16 days in Southeast Asia Itinerary

The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi has bounded back from the effects of war, and today serves as a bustling commercial and cultural hub bursting at the seams.

Get in touch with nature at Nature & Wildlife Tours and Off-Road Tours. For shopping fun, head to TiredCity Hang Bong or Klimt Art Gallery. There's much more to do: stop by Old Quarter, contemplate the long history of Temple of Literature & National University, take in the exciting artwork at A Dong Art Gallery, and contemplate the waterfront views at Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake).

To find more things to do, ratings, traveler tips, and more tourist information, read Hanoi tour itinerary planning tool.

Muscat, Oman to Hanoi is an approximately 13-hour flight. Traveling from Muscat to Hanoi, you'll lose 3 hours due to the time zone difference. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 5th (Fri) early enough to drive to Sapa.

A hub of tourism in the country's northwestern mountainous region, Sapa represents home for a large number of ethnic minorities from the hill tribes of the region, and acts as a base for explorations of the surrounding area's wealth of natural sights.

Kick off your visit on the 6th (Sat): take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at Fansipan Mountain and then hike along Si Trekking Sa Pa.

To find more things to do, maps, ratings, and other tourist information, refer to the Sapa online holiday planner.

Drive from Hanoi to Sapa in 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. Finish your sightseeing early on the 6th (Sat) to allow enough time to drive to Ninh Binh.

A fairly nondescript town, Ninh Binh acts as a base for explorations of the province of the same name, with the karst landscape and lush valleys that surround the town offering a wealth of scenic vistas of rice paddies and rugged rocks.

Start off your visit on the 7th (Sun): surround yourself with nature on a nature and wildlife tour and then relax and rejuvenate at Mai Spa.

To find reviews, traveler tips, where to stay, and more tourist information, you can read our Ninh Binh trip builder tool.

Getting from Sapa to Ninh Binh by car takes about 5 hours. Other options: take a bus; or do a combination of car, flight, and bus. In May, daily temperatures in Ninh Binh can reach 38°C, while at night they dip to 29°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 8th (Mon) so you can travel to Halong Bay.

Halong Bay encompasses a cluster of verdant limestone islets that jut out from the sea and make up an enchanting setting recognized as a World Heritage Site.

Take a break from the city and head to Hạ Long Bay and Quan Lan Beach. Venture out of the city with trips to Minh Chau beach (in Quan Lan), Cat Ba Island (in Cat Ba) and Ha Long Market (in Ha Long). There's much more to do: head outdoors with Outdoor Activities, look for gifts at Hai Water Sports, take in the views from Pont Bai Chay, and contemplate the waterfront views at Bai Tu Long Bay.

To see traveler tips, maps, and tourist information, use the Halong Bay day trip planner.

Traveling by combination of bus, car, and ferry from Ninh Binh to Halong Bay takes 6 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of bus and ferry. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 11th (Thu) to allow time for travel to Ho Chi Minh City.

Formerly known in the West as Saigon and affectionately referred to as the "Pearl of the Far East," Ho Chi Minh City is a study of old and new, woven and piled together in a fast-paced urban hub.

Head to Ben Thanh Market and Vietnam Silver Housefor plenty of shopping. War Remnants Museum and Aitch Space will appeal to museum buffs. On the 13th (Sat), spend an adventurous day with a kayaking and canoeing tour. Next up on the itinerary: don't miss a visit to Cu Chi Tunnels, see the interesting displays at Fito Museum - Museums of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine & Pharmacy, ponder the world of politics at Central Post Office, and view the masterpieces at Couleurs by Rehahn Fine Art Photography - Dong Khoi.

For traveler tips, reviews, more things to do, and more tourist information, use the Ho Chi Minh City online holiday planner.

Traveling by combination of ferry, car, bus, and flight from Halong Bay to Ho Chi Minh City takes 8.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of ferry, bus, and flight; or do a combination of ferry, car, and train; or do a combination of ferry and bus. Expect a daytime high around 41°C in May, and nighttime lows around 30°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 16th (Tue) to allow enough time to fly back home.