Thirty days is genuinely comfortable pacing for Vietnam: room for the two mountain regions in the north, the full length of the country, and slow island time at the end, with rest days built in rather than added as an afterthought. No single month suits every region equally, so the route below states the months each leg actually wants. For the shorter version this builds on, see the 3-week Vietnam itinerary; for the full range of lengths, see the Vietnam itinerary guide.
The recommended route: north to south, with the Ha Giang Loop, Sapa and Phu Quoc
| Day | Where | What | Eat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Hanoi | Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo prison museum | Bun cha, egg coffee |
| 3 | Travel to Ha Giang | Day van from Hanoi (about 6 h), meet your easy rider | Thang co |
| 4 to 7 | The Ha Giang Loop | Riding through Yen Minh, Dong Van, Ma Pi Leng Pass and Du Gia, back to Ha Giang and Hanoi | Corn wine, grilled river fish |
| 8 | Hanoi | A rest day, repack, anything missed earlier | A street food crawl |
| 9 | Travel to Sapa | Van (about 5.5 to 7 h), an easy walk out to Cat Cat village | Sapa hot pot |
| 10 | Sapa | Guided trek through Lao Chai and Ta Van, a homestay night | Com lam |
| 11 | Travel to Hanoi | Van back (about 5 to 6 h), a free afternoon | |
| 12 | Travel to Lan Ha Bay | Van and boat (about 3 h), kayak among the karst islands | Seafood on board |
| 13 | Ninh Binh | Back to shore, on to Tam Coc (about 2.5 h), Hang Mua at sunset | Goat and crispy rice |
| 14 | Ninh Binh | Trang An boat at 7am, an overnight sleeper train south in the evening | Ninh Binh specialities |
| 15 | Phong Nha | Arrive Dong Hoi at dawn, transfer on (about 45 to 60 min), a bike ride through the Bong Lai valley | River fish |
| 16 | Phong Nha | Paradise Cave's boardwalk, Dark Cave's zipline and mud bath | |
| 17 | Hue | Road transfer (about 3 to 4 h), the Imperial City | Bun bo Hue |
| 18 | Hoi An | Hai Van Pass crossing (about 4 h), an evening in the lantern-lit old town | Cao lau |
| 19 to 21 | Hoi An | Market and cooking class, An Bang beach, a tailoring order with two fittings | Banh mi, banh xeo |
| 22 | Ho Chi Minh City | Fly from Da Nang (about 1 h 20 min), Independence Palace | Com tam |
| 23 | Ho Chi Minh City | War Remnants Museum, the Cu Chi tunnels | Hu tieu |
| 24 | Can Tho | Road transfer (about 3 to 3.5 h), an evening at Ninh Kieu wharf | Banh xeo mien tay |
| 25 | Can Tho, then back to the city | Cai Rang floating market at dawn, a stop in Ben Tre | Coconut candy |
| 26 | Phu Quoc | Flight from Ho Chi Minh City (about 1 h), Long Beach sunset | Seafood barbecue |
| 27 to 29 | Phu Quoc | An island-hopping snorkel trip, a national park hike, free beach time | |
| 30 | Depart | Fly home from Phu Quoc, or via Ho Chi Minh City |
This route rides the Ha Giang Loop and treks around Sapa as two separate legs with a rest day in Hanoi between them, since the two mountain regions don't sit on the same road. If you want a second island, budget an extra 3 or 4 days for a separate flight to Con Dao rather than assuming it connects easily to Phu Quoc. Cavers with a fixed month should ask a licensed operator about a multi-day Son Doong or Tu Lan expedition out of Phong Nha, but book as early as you can: Oxalis lists its 2027 and 2028 Son Doong seasons as fully booked, and the expedition runs only from January to August.
Other ways to spend 1 month
A slower centre and south, with a Mekong finish
The centre and south from the route above, minus the Ha Giang Loop and Sapa, spread across a full month with extra beach and river time, and a natural jumping-off point into Cambodia at the end.
Best for Travellers who'd rather skip the far north's cold and the motorbike risk
The centre in depth, with a multi-day caving trip
The same north-to-south shape, with several extra days around Phong Nha for a multi-day cave expedition instead of the day-trip version.
Best for Serious cavers planning a Son Doong or Tu Lan expedition
| Day | Where | What | Eat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Hanoi and Ninh Binh | Old Quarter, Tam Coc and Trang An by boat | Bun cha, goat and crispy rice |
| 4 to 5 | Lan Ha Bay | Two nights on the water instead of one | Seafood on board |
| 6 to 9 | Phong Nha | A multi-day caving trip alongside the day caves, for either alternative | River fish |
| 10 to 12 | Hue and Hoi An | The Imperial City, then a slower old-town stay with two tailoring fittings | Bun bo Hue, cao lau |
| 13 to 16 | Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta | The city, Cu Chi, Can Tho and Ben Tre at a relaxed pace | Com tam, coconut candy |
| 17 to 24 | Phu Quoc | A full week on the island, with a side flight to Con Dao if you have the days | Seafood barbecue |
| 25 to 30 | Buffer and departure | Weather buffer days, or an onward Cambodia trip from Chau Doc |
Choosing between them
| Choose... | If... |
|---|---|
| The full route (the loop and Sapa both) | You want everything the country offers and don't mind two separate mountain legs |
| The centre and south, slower | You'd rather skip the far north's cold and the motorbike risk, and like the idea of continuing into Cambodia |
| The centre in depth | Caving is the priority and you're planning a Son Doong or Tu Lan trip well ahead |
Costs, best time and getting around
Outside international flights, budget about US$35 to 45 a day for a month in Vietnam, including a dorm bed or homestay. The Ha Giang Loop adds a 4-day easy-rider tour at about US$190 to $240 at budget operators (some quote US$280 or more), and Phu Quoc and Con Dao both cost more than the mainland once flights and beach accommodation are added. No single month suits every region, since the north's cool season, the centre's dry season and the south's dry season don't fully overlap. The far north is coldest and foggiest from December to February and wet, with landslide risk on the mountain roads, from May to September. The Ha Giang Loop is best in October and November, with March and April a good shoulder season. The centre gets heavy rain from about mid-September to December, with floods most likely in October and November, and is driest from February to May. The south's wet season runs from about May to November (May to October on Phu Quoc). March to April is the best compromise across all of them. See best time to visit Vietnam for the month-by-month detail. A Vietnam e-visa runs up to 90 days, well inside a month-long trip for most nationalities; see the Vietnam visa guide for your passport.
