10 Days in Vietnam - Interesting Itinerary Ideas

By Kayla LE - October 18, 2023
10 Days in Vietnam - Interesting Itinerary Ideas

Visiting a new country in a short time is never easy, especially for a country with very different culture and nature between regions and rich world heritages like Vietnam. However, 10 days is quite enough time to give you a general look at the country. So what are the options to consider when planning 10 days in Vietnam? Normally they give you ideas to focus on 5-6 main destinations. Read our sharing to better understand what you can do.

 

1. Classic grand tour in Vietnam: travel through Vietnam in 10 days

Vietnam is a 1,750-kilometre-long country with three-quarters of its area covered by forests and highlands. Therefore, the country's climate varies so much throughout the country and creates great natural diversity from the North to the South of Vietnam, from karst mountains to the rain system with mangrove and melaleuca forests,... Because of this, the country offers so many beautiful landscapes to travellers.

Visiting all of Vietnam in 10 days is completely possible. That’s why you can find many vacation deals with this total time on the Internet. In this case, you have to maximise the time to visit the most famous landmarks of the country such as Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta.

In Vietnam, now we have these international airports:

  • Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh
  • Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi
  • Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong
  • Vinh Airport in Nghe An
  • Phu Bai Airport in Hue
  • Da Nang Airport in Da Nang
  • Airport Cam Ranh to Nha Trang
  • Airport Can Tho to Can Tho
  • Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ho Chi Minh City
  • Phu Quoc Airport to Phu Quoc Island

Among these airports, Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang International Airport in Da Nang, and Phu Quoc International Airport in Phu Quoc Island are the most popular choices because there are more airlines offer flights arriving and departing from these locations. Depending on the international flight deals you can find, the trip could start from the North or the South.

diep son island

We expect your flights to land at Noi Bai Airport and depart from Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh. A suggested program for you:

Day 01: Arrival by international flight in Hanoi.
Day 02: Visit the highlights of Vietnam’s capital: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Hanoi Old Quarter, Quan Thanh Temple, etc …
>> See more top attractions in Hanoi.    
Day 03: Hanoi - Halong Bay/ Bai Tu Long Bay/ Lan Ha Bay
Day 04: Gulf of Tonkin - Hanoi - Flight to Hue
Day 05: Visit the ancient capital of Vietnam: Forbidden Citadel, Mausoleums, Pagodas,...
>> See the best places to visit in Hue.   
Day 06: Transfer to Hoi An in the morning and spend the afternoon visiting Hoi An ancient town
Day 07: Flight in the morning to Ho Chi Minh city and an afternoon of sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh city: market, central post, war museum, reunification palace
Day 08: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
>> Mekong River Delta in Vietnam: Best things to see and do.
Day 09: Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh City departure

vietnam in 10 days map

With this program, you can have the first and last day free to be flexible with flights. You totally have 8 days of full sightseeing and as many as 2 days to recover, buy souvenirs, shopping,... The details of each day's program, you can reference here: From Hanoi to Saigon: The Best Highlights of Vietnam | Classic Tour - 11 Days.   

However, we believe that there are people who wish to take advantage of the time for sightseeing. In this case, you need to review international flights well with arrival in the morning of the first day and departure in the evening of the last day. Let's see example itinerary:

Day 01: Arrive in Hanoi in the morning and visit the Temple of Literature, Old Quarter,...
Day 02: Excursion to visit Ninh Binh, the former capital of Vietnam in the 10th century
>> See The top unmissable places in Ninh Binh.  
Day 03: Hanoi - Halong Bay/ Bai Tu Long Bay/ Lan Ha Bay
Day 04: Gulf of Tonkin - Hanoi - Flight to Hue
Day 05: Visit the ancient capital of Vietnam: Forbidden Citadel, Mausoleums, Pagodas,...
Day 06: Transfer to Hoi An in the morning and all afternoon devoted to visiting Hoi An
Day 07: Hoi An - Flight to Ho Chi Minh city - Visit Ho Chi Minh.
Day 08: Cu Chi tunnels and the temple of Caodaism
Day 09: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
Day 10: Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City - Departure

With this option, you can see more things on your 10-day trip to Vietnam.

2. Vietnam 10-day itinerary: a relaxing trip, less relocation

As mentioned in point 1, it is possible to organise a grand tour of Vietnam with the time available of 10 days. However, your trip will have a fairly fast pace. In case you are travelling with children or want to travel more leisurely without taking a flight after every 2-3 days, you had better consider visiting only 2 regions instead of 3 regions.

This can be a good idea if you want to take advantage of your precious time to visit some Vietnam destinations. You can make reference on the best time to go to Vietnam and weather for each month on this link.   

tu le rice terraces

2.1. 10 Days in North & South Vietnam

This trip is especially suitable for those who travel around November, December, and January when the rainy season hits Central Vietnam while the weather in North and South Vietnam is especially nice. In addition, this would be a good idea for those who want to discover other attractions in each region.

