r/solotravelVN

I am planning a last minute solo backpacking trip to vietnam. I have experience backpacking and solo travelling but am really scrambling to do any planning I can before I leave (in three days and am booking tickets asap). I have just over two weeks and dont want to try to pack too much in but also want to do a lot! Currently am thinking flying into Hanoi and making my way to Da Nang to fly out because im not trying to fit the ENTIRE coast into 2.5 weeks.

Wondering what the backpackers route can look like from Hanoi to Da Nang, as solo i hope to meet some people to maybe travel with southern for a bit. Is this route social?

Any recommendations for where to go along that route? Open to anything! I like solo adventures in rural areas, exploring nature and local life but also partying and meeting other travellers.

Also hoping to get a day or two in of beach time... is there anywhere along that coast where that could be done?

And last but not least should i do the ha giang loop.....

Bless reddit bless you please give me recs and thoughts

I’m planning a 2-week solo trip to Vietnam early next year and I’m trying to decide whether to include the 3D2N Ha Giang Loop.

I’d really love to hear from people who’ve actually done the loop, especially within the last couple of years.

A few questions:

1. Looking back, was it worth spending 3 days of your trip on it?
2. Which company did you go with, and would you recommend it? I’ll be traveling solo as a female, so safety is a big priority.
3. I’m looking for a tour that’s safe but also has a fun, social atmosphere with a younger crowd (mostly people in their 20s). Which companies would you recommend?
4. How does the luggage situation usually work? If you’re staying at a hostel in Hanoi before the loop, do you normally leave your main luggage at the hostel and just take a small backpack for the 3 days?

I’d also love to hear any tips or things you wish you’d known before doing the loop. Thanks in advance!

I am traveling to HCMC for a week till this Friday. And office work does keep me busy a lot, any idea where to find some good company in this city.

I’m a 22M from heading out in a couple of days for my first solo trip to vietnam. I was initially planning on doing North to South, but realized 10 days is way too short to see all three regions, so I've completely cut out Ho Chi Minh City.

I really wanted to experience the food, get to experience with local culture, see some landscapes, maybe hit some fun nightlife spots, and meet fellow backpackers at social hostels. And also, I really like DOING stuff more then just SEEING stuff.

Here is my rough game plan:

Day 1: Land in Hanoi (explore Old Quarter)

Day 2: Hanoi culture/street food, take the overnight sleeper bus to Ha Giang

Day 3-5: 3D/2N Ha Giang Loop Tour with an Easy Rider

Day 5 night: Bus back to Hanoi

Day 6: flight to Da Nang (My Khe beach, Dragon Bridge)

Day 7: Da Nang - (any recommendations here)

Day 8-9: Transfer to Hoi An

Day 10: Head back to Da Nang airport and fly home.

I had a few questions::

1. Weather check: It seems that late July is hot/humid and really rainy in the North. Will the Ha Giang loop still be doable with an Easy Rider right now? Is the trip worth doing in this month, (I dont see myself getting another break soon though)
2. Transportation: I cannot drive a two-wheeler myself. For getting around Da Nang and Hoi An, is relying entirely on Grab bikes/taxis easy, safe, and reliable?
3. Hostel Recs: Any specific social hostel recommendations for Hanoi, Da Nang, and Hoi An where it's super easy to make friends as a solo traveler?
4. Food: What are the absolute must-try local dishes unique to Da Nang/Hoi An compared to the standard Pho/Bun Cha in Hanoi?
5. Is there any changes you'd recommend me making to the itinerary? Should I visit HCMC instead of Hanoi or Da Nang?

Any other general advice would be amazing, thank you!

Hi everyone,
I’m planning my first solo international trip and decided on Vietnam. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reading trip reports here and watching videos, and this is the rough itinerary I’ve come up with.
**8- 10 days**
Hanoi (2 nights)
Ha Long Bay cruise (1 night)
Ninh Binh (2 nights)
Da Nang (2 nights)
Hoi An (2 nights)
Ho Chi Minh City (1 night before flying home)

I’ll be flying from India and my budget is roughly ₹80k-₹1 lakh (excluding shopping). I’m more interested in good food, cafés, walking around cities, nature, and local experiences than nightlife.

A few things I’m still unsure about:
Is Ha Long Bay worth staying overnight, or should I do a day trip?
Any places that surprised you and ended up being your favourite?

I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve done Vietnam solo. Thanks!

