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Whats up, there! On this article, I’ll share our itinerary for two weeks in Vietnam in Laos, from Ho Chi Min Metropolis to Luang Prabang, that includes the perfect of those two wonderful international locations. Laos is among the most troublesome international locations to go to in Asia because of the lack of worldwide flights to Laos, however it’s fairly straightforward to get there from Vietnam. Therefore, we determined to mix Laos and Vietnam in a single journey!
Right here’s a brief overview of our itinerary for Vietnam and Laos in 2 weeks:
Days 1, 2 – Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, staying at Hammock Inn Ben Thanh
Days 3, 4, 5 – Phu Quoc island, staying at Salinda Resort
Day 6 – afternoon in Hanoi, staying at JM Marvel Resort
Day 7 – In a single day Ha Lengthy Bay cruise – Paradise Magnificence (Guide right here)
Days 8, 9 – Hanoi, staying at JM Marvel, elective tour to Ninh Binh
Day 10 – Vientiane, Laos, staying at S2 Boutique Resort
Days 11-13 – Luang Prabang, Laos, staying at The Belle Rive Resort
Day 14 – Flying again to Hanoi
Earlier than we dive into our itinerary, let me handle a few FAQs:
Vietnam and Laos in a single Journey FAQs
What’s the perfect time to go to Vietnam and Laos? When did we go to?
Vietnam and Laos are each all-year-round locations, however summer time could be sizzling and humid. We visited throughout winter, in December and January, and had the perfect climate within the southern cities of Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh. Nonetheless, it was unusually chilly in Hanoi, with temperatures solely reaching 15-16 levels. This was an uncommon incidence as December isn’t usually that chilly in Hanoi. Vientiane was fairly sizzling as properly, and Luang Prabang was a bit colder however nonetheless a lot hotter than Hanoi. In the course of the day, it was round 24-28 levels and at evening, it was a bit chilly.
It’s powerful to pinpoint the perfect time to go to Vietnam and Laos because it actually is determined by what you wish to see and do. We selected December because it was the one time we might take break day for the journey over the Christmas holidays. Consequently, we labored round this time and selected locations with the perfect climate through the winter season. If we had travelled in October, for instance, we might have needed to modify our itinerary and select totally different locations to go to in Vietnam.
We determined to skip the center of Vietnam, particularly the Hoi An space, because it will get very wet within the winter.
What’s one of the simplest ways to journey round Vietnam and Laos?
Travelling round Vietnam is reasonably priced for those who take buses and trains, however you’ll want greater than every week to take action. In any other case, you’ll spend most of your time travelling from one place to a different. You probably have restricted time, you’ll must buy flights, which could be a bit costly. Nonetheless, we discovered inside flights with Vietnam Airways to be dependable and good general.
To journey from Vietnam to Laos, you have to fly. We flew with Lao Airways, and it was fairly an expertise. I like to recommend attempting to fly with one other airline, even when the tickets are a bit dearer. Nothing mistaken with the service – I simply felt that the airplane was not in the perfect situation and was in all probability retired by North American or European airways within the 90s and was flying in Laos since then. Fortunately for us, nothing occurred on all the three flights we had with Lao Airways, however I wouldn’t fly with Lao Airways once more.
Additionally, you don’t must fly from Vientiane to Luang Prabang – there’s a pace practice that connects these two cities, though shopping for tickets is considerably problematic. You may solely do it in individual (as of early 2023), and it’s laborious to purchase them with no native fee app (they don’t settle for money or international playing cards). Though, hopefully, it’s going to change quickly!
When travelling inside cities in Vietnam, we advocate utilizing Seize, an Asian model of Uber. It’s dependable and really reasonably priced. You should use my referral hyperlink to put in it.
With out additional ado, let’s begin our itinerary for Vietnam and Laos in 14 days:
2 weeks in Vietnam and Laos itinerary: from Ho Chi Min Metropolis to Luang Prabang
Days 1 and a pair of: Ho Chi Minh Metropolis
Exploring Bên Thanh and attending the road meals tour
Our flight from London to Ho Chi Minh Metropolis was direct, touchdown at 5 AM. Since we couldn’t sleep on the airplane, we booked an inexpensive resort close to the airport to relaxation for a number of hours between 6 AM and 11 AM. It gave us a while to loosen up and relaxation earlier than exploring the town.
