Luxury Vietnam holidays work best as a north-to-south journey through a country with three separate climates. The classic route starts in Hanoi with an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay. It continues to the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An and ends in Ho Chi Minh City or on a southern beach. This guide covers the route, the prices on our current Vietnam holidays, the weather region by region and the entry and health rules for UK travellers.
Quick answer
Prices start from £1,199pp including return flights for 7 nights on Phu Quoc. Multi-centre tours cost more, and each is priced in our table below. March and April suit a full-country route best. UK passport holders get 45 days visa-free. ATOL 10713 protected.
- Flight time from London
- About 12 hours nonstop Heathrow to Hanoi, about 12 hours 45 minutes to Ho Chi Minh City. One-stop routes take longer.
- Time difference
- 7 hours ahead of the UK in winter, 6 hours ahead during British Summer Time.
- Currency
- Vietnamese dong (VND).
- Passport
- At least 6 months’ validity from arrival and 2 blank pages.
- Main airports
- Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc.
How to plan a north-to-south luxury Vietnam holiday
Vietnam is long and narrow, so the sensible shape is a straight line. Fly into Hanoi, work south with short domestic flights, and fly home from Ho Chi Minh City or via the beach. Doubling back north adds a flight and a lost half-day. Our two longest routes follow this direction. The split below is one way a specialist would pace it.
| Stop | Suggested nights | What the time covers |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | 2 to 3 | Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, one evening of street food. |
| Ha Long Bay | 1 to 2 on board | Cruise, kayaking, caves (see below for the choice). |
| Hoi An and Da Nang | 3 to 7 | Ancient Town, tailors, My Son, beach time. |
| Hue (optional) | 1 to 2 | Imperial Citadel and the royal tombs. |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 2 to 3 | City sights, Cu Chi tunnels, a Mekong Delta day. |
| Beach finish | 4 to 7 | Phu Quoc, Mui Ne or Da Nang. |
Hanoi
The capital is the natural arrival point for the nonstop flight. Base yourself in or near the Old Quarter so the lake and the food streets are a walk away. The Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and home to Vietnam’s first national university, is the one cultural stop not to skip. On our Heritage and Horizon Tour the Hanoi nights are at Hotel de l’Opera. Travellers on the shorter Hanoi and Hoi An trip stay at The Oriental Jade.
Ha Long Bay: one night or two?
Treat one overnight cruise as the minimum. Day trips from Hanoi spend most of their time on the road, and you miss the bay at dusk and dawn. A second night can let the boat move on to quieter bays once the one-night passengers have gone back to port.
Ha Long Bay was listed by UNESCO in 1994. In 2023 the site was extended to become Ha Long Bay–Cat Ba Archipelago, Vietnam’s first World Heritage site to cross provincial lines. The FCDO warns that overcrowding and poor safety standards have caused boat accidents here. Choose a licensed operator with proper safety equipment. The Indochine Cruise has junior suites with balconies. Peony Cruises and Capella Cruise are the Ha Long nights on our Discovery and Heritage and Horizon tours.
Hoi An and Da Nang
Hoi An Ancient Town is about 50 minutes by road from Da Nang International Airport. Since 1 July 2025, when Quang Nam province merged into Da Nang, Hoi An has formally been part of Da Nang city. On the ground little has changed: the Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky House and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall are still the core of a morning’s walk.
My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO-listed complex of Cham temples, sits about 40 km inland and makes an easy half-day. Hotel choice decides how the stay feels. Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness hosts the seven Hoi An nights on our Hanoi and Hoi An Escape. Almanity Hoi An Resort & Spa is a five-star wellness resort in Hoi An.
Hue
The former imperial capital sits between Hoi An and the north, and it is where Vietnam’s last dynasty built its citadel and riverside tombs. It is optional on shorter trips but included on both our 16-night routes, with Pilgrimage Village Resort & Spa on one and Silk Path Grand Hue on the other.
Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta
Saigon, as most locals still call it, is faster and more commercial than Hanoi. Two nights cover the War Remnants Museum, the Central Post Office, Ben Thanh Market and a half-day at the Cu Chi tunnels. A day on the Mekong Delta, by boat through the canals and orchards, is the southern counterpart to Ha Long Bay. It is built into the Luxury Vietnam Discovery Tour, which ends in the city at Alagon D’Antique Hotel. On the north-to-south Vietnam tour, the Saigon nights are at Mia Saigon.
