Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Hoi An in 10 Days

Egg coffee in Hanoi, a night at anchor in Ha Long Bay and lanterns on the Thu Bon River

10 days3 stops

Original illustration

At a glance

Three nights in Hanoi for lake walks and street food, one night on a small cruise ship among the limestone towers of Ha Long Bay, then five nights in Hoi An, with its lantern-lit old town and a beach ten minutes away. One domestic flight links north and center. It suits first-timers who want Vietnam's classics at an easy pace. Go from March to April.

By the Honeymoon Huts editors · How we research

This is the Vietnam honeymoon we suggest to most first-time visitors. It covers the country's two great romantic set pieces, a night at anchor in Ha Long Bay and the lanterns of Hoi An, with only one domestic flight.

You start in Hanoi, a city of lakes, French boulevards and a street food scene that barely pauses for sleep. Three nights give you time to recover from the flight, walk Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn and eat on tiny plastic stools.

Next comes Ha Long Bay, about two and a half to three hours by road. You spend one night on a small cruise ship among thousands of limestone towers, with kayaking, a cave and tai chi on deck at sunrise.

The last five nights are in Hoi An, on the central coast. Its old town of yellow merchant houses glows with silk lanterns at night. A beach sits ten minutes away by bike. Five nights there is the slow stretch of the trip, with time for a tailor, a cooking class and long afternoons at the pool.

The route

Best months: March and April, with late February and May close behind
Trip length: 10 days
Budget: About $250–800 a night for two in boutique to luxury hotels and small cruise ships, with Four Seasons villas higher (approximate)

Day by day

Days 1–3: Hanoi

Land at Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) after a connection in Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei or Hong Kong. A hotel car takes about 45 minutes to the Old Quarter. Sleep, then wander out for pho.

On day 2, walk around Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn, when locals do tai chi and the city is soft and quiet. Drink egg coffee on an Old Quarter balcony. In the evening, take a street food tour on the back of scooters with a guide. If one of you is nervous on a bike, ask for a walking tour instead.

On day 3, see a water puppet show beside the lake and spend the afternoon by your hotel pool. End with sunset drinks overlooking West Lake. Sitting high above the water as the lights come on across Tay Ho is the romantic moment of Hanoi. Crossing the street takes practice: walk at a steady pace without sudden stops and the motorbikes will flow around you.

Day 4: Ha Long Bay

Most cruises include a shuttle or offer a private car from your Hanoi hotel to the port, about two and a half to three hours by expressway. Board around midday and lunch as the boat sails out among the karsts.

For a honeymoon, choose a small ship with a private balcony and an itinerary that names Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay rather than only central Ha Long. Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan has twenty balcony suites and an art gallery on board. The larger Paradise Grand Cruise has a spa and a sky bar. Both anchor in Lan Ha Bay.

In the afternoon, kayak into an enclosed lagoon and walk through the chambers of Sung Sot Cave. Climb to the top of Ti Top Island for sunset if your route stops there. That night, after dinner, step out onto your balcony. The boat is still, the towers are black against the stars and the only sound is the water. That is the romantic moment of the trip.

In summer and early autumn, storms can keep boats in port. Reputable lines generally rebook or refund when sailings are halted.

Days 5–9: Hoi An

Wake early on day 5 for tai chi on deck at sunrise, then brunch as the boat returns to port around midday. Drive back toward Hanoi's airport and take an evening flight to Da Nang (DAD), a little over an hour. Hoi An is about 45 minutes by car.

On day 6, explore the old town on foot before the tour groups arrive, then visit a tailor for a fitting. Spend the afternoon at your pool. On day 7, take a basket boat ride through the coconut palms and a cooking class. On day 8, visit the My Son ruins early in the morning, then swim at An Bang beach in the afternoon.

Make day 9 your splurge. Book a villa night or dinner at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai on Ha My beach. After dark, return to the old town and float a paper lantern on the Thu Bon River from a small boat. That candlelit river is the romantic moment of Hoi An. Time your trip for the full moon lantern night if you can.

Day 10: Home from Da Nang

Drive about 45 minutes to Da Nang International Airport (DAD). Da Nang has regional connections to cities such as Seoul, Bangkok and Singapore. You can also fly to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and connect there. Vietnam Airlines has flown nonstop from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City, so a connection through the south can be quick.

If your flight leaves in the evening, collect your tailored clothes in the morning and take a last bike ride to the beach. Most hotels will hold bags and lend you a room for a shower.

Allow time for any final tailoring adjustments. Order your clothes on your first full day in Hoi An so there is time for a second fitting before you leave. Pack them in your carry-on if they matter to you.

Getting Between Stops

Hanoi to the Ha Long Bay cruise ports takes about two and a half to three hours by expressway. Almost every cruise includes a shuttle or offers a private car. After the cruise, the same car can take you straight to Noi Bai airport.

Hanoi to Da Nang is a little over an hour by air, with many flights a day on Vietnam Airlines and other carriers. Book an evening flight on the day your cruise ends, leaving plenty of time for the drive. Da Nang airport to Hoi An is about 45 minutes by car.

