Vietnam Private Tours: How to Plan a Tailor-Made Trip
Last updated: July 4, 2026
Planning Vietnam private tours is the easiest way to see this long, varied country at your own pace — north to south, with a driver, a private guide and an itinerary built around you rather than a fixed group departure. This guide walks you through where a private trip can take you, how many days you need, when to go, and what to sort before you fly.
Quick answer: Vietnam private tours are tailor-made trips with your own guide, driver and private vehicle, shaped around your dates, pace and interests instead of a set group schedule. Most travellers spend 7–14 days covering the north (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa), the centre (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An) and the south (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta). The best time to visit is broadly February–April and September–November, when the weather is kindest across all three regions.
- Country: Vietnam (Southeast Asia) — roughly 1,650 km north to south
- Best time: Feb–Apr & Sep–Nov overall; the dry season shifts by region (see below)
- Known for: Halong Bay, Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Hoi An’s lantern-lit streets, Sapa rice terraces, the Mekong Delta, and some of Asia’s best street food
- Good for: couples, families, honeymooners, first-timers and slower luxury travellers who’d rather not chase a group flag
- Typical trip length: 7–14 days for a first visit; 4–5 days for a single region
In this guide: Why private · Where to go · How many days · Best time · What’s included · Visa & flights · FAQs
What is a private tour of Vietnam — and why choose one?
A private tour means the trip is yours alone: your own English-speaking guide, a private car and driver, and a route your travel consultant tailors to your dates, budget and pace. There’s no bus of strangers, no 7am flag-following, and no fixed departure day to work around — you can start on any date and swap a temple morning for a slow coffee if that’s the mood.
That flexibility is why most of our travellers from Australia, the UK and the US choose a tailor-made Vietnam itinerary over a large group tour. Families can slow the days down for younger kids; honeymooners can trade a city night for a quiet bay; and keen walkers can add a day in the hills while everyone else lingers over lunch. You still get the local knowledge and the sorted logistics — you just don’t give up control of your own holiday.
Where can a Vietnam private tour take you?
Vietnam is long and narrow, so most itineraries move through three regions from north to south. Here’s the shape of each, and roughly how long to give it.
| Region | Base cities | Known for | Ideal days |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa, Ninh Binh | Old Quarter, limestone bays, rice terraces, mountain treks | 4–6 |
| Centre | Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An | Imperial history, beaches, the UNESCO-listed old town | 3–4 |
| South | Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc | City buzz, river life, island beaches | 3–5 |
The north is where most first trips begin. Hanoi’s Old Quarter is all motorbikes, street food and lakeside mornings; from there it’s a short drive to an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, or a longer haul up to the rice terraces and hill-tribe villages around Sapa. Give the north 4–6 days on a 7-day northern Vietnam route, or keep it tight with a 4-day northern highlights trip.
The centre is Vietnam’s history and beach belt. Hue was the old imperial capital; Da Nang has the long sandy coast; and Hoi An — the lantern-lit, UNESCO-listed trading town — is the one nearly everyone falls for. Three or four days here on a 5-day Central Vietnam tour is plenty for a first taste.
The south runs warm all year. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is fast, modern and full of history, and it’s the gateway to the Mekong Delta, where life happens on the water — floating markets, coconut lanes and slow boat rides. Add the island beaches of Phu Quoc if you want to finish flat and by the sea. A 5-day Southern Vietnam tour covers the essentials.
How many days do you need in Vietnam?