Phu Quoc and the beaches
Phu Quoc is an island in the Gulf of Thailand with its own international airport, which makes it the easiest beach to add at the end. Our Phu Quoc beach holiday uses the Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Bai Dai Beach on the north-west coast. New World Phu Quoc Resort is the beach stay on our Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Phu Quoc route.
Two mainland alternatives work well. Mui Ne, a few hours by road from Ho Chi Minh City, has sand dunes and steady wind for kitesurfing, and The Anam Mui Ne closes our 16-night discovery tour. Da Nang’s long city beach is the easiest option for a Hoi An-centred trip. Meliá Danang Beach Resort has direct beach access and finishes our Hanoi, Ha Long Bay cruise, Hoi An and Da Nang holiday.
Cambodia and the temples of Angkor are a separate trip in their own right, covered in our Vietnam and Cambodia tours. For Vietnam paired with other parts of Asia, see our guide to multi-centre holidays from the UK. Couples choosing between Vietnam and other honeymoon options can compare them in our honeymoon destinations guide.
How much does a luxury Vietnam holiday cost from the UK?
Every Vietnam holiday below is priced by cabin, so return flights from the UK are included in the figure. Prices are the lowest per-person figure from October 2026 onwards.
| Holiday | Route | Nights | Economy from | Business from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi and Hoi An Escape | Hanoi, Hoi An beach | 10 | £1,599pp | £4,689pp |
| Hanoi and Phu Quoc | Hanoi, Ha Long Bay cruise, Phu Quoc | 11 | £2,399pp | £5,449pp |
| Luxury Vietnam Discovery Tour | Hanoi, Pu Luong, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City | 12 | £2,399pp | Not listed |
| Heritage and Horizon Tour | Hanoi, Mu Cang Chai, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City | 16 | £3,289pp | £5,899pp |
The Hanoi and Phu Quoc route also offers Premium Economy from £3,259pp. Three things move the price most: the month you travel, the cabin you fly in, and any nights you add. The two longest routes cost more because they add domestic flights, extra guiding and a second region such as the northern mountains. A UK specialist confirms the price for your dates before you pay anything.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
Vietnam has no single dry season. The north has a cool winter, the centre gets its heaviest rain in autumn, and the south is warm all year with a clear wet and dry split. Pick your months by the regions that matter most to you.
| Region | Best months | Wettest months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| North (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay) | April to June, September to November | June to August, hot | Cool December to March, with Hanoi lows near 10°C. |
| Central (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang) | March to August | September to February, with storms and flooding | July can reach 35°C. Flooding is most common in October and November. |
| South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta) | December to April | May to November | Around 30°C in the dry season. Wet-season rain tends to fall in short afternoon bursts. |
| Phu Quoc | December and January | July to September | The island’s calmest, driest spell comes early in the dry season. |
The FCDO lists May to November as tropical storm season across the country. Storms can close Ha Long Bay to cruise boats at short notice and disrupt domestic flights. Build a spare day into any autumn route that includes the bay.
Flying to Vietnam from the UK
Vietnam Airlines is the only airline flying nonstop between the UK and Vietnam. It operates from Heathrow Terminal 4 to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft. Weekly frequencies change between the summer and winter schedules, so the day you fly can depend on the season.
One-stop routes connect through Gulf or Asian hubs and add several hours. They can make sense if you live closer to Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh than to Heathrow. The FCDO currently notes airspace closures and delays on some routes that transit the Middle East, so check your connection before travel.
For Vietnam holidays from the UK, the most efficient pattern is an open-jaw ticket: arrive in Hanoi and fly home from Ho Chi Minh City. Our Hanoi and Phu Quoc route is the one holiday that names Vietnam Airlines as its partner airline.
What UK travellers need to know before going
- Passport condition. Travellers have been refused entry with damaged passports, and you must enter and leave on the same one. Never hand your passport over as a deposit or guarantee, for example when hiring a scooter.
- Arrival card. A digital arrival card has been encouraged since 15 April 2026. It is not yet mandatory.
- Vapes. E-cigarettes and vapes are banned in Vietnam, including bringing them into the country. Leave them at home.
- Drugs. Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the death penalty.
- Photography. Do not photograph military bases or installations. Signs are not always obvious, so ask your guide if unsure.
- Money. Carry some dong in small notes for markets, taxis and smaller towns.
Arrange travel insurance with full medical cover when you book, not in the week before you fly.
