Vietnam Trip 2026: Itinerary, Tips & Budget

Source:

https://x.com/dhawal20jain/status/2000096775269667241

Trip Overview:

• Destination: Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay)
• Duration: 8 days
• Travel Style: Group trip
• Theme: Itinerary, budget, and travel tips

Itinerary:

• Day 1 – Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh:

  • Direct flight from Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh.
  • Hotel: Ramana Hotel Saigaon.
  • Currency exchange.
  • Lunch at Tumi Cafe (Vegan Cafe) – try salt coffee, Vietnamese coffee & mushroom dishes.
  • Dinner at Pizza 4P's.
  • Explore the streets, Cafe apartment, and City Bus Ride.
  • Grab a coconut coffee or salt coffee from Katinat.

Explore the party street of Ho Chi Minh.

Day 2 – Cu Chi Tunnels:

• 2-hour drive to Cu Chi Tunnels from the city.
• Activity: AK47 Shooting Range, Tunnel walking. A must-visit.

Lunch at Banana Leaf (Indian restaurant).

Explore Ban Thanh Market for shopping. Remember to convert dollars to local currency.

Party at The Urban Gangs.

Day 3 – Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang:

• Internal flight to Da Nang.
• Hotel: Cicilia Hotel
• Chilling at the beach.
• Explore Dragon Bridge & Night Market.

Day 4 – Marble Mountains & Hoi An:

• Exploring Marble Mountains, Coconut Ride & Hoi An Market.

Hoi An Market: Good place for shopping, especially leather products. Bargain 30-40%.

Activity: Boat Ride.

Day 5 – Ba Na Hills:

• 2+ hour drive to Ba Na Hills. One of the best places in Vietnam.
• Explore Golden Bridge, Love Garden.
• Lunch included in the pass with vegetarian options.

Day 6 – Da Nang to Hanoi:

• Internal flight to Hanoi.
• Hotel: The Que Hotel.
• Explore the Hanoi streets.
• Visit The Note Coffee.
• Explore Hanoi Train Street.

Day 7 – Ha Long Bay:

• Cruise Day: Chill at the cruise, explore mountains, beaches, go kayaking & watch the beautiful sunset.

Day 8 – Hanoi to Mumbai:

• Direct flight to Mumbai in the evening.
• Explore streets and have coffee before leaving.

Recommendations:

• Places to Visit:
  • Cu Chi Tunnels
  • Marble Mountains
  • Ba Na Hills: Explore Golden Bridge, Love Garden
  • Ha Long Bay
  • Hanoi Train Street
  • Phu Quoc, SaPa, Dalat (for the next trip)
• Food & Restaurants:
  • Tumi Cafe (Ho Chi Minh): Try salt coffee, Vietnamese coffee & mushroom dishes
  • Pizza 4P's (Ho Chi Minh)
  • Banana Leaf (Indian restaurant, Ho Chi Minh)
  • The Note Coffee (Hanoi)
• Stay / Hotels / Hostels:
  • Ramana Hotel Saigaon (Ho Chi Minh)
  • Cicilia Hotel (Da Nang)
  • The Que Hotel (Hanoi)
• Transport Tips:
  • Grab app for booking any kind of transportation.

Costs & Budget:

• Approx. 1L per person (if planned well, excluding food).
• Group trip cost: Approx 1.2L with Visa (flights booked late)

Tips, Do's & Don'ts:

• Apps:
  • Grab app for transportation
  • Klook app for activities
  • Booking.com for rooms
• Payment:
  • Pay with a card whenever possible.
  • Use currency for local shopping (cards may add 3-5% charges).
• Bargaining: 30-40% bargaining can be done while doing local shopping.
• Souvenirs: Salt coffee & Coconut coffee can be good souvenirs.
• Communication: Google Translate will be helpful.
• Jain Food: Carry vacuum-packed theplas and ready-to-eat Jain food. Indian restaurants are available.

Essential Info:

• Visa: Applied directly from the Official Vietnam Visa Website.
• Flights: Mumbai to Ho Chi Minh & Hanoi to Mumbai Direct Flights.
• E-Sim: ByteSim for 7 days
• Travel Insurance: Policy Bazaar
• Forex card: @ixigo AU Credit Card (0 markup)
• Dollar exchange: BookMyForex