15 days in Vietnam and Laos gives you enough time to move from Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Ha Long Bay’s limestone islands to Luang Prabang’s gilded temples and Vientiane’s riverside monuments, with room left over for a genuine detour into Thailand or Cambodia if you want it. This guide breaks down four real, bookable itineraries covering every version of Vietnam and Laos in 15 days, from a culture-first loop through both countries’ historic capitals to a three-country premium route that adds Thailand or Cambodia to the mix.
Vietnam & Laos at a Glance: What to Expect
Vietnam and Laos share a long border and a similar Buddhist heritage, but they move at very different speeds. Vietnam is fast, dense, and layered with history, from Hanoi’s thousand-year-old streets to Ho Chi Minh City’s modern skyline. Laos is quieter and slower, built around the Mekong River, gilded temples, and mountain villages that feel a world away from Vietnam’s cities. Most routes on a 15-day itinerary Vietnam and Laos trip split roughly 8-9 days in Vietnam and 5-7 days in Laos, though the exact balance depends on which of the four itineraries below you pick.
Any Vietnam Laos itinerary has to account for both countries’ geography, since Vietnam stretches nearly 1,600 km north to south while Laos is far more compact. Weather varies by region and season. Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay) sees cooler winters, generally 15-25°C (59-77°F) from November to March, while central and southern Vietnam (Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City) stay warm year-round, typically 25-34°C (77-93°F). Laos follows a similar pattern to northern Vietnam, with its driest, most comfortable window running November to April at around 15-30°C (59-86°F).
Most nationalities can get a Vietnam e-visa online before arrival and a Laos visa on arrival at major airports and land borders; requirements vary by passport, so check both before booking flights. For deeper planning help, see our Vietnam Travel Guide, Laos Travel Guide, and Vietnam visa guide.
4 Best 15-Day Vietnam and Laos Itineraries You Can Book
Every 15-day itinerary Vietnam and Laos route below is a real, bookable IDC Travel tour, not a theoretical route pieced together for this post. Pick based on how you want to weight the trip: Laos-heavy and cultural, Vietnam-heavy and flexible, or a wider multi-country loop through Thailand or Cambodia.
Itinerary 1: Splendors of Vietnam and Laos in 15 Days
Route: Luang Prabang → Vientiane → Phonsavan → Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Hue → Da Nang → Ho Chi Minh City
Best for: Culture and history enthusiasts who want deep, structured immersion in Laos before a sweeping tour of Vietnam’s imperial and colonial past.
Strengths: Starts in Laos with real depth, Kuang Xi National Park, the remote Plain of Jars in Phonsavan, and Hmong village visits, then covers Vietnam’s full north-to-south spine, including Hue’s Imperial Citadel and the My Son ruins that many combined itineraries skip entirely.
Weaknesses: The most tightly structured of the four routes with almost no free days, and the Phonsavan-Vientiane-Hanoi chain means three separate flights in the first week.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Luang Prabang. Explore the city’s weaving village, Wat Ho Siang, and Phousi Hill, capping the day with sunset views from Wat Siphoutthabath.
Day 2 – Tour Luang Prabang’s temple heritage, then cruise the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves and its traditional riverside villages.
Day 3 – Head to Kuang Xi National Park for a day of waterfall swimming, a picnic lunch, and elephant trekking through the jungle.
Day 4 – Drive to Phonsavan to explore the mysterious Plain of Jars and visit Hmong mountain-tribe villages.
Day 5 – Browse Phonsavan’s local market, then fly to Vientiane; spend the afternoon at the city’s monuments, including Buddha Park, and watch sunset over the Mekong.
Day 6 – Dive into Vientiane’s history with visits to Wat Si Saket, Haw Phra Kaew, and the Patuxay Monument, then stroll the evening markets along the river.
Day 7 – Fly to Hanoi and spend the day at the city’s highlights, including the Temple of Literature, finishing with a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter.
Day 8 – Board an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay, visiting islands and caves with time for onboard activities.
Day 9 – Continue exploring Ha Long Bay’s limestone scenery before returning to Hanoi in the evening.
