Food cities · 9 days
9 days, 8 nights: Hanoi (3N), Hoi An (2N), Ho Chi Minh City (3N). Best time to go: Year-round; bring rain layer in autumn central.
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi
Hanoi
- Old Quarter street-food walk · 3 h. Go after 6pm; bun cha, banh cuon and egg coffee are the classics.
- Train Street café stop · 1 h. Watch from a café — walking on the tracks is restricted.
Local tip: Go after 6pm; bun cha, banh cuon and egg coffee are the classics.
Day 2: Explore Hanoi
Hanoi
- Egg coffee & café crawl · 1.5 h
- Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple · 1.5 h. Weekend evenings the lake roads go pedestrian-only.
- Temple of Literature · 1.5 h
- Thang Long water puppet show · 1 h. Book a day ahead in Dec–Feb peak.
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda · 2 h. Mornings only, shoulders/knees covered; closed some Mondays and Fridays.
Local tip: Weekend evenings the lake roads go pedestrian-only.
Day 3: Explore Hanoi
Hanoi
Day 4: Hanoi → Hoi An
Hoi An · Hanoi to Hoi An, Domestic flight ~1–2h
Day 5: Explore Hoi An
Hoi An
- Market tour & Vietnamese cooking class · 4 h
- Hoi An Ancient Town heritage walk · 2.5 h. The ticket covers 5 heritage houses; evenings are for lanterns.
- Tailor fitting (24–48h turnaround) · 1.5 h. Order on day 1 to allow two fittings; price is per garment.
Local tip: The ticket covers 5 heritage houses; evenings are for lanterns.
Day 6: Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City · Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City, Domestic flight ~1–2h
- War Remnants Museum · 2 h. Graphic in parts — preview before taking kids.
Local tip: Graphic in parts — preview before taking kids.
Day 7: Explore Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
- Saigon street-food tour on scooter · 4 h
- Independence Palace & Central Post Office · 2 h
- Ben Thanh Market · 1.5 h. Bargain; prices start high.
Local tip: Bargain; prices start high.
Day 8: Explore Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
- Cu Chi Tunnels half-day · 5 h. Hot and cramped — skip with young kids.
- Saigon River sunset dinner cruise · 2.5 h
Local tip: Hot and cramped — skip with young kids.
Day 9: Depart from Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Keep a buffer before your flight; check-out is usually noon.
Where to stay
- Hanoi (3 nights): Hoan Kiem boutique stays. Quiet lanes, still walkable to the Old Quarter.
- Hoi An (2 nights): Ancient Town edge. Walk to lanterns at night without the noise.
- Ho Chi Minh City (3 nights): District 1. Walk to museums, markets and the river.