Vietnam in 11 Days gives you enough time to move from Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Ha Long Bay’s limestone islands to Mekong Delta canals or mountain rice terraces, depending on which region you pick. This guide breaks down four real, bookable itineraries covering every version of Vietnam in 11 days, from a north-only classic to a nature-focused eco route to a south-and-central family loop.
Key Travel Logistics Before Booking Your 11-Day Vietnam Trip
Vietnam stretches roughly 1,650 km from north to south, and its weather, landscapes, and travel times vary considerably between regions. With only 11 days, deciding where to focus is one of the most important parts of planning your trip.
Should You Focus on One Region or Travel Across Vietnam in 11 Days?
Both approaches can work, but they suit different travel styles.
Focusing on one region gives you more time at each destination and reduces the number of flights, long transfers, and hotel changes. Northern Vietnam alone can easily fill 11 days with Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa, or other mountain destinations. A central-and-southern itinerary can instead combine places such as Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Mekong Delta.
Traveling across Vietnam from north to south or vice versa is also possible in 11 days, but the pace will be faster. Because Hanoi, central Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City are far apart, domestic flights are usually the most practical way to connect several regions within a limited timeframe.
The best choice also depends on when you travel. Vietnam does not follow one single weather pattern nationwide: northern, central, and southern regions have different seasonal conditions. Checking the weather for each destination before finalizing your route can help you avoid building an itinerary around a region experiencing its least favorable conditions.
For first-time visitors who want a broad introduction to Vietnam, a carefully planned multi-region itinerary can work well. If you prefer slower travel, nature, photography, or more time to explore each destination, focusing on one region is usually the better option.
Visa & Entry Requirements for Vietnam
Vietnam’s entry requirements depend on your nationality, so check the rules that apply to your passport before booking your trip.
Citizens of all countries and territories are currently eligible to apply for a Vietnam e-visa. The e-visa can be issued for up to 90 days and is available for either single or multiple entries. The official application fee is currently $25 for a single-entry e-visa and $50 for a multiple-entry e-visa.
However, not every traveler needs an e-visa. Vietnam also offers visa-free entry to citizens of certain countries, like Russia, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. And the permitted length of stay varies depending on nationality and the exemption scheme that applies.
If you need an e-visa, apply through Vietnam’s official immigration e-visa system and check that your planned border crossing, airport, or seaport is approved for e-visa entry. Make sure your passport also meets the validity requirements that apply to your form of entry.
Visa exemptions and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the latest requirements with the Vietnam Immigration Department or a Vietnamese embassy or consulate before departure.
For more practical information on visas, currency, transportation, weather, and packing, see our Vietnam Travel Guide.
The 4 Best 11-Day Vietnam Itineraries
Every 11-day Vietnam itinerary below is a real, bookable IDC Travel tour, not a theoretical route pieced together for this post. Pick based on which region you want, and how much you want packed into each day.
Itinerary 1: Discover Northern Vietnam in 11 Days: Culture, Nature and Hidden Gems
Route: Hanoi → Ninh Binh → Ha Long Bay → Sapa
Best for: First-time visitors who want to stay entirely within northern Vietnam and cover its best-known highlights without the fatigue of domestic flights.
Strengths: Combines Ninh Binh’s limestone scenery, an overnight Ha Long Bay cruise, and Sapa’s rice-terrace trekking in one region, with an overnight train replacing what would otherwise be a lost travel day between Hanoi and Sapa.
Weaknesses: Never leaves northern Vietnam, so travelers wanting Hoi An, Hue, or the Mekong Delta will need a different tour or a follow-up trip south.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Hanoi.
Day 2 – Take a Hanoi city tour through the Old Quarter, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, and the Temple of Literature, finishing with an evening water puppet show.
Day 3 – Transfer to Ninh Binh; visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and take a sampan ride through Tam Coc’s rice paddies and limestone caves.
Day 4 – Explore Trang An’s cave system by boat and climb Mua Cave for a panoramic view, then transfer to Ha Long Bay.
Day 5 – Board an overnight cruise through Ha Long Bay, visiting caves and islands with time to kayak or swim.
Day 6 – Watch sunrise over the bay, visit the floating village of Vung Vieng, then return to Hanoi and board an overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 7 – Arrive in Sapa; visit Cat Cat Village and meet local H’mong communities.
Day 8 – Trek through Sapa’s rice-terrace valley to Lao Chai and Ta Van villages, overnighting in a homestay.
Day 9 – Continue trekking to Giang Ta Chai village before returning to Sapa town.
Day 10 – Transfer back to Hanoi; free time on arrival.
Day 11 – Depart Hanoi.
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Itinerary 2: Romantic Vietnam Honeymoon Tour 11 Days
Route: Hanoi → Ninh Binh → Ha Long Bay → Ho Chi Minh City → Mekong Delta → Phu Quoc
Best for: Couples who want a north-to-south overview capped with several unstructured beach days to actually relax.
Strengths: The only one of the four routes to end with three full days on Phu Quoc, genuine beach downtime rather than a rushed stop, plus a couples’ massage package built into the very first day.
