Authentic Itinerary to Vietnam in 15 Days

Vietnam is now becoming a fascinating tourist destination for both those looking to see the sights, and those who want to not only travel but also live in a different culture. Many travellers are seeking non-touristy destinations. What are things to see and do to have such a trip? Let's discover an off-the-beaten-path itinerary to Vietnam in 15 Days with Izitour.

>> Book 15-day Trip to Vietnam

1. Why discover Vietnam in 15 days?

Single entry Vietnam visa exemption policy is applied for up to 22 nationalities, of which United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Russia, Belarus, Japan, South Korea are granted 15-day visa exemption. So why not make use of your 15 days to explore Vietnam?

>> See more information about the Vietnam Visa: All you need to know about the Vietnam Tourist Visa

Is 15 days in Vietnam enough?

In 15 days, you can see so many things of Vietnam to get a general look of the country. However, for all of Vietnam, there are many more things to see. For this reason, our team has listed about more than 1000 itineraries and excursions for you to discover so that you can add more excursions when you want to extend your journey.

2. Recommended authentic 15 days in Vietnam itinerary

• Day 01: Arrival Day - Arrive in Hanoi

Arriving in Hanoi on the first day after many hours of travel, you can get your visa waiver stamp right away at the exit by presenting your valid 6-month passport and a few blank pages. If you rely on a local travel agent, you will be greeted by their staff and be supported to exchange money, buy a SIM card.

If you arrive with a morning flight, you can walk around in the afternoon and taste the local street food.

• Day 02: The day to discover the real Hanoi

Early in the morning, get up early around 05.00 to see the real life in Hanoi when all tourists are still sleeping if you choose a hotel in the centre of Hanoi. There are many people around to do exercises, Taichi. Those classes seem to be open for everyone to join. Then, you can go toward Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to attend the Flag Raising Ceremony or the local market. After this outing, you can continue your day with the must-see sites in Hanoi such as the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Temple of Literature.

The afternoon is the ideal time to visit the Old Quarter, during the walk, you may want to stop at Bach Ma temple, Cantonese Assembly Hall at Hang Buom street, ancient house in Ma May, Kim Ngan temple in Hang Bac street to be able to experience the most of Hanoi life.

Bach Ma Temple

• Day 03: A night in Mai Hich, Northwest Vietnam.

If you have already read about Vietnam, you can see that Mai Chau is a fascinating destination for all tourists. Mai Hich is right in the Mai Chau area but is further away so it is not touched by mass tourism yet. Here you can take the bamboo raft trip and spend a night at the locals' home. The ethnic Thai cuisine in Mai Chau is really a treasure that we highly recommend.

>>> Discover other places in Vietnam with outstanding cuisine in the article: 7 Great Places to Visit in Vietnam for Foodies

• Day 04: Pu Luong Nature Reserve

After stopping in Mai Hich to learn about ethnic Thai people’s lives, you can depart to Pu Luong in Thanh Hoa province. Being a nature reserve, Pu Luong is really a great place for a true escape from bustling urban life. Here you can see terraced rice fields and meet ethnic groups.

>> See more about the difference between Sapa and Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Hieu waterfall in Pu Luong

• Day 05: Is Ninh Binh too touristy? 

Ninh Binh is the first capital of the Vietnamese monarchy so it is certainly famous. The place is also where they filmed the Hollywood movie "Kong: Skull island - 2017" and the famous movie "Indochine - 1992". People know about Ninh Binh mostly through Trang An complex, a UNESCO world heritage site, so it should totally be an unforgettable place for tourists once in Vietnam.

But how about an off-the-beaten-path itinerary? I recommend Van Long Nature Reserve and a tour to Thung La Temple for breathtaking natural beauty and discovering ancient stories of Vietnam. It would be a great experience!

• Day 06: Lan Ha Bay

Halong Bay is a not-to-be-missed destination in Vietnam because it is too famous to be recognized 2 times as a world heritage site. You certainly cannot wish that it is not touristy. In this case, a perfect alternative is Lan Ha Bay with beautiful scenery and a big island where Cat Ba National Park is located.

The best way to visit this bay is by cruise, you can choose a cruise of 1 to 3 days but at our assessment, 2 days are enough, use the first day for the bay and the other for the national park.

>> See more about Lan Ha Bay - The forgotten gem in Vietnam.

• Day 07: Lan Ha Bay - Hanoi - Train to Hue

After a full 7 days in North Vietnam, it's time to leave for the Central. From Lan Ha Bay you have 2 choices.

- Take the flight from Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong to Phu Bai Airport in Hue

- Return to Hanoi from Lan Ha Bay, and sample the most delicious foods in Hanoi before taking the overnight train to Hue at around 7 p.m. Despite feedback about the noisy Vietnamese train, it is Vietnam's first railway connecting from the North to South of the country. Arriving in Hue at around 08:30 AM the next morning, somehow this experience will be a combination of a hotel and a transfer. The railway offers you many cabin options with bunks and chairs.

• Day 08: Discovering the real Hue Imperial City

Hue is a must-see destination in Vietnam. Besides the must-see sites in Hue such as the Forbidden Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, Tu Duc Mausoleum, you can also go to the artisan villages in Hue such as Thuy Bieu, Thanh Tien, Xuan Thuy...

Now Thuy Bieu has become quite a famous village for tourists but the villages like Thanh Tien - famous for artisans of making paper flowers or Xuan Thuy village - an incense village are really off the beaten track.

Thanh Tien villages - paper flower making

• Day 09: Cross the Hai Van pass to Hoi An

Today, we leave for Hoi An. Hoi An is a small touristy town but it is a must-see stop in Vietnam for antiquity, generosity of locals and cheap but authentic cuisine. 

