Vietnam: 12 days, a lot of coffee & one very musical garbage truck
At a Glance
Best for: Food • Adventure • Nature • Culture • Budget travel
Where I stayed: Hanoi • Ha Long Bay • Ninh Binh • Hoi An
Solo Friendly: ★★★★★
Budget: $
Transport: Sleeper buses • Trains • Domestic flights • Grab (highly recommend the motorbikes for some adrenaline and fun)
Your ultimate guide to an overlooked country
I booked Vietnam as a sort of extension to my Thailand and Maldives trip. I guess almost on a whim. It had never been at the top of my bucket list, but it soon became one of my favourite countries I'd visited. The people were unbelievably kind, and always smiling, the food was absolutely incredible (I even preferred it to some Thai dishes for being more fresh and healthy), the scenery had so much variety that it constantly surprised me, and I couldn't believe how far my money went.
Hanoi (3 days)
Vietnam's capital, as you probably already know from the internet, is loud and completely bonkers with motorbikes zigzagging everywhere... but that's just one reason why I bloody loved it.
I wanted to share one of my favourite memories, because it’s totally random. Not a landmark or a person or an activity… but a garbage truck. So I was having dinner on a tiny balcony one evening when I suddenly heard music playing through the streets. I sat there wondering where an earth it was coming from... only to discover it was the rubbish truck. Apparently they play cheerful music while collecting the bins, and for some bizarre reason, it made me ridiculously happy. I remember sitting there thinking, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. This is the life I want and I’m doing what I love.
While you’re there
✦ Wander through the Old Quarter and get lost down its tiny streets.
✦ Visit the famous Train Street (yes, I think it's worth the hype!) and don’t forget to put a bottle cap down on the train tracks. The train will crush it and it makes for a cool souvenir
✦ Walk around Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple.
✦ Try a traditional Vietnamese egg coffee.
✦ Browse Dong Xuan Market.
from €35 per person
If you're anything like me and travel through your stomach, this is a great intro into Vietnamese cuisine. Between countless local dishes, hidden street food spots and my first proper bánh mì and bánh cuốn, I was slightly addicted. And traveling by motorbike seemed the fitting way, wouldn’t you agree?
Cafés & Restaurants I really enjoyed
Loading T Café has a French, charming style and creates some of the best cold egg kakao I tried. For food, I loved Pho 10 for a traditional bowl and Bun Cha Dac Kim, one of the city's best-known spots for bun cha.
Incense Village (Half Day)
from €15 per person
Around an hour outside Hanoi is Quang Phu Cau, better known as the Incense Village. Families have been making incense here for generations, and watching them carefully lay out thousands of colourful incense sticks to dry was fascinating. It's become incredibly popular for its beautiful displays, so it is a bit tricky to know if it’s as authentic now as it once was, or just a tourist attraction. Having said this, I really enjoyed it and loved that you could make your hat to take with you! So all in all, I would definitely recommend it at least to see/do something a little different.
Ninh Binh (Day Trip)
from €36 per person
If you've seen photos of tiny rowing boats weaving through dramatic limestone mountains, you've probably already seen Ninh Binh.
It made the perfect escape from busy Hanoi and ended up being one of my favourite days in Vietnam. Between the peaceful Trang An boat ride, cycling through the countryside and climbing up to Mua Cave for the incredible views, it's somewhere I wouldn't skip.
On a light note, traveling solo as a female can be a bit daunting but it’s also so amazing in terms of who you meet and what you experience vs otherwise. On this day trip, I befriended and spent most of the day with a family from Perth: the parents and their two teen children. We even bumped into each other again later in Hoi An and had dinner together!
Tour Highlights
✦ Take a Trang An boat ride
✦ Climb to the Mua Cave viewpoint (very steep)
✦ Cycle through the beautiful rice paddies
✦ Visit Hoa Lư Ancient Capital
Ha Long Bay (2 Days / 1 Night)
One of Vietnam's most iconic landscapes, and somewhere I don't think you should rush.
I chose an overnight cruise, which gave us time to kayak, explore caves, watch sunset from the deck and wake up surrounded by thousands of limestone islands. It was peaceful, relaxing and one of the highlights of my trip.
