I have had a lot of wonderful adventures in my life, but when it comes to solo trips, 2025 might just take the cake! In November of 2025, I went on a solo trip to Vietnam, where I explored a huge city, rode around for 4 days on the back of a motorbike in the rural mountains, and then relaxed and unwound in a more bougie area. Altogether the trip was life-changing, and if you are wanting a similar experience, keep reading! I’m going to tell you every single detail, including where I went, the best food I ate, my top tips + recommendations, and more.
I started out my trip in Hanoi, which is the capital of Vietnam. It is a large city, with lots of food and culture to explore! I packed my days with restaurant recommendations and tours/experiences to help me understand Vietnam’s history.
The next section of my trip took me to the Ha Giang Loop. This is a rural road that runs through the mountains of northern Vietnam with some of the most beautiful views you’ve ever seen. The mountains are lush and green, and the clouds hover around their peaks for incredible views. It is a common experience to sign up with a tour company to traverse this road, usually on the back of a motorbike. This was what I chose to do, and I spent 4 nights and 3 days on this portion of the adventure!
The final third of my trip was in Ninh Binh, which is slightly more touristy than the other two locations, though certainly relaxing. I thought about going on a Ha Long Bay Cruise or a Bai Tu Long Bay Cruise, but ultimately chose not to. Ninh Binh is much closer to Ha Giang than the other two options, and has very similar views! Because I only had 2 days to spend in my third location, I opted for the closer option and really enjoyed it.
Want to know what I did, what I ate, and where I stayed in each location? Keep reading for the details! Want to see my Google Maps of tagged places I visited in Vietnam? See the list here!
The Basics
- Where I went: Vietnam… specifically Hanoi, the Ha Giang Loop, and Ninh Binh
- When I went: November 12-22, 2025
- How long: After a few days of flying, I had 8 days in Vietnam!
- Who I went with: Myself! Though I signed up for a group tour for a portion of the trip… more on that below.
- Trip vibe: As usual, this trip was a blend of culture, exploration, food, and adventure. Plus I had a few days of relaxing too.
- Why I chose this trip: I was totally and completely influenced by TikTok. I have been saying for years that I wanted to visit Vietnam, but recently I have started to see a lot more content on the Ha Giang Loop specifically. I had heard incredible things about Vietnam, and when I saw the beauty of it on social media, I impulsively signed up!
Trip Snapshot
Weather
Each city that I visited had different weather expectations in November.
Hanoi was beautiful and sunny, and about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I was comfortable in a skirt and a t-shirt most days.
The Ha Giang Loop is up in the mountains, so I certainly needed warmer clothes for this. Most days, I wore leggings, a thermal long sleeve, and a fleece. One day I did break out my thicker winter coat/gloves, but it usually wasn’t necessary. The first two days on the loop were sunshiny and beautiful. The second two days were rainy and foggy.
Ninh Binh was rainy the first day that I got there. I was comfortable in a long sleeve during the day and wore my coat out at night! The second day was sunny, so a skirt and short sleeves were perfect.
How I Got Around
Either by walking or taxi! Google maps works great in these cities, though Apple Maps wasn’t always functioning properly. If you are wanting a cab, your hotel can typically call one for you OR you can use Grab (a rideshare app similar to uber). Grab was very trustworthy and safe, and most rides within a city cost about $1-2 USD.
Favorite Moment
Having a bonding moment with a local weaver on my Ha Giang Loop tour. You can read about it in my 2025 recap.
Biggest Surprise
The food!! I had never really eaten Vietnamese food in the USA, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The food was so delicious, very diverse, and usually incredibly healthy! I want to eat Vietnamese food all the time now.
My Ha Giang Loop Tour
- Name/link: Ha Giang Adventure
- Route: 4 day Eastern Loop
- What I loved: Sooo many things! The Ha Giang Loop is very popular, and there are many companies that crank out tours. There are some companies that take 30-60 travelers at a time, and there are some where the drivers don’t speak English. Some companies have less experienced drivers or they visit the most touristy spots.
Many of them party a lot too, or are for a younger crowd. I knew what I wanted out of my Ha Giang Loop experience. A small group, drivers that spoke English, the emphasis of the trip being on Vietnamese culture instead of partying, and responsible drivers.
