Vietnam Itinerary | 10 Days in Vietnam

Vietnam is a beautiful country where many tourists flock to visit recently. Many people love Vietnamese food from the Banh Mi, Banh Xeo and more. I crave the food quite frequently and would to eat more of it. In this Vietnam Itinerary, I will help you discover the best cities and places to visit during your 10 Days in Vietnam. I have included the most popular cities known in Vietnam. 

Vietnam Itinerary | 10 Days in Vietnam

This 10-day Vietnam Itinerary spends most of the places in Central to Southern Vietnam. You can easily add or remove some days if you want to adjust this Itinerary to visit more cities in Vietnam like Hanoi and Halong Bay. 

Best time to visit for 10 Days in Vietnam

The best time to visit Vietnam is between November and April. These months are dry and hot. During May-October, you may experience monsoon season with heavy rains and typhoons. You want to avoid Monsoon season so that you don’t have to worry about delays to any of the islands or beaches. The rain is pretty heaving during those seasons which will not be great for exploring. 

Language in Vietnam

The language spoken in Vietnam is Vietnamese of course. 

Some Vietnamese Words to Know

• Hello = Xin Chao (Sin chow)
• Thank you = Cam on (kahm uhn)
• Sorry = Xin Loi (Sin Loy)
• Goodbye = Tam Biet (Tarm Byeet)
• No, Thank You! = Khong! Cam On (Khom, kahm uhn)
• Can you speak English? = Ban noi tieng anh duoc khong? (Banh noi thien an durkh khom)

How to apply for a Visa for your 10 Days in Vietnam Itinerary

There are 2 major types of Visa you can get for Vietnam as a tourist. There is a multiple entry visa and a single entry visa for Vietnam. If you are only entering and exiting out of Vietnam, then you only need a single entry visa. If you plan to only travel within Vietnam, a single entry visa is fine, it just depends on if you are exiting Vietnam and re-entering into Vietnam. A single entry visa is easier to apply for and can be applied as an e-visa and paid for online. The good thing about the e-visa is you can go straight to the customs line with your e-visa paperwork. 

To apply for a single entry e-visa to Vietnam, you can easily apply online here.

However, if you plan to go to Vietnam, then go to Thailand, Cambodia, or other surrounding countries and then re-entering Vietnam, you will need to get a multiple entry visa. While for the multiple entry visa, you will most likely need to use a middle man to help get approval for it. For the multiple entry visa, you will get an approval letter for a visa and will need to bring that letter with you. You will also need to bring 2 passport photos as well. You won’t receive your visa until you arrive at the airport and submit your paperwork. Then you can move forward to customs. You will also have to pay an additional fee for the visa itself at the airport and must bring USD cash in crisp bills. 

To apply for a multiple entry visa to Vietnam, you can apply online here. I highly suggest you pay extra for the fast track service so that you aren’t waiting for a long time at the airport. 

Form of Currency in Vietnam

Vietnam currently uses Vietnamese dong. If you plan to exchange your currency at the airport, I suggest you bring crisp bills that are not ripped, folded, or have small tears. They will not be accepted. Make sure all your bills are crisp. 

How to get around Vietnam in 10 Days

There are many ways to travel around Vietnam, it just depends on where you need to go. 

How to get around the Hoi An

Hoi An is a very walkable city, so I don’t suggest you take any taxis or transportation unless you are trying to get to the beach or doing day trips surrounding Hoi An. You can easily rent a bike in Hoi An as well since many vehicles are not allowed in the old part of town. 

How to get around Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City

So to get around the bigger cities, you can walk to most places but some areas may be considered too far for a walk. For those places, I suggest you download the Grab App. This is like an Uber service in Vietnam where you can easily grab a taxi car or motorbike to take you around the city. You can pay the driver in cash once you arrive at your destination. This was the cheapest and easiest way for me to get around without having to worry about a car. 

How to get from Da Nang to Hoi An

The best way to get from Da Nang to Hoi An is to take a taxi. It costs about 300,000 Vietnamese Dong or about $13 USD. You can take other forms of transportation like a bus if you wish, but if you are traveling with a lot of luggage or with a lot of people, it’s best to take a taxi to and from. 

