Vietnam Travel Guide
Madison spent almost 2 weeks in Vietnam, one of the most underrated countries we've visited and here's a suggested itinerary! Here’s a link to a Google Map as well.
Ho Chi Minh aka Saigon
3 days
Where to Stay
We stayed at the ICON Saigon, rooms were small, but it’s in a good area.
Day 1 (night): Saigon
When we got in we went right to Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa which is said to be a top banh mi spot in town - you order it one way it’s 65,000 dong aka $2.74 and it comes piled high with maybe 7 kinds of pork, sliced meats, pate, pork floss, and a baggie of veggies on the side. Honestly, it scared me at first but it was FIRE so many flavors, the bread was so crispy crunchy on the french baguette and really special.
Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa
Then here’s where it gets crazy, Bui Vien Walking Street is like nothing I’ve seen before. Tourist central and electric club after club with ladies dancing. Recommend going toward the end, sitting and having a drink while people watching. Be careful here with pickpocketers and children trying to sell you things.
Day 2: Saigon
Most hotels offer free breakfast so we enjoyed that then did a later brunch. Fun spot, P'Ti Sagion which is about ~$40 a person.
All the malls in Asia have great food and some food courts so we love exploring them. This one had a Xing Fu Tang has a bunch of locations and they offer a mini bubble tea so grabbed one for $2.74.
Dinner was at Anan, Saigon which has been rated #1 in Veitnam and on the 100 best restaurants in Asia list multipe times. You can pre-order an $100 pho or banh mi but we liked the wagyu banh mi that's on the menu. You can do a $68 or $100 tasting or order a la carte.
Anan Saigon
Day 3: Saigon
We started the day exploring the Ben Thanh Market, you can get some designer bag knock offs but be sure to haggle, they offer a bunch of food stalls but we chose not to eat there since there were a lot of strong scents and we were trying to be careful.
We headed down the street to Pho 2000 that a follower recommended, nice inside and lots of recipes, it was solid for sure. We tried the pho, spring rolls, and donuts which are best served in your soup!
MAJOR REC!! XO Food Tours Motorbike tour and must do in Saigon:
Yes, we were scared at first to go on the motorbike but it’s actually not so bad, it’s kind of peaceful yet hectic at the same time.
They take you to food spots that are local, you won’t be eating pho and banh mi but we tried 1. Beef noodle soup 2. Goat breast at an outdoor BBQ spot and 3. Seafood joint (Oc Oanh) with fresh crab, scallops and here is where I tried a Balut aka a fertilized duck embryo.
It’s about ~$70 a person and goes from 5-10pm.
Stops on our Motorbike Tour
Da Nang
Where to Stay
Haian Beach Hotel & Spa - We liked this hotel. It was straight forward, good service and a nice free breakfast.
Day 4: Ho Chi Minh -> Da Nang
Da Nang is the place you fly into to go to Hoi An. It's a beach town with lots of seafood restaurants but can be cold and not too busy if it's not the middle of summer.
Restaurants in Da Nang (not the best food but here are options and they are saved on the map):
Bikini Bottom - not a bad smashburger and good Western food
Thai Ga - has two locations and is really good (got fried rice, pho, and vietnamese pancake)
Nha Hang Lang Ca - go for massive cases of seafood they cook fresh
L’Italian - not bad pizza!
Day 5: SunWorld Ba Na Hills (Da Nang)
SunWorld in Ba Na Hills is one of the wackiest places we've been. It's an amusement park but reminds us of Epcot + Hogwarts + Jarrassic Park.
$35 per person to get up on gondola and enter
Mix between Epcot, Hogwarts, and Jurassic World or Disney Land in the Sky *must take gondola to get there
Known for the Golden Bridge with massive hands
Different areas with gardens, rides are on the top so you must take two gondolas to get here
Food is meh but DO NOT BUY THE BUFFETS, $15 and just meh - we got bites around the park and try the vietnamese donuts
How to get here: Grab for 40 minutes, driver will likely offer to wait for you
Headed to Hoi An from there which is about 45 minutes away.
Dinner at the famous banh mi place Anthony Bourdain love, Banh Mi Phuong, it’s CHEAP ike $2 a sandwich → sit upstairs on the balcony.
Banh Mi Phuong
Then we had 2nd dinner because we ate early, Vy's Market is a cool food hall. Explore the gate, night market, and get on a lantern boat if you'd like!
Vy’s Market
Hoi An
Where to Stay
ÊMM Hotel Hoi An - Solid hotel, walking to the old city and pretty pool and free bikes.
Day 6 : Hoi An
Headed to the beach, our hotel had bikes and it was a few kilometers away, a little scary but really pretty!