Let's see a sample itinerary:

Day 01: Arrival by international flight in Hanoi
Day 02: Visit highlights of the capital: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Old Quarter,...
Day 03: Excursion from Hanoi to Mai Chau, a mountainous region with peaceful villages
Day 04: From Mai Chau, head to Ninh Binh to visit Tam Coc, Bich Dong pagoda,...
Day 05: Hanoi - Halong Bay/ Bai Tu Long Bay/ Lan Ha Bay
Day 06: Gulf of Tonkin - Hanoi - Flight to Ho Chi Minh city
Day 07: Visit Cu Chi tunnels in the morning and Ho Chi Minh city in the afternoon: market, Central Post, War Museum, Reunification Palace
Day 08: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
Day 09: Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh departure

vietnam in 10 days map north south

If you also want to visit Sapa, you can make the reference on this itinerary.

Day 01: Arrival by international flight in Hanoi
Day 02: Sightseeings in the capital city: mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, Temple of Literature, old quarter,... Then take the overnight train to Lao Cai, Sapa
Day 03: If this day falls on Tuesday, Saturday or Sunday, in the morning you can visit an ethnic market before arriving in Sapa
Day 04: In the morning, visit Sapa and in the afternoon return to Hanoi.
Day 05: Hanoi - Halong Bay/ Bai Tu Long Bay/ Lan Ha Bay
Day 06: Gulf of Tonkin - Hanoi - Flight to Ho Chi Minh city
Day 07: Visit Cu Chi tunnel in the morning and Ho Chi Minh city in the afternoon: market, Central Post, War Museum, Reunification Palace
Day 08: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
Day 09: Mekong Delta - Ho Chi Minh City
Day 10: Ho Chi Minh departure

For those who want to visit the rice terraces in Sapa, we recommend visiting this itinerary between May and September.

2.2. 10 Days in North and Central Vietnam

North and Central Vietnam in 10 days is a nice combination for people who want to explore Vietnam's culture and heritages. The region is concentrated even more on UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The best time to visit North and Central Vietnam is from January to July.

Let's see an example program:

Day 01: Arrival by international flight in Hanoi
Day 02: Tour of the capital city: mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, Temple of Literature, old quarter,...
Day 03: Depart Hanoi for Mai Chau, a village in the mountains of northern Vietnam and visit Mai Chau in the afternoon
Day 04: From Mai Chau, head to Ninh Binh to visit Tam Coc, Bich Dong pagoda,…
Day 05: Hanoi - Halong Bay/ Bai Tu Long Bay/ Lan Ha Bay
Day 06: Gulf of Tonkin - Hanoi - Flight to Hue
Day 07: Visit Hue, ancient capital of Vietnam: forbidden citadel, mausoleums, pagodas,...
Day 08: Depart for the Golden Bridge in Da Nang, then arrive in Hoi An in the late afternoon
Day 09: Visit Hoi An and its surrounding villages
Day 10: Transfer to Da Nang International Airport for departure

>> More options for tour in Hoi An. 

vietnam in 10 days map north central

In case you do not want to take a domestic flight on the tour, then this is the proposal for you.

Day 01: Arrival by international flight in Hanoi.
Day 02: Sightseeing in the capital city: mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, Temple of Literature, old quarter,... Then take the overnight train to Lao Cai, Sapa.
Day 03: If this day falls on Tuesday, Saturday or Sunday, in the morning you can visit an ethnic market before arriving in Sapa.
Day 04: In the morning, visit Sapa and in the afternoon return to Hanoi.
Day 05: Hanoi - Halong Bay/ Bai Tu Long Bay/ Lan Ha Bay
Day 06: Gulf of Tonkin - Hanoi - overnight train to Quang Binh
Day 07: Visit Phong Nha cave and Thien Duong cave, Mooc creek in Quang Binh
Day 08: Depart for Hue and visit the former capital of Vietnam in the afternoon: Thien Mu pagoda, imperial citadel.
Day 09: Transfer to Hoi An for sightseeing, on the way also pay a visit to the mausoleum of a King of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam.
Day 10: Visit villages in the vicinity of Hoi An and depart from Da Nang

>> See more suggestions for travel to North and Central Vietnam.

2.3. 10 Days in South and Central Vietnam

If you want to visit South and Central Vietnam in 10 days, you can consider the arrival flight to Da Nang and departure from Tan Son Nhat airport. The central and southern part of Vietnam is totally a getaway in the period from January to April for those who want to stay in a pleasant warm to tropical environment.