It depends how much of the country you want. As a rough rule: one region needs 4–5 days, two regions want about a week, and a proper north-to-south trip is best over 10–14 days so you’re not living on internal flights. These sample private itineraries give you a feel for the lengths:
| Trip length | Good for | Sample private tour |
|---|---|---|
| 4–5 days | One region, a short break or add-on | Quick Look of Northern Vietnam — 4 Days |
| 7 days | One region in depth, or north + a cruise | Best of Northern Vietnam — 7 Days |
| 10 days | First-timers wanting north to south | Best of Vietnam — 10 Days |
| 16–20 days | The grand tour, unhurried, with beaches | Wonderful Vietnam — 16 Days |
Travelling for a special occasion? There are dedicated routes like a 10-day Vietnam honeymoon, and a private trip means the pace and the extras are yours to set. Prefer to see the whole country coast to coast? The Throughout Vietnam — 10 Days route links the north, centre and south.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
Because Vietnam is so long, there’s no single “best” month — the weather that suits the north is different from the south. The broad sweet spots are February to April and September to November, when most of the country is dry and mild at once. Here’s how it breaks down by region:
| Region | Best months | Weather | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| North (Hanoi, Sapa) | Oct–Apr | Cool and drier; cold in the far-north hills | Chilly, misty winters — bring layers |
| Centre (Hoi An, Hue) | Feb–May | Warm and mostly dry | Wettest Sep–Dec; possible flooding |
| South (HCMC, Mekong) | Dec–Apr | Hot and dry, tropical | Wet season May–Sep (short afternoon downpours) |
For a first north-to-south trip, late February to April is the smoothest window — the north is warming up, the centre is dry, and the south is sunny. One date to note: Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) falls on 17 February 2026, a lovely but busy time when many businesses close, so it’s worth planning around.
Planning tip: tell us your travel dates first and we’ll shape the route to the region that’s driest then — that’s the quiet advantage of a private trip. Browse all our Vietnam tours to see what fits.
What does a private Vietnam tour include — and what does it cost?
A private tour with My Viva Tour is built end to end, so the day-to-day is sorted before you land. A typical package includes:
- A private English-speaking guide and a private car with driver
- Hand-picked hotels to suit your style, from boutique to luxury
- An overnight Halong Bay cruise where your route includes it
- Internal transfers, entrance fees and the experiences on your itinerary
- A dedicated travel consultant and 24/7 on-ground support
Cost depends on the season, the length of the trip, the standard of hotels and how many of you are travelling — a private trip is priced for your group, not a per-seat group fare. Rather than quote a figure that won’t match your plan, each tour page carries its own pricing, and we’ll give you a firm quote once we know your dates and style. A good place to compare is the Best of Vietnam — 10 Days itinerary.
Vietnam travel basics: visa, flights and money
- Visa: most visitors need a Vietnam e-visa, now available to citizens of all countries. It comes in 30-day and 90-day forms, single or multiple entry, and you apply online at the official portal (evisa.gov.vn) — allow about 3–5 working days. Your passport should have at least 6 months’ validity.
- Getting there: Vietnam is well connected to Australia, with direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi from Sydney and Melbourne of around nine hours, plus one-stop options from other cities.
- Money: the currency is the Vietnamese dong (VND). Cards are widely accepted in cities and hotels, but carry some cash for markets, street food and rural stops.
- Getting around: on a private tour your car, driver and any internal flights are arranged for you — you just enjoy the ride.
Vietnam private tours FAQs
What is a private tour of Vietnam?
It’s a tailor-made trip just for your group, with your own guide, driver and private vehicle. The route, pace and hotels are built around your dates and interests, rather than following a fixed group departure.
How many days do you need for a Vietnam tour?
Allow 4–5 days for a single region, about a week for two, and 10–14 days for a full north-to-south trip. Ten days is the most popular length for first-time visitors who want to see Hanoi, Halong Bay, the centre and the south.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
February–April and September–November are the best overall windows. The north is best October–April, the centre February–May, and the south December–April. Because the regions differ, a private trip can be timed to wherever you’re heading.
Do I need a visa to visit Vietnam?
Most travellers do. Vietnam offers an e-visa to citizens of all countries in 30-day and 90-day, single- or multiple-entry forms, applied for online before you travel. Check your passport has at least six months’ validity.
Are private tours good for families and older travellers?
Yes — they’re one of the best options for both. The pace is yours, so you can slow down for young kids or take gentler days, and you always have a guide and driver on hand rather than keeping up with a group.
Plan your Vietnam private tour with My Viva Tour
Whether you’ve got a week or a fortnight, we’ll build the trip around you — from a week in the north to a full 10-day north-to-south journey. You can browse every Vietnam tour for inspiration, then tell us what you like and we’ll tailor it from there.
I’m Minh, one of the trip planners here — send me your rough dates and the kind of holiday you’re after, and I’ll map out a private route that fits. And if you’ve already travelled in Vietnam, I’d love to hear where you went and what you’d tell a first-timer — drop it in the comments below. Thank you!
Related Vietnam guides: Vietnam itinerary: the best 7, 10 & 14-day routes · Best time to visit Vietnam
Travel notes fact-checked: July 2026.