We checked in early on the Hammock Ben Thanh resort, which is located in a implausible location for exploring the town – Ben Thanh neighbourhood! It’s surrounded by cafes, eating places, and sights, and a lot of the main sights are inside strolling distance. It’s additionally fairly fashionable and reasonably priced!
We explored the Central Market and its fruit, tea, and sweets sections, the place we bought some edible souvenirs. Ho Chi Minh’s Metropolis Central market can also be well-known for its pretend baggage and watches. For lunch, we tried the normal Vietnamese sandwich, Bahn Mi – the most effective locations for Bahn Mi was positioned steps away from the resort – you may at all times see the big queue outdoors, however it strikes rapidly and is 100% value it!
Later within the night, we loved a road meals tour on bikes with native college students, which was a implausible expertise. If you happen to can solely do one factor in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, I like to recommend taking this road meals tour! You may examine the costs and availability right here.
Sightseeing & having fun with Ho Chi Minh Metropolis from above
The following day, we headed to Little Hanoi Egg Espresso to strive the normal Vietnamese Egg Espresso, a singular espresso with an egg inside (a must-try for those who eat eggs!). Afterwards, we took a stroll across the upscale a part of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis the place a lot of the boutiques are positioned – and noticed the Individuals’s Committee Constructing and The Opera Home.
We visited the Bitexco Tower Statement Deck, which gives a implausible view of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis. It was once Vietnam’s tallest constructing earlier than the Landmark Tower was constructed. We additionally went to the Clean Lounge Espresso Bar by Nest on the Landmark Tower and loved the cocktails and desserts with an ideal view – the perfect view within the metropolis! Additionally they had the perfect cocktails and desserts we’ve tried in Vietnam!
Our final cease in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis was the outdated a part of the town, the place we visited the Sai Gon Central Submit Workplace and Notre Dame Cathedral. The publish workplace is free to go to and has a working publish workplace and memento retailers. Notre Dame Cathedral is a working cathedral that dates again to the center of the nineteenth century and is among the oldest surviving buildings within the metropolis.
Days 3-5: Phu Quoc
The place to remain in Phu Quoc:
Choosing a resort in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis was a lot simpler than choosing a resort in Phu Quoc! There have been many elements to think about, from worth to location and, in the end, whether or not we needed a small resort or a resort. Ultimately, we determined to choose a resort as a result of we simply needed to relaxation for a number of days, as Ho Chi Minh Metropolis is tiring and a bit aggravating!
We picked a resort referred to as Salinda, which was voted Phu Quoc’s finest resort a number of occasions. I can positively advocate it!
Issues to do in Phu Quoc:
If you happen to’re seeking to unwind and loosen up in Phu Quoc, the Salinda Resort is the right spot. You may spend most of your time lounging on the seaside, swimming within the sea and within the afternoon, take a stroll down the excessive road and go to a therapeutic massage or espresso store, for instance.
Nonetheless, for those who’re up for some journey, you may hire a motorbike and tour across the island. Alternatively, listed here are some high actions to do in Phu Quoc:
- Go to the bustling evening market in Phu Quoc, the place you may strive some wonderful Vietnamese road meals and purchase souvenirs. It’s solely a 9-minute taxi experience away from the Salinda resort.
- Guide a scuba diving or snorkelling tour to find the colourful coral reefs and various marine life round Phu Quoc. You may pre-book this tour prematurely right here.
- Take a guided tour of Phu Quoc Nationwide Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, to discover the luxurious forests and spot uncommon wildlife.
- Take a look at the historic Phu Quoc Jail Museum to study in regards to the island’s previous through the Vietnam Struggle and achieve perception into the resilience of the Vietnamese folks.
Additionally, for those who’re within the temper for some wonderful cocktails, there’s a speakeasy bar positioned simply throughout the street from the Salinda resort that we beloved and extremely advocate!
Day 6: Hanoi
On the sixth day of our Vietnam and Laos journey, we flew to Hanoi within the afternoon, leaving us with the morning to benefit from the resort and swim. The flight from Phu Quoc to Hanoi took virtually 2 hours and was longer than the one from Ho Chi Minh Metropolis to Phu Quoc. After we landed at round 3 PM, we took a taxi that we booked by way of Seize app to our resort, JM Marvel. Nonetheless, it took a while for the taxi to reach.