A did a lot of searching to find a company that matched what I wanted out of this experience, and Ha Giang Adventure did that! Our group had 7 riders maximum. We each had a driver that spoke English, which meant that my driver and I got to know each other really well, and I had a much larger opportunity to learn about Vietnamese life and customs from him.
We also visited some touristy spots but also some places off the beaten path. And our accommodations, especially the second night, were AMAZING! Plus I learned that our company compensates their drivers better than most other companies, which made me feel good about choosing them. - What I didn’t: I really enjoyed everything about my company, and would recommend them to anyone that has the same Ha Giang Loop goals that I did.
- Would I do this experience again?: Yes!
Where I Stayed
Stay #1: Hanoi
- Name/link: Hanoi Hotel Royal
- Area/neighborhood: In the center of Hanoi Old Quarter and about 1 minute from Hoan Kiem Lake.
- What I loved: The location of this hotel was SO convenient!! Hanoi is big, so it’s hard to walk to everything, but it certainly is centrally placed for most of the activities you will want to do in the city. The customer service is also phenomenal, and they took very good care of me!
- What I didn’t: The decorations in the rooms are a little strange and outdated, it’s not very chic. But it was a great landing spot for a few nights.
- Would I stay again?: Yes!
Stay #2: Ninh Binh
- Name/link: King Kong Homestay
- Area/neighborhood: In the center of the touristy area of Ninh Binh. The location was SUPER convenient!
- What I loved: The location.
- What I didn’t: The customer service tried really hard, but I had a bad experience. The front desk attendant gave my clean laundry service away to a different guest. Additionally, the hotel employees were not on site when I arrived at 4:00 am and I had to let myself into my room.
- Would I stay again?: I would probably pick a different hotel in the same area
My Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Day 1
- Morning: Breakfast at Xôi Yến which quickly showed me that the food in Vietnam is so deliciously flavorful. And a visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda to see the old temple. It closes in the middle of the day, so make sure to time it properly and also to cover your shoulders or you’ll have to buy a cloth to cover up.
- Afternoon: Lunch at Bún chả Hương Liên for my new favorite meal ever, Bun Cha! Then I went to the water puppet show at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Make sure to get the translation device so that you can understand the show! This was such an interesting way to learn about old Vietnamese culture.
- Night: Street Food Tour which showed me so many of the yummy dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. I highly recommend this tour.
Day 2: Transfer to Ha Giang and Start the Loop
- Morning: The tour company picked me up from my hotel and drove me for 6 hours to Ha Giang.
- Afternoon: We had lunch with the tour company and our new group, then went back to the tour office to pack our bags, get our drivers, and learn our safety instructions. We drove for a few hours!
- Night: Stopped at our first homestay and had a meal with our group, then played games and got to know our drivers!
Day 3: Ha Giang Loop Day 2
- Morning: Woke up and ate breakfast with our group, then we headed off to a weaving commune to learn about the weaving industry in Northern Vietnam.
- Afternoon: Stopped at a few coffee shops and lookouts during our drive to break it up, got lunch in a restaurant, saw an old castle, and then arrived at our homestay, which was glamping in a canyon.
- Night: The entire group jumped in the river and went swimming, then we ate hot pot for dinner (that our drivers cooked for us), and played games after dinner! I slept in a tent (with a bed, and electricity and a front porch) and the side of a mountain, overlooking the river!
Day 4: Ha Giang Loop Day 3
- Morning: Breakfast with our group and then a boat ride down the river to see the views!
- Afternoon: We started driving again, but it had started raining and our motorbikes were getting stuck in the mud, etc. We were all wearing raincoats and rain pants and boot covers! Stopped for lunch and some scenic overlooks.
- Night: Arrived at our final homestay. We had some free time, so I walked into town to see local life/buy some snacks/etc. We ate dinner as a group and then stayed up and hung out until the homestay staff sent us to bed.
Day 5: Ha Giang Loop Day 4
- Morning: Saw a waterfall and had a few more stops at scenic overlooks.
- Afternoon: Final lunch with the crew. I poured water out of my boot in a fancy restaurant. Said goodbye to the group and got dropped off at the bus station! I had a few hours to explore, and I got a Vietnamese head massage. I highly recommend this experience. I have searched for sooo long and cannot figure out where I got this, but I can’t find it. I do know that it was on the same street as the Phoenix Center in Ha Giang!
