Where to stay in Vietnam: the area to choose in each city

Pick the area first, then the room

In Vietnam the street you sleep on decides the first and last hour of every day. In Hanoi's Old Quarter you step out into 36 streets that are easy to explore on foot. In Hoi An the Ancient Town has pedestrian-friendly streets of yellow shophouses. At Ha Long Bay the choice is between a cabin on the water and a hotel on the shore.

This guide gives one base for each stop on a classic route: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba, Ninh Binh, Sa Pa, Ha Giang, Phong Nha, Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta at Can Tho, Phu Quoc and Con Dao, and it answers where to sleep within them.

Rooms are scarcest around Tet, when heavy demand for tickets and hotel rooms is reported and many businesses close. Tet falls on a different date each year because it follows the lunar calendar; the Ministry of Home Affairs announces the official holiday dates. For 2027 it announced a public-sector holiday from 4 to 10 February 2027. Reunification Day on 30 April, International Labour Day on 1 May and National Day on 2 September are public holidays. The public-sector National Day holiday in 2027 runs from 2 to 5 September. Book the night with a fixed departure first, which means a cruise cabin on Ha Long Bay, and book beach rooms for June to August early.

Several hotels are named below as examples, each priced from its own website. Their rates are listed together, with the date checked, in the section on named hotels.

Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sa Pa and Ha Giang

Hanoi. Sleep in the Old Quarter on a first visit: 36 streets north of Hoan Kiem Lake, named for the trades that supplied the royal citadel, with the lake closed to vehicles on weekends. The price of the location is noise. The evening crowd of the beer corner spills onto Ta Hien Street and Hang Dao turns into a night market after dark on weekends, so ask for a room away from those two streets. Hanoi Garden Hotel & Spa, at 3B-5 Cha Ca Street, is one example, a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and Dong Xuan Market.

The French Quarter, just south of the Old Quarter around the Opera House and Trang Tien Street, has spacious streets, parks and French colonial architecture, and it is the better choice if the Old Quarter's evening crowds are not for you. From Noi Bai airport, public bus 86 runs to Hanoi Railway Station for VND 50,000 between 07:00 and 22:15, and licensed taxis serve the terminals from the first flight to the last. The evening trains to Lao Cai for Sa Pa leave Hanoi Railway Station at 21:45, 22:00 and 22:40, so leave your bags at the hotel on the day you check out.

Ninh Binh. The choice is the countryside or the city. The itineraries sleep in central Ninh Binh: Hoang Son Peace Hotel, at 98 Trinh Tu Street, stands in the central area of Hoa Lu ward, overlooking Dinh Tien Hoang Square and 1 km from the Hoa Lu old street. The Trang An boat centre is 7 km west of Ninh Binh city, the management board says, so plan a taxi or a hotel pick-up for the first boat of the day. Tam Coc is the other place to look for a countryside stay. Ninh Binh station is about two hours from Hanoi by train or road, which makes the city the practical base if you arrive and leave by train.

Sa Pa. The town stands at the head of a valley of rice terraces. To skip a night on the train, the national tourism authority lists limousine vans from Hanoi from VND 450,000, taking five to six hours by road. The Vietnam Railways night trains from Hanoi reach Lao Cai in the early morning, and from Lao Cai a road of about 35 km climbs to the town; the night train and the sleeper bus carry the cautions given in the transport guide. Sleep in town if you arrive late or leave early. For the terraces, take a homestay in the Muong Hoa valley, about 10 km from town, where you can walk the paths before the day groups arrive; Lao Chai and Ta Van are the villages to look for. Homestays are small businesses, so ask the host when you book whether a card is taken and carry cash in case it is not. Sapa Garden Bed and Breakfast, at 102 Dien Bien Phu Road, stands 2.5 km from the town centre.

Ha Giang. The loop over the karst plateau starts and ends in Ha Giang city, which now lies in Tuyen Quang province, and the city is where you sleep the night before the car leaves.

Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba: a cabin on the water, an island or a hotel ashore

Ha Long Bay is best explored from a boat. One night on board is enough for most first trips; a second night suits a slower trip. Sleeping aboard swaps a long day on the road for sunset and dawn among the karsts. The Ha Long Bay Management Board prices overnight cruises on routes 2, 3 and 4, and one night means at most 24 hours from departure. Cruises leave from the Tuan Chau and Ha Long international passenger ports.