In December, Hanoi’s climate could be fairly unpredictable. Throughout our keep, the temperature was 14C levels on the primary day, 16 levels on the second day, and 21 levels every week after we returned from Laos. It is suggested to pack heat garments, akin to a light-weight, packable goose climate jacket from Uniqlo. On our first night in Hanoi, we dined at Duong’s restaurant, which is a well-liked spot really useful by many journey guides. They provide conventional Vietnamese dishes with a singular twist.
After dinner, we visited the well-known practice monitor cafes to observe the trains cross by. The realm is a pedestrian-only road with practice tracks working within the center, surrounded by cafes and retailers. When the practice approaches, everybody must clear the road and keep within the cafes/retailers because the trains cross very near the folks. We then strolled round Hanoi’s centre, loved some milk tea, and headed again to our resort, JM Marvel, to relaxation early for our early pick-up for the Ha Lengthy Bay cruise.
Day 7: In a single day Ha Lengthy Bay Cruise
Reserving your Ha Lengthy Bay cruise prematurely is essential, as many cruises can promote out weeks prematurely. Once we tried to e book the Athena cruise a month forward of time, there was no availability, so we went with the Paradise Magnificence cruise as a substitute. The company supplied a free switch service to the cruise and again, which was very useful, and the minibus was fairly comfy.
We have been picked up from our resort foyer round 8:25 AM after which drove to a different resort close by to choose up one other couple. The journey to Ha Lengthy Bay took round 2-2.5 hours, with a technical cease on the Pearl Museum, the place you may go to a museum, a big pearl store, a number of cafes, and a bathroom.
After arriving on the resort for check-in at 11:20 AM, we obtained totally different colored bracelets that dictated your boarding time. Since we bought black bracelets, we have been among the many final ones to board at 12:20 PM and needed to wait within the resort foyer for an hour. On board the Excellence Ha Lengthy Bay cruise, there have been 2-3 actions accessible on the primary day and 1 exercise on the second day.
We determined to skip the kayaking and pearl farm go to because of the chilly climate however loved the go to to Titov Island, which included a pleasant seaside and nice views of Ha Lengthy Bay. There was a free cooking class throughout sundown and reside music after dinner. The following morning, we visited the biggest and most well-known collapse Ha Lengthy Bay, adopted by breakfast and checkout by 9:30–10 AM.
General, the 2-day, 1-night Ha Lengthy Bay cruises are extra like 24 hours, and we have been again in Hanoi by 1:30 PM. If you happen to’re all in favour of reserving an identical cruise, you may examine the costs and availability right here.
Days 8-9: Hanoi
On our final 2 days in Vietnam, we had loads of time to discover Hanoi, so we determined to do some sightseeing. Listed here are a number of the landmarks that I like to recommend visiting:
- The Imperial Citadel is among the oldest and most spectacular buildings in Hanoi. It was the political centre of Vietnam for over 13 centuries and served because the capital of the nation through the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties. Contained in the Citadel, yow will discover palaces, temples, and residences constructed in several durations, every reflecting distinctive architectural kinds and cultural influences.
- The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the ultimate resting place of Vietnam’s most well-known chief. Guests will pay their respects to Ho Chi Minh and find out about his life and legacy.
- The Temple of Literature is a historic temple devoted to Confucius, with beautiful structure, tranquil gardens, and a wealthy historical past. This web site is a must-visit for anybody all in favour of Vietnamese tradition and historical past.
Another locations I like to recommend visiting in Hanoi embody Hoan Kiem Lake, surrounded by lovely parks, temples, and historic buildings, and the Outdated Quarter, a glimpse into Hanoi’s previous and an ideal place to expertise the town’s vibrant tradition.
If you happen to nonetheless have time and vitality left, I recommend visiting the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the place you may study in regards to the nation’s 54 ethnic teams by way of interactive displays and demonstrations and take a road meals tour to pattern the native delicacies and expertise the bustling environment of Hanoi’s evening markets. Nonetheless, for those who already took road meals in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, it is perhaps just a little bit repetitive. If you happen to want to take a sightseeing tour, this wonderful Hanoi tour by classic motorcycle is among the best-rated within the metropolis!
You can even take a day tour to the beautiful Vietnamese countryside – to Ninh Binh – one of the crucial lovely locations in Vietnam! You may examine the costs and availability right here.
Day 10: Exploring Vientiane
In your tenth day of the Vietnam and Laos journey, it’s time to lastly fly to Laos! There are flights to each Vientiane and Luang Prabang from Hanoi, so you may decide whichever works higher for you after which regulate the itinerary primarily based on that.
