You are planning to spend 2 weeks in Vietnam and not sure where to go, you’re in the right place. In this article, I will suggest my Itinerary for 14 days in Vietnam, places to go, things to do, and minimum lengths to stay in each destination.
I personally think 2 weeks is a good amount of time to see major tourist sights in Vietnam. You’ll have a chance to comfortably explore two to three regions in Vietnam. You can eat many local foods, enjoy the nightlife, do shopping, visit cultural/historical attractions, and explore the beaches.
For city life with lots of nightlife and shopping, head to big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. For breathtaking mountainous scenery, head to Sapa, Ha Giang, or Ninh Binh in North Vietnam.
The overnight cruise on Halong Bay is a must-do. For the best beaches in central Vietnam, head to Da Nang or Nha Trang. Hoi An and Hue are also top destinations in Vietnam. Hoi An is known for its ancient town with many old wooden shop houses. Hue is known for its royal palace and tombs.
Two weeks in Vietnam where to go?
You can spend two weeks exploring each region itself, either the North, the central, or the South. You can also explore the whole country by visiting important destinations in each region.
All major tourist destinations in Vietnam are very-well connected by road and by air, so you can easily travel between places either by airplane, trains, sleeper buses, or limousines.
Where to go during your two weeks in Vietnam really depends on your interests. Here are my suggestions for minimum lengths to stay in each city and things that each city is known for. You can pick a destination you like and make your own itinerary.
North Vietnam – spectacular mountainous landscape, cultural attractions:
- Hanoi (2-3 nights) – old quarter, cultural attractions, museums, street food
- Ninh Binh (1-2 nights) – Trang An Boat ride, nightlife in Tam Coc, pagodas, cycling
- Sapa (2-3 nights) – pleasant weather, trekking, relaxing, ethnic villages
- Ha Giang Loop (2-3 nights) – breathtaking landscape and scenic drive
- Halong Bay (1-2 nights) – overnight cruise, caves, viewpoints
Central Vietnam – beautiful beaches, well-preserved historical sites:
- Da Nang (2-3 nights) – beaches, rivers, mountains, pagodas, Ba Na Hill
- Hoi An (2-3 nights) – old town, beaches, boat ride, custom made clothing
- Hue (2- 3 nights) – imperial citadel, royal tombs, pagodas, Hue Cake
South Vietnam – modern, western style atmosphere, warm weather, beaches:
- Ho Chi Minh City (2-3 nights) – nightlife, shopping, museums, Cu Chi tunnels
- Mekong Delta (2-3 nights) – floating markets, food
- Mui Ne (1-2 nights) – sand dunes, fishing villages, fairy stream
- Nha Trang (2-3 nights) – beaches, island hopping, seafood
- Da Lat (2-3 nights) -waterfalls, pagodas, crazy house, cable car, night market
- Phu Quoc (2-3 nights) – beaches, cable car, relaxing
How to spend 2 weeks in Vietnam: 14 days itinerary (North to South)
Here are my suggestions for 2 weeks in Vietnam starting from the North in Hanoi. You’ll be visiting Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City. If you are starting from the South, feel free to reverse my itinerary to suit you.
1. Hanoi (2-3 days)
Hanoi is the capital city and a major transport hub in Vietnam. It is home to one of the country’s most important airports, Noi Bai International Airport. This airport is located in Soc Son, 40 km away from the old quarter. From the airport, you can easily use a taxi, Grab, or hotel’s shuttle to get to the city center.
Home to a major international airport, Hanoi is a great base to explore northern Vietnam. You can easily take day trips or overnight trips to the famous Ha Giang Loop, Sapa, Ninh Binh, or Halong Bay from Hanoi. They are very well connected by roads, either trains, sleeper buses, or limousines.
Hanoi Old Quarter is quite compact, you can spend 1 to 2 days here to see most attractions. You can easily explore the city on foot, guided tour, cyclo, or by using Grab. Strolling around the old town, you’ll see many cultural and historical attractions like temples and pagodas.