From Hue, you can leave for Hoi An via the Hai Van pass or the tunnel under the mountain. Normally, grouped or public buses transfer through tunnels to save time, however to enjoy the beauty of an outstanding pass in Vietnam, you should travel on the pass’s road.

On the way to Hoi An, you can also take a trip to Marble Mountain - which is listed among natural wonders of Vietnam by Lonely Planet.

In the afternoon, a trip to the Old Quarter in Hoi An is an excellent experience.

>> See more: 10 most beautiful natural wonders in Vietnam

• Day 10: The artisan villages in Hoi An - Departure for Ho Chi Minh city

In Hoi An, you cannot miss a chance to visit the artisan villages as well. The historic town of Hoi An is certainly very famous but a visit to the artisan villages helps you to live in real Hoi An and meet friendly people. The rural and artisan life makes everyone feel special.

End of the day, prepare your luggage for a flight to Ho Chi Minh City for other adventures. The South of Vietnam is highly recommended to make the most of your time in Vietnam.

Thanh Ha artisan village

• Day 11: Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City

Being the Pearl of the East, Ho Chi Minh city used to be the most important city in the Indochinese Federation during the Colonisation of the French. The city has its distinct beauty with many monuments related to the Vietnam War in the 20th century. That's why despite the flow of tourists, you can't miss the Cu Chi tunnel, Ho Chi Minh City Opera House, the post office, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Reunification Palace.

Beyond that, there are other attractions are not yet well known such as "Cafe Do Phu - Com Tam Han" at 113A Dang Dung, the Vietnam Traditional Dress Museum at Long Phuoc district or simply "Cafe apartments" on Nguyen Hue street or a ride to Tao Dan park in the morning.

Cafe Do Phu - Com Tam Han

• Day 12: Can Tho - Coconut kingdom

On this day, you may want to go toward Ben Tre - coconut kingdom. You can easily catch the sight of a little village in the middle of the coconut forest and zig-zag canals. 

>> See more photos of Ben Tre in this link: The Peaceful Ben Tre coconut in Mekong Delta

In the afternoon, however, you may want to move to Can Tho to see this town lit up in the evening. From a boat on the river, you can see the Can Tho Bridge, Ninh Kieu Pier and the pedestrian bridge all shining. Can Tho is proudly titled "the capital of the Mekong Delta."

• Day 13: Can Tho - Chau Doc

Although it is the fourth largest city in Vietnam, Can Tho retains well the floating markets that are attractive particularities for every traveller. There are 2 beautiful markets: Cai Rang, the most famous in Vietnam and Phong Dien, which is also beautiful but to visit this market, you have to get up at around 04:00 AM.

If you can't get up early, Cai Rang market is also fine because it is a very interesting cultural stretch. In the late morning, you may want to go to Chau Doc, the very remote area located on the border with Cambodia. You can visit the Cajuput forest and Hang Pagoda.

This night will be perfect if you stay overnight at the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel at Mt. Sam, which will give you a great view of the vast region at sunrise.

Phong Tien floating market

• Day 14: Chau Doc - Long Xuyen - Ho Chi Minh city

This morning, we return to Ho Chi Minh City. On the way, you can make a stop at Ong Ho Island in Long Xuyen. A trip by “xe loi” - the local tuk tuk will be a new experience for you.

>> See moreTop Things to Do in the Mekong Delta

Xe Loi in Mekong delta

• Day 15: Sai Gon departure

Finish your Vietnam vacation with your flight back home or to the next destination.

Abbreviated of Vietnam 15-day itinerary

Day 01: Hanoi arrival
Day 02: Hanoi sightseeing
Day 03: Hanoi - Mai Chau
Day 04: Mai Chau - Pu Luong
Day 05: Pu Luong - Ninh Binh
Day 06: Ninh Binh - Lan Ha Bay
Day 07: Lan Ha Bay - Hanoi - Train to Hue
Day 08: Hue visit
Day 09: Hue - Hoi An
Day 10: Hoi An - Sai Gon
Day 11: Ho Chi Minh City arrival
Day 12: Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Tre- Can tho
Day 13: Can Tho - Chau Doc
Day 14: Chau Doc - Long Xuyen - Ho Chi Minh city
Day 15: Ho Chi Minh City departure

Vietnam 15-day itinerary map

3. Questions and Answers

Q: Is a Vietnam 15-day itinerary expensive?

A: This itinerary is not as expensive as other authentic itineraries in the world. But if you still want to experience the things that other people don't normally do and such beautiful itineraries, the expenses for transfers definitely increase. To our opinion, this itinerary is beautiful in so many aspects: 

• It includes the most beautiful destinations in Vietnam and discovers them in a special way: national parks, nature reserves, world heritages.

• The rich and diverse activities: bamboo rafting in Mai Hich, overnight at stilt house, cruise, boat trip, xe loi, cycling, etc.

Bamboo rafting

Q: Compared to the destinations mentioned in the article, where can we visit more in case we can extend the trip?

A: If you can spend more time in Vietnam, you can add these places:

>> Quang Binh: it takes about 3 more days.

>> The Northwest part of Vietnam: it takes an additional 2 to 9 days.

>> The Northeast part of Vietnam: there are options of 2 to 10 days to choose from.

Q: What if we want an extension to the sea?

A: In Vietnam we have such a long coastline and many beautiful islands. Depending on the time you leave, you can choose a suitable beach itinerary.

>> See more Vietnam beach holidays & vacations.

Above we suggest a Vietnam itinerary in 15 Days to discover the authenticity of the country. However, every traveller has a different travel taste. In case you need a tailor-made itinerary, please do not hesitate to contact us, we offer totally free consultation and 24/7 support via email: sm@izitour.com