10 days · Nov 19–28, 2026

The full itinerary

Ho Chi Minh City for nightlife and sightseeing, a day trip out to Ninh Binh's rice paddies, then Hanoi's Old Quarter to close it out. Details still getting locked in — Airbnbs, exact tours, and a few "?" activities below are open votes.

Day 1
Nov 19
In transit

Fly to Vietnam

~20 hour travel time plus a 12-hour time difference — expect to land about 1.5 days after wheels-up.

Day 2
Nov 20
Ho Chi Minh City

Arrive & check in

  • Transit / arrive in Ho Chi Minh City
  • Joyce + Jonathan arriving 11:30pm local time
  • Check in — Summer Apartment Hotel, 62 Đường Hồng Hà 6, HCMC
Day 3
Nov 21
Ho Chi Minh City

HCM — day 1

  • Airbnb check-in
  • Daytime: Nguyen Hue Walking Street & Cafe Apartments
  • Chill sightseeing / cafes / walking around
  • Night: go out / bar hopping

Gotta conquer jetlag on night 1.

Day 4
Nov 22
Ho Chi Minh City

HCM — day 2

  • War Remnants Museum, Saigon Central Post Office, Chinatown
  • Traditional medicine shops, Ba Thien Hau Temple
  • Cu Chi Tunnels? (tbd)
  • Bar hopping
Day 5
Nov 23
Ho Chi Minh City

HCM — day 3

  • Ben Thanh Market, boutiques / cafes
  • Mekong Delta day trip? — waterways, orchards, stilt villages, ~2hrs from HCM
  • Cheap Michelin-guide dinner?
Day 6
Nov 24
Hanoi

Fly HCMC → Hanoi

  • 2-hour flight (~$40 USD)
  • Check in Airbnb
  • Sightseeing? Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake)
  • Egg coffee!!
Day 7
Nov 25
Hanoi

Hanoi day 1 — Old Quarter

  • Cultural sightseeing, cafes, street food dinner
  • Temple of Literature, St. Joseph's Cathedral
  • Train Street, street food tour
Day 8
Nov 26
Ninh Binh

Day trip to Ninh Binh

  • ~2-hour drive south — leave early
  • Traditional boat tour
  • Hang Mua (Mua Cave) & rice paddies
Day 9
Nov 27
Hanoi

Hanoi day 2 — French Quarter & West Lake

  • Hanoi Opera House
  • West Lake (Ho Tay) / Tran Quoc Pagoda
Day 10
Nov 28
Departure

Head home

Safe travels back to SF, NYC, BOS & CHI.