Introduction
Why go to Vietnam? Well considering that you’re on this page means that you already have an interest in Vietnam and might possibly be considering going there yourself. So why Vietnam? Here are a couple of good reasons:
- This country is a budget traveler’s dream. It is has everything a blissful backpacker can ask for. With its truly mouthwatering street food, great-value accommodation, insanely inexpensive transportation, and low-cost adventures, you will be able to comfortably spend as much time as your heart desires here.
- It has a unique appeal because of its very large variety of different landscapes all throughout the country. What that means is that you’ll be surrounded by opportunities to do whatever appeals to YOU. There are laid-back beaches, limestone highlands, endless rice fields, full-on cities, dense jungles, the largest caves in the world, awe-inspiring highway coastlines, and deeply moving war sites.
- One of the best places for solo backpackers. The reason Vietnam is ideal for solo travel is that there is a very well-defined tourist trail which hits all the best destinations. Not only does that make it easy for itinerary planning, but you’ll constantly be meeting other travelers who are following that trail in the same direction as you. By the end of your trip, you’ll most likely be with a group of people that clicked with you.
Where to Go in Vietnam
Vietnam Travel Backpacking Itineraries
When I first arrived in Vietnam I had a set itinerary and only planned to stay for two weeks. But as I traveled through the country, I spoke to both tourists and locals who kept on suggesting where I should go next. Because of that, I ended up completely changing up my route and adding an extra 2 weeks to what I had intended. It was almost like it was impossible to follow my original itinerary because of how many people would be talking about how great the next spot was or which place was not worth spending more than a day in. So, after spending a full month in Vietnam following recommendations and adding a small twist of my own research to the itinerary. I completed Vietnam very satisfied with the route that had been created. Here it is, and it could also be done vice versa:
1-Month Travel Itinerary
Ho Chi Minh City – 3 nights
Da Lat – 2 nights
Hoi An – 4 nights
Hue – 1 night
Phong Nha- 4 nights
Cat Ba – 2 nights
Ha Giang – 5 nights
Sapa – 3 nights
Hanoi – 4 nights
2-Week Vietnam Itinerary
Ho Chi Minh – 2 nights
Da Lat – 1 night
Hoi An – 2 nights
Phong Nha – 2 nights
Cat Ba (Halong Bay) – 2 nights
Ha Giang – 3 nights
Hanoi – 2 nights
Places to Visit in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Saigon is one of the two starting points for backpackers preparing to embark on their exploration of Vietnam. Right away upon entering this city you can see how chaotic it is. Mainly because of the “motorcycle madness” on the streets. Yet at the same time, you notice how the city breathes life into the people living in or visiting the city.
Accommodation
Vietnam Guide Home
Must Do’s
Cu Chi Tunnels
The War Remnants Museum
Vietnam Guide Home Free Walking Food Tour
Sunrise from the Cai Rang Floating Market on the Mekong Delta
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
3 nights
A step through History of the Vietnam War; Cu Chi Tunnels & The War Remnants Museum
As a blissful backpacker, it’s best to learn about the country you’re visiting before you go off exploring it. it adds such a strong character to the country which you will notice as you progress deeper into the country and its culture. For those beginning Vietnam here, I believe that on your first day you should see the Cu Chi Tunnels and The War Remnants Museum, which could be done in one day. It dedicates the day to learn about the Vietnam war and what the country has been through. Even though we have learned about it in history class in school or watched documentaries on it. Seeing and reading about it from a completely different perspective is truly eye-opening.
Cu Chi Tunnels
Admission: 110,000d ($5)
The tunnels are about an hour 30-minute drive from Saigon. This is a half day trip which brings you back home around 2:00 pm. I booked this tour through my hostel (Vietnam Guide Home) which I believe is the most efficient way to do it because they just pick you up, provide a guide, and drive you back. Also definitely recommend having a guide explain everything to you as you’re seeing it. Yeah, its cool to just see everything, but learning about it adds a kick of bliss to the rest of your stay in Vietnam.
My day at the Cu Chi tunnels was my first day in Vietnam since arriving the night before. I felt like it was the best introduction to the country and who they are. In this museum complex, you will see traps that the Viet Cong had set up to use against the Americans, a claustrophobic yet remarkable network of underground tunnels, a tank that you can go inside of, and a gun range where you can shoot some exotic guns like an RPG or grenade launcher.
The War Remnants Museum
Admission: 15,000d ($0.65)
The museum is located inside Saigon and could be quickly reached with a grab bike from any location around the city. If you choose to stay in Vietnam Guide Home, it’s only a 20-minute walk or a $1 and 8-minute grab bike ride to it.
