Day trips

Best day trips in Vietnam

Ninh Binh's karst rivers and Ha Long Bay from Hanoi, Hoi An and Hue in the Centre, the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City: day trips and longer excursions from Vietnam's main bases.

Around Hanoi

A day without leaving the capital region — the craft villages of Bat Trang and Duong Lam and the Perfume Pagoda just outside Hanoi, alongside the city's own heritage sites.

Ha Giang: The Motorbike Loop of Northern Vietnam

Plan the Ha Giang loop: Dong Van karst geopark, Ma Pi Leng Pass, days needed, licence and insurance risks, best season and easy rider options.

Ha Long Bay: Limestone Karst by Boat in Northern Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, UNESCO since 1994: how to reach it from Hanoi, day trip or overnight cruise, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long compared, and the typhoon season.

Hanoi: Vietnam's Capital, Old Quarter and Imperial Citadel

Hanoi is Vietnam's capital, not Saigon. Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, Thang Long citadel, Temple of Literature, how long to stay and how to arrive.

Ninh Binh: Rice Paddies, Limestone Peaks and Rowing Boats

Ninh Binh, about 100 km south of Hanoi: Trang An (UNESCO), Tam Coc, Hoa Lu and Mua Cave. What to see, how long to stay, when to go.

Sapa: Mountain Town, Terraced Villages and the Road to Fansipan

Sapa sits below Fansipan in northern Vietnam: how to reach it from Hanoi, when the rice terraces turn gold and which villages are worth the walk.

Cao Bang and Ban Gioc: Vietnam's Far Northern Border Country

Cao Bang and the Ban Gioc waterfall on the Chinese border: how far it is from Hanoi, when the water is best, how many days to allow and what to check.

Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay: the Quieter Side of Ha Long

Cat Ba is the island base for Lan Ha Bay: quieter than Ha Long, with kayaking, boat days, hiking and island life, 150–180 km east of Hanoi.

Mai Chau: A Gentle Rice Valley of Stilt-House Villages in Northern Vietnam

Mai Chau guide: a gentle rice valley of White Thai stilt-house villages, reached from Hanoi by road. Walk, cycle and sleep in a homestay.

Northern Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa and the Mountains

Plan Northern Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa and Ha Giang, with the four seasons, typhoon risk, routes and how the hubs connect.

Pu Luong: Terraced Valleys, Stilt Houses and Quiet Trails

Pu Luong is a quiet northern reserve of terraced valleys, water wheels and homestays. How to get there from Hanoi, when to go and how long to stay.

Mu Cang Chai: Vietnam's Rice Terraces of the North-West

Mu Cang Chai's rice terraces: when they turn green and gold, how to reach them from Hanoi, where to stay and how to plan a short trip.

Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay

A half or full day through Ninh Binh's karst rivers at Trang An and Tam Coc, or to the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba, usually reached by day cruise or overnight boat.

Da Nang Travel Guide: Beaches, Marble Mountains and Ba Na Hills

Da Nang is central Vietnam's big coastal city: My Khe beach, Marble Mountains, Son Tra, Dragon Bridge and Ba Na Hills, 30 km from Hoi An.

Da Lat Travel Guide: Vietnam's Cool Mountain City

Da Lat sits at about 1,500 m on the Lang Biang plateau: pines, cafes, waterfalls and colonial villas. How to get there, how long to stay, when to go.

Hoi An: Ancient Town, Lanterns, An Bang and My Son

Hoi An's UNESCO old town, lanterns, tailors, An Bang beach, Cham Islands and My Son: how long to stay, when to go and what to budget.

Hue, Vietnam's Imperial City on the Perfume River

Hue was Vietnam's imperial capital until 1945. See the Imperial City, royal tombs and Thien Mu Pagoda, and eat bun bo Hue where it began.

Nha Trang: Vietnam's Big Beach Resort on the South-Central Coast

Nha Trang is Vietnam's main beach resort: city beach, islands and diving, Po Nagar Cham towers, nightlife. How long to stay, getting there, when to go.

Central Vietnam: Hue, Phong Nha, Da Nang, Hoi An and the Coast

Central Vietnam guide: Hue's imperial tombs, Phong Nha caves, Da Nang, Hoi An, the south-central coast and Da Lat, with climate and where to go.

Phong Nha: Caves, Karst and the Truth About Son Doong

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (UNESCO): Phong Nha and Paradise caves, the village base, a Son Doong reality check, access, seasons and flood risks.

