Are you wondering if it is possible to explore Vietnam in a week?
If you are planning a trip to this marvellous country, you would be curious to know what to see in Vietnam in 7 days.
Truth be told, it’s practically impossible to cover all of Vietnam in a week. That’s why tourists often choose to explore only one of three distinct regions – Northern, Central, and Southern.
One Week in Vietnam
Vietnam’s goodwill as a tourist destination is increasing exponentially, as it has something to offer to everybody. It is a country that has beautiful architecture, historical temples, delicious food, scenic beauty, thrilling adventures, and many festivals.
So how do you decide the best way to spend one week in Vietnam? You need not worry because we have made an excellent Vietnam 7-day itinerary for you.
Check out what to see in one week in Vietnam with our simple and easy-to-follow 7 Day Vietnam Itinerary here:
Day 1: Arrival and Hanoi City
When you arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport, you would want to reach your hotel in Hanoi and relax. If you take a long-duration flight to Hanoi, you shouldn’t do much on the day of arrival. Who wants to explore a new place with jet lag, anyway?
However, if you arrive quite early in the morning and are likely to be free after getting some much-needed rest, you can explore the capital city of Vietnam. You could go to Hang Gai Street for shopping, or enjoy the delectable Vietnamese cuisine at any restaurant.
To cut a long story short, the first day is to relax and unwind.
Tip:
- Check out where to stay in Hanoi here.
- Click to see this cheap and easy transfer options here.
Day 2: Tam Coc River Full-Day Trip
The Tam Coc River day trip will take you on a serene ride through several cultural and natural landmarks. You will leave from your hotel in Hanoi and head for Ninh Binh. It should take around two hours to get there. We recommend exploring the Ninh Binh and Hao Lu areas for a couple of hours.
Hao Lu was the capital of Vietnam in the past and still boasts of a rich cultural heritage. Do not miss visiting the Le Dynasty and Dinh temples.
Head to Tam Coc and have lunch at any of the local restaurants before hopping on the boat. The bamboo boat ride will last for a couple of hours and take you through three caves and some limestone karsts. Any budding nature photographer will have the time of their life!
When the boat ride ends at Tam Coc, you can hire a bicycle and visit local villages and explore the landscape. Head back to your hotel in Hanoi for overnight stay.
Tip:
- Check out a great tour to Tam Coc from Hanoi here.
Day 3: HaLong Bay Day Cruise
After spending two nights in Hanoi, pack your bags and check out from the hotel. It is a road trip of about 3.5 hours to HaLong City Harbor. You will be going through a beautiful expanse of rice fields in the Red River delta so keep your camera ready!
Board the cruise and enjoy a delicious seafood lunch. You will get to explore the glorious Thien Cung Cave that is filled with stalactites and stalagmites. We recommend you to opt for kayaking around these islands for a while to observe and relish this paradise.
Head to your hotel in HaLong Bay and check-in for the night.
Tip:
- Check out which is the best luxury cruise Halong Bay for you.
- Find out how to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay here.
Day 4: Hanoi Old Quarter
Although you stayed in Hanoi for the first two nights, you should head back for a day tour because it has a lot to offer. You will be spending most of your day in and around the Old Quarter, aka Hoan Kiem District.
Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to start this day tour. While planning your trip to Vietnam, please keep in mind that this mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays. Other tourist spots you should cover include Tran Quoc Pagoda, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, Bat Trang village, and Hoan Kiem Lake.
We recommend you to not miss the unique water puppet show while in Hanoi. Take a flight to Ho Chi Minh City and check in to the hotel there for the remainder of this trip.
Tip:
- Check out the most popular and authentic things to see in Hanoi here.
- Take an easy option of a local tour of Hanoi here.
- Find more info about a great food tour of Hanoi here.
Day 5: Day Trip to Mekong
The first day in HCMC will involve taking a day tour to the Mekong Delta, which has a spectacular maze of islets, rivers, fruit plantations, and rice paddies. Visit the Trang Pagoda in My Tho before taking a boat ride on the Tien River.
Have lunch at the beautiful Tortoise Islet and then head to An Khanh on a boat to enjoy some seasonal fruits. On your way back to the hotel, you can opt to take a small detour to visit a unique family business and sample coconut candy.
Tip:
- Find out how to see Mekong in style from HCMC here.
Day 6: Half-Day Trip to Cu Chi Tunnels
The penultimate day of your trip will take you on an exciting history lesson! The underground Cu Chi Tunnels played an essential role in Vietnam’s guerilla war. It will take less than two hours to arrive at the tunnels. And you can spend half of your day exploring these tunnels and walking past bomb craters.
Return to the hotel and rest for a bit or head out and explore nearby locales.
Tip:
- Check out this fun half day tour to see Cu Chi Tunnels here.
Day 7: HCMC and Departure
The final day of the trip does not include any excursions or tours. If you have a couple of hours, you can take a closer look at the exquisite French architecture or visit one of the many rooftop bars for a refreshing drink. If you want to buy souvenirs or gifts, you can go to the Ben Thanh market.
If you ask us, we will ensure that we have one final meal of mouth-watering Vietnamese cuisine before leaving. Reach the Tan Son Nhat International Airport well before your scheduled departure to avoid any hassle.
Tip:
- Check out the most popular attractions in HCMC here.
Final Thoughts
7 days in Vietnam is not enough to cover the entire country for sure. Our recommended itinerary is ideal for people who want to indulge more in scenic beauty and historical architecture than in adventure sports and nightlife.
If you are more of an adrenaline aficionado than a Nature lover, you might want to tweak our 1 week in Vietnam itinerary.
We hope you have a fabulous experience visiting Vietnam!
Further Reading:
Here is some more information that you might find helpful to organize your successful week in Vietnam:
- Check out the most popular tours in Vietnam
- Find out how to do Vietnam in 5 Days
- When you should travel to Vietnam
‘’Don’t die without embracing the daring adventure your life was meant to be.’’
Steve Pavlina
Find more new adventure quotes here.
Thanks for sharing such an amazing & informative blog which will surely be a big help to those travelling to the vietnam. There are many amazing places to visit and out of many the beach resorts in the southern part of the country is very popular among the tourists.There one can find many beautiful beach resorts which provides top class hospitality & great food.