Vietnam Travel Tips

How To Cover 6 Cities in 10 Days: Vietnam City-Mapping

Exploring the country with a map… 

Vietnam Travel Guide. cover pic

Planning a trip to Vietnam, but unsure of where to begin? We’ve been there too. Read on to figure out if you want to go to Vietnam in the first place. If yes, figure out where exactly you want to go and then decide on the things to do. We are not going to list down the activities under each city, but just provide a basic idea of the cities to choose based on your interest. There are loads of cities, districts and beaches in Vietnam that have not been included in the post. This is just one of the routes that can be taken to plan a 10-day itinerary in Vietnam.

Vietnam map sketch
Vietnam Map – rough sketch

Choose your cities:

Let’s start from Sa Pa in the North and tread southwards to Ho Chi Minh. Here’s a list of cities that you could visit and a brief idea of what they have to offer…

Sa Pa (2 days):

Bask in the countryside feel of the green strip. Enjoy trekking in the hills and valleys of Sa Pa as you pass through scenic scapes of the small villages while interacting with locals. Book a tour guide for full-fledged treks or simply relax in the hill-station like vibe of the countryside.

Hanoi (2 days):

This bustling city entails an extremely busy city life. The roads here are too crowded and everything is disorganized. However, it retains its old town charm and boasts of lip-smacking street food. If you head here over a weekend, make sure you check out the activity-glazed lakeside of Hoan Kiem. Additionally, it acts as a pit-stop for places to visit nearby. You can take up a number of day tours from here.

Halong Bay (1 day):

This is a beautiful natural wonder if you want to cruise amidst limestone rocks for 24 hours or more. While you typically spend an entire day packed with activities and meals on a cruise, you could get down at spots meant for hiking or caving on longer stays. Click here to check the list of activities that are typically included in a tour.

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Halong Bay

Ninh Binh (2 days):

We wonder why not many people talk about planning a trip to Ninh Binh. It is a short drive from Hanoi and is known for its grottoes, paddy fields, lush vegetation and intensive boat-rowing. Besides this, you also have pagodas to visit as well as temples of interest. If you have a day in hand, choose between its 2 main sections: Trang An and Tam Coc. Enjoy a 1.5-hour boat ride amidst karst rocks and caves. It is more of a rent-a-bike and ride sort of place.

Hue (2 days):

This is a very neat and organized city. We would recommend spending 2 days here despite the reviews asking you to stay for a few hours to a day. Take your time to explore the deep monuments and buildings including the Imperial City, museums and tombs.

Da Nang (2 days):

Dazzling bridges adorn the city-line of Da Nang, the most famous one being the Dragon Bridge. If you are looking for street eats and a less crowded city, then this is your place to refresh, explore and park your bags while you take day trips to Ba Na Hills, the Marble Mountains or Hoi An.

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Dragon Bridge

Hoi An (1 day):

We would like to call it the Lantern City as it has a walking street that comprises of old structures by the riverside adorned with lanterns and twinkling lights. The city has a relaxed vibe and hosts many festivals annually. It is renowned for its Japanese Bridge in the Old Town and is also believed to be one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Ho Chi Minh (2 days):

Well, the booming city of Vietnam ought to be a busy one with a sizzling night-life, skyscrapers and beautiful monuments of interest. If you are up for a fast life, then head to the old Saigon and explore the museums and basilica as well.

Choose any 6 of the above cities and meddle with the number of days in each. Keep 2 days of inter-city travel and 1 extra day. Yes, the trip is going to be hectic. You can’t help it unless you want to visit 3 cities and wind up.

6 cities*1-2days each+2 travel days = 10 days of non-stop fun

Hanoi Lakeside

If you’re on this page, you are planning a trip to Vietnam for sure. You might want to read this too -> Vietnam Travel Tips. Hope it helps. Have fun.

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45 thoughts on “How To Cover 6 Cities in 10 Days: Vietnam City-Mapping”

  26. Wow, this is a great way to see so much with limited time! I tend to just roll with it when I travel and then regret it since it’s not the most efficient use of time.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. I had friends that visited Hanoi. They loved it as well! Such lovely pictures! I think making your own map is a genius idea. I bet that helps you feel more confident in traveling!

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  37. Another guid to save, Vietnam is such a big country to explore. Halong Bay is one the super touristic spot, however it has a fantastic view! can’t wait to make a trip to this places. I’m a Vietnamese food lover, Banh Mi, Pho, Bun mam, and the famous thit kho tau (eggs and meat together).

    Liked by 1 person

  43. Such a practical post! If I ever plan a trip to Vietnam I’ll be looking at this guide:) Love how you summarised each place so people understand what they’d be getting! I wanna go just for the Pho 😀

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Hey thanks 🙂 Yes, I always make a rough and then a final map before booking the tickets. That helps me understand how many days I need + plan my budget better.

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  45. Ah did you draw that map before going, no wonder your travel are so planned and perfect!!!! It reminds me of a map I made too in one of the trip from Delhi to Binsar lol. halong bay should be renamed as heaven bay it’s so pretty, always seen in documentaries and pictures, it’s about time I plan my trip there and follow this post end to end. Noted it !!

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