This museum does an amazing job conveying the truth about the war. It doesn’t hold back on showing the brutality of the war and its innocent civilian victims. What seemed unique about it is that it had stories from victims that had survived and witnessed what went on. These stories contained information I had never heard of or even imagined happening. Sure, I had learned a decent amount about the war throughout my life and even brushed up on that knowledge before arriving. But, just from this one visit to this museum, I felt like I had fully seen what this country has been through during and since the war.
Vietnam Guide Home – Free Walking Food Tour
If you aren’t too drained from your physically and mentally active day. This next thing is exactly what you’ll be needing. This hostel organizes a free walking tour every night which introduces you to traditional Vietnamese cuisine. This is also a great opportunity to meet people from your hostel if you’re looking to socialize. The tour service is free, but you still have to pay for the food you eat. However, the prices are very minimal such as $.60 to $1 per dish. So basically, you follow two English speaking local guides around to a couple of small dish restaurants and street food. You’ll be introduced to food such as Bun Bo, Pho, and Banh mi which are very common dishes you’ll be eating constantly during your stay in Vietnam. At the ending of the tour, they bring everyone to the main party/bar hopping street. It’s a bunch of neon green lights everywhere and a good time from every direction. Here you can choose to either find a bar with people from the hostel or head back to the room with the guides. If the whole group is down for it like mine was, the guides end up staying out with you.
See the sunrise from the Cai Rang Floating Market on the Mekong Delta
So this right here is a must do for all blissful backpackers. The Mekong Delta is a region in southern Vietnam. It is a vast maze of rivers, islands, and swamps. It’s also a water world where boats, houses, restaurants, and even markets float upon the innumerable rivers. It’s also home to a lot of pagodas and villages surrounded by rice fields.
The Cai Rang floating market runs only from 5:00 AM to 8:00 AM. What’s perfect about being there at this time is the sunrise that you will witness while in a small boat on the river. There are two ways to experience this:
- You can either stay at a home-stay or hostel in Can Tho which is the epicenter of the Mekong Delta and where your bus will probably drop you off if you’re coming from Ho Chi Minh City. Then you just wake up very early in the morning and walk over to the Can Tho market where you can hire a boat for around 120,000d per hour.
- The more time-saving/extreme option and the one that I did with a group of people I met at the hostel. Stay at Ho Chi Minh City and at 1:00 AM catch a 3-4 hour sleeper bus to Can Tho. Get there around 4:00 AM and begin looking for a boat to hire. After the whole experience, catch a bus to Ho Chi Minh City and be back at the hostel around noon. (Here is a more detailed guide on that experience)
Dalat
Dalat is a very refreshing place to be in, especially if you’re coming from Saigon. You’ll find a surprisingly different side of Vietnam here. As a matter of fact, it might even make you feel like you’re in Europe because of all its French-colonial architecture. The weather here is always spring-like cool instead of tropical hot, hence why it’s known as “The city of Eternal Spring.” What also adds a lot of beauty to Dalat is the surrounding hills, pine forests, lakes, and waterfalls. Two nights in this place will be enough for you to see its main attractions.
Accommodation
Friendly Fun Hostel
Must Do’s
Canyoning in Dalat
Maze Bar
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
2 nights
Canyoning in Dalat
Attempting to look bad ass while rappelling.
Adventure Level:
Moderate to High –
Cost of the Adventure: 1,100,000d($50)
This is a must do experience when in Dalat. You rappel down waterfalls, jump off cliffs, float through natural water slides(mini waterfalls), and eat lunch in a jungle with nice views. It’s a full day trip and doesn’t require any type of skill or experience which is the best part about it. It can also be considered as an introductory course to rappelling because they will spend around an hour teaching you how to do it off a small wall. So for those who want to learn how to do this for the future, highly recommend going here. Now considering all that, the price may be a bit high for those on a budget. After exploring options through different tour groups, $50 was the average price that I found. Most hostels in Dalat will offer sign-ups for the tour and provide you with transportation making it the best option in my opinion.
Maze Bar
If you’re looking to have a drink with some friends or want to meet people in a cool and unique place, this is the spot. This is a bar where you order a drink and walk through a complicated maze of tunnels, small corridors, stairs, hidden tucked away entrances and trippy artwork. The maze is about five stories high and you slowly work your way through it. At some point, you’ll find another bar where you can get another drink or take a break to socialize with people hanging out around it. It’s open during the day, but it’s not nearly as exciting as going there at nighttime. There is no entrance fee, just buy a drink and begin exploring.
