Trip highlights
- 1Overnight cruise through Ha Long Bay's limestone karsts with sea-kayaking
- 2Obama's bún chả lunch at Bún Chả Hương Liên, Hanoi
- 3Hoi An Ancient Town by lantern light at dusk
- 4My Son Sanctuary Cham ruins at dawn before the tour buses
- 5Vietnamese cooking class and market tour in Hoi An
Daily spend
Want this for your exact dates?
Live hotel prices, real-time flights, and weather for when you're going.
Been before? Re-book the same trip instantly with current prices.
Day-by-day plan
Arrival in Hanoi & Old Quarter Initiation
Monday, November 1
Est. spend
$55
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport
Noi Bai International Airport, Phu Minh, Soc Son, Hanoi
Land at Noi Bai and clear immigration — queues move quickly outside peak hours. Grab a pre-paid taxi voucher from the official desk inside arrivals (never from touts outside). The drive into central Hanoi takes 35–45 minutes depending on traffic. Check into your hotel in the Old Quarter, ideally within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Buy a Viettel SIM card at the airport arrivals hall for around $5 — unlimited data for 30 days and essential for Grab rides throughout Vietnam.
Hoan Kiem Lake Morning Walk
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Drop your bags and head straight to Hoan Kiem Lake — the beating heart of Hanoi. Early morning is when locals do Tai Chi, badminton, and aerobics along the shoreline, and the light on the water is soft and photogenic. Cross the iconic red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple on a small island in the lake. The temple houses a preserved giant turtle, sacred in Vietnamese legend.
The lake is at its most atmospheric between 6am and 8am. Come back at dusk on a Friday or weekend when the surrounding streets close to traffic and become a pedestrian festival.
☀️ Afternoon
Old Quarter Walking Tour
Hang Dao Street, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
The 36 ancient guild streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter each historically sold one category of goods — Hang Bac for silver, Hang Gai for silk, Hang Ma for paper goods. Wander without agenda: duck into courtyards, watch craftsmen at work, and stop at the ancient communal house on Hang Buom. The sensory overload of motorbikes, incense, and street food vendors is genuinely one of Southeast Asia's most immersive urban experiences.
Wear comfortable shoes with grip — pavements are uneven and motorbikes use them freely. Look up as you walk: the tube houses often have beautiful French colonial facades four storeys above the ground-floor shops.
Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)
58 Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Vietnam's first national university, founded in 1070, is a beautifully preserved complex of five courtyards dedicated to Confucius. The 82 stone stelae listing the names of doctoral graduates from 1484–1779 are UNESCO-recognised. Visit the great hall, the Well of Heavenly Clarity reflecting pool, and the serene gardens. Allow 90 minutes to do it justice — it is far larger than it appears from the entrance gate.
Enter from the Quoc Tu Giam gate, not the Van Mieu gate — fewer crowds and better first views of the courtyards.
🌙 Evening
Bia Hoi Corner (Beer Corner)
Corner of Luong Ngoc Quyen & Ta Hien, Old Quarter, Hanoi
Pull up a plastic stool at the most famous street corner in Hanoi — the junction of Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien streets. Bia hoi is fresh-brewed draft beer served ice-cold for about 25 cents a glass. Order a round, watch the organised chaos of the Old Quarter at night, and graze on skewers and nem cuon (fresh spring rolls) from surrounding vendors. This is Hanoi at its most democratic and alive.
Arrive by 7pm — by 9pm the plastic stools are stacked three deep. The bia hoi nearest the corner junction (no name, just a painted blue stall) is the original and coldest.
🍽️ Meals
Pho Gia Truyen
Vietnamese · $3 · Legendary pho bo (beef noodle soup) at 49 Bat Dan — open from 6am, queue outside and you'll be seated within 10 minutes. The broth has been simmering for 24 hours. Order without hesitation.
Banh Mi 25
Vietnamese · $2 · Best banh mi in the Old Quarter at 25 Hang Ca. Pork pate, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs — one sandwich costs about $1.50 and is genuinely revelatory.
Bia Hoi Corner vendors
Vietnamese street food · $8 · Graze on nem cuon, grilled pork skewers, and corn on the cob from surrounding street vendors while drinking bia hoi.