In Hanoi, walk the Old Quarter and French Quarter and use Grab cars for longer rides. In Hoi An, borrow bikes from your hotel. The beaches are 10 to 15 minutes by bike. For My Son or the Hai Van Pass, hire a car with a driver for the day.

Where to Stay

In Hanoi, the Sofitel Legend Metropole, open since 1901, is the classic honeymoon choice, with a colonial wing, a courtyard pool and a wartime bomb shelter guests can tour. Boutique hotels around the Old Quarter are good value. Ask for a room away from the street.

In Ha Long Bay, the boat is the hotel. Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan is the more intimate choice, with twenty balcony suites. Paradise Grand Cruise is larger and more polished, with a spa. Both spend the night in Lan Ha Bay. Elsewhere, look for fewer than 25 cabins and a private balcony.

In Hoi An, Anantara Hoi An Resort sits on the riverbank at the edge of the old town, a short walk from the lanterns. Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, about 15 minutes north on Ha My beach, has villas with private pools. Many couples split their five nights between the two.

When to Go

March and April are the best months for this route. Hanoi is mild, Ha Long Bay has clearer skies and calm seas and Hoi An is dry and warm, with cooler evenings and green rice fields. Late February and May are close behind.

Summer is hot and humid in Hanoi, with heavy downpours. Hoi An stays dry and the sea is calm, but Ha Long Bay enters storm season, when authorities can order boats to stay in port. Keep a spare day after the cruise if you go then.

October and November are the wettest months in Hoi An, with river flooding in the old town. December and January bring cool, gray weather in the north and drizzle in the center. Tet, the Lunar New Year in late January or February, closes many family-run restaurants.

Budget and Booking

Plan on roughly $250–800 a night for two across good hotels and a small luxury cruise. Hanoi's boutique hotels are good value and the Metropole sits at the top. Cruise prices track closely with cabin size and route. Four Seasons villas run higher. All figures are approximate.

Book the cruise first, since the best small ships fill early in spring. Then book Hoi An, especially if your dates fall on a full moon.

Other costs include the Hanoi to Da Nang flight, a scooter food tour, the water puppet show, a cooking class, My Son tickets and tailoring. Street food in Hanoi and Hoi An is excellent and very cheap, which leaves room for a splurge dinner at the end.

Make It Shorter or Longer

For a week, cut Hanoi to two nights, keep the cruise and spend four nights in Hoi An.

With two weeks, add a second night on the cruise to reach farther corners of the bay. Or continue from Ha Long by car to Ninh Binh, about three hours, for two nights among rice fields and limestone on land before flying south from Hanoi.

Couples who want a true island finale can add four nights on Phu Quoc after Hoi An. Flights link Da Nang with the island, directly on some routes or through Ho Chi Minh City. Phu Quoc's dry season runs from about November to April. You could also add Hue, about two hours north of Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass, for imperial tombs and the citadel.

Honeymoon Tips

Crossing the street in Hanoi takes nerve. Walk at a steady pace and do not stop suddenly. Use Grab cars late at night.

On the cruise, pack a light layer for evenings on deck and a swimsuit for kayaking. Buy travel insurance that covers weather cancellations if you go in summer or early autumn.

In Hoi An, order tailored clothes early to allow time for a second fitting. Agree on prices before work begins.

Cover shoulders and knees for both of you at temples and pagodas. Dengue is present in Vietnam, so use repellent at dawn and dusk. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices for Vietnam before booking. Entry and visa rules depend on your citizenship and can change at short notice, so check the official government website before you book.

FAQ

Planning this trip

Is one night in Ha Long Bay enough?

For most honeymooners, yes. One night gives you sunset, a night at anchor and sunrise among the limestone towers, which is the heart of the experience. Two nights let you reach quieter corners and add a full day of kayaking and swimming. If you go in storm season, keep a spare day in Hanoi.

Which part of Ha Long Bay is best for couples?

Look for itineraries in Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay, which see fewer boats than central Ha Long. They have the same limestone scenery with quieter anchorages. Small ships with fewer than 25 cabins and private balconies make the night feel much more private.

Should we stay in Hoi An's old town or on the beach?

Both work. Old town and riverside hotels such as Anantara Hoi An Resort put you a short walk from the lanterns. Beach resorts such as Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai trade evening strolls for sea views and private pools. Many couples split five nights between the two.

When is the Hoi An lantern festival?

On the 14th day of each lunar month, around the full moon, the old town switches off its electric lights and glows with lanterns. Check a lunar calendar or ask your hotel for exact dates. Lanterns hang in the old town every evening, so you will see them whenever you go.

How do we get from Ha Long Bay to Hoi An?

Drive back toward Hanoi's Noi Bai airport after the cruise returns around midday, about two and a half to three hours. Then take an evening flight to Da Nang, a little over an hour. Then drive about 45 minutes to Hoi An. It is a long day, so book a car in advance.

Stops on this route

Vietnam

Hanoi

Vietnam

Ha Long Bay

Vietnam

Hoi An

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