Day 10 – Fly to Hue and discover the ancient imperial capital’s citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, and a boat ride on the Perfume River.
Day 11 – Travel to Hoi An via Da Nang, stopping at the Cham Museum, then explore Hoi An’s heritage sites.
Day 12 – Visit My Son, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then return to Hoi An for a free afternoon.
Day 13 – Fly to Ho Chi Minh City and visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, a stark reminder of the Vietnam War.
Day 14 – Spend the day in the Mekong Delta, visiting the Cai Be floating market and taking a traditional island tour.
Day 15 – Depart Ho Chi Minh City.
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Itinerary 2: Best of Vietnam and Laos in 15 Days
Route: Ho Chi Minh City → Hoi An → Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Luang Prabang
Best for: Travelers who want Vietnam’s energy first, then a slower wind-down in Laos, with built-in free days to rest or explore independently.
Strengths: Opens in the south with the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels, finishes in Luang Prabang’s calm, and includes two genuinely free days (Days 5 and 14), more unstructured time than any of the other three routes.
Weaknesses: Skips central Vietnam entirely, no Hue, and doesn’t visit Vientiane, so travelers who want Laos’s capital alongside Luang Prabang will need to add it separately.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and explore at your own pace.
Day 2 – Travel from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho and Ben Tre for a full Mekong Delta day: Vinh Trang Pagoda, Unicorn Island, a sampan cruise, and local craft workshops.
Day 3 – Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City, descending into the underground hideouts that once sheltered Viet Cong fighters.
Day 4 – Fly to Da Nang and transfer to Hoi An to check in and relax.
Day 5 – Free day in Hoi An; independently explore the ancient town or head to An Bang Beach.
Day 6 – Visit the sacred My Son Sanctuary to see Cham architecture, then take a boat ride on the Thu Bon River.
Day 7 – Transfer to Da Nang Airport and fly to Hanoi.
Day 8 – Arrive in Hanoi; explore the Old Quarter or join a street food tour.
Day 9 – Depart for Ha Long Bay; cruise the bay, explore Sung Sot (Surprising) Cave, visit Titop Island, and watch sunset from the deck.
Day 10 – Kayak through Ha Long Bay’s karst scenery, then return to Hanoi in the evening.
Day 11 – Fly from Hanoi to Luang Prabang.
Day 12 – Discover Luang Prabang’s royal history at the Royal Palace Museum, cruise the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves, and browse the lively night market.
Day 13 – Spend the day admiring Kuang Si Waterfalls, then visit the Butterfly Park and Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre.
Day 14 – Free day in Luang Prabang to explore independently or simply relax.
Day 15 – Depart Luang Prabang.
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alt text: Map of a 15-day Vietnam and Laos tour through Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hanoi, Halong Bay and Luang Prabang.
Itinerary 3: Heritages of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand in 15 Days
Route: Bangkok → Ayutthaya → Chiang Mai → Luang Prabang → Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Da Nang
Best for: First-time Southeast Asia travelers who want three countries’ greatest hits in a single premium trip.
Strengths: The only one of the four routes to add Thailand into the mix, Bangkok’s Grand Palace, Ayutthaya’s ruins, Chiang Mai’s hill-tribe villages, and it runs at 5-star accommodation throughout, with a genuine weaving-village visit and Baci ceremony woven into the Laos leg.
Weaknesses: The most expensive of the four tours by a wide margin, and covering three countries in 15 days means each stop, including Luang Prabang itself, gets fewer days than the Laos-focused routes.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Bangkok and check in to the hotel, with free time to relax or explore.
Day 2 – Spend the day sightseeing in Bangkok: the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace, Wat Po and the Reclining Buddha, followed by a Chao Phraya River boat trip past the Temple of Dawn and the flower market.
Day 3 – Take a day trip to Ayutthaya, the ruined former capital of the Siamese kingdom and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 4 – Fly to Chiang Mai and visit hill-tribe craft villages before finishing the day at the mountain temple of Doi Suthep.
