EKTA
Gold
2k$36.48 AUD
Vietnam highlights on a budget
Doing Vietnam on a budget means the cheapest third of what is worth doing: Japanese Bridge, Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Experience in Hoi An. Activities in this plan start from about $4.
Your 5-day highlights plan for Vietnam
Where you stayDa Nang 3 nightsHue 2 nightsabout 80 km between them
5 days · packed · 10 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $78
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Day 1 Da Nang
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morning
Japanese Bridge
Bridge in Hoi An, Vietnam.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Experience in Hoi An
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evening
Trees Spa: Hair Wash & Massage Experience in Da Nang
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evening
Blue Gift Spa Experience in Hoi An
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Ba Le Market
A daily market, open 5am to 7pm.
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Lunch
Hoi An Food Court
Stalls selling Thai and Vietnamese.
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Day 2 Da Nang
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morning
Han River by Night by Phu Quy Cruise in Da Nang
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afternoon
Nightlife Experience At Sky36 Rooftop Nightclub In Da Nang
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evening
Han River by Night on My Xuan Cruise in Da Nang
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evening
Boat Ride Ticket and Release Lantern at Hoai river in Hoi An
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Chợ Nam Phước market
A daily market, open 4am to 9pm.
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Day 3 Da Nang
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morning
Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum
Museum located in Hoi An, Vietnam.
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afternoon
My Khe Beach
Beach in Da Nang.
Just turn up -
evening
Museum of Cham Sculpture
Museum in Da Nang, Vietnam.
Just turn up -
evening
Explore Han River by Night by 7STARS Cruise Da Nang
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Phước Mỹ market
A daily market, open 5am to 6pm.
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Dinner
Son Tra Night Market
An evening market, open 6pm to 11pm.
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Day 4 Hue
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Travel day
Da Nang to Hue
Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it.
Book direct -
afternoon
Phủ Cam Cathedral
Church in Huế, Vietnam.
Just turn up -
evening
Thiên Mụ Temple
Historical temple in Vietnam. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Just turn up -
evening
Experience Alba Thanh Tan Hot Springs in Hue City
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Đông Ba Market
A traditional market in Huế, Vietnam.
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Lunch
Chợ An Cựu
A daily market, open 8am to 6pm.
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Day 5 Hue
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morning
Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts
Museum in Vietnam.
Just turn up -
afternoon
Imperial City of Hue
Walled enclosure within the citadel of Huế, Vietnam. Dates from 1833.
Just turn up -
evening
Tomb of Khai Dinh
Royal tomb of the Nguyễn dynasty in Vietnam. Dates from 1920. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Just turn up -
evening
Maia Wellness Spa & Massage Experience in Hue
Where to eat
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Breakfast
Chợ Thuận Hoà
A daily market, open 5am to 5pm.
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Lunch
Cống Market
A daily market, open 5am to 9pm.
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Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the highlights theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in Vietnam.
Before you fly to Vietnam
The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are Vietnam's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.
Passport
Vietnam wants 6 months of validity beyond the day you arrive. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.
Your checklist
21 things to sort for Vietnam, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.
- Passport valid - at least 6 months from your date of arrival
- Apply for your Vietnam E-visa (single or multiple entry)
- Take out travel insurance
Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.
Sort these before you go
The two things worth having arranged before a highlights trip to Vietnam, compared on price.
Vietnam travel insurance
Klook
Travel insurance
Set at quote
Fast Cover Best value
Standard Saver
9k$19 AUD
Compare only
Vietnam eSIM plans
Airalo
1GB · 7 days
32k$4.50 AUD
Saily Cheapest 10GB
10GB · 15 days
6k$8 AUD
Airalo Recommended
10GB · 15 days
32k$9 AUD
Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.
Budget highlights questions
What counts as budget here?
The lowest-priced third of everything worth doing in that country, measured against that country's own prices rather than a fixed dollar figure. A budget day in Norway and a budget day in Vietnam are not the same number, and pretending otherwise would just describe the exchange rate.
Does a cheaper plan mean a worse one?
No, and the ordering is the same either way: everything is ranked on its review score first, so a budget plan is the best-reviewed cheap things rather than the cheapest things. Flights and accommodation are not included in any of these figures.
What goes into a highlights plan?
It rotates between wellness, sightseeing and food items rather than clustering them, so no single day is three museums or three meals. If you would rather lean one way, switch the theme at the top of the page and the plan rebuilds.
Can I change the plan once it is built?
Yes. Pace and length are controls on the page, and changing either rebuilds the plan instantly. The itinerary is deterministic, so the same choices always produce the same plan - you can send someone the link and they will see what you see.
Other ways to do Vietnam
Vietnam wellness itinerary
Hot springs and spa days, but also gyms, yoga, hiking and open water. Rest and movement, not one or the other.
Vietnam sightseeing itinerary
Coastlines, lookouts, day trips and the landmarks that are actually worth the queue.
Vietnam food itinerary
Markets, cooking classes, wine regions and the places worth planning a day around.
Highlights trips in other countries
Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.
🇯🇵 Japan highlights itinerary
Visa-free, cash-friendly, and worth over-preparing for.
🇮🇩 Indonesia highlights itinerary
Visa on arrival, plus two fees most Australians don't budget for.
🇹🇭 Thailand highlights itinerary
60 days visa-free - but the arrival card is now compulsory.
🇵🇭 Philippines highlights itinerary
Visa-free for 30 days, with a compulsory eTravel registration.