MENTION INCLUDES A SORT OF FINE DINING DINNER
While you’re there
✦ Go kayaking.
✦ Explore one of the limestone caves.
✦ Watch the sunset from the deck.
✦ Join a Vietnamese cooking demonstration.
For cruises and recommendations, see my Ha Long Bay Experiences Guide.
Hue (1–2 Days)
Hue is often skipped, but I actually think it's worth stopping. As Vietnam's former imperial capital, it's packed with history, from the enormous Imperial City to ancient pagodas and royal tombs.
I also loved visiting the abandoned Ho Thuy Tien Water Park, home to a giant dragon and several disgruntled slides. Creepy but one of the coolest things I have seen.
While you’re there
✦ Explore the Imperial City
✦ See An Định Palace
✦ Visit Ho Thuy Tien Water Park (don’t make the same mistake I did and struggle to get a taxi after dark)
✦ Try bún bò Huế.
✦ Wander along the Perfume River.
Hue → Hoi An (transfer)
Instead of taking the direct transfer, I booked a scenic journey to Hoi An, stopping at places like An Bang Cemetery, Marble Mountain and several viewpoints along the Hai Van Pass. It turned what could have been a simple travel day into another day of exploring, and I'd recommend doing the same if you have the time.
Hoi An (4–5 Days)
Hoi An completely stole my heart.
With its colourful lanterns, riverside cafés and beautiful mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and European architecture, it's one of the prettiest towns I've ever visited. I spent my days cycling through the rice paddies, getting clothes tailor-made and wandering around the Ancient Town until the lanterns lit up every evening. I could have gladly stayed longer.
While you’re there
✦ Wander through the Ancient Town
✦ Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge
✦ Watch the lanterns at sunset and even light one yourself. I did for my granddad, as is my tradition wherever I visit
✦ Browse the Night Market
✦ Cycle through the surrounding rice paddies
✦ Get clothes made: Hoi An is infamous for its tailors, and I couldn't leave without getting a few custom-made pieces, especially since it’s hard to find nice clothes that fit me properly. The whole experience was so much fun, from choosing fabrics to seeing everything come together just a day or two later. If you've ever wanted something made just for you, and at a fair price, this is absolutely the place to do it.
Cooking Class, Market & Coconut boat
I almost skipped the famous coconut boats because I thought they'd be a bit touristy... I was so wrong. Our boat driver spent the whole time shouting "Let's go!" across the river to other boats, who enthusiastically shouted it back. It was hysterical, but more so was the spontaneous coconut boat karaoke. Completely ridiculous, and one of the funniest afternoons of my trip.
I also absolutely loved the star of the show: the cooking class! It was fairly priced, hands-on, and one of the best ways to learn more about Vietnamese food. Plus, you get to eat everything you make, which is a rewarding bonus.
Where I Stayed
Grand Sunrise Palace Hotel was hands down one of the best hotels I've stayed in—and I wasn't there on a collaboration, so this is genuinely just my opinion.
For around €45–50 per night, it felt incredible value. The price included a huge breakfast buffet (even pho and, oddly enough, Korean rice cakes one morning!), a welcome drink and snack, sweet treats in the room, a complimentary drink every day, plus a massage and manicure/pedicure during my stay.
The rooms are beautiful, complete with a freestanding bathtub, there's a lovely rooftop pool, and it's located closer to the rice fields than the Ancient Town. It's about a 15–20 minute walk into the centre, but I never minded—it felt completely safe, even in the evening. In case, they do also have a free shuttle bus service that runs between certain hours.
I'd honestly go back to Vietnam just to stay here again.
Cafés & Restaurants I really enjoyed
Hoi An was home to some of my favourite meals in Vietnam. Morning Glory was fantastic for traditional Vietnamese dishes, while Madam Khánh – better known as the Bánh Mì Queen – lived up to the hype. For coffee, I loved Little Hanoi Egg Coffee and Mê Hội An Rooftop Coffee & Kitchen, both perfect places to escape the heat for an hour or two.
Big shoutout especially to Mê Hội An, whose staff went literally above and beyond to retrieve my befallen airpod. Legends!