The Best 3 day Hanoi Itinerary You Need

Vietnam’s captivating capital city seamlessly weaves together a thousand years of history with the vibrant energy of modern Southeast Asia. In Hanoi’s labyrinthine Old Quarter, motorbikes navigate narrow streets lined with French colonial architecture, while the aroma of pho drifts from countless street food stalls.

This 3 day Hanoi itinerary provides just enough time to experience the city’s essential highlights: from the bustling chaos of weekend night markets to the tranquil waters of Hoan Kiem Lake to the refined elegance of the Temple of Literature.

This carefully crafted Hanoi Vietnam itinerary balances cultural immersion with practical logistics, ensuring you experience both Hanoi’s must-see landmarks and its authentic local character without feeling rushed.

Overview of The 3 Day Hanoi Itinerary

This 3-day Hanoi Itinerary assumes you have 3 full days to spend in Hanoi and includes sites in Hanoi only. I’ll add some day trip ideas at the end in case you have some extra days or want to adjust the itinerary to include one of the day trips.

3 Day Hanoi Itinerary map

Below is the locations of everything on the 3 day Hanoi Vietnam Itinerary and each day has it’s own color marker on the map.

Day 1: Old Quarter & History Dive

Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple

For your first full day in Hanoi, you’ll get out early-ish and head to Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter. Depending on the time of year you visit, Hanoi can get pretty hot and humid so you’ll want to get out and enjoy the lower temperatures while you can.

Once you’re at Hoan Kiem Lake, take a walk around the whole thing. Morning is the perfect time for taking photos of the lake without the crowds. Around the lake are dozens of cafes to chose from but Dinh Cafe is a popular place and it’s right in front of the lake (top of the lake if you’re looking at it on a map). I’ve marked it on the map.

Either sit and enjoy your coffee or get it to go. When you’re done, visit Ngoc Son Temple which is on Lake Hoan Kiem. It’s small but it’s important to the story of Hanoi so it’s worth a visit.

• Dinh Cafe is open from 7am – 10pm, everyday and their address is: 13 P. Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
  
  
• Ngoc Son Temple is open from 7am – 7pm, Monday – Thursday and from 7am – 10pm, Friday-Sunday. The address for Ngoc Son Temple is: P. Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam

Explore the Old Quarter

Next you’re going to want to explore the Old Quarter and it’s 36 Guild Streets. The Old Quarter dates back over 1000 years and was a hub for craftsmen and traders. These craftsmen would group themselves by trade, meaning silversmiths were on one street, silk on another, blacksmiths on another.

You can explore the Old Quarter on your own if you’d like but another option is to take a Walking Tour. There is a FREE Walking Tour through the Old Quarter which is a great opportunity to learn more about this historic area and it helps to have a local who knows the language.

The free 3 hour tour is available at either 9am or 2pm but I would definitely recommend the morning tour because by the afternoon it will be packed with people. With it being free it will book up quickly so be sure to reserve your tour early.

If the free tour is booked and you decide you still want to take a walking tour through the Old Quarter then there is a Hanoi Walking Tour that also visits a few other sites on the 3 day Hanoi Itinerary.

NOTE: Please remember to tip your guide when the tour is over. They are not paid to do this so they are dependent on tips.

Besides the Old Quarter, the Hanoi walking Tour will also take you to Dong Xuan Market, Train Street, Long Bien Bridge, and St. Joseph’s Cathedral. If you decide to visit the Old Quarter on your own then be sure to visit the Dong Xuan Market.

Some of those places are listed on other days so adjust the itinerary if needed.

Once you’re done visiting the Old Quarter you’ll probably be starving so grab some lunch at a local restaurant in the Old Quarter. Here are a few lunch options to try:

1. Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn: located at 49 Bát Đàn
2. Bánh Mì 25: located at 25 Hàng Cá

Hoa Lo Prison

After lunch, head over to the Hoa Lo Prison, aka “Hanoi Hilton“, and learn about the history of this prison. Hint: it wasn’t built for holding American prisoners during the Vietnam War.

• Location: P. Hoả Lò, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
• Hours: 8am – 5pm every day
• Cost: 50,000 VND – about $2

St. Joseph’s Cathedral

After the prison, walk to St. Joseph’s Cathedral (if you didn’t do this on the walking tour) and walk around the outside and visit the inside as well. Surrounding the Cathedral are tons of shops and cafes so grab a drink or more coffee and do a little people watching.

• Location: 1 P. Nhà Thờ, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
• Hours: Weekdays from 8am – 11am and 2pm – 8pm
  Sundays it’s open from 7am – 11:30am and 3pm – 9pm, 24/7 for the exterior,
• Cost: Free

After you’re done with the Hoa Lo Prison and St Jospeh’s Cathedral, you might want to head back to your room for a while to rest or clean up before heading back out for the evening.

Train Street & Dinner

You’ve been walking all day long so this evening you’ll do a lot of sitting and relaxing. You can either visit train street first and then eat dinner, or vice versa. You’ll want to look at the train schedule below to figure out what works best for you.

If you didn’t take a walking tour that took you to train street then you should head over there to see it. And even if you did see it once, you can still go back again. We went 3 times during our week in Hanoi.

Train Street Schedule

Weekdays: 8:50, 9:25, 11:40, 15:20, 21:15, 21:30, 22:00
Weekends: 8:55, 9:20, 11:50, 15:20, 17:45, 21:15, 22:00

Just an FYI: Just because there’s a “schedule” doesn’t mean the train will be on time. We waited nearly 2 hours past the train’s scheduled time one evening. We almost left but hung in there and it finally showed up.

