Vietnam with Kids: Where to Go and What to Skip

Kids will remember the afternoon they rode a water buffalo far longer than the 12-hour night train that got you to the next city. Pick a few hands-on stops, keep the transfers short, and leave out the overnight legs. Ninh Binh, Hoi An, and Hanoi's lake and Old Quarter are the safest bets. Overnight trains and Sapa are the first things to cut.

What each region offers

Each region below comes with what children can actually do there and the one catch to plan around.

Hanoi

The Old Quarter is a square kilometre of 36 streets, each historically given to one trade, so a walk turns into a game of spotting what is sold where. At Hoan Kiem Lake, locals do tai chi and exercise by the water, which is easy to watch with restless kids. The Temple of Literature, a Confucian temple that became Hanoi's first university in 1076, works as a calm, short stop between the noisier streets.

Ninh Binh

This is the stop children tend to like most. You can ride a water buffalo, plant rice and catch fish, which is rural life with your hands rather than a photo from a bus window. A full-day plan combines a boat ride through the Tam Coc caves with cycling through the fields to Bich Dong Pagoda. Check that your kids are comfortable on a bike before committing to that part.

Ha Long Bay

An overnight cruise typically includes a cave visit, a beach or floating pearl farm, a cooking demonstration and night squid fishing. Summer is the time for kayaking and swimming, but June to August is also the wettest stretch, so you trade water sports against rain. If you cruise, a trip of two nights or more reaches quieter sites and neighbouring bays.

Hue

The Imperial City is the draw, and January to February is its prettiest season. April to August suits Hue as well. The last months of the year bring floods and heavy rain. Hue is a good fit for older children who can handle a history-heavy day.

Da Nang and Hoi An

Spend a morning at My Khe Beach or on the forest roads and viewpoints of Son Tra Peninsula, and add the caves of the Marble Mountains for kids who like climbing. In Hoi An, the Ancient Town turns off its electric lights on the 14th of each lunar month and fills with lanterns, which children usually enjoy. March and April bring pleasant weather for walking the town.

Ho Chi Minh City

Street food and nightlife give the city its energy, which suits teenagers more than toddlers. The Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum are key attractions to visit in April and September. The museum is heavy going, so judge it by your children's ages.

Sapa

Autumn brings golden rice terraces and cool trekking weather. Sapa needs a bare minimum of two full days, and three to four if you want village treks or Fansipan.

Our view: Sapa is a stop for older kids on a later trip, not for a first family visit, because the travel eats the time you would spend there.

What to skip with kids

• Hanoi to Hue by the Reunification Express: 12 to 13 hours overnight.
• Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by the same train: 32 to 36 hours.
• Sapa by overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai plus a one-hour bus, or a direct bus of about six hours.

Short hops that keep days easy

• Hanoi to Ninh Binh: the morning train takes 2 hours 13 minutes, a limousine van from the Old Quarter takes 2 to 3 hours.
• Ha Long Bay to Ninh Binh: about 4 hours by private car or shared shuttle.
• Hue to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass: 3 to 4 hours by car, motorbike or bus.
• Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang: a flight of 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Da Nang to Hoi An: 45 to 60 minutes by road, plus 10 to 15 minutes from the airport.

Best months for a family trip

The north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh) is mildest in February to April or September to November, at 18 to 25°C. Summer there is hot, humid and wet. In the south, Ho Chi Minh City is most comfortable from December to April, when it is dry. May to November brings short, heavy showers.

The Central Coast, where Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An sit, is in its rainy season from November to January, though January can still have dry days. It turns dry from February. February is the month that works for the north and the Central Coast together.

Vegetarian food by city

Hanoi

Katze is a vegetarian option, and the city has everything from buffets to upscale restaurants. Bún chả, the famous grilled pork with dipping sauce, vermicelli and herbs, is pork, so ask before ordering for vegetarian kids.

Hue

An Nhiên Garden serves vegetarian food. Va tron may contain fish sauce, so check before you order.

Ho Chi Minh City

Hum is a good vegetarian choice, and Du Yen in Thao Dien is Michelin-selected and fully vegetarian.

Send us your dates, your budget and what you want to feel, and we'll take it from there. Tell us about your trip