5 Days in Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long and Hoi An
Five days in Vietnam works best as the north plus one flight south. Two days in Hanoi, one on Ha Long Bay, then fly to Da Nang for two days built around Hoi An's old town and My Son. The alternative is to stay north and give two nights to Sapa instead.
5 days in Vietnam at a glance
| Day | Based in | What you do | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanoi | Arrive and walk the Old Quarter | Noi Bai airport to the Old Quarter: about 45 minutes |
| 2 | Ha Long Bay | Overnight on the bay | Hanoi to Ha Long: about 2 |
| 3 | Hanoi → Da Nang | Back to Hanoi, then fly south | Ha Long to Hanoi by road, then Hanoi to Da Nang by air, about 1h15 |
| 4 | Hoi An | The ancient town, early and late | — |
| 5 | Hoi An | My Son at dawn, then home | Hoi An to Da Nang airport: about 45 minutes |
Five days is enough for two regions if you accept one internal flight. The usual shape is the north for three days and the centre for two, which pairs Vietnam's busiest city with its quietest old town. The alternative, staying north and adding Sapa, trades Hoi An for mountains and is the better choice in autumn.
A first trip that wants variety rather than depth, and travellers happy to fly once.
Arrive and walk the Old Quarter
Land, drop bags and get out on foot. The Old Quarter rewards wandering more than a list, and the first evening is the easiest time to start because the streets around Ta Hien fill up after seven and the city feels immediately legible.
If you land early enough, take a street food walk on the first evening rather than the last. It maps the neighbourhood for you and everything afterwards is easier.
From Friday evening to Sunday night the streets around Hoan Kiem lake close to traffic and fill with families and street games. If your dates include a weekend, keep one evening for it.
Overnight on the bay
Take the overnight rather than the day cruise if the budget allows. The difference is not the boat, it is the hours: the day fleet leaves around four, and from then until the next morning the bay is quiet in a way no day trip reaches.
The afternoon runs a cave and a kayak stop, then the boat anchors for sunset. Dinner is aboard, squid fishing after for whoever stays up, and a morning activity before the run back.
Read the itinerary rather than the title: a cruise called a Ha Long cruise may spend most of its time in quieter Lan Ha Bay, which is usually better.
A private balcony is the upgrade people say afterwards was worth it, because the whole point is the hours when you are moored and everyone else is inside.
Back to Hanoi, then fly south
The boat returns to the harbour late morning and you are back in Hanoi mid-afternoon. Take an evening flight to Da Nang — it is about an hour and fifteen minutes and they run frequently.
Da Nang's airport is inside the city, and Hoi An is about forty-five minutes further by road. You will arrive late; book the transfer in advance rather than sorting it at the airport.
Stay in Hoi An rather than Da Nang unless you want a resort beach holiday.
Do not book the last flight of the day. If the cruise runs late — and bay weather can delay a return — there is nothing after it.
The ancient town, early and late
Be out before eight. The old town is almost empty, the light is low and the market is working rather than performing. That hour is the best thing in Hoi An and it costs nothing.
The heritage ticket admits you to a set number of the protected buildings — Tan Ky house and the Fujian Assembly Hall are the two to spend entries on. Walking the streets themselves is free.
Spend the hot middle of the day at An Bang beach or with a tailor, then come back at five when the lanterns come on and the day groups have gone.
If you want clothes made, order today, not tomorrow. Two full days is the realistic minimum for a suit and one fitting is not enough.
My Son at dawn, then home
Take the earliest My Son departure. There is almost no shade in that valley and by ten in the morning it is punishing for most of the year; at dawn it is cool, quiet and far better lit.
The Cham brickwork is the thing to look at — built without visible mortar, and how they bonded it is still not fully settled. Restored sections give themselves away because the modern joints show.
You will be back in Hoi An by early afternoon, which leaves time for the beach or a last walk before the airport.
Parts of My Son are missing because the valley was bombed during the war. Ask your guide about it — without that, the gaps look like ordinary decay and they are not.
Planning this trip
The one flight
Hanoi to Da Nang is about an hour and fifteen minutes and runs many times a day on several carriers. Book it in advance rather than on arrival; the fares move sharply close in and the early flights fill first.
The northern alternative
Instead of flying south, stay north and give days three to five to Sapa: five to six hours each way by road, two nights minimum, and a valley trek in between. Better in September and October when the terraces are gold, worse from January to March when the valley sits inside cloud.
Central Vietnam's weather is its own
Hoi An's wet season is September to November, which is different from the north's. Autumn in Hanoi is the best time of year; in Hoi An it is the wettest, and the old town floods most years in October or November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is five days enough for Vietnam?
For two regions, yes. For the whole country, no — Vietnam is about 1,600km end to end and the north, centre and south each need their own flight. Five days done as two regions is a good trip; five days done as four cities is four airports.
Should I skip Ha Long and go straight to Hoi An?
Only if the weather is against you. Between July and September the harbour authority can suspend sailings for typhoons, and a cancelled cruise on a five-day trip is a lost day. Outside those months, Ha Long earns its place.
Hoi An or Da Nang as a base?
Hoi An, for almost everyone. Da Nang is a modern coastal city with a long beach and an airport; Hoi An is the old town, and it is the reason people come to central Vietnam. Reverse it only if you want a resort holiday with a day trip attached.
Book the guided parts of this trip
Every tour above runs with a verified local operator.
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