Hanoi Deep Dive: Food, History & Ho Chi Minh
Tuesday, November 2
Est. spend
$80
per person
🌅 Morning
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
2 Hung Vuong, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
The mausoleum housing Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body is a solemn and genuinely moving experience — the queue moves quickly and the guards are extremely strict about dress code (no shorts, no sleeveless tops, absolute silence). Combine it with the nearby Presidential Palace gardens, the stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived simply by choice, and the One Pillar Pagoda — all within a five-minute walk of each other. The whole complex takes about two hours.
The mausoleum is closed on Mondays, Fridays, and for two months annually (Sep-Oct) for maintenance. Check dates before visiting. Arrive before 9am to avoid long queues.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Nguyen Van Huyen Road, Cau Giay District, Hanoi
One of Southeast Asia's finest ethnographic museums, covering all 54 of Vietnam's ethnic groups with extraordinary artefacts, reconstructed minority villages in the outdoor grounds, and beautifully curated indoor galleries. Allow two hours minimum — the outdoor section with full-scale minority house reconstructions is the highlight and often overlooked by visitors who only do the indoor gallery.
Take a Grab from the Old Quarter — about 15 minutes and $2. The museum café does decent Vietnamese coffee and the gift shop sells genuinely high-quality minority textiles at fair prices.
☀️ Afternoon
Bún Chả Hương Liên — Obama's Lunch
24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
In 2016, Barack Obama sat with Anthony Bourdain at a plastic table on the ground floor of this legendary restaurant and ate bún chả (grilled pork patties in broth with cold vermicelli noodles) for less than $6. The table and photo are preserved. The food is exactly as good as the fame suggests — the smoky chargrilled pork, the fragrant broth with fish sauce and sugar, the fresh herbs. Order the full set plus nem cuon.
The ground floor is where Obama sat — the upper floors are just as good but miss the atmosphere. Arrive at noon when the charcoal smoke is rising and the pork is at its best.
Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)
1 Hoa Lo, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Originally built by the French to imprison Vietnamese revolutionaries, later used to hold American POWs including John McCain. The museum presents both histories with candour — the French colonial torture chambers are harrowing; the American POW exhibits are more politically curated but still historically significant. The original guillotine is displayed. Budget 90 minutes and don't rush through the French-era sections.
Read the bilingual signage carefully — the Vietnamese and English versions sometimes tell subtly different stories, which is itself a lesson in perspective.
🌙 Evening
Water Puppet Show at Thang Long Theatre
57B Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Vietnam's ancient art form of water puppetry originated in the Red River Delta paddy fields — puppeteers stand waist-deep behind a bamboo screen and manipulate carved wooden figures across the water's surface with submerged rods. The 50-minute show at Thang Long covers rice farming, dragon dances, and folk legends, with live traditional music. It sounds touristy and absolutely is — also genuinely magical.
Book tickets online in advance (thenlongwaterpuppet.org) — the 8pm show sells out. Front rows get light spray from the water. Rows 5-8 are the sweet spot for viewing angle.
🍽️ Meals
Pho Thin
Vietnamese · $3 · Pho bo at 13 Lo Duc — stir-fried beef before adding to broth, a northern Hanoi style that results in deeper umami. Locals queue at 7am.
Bún Chả Hương Liên
Vietnamese · $6 · The Obama bún chả experience — see activity description above.
Cha Ca La Vong
Vietnamese · $15 · The original cha ca restaurant — one dish only: turmeric-marinated fish fried at the table with dill and spring onions. Operating since 1871 at 14 Cha Ca Street. Order the full set with rice noodles and shrimp paste sauce.
Ha Long Bay — Embark & First Night on the Water
Wednesday, November 3
Est. spend
$180
per person
🌅 Morning
Transfer Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay International Passenger Port, Tuan Chau, Ha Long
Your cruise operator will arrange a shuttle bus from the Old Quarter — typically departing 7:30–8am and taking 3.5–4 hours to reach Ha Long City pier. The road journey passes through the Red River Delta flatlands and rice paddies. Use the time to recharge before the bay's sensory intensity hits you. Arrive at the pier for noon embarkation.
Book a quality mid-range cruise (Indochina Junk, Paradise, or Bhaya brands) at least 2 weeks ahead. Avoid the cheapest boats — Ha Long Bay genuinely rewards spending an extra $30 per person per night on a better vessel.