Hoi An
Warm-hearted, welcoming and traditional, Hoi An. This little town is a paradise for all backpackers. You can enjoy beautiful scenery, delicious food(home of the Cao lầu dish), history, and a unique inexpensive shopping experience. It was once a major port and because of that, there is now very interesting architecture along the riverside. It’s also a perfect place to rent a bicycle because everything is within a few kilometers from the center which even includes beaches and farmlands.
Also the beginning point of the Hai Van Pass for those working their way North.
Accommodation
Paddy’s Hostel & Bar Hoi An
Must Do’s
Hoi An Ancient Town
Get Clothes tailored
Get lost in the nightlife
Take a cooking course
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
4 nights
A Slow Stroll through Hoi An Ancient Town
A simple stroll through the ancient town will reveal all its gems. In that picture alone you can notice the combination of historic buildings, small markets, and lively colors. It’s this charm that brings this very noticeable calming to all the people living in or visiting this place. Hoi An is definitely one of Vietnam’s most atmospheric towns that makes you want to stay for longer than intended.
In the Ancient town, you will notice numerous historic Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples, and Vietnamese Pagodas that have been preserved and transformed into small cafes, restaurants, and modern local shops. I don’t want to make it seem like they destroy the history to replace it with more modern, but instead it’s more like they decorate and build around it in order to intertwine them.
Get Clothes Tailored
Hoi An is also very famous for its tailors. While you are here, for a very cheap price you can get a dress, suit, shirt, or even pants fitted and tailored for you. There are also a lot of postal services around town because of the issue of having to carry it along with you after leaving. So here is the honest price of getting a suit tailored and mailing it home. $40-$60 for the suit and another $60 to get it mailed back home. If you’re in need of it, I definitely say its worth it. As for myself, I didn’t need a suit or anything specific. But because I didn’t want to miss out on the whole Hoi An tailoring experience. I found a street market where it seemed like all the tailors were battling to get me to come to their shop. I asked if they could make me a tank top and after having to explain what a tank top even was and haggling the price down, they agreed to make it for me. I managed to get a well-made pineapple design tank top for $6. Mainly it will forever be a souvenir that will hold memories of Hoi An attached to it.
Join in on the Upbeat & Positive Vibes of the Hoi An Nightlife
The nightlife here is very alive and it easily sucks you into it. As you walk through the light up streets you see people dancing, sitting in outside cafes, food stalls cooking away to fulfill their customers’ orders, rooftop restaurants, and bars filled with crowds of all ages. You can hire a small boat to ride you through the river like its Venice, Italy. Both tourists and locals riding on these boats often light up lanterns that float along the river adding more colors to the night.
In a matter of no time, you will find yourself being lost in the moment of this nightlife. Whether that is sitting on a roof enjoying a meal with a beer and view of the town. Or yet again enjoying a beer, but instead on a boat riding through the middle of all the nightlife. Both ways offering a way to take a moment to just take in everything going on and notice how happy everyone is here.
Take a Cooking Course
Cost for the Course: 500,000d($25)
This part is huge in getting the blissful backpacker experience. I always recommend doing this one when you first get to a country. The reason why is that it adds more character to the country the same way learning about its history does. That is because from one cooking course you’ll understand and be able to distinguish the ingredients used in the dishes you’ll be eating for the rest of your trip through Vietnam. You begin to visualize tastes and essentially help you find out which dishes appeal to you the most. Most cooking courses around the world are different. So I will be writing about this specific Hoi An course I took through Paddy’s Hostel which I want to mention again how much I love the convenience of being able to book such rich activities through the hostels you stay in.
An English speaking local comes with some bicycles, enough for the group that has signed up. You then ride your bike while following the guide, which is an experience in itself because you go through parts of the Ancient Town. They then take you to the local market where they explain and show you certain ingredients, smells, tastes, and combinations of them all. You help pick out these ingredients for the dishes that will be made for the course. Afterward once again you hop onto your bike to ride a little out of Hoi An to where all the local farms are and where the course takes place. Here the guide walks you through farms of spices and has you pick fresh ones to taste/smell. After that, the cooking finally commences and you’ll combine everything you learned into a number of dishes.
From here on out each time you order a Vietnamese dish, you will be examining each taste and be able to match it to what you learned from the course. It really does add extra bliss to the trip because food becomes something very different from just satisfying hunger when needed. It makes you more mindful of what your eating, where it came from, and the effort people put into growing the ingredients. Maybe because you have seen it from the core and can visualize it more clearly now.
Hai Van Pass
Here is a more detailed guide on doing the Hai Van Pass: (Insert post)
Time spent
6-8 hours
Cost: 600,000d ($25) – This is for the motorbike rental and to have your backpack shipped to the next city. This is what most people do because otherwise, it can be uncomfortable to ride that long with a heavy backpack.
