chloedickensonLast Updated on 18th July 2024
This post about the ultimate 1 month Vietnam itinerary contains affiliate links.
Are you planning to spend one month in Vietnam and wondering which places to visit? This ultimate 1 month Vietnam itinerary includes all the best places to visit in Vietnam in 30 days!
Vietnam is one of my favourite countries in the world and at the time of updating this post in October 2023, I’ve been lucky enough to spend several months in Vietnam (including my most recent time in Vietnam on the new 90-day visa!).
After numerous trips to Vietnam, I’ve finally together my ultimate 1 month Vietnam itinerary which includes places such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Lat, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Da Nang and more!
This Vietnam travel guide is perfect for first-time visitors looking to plan an epic 30 days in Vietnam!
VIETNAM TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Flights: Skyscanner / Kiwi.com / Expedia / Trip.com
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / Agoda
Transport: Busbud
Activities/tours: Get Your Guide / Viator / Klook
Travel insurance: SafetyWing
Hotel reviews: TripAdvisor
My backpacking essentials: Amazon
Luggage storage: Radical Storage
Vietnam eSIM: Airalo
One month Vietnam itinerary map
As you can see from the map above, this one month Vietnam itinerary takes you all the way from Ho Chi Minh City in the south to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in the north.
You can also add an extra few days in Phú Quốc before you leave Ho Chi Minh if you want to enjoy some island life!
Read more: How Much Does One Month In Hanoi Vietnam Cost?
1 month Vietnam itinerary summary
- Ho Chi Minh City – 5 days
- Da Lat – 3 days
- Nha Trang – 2 days
- Hoi An – 3 days
- Da Nang – 3 days
- Huế – 2 days
- Ninh Bình – 2 days
- Hanoi – 4 days
- Ha Long Bay – 2 days
- Bonus: Phu Quoc Island – 2 days
Ho Chi Minh City (5 days)
This epic 1 month Vietnam itinerary south to north starts in Ho Chi Minh City; one of the coolest cities in Southeast Asia!
Ho Chi Minh is the largest city in Vietnam and it’s undoubtedly one of the most popular ones to visit.
We originally spent one week in Saigon on our first trip to Vietnam and then we spent an entire month there in October 2023. It’s one of my favourite cities in Asia as there are so many incredible things to see, do and eat!
I’d recommend allocating 5 days in Ho Chi Minh City, but 3-5 is probably the sweet spot to allow you to take a day trip to Cu Chi Tunnels, as well as to explore many of the city’s highlights.
Where to stay in HCMC
We’ve stayed in two different apartments in Ho Chi Minh over the years, both in the Ben Thanh neighbourhood of HCMC.
The first apartment we stayed in is no longer available to book on Airbnb, but the second one we stayed in at Rivergate Apartments is definitely worth checking out as the rooms are very sizeable with excellent city views and it even offers free access to the rooftop pool and gym!
Booking.comBest things to do in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)
Ho Chi Minh is one of my favourite cities in Southeast Asia and I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice now (including my most recent one month stay there).
There are so many incredible things to see, do and eat in Saigon and I’d highly recommend adding it to your Vietnam 4 week itinerary!
- Cu Chi Tunnels day trip
- Tan Dinh Church (Lady Pink)
- Bitexco Financial Tower observation deck
- Mekong Delta Tour
- Cafe Apartment Block
- War Remnants Museum
- Saigon Central Post Office
- Ben Thanh Market
Read more: 3 Days In Ho Chi Minh Itinerary – Best Things To See & Do In Ho Chi Minh
Da Lat (3 days) – 1 month Vietnam itinerary
Da Lat is one of my favourite places in Vietnam due to its quirkiness, incredible food and fun sights! It’s typically cooler in Da Lat than it is in most other places in the country due to it being so high up in the mountains, but it’s still more than warm enough during the day.
Three days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Da Lat as part of your 1 month Vietnam itinerary as it allows you to visit some of the top sights and attractions in the city, as well as enjoy the beautiful scenery of the nearby countryside.
Where to stay in Da Lat
Da Lat has plenty of boutique hotels and adorable home stays to choose from.
