10 days in Vietnam: the north, done properly
Ten days is the awkward length: too short for north, centre and south, long enough to do one region with real depth. This version spends it in the north and builds the trip around the Ha Giang loop, the highlight of the north.
- Days
- 10
- Stops
- 3
- Internal flights
- None
- Best months
- April, September–November
- Mid-range, pp
- $978
- Hanoi · 2n
- Ha Giang Loop · 4n
- Hanoi · 1n
- Halong / Bai Tu Long Bay · 1n
- Hanoi · 1n
When this route works
- JanMixed
- FebMixed
- MarGood
- AprPrime time
- MayMixed
- JunAvoid
- JulAvoid
- AugAvoid
- SepPrime time
- OctPrime time
- NovPrime time
- DecGood
- Hanoi, July–August: Jul: peak heat & humidity; Aug: hot, humid, stormy.
- Ha Giang Loop, June–August: Jun: wet season — landslides; Jul: heaviest rain of the year; Aug: still very wet.
- Halong / Bai Tu Long Bay, July–August: Jul: peak heat & humidity; Aug: hot, humid, stormy.
We have no separate calendar for Halong / Bai Tu Long Bay (uses the Hanoi & north calendar), so treat those verdicts as a close approximation.
Good fit
- Adventure-minded first-timers
- Solo travellers (the loop is very social)
- Photographers
Not for
- Anyone uneasy on the back of a motorbike for long days
- Beach and food-only trips — see the central itinerary
Day by day
Days 1–2 · 2 nights
Hanoi
The last night here is spent on the sleeper bus out.
The capital and the north’s hub — best explored on foot and through food.
- Day 1:
Grab to the Old Quarter. Jet-lag day: a bowl of pho, a slow loop of Hoan Kiem Lake, early night.
- Day 2:
The real city: breakfast pho on a plastic stool, French Quarter walk, egg coffee, Temple of Literature, then West Lake at sunset and bun cha for dinner.
Days 3–6 · 4 nights
Ha Giang Loop
The last night here is spent on the sleeper bus out.
The far north’s motorbike loop through the karst passes — the highlight of the north.
- Day 3:
Hanoi → Ha Giang · Sleeper bus · 6–7h · $11–17
The overnight sleeper is how most loop riders arrive — sleep on the bus, start the loop fresh.
Night sleeper bus lands in Ha Giang City around dawn. Hostel breakfast, safety briefing, and the loop starts north through Quan Ba.
- Day 4:
Loop day 2: deeper into the karst plateau towards Dong Van, the stretch most riders remember.
- Day 5:
Loop day 3: the Ma Pi Leng pass — the most dramatic and most dangerous road on the loop. Ride it with an experienced easy rider.
- Day 6:
Loop day 4 (on the 4-day version): back towards Ha Giang City at an easier pace, with time at the viewpoints. Night bus to Hanoi.
Day 7 · 1 night
Hanoi
The capital and the north’s hub — best explored on foot and through food.
- Day 7:
Ha Giang → Hanoi · Sleeper bus · 6–7h · $11–17
The overnight sleeper is how most loop riders arrive — sleep on the bus, start the loop fresh.
One neighbourhood, properly: the Ba Dinh / mausoleum area (closed Mondays and Fridays), a Dong Xuan market run, or a half day at Bat Trang ceramic village.
Day 8 · 1 night
Halong / Bai Tu Long Bay
A one-night karst-bay cruise — pick the quieter Bai Tu Long if you can.
- Day 8:
Hanoi → Halong Bay · Taxi / transfer · 2.5–3.5h · $12–22
Most cruises include a shuttle from Hanoi; book the cruise and the transfer comes with it.
Shuttle from Hanoi, board by noon. Lunch on deck, a kayak or swim stop, sunset on the water, sleep on board.
Day 9 · 1 night
Hanoi
The capital and the north’s hub — best explored on foot and through food.
- Day 9:
Halong Bay → Hanoi · Taxi / transfer · 2.5–3.5h · $12–22
Most cruises include a shuttle from Hanoi; book the cruise and the transfer comes with it.
Slow Hanoi: a cooking class or street-food walk, a massage, and a beer hoi corner at dusk. Skip Train Street — it’s a queue now.
Day 10
Fly home
- Day 10:
Fly home from Hanoi. A mid-afternoon flight keeps the last morning relaxed.