One of the most scenic and enjoyable motorbike rides you’ll ever experience will be here on the Hai Van pass. The Hai Van Pass is a short route from Hoi An to Hue or vice versa. This scenic road winds around mountainsides above the East Sea of Vietnam. The combination of being high up on mountain passes and having the coast as your view is a recipe for having a blissful experience.
What makes this road so great is that there is an express tunnel that most cars and trucks go through for quicker travel between cities. This leaves the scenic road for people only riding motorbikes who want to experience the Hai Van Pass. This creates a lot less worry about riding the motorbike because of how crazy it can be everywhere else in Vietnam. You can stop anywhere at ease, learn how to ride a bike here, and overall feel more comfortable being on one. It is a perfect way to prepare yourself for when you ride up in northern Vietnam which is a lot more dangerous.
Phong Nha
Phong Nha is indeed a great place to adventure through. It is a Unesco World Heritage site, containing the oldest karst mountains in Asia and some of the most spectacular caves in the world. Its collection has terraced caves, dry caves, river caves, dark caves, you get the picture. Above ground and on top of these caves are evergreen jungles with a mountainous national park looking to be explored by you on a motorbike.
You can spend a lot of time here because of the number of adventures that call out to you as soon as you arrive. The only factor that needs to be considered is the amount of money you’re willing to spend because each activity here is not in the budget travel category. However, each activity is well worth it. Until recently, access to this whole area was very strict like not being able to explore without a guide. The region is changing, allowing more tourism and because of that accommodation has begun growing very fast and it will be a matter of no time that this area becomes a tourist hot spot.
Just to mention, the world’s BIGGEST cave Hang Son Doong is located here. What I find really crazy is that it was only discovered in 2009 and opened for tourism in 2014. The trek to fully explore the cave takes 4 days. That means 3 nights you’ll be sleeping in the cave and just pushing forward by the day. I would have loved to been able to do this, but the tour costs $3000 per person. Maybe in the future, if the price goes down once it has been more established and explored. As for now, it seems its only for those who are truly passionate about exploring it.
Accommodation
Easy Tiger
Must Do’s
Take a boat to Phong Nha Cave
Do the One Day National Park Loop with a Motorbike. Including Paradise Cave & Dark Cave
Do the Abandoned Valley Trek
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
3 nights
Boat Ride to Phong Nha Cave
Entrance to Phong Nha Cave
Admission:
Entrance Ticket – 150,000d ($6)
Boat Hire (Shared) – 360,000d ($15)
Phong Nha cave is a majestic river cave. The only way to enter this cave is on a boat. Fortunately for you, the local people are willing to motor you up the river into Phong Nha Cave. On the way there they will show you incredible views of the Karst Mountains. You will notice locals farming seaweed all along the river.
It should take about 3 hours for the boat ride and cave visit. If you are staying at Easy Tiger Hostel, they have a info talk every morning at 9:00 AM explaining all the adventures that could be done in Phong Nha. After the talk, you can almost always find a group of people to split the boat cost with you to Phong Nha Cave. This will save you some money and give you an opportunity to meet some people from the hostel and enjoy the tour with. Oh and the river where you get on the boat is only a 5-minute walk from the hostel.
Cave Hopping Around the National Park Loop
The National Park loop provides you with an overview of the park and the option to do some cave hopping. This usually takes up a whole day. There are options for doing it with a tour guide and I would usually tell you to go for it, but this specific adventure is best to do it without one. If you just ask one of the guides from your hostel to help you out. They will outline a map of the loop for you and explain where to go, what to see first, the prices, and mainly what to expect. It’s also really nice to be able to stop at any point with your bike to take pictures or take in the scenery.
You rent a motorbike from town. Then all you do is follow Highway 20 which does a perfect loop back to where you started. There are many caves that could be visited while on this loop, but for now, the main ones to see are Dark Cave and Paradise Cave.
Dark Cave – Ziplining, kayaking, and lots of Mud
Admission: 450,000d($18)
Dark cave is the first stop on the loop. Next to Phong Nha Cave, this one is probably the most popular tourist site in the area. What I thought was really cool about the cave was that from this side of it can only be entered by kayaking or zip-lining above the water to it. This zip-line is actually the longest zip-line in Vietnam. This cave contains no artificial light leaving the inside of the cave with many unique things to see. With a headlamp on your helmet, you hike through narrow passages, examine ancient fossils that are over a million years old, take a natural mud bath, and sit in complete darkness for a couple minutes. Also, make sure to start a mud war in the darkness by tossing around soft mud at everyone without saying anything.
