15-Day Vietnam Tour: Sapa, Halong Bay, Mekong Delta & More

Summary

Vietnam Multi-Day Adventure: From Hanoi to the Mekong Delta

If you're looking for more than just postcard views, this 15-day Vietnam tour packs real moments—from rowing through Tam Coc's caves to tasting street food on Saigon's backstreets or waking up among Sapa's rice terraces. You'll meet locals everywhere you go and come home knowing you've truly experienced Vietnam beyond its highlights.

What’s the experience like?

Landing in Hanoi, the city hits you right away—motorbikes zipping past, the smell of grilled pork from a nearby vendor, and that sticky warmth clinging to your skin. Our driver was waiting at Noi Bai Airport, sign in hand. The Old Quarter’s narrow streets felt like a maze; I could hear laughter spilling out from tiny cafés as we checked into our hotel. That evening, we hopped into a xich lo (those three-wheeled cycle rickshaws), weaving through Hoan Kiem’s glowing lights and past Ngoc Son Temple. The water puppet show was a real surprise—puppets gliding over water while musicians played those twangy Vietnamese instruments. Dinner after was simple but comforting—rice, stir-fried greens, and pork with lemongrass.

The next morning started early with a drive out to Ha Long Bay. The road trip itself is worth it—rice paddies stretching forever and water buffalo plodding along the dikes. At Hon Gai harbor, we boarded our cruise ship for Bai Tu Long Bay. Welcome drinks in hand, we watched limestone islands drift by as lunch arrived—fresh seafood and cold beer. Later that day, we paddled around Vung Vieng Fishing Village by bamboo boat; kids waved from their floating homes and you could smell the salty air mixed with wood smoke from their stoves. Sunset on deck was quiet except for the distant hum of another boat. That night there was a cooking class (I tried rolling spring rolls—messy but fun) and some folks tried squid fishing off the side.

Waking up on the bay is something else—the mist hangs low over the water and everything feels hushed. Tai Chi on deck at sunrise wasn’t really my thing but watching others try was entertaining enough. After breakfast, we explored Thien Canh Son Cave; cool inside and not crowded at all compared to other caves I’ve seen before. Back on land by midday, it was time for lunch before heading back to Hanoi.

Ninh Binh came next—a couple hours’ drive south through flat countryside dotted with small temples and roadside fruit stalls selling jackfruit and lychees in season. Hoa Lu’s ancient temples are quiet now but you can almost picture them bustling centuries ago. Lunch was at a family-run spot (the fried river fish is worth trying). Then came Tam Coc: two hours gliding down the river in a bamboo boat rowed by a local woman using her feet! We floated through caves so low you had to duck your head; outside, kingfishers darted above lotus flowers blooming along the banks. There’s an option to bike through nearby villages—I borrowed an old single-speed bike and pedaled past kids playing soccer in dusty fields before catching the night train north.

Sapa greeted us with cool mountain air just after dawn—mist curling around terraced rice fields as far as you could see. Breakfast at a local place (steaming pho with fresh herbs) hit the spot before we trekked down to Cat Cat Village where Black H’mong families live. You’ll pass waterfalls and an old French-built hydro station; women sell hand-embroidered bags along the trail. Lunch happened back in Sapa town before heading deeper into Lao Chai for our homestay—wooden houses perched on hillsides, chickens scratching underfoot, dinner cooked over an open fire by our host family.

The next morning started with rooster calls echoing across valleys still wrapped in fog. We visited more H’mong homes—everyone seemed eager to share tea or show off indigo-dyed cloths drying outside. By midday it was time for Fansipan Mountain—the cable car ride up is wild: clouds swirling below as you climb toward Vietnam’s highest peak (3,143m). The view from up top? Layers of green mountains fading into blue haze all around you.

Back in Hanoi for one last round of city sights: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (lines move fast if you go early), Uncle Ho’s stilt house tucked behind gardens buzzing with dragonflies, One Pillar Pagoda standing quietly beside its pond. The Temple of Literature is peaceful too—a good spot for photos under banyan trees—and then there’s West Lake where locals jog or sip iced coffee by the shore.

A quick flight took us south to Hue where imperial history comes alive inside massive stone walls of the Citadel—our guide pointed out bullet holes left from past battles near Ngo Mon Gate. Thien Mu Pagoda sits above Perfume River; monks chanting inside made it feel timeless somehow. We stopped at Tu Duc Tomb (the emperor’s “palace after life”) before driving along Lang Co Beach toward Hoi An.

Hoi An Ancient Town is all lanterns and yellow-washed houses; walking here feels like stepping back in time but also totally alive—tailors calling out offers for custom suits or dresses as you pass by street food stalls selling cao lau noodles or crispy banh mi sandwiches. There’s plenty of time to wander markets or cross the Japanese Covered Bridge before heading out to Ba Na Hills near Da Nang—the cable car ride up is long but smooth (bring a light jacket—it gets chilly). The Golden Bridge looks surreal held up by giant stone hands peeking through misty pines.

Marble Mountains are close by—a jumble of pagodas and caves carved into limestone hills overlooking Da Nang city below; climbing 151 steps up Thuy Mountain isn’t easy but worth it for views alone.

The next day brought My Son Sanctuary—a cluster of red-brick towers built centuries ago by Cham people hidden deep among green hills (our guide explained how they stuck bricks together without mortar). Afternoon meant beach time back in Hoi An: soft sand underfoot and warm waves rolling in while locals played volleyball nearby.

A short flight later landed us in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)—a rush of energy compared to sleepy central Vietnam! War Remnants Museum pulls no punches with its exhibits; outside are rusting tanks while inside black-and-white photos tell hard stories from both sides of conflict. Notre Dame Cathedral stands tall just across from the Old Post Office—all French colonial arches painted pale yellow against tropical skies.

The Cu Chi Tunnels were next—a tight squeeze underground but fascinating seeing how people lived during wartime (manioc root snacks aren’t bad either). That night we zipped through Saigon traffic on scooters for a street food tour: crispy banh xeo pancakes eaten sitting on plastic stools down busy alleys, then strong drip coffee at a tucked-away café inside an old apartment block (“chung cư”). Dessert? Sweet soup loaded with coconut milk and jelly cubes—it sounds odd but tastes great after spicy food!

Mekong Delta days start early—the road south passes endless green rice fields broken only by slow rivers lined with palms swaying overhead. In My Tho we stopped at Vinh Trang Pagoda (giant Buddha statues everywhere), then hopped onto boats weaving between floating houses and coconut groves on Thoi Son Island where folk musicians played while we snacked on fresh fruit under mango trees.

Biking through Ben Tre villages meant dodging chickens crossing dirt lanes while locals waved hello from hammocks strung between palm trunks; coconut candy workshops smelled sweet enough to make your teeth ache! In Can Tho that night I slept like a rock thanks to all that fresh air.

Cai Rang Floating Market wakes up before sunrise—boats piled high with pineapples or pumpkins bobbing alongside each other as sellers shout prices across muddy water; if you want something specific just look for what’s hanging off their bamboo poles overhead! A quick stop showed us how vermicelli noodles get made by hand before crossing one of those wobbly “monkey bridges” made from nothing but bamboo poles tied together…not for the faint-hearted!

The final morning brought strong Trung Nguyen coffee at a busy shop downtown (locals swear it’s best enjoyed black over ice) followed by steaming bowls of pho at a restaurant older than most buildings around it—a fitting end before heading home full of stories…and maybe carrying home some extra coffee beans too.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hanoi Arrival and City Tour

• Transfer to Hanoi Old Quarter and hotel check-in
• Evening Xich Lo tour and Water Puppet Show with dinner

Day 2 — Ha Long Bay Cruise Begins

• Drive to Ha Long Bay with a short break
• Board cruise at Bai Tu Long Bay, lunch, visit fishing village, sunset, cooking class, dinner

Day 3 — Explore Bai Tu Long Bay and Return

• Morning Tai Chi and visit Thien Canh Son Cave
• Relax on sundeck and return to harbor
• Transfer back to Hanoi and hotel check-in

Day 4 — Hoa Lu and Tam Coc Excursion

• Visit Hoa Lu ancient capital and temples
• Bamboo boat ride at Tam Coc and optional biking
• Transfer to train station and overnight train to Sapa

Day 5 — Sapa Trekking and Homestay

• Trek Cat Cat Village and visit hydroelectric station
• Lunch and trekking in Lao Chai and Ta Van villages

Day 6 — Fansipan Mountain and Return to Hanoi

• Morning at homestay and visit local H’mong families
• Cable car to Fansipan Mountain peak
• Limousine transfer back to Hanoi and hotel check-in

Day 7 — Hanoi City Tour and Flight to Hue

• Visit Ho Chi Minh complex and Temple of Literature
• Lunch and visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
• Tour Hoa Lo Prison
• Visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarter
• Transfer to airport and flight to Hue

Day 8 — Hue Imperial City and Hoi An

• Visit Hue Imperial Citadel
• Visit Thien Mu Pagoda
• Tour Tu Duc Tomb and lunch
• Drive to Hoi An, visit Lang Co Beach and Hoi An Ancient Town

Day 9 — Ba Na Hills and Marble Mountains

• Visit Ba Na Hills and Fantasy Park
• Explore King Peak and Linh Tu Pagoda
• Visit Golden Bridge and Marble Mountains

Day 10 — My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Beach

• Visit My Son Sanctuary
• Lunch and relax at Hoi An Beach

Day 11 — Flight to Ho Chi Minh City and City Tour

• Flight to Ho Chi Minh City and hotel transfer
• Visit War Remnants Museum
• Tour Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office
• Visit Reunification Palace

Day 12 — Cu Chi Tunnels and Saigon Street Food

• Explore Cu Chi Tunnels
• Evening Saigon street food tour by scooter
• Visit Chung cư, coffee shop, and dessert tasting

Day 13 — Mekong Delta: My Tho to Can Tho

• Drive to My Tho and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda
• Boat ride on Tien River and visit Thoi Son Island
• Visit honey bee farm, coconut candy workshop, and village by horse cart and bicycle
• Transfer to Can Tho and hotel check-in

Day 14 — Cai Rang Floating Market and Return

• Boat tour of Cai Rang Floating Market
• Village trek and cross monkey bridge
• Visit Can Tho market and lunch, return to Ho Chi Minh City

Day 15 — Last Day: Coffee and Pho

• Free time, visit Trung Nguyen Coffee Shop and lunch with Pho
• Transfer to airport for departure

Top questions

What’s included