Quite unsure if it’s a good itinerary for a first timer:

Arrive early in Hanoi day 1 and stay until day 3
—> Late sleeper bus to sapa
Day 4-7 Sapa
—>Late sleeper bus to Ninh binh
Day 8-10 Ninh Binh
Transfer to cat Ba at Late day 10 or early day 11?
Day 11-13 cat ba
Transfer to Hanoi at end of day 13
Day 14-15 Hanoi (depart home at around 10PM at day 15)

I could also add an extra day if there are any ideas

Xin chào mọi người!
Năm sau mình dự định sẽ đến Việt Nam và ở lại từ 4 đến 6 tháng để tham gia chương trình tình nguyện.
Chương trình tình nguyện sẽ cung cấp chỗ ở cho mình, vì vậy mình sẽ không phải trả tiền khách sạn hoặc nhà nghỉ. Mình dự định sống khá đơn giản: ăn đồ ăn địa phương, sử dụng phương tiện giao thông công cộng và khi cần thì đi xe ôm hoặc các phương tiện phổ biến khác.

Mình dự định mang theo khoảng 1.000 Real Brazil (BRL) mỗi tháng, tương đương khoảng 5 đến 5,5 triệu đồng Việt Nam (VND) mỗi tháng.
Theo mọi người, số tiền đó có đủ cho lối sống như vậy không? Là quá ít, vừa đủ hay mình nên chuẩn bị nhiều hơn? Theo các bạn, ngân sách hợp lý mỗi tháng nên là khoảng bao nhiêu?

Mình cũng có một thắc mắc khác. Ban đầu, nếu không quen biết ai ở Việt Nam, mình định sẽ ở một vùng nông thôn hoặc một thị trấn nhỏ vì mình nghĩ đó sẽ là một trải nghiệm yên bình và thú vị.
Tuy nhiên, nếu trước chuyến đi mình kết bạn với ai đó (hoặc thậm chí có bạn gái), thì mình có lẽ sẽ chọn sống ở thành phố nơi người đó ở. Mình nghĩ sẽ rất tuyệt khi có người đồng hành, giúp mình làm quen với hệ thống tàu hỏa, xe buýt và phương tiện giao thông nói chung, giới thiệu những món ăn ngon của địa phương, chia sẻ những lời khuyên hữu ích và thỉnh thoảng cùng mình đi chơi khám phá.

Cuối cùng, mọi người có lời khuyên hoặc kinh nghiệm nào dành cho một người nước ngoài sẽ sống ở Việt Nam trong vài tháng không? Có thể là về văn hóa, phong tục, những chiêu lừa đảo thường gặp, đồ ăn, phương tiện đi lại, những nơi đáng ghé thăm hoặc bất cứ điều gì mà theo các bạn mình nên biết trước khi đến.
Cảm ơn mọi người rất nhiều!

I have the opportunity to visit VN for a week in either: mid Aug, mid Sept or early Oct. I would appreciate any insight on when the best time would be out of those 3 options! I definitely want to fly into Ho Chi Minh City, but would also want to visit one other area, I am thinking Quy Nhon as I would want to stay on a beach town that isn't too overcrowded. However, I'm having trouble logistically thinking about flying into HCMC, getting to Quy Nhon, and then flying home (to USA) - it just seems like a ton of travel. Any other suggestions on closerish beach towns with proximity to an airport? HCMC I'd would love to shop, eat, embrace the city, and then for the second location I'd like to relax beachside and eat mainly! Thanks in advance for any pointers.

Hey everyone,

I’m planning a trip to Vietnam around **mid-September**, with the **Ha Giang Loop** as the main highlight. I’ll likely spend around **10–14 days** exploring northern Vietnam, including Hanoi and nearby spots.

I’m a solo traveler and thought it’d be fun to find others who might want to join for all or part of the trip. Whether you’re planning to ride the loop yourself or join an easy-rider tour, it’d be great to have some company.
If you’re traveling around the same time or interested in joining, leave a comment or send me a DM. Happy to coordinate plans!

Hi everyone,

I'm planning my first solo international trip to Vietnam sometime between September and November, and I'm looking for advice on planning the perfect itinerary.

I'll have 7–10 days, so I'm thinking of covering 2–3 cities max instead of rushing through the country.

My biggest priority is socializing. Since it's my first solo trip, I'm a little worried about ending up feeling lonely or spending evenings scrolling Instagram in my hostel room. 😅 So I'm looking for places with:

Great hostel culture (easy to meet other solo travellers)

Vibrant nightlife (bars, clubs, pub crawls, social events)

Friendly backpacker vibe

Beaches are a big plus!

From my research so far, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hoi An seem like good options, but I'd love to hear your suggestions.

A little about my travel style:

I love lively streets and nightlife (Phuket & Bangkok were amazing for this).

I also enjoy beach-town vibes like Canggu and Gili T in Bali.

I'm not necessarily looking to party every night, but I definitely want to meet people and have a social trip.

Could you please recommend:

Which 2-3 cities I should visit?

The best social hostels to stay in.

Good nightlife areas/bars/pub crawls.

Daytime activities that are worth doing.

Whether September, October, or November is the best month considering the weather.

I'd really appreciate any itinerary suggestions or personal experiences. Thanks in advance! 🙌

Im a 50 year old male from NZ, traveling to Hanoi in 2 weeks. Where's the best place to meet other travelers?