Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
The length of Vietnam
Three weeks, from the delta to the border
Twenty-one days is enough to stop choosing between the headline places and the far ends. This route keeps three full days in the south, adds the DMZ and the Phong Nha caves in the centre, and finishes with the Ha Giang loop in the far north.
Overview
The whole country, including the ends
Most three-week routes gain their extra week by adding beach time. This one uses it for the two places that shorter routes always cut: Phong Nha, where the caves are among the largest on earth, and Ha Giang, where the road along the Chinese border is the most dramatic drive in the country. We reach both without cutting the south short, which is what usually gets squeezed.
The route follows the country’s recent history from south to north: the tunnels at Cu Chi, the old demarcation line at the Ben Hai river, the bombed limestone of Phong Nha, which was part of the Ho Chi Minh trail, and then the minority highlands, where that history reached late and differently. Our partner guides in Hue and Ha Giang are the ones we use for the DMZ and the loop precisely because they are from there.
- Length
- 21 days, 20 nights
- Regions
- All three, plus the far north
- Flights
- Saigon–Da Nang, Dong Hoi–Hanoi
- Longest drives
- Hanoi–Ha Giang, 6 hours each way
- History weight
- Heavy: Cu Chi, the DMZ
- Pace
- Full, with rest days
Nights
Where you sleep
Day by day
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive in Saigon
The first street dinner
Pick-up and an easy evening.
Day 2
Saigon
The museum
The Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum and the post office, with our own guide.
Day 3
Cu Chi
The tunnels
The tunnels at Ben Duoc at 08:30, back by lunch, and Cho Lon in the late afternoon.
Day 4
To the delta
The side channels
Via Vinh Long and the orchard islands by small boat, arriving in Can Tho by late afternoon.
Day 5
Cai Rang and the canals
The market before seven
The floating market at 05:30, then the smaller canals by sampan and a bicycle ride through the orchards.
Day 6
Fly to Da Nang
Lanterns on the first evening
The drive to Saigon and an afternoon flight of about 1 hour 20 minutes. Hoi An by evening.
Day 7
Hoi An
The assembly halls
The old town at opening time, the afternoon free.
Day 8
My Son
The towers in morning light
The Cham sanctuary at 06:30, and a free afternoon.
Day 9
Over the pass to Hue
Lang Co from the summit
Three hours over the Hai Van, and the river to Thien Mu at sunset.
Day 10
Hue
Khai Dinh
The citadel in the morning and two tombs in the afternoon.
Day 11
The DMZ on the way to Phong Nha
The bridge at Hien Luong
North along the old frontier: the Vinh Moc tunnels, the Ben Hai river and the Truong Son cemetery, then on to Phong Nha. A long day of eight to nine hours with the stops, and the heaviest of the trip.
Day 12
Paradise cave and the river cave
Paradise cave’s scale
A boat up the river into Phong Nha cave, and Paradise cave in the afternoon, with its kilometre of boardwalk.
Day 13
The Dark cave, then fly to Hanoi
The mud bath in the cave
Zip line, mud and a swim at the Dark cave in the morning if you want it, or a slow breakfast. Then forty-five minutes to Dong Hoi and a flight of about 1 hour 15 minutes to Hanoi.
Day 14
Hanoi, and a rest
Hoa Lo prison
A half day with the guide, and the afternoon to repack for the mountains.
Day 15
To Ha Giang
The first passes
Six hours north, the second half on mountain road. We use a car and driver; an easy rider on a motorbike is possible with our Ha Giang partner if you prefer.
Day 16
To Dong Van
The karst plateau
Through Quan Ba’s twin peaks and the pine forest at Yen Minh onto the Dong Van karst plateau. About five hours of driving with plenty of stops.
Day 17
Ma Pi Leng to Meo Vac
The Nho Que gorge from above
An early walk around Dong Van old town, then the Ma Pi Leng pass above the Nho Que gorge, and Meo Vac by early afternoon.
Day 18
To Du Gia
Du Gia at dusk
Back roads south to the Du Gia valley, the quietest part of the loop. An afternoon walk to the waterfall.
Day 19
Back to Hanoi
The last view from the pass
About three hours to Ha Giang city and six more to Hanoi. A long day; we break it with lunch.
Day 20
Free in Hanoi
Doing nothing
Nothing booked after nine days of moving.
Day 21
Departure
Three weeks, end to end
Transfer to Noi Bai.
Price
Price
| Travellers | Tier 1 — simple | Tier 2 — comfortable | Tier 3 — the good ones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travelling | from 2595 | from 3245 | from 4930 |
| 4 travelling | from 2130 | from 2660 | from 4045 |
| 6 travelling | from 1920 | from 2400 | from 3650 |
Three flights, four regional guide teams and the Ha Giang loop with a driver make this the most logistically involved route in the group. Choosing an easy rider in Ha Giang instead of a car changes the price slightly for couples. The Phong Nha lodges are small, so book early.
Included
What is included
What the price includes
- Private car and driver in every region, including the whole Ha Giang loop
- Our guide in the south; partner guides in Hoi An, Hue (and the DMZ), Phong Nha, Hanoi and Ha Giang
- Twenty nights: hotels in your tier, guesthouses and one homestay on the loop
- Saigon–Da Nang and Dong Hoi–Hanoi flights in economy
- Meals as listed, cave entrance fees and boats
What it does not include
- International flights and visas
- Travel insurance, which should cover remote mountain areas
- Drinks, tips and meals not listed
- The Dark cave activities and any extended cave expeditions
Timing
Two windows, and why
● ideal · ◐ workable · ○ poor.
This route crosses all three climates and the far north, and there are two windows where they line up. March to April is the safer one: dry in the south and centre, the caves open and dry, and Ha Giang clear and green, with the peach and plum blossom finishing. Early to mid-October is the more beautiful and riskier one. Ha Giang has its harvest gold and buckwheat flowers, the delta is at high water, but the central coast is in its storm season and Phong Nha’s river caves can close after heavy rain.
We do not run it from July to August, because Ha Giang has landslides and Phong Nha floods, or in December and January, when the far north is cold and often misty.
Not for everyone
Who this does not suit
Anyone who cannot manage several long days in a vehicle: the DMZ day and the two Ha Giang transfers are six to nine hours each, on winding mountain road for much of it. People prone to car sickness should think hard. It also does not suit travellers who want beaches or rest. There is one free day in three weeks, at the end. If that sounds tiring, the eighteen-day slow route covers fewer places and is kinder to you.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Can we fly closer to Ha Giang?
Not usefully; there is no airport on the loop. The drive from Hanoi is the only practical way in.
Is the DMZ day optional?
Yes. Without it, Hue to Phong Nha is about four hours by road, and you gain a morning in Hue.
Can we add Ha Long Bay?
As days 20 and 21 instead of the free day, with a longer trip overall. Most people are tired enough by then to prefer the free day.
Related
Read next
Southern Vietnam
Mekong Delta
Canals, floating markets and orchards — done properly.
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Central Vietnam
Hue
Citadel, royal tombs, and Vietnam’s most particular cuisine.
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Central Vietnam
Phong Nha
Caves, permits and the honest comparison between them.
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Northern Vietnam
Ha Giang
The loop: routes, timing, and car versus motorbike.
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Example journey
From the delta to the mountains
Chau Doc to Ha Giang: the delta, the coast, Sapa and the far north.
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Tours
Tours
Day trips, regional routes and full-length itineraries.
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Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.
Or talk to us:+84 766 045 399