Vietnam: 2 weeks itinerary for the New Year’s Eve
- twointour
- Dec 25, 2025
- 12 min read
…a journey in a country rich of history, culture, nature, spirituality!
We will see temples and pagodas, ancient imperial citadels, but also modern metropolises and small towns and markets where enjoy the flavours, smells and traditions of a distant culture…obviously there will be also nature, with mountains, rice fields, spectacular caves, rivers, splendid bays with limestone islands!
OUR ITINERARY IN VIETNAM:
DAY 0- flight Bologna- Hanoi (via Istanbul)
Turkish Airlines flight
Bologna 19.40– Istanbul 00.20
Istanbul 2.35– Hanoi 15.30
DAY 1– arrival in Hanoi at 15.25_ visit Hanoi (Hoan Kiem Lake and red bridge by night)
Night in Hanoi (Amara Hanoi Hotel)
DAY 2- visit Hanoi (Train Street 8.45/9am - Thang Long Imperial Citadel - Temple of Literature - St. Joseph Cathedral - Old Quarter: the lively quarter of artisans , Bach Ma Temple, Dong Xuan market ) - Water Puppet Show
Night in Hanoi (Amara Hanoi Hotel)
DAY 3 - visit Hanoi (Hoan Kiem Lake: Ngoc Son Temple & Red bridge - Ba Dinh District: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Changing of the Guard, One Pillar Pagoda - Truc Bach Lake)- Incense village (wit GYG)-Train Street by night (17.45)
Night in Hanoi (Amara Hanoi Hotel)
DAY 4 - Ninh Binh (tour 2D1N from Hanoi with GYG/Lotus Travel): Hua Lu, Tam Coc grottoes by boat, Mua Cave
Night in Ninh Binh (Chez Loan Bungalow)
DAY 5- Ninh Binh (tour 2D1N from Hanoi with GYG/Lotus Travel): Bai Dinh Buddhist Temples, Trang An River Boat Ride
Night in Hanoi (Amara Hanoi Hotel)
DAY 6– Perfume Pagoda (60km from Hanoi)
Night in Hanoi (Amara Hanoi Hotel)
DAY 7 -Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay Cruise (2d/1night cruise with GYG/La Regina Cruise with transfer from Hanoi)
DAY 8- Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay Cruise - return to Hanoi: night train Hanoi / Dong Hoi (LAMAN EXPRESS- 7.40pm-6am)
DAY 9 - Paradise Cave - Phong Nha Cave (tour with Phong Nha Discovery)
Night in Dong Hoi (Rex Quang Binh Hotel)
DAY 10- Train Donh Hoi / Hue (vietnam railways : 7.05 -9.59) - visit Hue : Imperial City and with a driver organized by the hotel visit of Thien Mu Pagoda and the Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty: Tu Duc Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb
Night in Hue (Spateld'Annam - Imperial Boutique Spa & Hotel)
DAY 11– transfer by car (with GYG/TSM Tours) from Hue to Hoi An with visit: Lap An Lagoon, Lang Co Beach, Hải Vân Pass, Da Nang, Marble Mountains - Visit Hoi An by night and lantern boat on the river
Night in Hoi An (River Suites Hoi An)
DAY 12- My Son Sanctuary at dawn (tour with GYG/Local Tours Hoi An ) - visit of Hoi An old town – flight Da Nang/ Ho Chi Min (Vietnam Airlines h21-22.30)
Night in Ho Chi Min (Huong Sen Annex Hotel)
DAY 13–Cu Chi Tunnels and boat ride on the Mekong river (tour with GYG/ Vietnam Adventure Tours JSC)_ Ho Chi Min by night
Night in Ho Chi Min (Huong Sen Annex Hotel)
DAY 14- flight HCM-Siem Reap (Cambodia Angkor Air Co h12-13.15)
If you have time, we suggest to continue your trip to Cambodia, as we did: see the dedicated article to discover our itinerary in Cambodia
PLACE BY PLACE
HANOI
We start our trip to Vietnam from its capital - Hanoi - a lively city that mixes modern, ancient and influences of French and Chinese domination.
