Three weeks in vietnam

You are going to need to scale down your list, unless you are going to use some internal fights.
Even with some fights, it will be a challenge to visit all the places on your list in 3 weeks, and spent some time in each one.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

That should be internal "flights" as in Vietnam airlines.
Sorry for the mistake.
Damn I can't believe I mispelled it 2 times :>)
I guess we all have internal fights sometime in our lives :>)
Of course if you have an "internal fight" while in Vietnam, just make your way to the nearest "bia hoi" shop, and you will feel much better :>)
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

Eleven stops in 21 days, that's alot! As Mikey says, try to scale down your list.
Post again with how many days you intend to spend in each location and you will get more feedback letting you know if it will work and what you need to add or reduce.

We flew from Hanoi to Hue and then from Danang to HCMC, saved lots of time.

We recently did a trip to Ninh Binh and stayed at Cuc Phuong national park, it was really beautiful, the Primate Rescue Centre and Turtle Conservation Center were great and we did a couple of hikes in the area (be sure to have a guide with you!!)

Good Luck :)

i'm not even trying to cover that much in 5 weeks ;D

sometimes you like a place and want to hang around longer than expected. sometimes you hear of a place not on your list that you're inclined to check out... and the heat can send the best-laid plans awry

Unless you really like beaches or water sports, perhaps you can skip Nha Trang and/or Mui Ne. I heard the NP near Nin Binh is suppose to be good.

Amongst the National Parks that are not too far off the beaten track, Ca Tien offers the best chance to see mammals such as Gibbons; and it has heaps of birds. Both Cuc Phuong and Mach Ma are good for birding, but you will not see many mammals. Take leech socks, the rains have started and there is a good chance of leeches.

Hi Natalie

Even butterflies dont travel this quickly.
As others have said fly between a couple of cities.
At the primate rescue centre in the Cuc Phuong National Park you will see primates and if you are lucky you will see some that have been released into a secure area before being released to where they belong and of course you will see Ninh Binh etc. Not on your list though

Stay flexible at all times.

Cheers

I'd skip Mui Ne and Dalat offhand. It'll save you a few days. I wouldn't cut the Mekong, as no where else you'll go quite equals that as an experience. Dalat-wise, you'll get some mountains in with Sapa, and Mui Ne-wise you can get some beach time at Nha Trang (or Hoi An or Hue). Take an overnight train to Nha Trang from Saigon, or fly.

First, I am with you Mike - sometime I do have an internal battle between Me, Myself and I too ... :-)
Second, Mike is right. I just returned from a similar 4-weeks trip and when I get home, boy! I was like a dead meat for couple weeks !!!
So, unless you're determined to set some kind of a record, you probably needed to scale down the targets/destinations to enjoy the trip, and RR's recommendations quite make a lot of sense for you to think it over. Personally, I would skip the Cu-Chi and Nha-Trang (Mui Ne much better for being a "beach bum").