Giap, who died Friday aged 102 and who was lauded as a genius for guerrilla tactics that defeated both the French and American armies, will be honoured with two days of national mourning, the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party said in a statement.
"A national funeral has been decided for General Giap," the statement, released some 24 hours after the self-taught soldier died, said. A national funeral is the country's highest honour -- above a state ceremony.
Giap, second only to late revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh as modern Vietnam's most revered figure, was the founding father of the Vietnam People's Army, whose guerrilla tactics inspired anti-colonial fighters worldwide.
The self-taught soldier attained almost mythical status, securing victory over the French in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu, the battle that ended Paris' rule in Indochina, and then masterminding the fight against the United States until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
After news of Giap's death broke late Friday, there was an outpouring of grief and tributes for the beloved general online -- although state television and radio remained silent until today.
In Hanoi today, there was little public display of mourning, with police stationed outside Giap's home waving away curious onlookers.
The former history teacher will be interred in his native Quang Binh province at the request of his family. He is survived by Dang Bich Ha, his wife since 1949, and four children.
It added that the nation's flags will fly at half-mast from October 11 to 13, to mark the official period of mourning.
A funeral committee to organise the event has been established, with all of Vietnam's top leaders, including Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and President Truong Tan Sang, involved, the statement said.
The committee will be led by Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong.