My Travel Diary: A Vietnam 14 Day Itinerary from South to North — Saigon, Da Nang & Ha Long Bay

From three dollar street food to luxury wellness, Vietnam has it all. Ancient temples and colonial hotels, mountain roads and pristine bays, world-class spas and street food that will stop you in your tracks. As a first time traveller I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there had yet to be a bad word said about the place from other travellers, so my hopes were high. They were not disappointed.

Getting There and Getting In

I took the overnight flight leaving Brisbane at 11:30pm straight into Ho Chi Minh City, arriving at 5:30am. Flight time is around eight hours, so if you’re a decent plane sleeper it’s not a bad way to do it. One thing to sort before you go: you need a visa on entry, so organise this a couple of weeks before the trip to be safe. Do it online, it’s straightforward. Also set up your Grab account before you leave. It’s the local Uber, the best way to get around, and ridiculously cheap.

I pre-arranged a driver with my hotel for the airport pickup, avoiding the onslaught of overpriced taxi offers at the terminal. I stayed near Saigon, about 40 minutes from the airport and right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam runs at similar humid temperatures to most of South East Asia, so prepare to sweat. I went in May, just before the rainy season, not too busy with travellers and I had only one evening of rain. You sweat to be alive, but it’s that holiday glisten kind of sweat. A few thousand steps a day at that humidity also helps work off the condensed milk coffees you’ll discover very quickly.

Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights)

Day one in Ho Chi Minh: just walk. Get your bearings. It felt like a blend of Bali and Mexico City, dirty alleyways, street hawkers, mad traffic, great food, coffee shops hidden along the back streets, and a city buzzing with energy. I felt completely safe the whole time, which isn’t always a given in a city this size. I found myself a full body massage for around $20. It became a daily ritual.

The coffee culture here is next level. Just commit to the Vietnamese condensed milk coffee. Do it, enjoy it. Work your way through salted coffee, Vietnamese coffee, egg coffee and iced coconut coffee. I stayed at the Reve Hotel, a stunning Indochine-designed boutique on Saigon’s Antique Street, with service so good the reception team was on WhatsApp before I’d even landed. Their dry pho alone is worth the visit. Rooms from $265 AUD. Full review here.

For nightlife, Bui Vien Walking Street is a must. Located in District 1, this neon-lit strip transforms from a quiet daytime stretch into a full open-air party at around 7pm. DJs, cheap drinks, street performers, crowds going until the early hours. Worth an after-dinner walk.

My tip for Ho Chi Minh: do it all. Eat the $3 stew on the side of the street and go to the fancy restaurant. Hit Bún Bò Huế at Quán Bún Bò Huế Gốc on Đinh Tiên Hoàng at 7am with the locals. Bourdain ate here. Enough said. If you like history, visit the Reunification Palace over the War Remnants Museum. The preserved 1975 bunker is genuinely eerie.

One recommendation I kept hearing but didn’t get to myself: the Cu Chi Tunnels, an extraordinary network of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War. Skip the tourist bus and book a private half-day tour to the quieter Ben Dinh section.

For those who can’t switch off from training, I found House of Steel, a well-equipped gym about 20 minutes by Grab from Saigon, with three levels of equipment, saunas, ice baths and a smoothie bar. For those who can switch off, have another cocktail.

Hoi An (2 nights)

A 90-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang Airport, then an easy 20-30 minute Grab to Hoi An. You can stay in the old town or near An Bang Beach. I went to the beach side, which has a Lombok feel: expat bars, one main street, simple beach clubs and a pace that isn’t overrun. Do the old town at night. Grab a scooter, visit the markets and lantern street. Yes, it’s full of tourists, but it earns it.

Find a spot on the river, grab a Saigon beer and some spring rolls, and watch the world go by. You’ll end up chatting to someone interesting at the next table. The rest of my days I spent at beachfront restaurants eating fresh seafood. Pick a spot, grab a drink and watch the water as the sun sets. The seafood is extraordinary. You literally watch the boats come in and see the catch sold on the street an hour later.

Da Nang (2 nights)

A fun city, buzzing, great food, excellent restaurants. I spent hours walking the streets at night, which is one of the better ways to take it in. Check out the Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn) at sunrise before the tour buses arrive. Caves, shrines, monks and a view over the South China Sea.

If you’re after a world class wellness experience, TIA Wellness Resort is five minutes from the city centre right on the beach. Infinity pool, 55 therapists, daily yoga and breathwork, and a breakfast buffet I spectacularly failed to resist. Villas from $480 AUD all-inclusive. Full review here.

From Da Nang to Hanoi

I almost took the overnight train from Da Nang to Hanoi. It’s 14 hours and was recommended as a great way to see the countryside. I opted for the under two-hour flight instead, which I don’t regret, but the train is genuinely on my list for next time. Flights are super cheap, under $100.

Hanoi (2 nights)

Hanoi is huge but two or three nights covers it well. I spent one night in Tay Ho, found a cheap hotel for $30 that did the job. Wherever you stay, take a Grab to Train Street. Get there early, grab a beer and a meal on the side of the track, chat to a fellow traveller, and wait for the train to come past literally a metre from your table. There’s a schedule. I went to the 7pm session.

My second night I upgraded considerably, staying at the Sofitel Legend Metropole in the old French Quarter. Open since 1901, the first Sofitel Legend in the world and one of the great hotel experiences of the trip. Rooms from $450 AUD. Full review here.

Don’t miss the Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter night market. And eat Bún Chả, cold vermicelli noodles with charcoal-grilled pork in a sweet savoury broth. The Hanoi dish.

The Motorbike Tour (2 days, 1 night — the highlight)

This was the best thing I did in Vietnam. I booked a two-day, one-night private tour through Motorbike Tour Expert. My guide Juan was outstanding. Five to six hours on the road each day, off-road dirt tracks through the mountains, one large black cobra launching itself from the bushes, and four crashes in the mud, which felt like a respectable result.

A note on licensing: I have a motorbike licence and organised an International Driving Permit, but these aren’t formally recognised in Vietnam. Many tour companies will still take you. If you get pulled over, expect to negotiate, somewhere between $200-500 USD, after which you’ll be sent on your way.

The famous loop is the Ha Giang Loop, which takes at least three days. I only had two so chose Mai Chau, a different and less touristy route. The road wound through the crazy streets of Hanoi, navigated western local towns and climbed up the mountain and back down into the valley. This part of the ride was magic. After the near-death experiences and adrenaline of the day, I sat overlooking the rice paddies as the sun went down with a Bia Hanoi and some local tobacco. One of the most genuinely serene moments of my life.

The tour covers everything: fuel, accommodation, food, drinks, permits, a boat ride and GoPro video. Cost $460 USD all-in. We finished back in Hanoi with Bún Chả washed down with Sửa Đậu Trắng, a creamy white bean drink with pandan and coconut milk that sounds questionable and tastes brilliant.

Ha Long Bay (2 nights)

Ha Long Bay is a three-hour drive from Hanoi. Get a comfortable air-conditioned car and bring a podcast or embrace the nap. I stayed at the InterContinental Ha Long Bay, right on the edge of the bay, with rooftop Japanese restaurant Roku, the Star Bar with the best views and cocktail list of the trip, and a Club Lounge breakfast with a bloody mary bar I approached with full commitment. Rooms from $200 USD. Full review here.

The hotel organised a day boat cruise out among the karsts, nine to four, genuinely spectacular. If you have more time, an overnight cruise is widely considered the definitive Ha Long Bay experience and is high on my return list.

The Honest Summary

Vietnam surprised me in the best way. It’s more diverse than people give it credit for: beach town, wellness resort, colonial city, mountain roads, deep history and amazing food, all without the Bali belly. You can do it all within a two-week window without feeling rushed. Go south to north or flip it, fly between the main stops, take the motorbike tour, eat absolutely everything, and stay somewhere that makes the most of wherever you are. Fourteen days is enough to get a real sense of it. It’s also exactly enough to make you want to go back