Cruise Embarkation & Welcome Lunch
Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
Board your junk boat at noon, receive a welcome briefing, and settle into your cabin. Lunch is served as the boat sails out of the harbour into the bay. The moment the limestone karsts appear on all sides and the harbour noise fades behind you is one of those travel moments that stops conversation. Sit on the sun deck with a cold Saigon beer and simply absorb it.
The sun deck is the best seat on the boat for the first hour of sailing. Bring sunscreen — the reflection off the water is intense even in November.
☀️ Afternoon
Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave Exploration
Sung Sot Cave, Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh
Ha Long Bay's largest and most impressive cave system — two enormous chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites, illuminated with coloured lights that either enhance or overwhelm depending on your tolerance for theatrics. The first chamber is cathedral-sized; the second opens unexpectedly larger still (hence 'Surprise'). The short hike to the cave entrance rewards with panoramic bay views. Budget 90 minutes including the boat tender transfer.
The cave is busiest between 1–3pm. If your cruise schedule is flexible, ask to swap the morning and afternoon activities so you visit when tour day-boats have gone.
Sea Kayaking Through Karst Lagoons
Ha Long Bay karst lagoons, Quang Ninh Province
The afternoon's highlight: paddle a two-person kayak through narrow passages between limestone cliffs into hidden lagoons inaccessible to the main boat. The silence inside these enclosed lagoons — only water sounds and occasional monkey calls — is extraordinary. Most cruise itineraries include 1.5–2 hours of kayaking. Paddle slowly, look up at the cliff faces, and if conditions allow, paddle through the low arch into Luon Cave's enclosed lagoon.
Dry bags are provided but take nothing electronic in the kayak. The paddle grips are often slippery — wrap your hands. Steer into the cliff shadows to find the turquoise water colour at its most vivid.
🌙 Evening
Sunset on the Sun Deck & Cooking Class
Ha Long Bay overnight anchorage
As the boat anchors in a quiet cove for the night, the sun sets behind the karsts in slow motion. Most quality cruises offer a squid-fishing session at dusk — drop a baited line over the side and within 20 minutes you'll have dinner. The evening cooking demonstration typically covers fresh spring roll assembly and Vietnamese salad dressing technique. Then dinner is served on deck under the stars.
The squid-fishing lines are provided. If nothing bites after 30 minutes, the galley cooks have already sourced squid for dinner — the fishing is about the experience, not the catch.
🍽️ Meals
On-board cruise meals
Vietnamese / International · $0 · All meals included in cruise price — typically very good quality fresh seafood: whole grilled fish, steamed clams, prawn spring rolls, and daily soup.
On-board lunch
Vietnamese seafood · $0 · Lunch served underway as the boat leaves port — usually the best meal of the cruise with the freshest catch.
On-board dinner on deck
Vietnamese seafood · $0 · Dinner under stars in the anchored cove. Bring a light jacket — Ha Long Bay evenings cool significantly after sunset.
Ha Long Bay — Sunrise, Tai Chi & Disembark to Hoi An
Thursday, November 4
Est. spend
$140
per person
🌅 Morning
Sunrise Tai Chi on Deck
Ha Long Bay overnight anchorage, Quang Ninh Province
Set an alarm for 5:45am — the sun rises over the karsts between 6 and 6:30am in November. Most cruise boats offer a Tai Chi session on the sun deck at dawn, usually 20–30 minutes. Whether you participate or simply sit with coffee and watch the light change from grey to gold to pink across the limestone towers is your choice. This is the moment most Ha Long Bay visitors cite as the trip's emotional peak.
The light is best in the 20 minutes immediately after sunrise, not during. Stay on deck for the full hour and watch fishing boats emerge from the mist between the karsts.
Return Sail & Disembark
Da Nang International Airport → Hoi An Ancient Town
After breakfast the boat sails back to Ha Long pier, arriving around 11am. Collect your bags, board the return shuttle bus to Hanoi's Noi Bai airport, and take your domestic flight to Da Nang. The flight is 1h15m and costs $30–50 booked in advance. From Da Nang airport, a taxi or Grab to Hoi An takes 45 minutes.
Book the Da Nang flight when booking the cruise — VietJet and Bamboo Airways both serve this route. Do not book a flight before 2pm from Da Nang to allow for the shuttle bus transfer timing.