After exiting the cave, you get to swim around in crystal blue water, kayak, and have fun with some water activities. This includes hanging zip-lining where you let go from a higher height into water, play water basketball, and do flips off small cliffs.
Paradise Cave
Admission: 250,000d ($10)
Paradise cave is said to be the one cave you must explore if you were short of time and had to choose. The first 1 KM can be seen by anybody and by yourself by just following a boardwalk path through the cave. To explore further a guide is needed. On a separate full day, you can do a 7 KM trek deep into the cave.
The scale of this cave is breathtaking. As soon as you enter you’re blown away by how huge of an open space this cave is. As wooden staircases descend into the cave, a path of light shines towards the direction you have to follow. You’ll encounter colossal stalagmites(above picture), shiny stalactites, and unbelievable formations of them all combining to create the interior of the cave.
Abandoned Valley Trek
(Here is a more detailed guide)
Adventure Level:
Moderate – I would say that you require to be somewhat fit to be able to do this trek without a lot of struggle. Be prepared for a 12KM jungle hike that contains challenging terrain and swimming through a cave.
Admission: 1,650,000d ($70)
Activities:
- 12km of Primary Jungle Trekking
- Explore Dark Cave
- Swim in Hang E cave
- BBQ lunch in the jungle
This full day trek is something you definitely don’t want to miss. When you arrive in Phong Nha it can at first be overwhelming because of how many different activities this place offers. Most of them being very pricey compared to most expenses in Vietnam leaves you having to choose which ones to do and not do. Honestly though, if I had to choose a place to just blow all my money in Vietnam, this would probably be it. But since we’re on a budget, we gotta choose only a couple to do. This one is a very popular one that was highly recommended by all the locals and travelers that had done it.
The valley is located in the world heritage Phong Nha-ke Bang National Park. After meeting up with your trekking group and guide, you’ll be transported to the park via bus. Upon arriving you right away begin the trek and prepare for 7 miles of hiking through the abandoned valley. The hike itself allows you to explore a Vietnamese tropical forest and experience historical spots related to the Vietnam-American war. After hopping over trees, climbing steep slopes, dodging poison ivy leaves, walking through rivers, and dense butterfly fields. You finally make it to the first cave – Dark Cave.
Yes, this is the same Dark Cave that I wrote about earlier. Except that you enter from a different location and experience a more adventurous side of the cave. What I mean by that is you go through somewhat difficult obstacles within the cave and get a lot deeper inside of it this time around. At the deepest point of the cave, the guide makes everyone turn off all their lights for around 5 minutes in order to see what pitch black darkness looks like.
Entrance to Dark Cave
After Dark Cave, you hike around another mile to Hang E cave which was a very fun cave to explore. What makes it so fun and unique is that it’s one of the most beautiful river caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The way to get inside of it by swimming through the river! You get to explore the cave by swimming in crystal clear spring water. Inside the cave you see fossils on the wall, bats flying above you, and once again experience full darkness but now while being in the water.
Exploring Hang E cave by swimming leaves you exhausted and hungry. Fortunately for you, the porter team will have prepared an insanely delicious barbecue lunch right outside the cave. As shown in the picture above, you get to make your own spring rolls with the fresh ingredients set up for you. It gives you a taste of some traditional Vietnamese spices, recipes, and ingredients. This lunch is the perfect fuel you need to get you through the next 5KM out of the abandoned valley.
Cat Ba
Cat Ba Island. This is the place you will most likely go to if you’re interested in seeing Halong Bay. The island is located about 2 hours away from Hanoi and offers many different tours around Halong Bay. Most of the island has been declared a national park to protect its diverse and unique wildlife, including the endangered golden-headed langur, the world’s rarest primate. There’s a small little area in the center of the seafront strip which has bars/clubs if you’re looking for a night out. As for the beaches…To be honest they were dirty and not appealing at all. After asking locals if there were any nice spots, almost everyone said to not go to the beaches on this island. However, once you go further away from the island and into Halong Bay, you’ll notice the change to beautiful emerald colored waters. There’s also a nearby island which is populated with monkeys (hence Monkey Island) and offers incredible views of the gigantic limestone pillars in the bay.
Accommodation
Woodstock Beach Camp
Must Do’s
Halong Bay Boat Tour (Includes Monkey Island & Floating Village)
Cat Ba National Park Hike
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
2 nights
Halong Bay Boat Tour
Admission: 600,000d ($25)
The Halong Bay boat tour is a full day trip. I signed up through my hostel (Woodstock) which I’m sure every hostel offers on the island. It’s also another great opportunity to get to know people who have signed up for the same activity as you. The $25 you pay for includes a lot of things and guarantees you an action-packed day of activities. Starting off with a chill cruise around Lan Ha Bay which contains amazing landscapes and a floating fish village. There are many locals who spend almost all their days here and some even spend the night floating.