How to get from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City

To get from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City, the best way would be to fly by airplane. Many of the flights within Vietnam are very cheap at about $20 one way or $40 round trip. Sometimes they can even be more affordable than that. With a 10 Day Itinerary, I don’t suggest you waste time driving or taking a bus. It will just eat into the time you are spending in Vietnam. 

If you are interested you can also travel to several places in Vietnam by train, read more about how to catch a train in Vietnam.

Tips to save money in Vietnam for 10 days

• Eat at the Food Markets or Local Stands
• Eat Local Foods – Foreigner foods are typically more expensive since it is harder to get those types of food. Lots of Vietnamese food is very cheap especially at the markets or local food stands. 
• Use a Grab Taxi Motorbike – Traveling by motorbike is a lot cheaper than by a bigger taxi. However, if you are traveling with a large group of people, the car will be more affordable. 
• Budget – Be sure to budget your daily expenses. I tried to stay under the budget of 500,000 VND (~$20 USD)  per day which was fairly easy if I ate at the cheaper locations. If you get a massage, it might cut into your budget a little bit, but getting a massage in Vietnam is so cheap and worth it. 
• Book rooms close to the action – I suggest you book rooms closer to the areas that are easily accessible. The further you are from the places you want to see, the more it’s going to eat into your budget to get to those destinations. 

Where you will visit in 10 Days in Vietnam

• Day 1: Arrive in Da Nang
• Day 2: Golden Hands and Ba Na Hills
• Day 3: Hoi An
• Day 4: Hoi An
• Day 5: Hoi An
• Day 6: My Sons Ruins
• Day 7: Cham Islands
• Day 8: Ho Chi Minh City
• Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City
• Day 10: Depart from Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam Itinerary Day 1 | Arrival in Da Nang

Da Nang is a popular city during your 10 days in Vietnam. It is a very popular place to visit for Korean tourists. You may see a variest of Korean tourists because Koreans love to travel for food. There are so many delicious foods in Da Nang including Banh Xeo. However, many will tell you that you never truly had authentic Banh Xeo unless you have had it in Hoi An. There are a few things to do in Da Nang, however, I don’t suggest spending too much time here since there are so many other amazing things to do outside of Da Nang during your Vietnam Itinerary. 

RELATED: Da Nang Attractions

Recommended things to do in Da Nang

• Da Nang Cathedral
• Cong Caphe
• Dragon Bridge
• Da Nang Beach

Vietnam Itinerary Day 2 | Golden Hands and Ba Na Hills

Most people flock to Da Nang to see the famous Golden Hands Bridge in Ba Na Hills. Ba Nah hills is a popular tourist attraction for Vietnamese and tourists. This amusement park includes some great things to see and do like the Golden Hands Bridge, Wax Museum, Fantasy Park, Beer Plaza, a rollercoaster, and an all you can eat buffet. To access the park, you will need to take a cable car all the way up to the top of the hill.  You can easily spend a full day here or even a half-day depending on what you want to do. Book your tour here. 

Recommended things to do at Ba Na Hills

• Golden Hands Bridge
• Wax Museum
• Fantasy Park
• Beer Plaza
• All you can eat buffet

Vietnam Itinerary Day 3 | Hoi An

Hoi An is probably my favorite city in all of Vietnam. There are so many things to do in Hoi An. It’s so colorful, beautiful, and completely different than the rest of Vietnam. There are a lot of beautiful buildings, lots of delicious food and restaurants, and so much more. I think it’s just a great place to relax and wander in. Hoi An is known for its Ancient Town and being able to get custom made clothing for fairly affordable prices. This is one of the popular things to do during your Vietnam Itinerary

RELATED: Hoi An Tailors

Recommended things to do in Hoi An

• Tailor-Made Clothing
• Eat at Banh Xeo
• Drink at a Cafe
• Get a Massage
• Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge

Vietnam Itinerary Day 4 | Hoi An

One day of 2 of Hoi An for your Vietnam Itinerary, you might want to explore the city some more. If you got some custom clothing made, you will need to return for a fitting to make sure all your clothing options fit and are made to your liking. On this day, I suggest you get the famous Banh Mi at Banh Mi Queen, which is Anthony Bourdain’s favorite spot. If the weather is too hot, take a break and wait to go out in the evening time. At night, you can enjoy the beautiful lit up lanterns in the night market during your 10 days in Vietnam. 