☀️ Afternoon
Hoi An Ancient Town First Walk
Tran Phu Street, Ancient Town, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province
Check into your hotel and walk the length of Tran Phu Street — the spine of the Ancient Town — in the early afternoon before the crowds build. The Japanese Covered Bridge is the most photographed spot in Hoi An and most beautiful in afternoon light. Explore the narrow lanes between Tran Phu and the Thu Bon River: old merchant houses with courtyards, Chinese assembly halls with incense smoke curling toward the ceiling, and textile shops.
Buy a 5-ticket pass ($6) from the Ancient Town ticket office at the entrance — it covers five heritage sites of your choice from a list of 22. The Japanese Bridge, Tan Ky Old House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, and two more are the best combination.
Hoi An Market and White Rose Restaurant
White Rose Restaurant, 533 Hai Ba Trung, Hoi An
Hoi An Central Market sits on the Thu Bon River and is at its best in the mid-afternoon when vendors are restocking for the evening rush. Walk through the seafood, produce, and spice sections before lunch. Then walk to White Rose Restaurant — a family business that has been making banh bao vac (white rose dumplings) for generations. The dumplings are semi-transparent rice paper pouches filled with shrimp, served with crispy shallots and a sweet chilli sauce. Order two servings minimum.
White Rose is a family-owned recipe and the dumplings are only made fresh here and nowhere else in the world — the family supplies some other restaurants but never the recipe. This is the source.
🌙 Evening
Hoi An by Lantern Light
Nguyen Hoang Street riverside, Hoi An Ancient Town
After dark, the Ancient Town transforms completely. The electric streetlights go off in the heritage core and hundreds of silk lanterns in red, yellow, and orange cast warm light across the tiled rooftops and the river's surface. On the 14th and 15th of each lunar month (Full Moon Festival) boats with candles float on the Thu Bon River. Buy a small floating candle lantern ($1) from riverside vendors and release it onto the water.
Walk away from the Japanese Bridge crowd and find the quieter stretch of riverside near the Cam Nam Bridge — same lanterns, half the people, better photographs.
🍽️ Meals
On-board cruise breakfast
Vietnamese / International · $0 · Final cruise breakfast before disembark — eat well, it's a long travel day.
White Rose Restaurant
Vietnamese · $8 · White rose dumplings and cao lau noodles (unique to Hoi An — made with ash water from local wells). See activity description.
Morning Glory Restaurant
Vietnamese · $18 · Chef Trinh Diem Vy's flagship restaurant at 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc — Vietnamese street food presented with skill and sourced from her own organic garden. The white rose and banh xeo here are exceptional.
Hoi An — Cooking Class, Tailors & Ancient Town
Friday, November 5
Est. spend
$160
per person
🌅 Morning
Hoi An Market Tour & Cooking Class
Red Bridge Cooking School, Thon 4, Cam Thanh, Hoi An
The best cooking classes in Vietnam start at Hoi An's central market at 7:30am, where the instructor guides you through ingredient selection — explaining which herbs neutralise fishiness, how to choose fresh turmeric root, and why Hoi An cao lau noodles require water from a specific local well. Back at the school kitchen, you cook a four-dish menu: fresh spring rolls, white rose dumplings, cao lau noodles, and banh xeo (sizzling crepes). Red Bridge Cooking School and Morning Glory Cooking School are both excellent.
Red Bridge School is a 4km boat ride down the Thu Bon River — included in the class price and itself a beautiful journey through mangrove channels. Book directly at least 2 days ahead.
☀️ Afternoon
Hoi An Tailor — Fitting Session
Yaly Couture, 47 Tran Phu Street, Hoi An Ancient Town
Hoi An has over 400 tailors and the best can produce bespoke garments in 24 hours. For quality: Yaly Couture on Tran Phu Street and A Dong Silk on Le Loi are the two most consistently recommended for construction quality and honest timelines. Bring reference photos if you have a specific style in mind. Order on Day 5 and collect on Day 6 morning — budget $60–120 per item for well-made garments.
Be specific about measurements and bring a well-fitting garment from home as a template if possible. Ask to see samples of their previous work before committing. Avoid any tailor that promises same-day delivery — quality work takes 24 hours minimum.
