Northern Vietnam Itinerary: 7, 10 and 15 Days
Northern Vietnam itinerary in three lengths: 7 days with Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay and Sapa, 10 days with the Ha Giang Loop and Mai Chau, and 15 days covering the whole north.
By AmGo Travel5 min read
Northern Vietnam packs bays, mountains, rice terraces and a thousand-year-old capital into a few hundred kilometres, and the hardest part of planning is deciding what to leave out. This northern Vietnam itinerary gives three versions, for 7, 10 and 15 days, built from the tours the AmGo Travel team in Hanoi's Old Quarter runs every week, so every transfer and timing below actually works.
How to think about northern Vietnam
Everything starts and ends in Hanoi. From there, the main trips fan out in different directions:
- Ha Long Bay (east, about 2.5 hours by expressway): limestone islands, caves and a night on a cruise.
- Ninh Binh (south, about 2 hours): rice fields, rowing boats through caves and the Mua Cave viewpoint.
- Sapa (north-west, about 5.5–6 hours by bus): trekking through Black H'mong and Red Dao villages.
- Ha Giang (far north, a night bus away): the Ha Giang Loop, Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Chinese border.
- Mai Chau (west, about 150 km): a green valley of Thai and Muong villages, easy as a day trip.
Because these are separate trips from Hanoi, the trick is to chain them so you are not doing two long drives on the same day.
7 days: the classic loop
- Day 1: Hanoi. Full-day city tour: Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh complex, the Museum of Ethnology, the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison. Evening in the Old Quarter.
- Day 2: Ninh Binh day trip. Hoa Lu, the 10th-century capital, a boat through the caves of Trang An and the 500-plus steps of Mua Cave.
- Days 3–4: Ha Long Bay cruise, 2 days 1 night. Pick-up in the Old Quarter at about 7:45, lunch on board past the famous islets, Titop Island, Sung Sot Cave, a cooking class and sunset, then kayaking at Trong Cave the next morning. Back in Hanoi around 16:30.
- Day 5: Hanoi to Sapa. Morning bus (about 5.5–6 hours, hotel pick-up in the Old Quarter). Afternoon in Sapa town.
- Days 6–7: Sapa trek, 2 days 1 night. Through the Muong Hoa valley to Lao Chai and Ta Van, a night in a village homestay, then on to Giang Ta Chai. Bus back to Hanoi.
This is the version most first-time visitors choose. If you only have 5 days, drop Sapa: our 5-day tour covers Hanoi, Ninh Binh and 3 days 2 nights on Ha Long Bay, with airport transfers.
10 days: add the Ha Giang Loop
- Day 1: Hanoi city tour.
- Day 2: Ninh Binh day trip.
- Days 3–4: Ha Long Bay cruise, back in Hanoi around 16:30 on day 4.
- Night of day 4: night bus to Ha Giang. Pick-up between 20:00 and 22:30 at the Opera House, the Old Quarter, My Dinh bus station or the Noi Bai airport crossroads. You arrive around 3:00–4:00 and rest at the guesthouse.
- Days 5–7: Ha Giang Loop, 3 days 2 nights. Quan Ba Heaven Gate, the Vuong family palace, Lung Cu flag tower, Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Nho Que River, with nights in Dong Van and Meo Vac. Night bus back to Hanoi.
- Day 8: slow day in Hanoi. Sleep in, then the afternoon motorbike or bicycle tour (Long Bien Bridge, Banana Island, Train Street).
- Day 9: Mai Chau day trip. A Muong market, Thung Khe Pass, lunch in the valley and a bike ride through the villages. Back around 19:30.
- Day 10: departure.
Sapa or Ha Giang? If you prefer walking to riding, swap days 5–7 for the Sapa bus and a 2-day trek. Ha Giang is wilder and more remote, Sapa is easier to reach and better for trekking. Our Ha Giang Loop guide and Sapa trekking guide compare the routes.
15 days: all of the north
The AmGo Travel 15-day northern Vietnam tour links everything without returning to Hanoi between Sapa and Ha Giang:
- Day 1: Hanoi full-day city tour.
- Days 2–4: Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, 3 days 2 nights on Fantasea Cruise: Titop Island, kayaking at Luon Cave, Sung Sot Cave, Lan Ha Bay, the Dark and Bright caves and a pearl farm (if weather permits).
- Days 5–7: Sapa. Cat Cat village, then a trek from Y Linh Ho to Lao Chai and Ta Van with a homestay night and a cooking lesson, and an 8 km walk to the Red Dao villages of Giang Ta Chai and Supan.
- Days 8–10: Ha Giang Loop with an easy rider. Du Gia, a bamboo ferry, Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Sky Walk, Meo Vac. Bus back to Hanoi around 22:00 on day 10.
- Days 11–12: Ninh Binh, 2 days 1 night in a bungalow. Hoa Lu, Tam Coc by bamboo boat, Mua Cave, Bai Dinh Pagoda and Trang An.
- Day 13: Mai Chau day trip.
- Days 14–15: free time in Hanoi and departure.
Shared rooms, the listed meals, guides, entrance fees for the visits in the program, transfers between destinations and the motorbike with driver in Ha Giang are included. Meals and hotels in Hanoi are not.
Tips for planning your route
- Leave a flexible day after Ha Long Bay. Activities on the bay depend on weather and tides, and a storm can move a cruise.
- Mind the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and from about 15 June to 15 August.
- Pack for two climates. Sapa and Ha Giang are much cooler than Hanoi, and can drop close to freezing from December to February.
- Night buses save a hotel night, but plan a slow day after one.
Plan your northern Vietnam trip with AmGo Travel
- 7 days: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, Sapa.
- 10 days: add the Ha Giang Loop (or a longer Sapa trek) and Mai Chau.
- 15 days: the full north in one trip.
For a shorter stay, start with our 3 days in Hanoi itinerary. For more ideas in the mountains, see the Sapa destination page.
FAQ
How many days do I need for northern Vietnam? Seven days covers Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay and Sapa. Ten days lets you add Ha Giang. Fifteen days covers the whole north at a comfortable pace.
What is the best order? Start with Hanoi, then do the trips closest to the city (Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay) before the long mountain trips, so you recover from jet lag first.
Can I do Sapa and Ha Giang in one trip? Yes. The 15-day tour goes straight from Sapa to Ha Giang, so you do not lose a day returning to Hanoi.
Where can I book a northern Vietnam tour? With AmGo Travel, a Vietnamese team of trip planners and guides with an office at 61 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Book at amgotravel.com or on WhatsApp, and we can adjust any of these routes to your dates.
Tell AmGo Travel how many days you have, and we will suggest the route that fits.
