How to Spend 7 Days in Vietnam?

Vietnam has all a traveler could wish for, and that’s not just a statement. Tourists of all different perspectives have found a home in the narrow yet familiar streets of this country. If you are planning the trip for adventure, hiking, cruising, or to get a historical perspective, these itinerary for 7 days in Vietnam will help you achieve the goal. Let’s get you started with the exciting tour of Vietnam.

Day 1: Arrive at Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam and has some of the most famous attractions. You can get started with the tour after a power breakfast at any local food joint on the streets. Undoubtedly, the food in Vietnam must not be missed, they are packed with flavors, spices, and love from the local people.

Set the rest of the day to explore the beauty of this place by exploring popular markets, and historical street quarters on a rented bike. To utilize every minute of your day, make sure you get some rest or a power nap during the late afternoon in the hotel and head out after the sunset to explore the evening markets and nightlife of Vietnam. You will get to learn and experience a lot about Vietnam’s culture and traditions from engaging with people in the restaurants.

Shop in Old Quarter, Hanoi

Exploring Vietnam Streets by Bike

Day 2: Island, architecture, and shopping at Hanoi

Give it an early morning start with a delightful breakfast at the hotel you are at, and hit the road to explore the historical locations of the city. One of the key attractions in Hanoi is the UNESCO World Heritage Site – The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. You might not be able to take your attention off this masterpiece the entire morning.

To collect some memories of this place, you can also indulge in shopping at the ’36 Streets’. You will find mouth-watering food, coffee, food, silk, stuffed toys, and others to buy as a souvenir. However, we advise you to manage the time and get done with this place wisely to move ahead to another location for the rest of the day.

Visit Ha Long Bay via bus, and board a ship to enjoy the view of thousands of islets and limestone rock around the mountain bay. You can peacefully enjoy swimming, kayaking, spelunking, or visiting a pearl farm in that area.

Ancient Building of Hanoi

Ha Long Bay

Day 3: Trek through Ninh Binh

This day will mark the end of your visit to Hanoi. Have an early morning start and charge yourself for the incredible trip to Ninh Binh province after breakfast. Trang is a place in Ninh Binh that offers a great view of the unexplored caves, and stunning landscapes.

There are a lot of places to explore in this area of Vietnam, and exceptionally good food to savor on. To help you understand better, you can indulge in these things-

• Visit Tam Coc
• Eat at the snail restaurant
• Explore the Phat Diem Cathedral
• Check out the Van Long nature reserve
• Shop at Van Lan
• Check out the 15th century Bich Dong Pagoda

The list could go on. But you have to manage your time for other things as well. Get back at the hotel to recharge yourself for the next day.

Trek through Ninh Binh

Explore the Trang Caves, Ninh Binh

Day 4: Hoi An

There are a lot of transportation ways to reach Hoi An. You can go for a public bus, train or even a private car. Hoi An is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s filled with interesting activities to keep the visitors entertained. Some of the major attractions that tourists love doing are:

• Explore the place in a cycle tour
• Checking out the sunny beach
• Learning to make a dish or two
• Taking a look at the gardens and fields
• Discovering the street food
• Trying traditional Vietnam cuisines

These few things are always on top of the priority list when people visit Hoi An. If any time allows, you can spend it to your leisure and absorb the calming vibe of the place.

Ride in Hoi An

Relax on the Beach of Hoi An

Day 5: My Son Sanctuary

Accommodate a day trip from Hoi An to the neighboring place called My Son Sanctuary. You can explore this beautiful location that has a lot of Hindu temple and reflects a lot of details about the Cham civilization. This sanctuary is also known to be the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

The next location you can visit is the Hue. It’s an imperial city of Vietnam because of the Imperial Citadel, the mausoleum of Vietnamese emperors, Thien Mu Pagoda, and the Dong Ba Riverside market. This place has a very empowering effect due to its temples and religious places. You can prepare yourself for the next city by taking some rest.

My Son Sanctuary

Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue

Day 6: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City

You can take a flight to Ho Chi Ming City, also known as the Saigon. This city has a vibe that just can’t be missed; you must start your day right after you land if you don’t want to waste time. Here is a list of few places and things that you can enjoy in Ho Chi Minh City.

• Climb up the Bitexco Financial Tower
• Eating with the locals of the city
• Head underground and explore the cave
• Explore Ben Thanh - the biggest market in HCMC
• Indulge in an exotic spa
• Witness a puppet show
• Visit the War Remnants Museum to recharge history

These activities are the soul of HCMC. Tourists are highly attracted to this location due to its vibrant places to visit and friendly people to mingle around. You can make the most of these places with a little preplanning and budgeting, because this place has a lot of offer in terms of market and other famous destinations. Even though you will be in one of the cities in Vietnam that barely sleep, try to get some rest and recharge to spend the last day of your 7 days in Vietnam.

Market in Ho Chi Minh City

War Remnants Museum

Day 7: Mui Ne and Phan Thiet

On the eastern coast of Vietnam, you will be amazed to see these tiny fishing villages. These locations are around a 4-hour train journey from the HCMC. So, it is advised for you to get started as early as possible. You will find these beaches oozing with beauty and friendly people. Expect to see perfect sunsets, glittering beaches, delicious food, and picture-perfect scenery. Find out your choices of activities amongst:

• Taking a bike ride
• Checking out the white dunes
• Visiting the fish market
• Witnessing perfect sunset and sunrise
• Visiting the fairy spring
• Exploring the red dunes

Riverside of Mekong Delta in Mui Ne

Mekong Delta on Sunset

The list of things could go on because there is so much unexplored beauty in this place. However, this marks the end of your 7 days in Vietnam. Since every part of Vietnam is worth exploring, we tried to touch down all the three divisions of the country from North, Central, to the South of Vietnam. This 7-day itinerary will surely help you decide and categorize the places according to your taste.