We stayed at the cutest hostel in Da Lat called Redhouse Backpacker Hostel which was home to numerous tiny puppies while we were staying there! It also costs just £6 a night for two people, so it’s incredibly good value for money if you’re visiting Vietnam for one month on a budget!
It definitely has a very “hostel” vibe to it and it was full of travellers from all over the world when we stayed there so it’s a great place to meet people. There’s also free breakfast available and a choice of private rooms and dorms.
The rooms themselves could do with a bit of TLC and the ones in the basement area smell a tad damp but it’s incredibly affordable and a really feel-good place to stay.
Booking.comBest things to do in Da Lat on a one month Vietnam itinerary
Despite being a relatively small city, Da Lat has lots of hidden gems and fun things to see and do. You could probably see most things in Da Lat itself in just one day, but I’d recommend allocating 2-3 days so that you can take several day trips to the nearby countryside, as well as take part in an action-packed canyoning adventure!
- Go extreme canyoning
- Crazy House
- Cable Car
- Take a day trip through the beautiful countryside
- Datanla Waterfall
- Maze Bar
- Datanla High Ropes Course
Read more: Top 9 Fun Things To Do In Da Lat, Vietnam
Nha Trang (2 days)
Nha Trang is probably my least favourite place in Vietnam but I’d still recommend spending a day or two there anyway as it’s a pretty city.
It almost feels a bit too touristy and we didn’t feel that there was an awful lot to do there. However, the beaches are very beautiful and the city is a nice enough place to wander around. There are also lots of great restaurants as there are so many tourists to feed and entertain.
I think 2 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Nha Trang as part of your 30 days in Vietnam itinerary as it allows you to spend time on the many beaches, as well as visit a few of the city’s temples and pagodas.
Where to stay in Nha Trang
The place we stayed at in Nha Trang was called Straw Hat and it was one of the cheapest places we stayed at in one month in Vietnam! It wasn’t anything fancy but for its insanely affordable price, we really couldn’t complain.
Booking.comWhat to do in Nha Trang – one month Vietnam itinerary
As I said above, Nha Trang doesn’t really have an awful lot going on in terms of the city itself, but there are a few day trips to various beaches and snorkelling/scuba diving spots, all within a 40-minute drive if you fancy heading out of the city.
- Go snorkelling and enjoy a floating bar party
- Long Son Pagoda
- Vinpearl Land
- Take a day trip to Ba Ho Waterfall
- Cable Car to Vinpearl
- Nha Trang Beach
- Visit one of one of Nha Trang’s hot springs
- Nha Trang Cathedral
Hoi An (3 days) – 1 month Vietnam itinerary
Hoi An might just be one of the most photogenic places in the world and it should definitely be on your 30 day Vietnam itinerary!
Before we’d even arrived in the country, I’d already heard so many great things about Hoi An so I was excited to see what all the fuss was about. Activity wise, Hoi An didn’t really live up to my expectations as most things to do there seemed to be day trips to nearby villages or even entire day trips to Da Nang and Ba Na Hills (see below). However, it is still worth visiting as it’s one of the most gorgeous places I’ve ever seen.
Hoi An is especially beautiful at night when thousands of lanterns light up the streets and various buildings. The city is an eclectic mix of Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and French cultures and it really is very stunning.
Three days in Hoi An is more than enough time as part of your 1 month Vietnam itinerary to explore the sights of the city, as well as take several day trips to nearby sights. One of the top things to do in Hoi An is to get a suit or a dress tailor-made which takes at least three days so just bear that in mind if you want to get something custom-made while you’re there!
Where to stay in Hoi An
We spent three nights at Luca Hoi An Homestay and as with most accommodation options in Vietnam, this place was very affordable. Vietnam is probably the cheapest country we’ve been to in Asia so far (and we’ve been to almost a dozen countries!).
Luca Hoi An Homestay is quite far out of the main action in Hoi An and it takes a good 20 minutes to walk into the city but it’s not the worst walk in the world and if you hire a scooter or bicycle, then it’ll be no problem at all. It’s a very small, family-run place and most of the family don’t speak much English at all, but the rooms are generously sized and the bed was super comfortable.
