🇻🇳

Hanoi

Vietnam · Chaos, charm & world-class phở

Vietnam's ancient capital is a sensory rush — motorbikes swirl around French colonial boulevards, street food vendors crouch on tiny stools, and thousand-year-old temples hide in narrow alleys.

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✦ Get My Hanoi Itinerary
🌡️
Weather
18-33°C
Tropical
✈️
Flight Time
18h from East Coast
💰
Budget Range
$8-250/night
📅
Itinerary
4 days
30 activities
Sample Itinerary

4 days in Hanoi

Here's a preview — get a personalized version tailored to your budget and interests.

1

Old Quarter & Street Food

Thousand-year-old trading streets.

🍜Morning phở at Phở Gia Truyền
7:00 AM · 30min · $2
Best phở bò in Hanoi since 1950s
🚶Old Quarter walking tour
8:00 AM · 3h · Free
36 streets named by trade — silk, silver, paper
🐢Hoàn Kiếm Lake
11:30 AM · 1h · Free
Sacred lake with Turtle Tower and red bridge
🍖Bún chả at Hương Liên
1:00 PM · 45min · $3
Obama ate here — grilled pork with noodles
📚Temple of Literature
2:00 PM · 1.5h · $2
Vietnam's first university, 1070 AD
+3 more activities
2

French Quarter & Museums

Colonial elegance meets revolutionary history.

🥖Bánh mì at Bánh Mì 25
8:00 AM · 30min · $1.5
Perfect crusty baguette sandwich
🏛️Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex
9:00 AM · 2h · Free
Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, stilt house
🪷One Pillar Pagoda
11:30 AM · 30min · Free
Iconic lotus-shaped Buddhist temple
🐟Lunch at Chả Cá Thăng Long
12:30 PM · 1h · $5
Turmeric fish with dill — Hanoi signature dish
🏛️Vietnamese Women's Museum
2:00 PM · 1.5h · $2
Fascinating and beautifully curated
+3 more activities
3

Ha Long Bay Day Trip

Limestone karsts rising from emerald waters.

🚌Drive to Ha Long Bay
6:00 AM · 3h · Free
Included in cruise package
⛵Board junk boat cruise
9:30 AM · 6h · $65
Day cruise through 1,600 limestone islands
🛶Kayaking through caves
11:00 AM · 1.5h · Free
Paddle through Luồn Cave to hidden lagoon
🦑Seafood lunch on boat
12:30 PM · 1h · Free
Fresh spring rolls, grilled squid, fried rice
🏝️Titov Island hike & swim
2:00 PM · 1.5h · Free
Climb for panoramic views, swim below
+2 more activities
4

Ninh Bình & Farewell

The 'Ha Long Bay on land.'

🚗Drive to Ninh Bình
7:00 AM · 2h · Free
South through the Red River Delta
🚣Tràng An boat tour
9:30 AM · 2.5h · $8
Row through caves and karst valleys — UNESCO site
🍽️Lunch at a local family restaurant
12:00 PM · 1h · $4
Goat meat and local specialties
⛩️Bích Động Pagoda
1:30 PM · 1h · Free
Three pagodas carved into a limestone cliff
🚗Return to Hanoi
3:00 PM · 2h · Free
Afternoon drive back
+2 more activities
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Where to Stay

Neighborhoods & Hotels in Hanoi

✦ Luxury · Hoàn Kiếm
Sofitel Legend Metropole
Colonial landmark since 1901
$250/night⭐ 4.8
◆ Mid-range · Old Quarter
Essence Hanoi Hotel
Charming boutique near Old Quarter
$50/night⭐ 4.6
$ Budget · Old Quarter
Hanoi Backpackers Hostel
Social hostel on Beer Street
$8/night⭐ 4.4
Safety Info

Know Before You Go

⚠️ Common Scams
• Taxi meter tampering — use Grab app
• Shoe-shine boys swapping your shoes
• Cyclo drivers changing agreed prices
🏥 Health Notes
• Don't drink tap water
• Street food is generally safe and fresher than restaurants
💡 Local Tips
• Download Grab (Southeast Asian Uber)
• Look both ways constantly — motorbikes everywhere
• Vietnam is very safe for tourists overall
Getting Around

Transport in Hanoi

✈️
Flight
Via Seoul/Tokyo/Singapore
$650 · 18h
🚌
Airport Transfer
86 bus to Old Quarter
$1 · 50min
🛵
Daily Transport
Grab (local Uber)
$3 · 1 day
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