Phở Thìn
PHỞBeef fried on the wok in front of the broth — other than classic beef.
Trip planner
March 2026
Việt Nam Vietnam 2026
From Hanoi’s streets and Hạ Long Bay through imperial Hue and silk-town Hội An to the pulse of Ho Chi Minh City — sixteen days, five faces of Vietnam. Itinerary, maps, food, and practical tips.
Timeline
Trip itinerary
16 days, five regions — below the calendar, food and maps.
🏯
Hanoi
1–4 March1 Sun Arrival, Old Quarter, phở
2 Mon Mauzoleum HCM (godziny!), Hỏa Lò, kawa
3 Tue West Lake, temples — prep for the bay
4 Wed Transfer to Hạ Long (bus / tour)
⛵
Zatoka Hạ Long
5–6 March1–2 day cruise: rock pillars, kayak, boat night or hotel on Cat Bà Island — compare offices and reviews.
🏛️
Hue
7–8 MarchFlight or train from the north — citadel, imperial tombs, imperial cuisine (bún bò Huế).
🏮
Hội An & Da Nang
9–12 March9 Thu Arrive from Hue (Hải Vân), old town
10 Fri Krawcy, latarnie, kuchnia centralna
11 Sat An Bàng beach / bike to a village
12 Sun Marble Mountains or chill before the flight south
🌆
Ho Chi Minh + delta
13–16 March13 Mon Lot do SGN, Ben Thanh, kolonialne centrum
14 Tue War Remnants Museum, Chinatown
15 Wed Mekong day trip (Cai Be / Ben Tre)
16 Thu Wylot z Tan Son Nhat
1–4 March
Hanoi
A thousand years of history in a labyrinth of 36 alleys — a morning coffee with a raw egg and a scooter piston that you will love or hate.
Map: OpenStreetMap + Leaflet. Coloured dots — click for the name. Scroll zoom is off. Use Google Maps from the links below.
📍 What to see
Old Quarter (36 guild streets)
A walk around the craft districts — each street had its own specialty.
Temple of Literature
Peace amidst the chaos; easy to connect with the lake.
Hỏa Lò
"Hilton Hanoi" — a difficult history, an important context of the war.
Must-try
🍜
Phở bò / gà
Bone broth, rice noodles, herbs.
☕
Cà phê trứng
Whipped coffee with egg — sweet creaminess.
🥖
Bánh mì
Colonial baguette with paste, meat, pickles.
🍺
Bia hơi
Fresh beer from the keg — plastic stools on the sidewalk.
🍽️ Where to eat — Hanoi
Café Giảng
KAWALegend cà phê tr .ng in the old backyard.
Bún chả (Huong Liên)
GRILLGrilled meat in sauce with rice noodles — "Obama combo".
Bánh mì 25
BAGIETKAA queue at the Old Town — crispy skin.
Fish in turmeric in a pan at the table — a specialty of Hanoi.
Quán Ăn Ngon
DEGUSTACJAMultiple stands in one garden — a good overview of the kitchen.
Zatoka Hạ Long
UNESCO — thousands of limestone islands. 4h / 1 day / 2 days cruises; avoid the cheapest deals without a clear program.
On the boat
- Kajak w lagunach (Hang Luồn, itp.)
- Meeting at sunset on the deck of the junkyard
- Check if seafood is included
Food
On board you often get set menus; in Hạ Long City try chả mực (squid cake) and fresh seafood by the harbour.
Nem hải sản — sajgonki z owocami morza.
Bún hải sản — zupa z makaronem i owocami morza.
7–8 March
Hue
The former capital — the Nguyen citadel, tombs on the Perfume River and the sharpest bún bò in the country.
Sightseeing
- Đại Nội — Imperial City (lots of walking).
- Tomby — Minh Mạng, Khải Định — wybierz 1–2.
- Thien Mu — pagoda on the river.