The board's ticket for an overnight cruise depends on the route and is charged per person: VND 550,000 for one night on route 2 and VND 750,000 for two nights, and VND 500,000 for one night or VND 650,000 for two nights on routes 3 and 4 (listed by the board, last updated 31 March 2025). Paradise Vietnam lists its two-day, one-night cruise on Paradise Elegance or Paradise Legacy from USD 330 per cabin, with the night, four meals, onboard insurance, tax, service charge and the sightseeing fees included. Check-in is at Tuan Chau Marina at 12:00 to 12:30, and transfers are not included. Cozy Bay Grand lists a two-day, one-night cruise on route 2 from USD 139 per person on a twin-share basis, with the Hanoi to Ha Long round-trip transfer, four meals and all entrance tickets and fees included. It picks you up in the Hanoi Old Quarter in the morning and boards at Tuan Chau at midday. Both include the sightseeing fees, so the board's ticket is not added on top of their fares.

The German Foreign Office reports repeated ship accidents on Ha Long Bay, some with deaths, and says that vessels are often not seaworthy and do not always carry enough life jackets. The UK Foreign Office says overcrowding and poor safety standards have led to accidents and that some boats have sunk quickly and without warning, and asks you to consider safety standards carefully before an overnight boat trip. France says safety has improved but advises caution when booking a cruise, particularly offers at very low prices. Book only with an established, licensed operator, ask for a safety briefing, and check for yourself that there are enough life jackets and escape routes. VNAT lists June to August as the stormy months at Ha Long Bay and says tropical storms can sometimes cause cruise cancellations, so keep a spare night in Hanoi. Our Ha Long Bay guide explains the routes and the booking in full.

Cat Ba is the island alternative to a cruise, and Lan Ha Bay lies off it. Cat Ba Eco Lodge, on the island's mountainside, is one example; it arranges private transfers from Cat Ba Town or Tuan Chau pier at extra cost. Our Cat Ba guide has the buses, the ferry and the Lan Ha Bay ticket.

Bai Chay is the shore option. Cruise transfers run from the Tuan Chau and Bai Chay ports, and Ha Long is about two and a half hours by road from Hanoi on the expressway. A hotel at Bai Chay suits a day cruise or a night before an early boarding, but it gives up the night on the bay. Tuan Chau Island, where the marina stands, is the other shore choice for an early boat.

Phong Nha, Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang on the central coast

Phong Nha. Sleep in Phong Nha village, the former Son Trach, where the boats to Phong Nha Cave leave from the Son River and the restaurants stand, or in a farmstay in the countryside for quiet. Chay Lap Farmstay, in Chay Lap hamlet, has Farm, Garden and Mountain rooms. Dong Hoi, the gateway city with the airport and the main railway station, is about 45 km away, so sleep there only for an early flight or train. Our Phong Nha guide covers the caves and the transfers.

Hue. Sleep on the south bank of the Perfume River near Le Loi Street. One example is ÊMM Hotel Hue, at 15 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, 500 m from Truong Tien Bridge. The Citadel and the Imperial City stand on the north bank. Hue's airport is Phu Bai, about 15 km from the city according to Vietnam Tourism, and trains stop at Hue Station. No fare for the Phu Bai transfer is published on a page we can cite, so arrange the transfer with your hotel when you book.

Hoi An. Sleep in or beside the Ancient Town if you want its lantern-lit streets in the evening. One example is ÊMM Hotel Hoi An, at 187 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, which is 500 m from the Ancient Town and has a pool. Another is Allegro Hoi An, at 86/2 Tran Hung Dao Street, with suites that have views of the ancient town. Cam Thanh, with its coconut forest, and Tra Que, with its vegetable gardens, suit a quieter stay in the villages, with a bicycle ride or taxi into town. For a beach, An Bang, about 7 km from the Ancient Town, has bars and seafood restaurants. Rain falls from September to January and small floods are possible from September to November, so in those months a room away from the river is the easier choice. Hoi An now belongs to Da Nang city. Hotel addresses now read "Hoi An Ward, Da Nang". Da Nang airport is 29 km from the Ancient Town. The national tourism site says a metered taxi costs upwards of VND 450,000, a hotel can arrange a car at a fixed VND 250,000 to VND 350,000 and shuttle vans run hourly from 05:00 to 23:00, and the Da Nang tourism portal's airport guide of 15 June 2026 lists the Hai Van Bus direct to Hoi An from 07:30 to 16:00. The Da Nang tourism portal lists the Ancient Town ticket at VND 120,000 for international visitors; our Hoi An guide covers the ticket and the evenings.

