An unforgettable journey awaits those who step off the beaten path and embrace the thrill of exploring new destinations. Experience sustainable travel and discover beautiful boutique hotels in Vietnam.
Vietnam is a southeast Asian country, known for its beautiful landscapes, thriving cities and beautiful pagodas.
Hello – Xin chao
Thank you – Cam on
When to go
The North of Vietnam has four different seasons – Spring (February to April), Summer (late April to late August), Autumn (September to November) and Winter (December to early February). Central and Southern Vietnam only have dry season, January to August, and rainy season. ☀️
We went on mid November and found great weather in Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Hoi An, always sunny. The day we were leaving Hoi An, it started raining though.
So don’t forget to check the places you will visit to get the best chance at having great weather on your trip to Vietnam.
Religion
The religion here is collectively known as Triple Religion (Tam Giao), a fusion of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. If asked most Vietnamese people will say they are Buddhist.
Getting there
Vietnam was the starting point of our Southeast Asia trip, we took a flight to Hanoi, where our adventure began. 🛫
Hanoi
Hanoi is a busy hustling city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Vietnam and has countless wonders to discover, with motorbikes racing from and to every road, people (apparently) randomly crossing the streets, and coffee shops all over the place. 🏍️☕️
Unfortunately by the time we went there, the air was really polluted, so it could be better to bring a mask if you’re spending more than a couple of days in this city. 😷
Top places to visit in Hanoi include the Temple of Literature, the One Pillar Pagoda, Hoan Kiem Lake and the famous train street.
While in Hanoi, we’ve made a day trip to Lan Ha Bay and overall it was really good. Lan Ha Bay is said to be less crowded than Halong Bay and we were fortunate to almost have the place to ourselves, with hardly any other tourist boats in sight.
Where to eat
Met Vietnamese Restaurant and Vegetarian
Recommend the curry tofu, really good!
You should also try the Banh Mi, a sandwich made with a French style baguette, pretty typical around there.
Where to Stay – Eco and Boutique Hotels
We’ve stayed in a beautiful hotel right in the middle of Hanoi’s old quarter. This was great for us as we could easily walk around to go to our selected spots and restaurants. I’d definitely recommend staying in this area for its convenience and vibrant atmosphere.
Lan Ha Bay
Instead of going to Halong Bay we chose Lan Ha Bay. It is said that this bay is just as beautiful as Halong Bay but it is less touristy, more secluded and untouched. And in fact, we didn’t see many tourist boats other than our own.
We’ve booked a day trip from Hanoi. They picked us up early in the morning from our hotel, and we’ve went by bus until we got to the cable car which took us to Cat Ba Island. From there we hopped on another bus and went to the cruise boat. We’ve had lunch on the boat and we’ve seen the fishing village and then we stopped to go for a bike ride on Cat Ba.
After that we went back to the boat, continued the tour through Lan Ha Bay, where we’ve went kayaking and swimming, which was definitely a high point! After watching the sunset, it was time to get back to Hanoi.
Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is a beautiful rural province a couple hours by van or bus from Hanoi.
We arrived in the afternoon (by van from Hanoi 🚐) and still had time to go for the Trang An boat tour. When you get there you can choose your tour from 3 different routes. We chose the longest that included the floating pagoda. It took about 3 hours, and in the end we also helped the guy rowing the boat (the boats have extra paddles). The tour in itself is gorgeous, we’ve passed through limestone mountains, caves and stopped in some pagodas (you get out of the boat to see them). It really is a must if you’re going to this area on your trip to Vietnam. Be aware that some caves have a really low height and it takes a while to cross them 🙂
For the first night in Ninh Binh we chose to stay near the Trang An boat tour entrance. On the next day we moved to the Tam Coc area. Taking a bike ride is a great option here, as the whole area has rice fields and mountains, it’s really an enjoyable tour, and that’s what we did for most of the day. For our last stop, we went to Hang Mua viewpoint, this time by Grab as it would be dark soon
Where to Stay – Eco and Boutique Hotels
We’ve stayed in two different hotels in Ninh Binh. For the first night we chose to stay in a place closer to the Trang An Boat entrance and for the second night we stayed in Tam Coc area.
The hotel we’ve stayed in Ninh Binh was beautiful with a gorgeous limestone mountains landscape.
The hotel in Tam Coc was excellent, beautiful, great food overall and an amazing breakfast. This is a great option for a sustainable travel experience, as this boutique hotel focuses on ethical, sustainable and community based tourism.
Hoi An Ancient Town
Hoi An is a picturesque city in central Vietnam. It was once a trading port and it has different influences: native, Chinese and Japanese, as well as European. It is a super charming town, with lovely yellow buildings.
To get there, we went by bus to Hanoi and took a flight to Da Nang. Then we took a grab to take us to Hoi An. The old town is pedestrian only for most of the day. Just take the day to stroll around the town, looking into the different shops, stopping for a coffee in one of the beautiful balconies facing the streets and in the end of the day see the sunset on the river. There are many boats with cute lanterns and it has an amazing atmosphere.
Don’t forget to bargain, as most of the shops we’ll significantly lower their first price. 🙂
You really can’t miss this place when you travel to Vietnam.
Where to eat
Hoi An also has a Met Vietnamese Restaurant and Vegetarian and it didn’t disappoint. 🙂
Other than that and if you’re in the mood for a little break from Vietnamese food, Le Petit Bistro Hoi An is a great choice, with a lovely atmosphere and great food!
For breakfast we went to Ellie’s Cafe, the food was really good and the people really nice ☺️
Where to Stay – Eco and Boutique Hotels
We opted for a cute little Airbnb for our stay in Hoi An. It was still pretty close to the center and we had bicycles to go there.
Vietnam Itinerary
Day 1 – Travel to Vietnam – arrival in Hanoi. Our flight arrived early in the day. We went to the hotel and since it was located in the old quarter we had the day to explore and rest. (sleep in Hanoi)
Day 2 – Lan Ha Bay Day trip. (sleep in Hanoi)
Day 3 – Travel to Ninh Binh by bus / van – we’ve booked online previously via 12Go Asia and all went smoothly. (Overnight stay in Ninh Binh)
Day 4 – Cycle through Ninh Binh, exploring the beautiful landscapes (sleep in Tam Coc)
Day 5 – Head back to to Hanoi and catch a flight to Da Nang. From here go to Hoi An (we took a Grab). (Overnight stay in Hoi An)
Day 6 – Enjoy the day in Hoi An. (sleep in Hoi An)
Day 7 – Go to Cambodia
Vietnam offers a unique opportunity for sustainable travel, where you can explore breathtaking landscapes, support local communities, and enjoy eco-friendly accommodations.