anchor daily life. From the imperial traces of Hanoi to the modern pulse of Ho Chi Minh City, this 7-day itinerary balances culture, cuisine, and nature.

Hanoi, founded in 1010, still exudes its millennial soul in the Old Quarter’s guild streets. A day trip to Ninh Binh threads between jagged karsts by rowboat, while a Ha Long Bay cruise reveals an otherworldly seascape that launched a thousand postcards. In the south, Saigon dazzles with markets, colonial landmarks, and nocturnal energy that runs on fish sauce, coffee, and scooters.

Practical notes: Vietnam now issues convenient e-visas (check current requirements before travel). Cash is common alongside cards and e-wallets; you’ll use Vietnamese dong for most small purchases. Dress modestly for temples, be patient crossing the street, and come hungry—this itinerary leans into local food, coffee culture, and authentic neighborhoods.

Hanoi

Hanoi mixes Confucian learning, lakeside calm, and street-side kitchens. Start in the Old Quarter, where streets still carry craft names—Silk, Fans, Tin. West Lake and the Red River bookend a city that sips egg coffee and debates football on tiny stools.

• Top sights: Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, Train Street viewpoints, Long Bien Bridge, Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple.
• Essential bites: Phở bò for breakfast, bún chả for lunch, chả cá turmeric fish for dinner, and egg coffee for dessert.
• Nature escapes: Day trips to Ninh Binh’s karst valleys and Ha Long Bay’s limestone pillars.

Where to stay (Hanoi): Grande-dame elegance at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi; boutique comfort at Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & Spa; skyline views at Lotte Hotel Hanoi; apartment-style space at Somerset Grand Hanoi. Browse more stays on Hotels.com or VRBO.

Getting in: Fly into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). Check fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. The ride to the Old Quarter takes 45–60 minutes by taxi or ride-hail.

Featured Hanoi activities (Viator):

• Hanoi Jeep Tour: Food, Culture and Fun — vintage-jeep storytelling through neighborhoods and must-try dishes.

  

• Halong 5-Star Day Cruise — a one-day luxury sampler of caves, karsts, and open-deck views.

  

• Ninh Binh Full-Day Tour (Hoa Lu, Tam Coc & Mua Cave) — temples, boat ride, and the “dragon” viewpoint.

  

• Hanoi City Tour: Private Half-Day Customized with Train Street — the safest way to see Train Street with a vetted guide.

  

Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon is kinetic—the city hums from sunrise phở to rooftop sunsets. Modern towers rise over French-built landmarks, while alleyways hide family kitchens and steaming cauldrons of broth.

• Top sights: Central Post Office, (often scaffolded) Notre Dame Cathedral, War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, and Chinatown’s Thien Hau Temple.
• Flavors to chase: cơm tấm broken rice, bánh mì, bánh xèo sizzling pancakes, fresh sugarcane juice, and coconut coffee.
• Day trips: Cu Chi Tunnels and a Mekong Delta sampan cruise.

Where to stay (Ho Chi Minh City): Opulent design at The Reverie Saigon; value luxury at Hotel Nikko Saigon; boutique bliss near Nguyen Hue at Silverland Yen Hotel; apartment-style suites at Sherwood Residence; social vibes at The Common Room Project. Browse more on Hotels.com or VRBO.

Getting there from Hanoi: The flight to SGN is ~2h10m; expect $45–$120 one-way with frequent departures. Compare prices on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Overland, the Reunification Express takes 31–35 hours—bookable via Trip.com Trains.

Featured Saigon activities (Viator):

• Ho Chi Minh City Private Half-Day Tour by U.S. Army Jeep — see landmarks with breezy, open-air fun.

  

• Ho Chi Minh Street Food & Sightseeing by Motorbike — 7–12 dishes at locals-only spots with expert riders.

  

• Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta VIP Tour — history in the morning, river life in the afternoon.

  

Day 1 — Arrive in Hanoi: Lake Legends and Old Quarter Flavors

Afternoon: Land at HAN and transfer to your hotel (45–60 minutes to the Old Quarter). Shake off jet lag with a slow lap around Hoan Kiem Lake; pop into Ngoc Son Temple to meet the “Turtle of the Lake” lore. Coffee stop: Café Giang for the original egg coffee—silky, meringue-like, and very Hanoi.

Evening: Catch a traditional water puppet show near the lake to see folklore come alive on water. Dinner at Bún Chả Hương Liên (Obama-famous) for grilled pork and herbs over vermicelli, or try Chả Cá Thăng Long for turmeric-dill fish sizzling at your table. Nightcap at Polite & Co for classic cocktails in a hushed, old-Hanoi setting.

Day 2 — Hanoi Icons, Train Street, and a Jeep Food Safari

Morning: Join the Hanoi City Tour: Private Half-Day Customized with Train Street (4–5 hours; typically $35–$75). You’ll see Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, the Ho Chi Minh complex (check hours), the Temple of Literature, and a safe, guide-vetted Train Street viewpoint.

Afternoon: Lunch at Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn (brothy, assertive northern style) or Bánh Mì 25 for crackly baguettes and pate. Explore the Vietnam Women’s Museum or the Vietnamese Ethnology Museum for context on textiles, traditions, and highland cultures.

