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The Ultimate Itinerary...
Vietnam
2 Weeks in Vietnam (Or How to Cram an Entire Country Into Your Scant Vacation Days)
Perfect Two Week Vietnam Itinerary
Day 1-3
Hanoi
Where Chaos Meets Charm
Welcome to Hanoi, the capital city where the honking never stops and crossing the street is an extreme sport. Spend your first day getting lost in the labyrinthine Old Quarter, where you’ll find everything from knockoff North Face jackets to restaurants so tiny you’ll wonder if you’ve stumbled into a dollhouse.
Must-do activities:
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (because nothing says “vacation” like viewing a preserved communist leader)
- Explore Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
- Take a street food tour (pro tip: if you can’t identify it, it’s probably delicious)
Day 4-5
Halong Bay
Limestone Karsts and Junk Boats
Time to hop on a bus and head to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay. Marvel at the thousands of limestone islands jutting out of the emerald waters while you cruise around on a traditional junk boat. Just don’t expect to get any peace and quiet – turns out, everyone else had the same idea.
Activities:
- Kayak through hidden caves
- Visit floating villages
- Attempt tai chi on the deck at sunrise (warning: may result in unintentional comedy)
Day 6-7
Hue
Imperial City and Royal Tombs
Next stop: Hue, the former imperial capital. Here, you’ll get your fill of history, architecture, and enough temples to make your head spin.
Don’t miss:
- The Imperial Citadel (prepare for some serious step-counting)
- Thien Mu Pagoda
- A boat trip down the Perfume River (spoiler alert: it doesn’t actually smell like perfume)
Day 8-10
Hoi An
Lanterns, Tailors, and Charm Overload
Welcome to Hoi An, the town that Instagram dreams are made of. Prepare yourself for an onslaught of colorful lanterns, tailor shops, and more tourists than you can shake a chopstick at.
To-do list:
- Get clothes custom-made (because who doesn’t need a silk kimono?)
- Take a cooking class (and subsequently ruin all future Vietnamese takeout for yourself)
- Bike through the rice paddies to An Bang Beach
Day 11-13
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Sensory Overload Central
Your final stop is Ho Chi Minh City, where the past and present collide in a whirlwind of motorbikes, colonial architecture, and more coffee shops than you can count.
Must-see attractions:
- War Remnants Museum (a sobering but essential visit)
- Cu Chi Tunnels (claustrophobics, you’ve been warned)
- Ben Thanh Market (haggle like your life depends on it)