The city can be visited well on foot in a couple of days: it will be our base to explore the Northern Vietnam
For sleeping we recommend an hotel near the Hoan Kiem Lake which is quieter respect the Old Quarter and in an excellent position to explore the city.
Highlights
Temple of Literature
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
Hoan Kiem Lake with the iconic red bridge, the famous Ngoc Son Temple, Turtle Tower and the nearby St Joseph Cathedral
Old Quarter: the lively quarter of artisans, Bach Ma Temple, Dong Xuan market
· Train Street
· Ba Dinh District: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda
Truc Bach Lake & Pagoda Tran Quoc
If you have more time: Water Puppets show, French Quarter, Long Bien Bridge, Incense Village (40km from Hanoi), Perfume Pagoda (60km from Hanoi)
Tickets (online cash in local currency is accepted)
Temple of Literature: 70.000 vnd
Thang Long Imperial Citadel: 70.000 vnd
Ngoc Son Temple:50.000 vnd
Perfume Pagoda: 450.000 vnd (Boat+Pagoda)
Temple of Literature
Some curiosities about this temple
- it is a tribute to the country's students and literati
- it is also depicted on the 100,000 dong banknote;
- the complex is dedicated to the philosopher Confucius;
- it was the seat of the university and even today students come here to pray for good results at the exams and to take photos in its gardens after the graduation ceremony
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
It was the residence of the Vietnamese imperial dynasty (until 1810, when the capital was moved to Hue) and was then used for military purposes (in particular as a prison by the Japanese to imprison French soldiers and as a bunker to shelter from American bombings during the Vietnam War)
Inside the citadel there is also the hexagonal Tower of Flag, one of the symbols of Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and the Red Bridge
The most beautiful lake in the city, perfect for walking especially at dawn and sunset when the atmosphere is very suggestive
In the center of the lake there is the Turtle Tower, one of the symbols of Hanoi and to which an ancient legend is linked. A magic sword was sent from heaven to Emperor Le Loi with which he drove the Chinese out of Vietnam. At the end of the war, a large golden turtle grabbed the sword and disappeared into the depths of the lake to return it to its divine owners. Hence the name of the lake which means the Lake of the Returned Sword.
In the lake there is the Jade Island - connected to the shore by the iconic Red Bridge (suggestive especially in the evening) – that house the famous Jade Mountain Temple (Ngoc Son Temple) dedicated to the national hero Tran Hung Dao who distinguished himself during the war against the Mongols.
The Old Quartier
The lively artisans' quarter where local crafts, clothing, household items, souvenirs is on sale (pay attention to the counterfeits products of the luxury and outdoor brands). Also worth seeing in the area are the Bach Ma Temple and Dong Xuan Market
Train Street
The iconic street where the train passes at various times of the day very close to the various cafes and homes.
When the train transits the street can ONLY be accessed if you drink something in a café. We have seen the train at 9.05 am and by night at 5.45pm
Longbien Bridge
The symbol of the resistance of the inhabitants of Hanoi during the Vietnam War, which despite having been bombed several times was always promptly repaired.
Incense Village
An explosion of colors!
Interesting to see the production of incense, from cutting the bamboo, to dyeing the sticks and processing the aromatic incense paste
We saw it at the Quang Phu Cau Incense Village which is located about 40km/1h from the center of Hanoi with a GYG tour: the experience is a bit touristy but all in all nice if you stop in Hanoi for a few days and have a free half day
Perfume Pagoda
Since we had seen everything in in Hanoi city center, we decided to go with a driver organized through our hotel to the Perfume Pagoda (Chua Huong in Vietnamese), a complex of Buddhist temples 60 km/2h from Hanoi.
To get to the Pagoda you have to take a rowboat for about 1h immersed in a very relaxing river panorama.
