Can you do Vietnam in 4 days?

Can you do Vietnam in 5 days?

Five days in Vietnam? Tight. Really tight. But doable. It’ll be a whirlwind. I did something similar in 2023.

Hanoi felt rushed. Ancient streets, delicious pho, the lake… glimpsed. Not truly seen.

The train south… Long. Hot. Crowded. Beautiful rice paddies though. Worth it, for the views alone.

Hue, the imperial city. Stunning architecture, but I didn’t have enough time to explore it properly. Felt bad, hurrying through it.

Hoi An, oh Hoi An. The tailor shops. I got a suit made, expensive. But it fits perfectly. The lanterns, at night, magical. Wish I’d stayed longer there, to just… breathe.

Ho Chi Minh City was overwhelming. The energy is insane. Motorbikes everywhere. I saw the War Remnants Museum. Hard. It was hard. Really hard.

Southern Vietnam felt rushed. Too much to see. Should have concentrated better. Should’ve prioritized.

It was amazing, don’t get me wrong. But exhausting. Five days is insufficient to appreciate its beauty. I left wanting more.

How long should you spend in Vietnam?

Seven to ten days… feels too short, you know? It’s never enough. Hanoi’s beauty… lost in the rush.

Halong Bay, breathtaking, but fleeting. A postcard memory.

Ten days… barely scratches the surface. My trip last year, I crammed everything. Exhausting. So much missed. I wanted more time in Hoi An, the lanterns… the feeling of it all.

I needed a month.

• Hanoi: Three days minimum. The Old Quarter deserves more. The food, the street life… I missed so much.
• Halong Bay: Two days isn’t excessive, but ideal for a cruise. The caves… incredible.
• Hoi An: At least four days to properly absorb the atmosphere, get those tailor-made clothes, and just breathe. The beach is amazing too.
• Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta): If you only have ten days, maybe skip. Too far and too much travel time. Or, if you must see them, choose one and allot more time there. It’s a painful decision.

This 2024 trip. I’ll do it differently. Longer. Much longer. I need to feel it, not just see it.

What is the best amount of time to spend in Vietnam?

Okay, so, Vietnam… ten days, huh? Nah, I disagree!

I went there last spring. April 2024, it was. Booked a whole two weeks, thinking “Oh, plenty of time!” Boy, was I wrong!

Landed in Hanoi. Chaos! Motorbikes everywhere. Loved it! Then Halong Bay – ugh, tourist trap central. One day was enough. Felt like a cruise ship parking lot.

Da Nang was cool. Beach was gorgeous. My tan was on point.

• Delicious Banh Mi.
• Cheap beer (Bia Hoi).
• Tailors everywhere trying to sell me suits.

Hoi An! Okay, Hoi An was amazing. I spent like, three days just wandering around. Lanterns at night are something else. Ate way too much Cao Lau. Regret nothing.

Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, was intense. So many people. War Remnants Museum was heavy, like, really heavy.

I wish I had seen more of the Mekong Delta. That’s on my list, gotta go back.

Two weeks? Nope. Give yourself at least three. Seriously.

How many days are enough to visit Ho Chi Minh City?

Three days? Hah! Barely scratches the surface of Saigon’s chaotic charm. Think of it like trying to eat an entire durian in one sitting – you’ll get the gist, but miss the subtle nuances.

Five days, minimum. Trust me, my liver still remembers my last trip.

Cu Chi Tunnels? Half a day’s a joke. Unless you’re sprinting through, dodging rats and Viet Cong reenactors. Adding the War Remnants Museum? Now you’re talking.

• Food: Pho for breakfast, banh mi for lunch, street food for dinner. Repeat.
• Culture: Notre Dame Cathedral, the Reunification Palace – a whirlwind of colonial history.
• Nightlife: Rooftop bars, hidden speakeasies. Prepare for sensory overload.

Even then, you’ll leave yearning for more. Saigon’s like a really good book; you want to savor each page, not just flip through it. Seven days? Now that’s more like it. My friend Sarah spent two weeks there last year and still claims she missed tons!

Seriously though, planning is key. Don’t be like me in 2022; I ended up accidentally wearing the same shirt two days in a row because I was too busy eating.