Highlight attractions are Hoan Kiem lake, Hoa Lo Prison, Train Street, Temple Of Literature, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, or Tran Quoc pagoda. If you have time, you can check out traditional craft villages nearby such as Bat Trang ceramic village, Van Phuc silk village, or Dong Ho painting village.
Hanoi is known for its authentic street food scene. You can try traditional food at many street food stalls as well as fine dining restaurants. Popular dishes are pho, banh mi, bun cha Hanoi, or banh cuon. Be sure to use common sense to choose good restaurants to eat to avoid stomach ache and diarrhea.
If you love shopping in small family-run shops, you’ll love Hanoi. There are many shops in the old quarter selling different goods. You can buy silk products, traditional handicraft, clothes, bags…
Hanoi weekend night market is a great place to find cheap souvenirs and eat some street food. Dong Xuan market is also worth a visit if you have time. For more high-end shopping, you can check out Trang Tien Plaza or Vincom ba Trieu.
In the evening, you can head to Ta Hien beer street, drink a fresh beer and people watch. The nightlife in the old quarter is very lively with many bars and nightclubs. However, it will be quieter after mid-night as it has a curfew policy. You are still able to find some good bars after that time though.
The best place to stay in Hanoi, in my experience, is the old quarter. This area is the heart of Hanoi where you can experience an authentic atmosphere, enjoy the nightlife, shopping, and attractions.
I recommend The Rex Hotel if you are after a good mid-range option with a nice rooftop area, sky bar, and delicious breakfast buffet. They have a swimming pool but it is small (quite normal for a hotel in the heart of the old town).
2. Halong Bay (2-3 days)
Halong Bay is one of the top attractions in Vietnam. It is known for its breaking limestone mountains, beautiful beaches, lovely fishing villages, and impressive caves.
Halong is only 3-4 hours drive from Hanoi. You can easily use private transfer, limousines, or buses to travel between Hanoi and Halong Bay. You can ask your accommodation to organize transport for you.
The best way to explore Halong Bay is taking the overnight cruise, either 1 night 2 days or 2 nights 3 days. Both are good options and better than just a day trip from Hanoi. One night cruise can feel quick but enough to explore the majority attractions on the bay, and can save you some money.
The two nights will give you more time for exploration. The cruise will often stop at Cat Ba island, and you will sometimes have to explore this beautiful island.
3. Sapa (2-3 days)
Sapa and Ha Giang are popular tourist destinations in North Vietnam that are known for their scenic drive and stunning mountainous landscape. If you are not adventurous and brave enough to take the Ha Giang Loop, you can visit Sapa, which is, in my opinion, the Ha Giang alternative.
Sapa is located 5-6 hours drive from Hanoi. There are sleeper bus and train options, connecting these two cities. If you want to save money for a night in a hotel, you can consider taking an overnight bus and train.
The Train is only stops in Lao Cao, located 30 km away from Sapa town center, so you’ll need to book an additional transfer from the train station to Sapa. If you take a sleeper bus, it will drop you in the Sapa town center.
The best thing to do in Sapa is just relaxing and enjoying cool fresh weather. You can do trekking, exploring waterfalls, visiting ethnic minority villages. Some popular points of interest in Sapa include the Town Center itself, Fansipan Mountain, Cat Cat Village, Ta Phin Village, and Muong Hoa Valley.
Sapa town center is the best place to stay in Sapa. Here you’ll have easy access to all tourist amenities like restaurants, bars, and shops. It also has a wide choice of accommodations for all budgets.
4. Da Nang (2-3 days)
Da Nang is an important city in central Vietnam. It has an international airport, so you can easily find flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It is only around 1 hour flight away. From Da Nang airport, you can use Grab and taxi to get to the city center.
Getting to Da Nang by train is also a popular way to reach the city. Da Nang train station is located right in the city center, making it easy to get to your hotel. The heritage train ride connecting Da Nang and Hue, passing Hai Van pass, is one of the best train rides in Vietnam.