Da Nang. The city offers a beach base and a river base. For the beach, My Khe lies about 2 km from the centre, and the hotels along Vo Nguyen Giap Street are the beach base. My Khe II Hotel, at 260 Vo Nguyen Giap Street, has 72 rooms of about three-star standard, with sea-view rooms. The airport is only about 3 km away. Choose Da Nang for the beach and the airport and Hoi An for the town; our Da Nang guide gives the transfer between them.

The south: from Nha Trang to Phu Quoc and Con Dao

Nha Trang. Stay along Tran Phu Street, the seafront: Tran Phu is the town's main beach, bordered by beach bars and seafood restaurants. Mercure Nha Trang Beach, at 88A Tran Phu Street, puts Nha Trang Beach one to two minutes away, according to the hotel's own page. The alternative is Hon Tre island, 5 km from Nha Trang, with luxury lodgings and resorts; Vinpearl's cable car from Tran Phu Street reaches it, and the island suits a resort stay rather than a city stay.

Da Lat. The highlands city has a lake and a central market, with small hotels and bed-and-breakfasts just outside the centre among pine trees, and renovated French-era villas on hillsides. Ladalat Hotel, at 106A Mai Anh Dao Street, sits on a hillside overlooking the Valley of Love. Sleep near the lake and market if you will walk in the evening, and on a hillside if the view is the point. Lien Khuong airport lies about 30 km from the city.

Ho Chi Minh City. Sleep around Dong Khoi Street and Ben Thanh Market in District 1, where the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace and the Museum of Fine Arts all have District 1 addresses. One example is 108 Nguyen Du Guesthouse, at 108 Nguyen Du Street, a 5-minute walk from Ben Thanh Market. District 3, a short ride away, is quieter, with Tao Dan Park and Tan Dinh Market. Pham Ngu Lao is the backpacker district where bus 109 from the airport ends. France names Pham Ngu Lao, with Dong Khoi, Nguyen Hue, Le Lai and Le Loi, among the places for vigilance. Official addresses now name a ward rather than a district, for example Ben Thanh Ward for the Independence Palace, so a booking site may show a ward where you searched for District 1. Tan Son Nhat airport is about 8 km from the centre, and the drive can take 50 minutes or more in traffic, and bus 109 runs from the airport. No fare is published for bus 109 on a page we can cite, so ask your hotel or check at the stop; confirm the pick-up point with your hotel or the transfer provider when you book. Our Ho Chi Minh City guide sets out the streets and the day trips, and Cu Chi suits a day trip rather than a base.

Mekong Delta. Can Tho is an ideal base for a first visit to the delta. Can Tho is about 165 km and three hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City. Choose a hotel in the centre, convenient for Ninh Kieu Wharf, Ong Pagoda, Binh Thuy Ancient House and the Cai Rang Floating Market, whose morning start is worth the effort: a room near Ninh Kieu Wharf is what makes a 05:00 boat possible, because the boat ride from the wharf to Cai Rang takes about 30 minutes. Ninh Kieu 2 Hotel, at 3 Hoa Binh Boulevard, has 108 rooms. For a quieter stay of several days, the delta has riverfront homestays, such as in Ben Tre; the Con Phung Coco Island homestay stands on an island in the Tien River in Vinh Long province.

Phu Quoc. Stay near Long Beach and Duong Dong, the heart of the island's social life, with a night market of more than a hundred vendors. The airport sits in the centre of the island, 20 to 25 minutes by taxi from Duong Dong and 25 to 30 minutes from An Thoi. The south, around An Thoi, is where the Hon Thom cable car starts, with Sao Beach at the southern tip. The north is quieter: at Ganh Dau Beach the mountains of the national park keep high-rise resorts away from the shore.

Con Dao. Con Son is the only inhabited island of the group, and its small town holds the museum, the prison compounds, the market and most of the hotels, so a bed in town puts every historic site within a short ride. Marina Bay Con Dao Hotel stands on Nguyen Hue Street, opposite the beach park and the tourist pier.

Named hotels and what they charge

Each rate below is the one the hotel's own website lists for the room named, checked on 17 October 2026; rates change with the dates, so check the price for yours. Where the hotel's page states what a rate includes or the period it covers, the line says so; where it does not, ask the hotel. Allegro Hoi An marks its rate "++"; ask the hotel whether service charge and tax are added. The cruise fares are in the Ha Long Bay section. In the other areas above, compare rooms for your dates.

