Perfecting a Nine Day Itinerary for Vietnam -

Designing the perfect itinerary for Vietnam required a ton of research. Here’s my thought process that could be applied to planning any itinerary:

“Where do I want to go?” This question seems obvious, but choosing what cities we wanted to see came down to a few factors:

Best inbound flight. The most affordable flight with the best layover option gives us bonus time in Tokyo on the front and back ends of our trip. A perfect Japan-Vietnam-Japan sandwich flying from JFK to HND to SGN and back!
Best variety of activities. After compiling a Google Maps list of things that we would want to see and do while in Vietnam, I was able to identify the cities across Vietnam that were central to all of our Tiktok, Instagram, and internet searching for Vietnam travel. Our priorities involved historical landmarks, food hubs, scuba diving, and nature.
Best domestic travel path. I knew I had to start and end in Ho Chi Minh after booking the international flight. But where to go from there?! I was torn between Nha Trang, which is known for its coral reefs, and Hoi An. I ultimately chose to fly up to Da Nang and visit Hoi An instead because there is more for us to do there that aligns with our priorities. While the scuba diving won’t be *as* iconic as Nha Trang, we will still get to participate in Hoi An while also getting to see endangered monkeys! We didn’t want to miss the beauty of the north, so our final stop before returning to Ho Chi Minh will be Hanoi! These domestic, one-way flights ended up being very affordable (about 100USD or less per person).

So there you have it! Once I identify what country I want to see, the planning process boils down to how do I get there, what activities do I want to prioritize, and how do I make that happen? I cannot stress enough the importance of making a Google Maps list for your trip. Saving a bunch of Tiktoks is one thing, but when you have to get on a plane to get from one activity to the next, seeing all of the different activities pinned to a map is so helpful so you can make the most of your trip.

Here is a breakdown of our upcoming trip itinerary for Vietnam:

Travel Day 1: Depart from JFK

Travel Day 2: Layover in Tokyo

Vietnam Day 1: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh

Vietnam Day 2: Full day in Ho Chi Minh

Vietnam Day 3: Half day in Ho Chi Minh, fly to Da Nang and stay in Hoi An

Vietnam Day 4-5: Full days in Hoi An (lantern making, seeing endangered monkeys, and scuba diving)

Vietnam Day 6: Half day in Hoi An, fly to Hanoi

Vietnam Day 7: Ninh Binh full day tour

Vietnam Day 8: Half day in Hanoi, fly to Ho Chi Minh

Vietnam Day 9: Full day in Ho Chi Minh, redeye flight to Tokyo

Travel Home Day 1: Layover in Tokyo