Planning 11 days in Vietnam, pls help
 

Hello everyone,

Me and my husband are planning a trip to Vietnam (and maybe Cambodia) in November.
So far we've planned:
2 days in Hanoi
2 days Ninh Binh back to Hanoi train to Hue
2 days in Hue
1 day Hoi An
2 days Pan Thiet
2 days HCMC

The plan is still flexible and I'm considering staying for 3 more days going somewhere with a nice beach just to relax (considered Con Dao or Phu Quoc).
Do you have any tips? Any recommendations?
We like to travel off the beaten track, so any tips from locals (expats) are highly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Joanna

To get 2 days in Hanoi, you would need to stay 3 nights. Frankly, you are trying to cover too much in too little time. I'm guessing that the number you have given are how many nights you have, not how many days.

What time of year is this trip?

Travelling in November will see great weather in the north (Hanoi and Ninh Binh) and pretty good in the south too as it moves into the dry season. However, the central region, Hue and Hoi An will see the height of the rainy season so you can expect storms and possibly even some flooding. Definitely not the best time to go. We are returning to Vietnam in November and will definitely be avoiding that area.

If you chop out the central region and just cover the north and south you will have the makings of a decent trip.

Ninh Binh is a 2-3 hours drive from Hanoi so one night there would provide you with enough time to maybe take a bike ride in the afternoon of your first day and a boat trip on the morning of the second befor returning to Hanoi. Note, there is a train station close to Ninh Binh so you could conceivably catch a train south from there. It would work for Hue but it is a long old trip all the way to Saigon’s I would probably fly. To save time, get your driver t9 drop you back at the airport.

Two full days in Hanoi would barely scratch the surface of all there is to see, 3 days ( 4 nights) would be far better and at least give you a chance to sample the wonderful food and just hang out a little.

Likewise, Saigon deserves 2 full days.

I looked at both Con Dao and Phu Quoc fro some diving and decided that PQ was far easier and cheaper to get too although Con Dao is undoubtedly more off piste, but the wether was likely to be not quiet so good in Nov.You can still find quiet places in PQ but possible not for long! I think you may struggle to find any seats flights for Con Dao at this late stage.

If you are more interested in things to see and do then, I would consider some time in the Mekong Delta. Easy to get to from Saigon and you woul see a totally different side to Vietnamese life.

There are lots of photos and some more info of our recent travels in Vietnam on our blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/category/vietnam/

Essentially, Kathie is spot on about trying to cover too much in the time you have and an extra three days would make all the difference. I would suggest leaving you beach time until the very end and the dry season would be more advance with a better chance of decent weather- as far as anyone can tell these days.

Too rushed itinerary - Less is more! Train from Ninh Binh to Hue so do not need to get back Hanoi. Vote for Phu Quoc island because Nov is not a good time for Con Dao island.