INRAT ETC

In 2019 I flew into HCMC, went to Phu Quoc, then Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue and then Hanoi, and home from there. Last year we stayed mainly in the north/central, flew into Hanoi, onto Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Da Nang then back to Hanoi and home. Booked everything as we went, booking.com allows you to cancel with 24 hrs notice if you want an extra day or two somewhere. Internal flights are cheap, grab (uber) is sound, as are the 'executive' coach options between cities. It's all as chaotic as fuck, but it works, or it does for me.

I personally think for three weeks, either go North and stay in the northern half, or go south and stay in the southern half. I think 5 stops will enable you to get the best out of either half mate. Da Nang is more or less the half way point, Hoi An is 30 mins from there, so incorporate these two whether you go north or south would be my advice. Da Nang has an international airport and is an hour flight from either HCMC, Hanoi, Hai Phong or Phu Quoc.

Highlights for me? All of it. It's fucking ace. In Hoi An, the beach area is lovely place to chill for a few days, go two streets back from the river and the food prices halve with no loss in quality. Hanoi is as mad as a box of frogs, the Hoan Kiem lake area is excellent of an evening with all sorts going on, people of all ages doing all sorts of mad exercise routines that would get the piss taken out of you in blighty, but there, no one cares. Da Nang is a very modern, almost western city, with excellent food and drink options and 2 ace beaches. The Lady Buddha and Marble Mountain are worth a looksee.

Hue is the ancient capital, amazing place, Vinh Moc tunnels (better than Cu Chi for their scale, imo) and very poignant as to what the people went through and Khe San airbase are doable from here too.

Ninh Binh, boat tour goes to where they filmed King Kong (skull island). Hang Mua and the 500 steps is nearby (don't walk 3km here first and then walk up like I did, get a cab and then do the steps early doors). Ha Long is lovely for a night on a boat, but don't stay in the town, imo. There is a lot of litter at low tide though.

HCMC, I stayed in district one, Pasteur St is bar central, walking street is back packer area. The War museum and Cu Chi tunnels are ace, but horrific in equal measure. Go underground as far as they allow you in the tunnels.

Phu Quoc is an ace little tropical island off the coast of Cambodia, I flew to here from HCMC, then onto Da Nang, it's as cheap as chips and the mad sea monsters in the tanks outside the sea food restaurants will have you shitting yourself, or they did me.