Day 5 – Drive to Thaton in Chiang Mai’s far north to visit Hmong, Palong, Akha, and Karen hill-tribe villages, including a boat trip down the Mae Kok River.
Day 6 – Fly to Luang Prabang, Laos, with free time to explore on arrival.
Day 7 – Watch the morning alms-giving ceremony, then visit the temples of Wat Aham, Wat Visoun, and Wat Xieng Thong, the former Royal Palace, and the Ock Pop Tok weaving center.
Day 8 – Visit the three-tiered Kuang Si Waterfall, have lunch in a Khmu village, and join a traditional Baci ceremony.
Day 9 – Fly to Hanoi and join an afternoon city tour of the Old Quarter.
Day 10 – Explore Hanoi’s highlights: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, the former Hoa Lo Prison, and the Temple of Literature, followed by an evening water puppet show.
Day 11 – Drive to Ha Long City and board a luxury cruise for an overnight journey through Ha Long Bay’s limestone islands.
Day 12 – Watch sunrise over the bay, cruise past its caves and islands, then fly from Hanoi to Da Nang.
Day 13 – Ride the cable car up Ba Na Hills to see the Golden Bridge, the Old French Villas, and the flower gardens.
Day 14 – Transfer to Hoi An and take a walking tour of its ancient town, from the Japanese Covered Bridge to the local market.
Day 15 – Free morning in Hoi An before transferring to Da Nang for departure.
>>> Want three countries done right? Grab Heritages of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand in 15 Days
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alt text: Map of a 15-day Thailand, Laos and Vietnam heritage tour connecting Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Halong Bay and Da Nang.
Itinerary 4: Discover Wonders of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 15 Days
Route: Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City → Vientiane → Luang Prabang → Phnom Penh → Siem Reap
Best for: Travelers who want a genuine three-country Indochina loop that closes with Cambodia’s temples rather than looping back through Vietnam or Laos.
Strengths: The only one of the four itineraries to include Cambodia, closing with a proper multi-day Angkor Wat and Tonle Sap Lake experience rather than a rushed day trip, on top of touching all of Vietnam’s must-see regions.
Weaknesses: The busiest itinerary of the four with the most flights, six or more domestic and international legs, and Laos gets the least time of the three countries, just Vientiane and Luang Prabang with no time for waterfalls or countryside beyond Kuang Si.
Day-by-day:
Day 1 – Arrive in Hanoi and settle in for the night.
Day 2 – Spend the day on a Hanoi city tour through the Old Quarter’s historic streets and lakes.
Day 3 – Board an overnight cruise into Ha Long Bay, passing limestone islands and exploring its caves.
Day 4 – Return to Hanoi, then fly to Da Nang and transfer to Hoi An.
Day 5 – Explore Hoi An’s ancient town, its lantern-lit streets, merchant houses, and the Japanese Covered Bridge.
Day 6 – Fly to Ho Chi Minh City and spend the day on a Mekong Delta excursion, including a sampan ride and a local orchard visit.
Day 7 – Take a Ho Chi Minh City tour covering the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Old Saigon Post Office, then fly to Vientiane, Laos.
Day 8 – Spend the day on a Vientiane city tour: Wat Si Saket, Haw Phra Kaew, the Patuxay Monument, and Pha That Luang, ending with sunset along the Mekong River.
Day 9 – Fly to Luang Prabang and take a city tour of its temples and night market.
Day 10 – Visit Kuang Si Waterfalls, then fly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Day 11 – Take a Phnom Penh city tour, including the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.
Day 12 – Fly or transfer to Siem Reap.
Day 13 – Full-Day Angkor Wat Tour, exploring the temple complex and its surrounding ruins.
Day 14 – Visit Tonle Sap Lake, taking a boat trip across Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake.
Day 15 – Depart Siem Reap.
>>> Ready to end your trip at Angkor Wat? Lock in Discover Wonders of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 15 Days
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alt text: Map of a 15-day Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia tour covering Hanoi, Halong Bay, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
What Will 15 Days in Vietnam and Laos Cost You? Estimated Cost
Whatever your 15 day Vietnam Laos trip budget, costs vary a lot depending on travel style and whether your route stays within the two countries or adds Thailand or Cambodia. The table below covers a full 15-day/14-night trip, per person. with figures shown in USD (~VND), since Vietnam anchors most of these routes.
