Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days
Seven days in the south, because January weather is not the same from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. North is cold, the center can be wet, the south is dry.
About This Destination
Vietnam in January is three climates. The north, including Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and Sapa, is cool to cold and often gray. Hanoi is commonly about 12–18°C, and Sapa is colder. The center, including Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An, is past the worst of the autumn rain but is not a reliable dry season. Flooding risk is lower than in October and November and is not zero. The south is the dry season: Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and Phu Quoc are hot and mostly sunny.
This Vietnam itinerary 7 days therefore stays in the south. It does not try to “do Vietnam.” Daylight is about 11.5 hours. Reserve the Ho Chi Minh City hotel, the Phu Quoc hotel, and the one-hour flight between them. Paradise Pilot does not book the flight or the rooms.
Trip Overview
Pace
Moderate
Budget
Mid-range
Build this trip
Open the planner with Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc already filled in, then choose your dates.
Plan a Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc itinerary
Day-by-day itinerary outline
- Day 1
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City
Land at Tan Son Nhat and go to District 1. The airport is about 30 to 45 minutes by taxi when traffic allows. No museum today.
- Day 2
District 1 on foot
Reunification Palace in the morning, then one museum, then indoors for the heat. These sites are a short taxi apart, not a hike.
- Day 3
Mekong Delta day trip to My Tho
Out and back in one day. Leave by 07:30. My Tho is about 1.5 to 2 hours by road. Do not fly to Phu Quoc today.
- Day 4
Fly to Phu Quoc
A one-hour flight, then the beach you are staying on. No island tour today.
- Day 5
Sao Beach
Sao Beach is in the southeast, about 30 to 40 minutes by taxi from Duong Dong. Go in the morning and leave before the wind picks up.
- Day 6
Hon Thom cable car
The cable car to Hon Thom runs from the south of the island. Allow 45 minutes by taxi from Duong Dong, more from the far north. Check it is running.
- Day 7
Fly out of Phu Quoc or back through Ho Chi Minh City
Use a direct international flight if you have one. Otherwise fly to Ho Chi Minh City and connect. No new beach.
Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days planning questions
Where should I go in Vietnam in January?
The south. Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and Phu Quoc are in the dry season. Hanoi and Sapa are cold and often gray. Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An can still be wet. This week does not include them.
Can I add Hoi An or Hanoi to these seven days?
Not without dropping Phu Quoc or the Mekong day. Each of those is a flight. Seven days is two bases, not three regions.
How do I get to Phu Quoc?
Fly from Tan Son Nhat (SGN) to Phu Quoc. About one hour in the air. Book it. The ferry from Ha Tien is a different trip and does not fit this week.
What should I reserve ahead?
Both hotels and the domestic flight. The Mekong day can be a reserved minibus or a car you hire that morning. This site does not book them.