Thinking of traveling to Vietnam solo but don’t know where to start? I spent 6 days exploring Da Nang, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City, and packed the trip with a mix of famous attractions, food trips, coffee crawls, cultural experiences, shopping, and a little bit of adventure.
What I loved most about this trip was how different each destination felt. Da Nang gave me beaches, mountains, and Ba Na Hills; Hoi An brought the charm of its ancient streets and lantern-lit evenings; while Ho Chi Minh City was all about history, food, shopping, and the energy of a busy Vietnamese metropolis.
Here’s my complete itinerary if you want to steal it for your own Vietnam adventure!
🇻🇳 DAY 1 — DA NANG + BA NA HILLS
My Vietnam adventure started with an early arrival at Da Nang International Airport at 7:39 AM.
From the airport, I booked a Grab car going straight to Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills to check in and leave my things before starting my Ba Na Hills adventure.
One of the highlights was riding the Guinness World Record-holding cable car up to Ba Na Hills. The journey itself was already an experience, with incredible mountain views along the way.
I spent the day exploring French Village, Eclipse Plaza, Golden Bridge, Lunar Castle, Fantasy Park, Linh Ung Pagoda, the temples, Popmart, Beer Plaza, Sun Kraft Beer, and Helios Waterfall.
And, of course, I had to experience the Golden Bridge at sunset.
After dinner at Kungfu Viet Noodle, I joined a Ba Na Hills by Night Walk Tour. Staying overnight at Ba Na Hills made the experience even more special because I got to see the mountain resort after most day-trippers had already left.
WHAT TO BOOK:
- Hotel: Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills
- Cable Car: Bana Hills Cable Car
- Alpine Coaster Entrance Ticket: Alpine Coaster
🌊 DAY 2 — MORE OF DA NANG
I started Day 2 with an early breakfast at Eric Kayser Paris before continuing my exploration of Ba Na Hills.
I revisited some of the attractions I didn't get enough time to see the previous day, including Golden Bridge, Starbucks, Le Jardin D'Amour Gardens, and the Big Buddha.
I also tried the Alpine Coaster, which was definitely one of the more fun parts of the trip.
After checking out of Mercure, I headed back to Da Nang and checked in at Blue Ocean Hotel Beachside.
The rest of the day became a food-and-sightseeing adventure.
I tried what I called the cheesiest Banh Mi at Qua Da Nang, followed by the Giant Matcha at Daungot Caphe.
Then I visited The Marble Mountains and continued to Son Tra Marina before having dinner at Com Ha Noi.
WHAT TO BOOK:
- Hotel: Blue Ocean Beachside Hotel Danang
- Da Nang Day Trip: Day Trip
🏮 DAY 3 — DA NANG + HOI AN
Day 3 started with an early walk along My Khe Beach.
After breakfast and coffee at Tiem Ca Phe, I took a Grab to Hoi An.
The best way to experience Hoi An, for me, was simply to walk around. I explored the Hoi An Ancient Town, admired the colorful old buildings, and visited several photogenic spots around the city.
Of course, I also had to experience the famous Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride, which cost around ₱245.
Then came my Hoi An coffee crawl:
- MOT Hoi An
- Faifo Coffee
- From Hoi An With Love
I also had lunch at Morning Glory Original before continuing my photo hunt around Hoi An.
Some of the spots I visited included Hulala Shop, Huong Nhoc, Lantern Photo Booth, Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, the Japanese Bridge, Sa Huyn Cultural Museum, Ba Mu Temple, Thu Bon River, Tiem Ca Phe, and Starbucks Coffee.
I grabbed a Banh Mi snack at Madam Khanh, then returned to the ancient town at night for the lantern-lit atmosphere.
One of the highlights was the Hoi An lantern boat ride, where I released a lantern onto the river. The experience cost around ₱308.
After dinner at QQ Restaurant, I took a Grab back to Da Nang.
WHAT TO BOOK:
- Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Experience in Hoi An
- Boat Ride Ticket and Release Lantern at Hoai river in Hoi An
- Memories Show with Hoi An Impression Theme Park
✈️ DAY 4 — DA NANG TO HO CHI MINH CITY
Day 4 meant leaving Da Nang and heading south to Ho Chi Minh City.
