The Route: Hanoi Down to Ho Chi Minh City
The north-to-south direction works better than the reverse for one simple reason: Hanoi is quieter, cooler, and easier to land in without sensory overload. You get your bearings in the Old Quarter, then the route gradually opens up as you move south.A workable two-week itinerary looks like this: three nights in Hanoi, two nights in Ninh Binh (often skipped, always regretted when it is), three nights in Hoi An, two nights in Da Nang, and four nights in Ho Chi Minh City. Fly into Hanoi on IndiGo or Vietnam Airlines from Delhi or Mumbai, and fly home from Ho Chi Minh City. The open-jaw ticket usually costs between ₹28,000 and ₹45,000 depending on how far in advance you book.Ninh Binh earns its place because it is what people imagine Halong Bay will be, limestone karsts rising out of flat water, without the party boats and the tourist density. Halong Bay is worth doing if you have a third week, but it should not replace Ninh Binh on a two-week trip.Hoi An is the centrepiece. The ancient town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and genuinely looks the way the photographs promise. Arrive by evening train from Da Nang, walk the lantern-lit streets before 9 AM when the tour groups arrive, and book a tailor if you want clothes made, the town has hundreds of them and quality varies enormously, so ask your hotel for a specific name rather than walking in blind.
