Vietnam's north-to-south corridor is worn enough that a solo trip along it more or less runs itself. You keep meeting the same people, and the infrastructure assumes you are on it.
Two weeks, realistically
The country is 1,650 km long. Two weeks does not cover it overland without spending most of the time in transit.
Hanoi, 3 nights — the old quarter, street food, egg coffee, and the launch point for the north.
Lan Ha or Ha Long Bay, 2 nights — an overnight cruise rather than a day trip, because the bay empties in the evening and that is when it is worth being there. Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long carry a fraction of the boats.
Ha Giang or Sapa, 3 nights — terraced mountains. Ha Giang's loop is the more rewarding.
Fly south to Hue, 2 nights — the imperial citadel and the tombs.
Hoi An, 3 nights — lantern-lit old town, tailors, a beach nearby, and the best cooking classes in the country.
Ho Chi Minh City, 2 nights plus the Mekong if time allows.
The transport
Sleeper trains — more comfortable, a little more expensive, with soft-sleeper cabins that are genuinely pleasant.
The Hue to Da Nang coastal stretch over the Hai Van Pass is one of the best rail journeys in Asia and is worth doing by train regardless of what you do elsewhere.
Sleeper buses — berths rather than seats, cheap, widely used, and an acquired taste.
Domestic flights are cheap and are the only fast way to cover the length. Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City is two hours by air against 35 by train.
Overnight transport saves a night's accommodation, which is a double saving alone.
The motorbike question
The Ha Giang loop is spectacular and involves mountain roads that have caused serious injuries to inexperienced riders.
Hiring an easy rider — a local driver you ride pillion with — is the common and sensible alternative. It is also more social, since you travel in a group with other riders.
If riding yourself, you need the correct motorcycle category on an international permit for insurance to be valid, and never leave a passport as a deposit.
The three climates
| Region | Good | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| North | Mar–May, Sep–Nov | Dec–Feb cold and misty |
| Centre | Feb–Aug | Oct–Nov flooding |
| South | Dec–Apr | May–Oct wetter |
February to April and August to October are the windows when most of the country works at once, with the caveat that central Vietnam floods in late autumn — Hoi An's old town regularly takes water.
What it costs
$400–600 for two weeks excluding flights, covering dorms or cheap private rooms, street food, sleeper transport and some activities.
Dorms run $5–12, private rooms $15–30, street meals $2–4.
Practical
Visa rules have changed repeatedly. Check the current e-visa position for your nationality close to travel.
Crossing the road — walk slowly and steadily and do not stop. Traffic flows around you.
Tet, the lunar new year, closes much of the country and fills all transport.
Book the first two nights and improvise; the route has beds everywhere.