We kicked off our 8 day Vietnam trip in Hanoi, soaking in the Old Quarter’s buzz. We visited iconic sites like the Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám), Hanoi’s 1070-born Confucian temple. It’s open daily 8 AM-5 PM, and costs about 70,000 VND per adult (half price for students).
Nearby, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square offers a sobering contrast. It’s open only mornings (Tue-Sun) and closed Mon/Fri afternoons; best to arrive early as it’s free admission. In the evenings we wandered Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarter alleys, sipping egg coffee (don’t miss Cafe Giảng!) and sampling pho on Ta Hien street.
Transport: To Ninh Binh next, we found the 2‑hour train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh very convenient. Tickets are ~150-200k VND and bookable via Vietnam Railways. Buses are also plentiful (2-3 h, ~100k VND). For both, arriving at Ninh Bình station or booking a shuttle is easy.
Stay & Eat: We stayed in a backpacker-friendly hostel in the Old Quarter (dorm beds from ~$7-10). For food, besides pho we tried bun cha at a local favorite stall and the fresh cha ca (grilled fish) at Cha Ca Thang Long. A late-night stop for Bia Hơi on Ta Hien was a great way to cap off Hanoi.
Ninh Binh (Days 3-4): Limestone Peaks & Boat Rides
The next morning we headed south to Ninh Binh Province, often called “Ha Long Bay on land.” We stayed in the Tam Coc area (many farmstay homestays and budget hotels with river views). Our first stop was the Trang An boat tour - a serene paddle through limestone caves and temples. The boat dock is ~15 km from Tam Coc. Tickets for Trang An cost about 250,000 VND per adult, and it runs roughly 6:00-16:45 (summer). We chose Route 1 (3-4 hours) which includes the famous caves, and it was spectacularly photogenic. It’s all shaded by cliffs, so sunscreen is less critical, but wear a hat for protection on the open parts.
Not far away, Tam Coc offers a very similar boat ride (Ngo Dong River). We biked there (around 30 minutes from Trang An) through rice fields. Tam Coc’s entrance is about 250,000 VND for adults (kids 1.0-1.3 m tall get a discount). Boats usually carry 2-3 passengers and are rowed by local women; tip them around 20-50k VND per person. Both Trang An and Tam Coc start early; we arrived by 7 AM to beat the crowds.
Must-do hike: We climbed Hang Múa (Mua Caves Viewpoint) for panoramic vistas of the Tam Coc valley. There’s an entry fee of 100,000 VND and it’s open 6:00-19:00. The 500 stone steps were steep but the sunrise view over the winding river was worth it.
Other sights: We also biked to Bích Động Pagoda, a pretty cave pagoda up the mountain; it shares the Tam Coc ticket (so no extra fee beyond the 250k/VND). The pagoda complex is open 7:30-17:00. An offbeat tip from travelers: the nearby Thung Nham Bird Valley (about 10 km away) is great at dusk for watching thousands of swallows flutter in. Renting a bike (20k/day) is easy and lets you discover quiet villages away from the tourist boats.
Transport: Ninh Binh is very accessible. We took the train from Hanoi (see above) and a taxi to Tam Coc (~20 min). Alternatively, local buses and minibuses run from Hanoi’s Giap Bat station (~2.5h, ~100k VND). To reach Trang An, the local #3 shuttle bus or Grab ride works well.
Stay & Eat: In Tam Coc we stayed at a riverside bungalow (double ~300-400k VND) for charming local vibes. For dinner, we tried goat or buffalo hotpot at a lakeside eatery; grilled mountain goat (dê núi nướng) is a Ninh Bình specialty. Don’t miss sampling Cơm Cháy (crispy rice) with yogurt sauce at a street stall or beer at Chim Yến craft brewery, a local recommendation from backpacker forums.
Phong Nha (Days 5-6): Caving & Jungle Trekking
From Ninh Binh we made our way to Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. We booked a sleeper bus (Sinh Tourist/Hung Thanh) which took about 9-10 hours (~350-400k VND). Some travelers opt to break the journey: train from Ninh Bình to Đồng Hới (~7-8h), then local bus or taxi to Phong Nha (~30min).
We based ourselves in Phong Nha town (Phong Nha or Sơn Trạch commune) - lots of hostels and homestays. Our big highlight was booking the Jungle Boss Ma Đa Valley Trek. This adventure is highly recommended by bloggers and backpackers. We chose the 1-day trek (cost ~1,950,000 VND per person). Jungle Boss’s office in town was easy to find, and the guides provided all gear (helmets, life jackets, dry bags).
