10 Days in Vietnam: A Food-Focused Itinerary

Overview

This itinerary prioritizes eating over monuments. You'll move through three cities—Hanoi, Hoi An, and Saigon—stopping long enough to eat properly and take a cooking class. You'll cover roughly 1,500 km by bus and short flights. Budget: 50–70 USD per day if you eat street and mid-range; 100–150 if you prefer restaurants. All prices are approximate and in Vietnamese dong (VND) or USD.

Day 1 — Arrive Hanoi, settle in the Old Quarter

Land at Noi Bai (30 km north). Grab a prepaid taxi or Grab (ride-hail app) to Hanoi (하노이 / 河内 / ハノイ) Old Quarter; expect 45 minutes to 1 hour, 250,000–400,000 VND depending on traffic.

Stay near Hang Dao or Hoan Kiem Lake—walkable, lively, food-focused. Budget hotel: Essence Hanoi or Old Quarter Charm (800,000–1.2 million VND/night).

Lunch: Grab a bowl of "[pho](/posts/pho-vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム)-noodle-soup-guide)" at Pho Bat Dan (street stall, Bat Dan St, 35,000 VND). Dinner: "banh mi" at Banh Mi 25 (25 Hang Buom, 25,000 VND) or head to Bun Cha Hoa Nhan (17 Phan Boi Chau, 30,000 VND for a full plate with grilled pork belly and noodles). Walk it off around Hoan Kiem Lake at dusk.

Day 2 — Street food crawl and egg coffee

Wake early (6:30 am) and do a guided Old Quarter food tour. Book through your hotel (300,000–400,000 VND, 3 hours). You'll taste "banh cuon" (steamed rolled rice cakes), "cha gio (짜조 / 炸春卷 / チャーゾー)" (fried spring rolls), and sticky rice cakes from vendors who've been in the same spot for 20 years.

Mid-morning: stop at a cafe for "ca phe sua da" (iced Vietnamese coffee (베트남 커피 / 越南咖啡 / ベトナムコーヒー), 20,000 VND) or try egg coffee at Cafe Giang (39 Hang Gai, 40,000 VND)—the thick, sweet yolk cream is polarizing but iconic.

Afternoon: rest, walk Hoan Kiem Lake, visit the Temple of Literature if you want air-con and history (30,000 VND entry).

Dinner: "bun rieu (분지에우 / 蟹肉米粉汤 / ブンリュウ) cua" (crab tomato noodle soup) at Bun Rieu Cua Be Hang (54 Hang Manh, 35,000 VND). It's bone-deep and takes 6 hours to make the broth.

Day 3 — Cooking class and market visit

Book a half-day cooking class (400,000–600,000 VND, includes market visit and lunch). Old Quarter View Hanoi Cooking Class or Flavours Vietnam are solid.

You'll wake at 6:30 am, walk Dong Xuan Market with your instructor (the largest covered market in the Old Quarter—maze of produce, meat, fresh herbs, fish), learn to cook "pho" or "banh xeo (반세오 / 越南煎饼 / バインセオ)" (sizzling crepes), and eat what you made.

Evening: light dinner. Try "hu tieu (후띠우 / 粿条 / フーティウ)" (clear southern-style tapioca noodle soup) at Hu Tieu An Nam (84A Hang Buom, 30,000 VND). Rest early; you're flying tomorrow.

Photo by Vietnam Hidden Light on Pexels

Day 4 — Fly to Da Nang, transfer to Hoi An (30 km south)

Morning flight Hanoi to Da Nang (다낭 / 岘港 / ダナン) (2 hours, ~1.5 million VND round-trip budget airline). Land ~10 am.

Grab or shuttle bus from Da Nang airport to Hoi An (30 km, 1 hour, 250,000–400,000 VND).

Check into a riverside or Old Town hotel (Hoi An Riverside Resort or Thanh Binh Hotel, 600,000–1 million VND/night). The Old Town is UNESCO-listed, cramped, and full of restaurants and bars.

Lunch: "cao lau" (banh cao lau)—a Hoi An signature, thick tamarind noodles with pork belly and crispy croutons (40,000 VND at most Old Town stalls).

Dinner: "banh hoai" (Hoi An pancake, fried in a clay pan with pork, shrimp, herbs; 30,000 VND) or sit-down meal at Faifo (19A Tran Phu, mains 100,000–200,000 VND, modern Vietnamese). Walk the lantern-lit Old Town at night.

Day 5 — Hoi An market and second cooking class

Half-day cooking class (400,000–600,000 VND). Visit the market at 6:30 am, learn to make "cao lau" and "banh hoai", eat lunch together.

Afternoon: explore Hoi An town on foot. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge (free but a donation expected, 10,000–20,000 VND), the Assembly Hall of Cantonese Chinese (100,000 VND entry). Browse the heritage streets (Tran Phu, Nguyen Hue).