Get chairs ont he beach and then went to Soul Kitchen, it was fine but walked town to Thom’s Sourdough for a yogurt bowl and that was pretty.
Dinner that night was Cao lầu Không Gian Xanh, which specializes in the signature fish Cao Lau which is noodles with lettuce, pork, wontons, and a little bit of broth - it was OK.
We liked the chicken noodle soup more and try white rose dumplings while in Hoi An.
Cao lầu Không Gian Xanh
You will be close to many bars by the gate. We went to Wanderlust which was nice and had a yummy coconut coffee and live music. There's also some nearby Irish bars.
Day 7: Hoi An
Next day we needed to try more banh mi at the Banh Mi Queen Madame Khanh, still a super cheap option but we like Banh Mi Phuong more.
Topped that off with a Highlands Coffee frozen drink, this is like the starbucks of Asia (or Vietnam).
Must do:
Headed to the coconut village to ride boats in the coconut forest - there’s a ton of spots were you can do this and it seems like they are scamming you but work them down, we got our ride down to 150K dong and was well worth it.
It’s about 30-45 mins and they ride you around, there are some men DJing on boats and spinning boats around if you want to get in one, you have to tip though
Sadly Com Linh ran out of chicken and rice when we went but that's another must try dish in Hoi An - they have a lot of well known dishes from this area!
Hanoi
Where to Stay
Shining Central Hotel & Spa - We liked the Shining hotel, rooms we're small but good breakfast, very nice stuff and 20% off the spa!
Day 8: Early flight to Hanoi
First stop, we went to the famous place Obama and Bourdain went to when Obama visited Vietnam, they ate a traditional noodle dish Bun Cha (pork belly and pork patties, fishy sweet sauce, noodles on the side) - Bun Cha Huong Lien, no wait but busy.
Bun Cha Huong Lien
We also saw the gorgeous sunday brunch at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel over $100 a person but seemed well worth it if you want to splurge. They have a few bars and restaurants inside as well.
Then we headed straight to the TRAIN STREET - be sure to check the schedule online and weekends are the only time it passes through during the day.
There will be cops blocking off each side where all the cafes are, follow one of the ladies or men trying to get you to go into their shops and they will let you by. Get an egg coffee here, it’s so frothy but sometimes the egg smell is too much but it’s good.
After that explore the lake area and see the temple in the middle it’s just nice to walk around.
TOP REC: KingRoti - Hàng Gai
This dessert shop sells 4 items all in the version of freshly baked buns, go here please, we went twice and loved the chocolate coffee. Might be our favorite place in all of Hanoi! Baked roti with matcha, chocolate coffee, or vanilla flavors!
We did something risky and tried Pizza 4P’s, everyone was recommending it for italian food - IT WAS NO GOOD and killed our stomachs the next day.
BUT Mixue (a Chinese chain for desserts and bubble tea) redeemed our dinner with a $1 brown sugar boba ice cream.
Mixue
Day 9: Hanoi
The Hanoi Social Club - Highly recommended in town for a cute brunch or lunch.
The Hanoi Social Club
Walked over to this nearby old prision, Hoa Lo Prison Relic - it's sad but interesting to learn some history.
Maison Marou Flagship Hanoi - known for their chocolate, this is the flagship!
Our stomachs were a little week this evening so we had a simple dinner at Highway4 Bar Restaurant but they have a lot of interesting options. You have to take your shoes off and sit on the floor.
Day 10/11: Hanoi -> Halong Bay
MUST DO: Please take a cruise in Halong Bay (2 days 1 night).
We had such a lovely time on Paradise Cruise (we did the Elegance boat) it’s a 2 day 1 night cruise and we got a beautiful room at the front of the ship, it’s about $400 total for the room and includes all meals (you have to buy drinks).
Activities: hiking, kayaking (for $15), pearl farming, walk through caves, vietnamese spring roll demonstration
Food: it was good! Classic vietnamese brunch, 5 course tasting for dinner, and breakfast buffet
Overall, we recommend this, the car ride is 2 hours from Hanoi but they pick you up and it’s truly so beautiful to see Halong Bay which is one of the 7th wonders of nature.
We got back to Hanoi the next night, we wished we headed right to the airport but had time for one last banh mi at Bánh Mì 25 - Great banh mi, get the deconstructed version with eggs and meat on the side.
Finished with another King Roti ;)
That's all for Vietnam!
To recap...
Ho Chi Minh (aka Saigon) - 3 days
Flew to Da Nang (1-2 hour flight) - 2 days
Car to Hoi An - 2 days
Flight to Hanoi (1-2 hour flight) - 2 days
Hanoi -> Halong Bay Cruise - 2 days