Booking.comWhat to do in Hoi An
As I mentioned above, 3 days in Hoi An is enough time to explore the highlights of the city, as well as take a cooking class and visit some of the nearby sights!
- Take a lantern-making class
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- Explore the Ancient Town
- Go on a basket boat ride in the Water Coconut Forest
- Get an item of clothing tailor-made
- Tour a local market and take part in a traditional cooking class
Da Nang (3 days)
We originally visited Da Nang just as the world was shutting down in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, so by the time we arrived there, many things were closed!
However, we did have an amazing day trip to Sunworld at Ba Na Hills which was one of my favourite highlights of our entire month in Vietnam.
Read more: Golden Hands Bridge At Sun World Ba Na Hills, Da Nang
Where to stay in Da Nang
We stayed at Raon Apartment and Hotel in Da Nang and it was yet another ridiculously cheap place to stay in Vietnam!
The staff are very welcoming and helpful and it’s also just a few minutes’ walk to the beach so it’s a great place to base yourself while in Da Nang.
Booking.comWhat to do in Da Nang
Arguably the best thing to do in Da Nang is to take a day trip to Sunworld at Ba Na Hills which is an incredibly fun amusement park located high up in the mountains of Da Nang. Here you’ll also find the famous Golden Hands Bridge and it’s well worth making the trip up the mountain to see it!
- Sunworld at Ba Na Hills/Golden Hands Bridge
- Marble Mountains
- Dragon Bridge
- Take a day trip to Lady Buddha, Monkey Mountain and Am Phu Cave
- Da Nang Cathedral
- My Khe Beach (this is such a stunning beach)
Huế (2 days)
The Imperial City of Hue is less than a two hour drive from Da Nang, making it the next stop on this 1 month Vietnam itinerary.
Hue was once the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors and it was also the national capital from 1802 to 1945. It’s arguably one of the prettiest cities to visit in Vietnam. One of the most notable things to see in Hue is the Đại Nội Citadel which is surrounded by a moat and huge stone walls. Inside the Imperial City, you can see many palaces and shrines, as well as the Forbidden Purple City (Tử cấm thành).
Best things to do in Hue
Two days should be enough time to see most of the top sights in Hue. In just two days, you can see the Imperial Palace, several mausoleums dedicated to former emperors, as well as take part in several day trips.
- See The Imperial Palace
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc
- Hue Historic Citadel
- Take a day trip to see the DMZ, Vinh Moc Tunnels and Khe Sanh Base
- Dong Ba Market
- Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang
- Dong Khanh Emperor Tomb
Ninh Binh (2 days)
Many people opt to take a day trip/several day trips to Ninh Binh from Hanoi as it’s only an hour and a half drive from the Vietnamese capital city.
However, if you have 30 days in Vietnam, you might want to spend a couple of nights in Ninh Binh to truly soak up the experience of the city.
Best things to do in Ninh Binh
- Tam Coc Bích Động/ Pagoda
- Cuc Phuong National Park
- Take a day trip to Hoa Lu, Trang An, & Mua Cave
- Phát Diệm Cathedral
- Trang An Grottoes
Hanoi (4 days) – 1 month Vietnam itinerary
On our first visit to Vietnam in 2020, we spent a total of 9 hours in Hanoi, carrying 14kg backpacks around with us before promptly leaving to fly to Singapore , then Athens and then finally the UK where we arrived safe and sound after 66 hours of travelling!
Suffice to say, we desperately wanted to head back to Vietnam’s capital to spend a lot longer than 9 hours there which we finally managed to do when we spent an entire month in Hanoi in September 2023!
I absolutely love Hanoi and would highly recommend spending 3-4 days there as part of your Vietnam itinerary for 4 weeks as it’s such a fascinating place with so many cool things to see!
Where to stay in Hanoi
We spent a whole month at Wecozy Hanoi which is located just on the outskirts of the Old Quarter of the city and is perhaps one of the coolest places I’ve ever stayed!