The 1-day Elephant Cave & Mada Valley Jungle Trek (also called the “Ma Đa Valley Jungle Trek”) starts around 8 AM. It first goes to Hang Voi (Elephant Cave) - a short but steep trek under jungle canopy. Then you follow a jungle trail into Ma Đa Valley, where emerald streams, small waterfalls and wild swimming holes await. After lunch at the valley, the finale is a refreshing plunge: a 600m swim through Động Trạ Ang (Water Cave) to emerge on the other side.
Difficulty: Despite looking intense, the trek is rated moderate. Jungle Boss notes it’s “perfect for those with little hiking background who want a true jungle and cave experience”. We did cross a couple of rivers and clamber over fallen logs, but rope handrails helped on steep bits. The guides were patient and paused for everyone to navigate safely. Overall we’d say it’s family-friendly (ages 9+ can join), though you should be prepared to get muddy and swim in cool water.
Jungle Boss also offers a 2-day/1-night camping tour of Ma Da Valley (around 4,500,000 VND). We didn’t do it on this trip, but that option lets you camp on Ma Đa Lake’s sandy shore and see Tra Ang Cave by moonlight. (Nearly every traveler we met raved about Jungle Boss’s guides and small groups, saying “the guides were fantastic” and “swimming holes were paradise” in TripAdvisor reviews.)
Beyond Jungle Boss, Phong Nha has classic cave tours. The Paradise Cave (Thiên Đường) is enormous (open ~7:30-17:30, ~350k VND ticket), and the Dark Cave (Hang Tối) offers mud baths and ziplining for ~200k. We didn’t cram them all in, but they’re easy to arrange via local tours or motorbike rentals. At night we relaxed at Phong Nha’s laid-back bars and ate local fare - fresh đặc sản like mountain pork ribs, rice vermicelli (bún khô), and pancakes at the famous Khanh Ly bakery.
Transport: Getting to Phong Nha usually means arriving in Đồng Hới and continuing north ~50 km. As above, sleeper buses (9-10h, ~350k) run direct from Hanoi to Phong Nha. Trains (10-12h, ~450k) go to Đồng Hới, from where you catch a local bus (~70k) or taxi. We found the sleeper bus easy and reasonably comfortable.
Stay: Phong Nha has a range of homestays/hostels. Jungle Boss even has dorm beds at their office - great for meeting fellow trekkers. Alternatively, Phong Nha Farmstay or Easy Tiger offer dorms for ~$8-12/night in a fun backpacker vibe.
Food: In town, we loved the local pho đao (beef noodle soup with rice crackers) and the mountain goat at “Three Nguyen” BBQ. A tip from TripAdvisor: check out Khai’s or Tùng's for banh mi and pancake breakfasts.
Da Nang (Days 7-8): Coastal City Finale
On Day 7 we hopped onward to central Vietnam. We chose the train to Da Nang for variety: about 6 hours from Dong Hoi (train is 250-300k VND for a soft seat). Alternatively, a sleeper bus costs around 270,000 VND and takes 7-8 hours. We rolled into Da Nang in the early afternoon.
Da Nang is a modern riverside city known for beaches and the iconic Dragon Bridge (a must-see lit up at night). We split our time between the beach area and city center. One day we strolled along My Khe Beach (the wide, clean sand is great for sunrise), then had the famous Mì Quảng (turmeric noodles with shrimp/pork) at a street stall in the city. Marble Mountains are a short taxi ride away - the cluster of limestone hills with caves and pagodas. Entry is about 40-70k VND and it’s open roughly 7:30-17:30.
Transport: Getting around Da Nang is easy with Grab taxis or local buses. To Hoi An (optional day trip), the #1 bus runs from Da Nang and takes ~45 min. If you had more time, Ba Na Hills (Golden Bridge) is a big theme park 40 km west, but it’s touristy and expensive (~1.4M VND for cable car/ticket), so we skipped it.
Stay: We treated ourselves to a mid-range hotel by My Khe Beach - many have great sea views (rooms from ~$40). Hostel options are more inland. For a final night’s fun, the riverside Fusion Mall / Dragon Bridge area has good restaurants and nightlife.
Eat: Don’t leave Da Nang without fresh seafood. We feasted on grilled clams, squid and butter crab at a beachfront quán hải sản. Another must is Bánh xèo (crispy pancakes) or bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo (Hoi An’s pork rice paper rolls) - you can find these in local markets. And of course, Da Nang has its own coffee culture - we savored cà phê sữa đá (iced milk coffee) at an open-air café watching the city go by.
Before heading home, we spent our final evening on the Han River. Every Saturday the Dragon Bridge breathes fire and water at 9 PM - a fun spectacle to wrap up the trip. Walking back through the lantern-lit streets, we chatted about our favorite moments: the wild jungle swim in Phong Nha, the quiet boat ride at Trang An, and all the yummy street food along the way. Eight days flew by, but Vietnam’s northern to central highlights felt like a lifetime of adventure packed in - all with practical tips and prices in hand, just as we’d hoped to share.
