How to plan the best Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks – Indochina Voyages

Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks, 3 weeks or just 10 days, which one is sufficient? This is always a question when you are thinking of visiting Vietnam. Should it be a trip just Vietnam or a combined one with a few days extension to the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia? How much does 2 weeks in Vietnam cost? When is the best time to go? etc. These concerns are quite understandable when you are a Vietnam first-timer and wishing to make the most out of it.

Things you should know before visiting Vietnam

With more than 3,000 kilometers of coastline, the country of Vietnam is stretched along the North to the South with two large deltas – Red River delta and Mekong delta by its ends. This geographic feature creates different climate zones and climate seasons. The North of Vietnam, which shares its North and Northwest border with China and Laos, have 4 distinctive seasons. While the South, which shares border with Cambodia and gulf of Thailand, inherits two separately wet and dry weather seasons.

Apparently, the long and narrow country enables Vietnam to have a diversified ethnics and minority groups, mostly stretching along its border and in the mountain areas. In the flat land, there are metropolises in the 3 main regions of the country from North, Central, South which are Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh city consecutively; where life exposing with its traditions, living habits and dynamically bustle daily activities.

So if you want to capture every sights and corners of the country, it’s impossible to do in a Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks but at least Vietnam itinerary 3 weeks or more should be required. Anyhow, if your time frame is just about this given time, you should work on some destination search readings and feel what you want from that wish list, then prioritize them from the time frame. Planning an affordable one, matching your time and not to miss any nice sightseeing Vietnam has to offer, is in fact, not a big deal. Don’t forget to focus on the below key points, you will better plan a trip exactly for you without doing too much hassle works.

Some advice to choose the best Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks

Be more specific about what type of traveler you are

After reading highlights of places to visit, see what you want to do, including your special interests, you might take some suggestions below:

If you are a type of traveler who counts experience of a country on the whole picture, let make it a bit of everything here and there. Let’s plan for some mountains, some downtown, see the main sights, go to some outdoor markets, take some home visits along the road, try some different eats both in local restaurant and from street sides. This route might work well with Hanoi (3 days) – Halong (2 days) – Sapa (2 days 3 nights by train) – Hue (2 days) – Hoi An (2 days) – Ho Chi Minh (2 days) – Mekong Delta (1 day).

If you are likely a beach breaker and wish to see Vietnam in a slow pace, looking for some leisure days and doing not too much of the sights, see if this version might work: Hanoi (2 days) – Halong Bay (2 days) – Hoi An (4 days) – Saigon & Mekong (2 days) – Phu Quoc Island (3 days).

What if you are after history, people and in love with cultural identity of the destination, consider a different two-week travel itinerary in Vietnam which perfectly fit for you as Hanoi (2 days) – Ha Giang (4 days) – Ninh Binh and Halong Bay (3 days) – Hue (2 days) – Hoi An (3 days).

What if I wish a bit more than just traveling to Vietnam in 2 weeks?

Some people who tend not to see one destination at a time but several. This is when after taking a long flight from the other side of the global, people just don’t want to waste that flight time and see just one place. It’s often the case when a lot of people from North America and the Europeans plan to see Vietnam in two weeks, including a short extension to either Luang Prabang in Laos or Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It means that you are going to squeeze your Vietnam program a bit and to save time for the extension. Southern Vietnam itinerary is worth to be put off in this case.

Now, see if this suggested itinerary will fit with the Ankor Wat lovers; Hanoi (2 days) – Ninh Binh & Halong Bay (3 days) – Hue (2 days) – Hoi An (3 days) – Siem Reap – Angkor Thom – Angkor Wat (4 days). The same itinerary will also work if you like the Laos extension for the last 4 days out of the Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks. It is totally doable this way as Danang International Airport is now serving direct flights both to these two cities – Luang Prabang and Siem Reap.

Extra points need to be noticed

Remember, after doing some reading for destination guides that are available on Travel Fish or Vietnam Highlights, you can feel exactly what you want and may be you can even work out a perfect itinerary based on some suggested hints above. Though travel by plane from North to the Central or from the Central to South takes only an hour, it takes more time to travel for sightseeing around a region as the roads are not that good to the western standard and with a slower speed limit. Let count this when you build up your travel itinerary to make sure the pace suits you. Another way is you can contact a reputable travel company in Vietnam and ask for bunch of questions. There will always be a travel consultant to be in charge taking care of you, to answer all you need to know and it’s totally free.

Weather makes any matter?

Like the wealth of its attractions in Vietnam that you can’t do all in 2 weeks trip, there will never be 100% perfect weather time to travel into this country. If you are very much keen on the sights of Hanoi, its nearby Red River delta and the northern mountains, the best time of year is from October to April, except a bit drizzle in early March.

Though May and June are not too bad but the heat might be concerning as climate often get up to 36 – 38 degree Celsius. Hoi An should be cautioned with the first 3 weeks of November as annual flood season while Phu Quoc will offer compliment raining and thunderstorm most of October. Knowing these facts, you will better planning your itinerary and to benefit from doing the good homework during your travel time.

Pricing wise

Is Vietnam the cheap travel destination?

No, it has never been cheap but cost of living and the daily life consuming is quite affordable and inexpensive. You can get a nice meal everywhere such as Vietnam street food from US$2 for instance a bowl of Pho, Bun Cha or a big loaf of Banh My. Anyhow, for services engaged in the inbound travel industry which requires business norms and standards internationally, it seems a bit higher than the local living cost.

Accommodation

A decent Airbnb homestay or 3-star hotel in pretty central location might range from US$35 – US$55, depending on its service quality and location that is convenient to other necessities; and US$55 – US$100 to a deluxe level of accommodation, equal to 4* hotel ratings and > US$100 for luxury choices. This expense is counted as the major part in your tour price package. It’s suggested to mix the range and type of accommodation for the 2 weeks Vietnam trip, just make sure you are doing it where and when wisely. For example, if you have a busy day with sightseeing in Hanoi, it’s better to book with a small & boutique 3* hotel in Hanoi Old quarter. But if you are at the leisure part of the trip in Phu Quoc, it should be in a pretty nice resort where a private beach would be a big plus.

Same thing goes with Halong Bay, which is often a lifetime experience on board a cruise in the middle of Tonkin Gulf. It’s highly recommended to hook up with a nice boat, generally from 4* rating up. This will make your trip not in the same tone in term of accommodation and to enjoy the best where it comes to the best and save big when you don’t really need to spend.

Other expenses

They are based on how you pick the tours to be privately served or group shared; where the cost involves with tour guide, vehicle used and some other built-in costs of a tour nature. Fondly, some of the day tours will be more interesting if you joined the group other than doing privately. Remember, you can always ask and have the travel consultant explained for you and to suggest you when you should make it a tailor tour join the group in your complete travel itinerary in 2 weeks.

For years in the industry, I have found out that if you travel privately with some mixture of 3-star & 4-star accommodation in a Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks, the cost is roughly at US$ 125 – 130/person per day and 2 weeks is about most sufficient. If you like a bit of everything and while gaining some cultural interactions for traveling to this country, Vietnam Cultural Highlights 14 days is a perfect Vietnam travel itinerary in 2 weeks in such a case. Let’s follow the above tips then check further from the booking guide and planning with our travel consultant for an irresistible Vietnam tours 2022 that you deserved.

Tim Lee – Travel Specialist