By Christine and Joe, co-founders of Adventure After 30 | Last updated: [02-11-2026]
Two weeks is enough to travel Vietnam from south to north properly if you do it overland and don't try to see everything. Our 13-day route goes Saigon, the Mekong Delta, the Cu Chi Tunnels, Mui Ne, an overnight train to Hoi An, Phong Nha, another overnight train to Ninh Binh, a night on Ha Long Bay, and finishes in Hanoi. No internal flights, two sleeper trains, and a mix of beaches, history, food and some of the best scenery South East Asia has to offer.
We tailored this whole trip around our own time living in Vietnam. Every stop is somewhere we've been ourselves and would happily drag our mates back to, so here's the route and why each one made it in.
Why we're a bit biased about Vietnam
Vietnam was always going to be our first trip. We met in a bar in Hanoi, as two strangers who'd both ended up living there. We taught there, lived there, ate far too much bun cha there, and spent our weekends getting out of the city to see the rest of the country.
The bar was in Tay Ho, the West Lake area where a lot of people who move to Hanoi end up. Cliche, we know. One thing led to another, and before long we realised we both had hugeee plans to travel and see the world.
Joe had been living in Vietnam for over four years by then, and his love for the country was infectious. I (Christine here) came straight to Hanoi from Gili T in Indonesia, so going from island life to Hanoi traffic took a bit of adjusting. Having Joe around made that transition a lot easier. We ended up obsessed with exploring every nook and cranny of the country, from Cao Bang up near the Chinese border all the way down to Phu Quoc, a lovely island not too far from Cambodia.
So when we sat down to build our first Vietnam trip, we weren't guessing. We put in the places we'd send our own friends to, cut the ones that look good on Instagram but feel like a queue in real life, and built the route around how Vietnam actually feels to travel through.
Why go south to north?
A few reasons. Ending in Hanoi means you finish where the story started for us, with a free day and a farewell dinner in the city we love most. It also works with the weather in late March and early April, when the south is hot and dry and the north is warming up nicely after its cooler months.
Here's roughly what to expect on this route in late March and early April:
Saigon and the south (Mekong Delta, Mui Ne): hot and mostly dry, with highs of around 33 to 35°C. Think light clothes and plenty of water.
Hoi An and the central coast: sunny and dry, with highs of around 30°C. Great weather for cycling round the countryside and a swim in the sea.
Phong Nha: warm, and a bit stickier once you're in the jungle and caves.
Hanoi and the north (Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay): the mildest leg of the trip, with highs in the low to mid 20s, warming up by the time you reach Hanoi, and evenings around 20°C. It can be humid with the odd grey or drizzly day, so pack a light layer.
And we do the whole thing overland. We don't do internal flights on any of our trips. Partly that's about carbon, but mostly it's because the journey between places is half of what makes Vietnam special. You see rice paddies turn into mountains, mountains turn into coastline, and you get a feel for how big and varied the country is. The journey is the whole point.
Our 13-day Vietnam itinerary, day by day
Days 1 to 2: Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and the Mekong Delta
You land in Saigon, check in, and we all meet that evening for a welcome dinner. This is where the group stops being a list of names on a WhatsApp chat and starts being people you'll be sharing the next fortnight with.
Day two is a full day out in the Mekong Delta. You'll hop between islands by sampan boat, wander an orchid garden and see how coconut candy gets made (and eat plenty of it). It's a slower, greener side of the south after the noise of the city, and a good gentle start before things pick up.
We lived in Saigon for around six or seven months too, and it's an incredible city. It's huge, with so many different neighbourhoods that you'd need months to see it all properly, but we know the best spots. It feels more Western than Hanoi, and in the evenings the parks fill up with young people hanging out and catching up. The food has a completely different flavour to the north too, a little sweeter and just as moreish. People argue endlessly about which city is better. We'll let you decide.
