22 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.

Kids will appreciate attractions like Old Quarter and Off-Road Tours. On the 7th (Sat), spend a fun day on foot with Walking tours. There's still lots to do: explore the activities along Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake), take in the exciting artwork at Klimt Art Gallery, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Temple of Literature & National University, and contemplate the long history of Hoa Lo Prison.

To see photos, maps, where to stay, and tourist information, go to the Hanoi road trip planner.

San Diego, USA to Hanoi is an approximately 21.5-hour flight. The time zone difference when traveling from San Diego to Hanoi is 15 hours. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 10th (Tue) 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.

Sapa is known for nature, sightseeing, and spas. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at Fansipan Mountain, make a trip to O Quy Ho Mountain Pass, boost your wellbeing at Dao's Center, and hike along Si Trekking Sa Pa.

To find other places to visit, reviews, ratings, and tourist information, refer to the Sapa trip planning website.

You can drive from Hanoi to Sapa in 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. Cap off your sightseeing on the 13th (Fri) early enough to go by car to Lao Cai.

Kick off your visit on the 14th (Sat): contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Den Mau and then relax and rejuvenate at some of the best spas.

To see reviews, maps, more things to do, and more tourist information, use the Lao Cai road trip planning app.

Getting from Sapa to Lao Cai by car takes about an hour. Cap off your sightseeing on the 14th (Sat) early enough to travel to Yen Bai.

Yên Bái is a city in Vietnam. Start off your visit on the 15th (Sun): explore the activities along Thac Ba Lake and then appreciate the views at Tu Le Valley.

To find maps, traveler tips, where to stay, and other tourist information, you can read our Yen Bai trip builder.

Use the Route module to find suitable travel options from Lao Cai to Yen Bai. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 16th (Mon) early enough to 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.

Attractions like Hạ Long Bay and Pont Bai Chay make great kid-friendly stops. Go for a jaunt from Halong Bay to Cat Ba to see Cat Ba Island about 3 hours away. And it doesn't end there: take a tour by water with Boat Tours & Water Sports, Head underground at Tien Ong Cave, contemplate the waterfront views at Bai Tu Long Bay, and take in the views from Bãi Cháy Bridge.

To find maps, where to stay, traveler tips, and tourist information, refer to the Halong Bay sightseeing planner.

Explore your travel options from Yen Bai to Halong Bay with the Route module. On the 19th (Thu), you'll travel to Hai Phong.

Haiphong is a major industrial city and the second largest city in the northern part of Vietnam. To see maps, traveler tips, more things to do, and other tourist information, go to the Hai Phong online journey planner.

Traveling by combination of ferry and car from Halong Bay to Hai Phong takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of ferry and bus; or ride a ferry. On the 20th (Fri), wrap the sightseeing up by early afternoon so you can 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.

On your second day here, Head underground at Mua Caves and then head outdoors with Outdoor Activities.

To find traveler tips, other places to visit, maps, and other tourist information, refer to the Ninh Binh journey planning tool.

You can drive from Hai Phong to Ninh Binh in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or take a train. In January, plan for daily highs up to 68°F, and evening lows to 58°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 22nd (Sun) to allow enough time to drive to Nam Dinh.

To find where to stay, reviews, more things to do, and more tourist information, refer to the Nam Dinh road trip app.

Traveling by car from Ninh Binh to Nam Dinh takes an hour. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 23rd (Mon) to allow time to drive to Thanh Hoa.

The city of Thanh Hóa is the capital of Thanh Hóa Province. Start off your visit on the 24th (Tue): explore the wealth of natural beauty at Ben En National Park.

To see ratings, where to stay, maps, and tourist information, read Thanh Hoa road trip website.

You can drive from Nam Dinh to Thanh Hoa in 2.5 hours. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Wed) so you can travel back home.