Laos may be very totally different from Vietnam regardless of being so near it. Laos resembles Thailand far more – the languages are very comparable, and the tradition can also be a bit comparable (and so is the meals).
Vientiane is a really quiet capital – it doesn’t have that many vehicles and it’s fairly calm general (in comparison with Hanoi, which by no means sleeps). We spent a day in Vientiane and did a little bit of sightseeing. We picked S2 Fashionable Boutique Resort as our in a single day resort, and it was fairly reasonably priced however very removed from in every single place. Nonetheless, distances in Vientiane are massive (the town may be very unfold), so no matter the place you keep, you’ll have to ask for a number of taxis.
Listed here are a number of the finest issues to see in Vientiane:
- Pha That Luang: This golden Buddhist stupa is crucial nationwide monument in Laos and a logo of the nation’s Buddhist religion. It’s believed to include a relic of the Buddha and is surrounded by lovely gardens.
- Patuxai: Often called the “Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane”, Patuxai is a grand monument inbuilt honour of those that fought for independence from France. Guests can climb to the highest for beautiful views of the town.
- Wat Si Saket: This lovely temple is among the oldest in Vientiane and incorporates a beautiful courtyard full of hundreds of Buddha statues.
- Buddha Park: Simply outdoors the town, this park is residence to greater than 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues, together with a large reclining Buddha. It’s an ideal place to spend a day exploring and taking within the serene environment.
Additionally, the evening market within the coronary heart of the outdated city, proper subsequent to the Mekong, is an fascinating market to go to. Nonetheless, there isn’t a lot to purchase there until you’re searching for very reasonably priced garments with misspelt logos. There are many locations to eat close by, in order that is perhaps a bit extra fascinating!
Days 11 – 13: Luang Prabang
On the morning of the following day, we took a brief inside flight to Luang Prabang. Whereas we initially needed to purchase the practice, we weren’t positive we might have the ability to safe it as tickets are inclined to promote out and it was not doable to purchase them on-line. To keep away from risking dropping someday in Luang Prabang, we determined to pay a bit extra and get an inside flight as a substitute.
The place to remain in Luang Prabang?
Lastly, let’s speak about lodging and the place to remain in Luang Prabang. We stayed on the Bel Air Resort with beautiful river views. Nonetheless, the placement wasn’t the perfect as a result of each time we wanted to go someplace (all of the locations aside from the airport have been throughout the river), we needed to cross a really scary bridge. Not the beautiful Bamboo bridge, however the Outdated French Bridge that regarded prefer it was on the snapping point, with lacking picket planks and nails protruding in every single place. Not like the Bamboo bridge, this bridge was very excessive within the air, and any fall would have been deadly.
As an alternative, I like to recommend staying on the following locations:
Luxurious resorts: If cash isn’t an issue, these resorts can be an incredible choice: Burasari Heritage, Rosewood, 3 Nagas
Mid-range inns and resorts: The Belle Rive, Angsana Maison
Very reasonably priced however fairly good place to remain in Luang Prabang: Villa Ouis
Greatest issues to do in Luang Prabang in 3 days:
Whereas 3 days in Luang Prabang (which is just a bit greater than a village) feels like quite a lot of time, it’s really not! There are such a lot of issues you are able to do in Luang Prabang. If you wish to see the total checklist, I wrote this text in regards to the 18+ wonderful issues to do in Luang Prabang >>
Right here I’ll simply concentrate on the actions now we have loved essentially the most in Luang Prabang:
Sundown cruise alongside the Mekong River
A sundown cruise alongside the Mekong River is a must-do exercise in Luang Prabang. There are many choices accessible, from luxurious to easy boats. Head to Khem Khong Avenue, and also you’ll discover many boat house owners providing their providers. We discovered a flyer for a $5.5 per individual sundown cruise from Svan Mekong Cruises and have been fortunate to have the boat all to ourselves. With bean baggage and cosy seats, we have been capable of get pleasure from our drinks and snacks whereas admiring the beautiful views. It will possibly get chilly, however blankets have been supplied. Don’t miss this distinctive and unforgettable expertise!
If you need a fancier expertise, you may e book a dinner cruise with a 3-course dinner right here >>
Stroll the Unesco Heritage-protected a part of Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang turned a UNESCO world heritage web site in 1994 and that was completely deserved – Luang Prabang may be very fairly. Probably the greatest issues you are able to do in Luang Prabang is to put on comfy sneakers and for for a stroll or a motorbike experience across the Outdated City – there are many lovely streets!