The site is off the classic routes (we were the only non-Asians) and is one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the country... if you have a day left it is nice to see and maybe you can combine it with a visit to the Incense village which is on the way (there are also tours on GYG that include both)
NINH BINH
Ninh Binh,is known also as the "Halong Bay on land" (consider a couple of day for the visit)
In particular, do not miss:
- Tam Coc for a ride on the traditional sampan boat along the river that flows between imposing rocky hills covered with vegetation and caves
- Climb 500 steps to the Mua Cave to admire the breathtaking view on Tam Coc. Ideal at sunset
- Bai Dinh Buddhist temples and Pagoda
- a boat ride on the river in Trang An among caves, temples, imposing limestone rocks covered with vegetation
- Hua Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam.
HALONG BAY
A 2-day cruise awaits us in the beautiful Halong Bay and the nearby Lan Ha Bay, studded with a myriad of limestone islands that create a breathtaking landscape: an unmissable stop on a trip to Vietnam!
During the cruise, in addition to sailing in a stunning scenario, it is possible to visit various caves with kayak or Bamboo boat, visit Cat Ba Island, swimming in the bay in summer, take part to a Tai Chi lesson or to a Vietnamese cooking course.
Alternatively, it is possible to visit this area with day trips by boat, but to enjoy the Bays in various lights, the cruise is an excellent option. Those who have followed our stories, know that we spent New Year's Eve there: absolutely recommended!
We booked the cruise on GYG operated by La Regina Cruise , which on request also organizes the transfer to/from Hanoi or Ninh Binh and we had a great time (no adv)
PHONG NHA - KE BANG NATIONAL PARK
After the cruise, we returned to Hanoi and took a night train to Dong Hoi (Laman Express) to visit this national park famous for its spectacular dry and submerged caves.
Highlights:
Paradise Cave, the longest dry cave in Asia
Phong Nha Cave , a water cave with spectacular rock formations
To see both of these caves we took part to a day tour from Dong Hoi with Phong Nha Discovery (no adv; alternatively there was a similar tour also on GYG)
HUE
This morning, we woke up at dawn to take the train from Dong Hoi to Hué, the former capital of Vietnam since the begunning of 1800 until 1945.
The best way to visit it? With a driver (easily organized by hotels or negotiating with a taxi driver)
Highlights:
- Imperial City of the Nguyen Dynasty
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- Royal Tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty ((Tu Duc Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb)
- A boat ride on the Perfume River at sunset (in the rare days without rain!)
To visit the Citadel considers a couple of hours and for the tombs and Pagoda 4-5h
Opening hours of the sites 7-17
If you visit the Imperial Citadel+3 tombs, we suggest you the combo ticket at 530k vnd that it is more convenient of the single tickets
HOI AN
We leave Hué with a private driver (bookable on GYG) and head towards Hoi An, passing through the Hai Van Pass (one of the most famous scenic roads in Vietnam that combines panoramic views of the mountains and the ocean), the modern Da Nang with its iconic dragon-shaped bridge and the Marble Mountains.
Hoi An is a lovely town with Chinese, Japanese and French architectural influences... ideal for walking around and getting lost in the streets of the old town around the river full of little bars and shops (along with local crafts, but beware of counterfeit products from fashion and outdoor brands)
The best time to visit Hoi An is from sunset and in the evening, when it lights up with hundreds of colored lanterns: a ride on the Lantern Boat in the evening is a must!
During the day, however, it is better to dedicate yourself to activities in the surrounding area such as My Son Sanctuary, Marble Mountains as there is not much to do in the center of Hoi An.
