8-day Vietnam family trip: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, a cruise, Hoi An and Ba Na Hills
8 days, 7 nights: Hanoi (2N), Ninh Binh (1N), Ha Long Bay (1N), Hoi An (2N), Da Nang (1N). Best time to go: Best Feb–May; avoid Oct–Nov central rains and Aug–Sep cruise storms.
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi
Hanoi
- Thang Long water puppet show · 1 h. Book a day ahead in Dec–Feb peak.
- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology · 2 h
- Train Street café stop · 1 h. Watch from a café — walking on the tracks is restricted.
Local tip: Book a day ahead in Dec–Feb peak.
Day 2: Explore Hanoi
Hanoi
- Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple · 1.5 h. Weekend evenings the lake roads go pedestrian-only.
- Old Quarter street-food walk · 3 h. Go after 6pm; bun cha, banh cuon and egg coffee are the classics.
- Temple of Literature · 1.5 h
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda · 2 h. Mornings only, shoulders/knees covered; closed some Mondays and Fridays.
- Egg coffee & café crawl · 1.5 h
Local tip: Weekend evenings the lake roads go pedestrian-only.
Day 3: Hanoi → Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh · Hanoi to Ninh Binh, Private van ~2h
- Trang An boat ride through caves · 2.5 h. Start by 8am to beat tour buses.
- Cycling through rice fields · 2 h
Local tip: Start by 8am to beat tour buses.
Day 4: Ninh Binh → Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay · Ninh Binh to Ha Long Bay, Private transfer ~3h
- Ha Long / Lan Ha Bay overnight cruise · Full day. Lan Ha routes are quieter; pick free cancellation in Aug–Oct typhoon season.
- Kayaking & Sung Sot cave · 2 h. Usually included on cruises — confirm before paying extra.
Local tip: Lan Ha routes are quieter; pick free cancellation in Aug–Oct typhoon season.
Day 5: Ha Long Bay → Hoi An
Hoi An · Ha Long Bay to Hoi An, Domestic flight ~1–2h
- Hoi An Ancient Town heritage walk · 2.5 h. The ticket covers 5 heritage houses; evenings are for lanterns.
Local tip: The ticket covers 5 heritage houses; evenings are for lanterns.
Day 6: Explore Hoi An
Hoi An
- Lantern boat on the Thu Bon river · 1 h
- Cam Thanh coconut basket boat · 2 h
- Market tour & Vietnamese cooking class · 4 h
- Tailor fitting (24–48h turnaround) · 1.5 h. Order on day 1 to allow two fittings; price is per garment.
Local tip: Order on day 1 to allow two fittings; price is per garment.
Day 7: Hoi An → Da Nang
Da Nang · Hoi An to Da Nang, Car ~45 min
- Ba Na Hills & Golden Bridge by cable car · 7 h. Be on the first cable car (~8am) for an empty Golden Bridge.
Local tip: Be on the first cable car (~8am) for an empty Golden Bridge.
Day 8: Depart from Da Nang
Da Nang
Keep a buffer before your flight; check-out is usually noon.
Where to stay
- Hanoi (2 nights): Hoan Kiem boutique stays. Quiet lanes, still walkable to the Old Quarter.
- Ninh Binh (1 night): Tam Coc / Hoa Lu boutique lodges. Pools and karst views, close to both boat rides.
- Ha Long Bay (1 night): On-board cruise cabin (Lan Ha / Ha Long). Your cruise ticket includes the cabin night.
- Hoi An (2 nights): Ancient Town edge. Walk to lanterns at night without the noise.
- Da Nang (1 night): My Khe beachfront. Beach across the road; Ba Na and Hoi An within an hour.