The Best Vietnam Itinerary for 30 days

 1. Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

(3 nights)

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Ho Chi Minh is one of the most energetic cities I've ever been to. It's population of just about 9 million can sometimes feel like 20million. I thought crossing the street in Bangkok was crazy, but Bangkok has nothing on Ho Chi Minh. Common things to do in Ho Chi Minh are experience the night life, street food, visit the war museum, and visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. These last two options are I particularly recommend as it’s an important look at the recent history of Vietnam, and I think are a great way to start your journey to gain a respect for the time period and its effect on Vietnam today. I also recommend specifically checking out the Ben Thanh Street Food Market at least twice, because there's no way you will only want to eat one thing!

2. Da Lat

(3 nights) 

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My next stop is Da Lat. It's a pretty long bus ride to Da Lat, about 17 hours, and you will most likely arrive in the evening, so your first day is a bit of a waste. But you will get to experience Vietnams sleeping buses! I actually love these, but if you are taller than 160 cm's, you might disagree. In all seriousness, if you are over 170-175 cm’s I would recommend only sitting in the back because your legs genuinely might not fit in the others eats. In any case, it was much better than the bus rides I had gotten used to in Cambodia and Laos. Da Lat is a fantastic city. I stayed at Viridian hostel, and it was one of my favourite hostels of the trip. Make sure you stay for at least one family dinner! I also recommend renting a motor bike and exploring the city and surrounding area yourself. You'll save a lot of money, and get the freedom that tours just can't offer. My must do's for this city are visit the Elephant Falls, go to the Maze Bar and the Crazy House (the definition of an adult playground), try some weasel coffee (be warned, it is very strong), and eat some strawberries! If you have time, I would also visit the Silk Factory. The little silk worms are just adorable, and it's interesting to see how the fabrics are made. 

3. Bai Xep

(2 nights) 

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Bai Xep is a tiny little fishing town just south of Quy Nhon for those of you who are looking for something off the beaten track. And when I say tiny, I mean it. I'm not sure of the population but I'd guess about 100.But it has a fantastic beach and is a perfect alternative for someone who wants a little beach time, but not one that is jam packed with other tourists. This was one of my favourite stops in Vietnam, and I can't recommend it enough. However, you can't just book a bus there. If you're driver is nice, he may stop for you on the way to Qui Nhon. But if not, you're going to end up in Qui Nhon most likely pretty late at night. The only way to get to Bai Xep from here is to cab, or to catch a ride with one of the locals. There is a bus, but it only runs during the day. It's worth it once you get there though!

4. Hoi An

(4 nights) 

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Hoi An is absolutely gorgeous. the architecture is so charming, the beaches are beautiful, the lanterns are gorgeous, and the bahn mi's are the best I've ever had.  There are so many things to do in Hoi An you could consider adding an additional night or two here as well. I stayed at a hostel called Tribee Kinh and it was fantastic. Excellent staff, and a perfect location. A big reason why a lot of people stay longer in Hoi An is to get some clothes made. It is definitely fun to go store to store, checkout the fabrics, and try your hand at haggling. So if you're looking to have something made, this is the place to do it! Another thing I didn't know before arriving is that the furniture stores here are amazing. Definitely worth checking out, even if you're not currently looking to re-decorate.

Another one of the most popular things to do while in Hoi An is to drive the Hai Van pass. This was on of the most beautiful drives I have ever been on, and I have been on some fantastic drives. You can do a motorbike tour to see this pass, but again you don't get that same freedom that you get when you go on your own. So find some friends, rent some bikes, and just go. At the end of the pass there are some fantastic beaches, so make sure you stop to appreciate them as well before heading back (or continuing forward as many chose to do). While the pass is an easy road to bike, you do have to go through Da Nang to get there. So make sure you are comfortable on your bike as it is a relatively busy city. I would also recommend trying to avoid rush hour. I got stuck in it, and it was crazy. And finally, remember to sunscreen your hands!!!

And best for last, my biggest recommendation that you have to do in Hoi An, is visit the Bahn Mi Queen. If you want to have the best bahn mi you have ever had in your life, this is where you need to go. You will be dreaming about these long after you've left. Just typing about them now is making my mouth water. And you can have as many as you want as they are very reasonably priced!