RELATED: Hoi An Restaurants

Recommended things to do in Hoi An

• Buy Leather Made Goods
• Bike and Take Gorgeous Photos of Ancient Town
• Eat at Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen
• Take photos with beautiful Hoi An lanterns at night
• Take a lantern boat ride

Vietnam Itinerary Day 5 | Hoi An

You can easily explore Ancient Town again as well if you feel like you missed anything. If not, you can easily spend a relaxing day at the beach and get a massage afterward. The beach at An Bang is very relaxing and you can walk further South to escape the crowds. The beaches here, however, aren’t nearly as busy as in Da Nang. 

RELATED: One day in Hoi An

Recommended things to do in Hoi An

• Eat White Rose Dumplings
• Eat at the Food Market
• Make your own lantern
• Drink Coconut Coffee at Cong Caphe
• Go to An Bang Beach
• Get a massage

Vietnam Itinerary Day 6 | My Sons Ruins

From Hoi An or Da Nang, you can easily take a day trip to My Sons Ruins. If you have been to Siem Reap, it’s definitely not as impressive, however, still interesting to check out. This is an easy half-day tour you can take from Hoi An. If you take a tour, they will take you to other stops along the way or on the way back as well. Book your tour here.

Ticket cost: 150,000 VND (~$7USD)

Tour cost: $18 – $22 USD

Vietnam Itinerary Day 7 | Cham Islands

One Day 7, you can take a day trip from Hoi An to Cham Islands. These islands are absolutely beautiful to visit during your stay for 10 days in Vietnam. Cham islands consist of 8 islands on the coast of Hoi An. The islands are about 30 minutes from Chua Dai Beach.  Book your tour here. 

Tour cost: $16 – $28 USD

Vietnam Itinerary Day 8 | Ho Chi Minh City

Today for your Vietnam Itinerary, you will take a flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City. You will need to take a taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang, make sure you keep in mind it takes about 45 minutes by taxi to get to the airport from Hoi An. Additionally, you will need to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to your departure. Depending on what time you land in Ho Chi Minh City, there are a few things you can check out. Like the Central Post office, Norte Dame Cathedrals, and the Binh Tay Market. 

RELATED: One day in Ho Chi Minh City

Recommended things to do in Ho Chi Minh City for your 10 days in Vietnam

• Cong Caphe
• Send a Letter or Postcard at Saigon Central Post Office
• Norte Dame Cathedral
• People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City 
• Eat Lunch at the Bình Tây Market

Vietnam Itinerary Day 9 | Ho Chi Minh City

On your second day in Ho Chi Minh, you can easily finish what you weren’t able to do on the first day. One of my favorite things to do during my 10 days in Vietnam was the Saigon Food Tour by Motorbike Adventures in Ho Chi Minh City. On this food tour, you will take a motorbike around the city and explore the city. They will take you to some of the best places to eat in Ho Chi Minh City and explore some of the older neighborhoods as well. Many of their tour guides are currently  English students and it’s a great experience for them to practice their skills. Book your tour here. 

Recommended things to do in Ho Chi Minh City

• Get a Massage
• Admire the beautiful Thien Hau Temple
• Bitexco Financial Tower
• Motorbike Adventures in Saigon Food Tour

Vietnam Itinerary Day 10 | Depart from Ho Chi Minh City

On your last day of your Vietnam Itinerary, I suggest you spend it packing up, relaxing, eating some delicious meals, and getting last-minute gifts or souvenirs for yourself, family, or friends back home. If you have more time or want to extend your itinerary, visit Hanoi and Halong Bay or swing by Cambodia and visit the temples at Angkor Wat and spend one day in Siem Reap. 

This is my 10 days in Vietnam Itinerary, what are some of the things you suggest to do during this Itinerary? 

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