A night on Lan Ha Bay.
The deck of a quiet junk as the karst islands turn black against the dusk, away from the Ha Long crowds.
We're shaping this page · Trips already planned on request
Vietnam
The length of a country, top to bottom.
Limestone islands rising out of a jade sea, rice terraces stacked up mountain valleys, a lantern-lit old town by the water, and two great cities a thousand kilometres apart. Vietnam is best travelled in one long line, north to south, and that is exactly how we plan it.
- Best months
- Feb - Apr
- Each region has its own season
- Ideal length
- 10 - 14 days
- The whole length, comfortably
- Getting there
- Fly into Hanoi
- Out of Ho Chi Minh City, or the reverse
- Pace
- One line
- North to south, around your pace
Why Vietnam
One country, end to end.
Vietnam unspools along a thousand-mile coast, and the joy is travelling its length. The cities bookend it: Hanoi's old quarter and street food in the north, Ho Chi Minh City's energy in the south. Between them the landscapes everyone comes for: the karst islands of Ha Long and Lan Ha, the rice terraces of Sapa, the river caves of Ninh Binh. And the heart: the imperial city of Hue and the lantern-lit old town of Hoi An on the central coast. We thread it as one journey, not a loop.
The places
Where a Vietnam trip goes.
01
Hanoi
02
Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay
03
Ninh Binh
04
Sapa
05
Hue
06
Hoi An
07
Ho Chi Minh City
08
The Mekong Delta
Sample journey · Vietnam · 12 days
A taste of what
we craft for you.
One version of a Vietnam journey, not the only one. Built one way, north to south, around your pace.
1
Day 1-2Hanoi
Hanoi.
The old quarter, the street food, and the slow lake at its heart.
2
Day 3-4Lan Ha Bay
Ha Long and Lan Ha.
An overnight cruise through the karst, kayaking into hidden lagoons.
3
Day 5Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh.
Rowed through the river caves of Trang An, "Ha Long on land".
4
Day 6-8Hue and Hoi An
The centre.
+ The south
Moments that stay
Signature experiences.
Lanterns in Hoi An.
The old town after dark, silk lanterns on the water and paper boats drifting down the river.
Rowed through Trang An.
A sampan sliding through low river caves into hidden valleys ringed by karst.
Street food in Hanoi.
A plastic stool on a corner, a bowl of pho and egg coffee, the old quarter roaring past.
Sapa terraces.
Rice paddies stepped up a whole mountainside, hill villages in the mist.
The Mekong at dawn.
A floating market waking up, boats heaped with fruit on the brown river.
Good to know
Travel essentials.
A rewarding, varied country, with a few things that shape a trip:
Getting there
Fly into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City (or the reverse) so you travel in one line; short internal flights and trains link the three regions. We plan the open-jaw routing.
Entry
Most nationalities use the official e-visa, valid up to 90 days, applied for online before travel; a passport valid six months is required. We confirm the current rule and help with the application.
Best time to visit
The country is long, so timing depends on the stretch: the north is best March to May and September to November, the centre February to May, and the south December to April. We time the route to the season.
How to plan it
Always one way, north to south or south to north, never doubling back; the country is built for a line.
The bay
We favour quieter Lan Ha Bay and a smaller boat over the Ha Long crowds, for the same karst scenery in peace.
Pace
Ten to fourteen days covers the length comfortably; less and you pick one or two regions rather than the whole line.
Work in progress
We're shaping this journey.
We're still adding to this page: our own photos, the stays we trust and a map. The planning doesn't wait for it. We already plan Vietnam trips on request, from scratch, around how you travel.
From the founder
“Vietnam is one country, end to end, from Hanoi to the Mekong. The page is still being written; the route can start with you now.”
- Ready
The places
Where a trip goes, and why each stop earns its place.
- Ready
A sample journey
A day-by-day route to start the conversation.
- Ready
Essentials
Seasons, entry and getting around, in one place.
- In progress
Photos and gallery
Our own photos, not stock.
- Coming soon
Stays we trust
Hotels and camps we would book ourselves.
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Still deciding?
Know your month, not your destination?
Tell us when you can travel and we'll suggest where it's at its best.