- Night: Dinner at Chicken Plus in Ha Giang, which was a fun fast food chicken meal. I got the chicken with onion. Then got picked up by a sleeper bus to head to Ninh Binh overnight.
Day 6: Ninh Binh Day 1
- Morning: Breakfast at the Banh Mi Lady Stall. 90 minute massage and 40 minute body scrub. I wouldn’t recommend the place that I went as I was far too cold in the room and shivered the entire time!
- Afternoon: Rented a bike from my hotel and biked to the Bich Dong Pagoda. This was a beautiful ride through some stunning scenery.
- Night: A visit to the night market at Hoa Lu Old Town to see the stalls and the beautiful pagodas! Dinner at Phở An! Get the beef phở and the spring rolls.
Day 7: Ninh Binh Day 2
- Morning: Trang An for the famous boat ride through the caves! A gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage site, with kind drivers that will take you on a 2 hour ride through the whole thing. I chose route 3!
- Afternoon: Hiked to the top of the Mua Caves to see the area from above. If you go during the right time of year, you will be there during lotus season!
- Night: Dinner and then headed in a cab back to Hanoi.
Day 8: Hanoi Day 2
- Morning: Breakfast at a little cafe on train street to watch the trains pass by 2 feet in front of your face! Make sure to research the train timetables, because they change frequently.
- Afternoon: Took a tour of Untold War Stories in Hanoi to learn about the impact of the Vietnamese/American war.
- Night: Grabbed a Banh Mi and mango with sticky rice from a restaurant I wouldn’t recommend, and then packed up to go to the airport in the morning!
The Best Things I Did
If I were you, here are the things that I would do again in a heartbeat and think that you should add to your itinerary:
- Bun Cha at Bún chả Hương Liên
- Breakfast at Xôi Yến
- Ha Giang Loop!!! DO IT!!!
- Trang An
Tips I’d Tell a Friend
- The best place to exchange money is at jewelry stores, especially in Hanoi! Ask your hotels for recommendations of the best stores to go to. Bring brand new $100 bills for the easiest exchange.
- Download Grab for the easiest transportation options, especially in the bigger cities.
- Tipping isn’t usual, but it’s nice to round up or give your change!
- Crossing the street is terrifying, and they don’t stop for you. You just have to step out into the busy street and they will find their way around you.
- Be careful of pickpockets, don’t hold money in your hand while walking around the cities.
- Only drink bottled water, and brush your teeth with it too!
- Download WhatsApp before you travel, as most tour companies and hotels will communicate with you through that.
Foods to Try
- Phở (a brothy soup. I prefer beef)
- Bún chả (pork meatballs in a broth with vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs)
- Gỏi cuốn (Vietnamese spring roll)
- Cà phê sữa nóng (Vietnamese coffee served with sweetened condensed milk)
- Cà phê muối (chocolate milk with salted cream)
- Chả Giò (fried spring rolls)
- Banh Cuon (rice flour crepes filled with pork and mushrooms)
- Bánh xèo (Crispy crepe or pancake filled with protein and vegetables and served in a lettuce wrap with a sweet and tangy sauce)
Logistics Notes
- Airport transfer: Most hotels will offer an airport transfer to you via WhatsApp or email when you book. I did this on my way into the country for safety purposes, but by the time I was on my way out, I was more comfortable and therefore booked a transfer through Grab because it was cheaper.
- SIM/data: I got an eSim through the Airalo app, which activated upon my arrival.
- Any safety notes: I felt pretty safe, but just beware of petty theft! Wear your helmet on motorbikes, and wear mosquito repellant when you’re in rural areas.
Packing Notes
- Glad I brought: A raincoat, warm shirts, and a fleece for the Ha Giang Loop. They provided me with rain pants and boot covers! I also brought a portable phone charger and a phone lanyard so I could take pictures on the motorbike without worrying about dropping it.
- Didn’t need: I used everything I brought! I think I packed well 🙂
- Wish I had: More clean pairs of socks for the Ha Giang Loop and a portable boot dryer.
And there you have it! All of the wisdom I can possibly impart on you to help you have the best trip to Vietnam possible. If you are anything like me, you will love the blend of history, culture, food, beautiful landscapes, and adventure that this itinerary provides! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and I will do my best to help answer anything. Have a safe trip and eat some Bún chả for me!
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