Weaknesses: Skips central Vietnam entirely, no Hoi An, Hue, or Da Nang, so travelers wanting the imperial and heritage sites of the center should look elsewhere.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Hanoi; transfer to the hotel and enjoy a couples’ massage package.
Day 2 – Hanoi city tour covering the capital’s main highlights, finishing with an evening water puppet show.
Day 3 – Transfer to Ninh Binh; visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Tam Coc, and Thung Nham Bird Park.
Day 4 – Board an overnight cruise to discover Ha Long Bay, visiting caves, swimming, and kayaking.
Day 5 – Watch the sunrise over Ha Long Bay, explore the floating village of Vung Vieng, then return to Hanoi.
Day 6 – Fly to Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 7 – Day trip to the Mekong Delta; take a boat ride through the canals and visit a fruit orchard and local family business.
Day 8 – Fly to Phu Quoc; free afternoon to relax on the beach.
Day 9 – Free day on Phu Quoc’s beaches.
Day 10 – Free day on Phu Quoc’s beaches.
Day 11 – Fly back to Ho Chi Minh City and depart.
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Itinerary 3: Vietnam Adventure and Eco Tour Combined in 11 Days
Route: Hanoi → Ninh Binh → Pu Luong → Mai Chau → Ha Long Bay / Cat Ba Island
Best for: Nature-focused travelers who want trekking, wildlife, and a genuinely lower-impact trip rather than a city-to-city checklist.
Strengths: The only one of the four routes built around national parks and nature reserves, Cuc Phuong’s primate rescue center, Pu Luong’s rice terraces, and Cat Ba’s biosphere reserve, finishing with an eco-cruise through the quieter Lan Ha Bay instead of the more crowded main Ha Long routes.
Weaknesses: The most physically active of the four itineraries, with consecutive trekking and transfer days, and it barely touches Hanoi’s Old Quarter beyond the first and last days, so culture-first travelers may want more city time.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Hanoi.
Day 2 – Hanoi city tour with a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter.
Day 3 – Transfer to Ninh Binh; visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and cruise Trang An’s limestone caves.
Day 4 – Explore Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam’s oldest, visiting the Endangered Primate Rescue Center and joining a short jungle trek.
Day 5 – Transfer to Pu Luong Nature Reserve; trek among its terraced rice paddies and jungle-covered hills.
Day 6 – Full day trekking through Pu Luong to an ethnic minority village, overnighting in a stilt-house homestay.
Day 7 – Transfer to Mai Chau; cycle through the valley’s rice fields and visit White Thai villages.
Day 8 – Transfer to Ha Long Bay; board an overnight eco-cruise through the quieter Lan Ha Bay.
Day 9 – Kayak through Lan Ha Bay, then take a short trek in Cat Ba National Park to spot the rare Cat Ba langur.
Day 10 – Morning cruise activities before returning to Hanoi.
Day 11 – Depart Hanoi.
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Itinerary 4: Family Vacation in South and Central Vietnam in 11 Days
Route: Ho Chi Minh City → Da Lat → Nha Trang → Hoi An
Best for: Families who want a warm-weather trip through southern and central Vietnam without venturing into the cooler north.
Strengths: The only one of the four routes to include Da Lat’s cool mountain climate and French colonial architecture as a genuine change of pace between two beach stops (Nha Trang and Da Nang), finishing with Hoi An’s walkable, low-key Ancient Town.
Weaknesses: Never reaches Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, or the north, so first-time visitors hoping to see Vietnam’s capital and most famous UNESCO bay will need a different tour or a second trip.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 2 – Ho Chi Minh City tour: the Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Old Post Office.
Day 3 – Mekong Delta day trip to My Tho; take a boat ride past stilt houses and fruit orchards.
Day 4 – Fly to Da Lat.
Day 5 – Da Lat city tour: the lakes, waterfalls, and French colonial architecture of the “City of Eternal Spring.”
Day 6 – Free day in Da Lat, or an optional countryside and flower garden tour.
Day 7 – Transfer to Nha Trang.
Day 8 – Beach day in Nha Trang, with an optional boat trip to Vinpearl Island.
Day 9 – Free day in Nha Trang to relax or explore the offshore islands.
Day 10 – Fly to Da Nang and transfer to Hoi An; evening walking tour of the lantern-lit Ancient Town.
Day 11 – Free morning in Hoi An before transferring to Da Nang for departure.
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11-Day Vietnam Budget & Cost Breakdown
Costs for this route vary mainly based on your domestic flight bookings (earlier bookings are meaningfully cheaper) and your Halong Bay cruise class or Sapa trek arrangement, both of which range from simple to genuinely luxurious depending on the operator.