After leaving the floating village, the boat stops at Hang Ca cave where you’ll be given kayaks in order to explore further. Here you’ll discover 3 hidden lagoons which can be entered by going through limestone tunnels. There is so much open space and distance to reach these tunnels that a lot of us decided to race with kayaks. At some point we had about 8 kayaks racing to these lagoons. Kayaking takes a lot out of you and especially when you’re going full throttle to win a race. Once you go back up the boat, the crew has a seafood lunch prepared for you. You get to cruise along Halong Bay while eating delicious food, sipping on a beer, listening to music, and hanging out with everyone on board. After the lunch they allow everyone to jump off the boat and swim. There are nearby deserted beaches all for your own exploration.
The next and final stop of the cruise is the very small, yet beautiful Monkey Island. As soon as you land on the beach you’ll notice monkeys swinging around on the trees. The main thing to do here though is to hike up to the highest peak of the island in order to witness its views. The climb to the top consisted of walking over sharp rocks, stepping over very high gaps, passing by monkeys, and avoiding slippery surfaces. Would also like to mention that I somehow did it with flip-flops(one with a ripped strap). Nevertheless, all was worth it.
I found it so fascinating to see all the rainforests that have topped these limestone islands. To think of all the individual ecosystems that have been created overtime here makes me want to explore each one.
The tour ends around 5:00 PM and returns you back to Cat Ba just in time to see the sunset.
Hike to the highest peak of Cat Ba National Park
Admission: 30,000d ($1.25)
Difficulty: Low to Moderate
Since a majority of this island is a huge national park which contains loads of wildlife, there’s no way you can avoid seeing it. The best way to reach the park and trailhead where you begin your hike is by motorbike. What’s great about this hike is that there are many different trails to choose from, each one with its level of difficulty. The longest one being 18KM to a mountain summit which offers opportunities to see exotic wildlife and possibly even a golden-headed langur (65 left in the world). The one that I did is the most popular and takes about two hours which still gets you high enough to look down on the thick forests.
Ha Giang Province
(Here is a more detailed guide)
Accommodation
First Night – QT Guesthouse in Du Gia
Second Night (optional 2 nights) – Lam Tung Hotel in Dong Van
Third Night – 2A Homestay and Coffee in Tam Son
Fourth Night – QT Hostel in Ha Giang
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
4-5 nights
The Ha Giang Province, in my opinion, has the most beautiful views in all of Vietnam. This place is mainly known for the Ha Giang Loop, which is a 350KM motorbike loop in Vietnam’s most northernmost province bordering China. Here you will find towering limestone peaks, deep craterous valleys, perfectly aligned rice fields, and incredibly scenic roads throughout the whole loop. I honestly feel like the Ha Giang Loop is a motorbikers dream come true. A place that will no doubt attract people from all over the world once it gains popularity.
What makes this place even more special is the fact that it isn’t that well known among tourists yet. This remote area wasn’t easily accessible before, but recently, they have made dramatic improvements to it. Road conditions between villages have been fixed up, they have added more backpacker accommodation inside the loop, as well as more ATMs.
What I want to be the most real about here is how dangerous this loop can be. This is something that needs to not be taken lightly. As I entered Ha Giang, I encountered many people with injuries. Definitely, over 50% of tourists had some type of accident while doing the loop. I personally crashed twice because of large buses/trucks speeding around sharp turns with zero regards for others safety. Thankfully both times I was only left with injuries that left me hurting for a couple of days and not something serious that could have potentially ruined the rest of my trip.
Map Route for 4-Night Stay
Warning About The Loop!
Needless to say. When you’re renting your motorbike at the beginning of the loop. PAY THE EXTRA AMOUNT FOR KNEE & SHOULDER PADS, HELMET, AND INSURANCE ON YOUR BIKE. Also, I highly recommend you to have travel insurance before embarking on this adventure.
Even if you’re a seasoned professional at riding motorbikes. I witnessed a local laying on the ground in the middle of the road with a piece of his ear missing after a serious crash. He himself said that he had been living around this area for a long time and still feels nervous driving on these roads because of how reckless some people drive.
QT motorbikes & Tours.
This has to be the best motorbike rental company in Vietnam. They are here to cater to those interested in taking on the Ha Giang Loop. At the reception, there are two English speaking foreigners who provide you with all the information you need. They sit down with you, explain the loop, draw out a map of where to go & what to see, help you choose out a bike, and mainly tell you what to be most careful about. Together with you they suggest and advise itineraries that best suit you. Based on your skills and days available will determine the route you’ll be taking.
