Where we stayed
We spent a little over 2 weeks in this beautiful country, starting in the south, in Ho Chi Minh City and making our way north to Hanoi. We booked everything through booking.com. We took one domestic flight, used private transfers, and one bus to get to our different accommodations. While at each place we walked a lot and also used Grab (like Uber) to get around, which was very affordable. In Ho Chi Minh City we stayed City House VIBE City Oasis (3 nights). It was a little further from attractions than we would have preferred, but still totally doable especially with using Grabs. There were a ton of restaurants and shops all around. Our favorite stay was in Hoi An (5 nights) where we stayed at The Saga Hotel. We loved their spa, pool, epic buffet breakfast, and family-friendly rooms. It was about a 10 minute walk to the Old Town, but they also had a free shuttle that would take you there and back. In Phong Nha (2 nights) we stayed at the Phong Nha Farm stay and wished we had longer there. It was surrounded by rice fields and the owner was so helpful in helping us plan what to do there. Next we made our way to Ninh Binh (2 nights) and stayed at Tam Coc Golden Fields, another lovely homestay with a pool and great restaurant. It was very close to the downtown and you could use their bikes also. From there we took a bus and a ferry to the island of Cat Ba and stayed at the Cat Ba Wonder Hotel for a night before embarking on an a two day cruise of Lan Ha Bay. It was a bit outdated, but very convenient to downtown and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. After the cruise we left for our last stop, Hanoi, and stayed right in the city at Hanoi Ancient Paradise Hotel. It was right in the hustle and bustle, which we loved, and had a delicious breakfast.
What we did
We took this trip in February and happened to arrive during Tet. We were a little nervous about this at first, hearing that some things might be closed, but we really loved getting to be part of the celebration. We went to several of the celebrations while in Ho Chi Minh City and also took a bus night tour of the city. We loved just walking around, seeing the post office, and eating at the Cafe Apartment (A whole apartment building turned into different cafes). We also took a Grab one day to eat at Oasis Cafe, a place where you sit eye level with coi fish, which our kids thought was amazing. Other highlights of the trip included Hoi An Old Town where we took a lantern boat ride, got clothes tailor made for us at one of the amazing tailors (there are so many!), saw a beautiful outdoor performance called Memories, visited the My Son Sanctuary, and got to try our hand at making rice paper. We also spent a day at Vin Wonders at the request of our kids, but wish we had spent that day snorkeling at one the nearby islands instead. The water park was not impressive, but the saving grace was that we got to feed capybaras there, which my daughter really wanted to do. In Phong Nha we hired the Phong Nha riders to take us around for a day on motorbike through the national park and we made stops at a famous cave, a farm where we fed loads of ducks (possible the strangest and coolest thing we have done), and had the freshest chicken lunch. In Ning Binh we hired a local driver to show us around. We climbed the steps of the Muo Mountain, and took a boat ride through cliffs and caves in Trang Am. We also walked around the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, which my husband and I enjoyed, but the kids did not love. (The heat did not make it easier on them.) In Cat Ba we took the cruise around Lan Ha Bay, which was stunning, even in the less than ideal weather we had. On the cruise we took a kayak trip, and also stopped and did a bicycle tour of Vietnam Hai Village, which was amazing. In Hanoi we experienced Train Street, walked around the Old Quarter, ate amazing Bun Cha, my favorite meal of the trip.
Where we ate and drank
This was our favorite trip as far as food goes. We loved all the street food and took the advice of other travellers I had read to eat at stalls that are busy and popular. We loved having Pho for breakfast, my kids loved all the ramen dishes, and we had some great Indian food while there as well. We also loved the Bahn Mi sandwiches everywhere. I mentioned the Bun Cha earlier, and that was from Bun Cha 22 ngo Huyen in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Seriously one of the best meals of my life.
What it cost
Our plane tickets were the most expensive part at $3200 and accommodations were around $1500 total. Once you are there things are very inexpensive. I don't remember what we spent on the private transfers, but they were not much.
The verdict
We would love to go back! We would have loved to go further north to see Sapa and do the Ha Giang Loop, but could not fit into this trip. We love all the memories we made from Vietnam, the people were so welcoming and friendly. It was our kids first time in Asia and made a huge impression on all of us.