Seven days is the sweet spot for Vietnam — enough time to do Hanoi justice with a proper Ha Long Bay overnight cruise, experience Hoi An at full depth, and spend two days in Ho Chi Minh City including the Mekong Delta. This itinerary is the most popular Vietnam route for Indian travellers, balancing culture, history, nature, and street food from north to south.
Visa: Vietnam e-visa $25 (≈₹2,100) at evisa.gov.vn. Approved in 3–5 working days. Valid 90 days, multiple entry. Apply 2 weeks before departure.
Days 1–3: Hanoi — Old Quarter, Culture & Ha Long Bay Cruise
Day 1 — Arrival & Old Quarter
Morning: Arrive Noi Bai Airport (Grab car to Old Quarter ≈₹1,000). Walk Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn — locals do tai chi here. Cross Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple. Pho bo breakfast at a street stall (₹90–140).
Afternoon: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (Tue–Thu, Sat–Sun mornings), One Pillar Pagoda, and Temple of Literature. Hoa Lo Prison (the "Hanoi Hilton") — 1.5 hours for a sobering, well-curated museum.
Evening: Old Quarter walking street (open Fri–Sun), egg coffee at Cafe Giang (₹110), bun cha (grilled pork noodles, ₹300) at Huong Lien, Ta Hien Beer Corner for bia hoi (₹18/glass). This street food circuit is unmissable.
Day 2 — Ha Long Bay Overnight Cruise
Depart 8am by tourist coach (₹800). 3.5-hour drive to Ha Long Bay pier. Board your overnight cruise (2-day/1-night junk boat, ₹8,000–20,000 per person including all meals). Afternoon: sailing through limestone karsts, kayaking through Luon Cave, swimming at floating village. Sunset dinner onboard on the deck, squid fishing after dark, sleeping on the bay.
Book Ha Long Bay cruise at least 3 days ahead in peak season (Oct–Apr). Emeraude Classic and Pelican Cruise are well-reviewed mid-range options (₹10,000–15,000 per person for 2D/1N).
Day 3 — Ha Long Bay Morning + Ninh Binh
Morning: Wake on Ha Long Bay for sunrise. Morning kayaking or tai chi on deck. Brunch onboard. Return to Hanoi pier by 12:30pm.
Afternoon: Drive 90km south to Ninh Binh (the "Ha Long Bay on Land"). Trang An boat tour (UNESCO World Heritage, ₹550) — rowing through limestone karsts and caves in the flooded valley. Add Mua Cave for a 500-step hilltop panorama at sunset.
Evening: Return to Hanoi by 8pm. West Lake cycling or a quiet dinner at a lakeside restaurant. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology if you missed it.
Full Hanoi guide: Old Quarter walking routes, best restaurants, Ha Long Bay booking tips.
Read moreDays 4–5: Hoi An — Lanterns, Tailors & Cooking Classes
Day 4 — Arrival in Hoi An + Ancient Town
Morning: Fly Hanoi → Da Nang (1 hr, ₹1,500–4,000). Grab to Hoi An (45 min, ₹800). Drop bags and head straight to the Ancient Town with combo ticket (₫120,000 / ₹440): Japanese Covered Bridge (1593), Tan Ky Old House, Fujian Assembly Hall, Quan Cong Temple, Tran Family Chapel.
Afternoon: Place tailor order at Yaly Couture or A Dong Silk (custom ao dai ₹2,500–4,500). Browse Thu Bon riverside. Visit the Hoi An Museum of History and Culture if you want more context.
Evening: Ancient Town after dark is the entire experience. Silk lanterns, floating river candles, Vietnamese families in ao dai. Eat: Cao lau at Thanh Cao Lau (only in Hoi An), white rose dumplings, banh mi from Phuong (the world's most famous banh mi). River seat dining at Morning Glory or Streets International.
Day 5 — Cooking Class, Basket Boats & Beaches
Morning: Cooking class with Thu Bon market tour (₹1,800–2,500, includes lunch). Learn cao lau, banh xeo, white rose dumplings. Market visit includes interaction with vendors selling fresh herbs, live crabs, morning glory, and banana flower.
Afternoon: Basket boat tour at Cam Thanh Coconut Village (₹1,100) or An Bang Beach (8km from town, pristine white sand, ₹220 by xe om motorbike). Collect tailor order in the evening.
Evening: Final Ancient Town circuit. Hoi An has some excellent wine bars (Cargo Club, Tam Tam) and a tiny cocktail scene. Local banana flower salad and fresh turmeric fish at a riverside spot before heading out tomorrow.
Days 6–7: Ho Chi Minh City — History, Mekong & Street Food
Day 6 — HCMC: War History & City Circuit
Morning: Fly Da Nang → HCMC (1.5 hrs). War Remnants Museum (₫40,000, 3 hrs) — the most powerful war museum in Southeast Asia. Then: Reunification Palace (tanks crashed through these gates 30 April 1975), Saigon Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market.
Evening: Rooftop bar at Chill Sky Bar or EON Heli Bar. Nguyen Hue Walking Street. Dinner in District 1: com tam (broken rice with pork chop, ₹180), bun bo Hue (spicy Hue beef noodles, ₹200), or a craft beer at a rooftop brewpub.
Day 7 — Mekong Delta Day Trip + Departure
Morning: Mekong Delta group tour departs 7:30am (returns 5pm, ₹2,000–3,200 including lunch). Speedboat to My Tho, Unicorn Island — coconut candy factory, sampan canal through water palm forest, tropical fruit tasting on a floating farm, fresh seafood lunch.
Afternoon: Return to HCMC 5pm. Final Ben Thanh Market sweep for lacquerware, silk, coffee. Bui Vien Walking Street for a last Vietnamese street food pass.
Departure: Tan Son Nhat Airport, 6km from District 1. Grab ≈₹360, allow 2–3 hours before international flight.
Flight home: IndiGo, VietJet, Air India fly HCMC to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad. Book 6–8 weeks ahead for fares under ₹12,000 one-way.
Full Ho Chi Minh City guide: Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong, Saigon nightlife and day trips.
Read moreVietnam 7-Day Budget Breakdown (Per Person)
| Expense | Budget ₹ | Mid-range ₹ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return flights from India | 18,000–30,000 | 28,000–45,000 | Book 6–8 weeks ahead |
| E-visa | 2,100 | 2,100 | Fixed cost |
| 2 internal flights | 2,500–6,000 | 5,000–10,000 | HAN→DAD + DAD→SGN |
| 7 nights accommodation | 4,200–7,000 | 10,500–21,000 | Hostel vs boutique |
| Food (7 days) | 3,150–5,250 | 6,300–10,500 | Street food vs restaurants |
| Ha Long Bay overnight cruise | 8,000–20,000 | 15,000–35,000 | Budget vs luxury junk boat |
| Other activities | 4,000–8,000 | 7,000–14,000 | Cooking, basket boats, Mekong |
| TOTAL | ≈₹42,000–78,000 | ≈₹74,000–1,37,000 | Per person return |
Vietnam country page: full visa guide, all destinations, and best time to visit.
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