Phuc Kien (Fujian) Assembly Hall
46 Tran Phu Street, Hoi An Ancient Town
The most ornate of Hoi An's five Chinese assembly halls, built in 1697 by Fujian traders and dedicated to Thien Hau, the Goddess of the Sea. The interior is dense with red lacquer altars, hanging spiral incense coils, and carved wood screens. Resident fortune tellers work in one corner. The main altar's jade and lacquer craftsmanship is exceptional. This is the one assembly hall that genuinely rewards slow looking.
Incense is sold at the entrance — buying a coil and making an offering is welcomed regardless of religious affiliation. The smoke photographs beautifully in the shafts of light from the roof vents.
🌙 Evening
Bicycle Ride Through Rice Paddies at Sunset
Tra Que Vegetable Village, Cam Ha, Hoi An
Hire bicycles from your hotel ($2/day) and ride 5km out of town along the paddy lanes toward the village of Tra Que — a vegetable-farming village that supplies Hoi An's restaurants with herbs and greens. The lanes run through bright green rice fields with water buffalo and farmer silhouettes against the evening sky. Reach Tra Que village, walk through the plots with permission, then ride back into town in the dark (the lanes are lit).
Set off no later than 4:30pm to catch the golden hour over the paddies. The lane is flat, traffic-free, and genuinely beautiful.
🍽️ Meals
Cooking class meal
Vietnamese · $0 · You eat what you cook at Red Bridge — the set menu you've prepared becomes your lunch. This is consistently one of the best meals of the trip.
Banh Mi Phuong
Vietnamese · $2 · Anthony Bourdain's favourite banh mi — 2B Phan Chau Trinh, open from 6:30am. The filling combinations here are more generous and more complex than anywhere else.
Nu Eatery
Vietnamese modern · $20 · 7 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai — small, chef-owned, modern Vietnamese food with excellent natural wine list. Book ahead. The tomato, tamarind and fish sauce noodle broth is outstanding.
My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An Final Day
Saturday, November 6
Est. spend
$120
per person
🌅 Morning
My Son Sanctuary at Dawn
My Son Sanctuary, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province (45km from Hoi An)
Hire a motorbike taxi or join a small-group tour ($15) departing at 6am to reach My Son before the tour buses arrive. This UNESCO-listed Cham temple complex was the religious capital of the Champa Kingdom from the 4th–13th centuries — over 70 Hindu brick towers deep in a jungle valley surrounded by mountains. The towers that survived B-52 bombing during the Vietnam War are astonishing: intricate carved sandstone of Shiva, dancing apsaras, and Sanskrit inscriptions. Early morning brings mist through the valley and total quiet.
Group B and C towers are the best-preserved and most photogenic. Arrive before 8am — the difference in crowd density between 7am and 9am is dramatic. Bring insect repellent.
☀️ Afternoon
Collect Tailored Clothes & Final Market Shopping
Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam Province
Return to your tailor for final fitting and collection. Allow 30 minutes for minor adjustments — good tailors expect this and will have a seamstress ready. Then do one last walk through the Ancient Town for souvenirs: lacquerware from Hoi An Handmade Factory, hand-embroidered linen from the shops on Le Loi, and ceramics from the Thanh Ha pottery village 3km from town (accessible by bicycle).
Ceramics from Thanh Ha village are significantly cheaper and more authentic than the Ancient Town shops — ride out if you want serious ceramic pieces.
An Bang Beach Afternoon
An Bang Beach, Cam An, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province
An Bang Beach is 5km from Hoi An Ancient Town — 20 minutes by bicycle along a pleasant country road. The beach is wide, clean, and much quieter than Da Nang's tourist strip. Rent a sunbed and umbrella from one of the beach restaurants ($2–3), order a cold drink, and do absolutely nothing for two hours. The South China Sea is warm in November and safe for swimming.
Soul Kitchen Beach Club at the north end of An Bang has excellent cocktails and the best sunbed positions. Avoid the stretch directly in front of the main restaurant strip — it gets crowded with rental deck chair touts.
🌙 Evening
Final Hoi An Farewell Dinner
Nguyen Hoang riverside restaurants, Hoi An Ancient Town
Return to the Ancient Town for a final evening meal on the Thu Bon River. The stretch of riverside restaurants near the Night Market bridge offer plastic table dining with river views and cold beer — order the whole grilled fish (ca hap), morning glory in garlic, and white clams with lemongrass. Simple, fresh, and one of the cheapest good meals in Southeast Asia.
