Vietnam travel guide for Indians 2026–27

Plan Hanoi, Halong Bay, Da Nang, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City: e-visa for Indians, best time by region, vegetarian food, how many nights and what our trips cost.

By the Agrima Holidays Team · Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

Why go

Vietnam has become one of the fastest-growing holiday choices for Indians. Direct flights now run from several Indian cities. Prices stay reasonable. And the country packs in limestone bays, old towns lit by lanterns, beaches, mountains and some of the best food in Asia.

Vietnam is long and thin, about 1,650 km from north to south. Plan by region.

Visa

Indian citizens apply for an e-visa online before travel. The e-visa allows stays of up to 90 days, single or multiple entry. Apply only on the official Vietnamese immigration portal, about a week ahead.

The e-visa names your port of entry. Enter through the airport you listed. See our Vietnam visa page for details.

When to go

The weather differs by region.

North, Hanoi and Halong Bay: October to April is best. December to February gets cool, around 12 to 20°C, with mist on the bay. May to September is hot and wet.

Centre, Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue: February to August is best, with sunny beach days. September to December brings heavy rain and sometimes typhoons.

South, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and Phu Quoc: December to April is dry. May to November brings afternoon storms.

For a north-to-south trip, February to April works best.

Tet, the lunar new year in January or February, closes many shops and restaurants for several days. Transport sells out.

Month by month

Average night low to day high, from long-term climate averages. Higher places run colder.

How many nights

• 5 nights: Hanoi and Halong Bay, or Da Nang and Hoi An
• 6 nights: Hanoi, Halong Bay and Ninh Binh
• 7 nights: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Da Nang and Hoi An
• 9 nights: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Da Nang, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City
• 10 to 12 nights: add Sapa, Hue or the Mekong Delta

Fly between regions. Hanoi to Da Nang is about 1 hour 20 minutes. Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City is similar.

Getting there

Direct flights from India reach Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities, in about 4 to 5 hours. Some routes connect through Bangkok, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.

Hanoi and the north

The stops that appear most often in our Vietnam itineraries:

• Hoi An
• Hanoi
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Halong Bay
• Mekong Delta

Hanoi's Old Quarter is a tangle of streets named after the goods once sold there. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake in the morning. See the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda and a water puppet show. Train Street, where trains pass inches from cafés, draws crowds.

Halong Bay has nearly 2,000 limestone islands rising from green water. An overnight cruise lets you see sunrise on the bay, kayak, visit caves and swim. Day cruises suit tight schedules. Lan Ha Bay, next door, is quieter.

Ninh Binh, two hours south of Hanoi, has the same limestone scenery on land. Row through caves at Trang An or Tam Coc, and climb to the Hang Mua viewpoint.

Sapa, in the mountains near China, has rice terraces and hill tribe villages. The overnight train or a 5-hour bus from Hanoi gets you there.

Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue

Da Nang has a long city beach, the Dragon Bridge, which breathes fire on weekend nights, and the Marble Mountains.

Ba Na Hills, an hour away, has the Golden Bridge held up by two giant stone hands, a cable car and a French-style village. Go early. Crowds build by mid-morning.

Hoi An, 45 minutes from Da Nang, is a UNESCO-listed old trading port. Yellow houses, lanterns, the Japanese Covered Bridge and the river at night. Tailors make clothes in a day or two. Take a basket boat ride in the coconut forest at Cam Thanh.

Hue, the old imperial capital, has the citadel, royal tombs along the Perfume River and the Thien Mu pagoda. The Hai Van Pass drive from Da Nang to Hue is one of the most scenic roads in Asia.

Ho Chi Minh City and the south

Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon, is busy and modern. See the War Remnants Museum, the Independence Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office. Ben Thanh market for shopping.

The Cu Chi tunnels, 1 hour 30 minutes away, show how fighters lived underground during the war.

The Mekong Delta has floating markets, orchards and river villages. A day trip covers Cai Be or My Tho. An overnight stay lets you see the Cai Rang floating market at dawn.

Phu Quoc, an island in the Gulf of Thailand, has beaches, resorts and one of the longest cable cars in the world.

Food for Indian travellers

Vietnamese food is fresh and light, with herbs, rice noodles and broths. Pho, banh mi, spring rolls, bun cha and egg coffee are the must-tries.

Many dishes use fish sauce. Vegetarians say "an chay" for vegetarian food. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants, quan chay, are common in every city. Indian restaurants operate in Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City. Tell us your food needs and we brief the guides and hotels.

Money and connectivity

The currency is the Vietnamese dong. Carry some US dollars to exchange, and use ATMs in cities. Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants. Street food and markets need cash.

Local SIMs and eSIMs are cheap. Grab works for cars and motorbikes.

Our Vietnam packages

Prices start from ₹21,500 per person on twin sharing, excluding international flights. International prices use current exchange rates, and the final amount is confirmed at booking.

Practical tips

• Apply for the e-visa on the official portal only
• Cross roads slowly and steadily. Traffic flows around you
• Bargain in markets, not in shops with fixed prices
• Carry a light rain jacket in every season
• Dress modestly at pagodas and temples
• Book Halong Bay cruises early for December to April

Tell us your month. We pick the regions with the best weather for your dates.