Go to the evening market on Sisavangvong Highway
Sisavangvong Highway is essentially the most well-known, busy and standard road in Luang Prabang. It will get particularly crowded within the night, round 6 PM, when the evening market opens. The evening market in Luang Prabang has loads of stalls promoting garments, souvenirs and artwork. I’d say it’s primarily geared toward vacationers, however it’s a must-visit attraction anyway.
Listed here are another wonderful issues to do in Luang Prabang in 3 days:
- Attempt native road meals (proper at the beginning of the Evening Market, there’s a everlasting road meals market. The most well-liked dish in Laos is Laap – a meat or fish salad, which is scrumptious however very spicy. Truly, most dishes in Laos are very, very spicy!)
- Go to the Kuang Si waterfall – one of many primary sights of Luang Prabang, 45 minutes away from the city. You may both get there by motorcycle, purchase a tour or rent a taxi that can look ahead to you there for 3-4 hours for $20. Alternatively, you may get there by boat for those who purchase a tour.
- Stroll the bamboo bridge throughout the Nam Khan River – it’s solely open 6 months a 12 months and will get rebuilt yearly because it will get destroyed as soon as the water ranges rise. It’s worthwhile to pay 10,000 kips ($0.6) per individual to cross the bridge, however it’s completely value it.
- Climb Mount Phou Si – there are many stairs to climb. Nonetheless, the views from there are properly value it. The ticket to enter the higher a part of Mount Phou Si prices circa $1 per individual.
- See essentially the most lovely temples in Luang Prabang – Luang Prabang has so many beautiful temples, monasteries and stupas. Essentially the most lovely is undoubtedly Haw Pha Bang, positioned proper on the backside of Mount Phou Si.
- Observe the Alm Giving ceremony with the Buddhist monks – for those who’re an early fowl and also you wish to observe a singular, lovely ceremony that is essential to locals, head to the Outdated City round 5:30 AM. It’s a ceremony the place native Buddhists provide alms (selfmade sticky rice) to the monks. Nonetheless, until you’re a Buddhist, you shouldn’t take part. As an alternative, you may quietly observe the ceremony. You can even take pictures (with no flash), however be sure to’re not in the way in which and never obstructing anybody.
Day 14: Fly again to Hanoi and residential
Despite the fact that there are such a lot of issues to do in Luang Prabang, it’s a good vacation spot for enjoyable. It’s quiet, the distances are small, and nobody is dashing anyplace. I hope that after 3 days in Luang Prabang, you’ll really feel well-rested and prepared for an extended journey residence!
You probably have time between your flight to Hanoi and your flight again residence, you may discover one other a part of Hanoi that’s the closest to the airport, subsequent to the Chùa Kim Liên temple! There are many issues to see and do there!
Abstract and helpful hyperlinks in your journey to Vietnam and Laos:
I hope you loved this itinerary for two weeks in Vietnam and Laos and located it helpful! As I discussed earlier than, we visited Vietnam and Laos in winter, December-January, to be exact, and our itinerary was dictated by the climate in these locations. If you happen to’re planning this journey in summer time, for instance, it’s value checking the climate in all these locations and see if visiting them nonetheless is smart (it could possibly be the center of the wet season, for instance)
I’ve obtained a number of requests to supply a quick abstract of all of the necessary and helpful hyperlinks used on this publish for different articles that includes our itineraries, so right here’s an outline of helpful hyperlinks for this itinerary for two weeks in Vietnam and Laos:
Flights: Skyscanner for the flights to Vietnam and inside flights. I like to recommend flying with Vietnam Airways
Taxis: Seize
SIM card: you may both purchase one on the airport or purchase a multi-country sim like Drimsim that works in numerous totally different locations all over the world
Plug kind: use this adaptor
Excursions: road meals tour of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis by motorcycle with native college students, Ninh Ninh Tour, Classic motorcycle Hanoi sightseeing tour, Luang Prabang cruise with a 3-course dinner
Ha Lengthy Bay cruise: e book right here
Inns: Hammock Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Salinda Resort Phu Quoc, JM Marvel Hanoi, The Belle Rive Resort Luang Prabang
You probably have any questions, be happy to DM me at @lizatripsget – I’d have the ability to assist!
Another articles you may discover helpful:
Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh Metropolis: for those who can solely go to one metropolis in Vietnam
18+ wonderful issues to do in Luang Prabang