Vietnam Trip

This school holidays, we were actually confused between China and Vietnam. Both were on our list, and honestly, China was quite tempting.

But somehow, we zeroed in on Vietnam—mainly because of the simpler visa process. That one decision made things easier, and in hindsight, it turned out to be the right one.

This time, we were very clear about one thing.

After our slightly rushed and packed trip to Japan, we didn’t want another hectic itinerary. We wanted something slow, relaxed, and enjoyable—a trip where we could actually experience the place instead of just ticking destinations.

PLANNING ROUTES..

Planning took some time. Vietnam has so many options, and it’s easy to overpack the itinerary. After quite a bit of research and back-and-forth, we finally settled on:

Hanoi – for the culture and city vibe
Halong Bay – for the natural beauty
Sapa – for the mountains and cooler weather
Da Nang / Hoi An – for a mix of beach and heritage

One interesting pattern we noticed—most of our choices were towards colder or cooler regions, especially Sapa and Hanoi. Of course, we knew Da Nang would be relatively warmer, but it gave a nice balance to the trip.

We planned this journey from March 18 to March 29—almost 11 days. Just the right amount of time to:

Explore properly
Avoid rushing
And still keep some buffer to relax

FLIGHTS

Planning the flights took a bit of thinking, mainly because direct connectivity from Hyderabad isn’t daily.

We booked:

Vietnam Airlines for:
- Hyderabad → Hanoi
- Da Nang → Hanoi → Hyderabad
VietJet Air for:
- Hanoi → Da Nang

One important thing to note:
Direct flights from Hyderabad to Hanoi operate only on specific days—Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. The same applies to return journeys as well.

👉 So the entire itinerary had to be planned around these flight days, not the other way around.

Visa Process – Simple, But Needs Attention

Vietnam e-visa is quite straightforward, but there are a few things you must get right.

You can apply through the official government portal (easy to find online)
Each family member needs a separate application
You’ll need to provide a hotel address
- It doesn’t have to be fully booked yet
- But better to have reservations ready at immigration
Also keep your return tickets handy

⚠️ A Small Mistake That Can Cost a lot

One tricky part is the visa start date.

In our case:

Flight departs Hyderabad at 11:30 PM on March 18
Lands in Hanoi on March 19

It’s very tempting to enter March 19 as visa start date
👉 But that would be a mistake.

You must enter March 18, because that’s when you board the flight.

Similarly, for exit:

Always keep a 2–3 day buffer

For our travel (March 18–29), we selected:

Visa validity: March 18 to March 31

📄 Final Tips

Visa approval usually takes around 3 days
You’ll receive it via email
Carry at least 2 printed copies (don’t rely only on mobile)

💰 Currency – Feels Like a Crorepati 😄

One interesting part of the trip was the currency.

I carried around 1.2 crore Vietnamese Dong (45k INR) from Hyderabad (got from a reliable forex), along with some USD as backup. For a moment, it really feels like you’ve become a crorepati overnight 😄 (one lakh vietnamese dong is approx 355 INR)

⚠️ Watch the Zeros

The real challenge is the denominations.

Vietnamese currency has too many zeros, and notes can look similar:

10,000
50,000
100,000
500,000

It’s easy to mix them up—especially in a hurry.

👉 Always double-check before paying.

Day 1 – Arrival & First Impressions

We reached Hanoi around 5:30 AM. Immigration was smooth—there’s an option for expedited entry, but there wasn’t much rush anyway. The officer didn’t ask any questions; we just submitted our passport and visa print, and it was done quickly.

We had pre-booked an airport taxi via Klook, which made the transfer hassle-free.

We checked into Splendid Premium Hotel, located in the Old Quarter—the main, lively part of Hanoi.

Paid for early check-in (official time is 2 PM)
Had a paid breakfast, took along with early check-in
Got the room within an hour, which was decent
Took some rest after the early start

🍜 Evening – Exploring Hanoi

In the evening, we went for a private food tour, which was a great introduction to the city.

Walked through Hanoi’s narrow, bustling streets
Tried authentic local dishes
Experienced the city’s energy up close

The highlight was Train Street, where the train passes incredibly close—it’s quite an experience.

