Here are my expenses during my trip to Vietnam:
$13 - Drinks and tips aboard Victory Star
$19 - Hanoi city tour (got a discount because the hotel I stayed in refunded one night of my stay)
$16 - Food
$15 - Airport transfer
$6 - Transportation around Hanoi
$5 - Entrance fee to the water puppet show
$3.5 - Souvenirs
$77.5 - Total expenses excluding accommodations, Ha Long Bay cruise, airfare, and taxes
P2,170 -NAIA 3 airport tax and terminal fee
P3,350 - Round trip airfare
*P8,850 - Total expenses including airfare and taxes.
Visit http://www.halongbestcruises.com/ if you want to book a cruise around Ha Long Bay.
Itinerary
Because of the late arrival and very early departure, I was only in Vietnam for 4 days and 3 nights.
Day 0
Arrival in Hanoi at 1 AM
Day 1
Departure to Ha Long Bay
Cruise around Ha Long Bay: Sung Sot Cave & Ti Top Island
Cooking Class
Dinner aboard Victory Star
Overnight in Ha Long Bay
Day 2
Breakfast aboard Victory Star
Optional Tai Chi Class
Cruise around Ha Long Bay: Thien Cung Dau Go Cave
Brunch
Return to port then back to Hanoi
Water Puppet Show
Day 3
Hanoi City Tour
West Lake
Tran Quoc Pagoda
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Museum of Ethnology
Temple of Literature
Hoan Kiem Lake
Hanoi Flag Tower
Day 4
Return flight to Manila at 1 AM
You can easily do the city tour yourself since all of the attractions are within walking distance to each other, I booked a tour because I wanted to know and hear what the guide has to say about his own country. I wish I could've stayed longer and get a chance to explore more of Vietnam, maybe next time.