Off the Beaten Path in Vietnam - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi

Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, you will meet your driver and local guide and travel by car to your hotel in Hanoi.

You can relax for the rest of the day or attend an optional hour-long performance called "My Village," which is one of the leading representatives of the "new circus" style in Hanoi. The show will help you understand more about the Vietnamese lifestyle as well as the spectacle of modern Vietnamese theatre.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour

In the morning, you will begin your full day exploring the Temple of Literature (“Van Mieu” in Vietnamese), situated in the place once known as the first university of Vietnam. It was built in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong for princes and mandarins exclusively. With its ancient courtyards, altars, and roofs, Van Mieu is an excellent example of Vietnamese architecture.

Next, you'll visit Hoa Lo Prison, which was well-known to American soldiers, like late US Senator John McCain, as the “Hanoi Hilton.” The prison closed in the 1990s, but today it's a museum. You'll visit two separate parts of Hoa Lo, each of which shows how the prison functioned during two specific time periods: the French colonial era and the Vietnam War. The exhibitions mainly show the prison rooms used during the French colonial period—including the guillotine room.

In the afternoon, your motorcycle and driver will be waiting for you outside the hotel for a half-day tour. Riding on the back, you'll venture through the black-market section of Hanoi, chat with locals in a remote area of the city, then continue to the must-see highlights of the capital. You'll stop at the West Lake to experience the traditional cuisine and drinks, ranging from finger foods to the famous egg coffee. Throughout the tour, there will be plenty of opportunities to take photos.

In the evening, you'll transfer to Hanoi train station for an overnight trip to Dong Hoi city, in Quang Binh Province.

Day 3: Phong Nha Cave and Thien Duong Cave

Upon your arrival at the Dong Hoi station, you'll head to your hotel in Phong Nha for a short rest. After breakfast, embark on a one-hour boat trip on the Son River. As you slowly travel down the tranquil waters enjoy the stunning landscapes passing along the riverbanks.

Your first stop is the Phong Nha Cave, the longest cave in Southeast Asia. After returning to the pier, you'll travel to Thien Duong Cave, the largest of its kind in central Vietnam’s Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. After the cave tour, you’ll spend the night at a hotel in Phong Nha.

Day 4: Phong Nha to Huế 

After breakfast, travel to Hue through the infamous demilitarized zone (DMZ). You will stop on the road to see some famous DMZ sights like the Vinh Moc tunnel, a strategic site that was the target of endless bombing during the Vietnam War. You will descend into an underground village dug by the population who occupied it for two years and explore a system of three-floor tunnels consisting of small cells, kitchens, toilets, wells, and a hospital. You will then visit the famous Hien Luong Bridge and the military bastion Quang Tri Citadel before arriving in Hue by the end of the afternoon.

Day 5: Tour the Imperial Citadel of Huế

This morning, you'll visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue. Built in 1804 and located along the Perfume River, this fortress occupies a perimeter of more than (six miles) 10 kilometers. It's composed of three parts: the Capital City (Kinh Thanh), the Imperial City (Hoang Thanh), and the Forbidden City (Cam Thanh). Although it suffered severe damage during the Vietnam War in 1968, many recent endowments are used to restore and revive this heritage site.

You'll head back to Hue to spend the day as you please. There's an optional three-hour food tour available that'll have you stopping at multiple local restaurants and tasting the local cuisine, from rice cakes to tasty noodles with beef and special pancakes. For dinner, travel to a local's home and share a meal with the family. Your host will prepare a range of both Hue's and Vietnam's traditional dishes as well as share some stories about her family life, Vietnamese culture, and the culinary specialties of Hue. After sampling the range of different dishes, bid farewell to your host and return to your hotel.

Day 6: Visit Phuoc Tich and Tam Giang Lagoon

In the morning, you will reach Phuoc Tich, a 500-year-old village surrounded by the O Lau River. It's well-known for its system of shrines, temples, old wooden houses, and a 500-year-old tradition of producing ceramics. You'll have a chance to visit Mr. Dien's house, an elder local of the village, and learn about traditional ceramic kiln and his impressive pottery collections.

Upon leaving the village, you will take a drive to Tam Giang Lagoon and discover the local life of the people living around the area. Have lunch at a local house with a view of the fisherman boats and the lagoon and observe how the locals fish using small cages and long fishing nets. You will return to Mr. Dien's house and take a bike ride to the village, stopping in the rice fields to discover how rice is made by hand. You will then head back to your hotel in Hue.

Day 7: Depart Huế

Time permitting, have breakfast at your hotel, and at the appropriate time transfer to the airport for your departure flight. See you soon!

More Great 7-Day Vietnam Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Vietnam? Check out these other 7-day Vietnam itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.