The insurance you can get through them(which I highly recommend) not only includes damage to the bike but also provides transportation for you in case you feel incapable of continuing further. You can get picked up along with your bike from any location on the loop which gives you a small sense of relief. They also give you the option to rent body armor.
Cost of Adventure
1,300,000d ($60)
Breakdown:
- A 110cc, Semi-Auto motorbike is 200,000d ($9) a day.
- Insurance on the bike is 100,000d($5) a day.
- Knee & shoulder pad rental is only 100,000d ($5)
- 200,000d x 4 = 800,000d
100,000d x 4 = 400,000d
100,000d x 1 = 100,000d
Total = 1,300,000d
Sa Pa
Accommodation
Ta Van Homestay
Must Do’s
Rice Field Trekking
Visit tribal villages
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
3 nights
Sapa is a small mountain town in the Lao Cai Province about 380KM from Hanoi. Hiking and enjoying nature is what makes Sa Pa so great. It also attracts people for its mountain views, terraced rice fields, cool climate, and very unique ethnic groups that reside around this area. Bearing witness to the way of life of one of these ethnic groups is eye-opening because it has been unchanged for generations.
I would just like to mention that the city itself isn’t that impressive. It seems to have become very touristy and when I was checking it out there was a lot of construction happening all around the city. There are large hotels now, tourists everywhere, and not much to see besides a museum and cathedral. Now that’s out of the way, I can begin to say that the villages around Sa Pa are incredibly beautiful and what you should focus on. So definitely make sure to check out what lies outside of Sa Pa. There are many villages to choose from:
- Ta Van Village
- Giang Ta Chai Village
- Supan Village
- Ma Tra Village
- Ta Phin Village
Ta Van
The village that got most recommend to me was Ta Van. After getting off at the Sa Pa central bus stop, we spent about 30 minutes negotiating with different cab drivers to take us there. The best we managed to get was 200,000d total, which was split between 3 of us. It’s about 8km from Sa Pa and a 45-minute drive. The road to the village is an experience itself because you get some very nice views of the terraced rice fields.
This village is home to the Giay ethnic people. It is a very small and peaceful village. In any direction you look at there are rice fields and mountains. We found a homestay called “Ta Van Homestay”. What we liked most about it was the family that ran it. They were such kind people and were happy to offer us anything. They have a family dinner at night which you are able to attend. There are hammocks in the back with amazing views of the rice fields.
Rice Field Trekking
A girl from the family at the homestay has been working in the rice fields all her life. She is very knowledgeable and gives guided tours to foreigners interested in learning about their way of life. Make sure to leave these guides a nice tip!
I highly suggest getting a guide for any trek being done. It will definitely guarantee a more enriching experience. There are overnight treks in the villages and a locals knowledge can be very beneficial.
As you trek around the village of Ta Van, tribal women will walk along with you and try to communicate/assist you in any way possible. They will also offer you handcrafted items that can become great souvenirs and help them out.
Hanoi
Accommodation
Babylon Garden Inn
Recommended time to spend for 1-month itinerary
4 nights
Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital. To some, this could be the starting point of their journey through Vietnam. As for me, my time in Vietnam was coming to an end. Hanoi has a wealth of history waiting to be explored. You can find ancient citadels, a unique theatre, and temples here. The streets of this city are packed with a combination of motorbikes, bicycles, and cars all swarming around pedestrians brave enough to cross.
What I liked best about Hanoi is its Old Quarter. This place is a fusion of the past and modern day life. Which is best explored on foot. The streets are filled with traders selling everything you can imagine. You’ll constantly be stopping to enjoy some type of craftsmanship done by a local. There are food stalls at almost every corner offering traditional Vietnamese food and small little plastic stools to sit on.
The nightlife in the old quarter is very fun to experience. There are lively bars and dance clubs open till late in the morning. Its the perfect place to enjoy good music, bar hop, drink cheap booze and have fun mingling with locals.
Backpacker Accommodation in Vietnam
Vietnam Guide Home – Ho Chi Minh City
Rate Per Night:
$6.50
The hostel I stayed at was Vietnam Guide home. It had a cool rooftop hangout spot which had a great view of the city. It’s not much of a party hostel if that’s what you’re looking for. However, the best thing that I found about this Hostel was that they have a free walking food tour every night at 7:00PM. In Europe these were very common, but I was surprised to see that in Vietnam. This tour gives people the opportunity to socialize with others from the hostel and get a tasting of a different variety of Vietnamese cuisine. These have to be paid for, but luckily this country is a budget backpackers best friend, so the food can come out to $0.50 – $1 per meal.
