Vietnam Travel Guide for Indian Tourists 2025 — Ha Long Bay to Hoi An

Vietnam — Asia's Most Rewarding New Destination for Indians

Vietnam is having its moment. For years, Indian tourists overlooked it in favour of Thailand and Singapore. But word is spreading — Vietnam offers more natural drama (Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha Caves, Sa Pa rice terraces), more authentic cultural immersion (Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi Old Quarter), and food that rivals any cuisine in the world.

The country is also highly affordable. A good hotel room costs ₹2,000-4,000/night. A bowl of pho costs ₹80-150. A Ha Long Bay cruise costs ₹6,000-12,000 per person for 2 days. Vietnam consistently surprises travellers with how much they get for their money.

Where to Start — North or South?

Fly into Hanoi, fly out of Ho Chi Minh City — the classic option that lets you travel south through the country, experiencing the gradual cultural shift from the formal north to the exuberant south.

Just Hanoi + Ha Long Bay (5 days) — ideal for a first trip focused on the north's highlights.

Just Central (Da Nang + Hoi An + Hue) (5 days) — the most visually stunning and culturally rich part of Vietnam.

Hanoi — The Civilised North

Hanoi is a city of lakes, tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, and an Old Quarter of 36 guild streets still named for the trades that flourished there centuries ago (Silk Street, Paper Street, Tin Street).

Spend a morning walking the Old Quarter's narrow lanes. Eat breakfast sitting on a plastic stool eating pho on Pho Thin or Pho Gia Truyen. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn when local people practice tai chi and badminton. Visit the Temple of Literature — Vietnam's first university, built in 1070.

Hanoi's evening food street (Ta Hien Street) — an alley of bars and food stalls packed with backpackers and locals every evening. Try bia hoi (draft beer at 25 cents a glass) and bun cha.

Ha Long Bay — The Non-Negotiable

Ha Long Bay is Vietnam's crown jewel and one of the world's great natural spectacles — 1,600 limestone karsts rising vertically from emerald water across an area of 1,500 sq km. The only way to experience it properly is on an overnight cruise.

Choosing a cruise: Budget cruises (USD 80-120) are crowded and the boats are old. Mid-range (USD 150-250) offer comfortable cabins, good food, and smaller groups. Premium (USD 300-500) give you fewer guests, more activities, and some of the most beautiful wooden junk boats you'll ever see.

Activities on the cruise: Kayaking through narrow cave passages, visiting the floating fishing villages, swimming in clear water, cooking classes, squid fishing at night.

Avoid: 1-day Ha Long Bay tours. The bay is 4 hours from Hanoi — by the time you arrive and begin, you turn around. 2 nights is better than 1 night.

Hoi An — The World's Most Photogenic Town

Hoi An is where Vietnam reveals its most beautiful face. The Ancient Town's yellow-washed merchant houses, silk lanterns, and bougainvillea-draped balconies over the Thu Bon River look exactly as they did in the 15th century. At night, when the lanterns glow and the river reflects a hundred colours, it is overwhelmingly beautiful.

What to do in Hoi An:

• Walk the Ancient Town in the early morning (6-8am) before tourists arrive
• Get clothes tailored — Hoi An's tailors are legendary; budget 3 days for fittings
• Take a bicycle to the villages outside town
• Do a cooking class — excellent ones on Hoi An Cooking Class website
• Watch the Full Moon lantern festival (14th of every lunar month)

Beaches: An Bang Beach (7km) and Cua Dai Beach (5km) are Hoi An's nearby beaches — good for a half-day, though not Andaman-quality water.

Ho Chi Minh City — Vietnam's Chaotic Heart

The former Saigon is everything Hanoi is not — fast, loud, modern, and intoxicating. 9 million people and 8 million motorbikes. The energy is overwhelming in the best way.

Must-do: Cu Chi Tunnels (85km outside the city) — the underground network used by Viet Cong fighters, now a moving and educational war memorial. Ben Thanh Market for a shopping overview. The War Remnants Museum for a powerful perspective on the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese side.