Our Vietnam with kids itinerary was for 2 weeks as a family of two adults and two children aged 12 and 9. We booked return flights from Melbourne to Hanoi. Vietnam had been on my list of countries to visit for a long time, but it had felt a little too out of the comfort zone for some of us. That may also be the reason why Vietnam was one of our best trips as a family.
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Which part of Vietnam to visit with kids?
Choosing where to go in Vietnam can be hard because the country is quite spread out. This means lots of travel time getting from one end to the other. We don’t like to spend too much time getting from place to place when travelling with kids. We are also often limited on time, in this case, we had two weeks for a family trip to Vietnam.
The weather also plays a part in deciding which area of Vietnam to visit. The North and South experience different weather patterns. I wanted to visit Hoi An, but the timing of our trip meant it would fall in the rainy season with the risk of typhoons.
With only two weeks, we knew we should focus our time in one area for a better quality trip. We will just have to return to Vietnam to see the other areas. For this 2-week Vietnam itinerary with kids, we chose to visit Northern Vietnam.
We also considered visiting Halong Bay, but decided that seeing the limestone karst mountains on land in Ninh Binh was more our style. This was the right decision for our family. The travelling to and from Halong Bay would’ve meant less time elsewhere. We loved the scenery in Ninh Binh and being able to stroll around the area.
What time of year to visit Vietnam with kids
As I mentioned above, Vietnam experiences different weather patterns across the North, Central and South. Each area has a rainy season, which is what we wanted to avoid. I know that there can be nice days in these seasons too, but we didn’t want the risk of typhoons, landslides and a 2-week family holiday full of rainy days.
The months with the most rainfall are: North – July to September, Central – October & November, South – June to August.
If you are flexible with when you can visit Vietnam, then you can choose the area you most want to visit and work around the weather. For us, a family trip worked best in November, which is why we chose to make a Northern Vietnam itinerary with kids. We had fantastic weather across the whole trip.
How many days in Vietnam with kids?
Is 2 weeks enough time for a family trip to Vietnam? We try to make our family trips at least 2 weeks long. With work and school, we were able to spare just enough time for our Vietnam travels, having already visited Japan earlier in the year.
We divided our 2 weeks across three places, and this worked well for us. It gave us enough time in each place to see the sights and do the things we wanted. There was also time to relax in the hotter parts of the afternoon and swim in the pool. Our favourite thing to do when travelling in new places is simply walking around, exploring the area. This two-week Vietnam itinerary allowed us time to do that.
There are, of course, other parts of Vietnam we would love to visit, but we’re happy to save them for a future trip. I’m glad we focused this itinerary on seeing Northern Vietnam with our kids. Two weeks felt like a decent amount of time for seeing this area of the country. If 10-14 days is all you can spare for a trip to Vietnam, I think it’s still worth it!
How to get around Vietnam with kids
During our time in Vietnam, we used private drivers (booked through accommodation), local taxis, Grab and a long-distance bus. In each place, most of our sightseeing was done by walking. We love strolling along the streets and taking in everything around us. It is our favourite way to see a place and get around.
This trip was our first time packing carry-on only as a family. We each had a small backpack with our own items and clothes. Not having to drag a suitcase was a game-changer. Backpacking in Vietnam with kids was a great experience.
Vietnam with kids itinerary – 2 weeks
Day 1: Arrival
Our flight was due to land in Hanoi at 1:30 pm. I thought this would be plenty of time to arrive, get the car to Ninh Binh, check in and have some time to explore the area. In reality, our flight was slightly delayed, and then we had to pick up a SIM card and get some cash. By the time we left the airport, it was about 3 pm. The traffic was incredibly slow, and by the time we reached our Ninh Binh accommodation, it was after 6 pm. We checked into Hang Lan Bungalow and enjoyed a delicious meal of pho at the open-air restaurant.
Days 2 – 4: Ninh Binh
We spent 3 full days in Ninh Binh. Our days were spent sightseeing at Hang Mua Cave, Bich Dong Pagoda and a Trang An boat tour. There was also a lot of walking around, viewing local neighbourhoods, and eating yummy food. The pool at our accommodation was perfect for afternoon swims.
We loved the location of Hang Lan Bungalow amongst the towering limestone karst mountains and farmland. The scenery in Ninh Binh was stunning, and we are so glad we chose to add it to our Vietnam family itinerary.
Read: our 3-day Ninh Binh itinerary.
Day 5: Ninh Binh to Hanoi
After breakfast, we walked around the area and flew the drone over Hang Lan Bungalow. The kids swam in the pool, and we watched as the straw roof from a bungalow was removed and added to a fire. The roof would be replaced with new straw, a process that happens every few years.
The manager had booked a driver to take us to Hanoi. Before we left, we enjoyed some crispy veg spring rolls. We gave the driver the address for our apartment in Hanoi, and the drive went smoothly.
Day 5: Hanoi
We had a full day in Hanoi, strolling through the streets of the Old Quarter, visiting Hoan Kiem Lake, and admiring St. Joseph’s Cathedral. We also visited the Vietnamese Women’s Museum. Our accommodation was an Airbnb apartment located near the French Quarter. Read: 3 days in Hanoi.