Marble Mountain
Marble Mountain are a group of 5 limestone mountains, characterized by a complex of natural caves and several Buddhist and Hindu temples and pagodas
Marble Mountain Ticket: 55.000vnd
Consider a couple of hour for the visit
My Son
The ruins of My Son are a complex of Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva in khemer style
My Son is situated at 45 min by car from Hoi An and we visited it with a guided tour at dawn (you can find it on GYG or the same tour is bookable with many hotels or with the local agencies in Hoi An)
Curiosity: My Son in Vietnamese means Beautiful Mountain and is not the English translation of “my son”
Ticket : 150.000 vdn per person
Practical advice: Since we had already seen everything in the center of Hoi An and in the surrounding area, going back we would have taken an early pm flight to go to HCM or even early in the morning skipping My Son (in fact if you go to Cambodia you can also consider avoiding My Son which is nice but compared to the Cambodian temples nothing unmissable).
HO CHI MIN
With a flight from Danang we reach Ho Chi Min, the old Saigon and today a very modern metropolis that we will use as a base to visit:
- Cu Chi Tunnels, an elaborate system of over 250km of tunnels that helps to understand how the Vietcong defeat the Americans
- My Tho, to take a boat trip on the Mekong Delta and admire the surrounding countryside and rural villages
Having only one day here, we took part to a tour from Ho Chi Min (booked on GYG) that allowed us to see both in one day
Others practical info
Requirements to enter in Vietnam
All the information below was valid as of January 2025, therefore please check the official websites for any updates or changes.
To enter in Vietnam, passport with at least six months of residual validity is required. An entry visa for tourism is not required for Italian citizens for stays of less than forty-five days.
When to go
A good period to visit Vietnam is from December to April when it's not too hot and it's the driest season. Summer, on the other hand, is very hot, humid and rainy.
Internal Transports
In general, to move around Vietnam, we recommend trains or internal flights for long distances or alternatively night buses if you have time and you would like to contain costs (a useful app to book them https://12go.asia/en)
If you have not many days in each place , even taking part in daily organized tours to main attractions can be a valid alternative to optimize your time. We have often relied on Get Your Guide to book the tours and we have found good solutions at a reasonable price (no adv)
Where to sleep
Accomodations in Vietnam are simple/functionals, but generally good and clean: the costs are a bit higher in the big cities (but still reasonable, if you book in advance).
Pay attention to the photos of the rooms, since it often happens that the hotelsstronglyedited them to appear newerthan reality and thus we suggest you to select hotels with an high number of reviews and a high rate to avoid surprises
As usual we have booked all the hotels on www.booking.com (no adv)
Cleaning&Safety
Vietnam surprised us as we found it very safe on average.
Hotels are generally quite clean, while the sanitary conditions are limited: therefore it is strongly recommended to drink only bottled water as well as consume only well-cooked food.
Internet
When traveling independently we recommend having Internet available on your cell phone.
We opted for an e-sim with unlimited data: Holafly Asia
The alternative is a local sim with a voice and data package
Costs
Life in Vietnam for us Europeans is not expensive (eating, entrance fees and transports) and even for sleeping there are solutions for all budgets.
The major cost that you will have to take into account is (as always, sic!) the intercontinental flight (avoiding the pic- season (like New Year's) and buying airline tickets well in advance allows you to save a little).
Vaccinations
For Vietnam, vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory for all travelers coming from countries at risk of transmission of the disease (not Italy) or who have transited in a country where the disease is endemic
In general, before embarking on this trip, we recommend that you consult the medical center for travelers to evaluate any additional optional, but recommended vaccinations
In Vietnam there is Malary and Dengue especially in the rainy season: therefore, if you are not vaccinated for Dengue/have not made the profilassi for Malary, we recommend that you bring repellents (e.g. Jungle - very strong) and keep your arms and legs as covered as possible.
Others utility
In Vietnam, card payments are generally accepted in hotel and restaurants; whereas to buy the entrance tickets to the several attractions the payment is mostly accepted only by cash. So we suggest you to change some money in local currency for the tickets, tips, souvenirs and others small expenses
Always be sure to have a good health insurance against any eventuality.
To discover more about these places have a look to our posts and stories dedicated to Vietnam dated March/April 2025 on our Instagram page @2intour
Find info about Cambodia in the dedicated article to this country on the blog and in the posts/stories about Cambodia dated May 2025 on our Instagram page @2intour
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