Help with a 21-day Vietnam itinerary with teens

Hi everyone, We're a family of five: two adults and our three kids (18, 17, and 13 years old). We’ve just bought our flight tickets for Vietnam from August 6th to 26th, 2025. We know it’s not the best month to explore Vietnam, but we don’t have a choice—our vacation is in August! We’ll pack ponchos ;-) I’ve read a lot of blogs online, but I’d love your advice, please: Here’s the itinerary we’re considering: We’ll arrive in Hanoi (2-3 days), and if the weather allows, we’d like to head to Sapa to discover the landscapes, rice terraces, and mountains... (2 days). We’re not planning to book anything (train, hotel, etc.) because we’ll decide based on the weather whether to include this stop or not. Do you think it’s doable to not book anything in Sapa for a family of five? After that, we’re planning to explore Lan Ha Bay and the surrounding areas, Ninh Binh... (4-5 days). I’d love your tips for exploring this area because I’ve read so much that I’m a little overwhelmed... Ideally, we’ll then head down to Hue and Hoi An. We’ll enjoy a few days at the beach (4-5 days). Then Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta (3-4 days). What do you think of this plan for 21 days? If you know any great spots, guides, etc., I’m all ears! Especially for Lan Ha Bay and the surrounding areas, as well as the Mekong Delta. And of course, any great tips you’d like to share. There’s info scattered around the forums, but I’m struggling to find recent updates. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks to those who help us prepare for this trip! Happy travels to you all ;-) Florence

Hi there,

What do you think of 21 days?

I think that with only 21 days, you should stick to the north—it’s really the only part worth it. The south isn’t ideal in August.

Our trip to northern Vietnam (in September) is a bit old, but it might give you some ideas. Check it out here.

August is a hot month everywhere, obviously less so in the mountains. Sapa is exceptional and requires at least 2 days. DO NOT take the overnight train, especially with young kids—you sleep very poorly and arrive around 5:30 AM in Lao Cai, plus an hour by minibus. Instead, take the excellent direct Hanoi-Sapa express day bus the day before (5-hour trip including lunch, instead of about 10 hours by train).

For accommodation, I highly recommend the excellent 2-star PHUONG NAM on Fan Si Pan Road. +84 21 43 87 12 86, email phuongnamhotelsapa@gmail.com, and have your meals at Little Sapa, 5 Dông Loi Street.

This info about the direct bus to Sapa is interesting. Is it easy to find this bus? Where does it leave from? Can we book it in advance? Thanks.

you’re choosing the Sapa Express buses

A site to book: https://12go.asia/fr/operator/sapa-express

Official site: https://sapaexpress.com/fr

Thanks everyone for your feedback

Hi there, Are you arriving AND leaving from Hanoi?

Unless you're leaving from Saigon, stick to the northern part of Vietnam as you planned, without going further south than Hue.

I didn’t find the Mekong Delta all that interesting, but opinions vary. If you do go there (in the Delta), will you head back to Hanoi afterward or fly home from Saigon? In the latter case, that changes everything.

Thanks for this info—it’ll definitely come in handy.

We’ll arrive in Hanoi and depart from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Oh, okay, that changes everything. I’ll let the Vietnam experts answer your questions since I didn’t stay long enough in the country. Personally, I only booked the day we arrived in Saigon and had no trouble finding accommodation by checking Booking.com. Except during Vietnamese New Year (Tết), when it wasn’t easy to get around or find a place to stay.

Hello, If you're leaving from Ho Chi Minh City, don’t be disappointed by the Mekong Delta. I really loved it—it felt like diving into local life, lulled by the rhythm of the Mekong. There aren’t as many exceptional sights as in the north, but the Vietnamese routine feels more authentic. The Cu Chi Tunnels are a "fun" way to introduce your teens to the Vietnam War! For Sapa, since you’re arriving a week before heading to the region, I think there’ll be availability in the off-season! Even if you don’t get your dream accommodation, you can always check booking sites 1–2 months ahead to see if places are filling up fast or not! For the overnight train, even if you don’t sleep super well, it makes for great family memories and saves you half a day on your schedule, letting you enjoy more time elsewhere. That said, it depends on your travel style. For me, comfort doesn’t matter—I’d rather have the experience and immersion, staying as long as possible in each place, even if it’s tough with vacation time.

Thanks so much for your reply! Already can't wait to be there....

The bus leaves Hanoi around 07:00 and arrives in Sapa around 14:00. You can book it on the site 12go.asia

August is a hot month everywhere, obviously cooler in the mountains. Sapa is exceptional and requires at least 2 days; DO NOT take the overnight train, especially with young kids—you sleep terribly and arrive around 5:30 AM in Lao Cai + 1 hour by minibus. Take the excellent daytime express bus from Hanoi to Sapa the day before (5-hour trip including lunch instead of about 10 hours by train).

For accommodation, I recommend the excellent 2-star PHUONG NAM on Fan Si Pan Road. +84 21 43 87 12 86, email phuongnamhotelsapa@gmail.com, and have your meals at Little Sapa, 5 Đông Loi Street.

Thanks for these valuable tips! We’re also planning a trip with our 3 kids this summer for 5 weeks, and this helps us focus more on northern Vietnam (we already visited the south in 2020 during a long bike trip and were stopped in HCMC due to Covid). By the way, Larsay, I’m happy to see you posting again—you gave us such helpful info back in 2009 when my husband and I visited Vietnam without kids.