Central Highlands, Vietnam: Coffee, Plateaus and Village Life

Plan the Central Highlands: Buon Ma Thuot coffee, Kon Tum villages, Yok Don and waterfalls.

Quy Nhon: The Quiet Bay on Vietnam's South-Central Coast

Quy Nhon is a working seaside city on the south-central coast, without Nha Trang's crowds. Access, seasons, what to do and how long to stay.

Further afield — mountains, Centre and South

The longer trips — Sapa, Fansipan, Mu Cang Chai and the Ha Giang Loop in the northern mountains, then Phong Nha, Hoi An and Hue in the Centre and the Mekong Delta in the South.

Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon's Landmarks, Markets and Metro

Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, is Vietnam's biggest city, not its capital. District 1, Cholon, Metro Line 1 and how long to stay.

Mekong Delta: Rivers, Orchards and Floating Markets South of Saigon

A practical guide to the Mekong Delta: My Tho, Ben Tre, Can Tho, Chau Doc, how long to stay, when to go, and what the delta is not.

Phu Quoc: Vietnam's Largest Island in the Gulf of Thailand

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's largest island, in the Gulf of Thailand with its own airport. Best season, beaches, getting there, islands and tours.

Can Tho: The Mekong Delta's Big City and the Cai Rang Floating Market

Can Tho is the Mekong Delta's main city, 170 km from Ho Chi Minh City, and the best base for the dawn Cai Rang floating market.

Con Dao: A Remote Southern Archipelago Reached by Air or Fast Ferry

Con Dao is a remote southern archipelago reached only by plane or fast ferry, never a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City. Season, costs and planning.

Mui Ne: Sand Dunes and a Seaside Escape on Vietnam's South-Central Coast

Mui Ne guide: red and white dunes, beach and fishing village, about 200 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Not the Mekong Delta. When to go, how long.

Southern Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and the Islands

Southern Vietnam explained: Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, Mui Ne, Phu Quoc and Con Dao, with the two-season climate and how to plan.

Vung Tau: A Seaside Weekend Escape from Ho Chi Minh City

Vung Tau is the closest seaside break from Ho Chi Minh City: what a short stay offers, what it lacks, how it differs from Mui Ne and Phu Quoc.

Good to know about day trips from Hanoi

Several worthwhile excursions sit within reach of Vietnam's main bases, each with a different character. From Hanoi, Bat Trang, the ceramic village, is the easiest introduction to the countryside, combining a short trip with pottery workshops and market browsing, achievable in half a day. Duong Lam, the ancient village, pairs old laterite houses and communal architecture with a quieter, more rural pace, and the two can sometimes be combined depending on how much time is available.

The Perfume Pagoda involves a boat ride along the Yen Stream followed by a cable car or hike up to the cave temple, making it more of a half-day-plus excursion than a quick stop, and it's especially busy during its spring festival season. Ninh Binh is the most popular full day trip from Hanoi, combining Trang An or Tam Coc's rowing-boat routes through karst scenery with a stop at Mua Cave for the viewpoint climb. Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba can be done as a single long day from Hanoi, though the distance means an overnight cruise is a common alternative.

Elsewhere, Hoi An and the nearby coast are the natural excursions from Da Nang, Hue sits within reach of the same area, and from Ho Chi Minh City the Mekong Delta is the usual day trip by boat among canals and orchards. Each of these works as a half-day to full-day trip depending on how many stops are combined, and it's worth building in some flexibility around the weather, since boat rides and outdoor sections are less enjoyable in heavy rain.

Frequently asked questions about day trips from Hanoi

What's the best day trip from Hanoi for first-time visitors?

Ninh Binh is the most popular choice, combining a boat ride through Trang An or Tam Coc with a stop at Mua Cave, achievable as a single full day.

Can Bat Trang and Duong Lam be combined in one day?

They can be combined, though it makes for a fuller day than visiting either on its own, since the two villages sit in different directions from central Hanoi.

Is the Perfume Pagoda worth visiting outside of its spring festival period?

Yes, the boat ride and cave temple are open year-round and considerably quieter outside the festival season, though the festival itself draws large numbers of pilgrims.

Should Ha Long Bay be a day trip or an overnight cruise from Hanoi?

A day trip is possible but involves a lot of travel time for a relatively short period on the water; an overnight cruise spreads that same distance across more comfortable time in the bay.

Which day trips are possible from the centre and the south?

From Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue are the usual excursions, and from Ho Chi Minh City the Mekong Delta is the classic day trip, with longer stays an option if time allows.