Dalat Friendly fun – Da Lat
Rate Per Night:
$5.00
This was one of my favorite hostels in Vietnam. What made it so great was this sweet woman who ran the place with her family. Every night the family would cook up a huge dinner and serve it on a long table in the common area of the hostel. Almost every traveler staying at the hostel would come down for these dinners. They also have complete trust in humanity and allow you to just go in the fridge and grab as much beer or water as you like. All you have to do is put a tally next to your name on this huge chalkboard located in the center of the hostel. It creates such an amazing atmosphere because it makes everyone trust one another which creates relationships. I ended up meeting a group of people there who I ended up traveling with through the rest of Vietnam.
The hostel also offers a canyoning tour which is one of the main reasons to go to Da Lat. They provide the transportation, food before going, and even boots for anyone in need.
It’s not a late night party hostel, but you can definitely have a good pre-game with some food here before going out to check out maze bar or the crazy house.
Paddy’s Hostel & Bar Hoi An – Hoi An
Rate Per Night:
$8.00
This was a very chill hostel. It’s definitely one of the most popular in Hoi An as well. It’s about a 10-minute bicycle ride to the old town. You can rent the bikes through the hostel. They have their own swimming pool with outside tables around it. Their bar is right next to the pool so you can order food/drinks conveniently. The parties are pretty fun during the night time. There is music all on the first floor to a certain hour They have different specials every night like where you can pay for unlimited beer for an hour.
Another perk to the hostel is that they offer planned activities for you. We booked a cooking course through it which ended up being an amazing experience. They also offer a really good deal to those who intend on riding through the Hai Van Pass with a motorbike to Hue. For about $25 you can rent a motorbike which you drop off at Hue and most importantly they offer to take your backpack and transport it to the drop-off location. This was very convenient because all I did was take my daypack with me and not have to ride the motorbike with a heavy backpack.
Easy Tiger – Phong Nha
Rate Per Night:
$8.00
My #1 hostel in SOUTHEAST ASIA.
I would like to first mention that this hostel could only be booked through e-mail which is – Easytigerphongnha@gmail.com. It won’t be found on hostel world or any other booking website.
This is the ultimate adventure hostel. I have never stayed at a hostel that offered this many types of planned adventures. Some of these adventures include:
- One day tours through national parks or caves.
- Multi-day tours where you camp out in jungles or caves
- Boat rides through rivers, cycling through valleys, and riding motorbikes around the Karst Mountains.
What makes this hostel so incredible is how interactive they are with you and dedicated to helping you find which activities you should do. As soon as you arrive you’re handed a fat binder filled with different activities, maps, prices, adventure difficulties, the time required to complete, etc. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but after spending some time looking through it with some help from the people working at the hostel. You’ll be on your way to booking the ones that appeal to you most.
On top of all that they are also a really fun party hostel. There is a stage with live music, lots of benches to eat/drink, a pool table, outside chill area with an underground pool, and special drink specials every night.
Want to hear something crazy as well? Included in the price are free bicycle rentals, free towel rentals, and FREE BEER HOI every night until the first keg runs out.
Woodstock Beach Camp – Cat Ba
Rate Per Night:
$7.00
Woodstock Beach Camp is exactly what you think it is. It’s not the best hostel on the island, but it was the best one available at the time I was there. It’s a hostel right on the beach of Cat Ba. While I was there it had its fair share of hippies walking around. They also had a family dinner every night that brought the whole hostel together. There’s also kitchen service all day in the common room. They have this trippy bar on the beach that stays open late so the party would always finish there. It is about a 10-minute ride to the center where all the restaurants/bars are. The whole place is 420 friendly.
Some other great perks to the hostel were that they arranged tours and provided motorbike rentals. We booked our Halong Bay Boat tour through them and rented our motorbikes to ride through the national park.
Ha Giang Loop – Homestays
If you plan on doing the Ha Giang Loop, you’ll most likely end up staying in homestays in small villages around the loop. A homestay is usually run by a family.
Babylon Garden Inn – Hanoi
Rate Per Night:
$4.00
This place was really great for a number of reasons. First off the price per night is insanely cheap. The rooms are very clean, there’s a rooftop bar/restaurant, free breakfast, and even a movie theatre room filled with bean bags. It was crazy how cheap this place was for the number of amenities they provided. Another reason this place is so good is its location. It’s found right in the center of Hanoi. About a 5 minute walk to the main old town part of the city.
The biggest perk that I personally loved was that they give travelers a free walking tour every morning. They have a local bring you around to all the best spots around Hanoi. You get to try egg coffee, go through some interesting merchant streets, and learn about historic temples. Of course, you should leave the guide a tip for his hard work.