Look, I'm gonna be honest here – when Sarah texted me last week asking about Vietnam for her honeymoon, my first thought was "wait, Vietnam?" Like, I always picture Maldives or Santorini for honeymoons, you know? But then I actually started digging into Vietnam honeymoon tours and honestly? I kinda think she's onto something genius here.

Here's the deal: I spent way too many hours (we're talking like three nights straight) researching this because Sarah's wedding is in March and she needed answers yesterday. And what I found was pretty surprising.

Why This Actually Makes Sense (Even Though It Sounds Random)

So Vietnam isn't your typical honeymoon spot, right? But that's exactly why it works. Most Vietnam honeymoon packages I looked at were combining luxury with actual experiences – not just sitting in a resort room for a week. Which, don't get me wrong, sounds nice, but also... boring?

The thing that got me excited (and I'm not even the one getting married) was how these tours mix the romantic stuff with cultural discovery. You're getting private boat rides through Halong Bay at sunset, but you're also learning to make pho from some grandmother in Hoi An. It's different.

My cousin did one of those all-inclusive beach honeymoons in Mexico last year, and when I asked her about it, she literally couldn't remember half of what they did. Just "beach, drinks, repeat." With Vietnam, you're actually gonna have stories.

The Parts That Surprised Me (In a Good Way)

Okay, so I was looking at these Vietnam honeymoon tour options, and the first thing that jumped out was the price. I'm seeing luxury experiences for around ₹1,80,000 to ₹2,50,000 per person for like 10-12 days. That's INCLUDING flights from Delhi, fancy hotels, private guides, and most meals.

Compare that to a Maldives honeymoon? You're easily dropping ₹4,00,000+ for less time and honestly less variety. (I know, I know, the water bungalows are gorgeous, but hear me out.)

Here's what actually worked when I was filtering through options:

Halong Bay is non-negotiable. Every tour had it, but the difference was in the execution. The budget packages put you on a boat with 50 other people. The luxury Vietnam honeymoon tours? Private junk boat, just the two of you, maybe a chef and a guide. That's the one splurge that's worth it. I saw photos from a couple who did this last November and the sunset shots were insane.

Hoi An is where the magic happens. This old town is basically made for couples. Lanterns everywhere, tailor shops where you can get custom outfits made together (Sarah's already planning matching ao dais, which is adorable). The food scene there is ridiculous – you're eating by the river, everything's under fairy lights, it's stupidly romantic.

The Stuff Nobody Tells You (But Should)

Wait, let me back up for a second. When I started this research, I made some dumb assumptions. Thought Vietnam would be all backpackers and street food and not "honeymoon material." Wrong.

There are legitimately world-class resorts there now. The Six Senses in Con Dao? The Amanoi in Ninh Thuan? These places are NICE nice. Like, private villas with pools, spa treatments using local ingredients, that whole luxury experience. But you're also getting Vietnamese culture, not some westernized resort bubble.

The mistake I see people making (including Sarah, initially) is trying to see too much. Vietnam's long – like really long. Some packages try to cram in Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc in 10 days. That's just stressful. You're gonna spend half your honeymoon in airports and buses.

Better approach? Pick three, maybe four spots max. Spend real time in each place. The tours that got the best reviews were the ones that built in downtime. Like, you're not scheduled every single moment. You can sleep in, have a lazy morning, actually enjoy being married.

My Favorite Route (If Anyone's Asking)

So here's what I'd do if it were me (and honestly, I'm kinda tempted to pitch this to my boyfriend now):

Start in Hanoi for two nights. It's chaotic and fun and the food is incredible. Old Quarter for street food, but stay somewhere nice to balance it out. Then Halong Bay for two nights on that private boat situation I mentioned. Pure romance, zero crowds.

Fly to Danang, head to Hoi An for four nights. This is where you slow down. Get those clothes made, take a cooking class together, rent bikes and ride through rice fields, eat everything. There's this restaurant called Morning Glory – the chef's story is fascinating and the food made me actually tear up looking at photos. (Yeah, I'm that person.)

Finish with three nights in a beach resort. Either Phu Quoc or Con Dao islands. Just decompress, process everything, enjoy each other. The Vietnam honeymoon packages that structured it this way got the most "best trip ever" reviews.

The Real Talk Section

Look, Vietnam isn't for everyone. If you want that Instagram-perfect overwater bungalow situation, just go to Maldives. If you need everything to be absolutely perfect and predictable, maybe consider somewhere more... standardized?

But if you want to actually DO stuff, experience a different culture together, eat amazing food, and come home with real memories (not just resort photos that could be anywhere)? Vietnam's pretty brilliant for that.

The other thing – and this might sound weird – but there's something cool about starting your marriage with adventure and discovery instead of just relaxation. Like, you're figuring out this new country together, navigating stuff, having experiences. It sets a different tone, you know?

What Sarah Decided (Spoiler Alert)

She booked it. Found a company that customizes Vietnam honeymoon tours and they're doing basically the route I suggested (she claims it was her idea, whatever). March can be a bit rainy in central Vietnam, but they're risking it. I'm honestly jealous.

The part I'm most excited for her about? The cooking class in Hoi An where they take you to the market first, then you cook together, then eat what you made. That's gonna be a core memory, not just a vacation day.

Anyway, if you're considering this... I think it's a really solid choice. Just make sure you're booking actual luxury if that's what you want – there's a huge range in quality. Don't be afraid to spend more on accommodations and experiences, less on trying to hit every single city.

And honestly? Take the private guides. I know they're more expensive, but the difference between having someone who knows the best spots versus wandering around confused is huge. This is your honeymoon, not a gap year backpacking trip.

Let me know if you end up doing this – I wanna see photos. And if anyone finds a good deal on flights from Delhi, send that my way too. I've got... plans forming.