• Hanoi Garden Hotel & Spa, Old Quarter: the Superior Double, 28 m2, is listed at VND 1,350,000 and the Suite with Balcony at VND 2,550,000; ask the hotel what the price covers.
• Hoang Son Peace Hotel, Ninh Binh: the Superior room, 36 m2, is listed at VND 1,450,000, with daily buffet breakfast, 10% VAT and a 5% service charge included.
• Sapa Garden Bed and Breakfast, Sa Pa: a double room is listed at USD 39 on weekdays (Sunday to Thursday) and USD 50 at weekends (Friday and Saturday), with breakfast, tax and service charge included.
• Cat Ba Eco Lodge, Cat Ba: the lodge's wellness-package page lists an extension rate, for nights added before or after the package, of VND 1,089,600 (Standard), VND 1,287,000 (Deluxe) and VND 1,600,170 (Suite) per room per night, with breakfast included.
• Chay Lap Farmstay, Phong Nha: the Mountain Room is listed from VND 1,100,000 a night, the Garden Room from VND 1,400,000 and the Farm Room from VND 1,700,000, with breakfast included; rates vary with the stay period.
• ÊMM Hotel Hue: the Superior room, 26 m2, is listed from VND 1,005,291 a night.
• ÊMM Hotel Hoi An: the Superior room, 29 m2, is listed from VND 1,093,651 a night.
• Allegro Hoi An: the Junior Suite, 47 m2, is listed from USD 130++, with a 35% special shown beside it.
• My Khe II Hotel, Da Nang: the Senior Twin Sea View, 32 m2, is listed at VND 1,200,000 (VND 900,000 with the 30% reduction shown), without stating the period.
• Mercure Nha Trang Beach, 88A Tran Phu Street: check the rate for your dates on the hotel's website.
• Ladalat Hotel, Da Lat, on the Mai Anh Dao hillside: its offers page advertises a summer room-only promotion for a Standard Room at VND 600,000 per night per room, with no dates listed, so the price for your dates can differ.
• 108 Nguyen Du Guesthouse, Ho Chi Minh City: a double or twin room is listed at VND 1,600,000 a night, with breakfast and a tour of the Independence Palace included.
• Ninh Kieu 2 Hotel, Can Tho: the Standard Double, 25 m2, is listed at VND 950,000 a night, with buffet breakfast, VAT and service charge included.
• Con Phung Coco Island homestay, Ben Tre coconut country: a room for two is listed at VND 800,000, with the return boat, the island ticket and breakfast included; a 30% offer brings it to VND 560,000 from Monday to Thursday, except on public holidays and Tet.
• Cassia Cottage, Phu Quoc: the Garden Cottage is listed from USD 70 a night. The Modern Deluxe room, 50 m2, is listed from USD 81.
• Marina Bay Con Dao Hotel: the Superior room, 25 m2, is listed at VND 1,608,000 a night on weekdays and VND 1,758,000 at weekends, excluding public holidays and Tet. A breakfast buffet is among the hotel's listed features.

Types of stay and booking online

Four kinds of stay recur on this route. City hotels are the base in Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang and Can Tho. Homestays, farmstays and lodges belong to Ninh Binh, Sa Pa, Phong Nha and the delta, where the point is the village; the German Foreign Office advises against home-distilled alcohol, which is often served in rural homestays. Cruise cabins belong to Ha Long Bay. Beach resorts are for Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hoi An's beaches, Phu Quoc and Con Dao. A shared bathroom is easy for one night between two hotel stays; the night before a dawn flight is better spent in a hotel room with a private bathroom.

Some stops are day trips rather than bases: Cu Chi from Ho Chi Minh City, My Son from Hoi An and Ba Na Hills from Da Nang each fit in a day from the bases above. For a dawn flight, sleep where the airport is closest. Da Nang airport is about 3 km from the centre. Tan Son Nhat is about 8 km from the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, while Noi Bai is about 27 km from Hanoi.

Terms vary by property. Paradise Vietnam, for example, generally asks for a 30 percent deposit at booking and, on flexible-rate bookings of fewer than seven cabins, charges nothing for a cancellation more than 7 days before departure, 50 percent from 7 to 3 days before arrival and 100 percent less than 72 hours before check-in. Hotels, tour operators, restaurants and shops generally accept international cards, while cash is used for small purchases and street vendors.

France recommends the greatest caution when booking lodging online, because of a rise in bookings registered for non-existent lodgings, sometimes via well-known platforms.

Registering a foreign guest's stay with the police

Ask your hotel at check-in what it needs from you for your stay to be registered, and expect to be asked for your passport details.