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
| Accommodation (14 Nights) | $180 – $250 | $500 – $750 | $1,600 – $2,600 |
| Inter-Country & Domestic Flights | $150 – $220 | $220 – $320 | $320 – $500 |
| Ground Transport & Trains | $60 – $100 | $180 – $280 | $450 – $700 |
| Key Activities & Cruises | $180 – $260 | $300 – $450 | $650 – $950 |
| Meals & Dining | $120 – $180 | $280 – $420 | $700 – $1,100 |
| Estimated Total | $690 – $1,010 | $1,480 – $2,220 | $3,720 – $5,850 |
Figures are per person estimates and will vary with season, booking lead time, and hotel choices.
Budget travel means guesthouses, street food and local eateries, public buses, and budget airline flights booked in advance.
Mid-range covers 3- to 4-star hotels, a mix of local and Western restaurants, private cars, and the guided tours described above.
Luxury opens up boutique and 5-star properties, private guides, premium Ha Long Bay cruise cabins, and first-class domestic and cross-border flights.
The two three-country routes (Heritages and Discover Wonders) run noticeably higher than the two Vietnam-Laos-only routes, since they add extra flights and, in the case of the Heritages tour, run entirely at 5-star level.
Unmissable Things to Do in Vietnam and Laos
| 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) |
| Hoi An Ancient Town | Hoi An old town, central Vietnam | Ticketed sites open roughly 7:00 AM-9:00 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 |
| Alms-Giving Ceremony, Luang Prabang | Sisavangvong Road and the surrounding old-town streets | Around 5:30-6:30 AM daily | Walkable from most old-town hotels | 30-45 minutes |
| Kuang Si Falls | About 29 km south of Luang Prabang | 8:00 AM-5:30 PM daily | Tuk-tuk (roughly 45 minutes) or shared minivan | Half a day |
| Pha That Luang, Vientiane | Thatluang Road, about 4 km northeast of central Vientiane | 8:00 AM-12:00 PM and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM daily | Tuk-tuk from central Vientiane | About an hour |
What to Eat in Vietnam and Laos: 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.
- Larb (Laap). The unofficial national dish of Laos, a minced meat salad with toasted rice powder, fresh herbs, lime juice, and fish sauce, served with sticky rice.
- Sticky Rice (Khao Niew). Steamed glutinous rice served in small bamboo baskets and eaten by hand, the staple that anchors almost every Lao meal.
- Papaya Salad (Tam Mak Hoong). Shredded unripe papaya pounded with tomatoes, chilies, lime, and fermented fish paste, garnished with peanuts for a spicy, sour punch.
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.
- In Luang Prabang, Khaiphaen is a vocational training restaurant that trains disadvantaged local youth in hospitality while serving genuinely good Lao food.
- In Vientiane, Kualao Restaurant occupies a restored French colonial villa near the That Dam roundabout, pairing traditional Lao cuisine with a nightly cultural dance performance.
Plan Your Trip With Us
However you want to weigh your 15 days in Vietnam and Laos, culture-heavy in Laos, flexible in Vietnam, or widened into a three-country loop with Thailand or Cambodia, our local specialists can tailor any of the four routes above to your pace, budget, and interests. Browse all Vietnam & Laos tours or create your trip to build a private itinerary from scratch.
We are here to help you. Start planning your tailor-made tour with 1-1 help from our specialists.
Wrapping Up
Fifteen days is enough to do Vietnam and Laos justice without rushing either country, city mornings in Hanoi, temple mornings in Luang Prabang, and still time left over to widen the trip into Thailand or Cambodia if a two-country loop isn’t enough. Whichever of these four routes fits how you travel, you’ll come home having actually seen both countries, not just passed through them. For more planning help, browse our Vietnam Travel Guide and Laos Travel Guide, or reach out for a private consultation.
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