After an early checkout from Blue Ocean Hotel Beachside, I took a Grab to Da Nang Airport and caught my flight to Ho Chi Minh City. I arrived at around 9:00 AM, left my luggage at Kin Hotel Thi Sach Edition, and immediately started exploring.
First stop: lunch at Pho VietNam, followed by a stroll through Ben Thanh Market.
I also made time for a coffee break at Cheese Coffee before doing a walking tour around some of the city's most recognizable landmarks:
Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, Nguyen Hue Walking Street, and Ho Chi Minh Book Street.
I spent part of the afternoon shopping before checking in at Kin Hotel at around 2:00 PM.
At night, I joined a Hop-On Hop-Off Night Bus Tour, which cost approximately ₱299.
I also visited the famous Cafe Apartment, had dinner at 21 Grams Vegetarian Restaurant, and ended the day with a relaxing private Onsen experience at WAV.
WHAT TO BOOK:
- KiN Hotel Thi Sach Edition DISCOUNT CODE: KOL-XPLOREDD
- Ho Chi Minh City Sightseeing Double-Decker
- Ho Chi Minh Day Tour
🕳️ DAY 5 — HO CHI MINH CITY + CU CHI TUNNELS
Day 5 was dedicated to discovering more of Ho Chi Minh City's culture and history.
After breakfast at Kin Hotel, I visited the iconic Pink Church, officially known as Tan Dinh Church.
I then stopped for coffee at Ngam Coffeeshop before heading to Ben Thanh Market for a little shopping.
One of my more unique experiences was getting a suit fitted at Houng Tailor in Ben Thanh Market.
After lunch at De Tham Restaurant, I headed out for a half-day tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels.
The tour cost approximately ₱845 and gave me a glimpse into one of the most significant historical sites connected to the Vietnam War.
After returning to the city, I had dinner back at the hotel and called it a day.
WHAT TO BOOK:
🏙️ DAY 6 — HO CHI MINH CITY + DEPARTURE
My final day in Vietnam started with another breakfast buffet at Kin Hotel.
I spent the morning visiting two important historical attractions: Independence Palace and the War Remnants Museum.
After the sightseeing, I squeezed in some last-minute shopping at Takashimaya, The New Playground, and Waa Studios.
I also picked up some pasalubong at Coop Mart and Saigon Square before checking out of the hotel.
Since I had a suit made at Houng Tailor earlier in the trip, I returned to Ben Thanh Market to pick it up.
Before heading to the airport, I joined a street food and sightseeing tour, which cost approximately ₱1,054.
Then it was finally time to grab my bags, head to the airport, and fly back to Manila.
WHAT TO BOOK:
✈️ MY 6-DAY VIETNAM ROUTE AT A GLANCE
Day 1: Da Nang Airport → Ba Na Hills → Golden Bridge → French Village → Ba Na Hills at Night
Day 2: Ba Na Hills → Golden Bridge → Alpine Coaster → Da Nang → Marble Mountains → Son Tra Marina
Day 3: My Khe Beach → Hoi An Ancient Town → Coconut Forest → Coffee Crawl → Lantern Boat Ride → Da Nang
Day 4: Da Nang → Ho Chi Minh City → Ben Thanh Market → City Walking Tour → Night Bus → Cafe Apartment → Onsen
Day 5: Pink Church → Coffee → Ben Thanh Market → Tailor → Cu Chi Tunnels
Day 6: Independence Palace → War Remnants Museum → Shopping → Street Food Tour → Airport → Manila
💡 WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS ITINERARY?
Absolutely.
Six days may sound short for Vietnam, but this route gave me a good mix of nature, culture, history, food, shopping, coffee, and nightlife.
If you're traveling solo, Da Nang is a great starting point because the city is relatively easy to navigate and gives you access to attractions like Ba Na Hills, Marble Mountains, Son Tra, and Hoi An.
Hoi An is perfect for slowing down, wandering around, taking photos, eating, and drinking coffee.
Then there's Ho Chi Minh City, which is completely different. It's busier, louder, faster, and packed with history, restaurants, cafes, shopping spots, and things to do.
The biggest lesson from this trip?
You don't need to wait for someone to travel with you.
Sometimes, the best way to see a new country is to simply book the flight, plan your route, and go.
So if you've been thinking about a solo Vietnam trip, steal this itinerary and make it your own.
Da Nang → Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City.
Six days. One country. Countless memories. 🇻🇳
Explore smarter. Travel better.