There is no month that is good everywhere in Vietnam. When Hanoi is cold and drizzling in January, Saigon is dry and 32°C. The country is 1,650km end to end and its weather does not agree with itself.
So the first decision is region, not date. Most first trips take the north and centre, which is a comfortable six or seven nights. Adding the south means another internal flight and at least three more nights.
Why go to Vietnam
Ha Long Bay
Sixteen hundred limestone islands, and an overnight cruise puts you there after the day boats leave.
Food that justifies the trip alone
Regional and specific: pho in Hanoi, bun bo in Hue, banh mi in Hoi An, all of it cheap.
Straightforward e-visa
Applied for online in about three working days through the government portal.
Excellent value
Hotels, food and internal flights cost noticeably less than comparable trips in Thailand.
What people come for
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Hanoi Old Quarter
Thirty-six streets, each named for the trade once practised on it.
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Ha Long Bay
Karsts in the Gulf of Tonkin, best seen from a boat you sleep on.
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Hoi An
A preserved trading port lit by silk lanterns, dark on the 14th of each lunar month.
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Da Nang
A long beach, the Dragon Bridge, and the Marble Mountains to the south.
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Ho Chi Minh City
Faster and hotter than Hanoi, with the Cu Chi tunnels half a day away.
Full guide: the best places to visit in Vietnam →
Before you book
How long you need
Six nights covers Hanoi, an overnight Ha Long cruise, and Hoi An with Da Nang. The south adds three or four nights plus a flight. Sapa or Phong Nha each need two more.
Who it suits
Couples, families and anyone who travels for food. It is more demanding than Thailand in terms of distances but rewards it.
What to watch for
The central coast floods from September to December. Typhoons affect the north and centre in autumn. February to April is the only window that works north to south at once.
Vietnam — Hanoi, Ha Long & Da Nang
Hanoi's old quarter, an overnight on Ha Long Bay, and Da Nang or Hoi An for the coast. E-visa documentation handled, internal flights and transfers booked with the trip.
From₹41,999
See the full itineraryBest time to visit Vietnam
| When | What it is like | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| North (Hanoi, Ha Long, Sapa) | Best October to April. Cold and drizzly December to February. | Oct – Apr |
| Centre (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang) | Best February to May. Serious rain and flooding September to December. | Feb – May |
| South (Saigon, Mekong, Phu Quoc) | Best December to April, dry and warm. Wet May to November. | Dec – Apr |
| Whole country | February to April is the only window that works reasonably north to south together. | Feb – Apr |
Getting to Vietnam
By air. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City take direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. Da Nang has some direct services, which saves a domestic leg.
Getting around. Internal flights take under two hours and cost little. The coastal Reunification Express is scenic but slow; the Hai Van Pass stretch between Hue and Da Nang is the part worth doing.
Permits and entry rules
Indian nationals need an e-visa, applied for online through the Vietnamese Immigration Department's official portal before travel. Processing usually takes about three working days. Apply only through the government site, since unofficial resellers charge substantially more for the same document.