Day 3: Cu Chi Tunnels, then the coast
The Cu Chi Tunnels are one of the most sobering stops on the trip. The network of tunnels used during the Vietnam War is far bigger and tighter than most people expect, and you can crawl through a section if you're up for it. It's history you feel in your knees…literally!
From there we head up the coast to Mui Ne, a few hours on the road. Don't write it off as dead time though. Out the window you'll see roadside cafes with rows of hammocks, whole families squeezed onto one scooter, fruit stalls and rice paddies, and you start to get a real feel for how people live outside the big cities. Then you arrive by the sea, and that first evening there makes the journey worth it.
Day 4: Mui Ne sand dunes, then the overnight train
Mui Ne surprises people. One minute you're paddling barefoot up the Fairy Spring, a shallow stream running between red and white sandstone, and the next you're standing on proper sand dunes looking out over the South China Sea. We'll also stop at Lotus Lake before dinner.
Then it's onto the overnight sleeper train north to Da Nang, a really cool experience that gives you that authentic Vietnamese travel experience.
Why we put overnight trains on this trip
There are two sleeper trains on this route, and they're there on purpose. You could fly the length of Vietnam in an hour or two, but you'd miss the bit where you're lying in your bunk watching the country roll past, sharing snacks with the group, and waking up somewhere completely new. It's a lot kinder on the planet than hopping on a plane too, and every little helps.
They're comfortable sleeper cabins rather than a luxury hotel on wheels, so bring earplugs and an eye mask. For us, there's no better way to see the country.
Joe took the train from Hanoi to Da Nang back in 2022 and loved every minute of it. He got chatting to the people in the next cabin, and before long they were all sharing a few lukewarm bottles of Hanoi beer like old mates and are still friends to this day.
Days 5 to 6: Hoi An
You arrive into Da Nang in the morning and transfer to Hoi An, where we'll do an orientation walk of the old town to get you settled in to one of the most magical places in Vietnam. Hoi An at night, with the lanterns lit along the river, is one of those places that looks exactly like the photos and you have to be there to really understand the hype.
Day six gets you out of town on bikes. You'll cycle through the countryside to an organic farm, then cook a home-style Vietnamese meal yourself in a hands-on cooking class. You're not watching someone else cook, you're the one rolling, chopping and eating.
Hoi An is also where we put one of our favourite stays of the trip: pool view rooms with a private balcony, right when you've earned a bit of comfort after a night on the train.
A few Hoi An tips from us. The town is famous for its tailors, and Joe has had suits made here for weddings back home. They're by far the best quality suits he's ever had, for about half the price. We're only here for two nights, so get measured on your first afternoon to leave time for a fitting.
For food, Banh Mi Phuong is the famous one, made legendary by Anthony Bourdain, so be prepared to queue. And don't leave without trying cao lau, chewy noodles with pork and fresh greens that you can only really get in Hoi An. Locals will tell you the proper version is made with water from one particular old well in town, but who knows the truth!
Days 7 to 8: Phong Nha
Most group tours skip Phong Nha. We think that's a mistake. It's a long road day to get there (around 350km via Hue), but you arrive into jungle-covered limestone mountains and some of the biggest caves on the planet. It feels like you have stepped back into the Jurassic era..
On day eight you'll explore Paradise Cave, and then head into the countryside for the Duck Stop, which we won't spoil except to say it's the most fun you'll have with a flock of ducks. If you want more, there are optional extras like kayaking, ziplining and the Dark Cave, which you can arrange on the day.
That night you'll stay on a farmstay with mountain views, before boarding your second overnight train north.
Day 9: Ninh Binh
People call Ninh Binh "Ha Long Bay on land" and it's a fair description. You'll visit Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient capital, take a rowing boat through the limestone caves of Trang An, and climb up to the viewpoint at Mua Cave for a view over the rice paddies that makes every step worth it.
We stay at a small boutique hotel here, which is one of our favourite spots to stay across the country, which after a night on the train feels like a treat.
