International · Vietnam
Vietnam
Limestone, lanterns and extraordinary food
Overview
Overview
Vietnam delivers more per rupee than almost anywhere: world-class hotels, some of the best street food on earth, and landscapes that run from the terraced north to the Mekong delta.
Our Vietnam journeys move slowly — Hanoi's old quarter on foot, an overnight on a private junk in Lan Ha bay away from the Halong crowds, Hoi An's tailors and lantern-lit river, and a beach finish at Danang or Con Dao.
Plan your Vietnam journey
Use our curated Vietnam journey as a starting point, explore signature journeys, or speak to a travel designer about a route tailored to your dates and interests.
When to go
Best time to visit
February to April and September to November are ideal. The country spans 1,650 km, so north and south are often in different seasons — we sequence around it.
Spring
Feb – Apr
Dry and mild the length of the country.
PeakSummer
May – Aug
Hot, humid, afternoon rain; excellent value and green landscapes.
ShoulderAutumn
Sep – Nov
Our favourite. Clear bays, comfortable heat, harvest in the north.
PeakWinter
Dec – Jan
Cool and misty in Hanoi, perfect in Saigon and the south.
GoodPractical
Visa, currency, weather and flights
Visa
Indian passport holders can use Vietnam's official e-visa: applied online, valid for 90 days, usually issued in three to five working days. Azulo prepares and submits the application and cross-checks the photograph and passport-scan specifications that cause most rejections.
Full visa guide →Currency
Vietnamese Dong (VND). Cash still rules for street food and markets. Cards are fine in hotels and restaurants. We arrange a small VND float on arrival.
Weather
Three climate zones. Hanoi is cool and misty in winter; Hoi An has an October to November rainy peak; Saigon is warm year-round.
Flights
Non-stop from Delhi and Mumbai to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 4h 30m to 5h 30m — one of the easiest long weekends-plus from India. Open-jaw (into Hanoi, out of Saigon) avoids all backtracking.
| Period | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Feb – Apr | 20–30°C | Best overall window |
| May – Aug | 27–35°C | Hot with afternoon storms |
| Sep – Nov | 22–31°C | Clear and comfortable; central rain in Oct–Nov |
| Dec – Jan | 16–28°C | Cool north, ideal south |
| Delhi → Hanoi | 4h 45m non-stop | VietJet, Vietnam Airlines, IndiGo |
| Mumbai → Ho Chi Minh City | 5h 15m non-stop | Vietnam Airlines, VietJet |
| Hanoi → Danang | 1h 20m domestic | Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo |
Where to stay
Hotels we recommend
Hanoi · Bill Bensley design
Capella Hanoi
An opera-house fantasy beside the old quarter, and the best bar in the city.
Hoi An · Beach villas
Four Seasons Nam Hai
Private-pool villas between the beach and Hoi An's old town.
Ninh Thuận · Cliffside Aman
Amanoi
Pavilions above Vinh Hy bay in a national park.
Lan Ha Bay · Private junk
Heritage Line Ylang
Overnight cruising in the quieter bay next to Halong.
Ho Chi Minh City · Colonial classic
Park Hyatt Saigon
Opposite the Opera House, with the city's best pool for the price.
Highlights
Things to do
Hanoi street food walk after dark
Bun cha, banh cuon and egg coffee with a food writer, on plastic stools.
Overnight private junk in Lan Ha bay
Kayaking into hidden lagoons, swimming off the deck, no crowds.
Hoi An lantern evening and cooking class
Market shopping, a river boat, then cooking with a local family.
Hue imperial city by cyclo
The Nguyen citadel and royal tombs with a historian.
Mekong delta homestay day
Sampan channels, floating markets, lunch in an orchard.
Suggested route
Our suggested Vietnam journey
- 1
Arrive Hanoi
Capella Hanoi. Evening street-food walk in the old quarter.
- 2
Hanoi
Temple of Literature, Train Street, water-puppet theatre, egg coffee.
- 3
Lan Ha Bay
Transfer to the coast, board a private junk, kayak at sunset.
- 4
Bay to Hue
Morning swim, fly south, imperial citadel by cyclo.
- 5
Hoi An
Drive the Hai Van pass, check into Nam Hai, tailor fitting.
- 6
Hoi An
Market and cooking class, lantern boats after dark.
- 7
Beach day
Nothing scheduled. Spa, pool, My Son ruins if you feel like it.
- 8
Saigon
Fly south. Reunification Palace, rooftop dinner in District 1.
- 9
Mekong delta
Sampan channels and an orchard lunch.
- 10
Depart
Morning at leisure, transfer to Tan Son Nhat.
Gallery
Vietnam in pictures
Questions
Frequently asked
Guest stories
What our travellers say
The private junk in Lan Ha was worth every rupee — we saw four other boats all evening. And the Hanoi food walk ruined restaurant Vietnamese for us forever.
Tanya & Rohit Menon
Bengaluru · Luxury Vietnam, 10 nights
Took my parents, both over 70. Every transfer was met, every hotel knew about my father's diet. Faultless.
Ashwin Kumar
Coimbatore · Vietnam family journey, 9 nights
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