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
| Accommodation (10 nights) | $160 – $280 (Dorms/ Homestays) |
$450 – $700 (3-4* boutique hotels) |
$1500 – $3000 (5* Hotels & Resorts) |
| Ground Transport (Buses, Grab, Trains) | $90 – $150 (8-13/day) |
$220 – $380 (20-35/day) |
$500 – $800 (Private Drivers/ Limousine) |
| Domestic flights (per person / one-way) | $45 – $70 | $70 – $120 | $120 – $200+ |
| Meals & Drinks (11 days) | $100 – $150 (Street food & Local cafes) |
$220 – $320 (Mid-tier restaurants & Bars) |
$450 – $650 (Fine dining & Rooftop bars) |
| Entry fees, activities | $120 – $200 | $200 – $400 | $600 – $1200 |
| Estimated Total | $515 – $850 | $1,160 – $1,920 | $3,170 – $5,850+ |
Estimated costs are per person and may vary depending on season, hotel category, flight availability, cruise or trekking options, activities, and dining preferences.
Money-Saving Tips
- Book domestic flights 4-6 weeks ahead. Some Airways fares climb fast as departure gets closer; early booking alone can shave off each one-way leg.
- Pick a mid-range Ha Long Bay cruise cabin, not the top tier. The scenery, the caves, the kayaking, everyone sees the same bay; the price difference between mid-range and luxury cabins mostly buys thread count and a bigger bathroom.
- Take the overnight train to Sapa instead of flying or driving. It doubles as a night’s accommodation, so you save a hotel cost while covering the distance.
- Eat where locals eat. A bowl of pho or bun cha at a com binh dan (local eatery) runs a fraction of the same dish at a hotel restaurant, with no real difference in quality.
- Travel in shoulder season. February-March or September-October bring noticeably lower hotel rates and flight prices than the November-January peak, with only a modest weather trade-off.
- Use Green SM instead of street-hailed taxis. Fixed, upfront pricing avoids the meter disputes and detours that unmetered taxis are occasionally known for.
Top Things to Do in Vietnam
| Attraction | Location | Hours | Getting There | Time Needed |
| Ha Long Bay Cruise | Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province | Overnight cruises depart daily | About 2.5-3 hours by car or bus from Hanoi | 1-2 days (overnight cruise) |
| Trang An Boat Tour | Trang An, Ninh Binh province | 7:00 AM-5:00 PM daily | About 2 hours by car from Hanoi | 2.5-3 hours |
| Hoi An Ancient Town | Hoi An old town, central Vietnam | Ticketed sites open roughly 7:30 AM-5:30 PM; walking the streets is free anytime | Walkable within the old town; 30 minutes by taxi from Da Nang | Half a day to a full day |
| Cu Chi Tunnels | About 70 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City | 7:00 AM-5:00 PM daily (last entry 4:00 PM) | Half-day tour or taxi from Ho Chi Minh City | Half a day, including transport |
| Mekong Delta Boat Trip | My Tho or Ben Tre, about 2 hours from Ho Chi Minh City | Day tours depart in the morning | Half or full-day tour from Ho Chi Minh City | Half a day to a full day |
| Sapa Rice Terrace Trekking | Sapa, Lao Cai province | Daylight hours; guided treks typically run 4-8 hours | Overnight train or bus from Hanoi to Sapa | Half a day to 2 days |
What to Eat in Vietnam: Best Food & Where to Eat
- Pho. Vietnam’s signature noodle soup, a fragrant beef or chicken broth simmered for hours, served over flat rice noodles with fresh herbs, lime, and chili.
- Banh Mi. A crusty baguette sandwich layered with pate, cold cuts or grilled meat, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and chili, a legacy of French colonial bread meeting Vietnamese flavors.
- Bun Cha. Grilled pork patties and slices served in a sweet-savory dipping broth with rice noodles and herbs, a Hanoi specialty best eaten at a low plastic stool.
- Cao Lau. A central Vietnam specialty from Hoi An, thick rice noodles tossed with pork, herbs, and crispy croutons.
- Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls). Rice paper rolls packed with shrimp or pork, herbs, and vermicelli noodles, dipped in a peanut or fish sauce.
Where to eat:
- In Hanoi, Cau Go Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant overlooks Hoan Kiem Lake from the Old Quarter and has been recognized in the Michelin Guide for two consecutive years.
- In Hoi An, Morning Glory Restaurant is chef Ms. Vy’s flagship, built around rediscovered Hoi An street-food recipes.
Plan Your Tailor-made Trip With IDC Travel
However you want to spend your 11 days in Vietnam, whether focusing on the north, combining central and southern highlights, or building the trip around nature and slower-paced experiences, our local specialists can tailor any of the four itineraries above to your pace, budget, and interests.
Eleven days is enough to explore one part of Vietnam in meaningful depth, or to combine several regions with a faster itinerary. The key is choosing a route that matches your travel style rather than trying to fit too much into a limited timeframe.
Browse all Vietnam tours or create your trip to build a private itinerary with 1-1 support from our specialists. You can also contact us to get personalized advice and help planning your Vietnam trip.
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The Northern Vietnam trekking tour seems to be most exciting to me. I visited Vietnam twice and got to most major highlights. Please update me the detailed tour program.
Hi Bent,
Our travel expert will sent you the detailed tour itinerary through email as soon as possible.
Thanks for your patience!
Best regards,
IDC Travel Team.