We returned to the hotel using the Grab app and called it a day—relaxed and a perfect start to the trip.

Day 2 – Halong Bay Cruise

Checked out from the hotel but left our luggage in the locker, as we were returning to the same hotel the next day.

We traveled by bus to Halong Bay for our cruise, booked via Klook (complete pickup/drop service included)

Boarded the Mila Cruise, and the experience started well:

Got balcony rooms, which made a big difference
Had lunch onboard while cruising through the scenic bay

Later in the day:

Visited a pearl farm and did some light sightseeing
In the evening, went to Sung Sot Cave

The cave visit involved quite a bit of walking and steps—a bit tiring, but manageable and worth it.

Wrapped up the day with dinner and a relaxed evening on the cruise.

Day 3 – Return to Hanoi

Started the day with a visit to Ti Top Island.

There’s an option to climb up for a viewpoint
We skipped the climb and chose to relax near the beach instead

After that, we returned to the harbor and headed back to Hanoi.

Checked into the same hotel, Splendid Premium Hotel.

🌆 Evening – City Tour

we booked an open-top bus city tour around 7:30 PM which was unplanned.

The tour gave a nice overview of the city
Covered major landmarks in Hanoi

Day 4 – Journey to Sapa

Checked out from the hotel and took a bus to Sapa via HK Buslines.

A pickup van first took us to the bus station
The bus was comfortable, with USB charging and 2 rest stops
Overall, the journey felt safe and well-managed

We reached Sapa around 3 PM, and the moment we got down, we could immediately feel the drop in temperature.

🏔️ Stay & First Impressions

From there, we took a taxi arranged through our stay,
Rock Garden Homestay Sapa.

The property is a bit far from Sapa town
Located uphill, with a slightly rough gravel road access

We reached around 4 PM, checked in, and decided to relax for the day.

🌫️ The Highlight

The views from the room were simply stunning.

Clouds were literally drifting into the room, creating a surreal, peaceful atmosphere—something we hadn’t experienced before.

A quiet, relaxed evening—just soaking in the views and the cold weather.

Day 5 – Glass Bridge & A Slow Day

In the morning, we headed to the Mong Rong Glass Bridge, about 45 minutes from our stay.

The place was initially covered in fog, adding a nice mysterious feel
Walked on the glass bridge and explored the surroundings
It was quite cold—my wife even picked up a shawl there
Experienced a bit of rain, which actually added to the charm
Tried some fried snacks/fruits from local stalls

We returned to our stay by around 2:30 PM and kept the rest of the day light—just relaxing and enjoying the stunning mountain views.

Day 6 – Fansipan Experience

Day 6 was for Fansipan, often compared to a mini version of “Top of Europe.”

The journey involved:

A train ride
Followed by a cable car
And then a monorail to reach the top

It was quite crowded, which slowed things down a bit.

There’s something called a Silver Pass (priority access), but I couldn’t find it on Klook while booking
The cable car ride offered great views

At the top:

Visited the Buddha statue
Reached the Fansipan peak

Returned by evening, had a relaxed dinner, and headed back to our stay (taxi was already arranged).

Overall, a good and fulfilling day, despite the crowd.

Day 7 – Cat Cat Village & Local Experiences

Started the day with a visit to Cat Cat Village through a guided tour.

The village was scenic and well-organized
Involves a fair bit of walking, especially uphill

Next, we tried the Alpine Coaster:

My wife and elder daughter gave it a shot
They really enjoyed the experience

We then visited Moana Sapa:

A good place for iconic photo spots
Had to deal with long queues for photos
But managed to get some nice shots in the end

Returned to the hotel by around 3 PM.

Relaxed and packed up, getting ready for the next leg of the journey—to Da Nang the following day.

Day 8 – Travel to Da Nang

Took a 7-seater vehicle booked via Klook to head back to Hanoi airport.

Started early and reached the domestic airport by around 3 PM
Had 2 breaks during the journey

At the airport, we had a small issue:

The fast security access purchased on Klook didn’t work
QR codes showed as already used
Reported it to Klook and got a refund

👉 In hindsight, security queues weren’t that long, so it wasn’t really needed.