Da Nang is known for its beautiful beaches, rivers, and cultural attractions. Within 2-3 days in Da Nang, you can enjoy the beach activities on the white sandy My Khe Beach, explore the Han River, visit different markets, and attractions like Marble Mountains, Lady Buddha, and Ba Na Hills.
You can try local dishes such as My Quang or Banh Cuon Thit Heo. There are also many nice trendy cafes for cafe-hopping as well as many cool rooftop bars and nightclubs to enjoy the nightlife.
Additionally, Da Nang is a perfect base to explore central Vietnam. You can visit Hai Van pass, Hoi An, Hue, My Son sanctuary, and Cham islands from Da Nang.
The Han River and My Khe Beach are the two most popular areas to stay in Da Nang. The Han River offers a more authentic atmosphere and closer access to Dragon bridge, Han Market, Son Tra night market. My Khe Beach is a better base if you want to stay right on the beach.
5. Hoi An (2 -3 days)
Hoi An was a bustling port town in South East Asia from the 16-19th century. It is now no longer served as a port town, but is a popular tourist destination with many well-preserved wooden shopshouses.
Hoi An is located in central Vietnam, 40km away from Da Nang. You can easily travel between two cities by buses, limousines, private cars, or Grab taxis. Da Nang airport and train station are the closest airport and train station to Hoi An.
You can easily spend 1-2 days in Hoi An to see major sights in the old town, to explore a bit of the countryside and the beaches. An Bang beach and Cua Dai beach are located 10 minutes drive from the old town.
Major attractions in Hoi An are the Hoi An market, Japanese Bridge, and Tan Ky Old House, as well as several temples, assembly halls, and museums. You can walk and cycle to explore different neighborhoods like An Hoi, Cam Nam, Cam Thanh, and Cam Pho.
Hoi An at night is more beautiful when the streets light up with lanterns. You can enjoy the nightlife at the night market on Nguyen Hoang Street, or take the boat ride on Hoai River to release lanterns and make wishes.
There are many bars and restaurants along the banks of the Hoai river, especially around An Hoi bridge, where you can sit, have a drink, a meal, and watch people.
Hoi An old town and An Bang Beach are the most popular areas to stay in Hoi An. They both have many nice boutique hotels, homestays, and small resorts. The beach’s town is more relaxing than the bustling old town.
6. Ho Chi Minh City (2-3 days)
Ho Chi Minh city is a must-see for those who enjoy modern urban life with a vibrant nightlife and shopping scene. It is home to Tan Son Nhat airport and is the gateway to explore South Vietnam.
You can easily explore Ho Chi Minh City within 1-2 days. Popular points of interest are the War museum, Independence Palace, Central Post office, and Ben Thanh market. At night, you can enjoy the nightlife at Bui Vien walking street, Japan town, or Nguyen Hue/ Dong Khoi area.
Ho Chi Minh is a great base for day trips to Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong delta. If you have more time in South Vietnam, you can consider staying 2-3 nights in the Mekong delta rather than a day trip. If your time is limited, a day trip is good enough to get some introduction of the region.
District 1 and 3 are the most popular places to stay in Ho CHi Minh City. Staying here allows you within a walking distance or short Grab drive to most tourist attractions and amenities.
See more:
- One month in Vietnam Itinerary
- Three Weeks in Vietnam Itinerary
- One Week in Vietnam Itinerary
- How to Apply for Vietnam E-visa
- Where to stay in Vietnam for first-timers & tourists
- Best ways to Get Around in Vietnam
This is my guide for my two weeks in Vietnam itinerary. My favorite cities in Vietnam are Ha Giang, Da Lat, Hoi An, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. With my suggestions for famous places to visit and minimum length in each destination, you can pick your places to go and make your own itineraries for your 14 days in Vietnam.
Where would you like to go in Vietnam in your two weeks? Feel free to share in the comment box below. I’d love to hear it.