With five to seven days, trying to combine Ho Chi Minh City with multiple far-flung destinations usually means too much time in transit and not enough time actually enjoying any one place. A more satisfying approach: spend 3 days in Saigon (see our 3-day itinerary) and dedicate the remaining time to a single, well-chosen onward destination.

Option A: HCMC + Da Nang/Hoi An (7 days)

3 days in Saigon, then fly to Da Nang for 4 days, using it as a base to explore both the beach and Hoi An's old town (a 30–45 minute taxi ride away). This combination pairs city history, beach time and heritage architecture in one trip. See our onward destinations guide for more on Da Nang specifically.

Option B: HCMC + Phu Quoc (5–6 days)

3 days in Saigon, then fly to Phu Quoc for 2 to 3 days of straightforward beach time — the simplest, most relaxing combination if a beach break is the main goal for the second half of the trip.

Option C: HCMC + Da Lat (5–6 days)

3 days in Saigon, then 2 to 3 days in the cooler mountain climate of Da Lat — a good choice if you want a genuine change of pace and climate rather than more heat and humidity, and don't need a beach specifically.

Have 10+ days? At that point, a wider loop covering Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in the north, alongside a central stop like Hoi An and Saigon in the south, becomes realistic — but for 5–7 days, one well-chosen onward destination beats trying to cover the whole country.

Booking the domestic leg

All of these onward destinations are served by frequent short domestic flights from Tan Son Nhat Airport. Book a little ahead of major Vietnamese holidays, when domestic routes get busier and pricier.

Beach-focusedHCMC + Phu Quoc
Beach + heritageHCMC + Da Nang/Hoi An
Cool climate changeHCMC + Da Lat