Evening: Roll into the Hanoi Jeep Tour: Food, Culture & Fun (4 hours; ~$55–$85). Expect smoky bún chả, crispy bánh gối, and bia hơi amid alleys you’d never find alone. End by the Long Bien Bridge for night views over the Red River.

Day 3 — Ninh Binh: Ancient Capitals, Karsts, and River Caves (Full-Day)

Spend the day on the Ninh Binh Full-Day Tour (10–11 hours; ~$45–$95). Wander Hoa Lu’s 10th-century temples, cycle country lanes, row through Tam Coc’s caves, and climb Mua Cave’s 500 steps to the dragon viewpoint. A countryside lunch is included; pack sunscreen and light layers.

Day 4 — Ha Long Bay: One-Day Luxury Cruise Among Limestone Giants (Full-Day)

Depart early for the Halong 5-Star Day Cruise (12 hours door-to-door; ~$65–$130). Sail past vertical karsts, visit a cave, swim or kayak if weather allows, and savor a generous buffet. Transfer time each way is ~2.5 hours; bring motion-sickness bands if you’re sensitive.

Back in Hanoi by evening, tuck into late dinner: try Xôi Yến for savory sticky rice bowls or chả cá (turmeric-dill fish) at Chả Cá Lã Vọng-style spots.

Day 5 — Fly to Saigon, Open-Top Jeep Landmarks, and Night Street Eats

Morning: Fly Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (2h10m; $45–$120 one-way). Compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. From SGN to District 1 takes ~25–45 minutes by taxi or ride-hail.

Afternoon: Check in, then hop on the Ho Chi Minh City Private Half-Day Tour by U.S. Army Jeep (3–4 hours; ~$60–$95). See the Central Post Office’s ironwork by Gustave Eiffel, Notre Dame Cathedral’s red brick façade, and the Reunification Palace exterior—plus backstreet peeks you’d miss on foot.

Evening: Dress casual for the Street Food & Sightseeing by Motorbike (4 hours; ~$35–$65). Expect bánh xèo cooked over roaring flames, grilled pork skewers, crab soup, and a dessert stop—plus safe pillion riding with local guides.

Day 6 — Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta (Full-Day)

Combine history and river life on the Cu Chi Tunnels & Mekong Delta VIP Tour (10–12 hours; ~$80–$130). Creep through widened tunnel sections, learn guerrilla ingenuity, then shift gears to a Mekong motorboat and sampan, tasting tropical fruit and local specialties for lunch.

Day 7 — Cholon’s Temples, Markets, and a Slow Goodbye

Morning: Head to Cholon (Chinatown). Visit Thien Hau Temple with its incense coils and ceramic dioramas. Browse Binh Tay Market for spices, tea, and dried fruit; sip a strong cà phê sữa đá at a corner cafe.

Afternoon: Final tastes: Phở Hòa Pasteur for a polished bowl, or Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền for caramelized pork chops over broken rice. If time allows, shop at Ben Thanh Market for textiles and lacquerware, then transfer to SGN for your flight departing in the afternoon.

Where to Eat & Drink (Quick Picks)

• Hanoi breakfasts: Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn (beef phở), Bánh Mì 25 (sandwiches), Cong Caphe (coconut coffee).
• Hanoi lunches: Bún Chả Hương Liên (grilled pork), Bún Thang Cầu Gỗ (Hanoi herb-laced noodle soup).
• Hanoi dinners: Chả Cá Thăng Long (turmeric-dill fish), Pizza 4P’s Tràng Tiền (house-made burrata, if you need a break from Vietnamese).
• Saigon breakfasts: The Old Compass (Vietnamese set breakfast), L’Usine Dong Khoi (brunch and design shop), Shin Coffee (single-origin pours).
• Saigon lunches: Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa (hefty signature bánh mì), Bún Thịt Nướng Nguyễn Trung Trực (grilled pork over vermicelli).
• Saigon dinners: Secret Garden 131 Calmette (home-style dishes), Cuc Gach Quan (seasonal, nostalgic recipes), The Deck Saigon (riverside splurge).
• Nightlife: Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar for sunset; Pasteur Street Brewing Co. for craft ales; Ta Hien “Bia Hoi Corner” in Hanoi for ice-cold draft beer on tiny stools.

Logistics & Tips

• Flights: Open-jaw works best: into Hanoi, out of Saigon. Search on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.
• Trains (scenic, slow): The Reunification Express spans the country; see options on Trip.com Trains.
• Money: ATMs are widespread; carry small bills for street food. Tipping is appreciated but not required—rounding up is fine.
• Etiquette: Shoulders/knees covered for temples; remove hats inside shrines. Ask before photographing people.
• Weather: North has four seasons; South is tropical year-round with dry (roughly Nov–Apr) and wet (May–Oct) periods.

Summary: In one week, you’ve traced Vietnam from Hanoi’s scholarly streets to Ha Long’s seascape, then south to Saigon’s neon and noodle stalls—plus the karst valleys of Ninh Binh and the waterworld of the Mekong. Expect your camera roll to overflow and your spice tolerance to rise; the memories (and recipes) will travel home with you.