Dinner: "mi quang" (Quang Nam noodle dish with turmeric broth, pork, shrimp; 30,000–40,000 VND) or seafood at a riverside restaurant. Budget 150,000–250,000 VND for a proper meal with beer.

Day 6 — Day trip to Cam Thanh village and nearby beaches

Rent a scooter (100,000 VND/day) or join a tour (300,000 VND).

Visit Cam Thanh (15 km, mangrove kayaking, simple fresh seafood restaurants on stilts—order crab or fish; 80,000–150,000 VND per person). Or take a boat to An Bang Beach (4 km north) for a beach lunch and swim.

Return to Hoi An. Light dinner: street "banh mi" or grab takeout pho from a local stall (25,000–35,000 VND).

Day 7 — Fly to Saigon, explore District 1

Morning flight Da Nang to Saigon (1 hour, 1–1.5 million VND). Land ~11 am.

Tan Son Nhat Airport is 8 km northeast. Grab or airport bus to central Saigon (District 1), 30–45 minutes, 200,000–400,000 VND.

Stay near Nguyen Hue Boulevard or Ben Thanh Market area (Liberty Central Saigon Riverside or similar, 700,000–1.2 million VND/night).

Lunch: "com tam" (broken-rice dish with grilled pork chop, fried egg, pickled veg; 25,000–35,000 VND) or pho at a central location.

Afternoon: walk District 1 (Ben Thanh Market, Bitexco Tower area, Reunification Palace grounds). Browse cafes.

Dinner: sit-down meal. Quan An Ngon (6A Nguyen Hue, 120,000–200,000 VND, casual Vietnamese) or higher-end Nha Hang Ngon (fixed-menu, family-style; 250,000–400,000 VND). Try local beer (Saigon, 333, Hanoi) on ice.

Photo by Vietnam Tri Duong Photographer on Pexels

Day 8 — Street food and cooking class in Saigon

Half-day cooking class (400,000–600,000 VND) or join a street food tour (300,000–400,000 VND, 3–4 hours).

Visit either Ben Thanh Market or Binh Tay Market (District 5, Chinatown; older, more chaotic). Learn to buy ingredients, shop like a local, and maybe cook "banh xeo" or "goi cuon" (fresh spring rolls).

Taste vendor specialties: "banh canh" (thick tapioca noodle soup with pork; 20,000 VND), "che ba mau" (three-color Vietnamese sweet drink; 10,000 VND), condensed milk coffee.

Rest afternoon. Dinner: seafood at an upscale spot (Crab House, 203 De Tham, 150,000–300,000 VND) or street "banh mi" near Bui Vien (25,000 VND).

Day 9 — Cu Chi Tunnels day trip and Saigon evening

Early start. Join a Cu Chi Tunnels tour (300,000–500,000 VND, full day with lunch). Depart 7:30 am, return 2–3 pm. The tunnels are a major historical attraction 40 km northwest.

Afternoon: rest or visit War Remnants Museum (100,000 VND entry; can be heavy—skip if you prefer lighter fare).

Evening: dinner on a "sampan" (traditional boat) on the Saigon River. Book a dinner cruise (500,000–1 million VND, 2 hours, includes light meal and beer). Or eat at a riverside restaurant like Chill Skybar (Bitexco Tower, views, mains 200,000–400,000 VND).

Day 10 — Depart Saigon

Final morning: if your flight is late (2+ pm), grab one last breakfast. "Hu tieu Nam Vang" (southern tapioca noodle soup, 30,000 VND) or banh mi and coffee (30,000 VND total).

Transfer to Tan Son Nhat Airport. Flight home.

Practical notes

Transport: Domestic flights (Vietjet, Bamboo Airways, Vietnam Airlines) are cheap (1–2 million VND each leg). Book on Skyscanner or directly on airline sites. Buses are cheaper but slower; Night buses save a hotel night but are cramped. Grab app works in all three cities for taxis.

Money: Budget 50–70 USD/day for street and local restaurant food; add 30–50 USD if you prefer sit-down dining. Hotels, flights, cooking classes, and activities are extra. ATMs are everywhere; card fees are minimal. Tipping is not expected.

Visas: US, EU, Australia, Canada citizens get a 90-day E-Visa online (25 USD, evisa.gov.vn) or a 30-day stamped visa on arrival (25 USD, ~5 min queue).

Language: English is spoken in tourist areas. Learn "Hello" (Xin chao), "Thank you" (Cam on), "How much?" (Bao nhieu tien?). Food vendors appreciate effort.

Food safety: Street food is safe—choose vendors with lines and high turnover. Drink bottled or filtered water. Tap water is not drinkable.