Our apartment was located directly above Train Street so we had incredible views of the trains going past every single day! The staff are also some of the friendliest and most helpful people I’ve ever met and I would highly recommend booking a stay here, even if you only plan to spend a few nights in Hanoi!
Booking.comWhat to do in Hanoi
After finally getting the chance to spend one month in Vietnam (after our first failed attempt back in March 2020!), I fell absolutely head over heels in love with Hanoi. Here are some of the best things to do in Hanoi during your 1 month Vietnam itinerary!
- Check out Train Street
- Hoan Kiem Lake
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- Take a food tour of the city
- The Note Coffee
- Thăng Long Imperial Citadel
- Hanoi Beer Street
- St. Joseph’s Cathedral
- Hanoi Night Market
Read more: 15 Best Cafes In Hanoi For Digital Nomads To Work From
Ha Long Bay (2 or 3 days) – 1 month Vietnam itinerary
Ha Long Bay was also on our original 1 month Vietnam itinerary back in 2020, but as that trip was unceremoniously cut short, I couldn’t wait to finally visit one of Vietnam’s top attractions!
Our overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay is one of my favourite memories from all of our Vietnam travels and it’s something that I recommend adding to your own one month Vietnam itinerary as it’s such a spectacular place!
We booked an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay with Asia Fun Adventures via Get Your Guide and I would definitely recommend them if you want to visit Ha Long Bay while spending a month in Vietnam. We were on the Hai Long Dragon boat and it was truly such a memorable experience!
Here are a few more cruise companies offering Ha Long Bay tours from Hanoi:
- Islands, Caves, Kayak & Halong Dragonfly Boat Cruise day tour with Dragonfly Cruise
- 1-Day Ha Long Bay Cruise with Titop Island & Luon Cave with Vietnam Trip
- Ha Long – Bai Tu Long Bay 2-Day 1-Night Cruise from Hanoi with Vietnam Tour
- 2-Day Cruise Trip with Private Balcony & Bathtub with Asia Fun Adventures
- 2-Day Royal Palace Ha Long Bay & Ti Top Island Cruise with Vietnam Open Tour
Phú Quốc (2 days)
Phú Quốc is a gorgeous Vietnamese island that’s located just off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand. It’s home to breathtaking beaches and beautiful beachfront resorts and if you have time during your one month in Vietnam, it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary.
We weren’t originally planning to visit Phu Quoc Island, but then we changed our minds last minute and ended up spending 10 days there and it turned out to be one of our favourite places in Vietnam!
Where to stay in Phu Quoc
We spent two nights at the beautiful Pullman Phu Quoc Beach Resort and then another eight nights at the Palm Bay Resort; both of which were absolutely stunning!
Pullman Phu Quoc is undoubtedly the best hotel I’ve ever had the pleasure of staying at and if you’re looking for a super luxury place to stay on the island, I really couldn’t recommend it enough! Palm Bay Resort was also truly gorgeous, but at just £20 a night, it’s a much more affordable option!
What to do on Phu Quoc Island
- Visit VinWonders Amusement Park
- Spend an afternoon at Grand World
- Check out Long Beach
- See the animals at Vinpearl Safari
- Ride the longest cable car in the world – Hon Thom Cable Car!
- Book a stay at Pullman Phu Quoc Beach Resort!
Read more: Pullman Phu Quoc Beach Resort Review
1 month Vietnam itinerary – conclusion
Spending one month in Vietnam is definitely something I recommend doing if you’re backpacking Southeast Asia! It’s such an incredibly beautiful country with so many wonderful, friendly people and it’s such an affordable country to travel around!
Related posts:
- 12 Best Bahn Mi In Hanoi, Vietnam
- Wecozy Hanoi Railway Side The Old Quarter Review
- Where To Eat In Ho Chi Minh City
- Top Five Fun Things To Do In Da Lat, Vietnam
- The Best Walking Street Food Tour In Ho Chi Minh
- 1 Month Thailand Itinerary – Ultimate Backpacking Route
- The Best 2 Weeks In Cambodia Backpacking Itinerary
Pin for later – 1 month Vietnam itinerary
Do you have any other suggestions for the best things to see or do on a one month in Vietnam itinerary? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.