Smaki Hue
Bún bò Huế, cơm hến (rice with baby clams), bánh khoái (thicker bánh xèo–style pancake), royal sweets.
Where to eat
Bún bò Ô Cầm
ZUPASelf-service, strong broth — as the locals like it.
Madam Thu
DEGUSTACJAA set of small Hue dishes.
Hạnh — bánh khoái
PLACEKCrispy cake with shrimp and sprouts.
9–12 March
Hội An
UNESCO silk port — yellow walls, lanterns, tailors in 24 hours and food that connects Vietnam with China and Japan.
OSM + Leaflet: click a marker. Reach An Bàng beach by bike or taxi.
Cao lầu
Pasta "only here" — water from the well and ash.
Mì Quảng
Pasta with chicken / shrimp, small broth.
Bánh mì Phượng
The famous baguette — Anthony Bourdain.
White rose dumplings
Bánh bao / bánh vạc — delicate dumplings.
Morning Glory
KLASYKACentral kitchen in an atmospheric interior.
Bánh mì Phượng
BAGIETKAWorth the wait in line.
Central Market
TARGCao lầu, wonton — cheap at the stalls.
Nữ Eatery
MODERNLighter interpretations of local flavors.
The Chef
OWOCE MORZAFresh dishes from the daily menu.
Ho Chi Minh (Sajgon)
Motorbikes, towers, and phở at 6 a.m. — a city that rarely sleeps. From here, a short hop to the Mekong Delta.
City
Ben Thanh, post office, cathedral, walk around District 1 — pay attention to pickpockets along tourist trails.
Delta
Ben Tre / Cai Be — palm boats, candied coconut, lunch at the hosts'.
Must-try & picks
Phở — light northern broth vs deeper southern style.
Bánh xèo — crispy pancake with bean sprouts.
Hủ tiếu — Chinese-style noodles in broth.
Classic soup on Pasteur.
Contemporary Vietnamese cuisine, vintage posters.
Bánh xèo 46A
PLACEKMouth and herbs — a typical evening.
Cơm tấm
RICE"Broken" rice with grilled ribs and egg.
Zadaszony food court przy markecie.
Practical tips
Visa, money, transportation, applications
🛂 Wiza i wjazd
Check current visa exemption / e-visa rules for Polish passport holders — they change from time to time.
Passport usually needs 6+ months validity.
💵 Money
VND — big numbers; count the zeros. Cards in hotels and malls, cash on the street.
ATMs in cities; commissions depend on the bank.
🛵 Transport
Grab (moto + auto) — cena z aplikacji. Przejazdy krajowe: Vietnam Railways, loty krajowe (Hanoi–Da Nang–SGN).
Crossing the street — a steady, slow step; scooters bypass.
📱 Aplikacje
Grab, Google Maps, offline translator; AirVisual for air quality (Hanoi can be smoggy).
🍽️ Food
They cook on the street in front of you — choose places with rotation. “Không cay” = no sharp. Bottled water.
Glossary — Vietnamese (PL / EN)
The tone of the North vs. South language is sometimes different; below are universal tourist phrases.
Xin chào
„sin czao”
EN Hello.
Cảm ơn
„kam on”
EN Thank you.
Xin lỗi
„sin loy”
EN Sorry / excuse me.
Bao nhiêu tiền?
„bao nieu tien”
EN How much?
Không cay
„chom kaj”
EN Not spicy.
Tính tiền
„tin tien”
EN Bill, please.
Ngon quá
„ngon kua”
EN So delicious!
Tôi không hiểu
„toj chom hieu”
EN I don’t understand.
Kitchen words
Phở
Rice noodle soup.
Bún
Thin rice noodles in broth.
Bánh mì
Filled baguette — Vietnamese sandwich.
Nước mắm
Fish sauce — the backbone of savoury flavour.
Trà đá
Iced tea — often free in cafés.
Đá / không đá
With ice / no ice.