5. Phong Nha

(3-4 nights)

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Phong Nha was on my original itinerary, but unfortunately I was unable to make it. After a case of food poisoning in Ho Chi Minh, I actually spent 5 nights there instead of 3 (and no it wasn’t from the street market, it was from a chain coffee shop of all places). And because of this, I had to cut something out in order to arrive in Hanoi on time and before my visa expired. However, I have only heard good things about this national park, so I am still including it in my itinerary anyways with hopes of being able to go back to this spot soon! If you have the budget, the caving tours are a really cool experience for the adventure traveller in all of us. But even without doing one of these multi day tours, shorter trips are still an option to see the best the national park has to offer. 

6. Cat Ba Island & Ha Long Bay

(2-5 nights depending on length of boating tour)

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One of the big things on most peoples bucket lists for Vietnam is to see Ha Long Bay. However, it can be very expensive, especially on a backpackers budget. So, here's a trick to make it a little cheaper—leave from Cat Ba Island instead of Hai Phong. You still have the option to do either a day trip, or a multi-day boating adventure, but it costs less. I chose the day trip and could not have been happier with my experience. We went snorkeling, kayaking, hiked up to some great viewpoints and was provided with a fantastic lunch, all for about 28 CAD (about 20 USD, 2800 JPY). 

7. Sapa

(2 nights)

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We've made it to my favourite place in this itinerary, Sapa! Sapa is a small mountain town in the north of Vietnam. But you're not going to stay in Sapa, you're going to stay in one of the surrounding villages. I recommend staying with Mama T. If you would like to get in contact with her, just contact me and I'll send you her phone number. I had a fantastic time at Mama T's house. She not only cooked amazing food, but she also offered tours of the area every day you stay with her. Unlike a lot of the packages that you can book while in some of the bigger cities, at Mama T's house you may be the only one there. I was with two Dutch girls, and a South African couple, and that was considered a lot of people for Mama T. You'll get a cultural experience joining her family for a couple days, and some of the most amazing views of the rice terraces cascading down the mountains. I could have stayed here a lot longer, and of all the places I went, here I will definitely be coming back. 

8. Hanoi

(3 nights)

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Hanoi is a really cool city. There are some fantastic cafe's, and you have to try Vietnamese egg coffee. It sounds weird but it tastes like espresso ice cream, but as a coffee. Trust me—it’s amazing. I recommend the Loading T Cafe. Whatever you order here will be fantastic, but the egg coffee is particularly amazing. It is a bit different from other places though, so definitely try a couple to see what you like. Other than that, Hanoi has a little something for everyone. Museums, parks, temples, cathedrals, markets, the works. Even the train tracks are interesting here. So enjoy your last couple days in Vietnam, before heading off on your next adventure! 

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Visa requirement

Visa requirements for this country depend on where you're from, but a common visa to apply for is the tourist visa which lasts 15-30 days depending. There is also the option to extend the visa once in the country. You CANNOT get this visa upon arrival like you can in other Southeast Asian countries. You have to apply beforehand, either online if arriving by air, or at a Vietnamese embassy if arriving by land or sea.

Fortunately, the process is pretty easy. Again, the process is different depending on your nationality, but if you're arriving by land the easiest way to get your visa is to go to a consulate and apply. There are also hostels and tourism agencies that offer to go through this process for you. That's the option I chose, and I got Billabong Hostel in Phnom Penn to get my visa for me. I was able to continue travelling Cambodia, and come back a week later (it only took this long because there was a holiday during which the consulate was closed), and my visa was ready. From this point, I was ready to begin my adventure in Vietnam! So with 30 day visa in hand, here is my ultimate, 30 day itinerary for Vietnam! I chose to go from the south to the north because I was coming from Cambodia, but obviously you can switch this up and go the other way around no problem.

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Final recommendations

Now you may be thinking, it’s not over, is it? This isn't 30 days, it’s 22-26 days! Well, this is on purpose. Vietnam is a large country, and it takes quite a bit of time to get to each place. So for anyone who is wanting to backpack this route, you'll have to add a night in between most locations that will be spent on a bus. These bus trips can bring you up to 30 days pretty quick, so make sure to plan them into your itinerary so you don't end up missing out on places you wanted to see because of transportation!

However, if you are planning to fly between a couple spots to save some time, you may have an extra 2 or 3 days with no where to go. In that case, I would recommend adding some more time in the north and checking out either Tam Coc or Ha Giang. I unfortunately haven't made it to either yet, but they are on my list for next time as I've only heard great things!

Other than that, feel free to switch it up, but this is my version of the best Vietnam itinerary for a 30-day visa! Let me know what you think or where else you went in the comments! Wonder on friends <3

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