VIETNAM: Timeless Charm at Sapa and Hanoi

What began as a vibrant discussion among BnF members eager to discover a hill town similar to Baguio has blossomed into an exciting reality! With great enthusiasm, we are thrilled to share our carefully crafted itinerary for our northern Vietnam adventure, featuring the enchanting Sa Pa, affectionately known as “the city in the fog,” and the bustling capital city of Hà Nội.

For planning, I let the them choose the spots we’ll visit, hotels to book and what Klook purchases we need then estimate. Since we’ll go there at spring time, we decided to bring only a backpack and some luggage for more space on later shopping. A jacket for cool climate, light clothing (mostly waffle tees and light fabrics) and easy pants will do. 

Finally, with less than half-year preparation, here’s how our Vietnamese trip went. Note the prices below is for one person already (divided among 4pax):

DAY 1: MANILA PH DEPARTURE

18:00 – CebPac check-in at NAIA Terminal 3 (Dinner at Marhaba Lounge plus companion using BPI Visa Sig)
22:50 – ETD Manila (PHP1620 Travel Tax)

PHP516 – Klook TravelJoy 5 days (own account)

PHP1985 – via Cebu Pacific MNL-HAN (Booked Jun112025 PHP6 base fare)5540 + 20kg baggage MNL-HAN PHP1200

PHP221.50 – BigSky Wifi Unlimited Data for 3 days (Apr09-11,2026) for pickup Apr08 NAIA3 Php885

DAY 2: HANOI VN ARRIVAL, BUS TO SAPA
01:30– ETA in HAN (Adjust clock one hour ahead of PH GMT+9) Nội Bài International Airport Terminal 2

Withdraw money at ATM machine at airport using Debit Card. TPBank and VPBank no charge. Agribank has 22K VND fee charge per transaction because 2M VND is the maximum you can withdraw. Other banks have 5M VND max limit. BIDV charges 90k VND or 5.5% which is higher. VietinBank charges 4.4% withdrawal fee.

06:00 – ETD HAN Airport to Sapa

PHP1007 – Hanoi – Sapa Bus by HK Buslines HAN Airport to Sapa 24-Cabin Sleeping Bus
09 Apr 2026 07:30
10:48 – Touchdown Phuong Nam Hotel (VND 990,000 for 4pax for 1 night) PHP574.43 per pax

Check-in:
2D1N Phuong Nam Hotel
Address: 033 Fansipan, Road, Sa Pa, Lào Cai, Vietnam
Phone: +84 826 663 366
VND 990,000/4

12:00 – Lunch at Paradise Restaurant (VND150K)
02:00 – Walking around Sapa Town
17:00 – Viettreking Cafe with view of Monorail
19:00 – Dinner-Washup-Sleep early

DAY 3: SAPA DAY TOUR, VAN TO HANOI
07:00 – Wake up then prep. Free from hostel (check earliest time to have breakfast)
08:00 – PHP2955.30 Sapa Sun World Fansipan Legend Ticket (Klook booking)
Round-trip Muong Hoa monorail & cable car + round-trip tram to peak (0745H 1st trip)

Starbucks at Fansipan Summit. Cloud Macchiato

Start to descend to Sa Pa Station, Back to hotel and wait for pickup.

16:30 – ETD Sapa to Hanoi

PHP916 Sapa – Hanoi – 5 PM departure HK Buslines
Duration – 6-7 hours
Free Pickup and Drop off in Hanoi Old Quarter and Sapa Center
28-Seat President Limousine Bus
10 Apr 2026 16:30
4 x VIP Seat

23:00 – ETA Hanoi

PHP1459.10 – Check-in: 3D2N Mai Charming Hotel and Spa
Address: 29 P. Hàng Bông, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
Phone: +84 24 3927 9897

00:00 – Dinner-Washup-Sleep

DAY 4: HANOI DAY TOUR, GRAB TO AIRPORT
06:00 – Wake up then breakfast at hotel then prep
07:30 – Pickup from Hotel for Hanoi Tour (WhatsApp contact)

PHP3169.75 – All-in-One Full-day Hanoi: Incense Village, City Tour & Train Street (Klook booking)

Lunch is included in tour (pay only for beverage).
18:00 – End of Tour. Drop-off near Ate Ha Souvenir Shop at 2 P. Hàng Bạc. Back to hotel then Lotte Mart.
21:00 – Back to hotel and check-out at 9pm. GrabCar to HAN airport T2. Late dinner at airport lounge.

DAY 5: HANOI VN DEPARTURE, MANILA PH ARRIVAL
01:50 – ETD in Hà Nội – Flight 5J 747

PHP7703.47 – via Cebu Pacific HAN-MNL (Booked Jan112026 via Agoda)USD444 23302.39+ 20kg baggage 3PCS USD96
06:25 – ETA NAIA Terminal 3

06:25 – ETA in Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport ,T3

ACTUAL EXPENSES (excluding souvenirs/pasalubong)
D1 4342.5
D2 2271.43
D3 6365.4
D4 4204.75
D5 7703.47
TOTAL PHP24887.55 (1VND = PHP0.0023)

For us, Vietnam is the most affordable we’ve ever been. Technically, we’re in Vietnam for 3 whole days excluding our flight days. Becaus of our limited vacation leaves, we decided to have half-day hiking at Fansipan Sapa and full day tour at Hanoi despite quick rests on bus stops. May this post help you in planning your next Vietnam adventure. Cảm ơn!

#SharingIsCaring #timelesscharm #BNFtrip #travel2026