✈️ Arrival in Da Nang

Reached Da Nang and checked into
Chi House Danang Hotel around 9 PM.

A travel-heavy day, but smooth overall—ready to explore Da Nang next.

Day 9 – Ba Na Hills & Dragon Bridge

We got the contact of our airport pickup driver and arranged the same vehicle for local travel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we headed to Ba Na Hills—home to the iconic Golden Hand Bridge.

This time, we took a Silver Pass, which helped skip long queues
Took the cable car ride up (great views)

Navigation inside wasn’t very straightforward:

Limited signboards
Had to take another cable car to reach the Hand Bridge
Quite crowded, but managed to get photos from a distance

Lunch

Had lunch at Bharata Restaurant—an Indian restaurant with a good variety, which was a nice break from local food.

Finding the Way Back

The return journey was a bit confusing:

Entry and exit routes are different
Signage wasn’t clear
Ended up looping around multiple times before finding the correct path

Eventually took the cable cars back and returned.

Evening – Dragon Bridge

At night, we visited the Dragon Bridge, close to our hotel.

A dragon-shaped bridge that breathes fire and water
Happens on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9 PM

Despite some confusion inside Ba Na Hills, overall it was a good and memorable day.

Day 10 – Hoi An & A Perfect Ending

We headed to Hoi An in the morning for the Cam Thanh coconut basket boat experience.

Fun activity in the water
My wife tried the basket boat spinning (spiral)—quite exciting
Locals were friendly and made it enjoyable
Also had spots for taking pictures in the water

After that, we returned to the hotel to escape the intense afternoon heat and rested.

Evening – Lantern Boat Ride

In the evening, we went back to Hoi An for the lantern boat ride.

Moderately crowded
Boat ride lasted around 15 minutes
Calm and scenic, especially with all the lanterns around

End of Day

A simple, relaxed, and beautiful way to end the Vietnam trip.

Day 11 – Return Journey

Took a domestic flight to Hanoi for the return.

There was a bit of confusion:

Trip.com mentioned that luggage needed to be rechecked
But at the airport, we confirmed it was not required

At Hanoi airport:

Took the shuttle bus (runs every ~15 minutes) to transfer from domestic to international terminal
Exit immigration was smooth with minimal queues

One noticeable thing at the airport:

Most transactions show prices in USD
USD is widely accepted, which is convenient

Boarded our return flight and headed back home—
ending a well-paced, memorable Vietnam trip.

Trip Cost – Worth Every Rupee

Overall, the trip turned out to be quite reasonable for the kind of experience Vietnam offers.

Flights (booked ~3 months in advance via Trip.com): ~₹1.2 Lakhs
Pre-booked tours (including Halong Bay cruise ~₹50K): ~₹1.6 Lakhs
Food, taxis, and other expenses: ~₹75K

👉 Total cost for 4 people: ~₹3.55 Lakhs
👉 Per person cost: ~₹88K

My Take

For a 10–11 day international trip covering cities, cruise, mountains, and unique experiences, this felt like great value for money.

Good to Know Before You Go

A few practical learnings from our trip:

Language barrier: Not everyone speaks English.
👉 Keep a Vietnamese translator (English ↔ Vietnamese) ready on your phone.
Transport:
👉 Use apps like Grab or Xanh SM for reliable bookings.
Currency:
👉 Be very careful with denominations (too many zeros!)
👉 Prefer cash over cards
👉 Carry enough cash (USD helps)
👉 Hotel exchanges are usually convenient
Sapa planning:
👉 Can be done in 2 days, but may feel rushed
👉 3 days is more comfortable
Immigration:
👉 Fast-track may not be needed
👉 Queues can look long, but they move quickly
Health & safety:
👉 Drink only bottled water
👉 Carry basic medicines—especially for stomach issues (Eno, etc.)
👉 Chances of mild stomach upset are there

Final Thought

A little preparation goes a long way—Vietnam is easy to travel, but these small tips make the experience much smoother.