Day 6: taking a bus in Vietnam with kids
Bus ride from Hanoi to Sapa
This day was spent travelling from Hanoi to Sapa and then on to our accommodation in Ta Van. We booked a bus through G8 Open Tours for 10 am. Earlier in the morning, we received an email saying the driver would be at the location and leaving at 9:30 am. We arrived with minutes to spare, and the bus left at 9:35 am.
Tim and I put our backpacks under the bus, and the kids kept theirs with them. I carried on a tote bag and we snuck some snacks onboard. You are given a plastic bag to put your shoes in before boarding the bus. They had our names on a list and we were shown to our booked seats. The bus has two levels of bunk bed-style seating. We had all chosen a top seat. For anyone who suffers from car sickness, I recommend you choose a seat on the floor level.
In your seating area, you will find a screen with a USB plug, controls for reclining the seat and raising the leg area, a remote for the massage chair options and a curtain that can be pulled across the aisle side. Each seat also had a blanket, a cushion and a bottle of water. There is an air con vent that you can move or close.
The bus stopped twice at open-air buildings that had hot food and snacks. The toilets cost 3,000VND and seemed clean and had hand soap. Be sure to grab some toilet paper from the attendant when you pay.
The bus arrived outside the main Sapa town area. The company offered us a driver to our accommodation, but we declined, choosing to walk into Sapa first.
Sapa town to Ta Van
We weren’t staying in Sapa town, so we took some time to wander around and view the area. It was very busy with tourists, and we were glad we decided to stay away. We ate wood-fired pizza in a restaurant and then went to a convenience store to buy some snacks and water. A parked taxi driver agreed to take us to Ta Van for 300,000 VND, which was a little more than G8 tours offered.
Day 7 – 9: Ta Van
We spent 3 full days in Ta Van. Our reason for visiting Sapa was to go trekking through the rice fields and enjoy the mountain views. This is why we chose to stay outside of Sapa town in the smaller village of Ta Van. Unfortunately, Tim had a terrible migraine during our stay. While he rested, the kids and I sat outside on the terrace, reading our ebooks and watching the clouds move across the mountains.
Two of our days were spent trekking. We walked on tracks in the rice fields, up mountains and through villages. These were the longest distances our kids have ever walked, but they never complained about how long we were walking for. It was such a wonderful experience to trek the Sapa paths together as a family.
We also enjoyed dining in the local cafes and restaurants during our stay in Ta Van.
Day 10: Bus from Sapa to Hanoi
Our bus back to Hanoi was also with G8 Open Tours. It was the same style of lie-down seating, but an older model than the first bus. The seat adjustment was two lever buttons rather than a digital panel. Tim’s seat was stuck in an upright position, and the buttons didn’t work. The bus wasn’t full, so they moved him to a different seat.
We stopped at the same two places as on our first journey. At the larger 2nd stop, we all got off and chose an ice cream to eat while waiting. There were lots of different packaged snacks to buy. As the bus was coming into Hanoi, we weren’t sure why, but it pulled over and stopped for a long time. We arrived at our stop more than an hour later than planned.
Day 11 & 12: Hanoi
With another two full days in Hanoi, we spent more time wandering around the city. We also visited some main sights such as the Temple of Literature, the water puppet theatre and the famous train street. The area around Hoan Kiem Lake was a favourite spot, as on weekends the roads are closed to traffic, creating a set of walking streets. We had a delicious dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant, dined in a ‘fancy’ pizza place and visited the night market for rolled ice cream.
We were surprised by how much we loved Hanoi. It was a great city for walking and exploring.
Day 13: Hanoi to Melbourne
Our last day in Vietnam was spent packing up, enjoying iced drinks and pastries in a cafe and walking around buying some little souvenirs. We also bought some food to eat on our flight from Hanoi to Melbourne.
Vietjet flight review
Our flights were return from Melbourne, Australia to Hanoi, Vietnam with Vietjet. This is a budget airline, so baggage, food and entertainment all cost extra. This suited us as we were travelling carry-on only and were happy to take our own entertainment and food.
During booking, there was a special deal that allowed us to add an extra 2kg to carry-on luggage for free. At check-in, our luggage was weighed and tagged. We booked our seats because we saw that the last rows were 2-3-2. This allowed us to sit two in front and two behind, with both kids getting a window seat. Tim was seated behind the last row of 3, so he had some extra leg room to the side.
The back part of the plane was empty, and the attendants spent some time asking people if they wanted to pay to move to an empty row, with the flight taking off half an hour later than scheduled.
There was a Vietjet song playing during boarding that had Ghibli vibes. The safety announcement was a rap song. This gave the flight a fun atmosphere. We have no complaints about our Vietjet flight experience and would use them again.
Is Vietnam worth visiting with kids?
Yes, Vietnam is a great destination with kids. Our Vietnam trip was with older kids (9 and 12), but I think it’s suitable for all ages. We didn’t feel that we missed out on doing anything because we were with kids.
Some roads in Hanoi were harder to cross, but it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as we had been expecting. If you’re travelling with little children, hold hands or carry them across the road.
We always value being surrounded by nature, and this Northern Vietnam itinerary did not disappoint. Vietnam provided a fantastic cultural experience for all of us, and I think seeing the country with our kids made it an even richer experience.
I hope our 2-week Vietnam with kids itinerary gives you some inspiration and helps you plan your family trip to Vietnam.
