North, central or south Vietnam: which region to choose first

Three regions, three different trips

The national tourism board divides the country into the same three parts most travellers end up choosing between. Its description of the north is mountain ranges, centuries-old rice terraces and ethnic minority villages, with Hanoi's Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake at the centre, Ninh Binh's limestone cliffs rising from paddy fields and a cruise on Ha Long Bay. The centre is history and beaches: Hoi An's Ancient Town with its timber shophouses and lanterns, the Nguyen dynasty citadel, tombs and temples of Hue along the Perfume River, Da Nang's resorts and beach, and the caves of Phong Nha a few hours away. The south is the energy of Ho Chi Minh City, the slow water life of the Mekong Delta, and islands such as Phu Quoc and Con Dao.

UNESCO's list makes the difference sharper. The north holds the central sector of Hanoi's Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba archipelago, the Trang An landscape at Ninh Binh and other sites; the centre holds the Complex of Hue Monuments, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. None of Vietnam's World Heritage sites is in the far south. That does not make the south less worth visiting, but it tells you what kind of trip it is: a city, the river delta and the beach, rather than monuments and landscapes.

Distance is the other reason to choose. The official transport guide notes that the train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City can take up to 30 hours and that 16 hours from central Vietnam to either end is common, which is why it recommends flying when time is short. Two regions in a week is possible with a flight between them; three regions in a week mostly means airports.

Let the month decide which region comes first

The tourism board's climate guide says March to May has the best weather countrywide and that some part of Vietnam always has good conditions. The trouble is that the good part moves. Use this as an editorial summary of that guide, not a forecast.

• December to February: the south is dry and sunny, and Phu Quoc is at its best in December and January. Hanoi is cool, misty and, from late December to March, surprisingly cold, with lows around 10 degrees; Hue and Hoi An are cool and rainy. Put the south first.
• March to May: the best all-round window. The north is warming, the central coast is dry and the south is still in its dry season until the end of April. Any combination works; this is the time for the full north-to-south route.
• June to August: the central coast is hot, sunny and at its beach best; the guide describes July in Hue as perfect beach weather. The north is hot, humid and rainy, the south has its afternoon downpours and Phu Quoc's stormy months begin in July. Put the centre first.
• September to November: the north is at its clearest, with temperatures around 25 degrees in Hanoi and golden terraces around Sapa in early October. The central coast takes heavy rain, storms and some flooding, and the south is wet until November. Put the north first and keep the centre short and flexible.

Choose by what you want to do

For landscapes, the north is the stronger choice. Ha Long Bay is usually seen on a packaged cruise from Hanoi, Ninh Binh is reached by daily buses, vans or trains from the capital, and the mountains around Sapa need at least an overnight stay. If you care most about karst scenery and mountains, give the north the larger share of your days, and keep a spare day in Hanoi in case weather cancels a cruise.

For heritage and an easy pace, choose the centre. Hue and Hoi An are close enough to share one base region, with Da Nang's airport and beach between them, and the region suits travellers who want to walk old towns, eat well and add a beach afternoon without long transfers. From March to August it also has the better weather of the three. Phong Nha is the add-on for caves: Dong Hoi, the nearest town, has its own airport and station on the north-south line.

For city life, the delta and a beach finish, choose the south. Ho Chi Minh City is the metropolis the tourism board calls a sensory overload, where small family shops sit beside skyscrapers; Can Tho, the main Mekong Delta city, is about four hours by bus according to the tourism board, or reached by its own airport. From December to April the region is reliably dry, which makes boat days and an island ending on Phu Quoc easy to plan.

Which direction to travel, and which airports to use

Most international flights arrive at Hanoi's Noi Bai (HAN), Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat (SGN) or Da Nang (DAD), and the tourism board notes direct international flights to Nha Trang and Phu Quoc as well. For a trip that covers more than one region, an open-jaw ticket, into one end of the country and out of the other, saves you flying back over ground you have already covered.

The season usually settles the direction. In the cool months, start in Hanoi and finish in the warm south, so the cold, misty part of the trip comes first and the beach comes last. In September to November, start in the north while it is clear, then fly over or keep a short, flexible stop on the stormy central coast before the south. In March to May, the weather works either way, and the direction can follow your flights. If you only use one airport, choose the region you will spend most time in, not the cheapest arrival, and allow for a domestic flight on the first or last day.

Ho Chi Minh City's main gateway is changing. When we checked on 2026-10-03, VnExpress reported that the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam had agreed a three-stage move: airlines may operate international flights at the new Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai from 1 December 2026; long-haul international flights (to Europe, the Americas, Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, South and Central Asia) move there from 28 March 2027; and most other international flights from 30 October 2027. Check which airport your ticket names before you book a hotel or a domestic connection.

Moving between regions: fly, train or bus

Flying is the official guide's recommendation for the long legs: a one- or two-hour flight instead of a day or a night on the train. Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Jetstar fly domestically, and the tourism board warns that fares rise around public holidays. At Da Nang and Tan Son Nhat the domestic terminal is a walk from the international one; at Noi Bai, a free shuttle bus links the two terminals, which are 850 metres apart.

The train is worth it for one shorter, scenic stretch rather than the whole length. The north-south line runs about 2,600 km from Ho Chi Minh City towards the Chinese border, operated by Vietnam Railways, with stops including Hue, Da Nang and Nha Trang. Book well in advance for holidays and peak times, as the official guide advises. Hue and Da Nang are both stops, so the train is an option for that short central leg; by road, the Hai Van Pass links the two. Da Nang airport is about 98 km from Hue and 29 km from Hoi An's Ancient Town, according to the tourism board.

Open-tour buses, mostly sleeper buses, run between Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mui Ne and Ho Chi Minh City. The official guide suggests booking a day or two ahead, and at least two weeks ahead for a Vietnamese holiday. In the wet months the UK government's travel advice warns that floods and landslides can block roads, so avoid an overland transfer the day before an international flight.

One week or two: how to split your days

These are editorial suggestions, not timetables. Check transport for your own dates before you book.

• One week, north: Hanoi, a Ha Long Bay cruise and Ninh Binh, or Hanoi and Sapa. Best from September to November or April to June.
• One week, centre: Hue and Hoi An with a beach day at Da Nang or near Hoi An; add Phong Nha only with a few more days. Best from February or March to August.
• One week, south: Ho Chi Minh City, a night in the Mekong Delta and a few days on Phu Quoc. Best from December to April.
• Two weeks, all three: about four nights in the north, four in the centre and four in the south, with domestic flights between them and the extra nights in the region that has the best weather in your month.
• Tet (Lunar New Year, usually January or February): the tourism board's FAQ warns that many businesses close during the festivities; transport fills up, so book flights and trains early or travel just after the holiday.