Days 10 to 11: Ha Long Bay
Next up is a night on the water in Ha Long Bay, with thousands of limestone islands rising straight out of the sea around you. You'll board your cruise around lunchtime, spend the afternoon on the bay, sleep on board, and explore a cave the next morning before heading to Hanoi.
Days 12 to 13: Hanoi
Day twelve is yours. A free day in Hanoi, then our farewell dinner together that evening. If you'd like a guided start, there's an optional city tour with a cyclo ride and a street food walk.
Hanoi: why people either love it or hate it
We'll be straight with you. Hanoi can be a lot. The traffic is wild, the pavements are for parking scooters rather than walking, and the noise doesn't really stop. Plenty of people spend a day there, get overwhelmed, and leave saying it wasn't for them.
But done right, Hanoi is one of the best food and cafe cities in the world. It's tiny plastic stools on the street, a bowl of pho at 7am, bun cha for lunch, and an egg coffee in a cafe you'd never find unless someone showed you. It's cheap beer on a street corner with people you met that day.
And the northern Vietnamese love the craic. There's a warmth, a love of a laugh and a love of a drink that Irish and British people tend to click with straight away. It's a big part of why we stayed as long as we did actually.
That's why we finish here. By day twelve, you've got your bearings, you've got your people, and you get to see Hanoi the way we did.
Where we stay, and why comfort matters
We hand-picked every stay on this trip, because after a long travel day the last thing you want is a hostel with a bunk and a shared bathroom. You're in your 30s or 40s. You've done that.
Every night is in a 3 to 4 star hotel or a stay with real character, with your own en-suite, hot water and wifi. A few of our favourites on this route are the pool view rooms in Hoi An, the farmstay in the mountains at Phong Nha and the boutique hotel in Ninh Binh.
Travelling on your own? We pair you with a roommate of the same gender in a twin room as standard, or you can pay a single supplement for your own room.
Is this Vietnam trip right for you?
This trip is for you if you want to see the length of Vietnam in one go and you'd rather share it with people at the same stage of life. It suits people travelling solo, with a mate or as a couple. It fits into two weeks of annual leave, so you don't need to quit your job to do it.
It's probably not for you if you want a beach holiday with a sunbed for a fortnight. There are a few long travel days (Saigon to Mui Ne, and Hoi An to Phong Nha), and two nights on a train. We think that's the good stuff. Some people won't, and that's fine.
What's included
12 nights of hand-picked accommodation, including one night on a Ha Long Bay cruise and two nights on sleeper trains
All transport between stops, including both overnight trains
Local English-speaking guides, plus Christine and/or Joe with you throughout
Welcome dinner and farewell dinner, plus lots of other meals along the way
The Mekong Delta, Cu Chi Tunnels, Mui Ne, Hoi An cycling and cooking class, Paradise Cave, Ninh Binh boats and the Ha Long Bay cruise
Not included: flights to Saigon and home from Hanoi, travel insurance, some meals, and optional extras like the Phong Nha activities and the Hanoi city tour.
Vietnam south to north: FAQs
How many days do you need to travel Vietnam from south to north?
Around two weeks is the sweet spot if you're going overland. Our route is 13 days and 12 nights, which gives you time in each place without spending every day packing your bag.
Is it better to go south to north or north to south in Vietnam?
Both work. We go south to north in spring because it suits the weather and means you finish in Hanoi, which is our favourite place to end a trip.
Can you travel Vietnam without flying?
Yes. Between sleeper trains, road transfers and boats, you can cover the full length of the country overland. It's slower, but you see and experience far more.
Is Vietnam good for solo travellers in their 30s?
Very. It's easy to get around, the food is incredible and good value, and people are friendly. Joining a small group means you get the freedom of travelling solo without spending the whole trip on your own.
Is Vietnam safe to travel?
Vietnam is generally considered a safe country for travellers. Check the latest advice from the UK government (FCDO) or the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs before you go.