What it costs
Shoestring$544per person · Dorms, street food, Grab and your own two feet.Show breakdown
- Accommodation
- $162
- Food
- $162
- Drinks & coffee
- $36
- Local transport (Grab / taxi)
- $72
- Activities & entries
- $72
- Buffer (water, SIM, snacks)
- $54
- Ha Giang loop (3-day package, all-in)
- $400
- Bay cruise (cabin, meals, kayaking), per night on board
- $230
- Inter-city transport
- $44
- Already covered
- −$144
- Total for 2
- $1,088
2 dorm beds × 9 nights
Budget-tool loop figures. Our cost note puts a 3-day group Easy Rider tour at $175–220 (bike, driver, insurance, homestays, meals); buses are extra
Mid-points of the price tiers in our Halong vs Bai Tu Long note
2 bus, train or flight legs at published fares
3 nights of package beds and meals, 2 nights on a sleeper bus
Comfortable$978per person · Private rooms, mix of street and restaurants, the odd day trip.Show breakdown
- Accommodation
- $360
- Food
- $324
- Drinks & coffee
- $90
- Local transport (Grab / taxi)
- $126
- Activities & entries
- $270
- Buffer (water, SIM, snacks)
- $108
- Ha Giang loop (3-day package, all-in)
- $500
- Bay cruise (cabin, meals, kayaking), per night on board
- $430
- Inter-city transport
- $56
- Already covered
- −$308
- Total for 2
- $1,956
1 room × 9 nights
Budget-tool loop figures. Our cost note puts a 3-day group Easy Rider tour at $175–220 (bike, driver, insurance, homestays, meals); buses are extra
Mid-points of the price tiers in our Halong vs Bai Tu Long note
2 bus, train or flight legs at published fares
3 nights of package beds and meals, 2 nights on a sleeper bus
Premium$2,454per person · Boutique hotels, good restaurants, private drivers and guides.Show breakdown
- Accommodation
- $1,350
- Food
- $900
- Drinks & coffee
- $360
- Local transport (Grab / taxi)
- $360
- Activities & entries
- $810
- Buffer (water, SIM, snacks)
- $270
- Ha Giang loop (3-day package, all-in)
- $840
- Bay cruise (cabin, meals, kayaking), per night on board
- $1,000
- Inter-city transport
- $68
- Already covered
- −$1,050
- Total for 2
- $4,908
1 room × 9 nights
Budget-tool loop figures. Our cost note puts a 3-day group Easy Rider tour at $175–220 (bike, driver, insurance, homestays, meals); buses are extra
Mid-points of the price tiers in our Halong vs Bai Tu Long note
2 bus, train or flight legs at published fares
3 nights of package beds and meals, 2 nights on a sleeper bus
2 travellers sharing rooms, excluding international flights. Daily rates come from our budget calculator, deliberately on the conservative side.
What this route leaves out — and why
- Sapa
- With Ha Giang already in the plan, Sapa is a second northern mountain stop that is different in detail but similar in essence.
- Hoi An
- Adding the centre to ten days turns the loop into a rushed three days. Ten days is one region.
The 10-day northern Vietnam trip — common questions
- Can I do north and central Vietnam in 10 days?
- It is possible with one flight, but it forces the Ha Giang loop down to three rushed days or drops it entirely. For ten days we recommend either this northern route or the central coast alone, then adding the other half on a two-week trip.
- 3 or 4 days on the Ha Giang loop?
- This itinerary uses four: the extra day buys a gentler pace and real time at the viewpoints. Three days works for confident riders who are tight on time.
- How much does this 10-day northern Vietnam itinerary cost?
- Per person, two travellers sharing rooms, excluding international flights: about $544 shoestring, $978 comfortable, $2,454 premium. That covers lodging, food, local transport, activities, inter-city legs at published fares, and big one-offs like the loop or a cruise.
- When is the best time for this 10-day northern Vietnam route?
- April, September–November — when the route rates best overall, weighted by nights at each stop. Avoid July–August in Hanoi (Jul: peak heat & humidity; Aug: hot, humid, stormy); June–August in Ha Giang Loop (Jun: wet season — landslides; Jul: heaviest rain of the year; Aug: still very wet); July–August in Halong / Bai Tu Long Bay (Jul: peak heat & humidity; Aug: hot, humid, stormy).
- How many internal flights does this 10-day northern Vietnam route need?
- None — every leg is by road, rail or boat.