The best riverside tables are on the upper decks of the stilted restaurants overhanging the water. Arrive by 6:30pm to secure one before the sunset crowd fills them.
🍽️ Meals
Banh Mi Phuong
Vietnamese · $2 · A second visit is mandatory before leaving Hoi An.
Com Ga Ba Buoi
Vietnamese · $5 · 22 Phan Chau Trinh — the definitive com ga (Hoi An chicken rice). Poached free-range chicken on tumeric-yellow rice with herbs, chilli sauce and ginger dipping sauce. Queue is always out the door; moves fast.
Thu Bon riverside restaurants
Vietnamese seafood · $18 · Whole grilled fish, clams, morning glory, cold beer. River-view dining at its most unpretentious.
Departure Day — Final Pho & Homeward
Sunday, November 7
Est. spend
$40
per person
🌅 Morning
Final Vietnamese Breakfast
Hoi An Old Town area
Wake early for one last Vietnamese breakfast before departing. Walk to the nearest pho stall or banh mi cart and eat standing up — this is how Hoi An residents start every morning. Pack your bags, check your tailor's packaging is correct, and arrange a Grab taxi to Da Nang airport with enough time for a 90-minute pre-flight buffer.
Check all tailored items against your original order receipt before leaving the hotel. Alterations or replacements are impossible once you're at the airport.
Transfer to Da Nang Airport
Da Nang International Airport, Hai Chau District, Da Nang
The ride from Hoi An to Da Nang International Airport takes 45 minutes by taxi or Grab. Da Nang is a modern airport with good facilities — check in two hours before international departure. Several direct and one-stop connections exist from Da Nang to major Asian hubs including Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong.
Da Nang airport has a reasonable food hall past security. Buy one final bag of Hoi An's excellent roasted coffee (Yaly Coffee or any roastery in the Ancient Town) to take home.
☀️ Afternoon
Depart Vietnam
Da Nang International Airport
Board your departing flight. Reflect on seven days that moved from Hanoi's chaos to Ha Long's silence to Hoi An's golden lanterns. Vietnam rewards slow travel and curiosity in equal measure.
🍽️ Meals
Final street breakfast
Vietnamese · $4 · Pho, banh mi, or bun bo Hue from the nearest open stall. Eat outside one last time.
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
November to April — dry season for northern and central Vietnam. October brings the best light; December and January are coolest and driest.
🛂 Visas
Citizens of 13 countries receive visa-free entry for 45 days, including citizens of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and most EU nations. Citizens of the US, Australia, and Canada require an e-visa (apply at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, ~$25, processed in 3 business days). Always check current visa rules 2 weeks before departure as Vietnamese visa policy changes frequently.
💱 Currency
Vietnamese Dong (VND). 1 USD ≈ 25,000 VND. ATMs are widely available in cities; withdraw large amounts (5–10 million VND) to minimise fees. Never exchange money at airports or hotels — find a licensed exchange or use a Wise card. Most restaurants and markets are cash only; hotels and mid-range restaurants accept cards.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 113
ambulance: 115
fire: 114
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Download Grab before arriving — it works for bikes, cars, and food delivery across all three cities on this itinerary
- Always negotiate motorbike taxi fares before getting on; Grab bike is easier and fairer priced
- In Hoi An Ancient Town, the entrance ticket system is enforced at major sites — keep your 5-ticket pass with you
- Bargaining is expected in markets but not in restaurants — never bargain at food stalls, only at souvenir shops
One thing worth not skipping
A 7-day trip to Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & Hoi An, Vietnam without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
Comprehensive cover for 150+ adventure activities, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Recommended for most travellers.
Subscription-based travel medical insurance. Best for longer trips, digital nomads, or frequent travellers. Renews weekly or monthly.
Tripzeeker earns a small commission when you purchase — at no extra cost to you.
Was this useful?
Your rating helps us improve and tells other travellers what to trust.
How useful was this itinerary?
You might also like
More trips like Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & Hoi An, Vietnam in your inbox
Weekly hand-crafted itineraries, hidden gems, and travel tips. Unsubscribe anytime.