Hostel, Old Quarter
Hostel
Vietnam End to End Backpacker - 8 Days (Hanoi Old Quarter, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Ba Na Hills & Hoi An)
Hanoi to Saigon in eight days, by way of Da Nang and Hoi An. The same cities on the overnight train and the sleeper bus instead of flights — two nights of the eight are spent moving, and the price reflects it.
The Long Stay Co.
Runs this trip
Group trips
Hanoi to Saigon in eight days, by way of Da Nang and Hoi An
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Hoan Kiem LakeShared shuttle in. Land in HanoiBriefing at 7 PM. Ha Long BayBack in Hanoi about 9 PM. Sung Sot Cave My Khe BeachThe train is the cheap way south and the reason this trip costs what it does. Night train south, or fly Golden BridgeOff the train and straight up the hill. Ba Na HillsBusier in the afternoon, and cheaper.
Itinerary
Shared shuttle in. Briefing at 7 PM.
Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi Old QuarterHow the day runs
- 1 hrsShared shuttle
- AccommodationHostel, four-bed dorm or twin room (Hostel, Old Quarter)
Included Activities
- Shared airport shuttle
- Hostel check-in and briefing
Optional Activities
- Bia hoi crawl
LANDMARKS Hoan Kiem Lake Start point Noi Bai Airport, Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), Soc Son, Hanoi 08:00 - 20:00A day trip. Back in Hanoi about 9 PM.
Hanoi Old Quarter, Ha Long BayHow the day runs
- 3 hrs6:30 AM — shared coach
- 12:00 PM — six hours on the water
- 3 hrs4:30 PM — coach back
- MealsLunch
- AccommodationHostel, four-bed dorm or twin room (Hostel, Old Quarter)
Included Activities
- Shared coach to the pier
- Full-day boat with lunch
- Sung Sot Cave entry
- Kayak hire
Optional Activities
- Overnight cabin upgrade, paid to the boat
LANDMARKS Ha Long Bay Sung Sot Cave The train is the cheap way south and the reason this trip costs what it does.
Hanoi Old Quarter, Da NangHow the day runs
- 0 hrs6:30 PM — to Hanoi railway station
- 16 hrs7:30 PM — the SE3 south, sixteen hours down the coast
- AccommodationSleeper train, four-berth soft sleeper (Sleeper train berth)
Included Activities
- Sleeper berth, Hanoi to Da Nang
- Transfer to Hanoi station
Optional Activities
- Fly instead of the train, difference payable
LANDMARKS My Khe Beach Off the train and straight up the hill. Busier in the afternoon, and cheaper.
Da Nang, Ba Na HillsHow the day runs
- 11:30 AM — arrive Da Nang, drop bags
- 1 hrs1:00 PM — up to the cable-car station
- 0 hrs2:00 PM — the long ride up
- AccommodationHostel, Da Nang, four-bed dorm or twin room (Hostel, Da Nang)
Included Activities
- Shared minibus to the cable car
- Ba Na Hills entry and cable car
Optional Activities
- Buffet lunch on the hill
- Alpine coaster
LANDMARKS Golden Bridge Ba Na Hills In by lunch. The old town ticket covers five heritage houses; pick your five.
Da Nang, Hoi AnHow the day runs
- 1 hrs10:00 AM — shared van down the coast
- AccommodationHostel, Hoi An, four-bed dorm or twin room (Hostel, Hoi An)
Included Activities
- Shared transfer to Hoi An
- Ancient Town entry ticket
Optional Activities
- Lantern boat on the river
- Tailor fitting
- Basket-boat trip
LANDMARKS Hoi An Ancient Town Japanese Covered Bridge A free day, then a long night. This is the leg people either love or upgrade.
Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh CityHow the day runs
- Free until 5 PM
- 19 hrs6:00 PM — the long one, nineteen hours
- AccommodationSleeper bus, reclining berth (Sleeper bus berth)
Included Activities
- Free day in Hoi An
- Sleeper bus berth to Ho Chi Minh City
Optional Activities
- Fly instead of the bus, difference payable
- Cooking class
LANDMARKS An Bang Beach Off the bus and out to Cu Chi the same afternoon.
Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi TunnelsHow the day runs
- 1:00 PM — arrive Saigon, drop bags
- 2 hrs2:00 PM — afternoon tunnel tour
- AccommodationHostel, District 1, four-bed dorm or twin room (Hostel, District 1)
Included Activities
- Shared minibus to Cu Chi
- Cu Chi Tunnels entry and guide
Optional Activities
- War Remnants Museum
- Mekong Delta day trip instead of Cu Chi
LANDMARKS Cu Chi Tunnels Ben Thanh Market War Remnants Museum Shuttle runs hourly from the hostel.
Ho Chi Minh City, Tan Son Nhat AirportHow the day runs
- 1 hrsShared shuttle, hourly
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Shared shuttle to the airport
- Day 1Shared airport shuttle
- Day 1Hostel check-in and briefing
- Day 1Bia hoi crawlCosts extra
- Day 2Shared coach to the pier
- Day 2Full-day boat with lunch
- Day 2Sung Sot Cave entry
- Day 2Kayak hire
- Day 2Overnight cabin upgrade, paid to the boatCosts extra
- Day 3Sleeper berth, Hanoi to Da Nang
- Day 3Transfer to Hanoi station
- Day 3Fly instead of the train, difference payableCosts extra
- Day 4Shared minibus to the cable car
- Day 4Ba Na Hills entry and cable car
- Day 4Buffet lunch on the hillCosts extra
- Day 4Alpine coasterCosts extra
- Day 5Shared transfer to Hoi An
- Day 5Ancient Town entry ticket
- Day 5Lantern boat on the riverCosts extra
- Day 5Tailor fittingCosts extra
- Day 5Basket-boat tripCosts extra
- Day 6Free day in Hoi An
- Day 6Sleeper bus berth to Ho Chi Minh City
- Day 6Fly instead of the bus, difference payableCosts extra
- Day 6Cooking classCosts extra
- Day 7Shared minibus to Cu Chi
- Day 7Cu Chi Tunnels entry and guide
- Day 7War Remnants MuseumCosts extra
- Day 7Mekong Delta day trip instead of Cu ChiCosts extra
- Day 8Shared shuttle to the airport
- Day 1Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi Old QuarterShared shuttle
- Day 2Hanoi Old Quarter to Ha Long Bay6:30 AM — shared coach
- Day 2Ha Long Bay to Hanoi Old Quarter4:30 PM — coach back
- Day 3Hanoi Old Quarter to Hanoi Old Quarter6:30 PM — to Hanoi railway station
- Day 3Hanoi Old Quarter to Da Nang7:30 PM — the SE3 south, sixteen hours down the coast
- Day 4Da Nang to Da Nang11:30 AM — arrive Da Nang, drop bags
- Day 4Da Nang to Ba Na Hills1:00 PM — up to the cable-car station
- Day 5Da Nang to Hoi An10:00 AM — shared van down the coast
- Day 7Ho Chi Minh City to Cu Chi Tunnels2:00 PM — afternoon tunnel tour
- Day 8Ho Chi Minh City to Tan Son Nhat AirportShared shuttle, hourly
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Sleeper train berth
Sleeper train
Hostel, Da Nang
Hostel
Hostel, Hoi An
Hostel
Sleeper bus berth
Sleeper train
Hostel, District 1
Hostel
What you'll eat
1 lunch across 8 days, named in the day plan.
- LunchServed on day 2
1 meal service named in the itinerary. Share allergies and dietary needs with the operator before you book.
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.5/5
Based on 4 reviews
Review summary
Food4.0/5
Guide3.8/5
Itinerary4.8/5
Transport4.5/5
Accommodation4.0/5
Tour operator4.0/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
K
Karan Shah – Lucknow2025-02-06 · Verified booking
Vietnam done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. Crew were professional without being stiff about it. Good value for what's included.
Reply from The Long Stay Co.
Thanks for writing this up. We've passed your note to the team.
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3
A
Aditi Rao – Jaipur2025-02-06 · Verified booking
Hotels were a step below what I expected for the price. Guides answered every question, including the daft ones.
Reply from The Long Stay Co.
Thanks for writing this up. We've passed your note to the team.
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5
A
Ananya Gupta – Ahmedabad2025-02-06 · Verified booking
Well paced over 8 days with enough free time to not feel herded. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. Recommended.
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5
S
Sameer Khan – Kochi2025-02-06 · Verified booking
Everything was arranged properly — transfers, entries, all of it. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. Recommended.
Reply from The Long Stay Co.
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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Questions people ask
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