A recommended routes:

Day 01: Arrival by international flight in Da Nang.
Day 02: Visit Hoi An and its surrounding villages.
Day 03: Excursion to the world heritage site My Son
Day 04: From Hoi An, transfer to Hue and on the way visit the Golden Bridge
Day 05: Visit Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam: forbidden citadel, mausoleums, pagodas,...
Day 06: Take a flight from Hue to Ho Chi Minh City in the morning and all afternoon visit the city.
Day 07: Visit the underground system of Cu Chi and the temple of Caodaism in Tay Ninh
Day 08: Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta
Day 09: Return to Ho Chi Minh City from the Mekong Delta
Day 10: Departure from Tan Son Nhat airport

>> See each day activities in details here: Southern and Central Highlights | Classic Tour.  

3. Vacation in Vietnam: a true 10-day adventure in one region, why not?

And in case you want to spend all your time in one region to make the most of what that part of Vietnam can offer, we give you some suggestions.

sa dec mekong river

3.1. Discover Northern Vietnam in 10 Days

There are so many things to see at North Vietnam: a vast area with majestic mountains on the karst plateau, Babe - the largest natural lake in Vietnam in the top 20 most beautiful lakes in the world, eye-catching rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai, cities rich in culture and history, the wonderful Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, traditional villages of many different ethnic groups,...

So in 10 days what can you do? It is difficult to visit all beauty of North Vietnam of 10 days, in this case, Izitour gives you 2 most favourite options:

A tour in the Northwest Mountains:

Day 01: Hanoi arrival
Day 02: Hanoi sightseeing
Day 03: Hanoi - Nghia Lo
Day 04: Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai
Day 05: Mu Cang Chai
Day 06: Mu Cang Chai - Sapa
Day 07: Sapa - Bac Ha - Hanoi
Day 08: Hanoi - Halong Bay
Day 09: Halong Bay - Hanoi
Day 10: Hanoi departure

vietnam in 10 days map north

This itinerary will be perfect for the period from April till end of September.

A tour in the Northeast Mountains:

Day 01: Hanoi arrival
Day 02: Hanoi sightseeing
Day 03: Hanoi - Ha Giang
Day 04: Ha Giang - Dong Van
Day 05: Dong Van - Bao Lac
Day 06: Bao Lac - Ba Be
Day 07: Ba Be - Hanoi
Day 08: Hanoi - Halong Bay
Day 09: Halong Bay- Hanoi
Day 10: Hanoi departure

>> Discover other recommended itineraries for the Northern part of Vietnam here. 

3.2. Holiday to Central Vietnam in 10 Days

The central part of Vietnam includes so many UNESCO cultural and natural heritages, including the imperial city of Hue, My Son Shrine, ancient citadel of Hoi An, Phong Nha National Park that includes a line of caves and mysterious landscapes. For those who love history and nature, devoting all 10 days for the central part of Vietnam is a good idea.

An example for reference:

Day 01. Danang arrival
Day 02. Visit Da Nang city and transfer to Hoi An in the late afternoon
Day 03. Visit Hoi An and surrounding villages
Day 04. Visit the shrine of My Son
Day 05. Depart for Hue from Hoi An and visit the Golden Bridge
Day 06. Visit Hue: the historical and natural sites
Day 07. From Hue, departing for Phong Nha, on the way visit historical relics of the Vietnam War: Vinh Moc tunnel, Ben Hai River
Day 08. Visit the caves of Phong Nha
Day 09. Train from Phong Nha to Da Nang, then free time
Day 10. Da Nang departure

vietnam in 10 days map central

>> See more popular itineraries for your stay in Central Vietnam.   

The Central Highlands of Vietnam might be a good idea if you want to spend more time in the area.

>> Get some ideas for Central Highlands from HERE

3.3. Journey to Southern Vietnam in 10 Days

The southern part of Vietnam is most famous for its heavenly beaches with long white sand. Then it also includes the Mekong Delta, rich in life and culture. If you are looking to live in a warm environment where you can receive pampering from the generosity of the locals and the landscapes of life, we recommend devoting 10 full days to South Vietnam.

See an example here:

Day 01. Arrival in Ho Chi Minh city
Day 02. Full day discovering Ho Chi Minh city
Day 03. From Ho Chi Minh City, depart for Mekong Delta, first stop could be Ben Tre or Cai Be and late afternoon arrive in Can Tho
Day 04. Visit the floating markets and the city of Can Tho, then go to Chau Doc
Day 05. Visit Chau Doc with melaleuca forest, Mount Sam then return to Ho Chi Minh city
Day 06. Visit the Cu Chi tunnel and the temple of Caodaism in Tay Ninh
Day 07. Depart for Mui Ne, on arrival visit the sand dunes
Day 08. Day trip to Ninh Chu to visit grape garden, sheep farming and Bau Truc terracotta village
Day 09. Mui Ne - Ho Chi Minh city
Day 10. Ho Chi Minh city departure

vietnam in 10 days map south

Vietnam is indeed a country that will give you many options to visit and see. In this article, with various 10-day options, we hope you will have many ideas for your 10 days in Vietnam. To get further advices based on your travel styles, why not contacting local travel experts or send your information to sm@izitour.com. Happy travelling!


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