Vietnam: A 5-Day Offbeat Itinerary Through Mountains, Caves & Countryside
- Ankitha
- Jun 22, 2022
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 26
May 2022
Welcome to Part One of Our Southeast Asia Trip – Hello, Vietnam!
If you’re looking for an itinerary that skips the usual tourist trail and dives straight into Vietnam’s raw, rural beauty, you’ve come to the right place.
Most people picture Vietnam as the land of the famous “H” cities—Hue, Hanoi, Hoi An, Ha Long Bay, and Ho Chi Minh—along with wild street food and bustling markets. But we went in a different direction.
Our short 5-day trip took us into lush valleys, misty caves, remote villages, and scenic rivers—Vietnam off the beaten path.
In this itinerary, we skip all the usual touristy spots and head straight for the countryside.
Vietnam Itinerary Summary
Day 1 – Vietnam Arrive in Hanoi → Drive to Ninh Binh
Day 2 – Thai Vi Temple, Bich Dong Pagoda, Mua Caves
Day 3 – Day trip to Trang An
Day 4 – Day trip to Mai Chau → Back to Hanoi
Day 5 – Hanoi city walk + cultural experien
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Flights, Visa & Travel Tips
Local Driver & Transport Tips
We hired a private driver with Hanoi Vietnam Transfer (non-English speaking) for 4 days. Cost approx. $400. Ideal if you’re short on time. Public transport (trains/flights) is reliable too.
Costs & Budget
Daily budget (off-season): $80–100
Driver for 4 days: ~$400
Entry fees: Mua Caves (100,000 VND), Trang An (250,000 VND)
Vegetarian meal at Sadhu: ~$20/person
Hotel prices: Affordable boutique stays (~$30–60/night)
Vietnam Vegetarian/Vegan Food in
Vegetarian options were limited, especially outside Hanoi. Best meal was at Sadhu Vegetarian Restaurant in Hanoi—an upscale, buffet-style spot with great variety. Booking is a must.
Where We Stayed
Ninh Binh: Boutique stay near Tam Coc lake – quiet & convenient
Hanoi: Acoustic Hotel & Spa – centrally located, clean, with excellent service (highly recommended)
In Hanoi, I chose the centrally located Acoustic Hotel & Spa. What a pretty little place with the most delightful team to help with you everything you could need. Due to Covid, they were not serving breakfast, but there are a hundred cafes just 2 minutes from this quaint boutique hotel. Highly recommended if you are just looking for some place clean to crash in between your city runs.
Highlights of Our Vietnam Trip
Ninh Binh – The Base of All Adventures
We skipped Hanoi on Day 1 and headed straight to Ninh Binh—a quiet town surrounded by limestone cliffs, pagodas, and endless rice fields.
Thai Vi Temple
Short walk from Tam Coc. Peaceful setting amidst green fields and locals visiting to pray. Not the grandest temple, but perfect for solitude.
It may not be as popular as the colorful towns like Hoi An or Hue but it was the focal point of our trip to Vietnam. I was determined to escape city life on this trip and soak up the slow life of countryside Vietnam, and that is exactly what this town offers. The best part was it is only 90 minutes from Hanoi. We based ourselves here to explore the mind blowing caves, pagodas, infinite limestone cliffs and bike along striking green rice fields.
We started our exploration with the Thai Vi Temple. If you base yourself in central Ninh Binh area, this temple is just a short walk from the Tam Coc lake. The temple is hidden deep in the mountains, with many local villagers visiting through the day.
Though I will admit, the temple didn’t impress me as much as the surrounding areas did. It was pure serenity surrounded by dense green mountains & abundant rice fields. If you are like me and prefer places far flung, miles away from tourists, be sure to add this gem to your itinerary.
Bich Dong Pagoda
A stunning three-tiered cave temple carved into a mountainside. Go early (6 a.m.) to avoid crowds and enjoy the sunrise.
The entrance is surrounded by water lilies and this lake. To me, this was one of the best places to experience the sunrise. The gateway stands tall with intricate designs adorning the entrance to the mountains. You should definitely take the short trail that cuts through the mountain for magical views of the valley, awe-inspiring peaks & the vast fields below!
Travel tip: the entrance is FREE but try to make it there by 6 a.m. to avoid crowds
Mua Caves & Dragon Statue
A popular spot, but worth the 500-stair climb. Views over Tam Coc valley are breathtaking. Caution: the dragon statue area is sharp and windy.
With mountains that stretch as far as eyes can see and freshly laid fields below you, it could be one of the most knockout sights you can hope to see anywhere in Vietnam(in my humble opinion).
This is a sacred temple area where you need to climb over 500 stairs to reach different view points - one is the iconic Mua Caves view point of the Tam Coc valley and the other one is further up, called the Mua Peak, for the view of the dragon statue.
The dragon statue, though breathtaking, is a bit dangerous to get to - you will need to climb jagged rocks and stand very still. The rocks are sharp and you could easily hurt yourself. I would not recommend this one, if you are afraid of heights. It also gets windy up there, so be very mindful of all this before you venture out here.
NOTE: this is a popular spot where people actually dress up for a photo. If you go on a weekend or long weekend, expect to wait for half hour for your turn for photos. The dragon statue area is much more quieter and we had it to ourselves the whole time.
Trang An Boat Tour
Called "Halong Bay on Land", this 3-hour bamboo boat ride was the highlight of our trip. It’s peaceful, scenic, and led mostly by women rowers.
Cost: VND 250,000 Route: We chose Route 3 (longest cave route)
Aptly called as 'Halong Bay On Land', this is yet another hidden gem that often gets exchanged for a cruise to visit Halong Bay, it's more attractive cousin.
As much as people told me NOT TO MISS Halong Bay, sitting on a cruise just didn't appeal to us (it never does!). Trang An felt like the right fit for us, a much more authentic experience far away from the tourist crowds who book day trips to Halong. The crowds here for only locals, also only because it was a long weekend.
The landscape in Trang An is second to none. Did you know this is the only place in Vietnam that is both a natural and cultural UNESCO World Heritage site? You will be surrounded by steep karst cliffs covered in thick moss.
This was our favorite day in Vietnam. Imagine just green cliffs for miles on end.. all you will hear is the swoosh of your paddle against the calm river. You gently float along on your bamboo boat to see mirror-like reflections for three hours. If that isn't the very definition of paradise, I don't know what is.
When you enter the complex, you need to pay and pick the tour you wish to go on (costs VND 250,000 per person). There are few options to choose from but we went with route 3 as this one had the longest cave structures among the three options. No matter which tour you pick, you will get to hop on and off a few times to visit temples and caves but for the most part, all of you have to do is soak up this all natural environment in all it's zen glory. The entire scene was captivating beyond words. Once you make your way through the different caves, it is inevitable by how enthralling this place is. You are hit by the color of pure green goodness on every corner, each cliff connected by rice paddies and not just water.
Each cliff also stands in isolation, making you appreciate each one for what it represents - nearly 30 valleys and over 50 peaks all connected intricately through these valley peaks. It is quite amazing to take in all of this landscape from this vantage point.
My favorite part of the whole experience was also that 90% of the boats are rowed by women. They expertly bend and maneuver their way through the cliffs without breaking a sweat. We tried to do for about half hour and were left panting. Don't miss out on this magical opportunity to immerse yourself in this eco-tourism gem hidden deep in the middle of towering mountains and sacred rivers.
MAI CHAU VILLAGE
One our last day from Ninh Binh, we decided to go to yet another off beat destination called Mai Chau, a picturesque postcard valley in the northwest region of Vietnam. If you do this trip from Hanoi, it would be a 3 hour drive (one way).
This is again a fantastic place to escape the tourist crowds, more so than Sa Pa. If you enjoy taking it slow with a lot of eco-tourism touch points, this place is a must-do. With it's scenic vistas and undisturbed country life, this is the ideal day trip from Hanoi. Let your lungs soak up the fresh air.
What do to in Mai Chau? We did two things - the first one was hiking up to the Chieu Cave.
This is a massive cave structure that sites on top of a hill. Note that there are a good 1000 stairs to climb to enter the cave but it is not very difficult.
Once inside, you will likely be the only ones there. What I also loved about this mini-adventure was the opportunity to catch the scenic vista of the village below us. Postcard perfection.
Take your exploring the stalactite forest. As with any cave, the impressions, varying shapes & curves and patterns on these cliffs are fascinating.
Our last stop for the day was a dip in the Goa Lao waterfall. Just a 20 minute drive from the cave. Not very deep, it's an amazing place to cool off after your hike up. Likely to be filled with local kids having a ball but absolutely no tourists.
Traveler note: our original plane was to stay a day in Mai Chau but every place was booked for the long weekend, so we went back to Hanoi for the night. If you have the time, I would highly recommend spending one night in this village.
Hanoi – Culture Meets Chaos
Back in the capital on Day 5, we took it slow. Here’s what we loved:
Morning stroll around Ngoc San Pagoda
Snack stop: King Roti – iconic street bread under $1
Sunset: St. Joseph’s Cathedral
Evening walk: Train Street – funky, artistic, and lively
Later in the evening, we caught the sunrise at the Ngoc Pagoda again. Before walking further down to the biggest church in the city to catch the sunset. Get here a bit early and enjoy the evening by the lake.
We also checked out all the cool street art along the way.
We later stopped at the Insta-famous Train Street. What a funky vibe here with the graffiti and lights. We loved this part of the town.
We then went for dinner at the best vegetarian restaurant in town. Sadhu vegetarian restaurant comes highly rated in Hanoi and at a cost of almost $20 per person. The portions and variety were impressive though. It was a great way for us to experience the local cuisine without compromising on our principles. The setting is also marginally upscale. Ideal for date night.
The staff are fantastic, they explain what to try and how everything works. Be mindful of the portions as it is buffet style and you could fill up quickly if you don't space out the courses,
TIP: We went on a week day and the place was packed so a booking is a MUST.
Final Thoughts on Vietnam
This Vietnam itinerary gave us a taste of authentic countryside life, far from tourist traps. From limestone mountains and serene rivers to friendly locals and ancient pagodas—it was pure magic.
Ninh Binh and its surrounding gems like Trang An and Mai Chau are must-visits, not just stopovers. The best part? It was easy on the wallet and big on experience.
We’ll be back for more.
With it's mystic mountains, thriving fields, serene rivers, and water caves, Ninh Binh is a must-visit in Vietnam. Not just as a detour from the city but as the focal point of your trip. Not only is it a great way to soak up the country-life, it is also an oasis of quietude everywhere you turn. Such a welcome respite for anyone who doesn't particularly enjoy endless coffee hops in cities.
I also loved how easy on the wallet it was - from food to stay to transport, very reasonable and the entire trip actually cost half of what it actually took us to fly there. Ha! The jagged mountains covered with dense shrubs, famous caves and vibrant Asian culture, the country stood out as a gem. If you choose the right area, you can have a sublime eco-tourism experience here. We look forward to visiting Vietnam again and exploring more of it's alluring culture.
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Thanks for reading! Got questions? Drop them below. Lots of love, Anki ❤️
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