After you finish up at train street, find a place for dinner. You can either go into a sit down restaurant or grab some street food. If you see a crowd of locals in front of a street food vendor or a restaurant is crowded, that’s a good indication that the food will be good!

Night Market

If it’s a weekend (Friday – Sunday) head to the night market in the Old Quarter. The street is closed off to cars and vendors set up shop. There are plenty of food stalls at the night market so you can grab something there if you want.

Tomorrow will be an early day so plan to head back to the room after dinner and get some sleep.

Day 2: Culture & French Colonial Heritage

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Stilt House, One Pillar Pagoda

Today will be a busy day and it looks like a lot but some of the places you’ll only be spending a short time there. Feel free to adjust the itinerary by moving something to day 3 if needed.

You’ll need to get up early to get over to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. They open at 7:30am and if you don’t get there when they open then you could find yourself waiting in a long line.

If you’re staying in or near the Old Quarter, I would suggest getting a Grab to get there. Otherwise, it’s about a 30 minute walk.

Inside the mausoleum you’ll find the embalmed body of the former president on display in a glass box. Yes, 56 years after his death, you can still view his body. Morbid? Ummm, just slightly. 😮

NOTE: If you’re visiting Hanoi in the fall, the mausoleum is closed for 2 months for annual upkeep on Ho Chi Minh’s body.

Once you’re inside, you’ll only spend 5-10 minutes viewing the body before moving on. After that, head out to the back of the mausoleum to visit the One Pillar Pagoda, the gardens, and if you’re really interested in Ho Chi Minh, there’s a large museum dedicated to his life.

After the One Pillar Pagoda, continue on to the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House. This is where Ho Chi Minh worked and lived from 1958 until he died in 1969. The Presidential Palace isn’t open to tourists but the Stilt House and gardens are.

• Stilt House hours: open everyday but Monday and Friday from 7:30am-11am and 1pm-4pm
• Cost: 25,000VND or about $1.

Quan Thanh Temple & Tran Quoc Pagoda

When you’re done with the Mausoleum and the One Pillar Pagoda, you’ll continue on to the Quan Thanh Temple and Tran Quoc Pagoda. Quan Thanh Temple is just a 10 minute walk from the Mauseolum and the Tran Quoc Pagoda is a 15 minute walk from the Temple.

The Quan Thanh Temple dates back to the 11th century and is one of Four Sacred Temples, and the most popular one, in Hanoi. It was built to protect the north part of Hanoi and to assist in fighting evil spirits and natural disasters.

• Quan Thanh Temple hours: daily from 8am – 5pm
• Cost: 10,000 VND or about .40 cents

The Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi and is located on a small island on West Lake. The Tran Quoc Pagoda was built in 541 making it nearly 1500 years old. Inside you’ll see several important buildings, a garden with a sacred Bodhi Tree, and numerous statues.

Monks actually live at Tran Quoc Pagoda and because of its religious importance visitors need to dress appropriately.

• Tran Quoc Pagoda hours: daily from 8am – 4pm
• Cost: Free

I don’t have it on the list (the location is on the map above), but across the street from the Tran Quoc Pagoda is another small temple called Den thuy Trung Tien, also known as the “Puppy Temple”.

Legend says that a dog was born with markings on its body that formed the characters “Thien tu”, which means “heaven’s child“. This was taken as a divine sign of a new emperor and coincidentally, Ly Thai To was born in the year of the dog and ascended to the throne around that time.

It’s free to visit and worth a quick look. Be sure to take a moment to photograph the bridge and temple entrance before entering.

• Den Thuy Trung Tien hours: Open daily from 8am-11:30am & 1:30-5pm
• Cost: Free

Okay, that’s a really busy morning but you won’t spend hours at each site so it seems like more than it really is. But, it’s time to find a place to eat lunch and relax. Here are a few options for where to go.

West Lake

You can stay in the West Lake area and walk to the large “island” that is on the eastern side of the lake. There are several places that are definitely worth eating at, especially if you want something other than Vietnamese food.

The first option is GoodTime Burger which obviously is a hamburger joint. Another option is Pizza Bella, which is…can you guess…a pizza place. One of my favorite places on that little island is Standing Bar which doesn’t open until 3pm during the week but is open at noon on the weekend.

French Quarter in Hanoi

The other option is to take a taxi or Grab and head to the French Quarter. The French Quarter is part of the afternoon itinerary during your 3 days in Hanoi so you could head that way and eat lunch there before exploring.

One lunch option in the French Quarter are Pizza 4P’s Trang Tien, located right near the bottom of Hoan Kiem Lake. It’s one of the top rated places to eat in Hanoi.

There are also a few restaurant options near St. Joseph’s Cathedral. The Au Lac Family Restaurant serves Vietnamese food and Nha Hang La Place serves both Vietnamese and Western food and has views of the cathedral from the 2nd floor balcony.

Explore the French Quarter

After you’ve eaten and have rested up a little, it’s time to walk over to the Hanoi Opera House. It was built by the French from 1901-1911 and is modeled after the Opera Garnier in Paris, France. Unfortunately, unless you are viewing a performance, there aren’t any tours of the inside but it’s worth taking a quick walk around the outside.

Next, choose a museum to visit and learn a little more about Vietnam’s history.

1. Bảo tàng Cách Mạng Việt Nam history museum: The museum is highly rated and there are a lot of artifacts. Your ticket will get you entry into both the Vietnamese History from Prehistoric period up to 1945 and the Vietnamese History from the mid-19th cenury to present time.
   Location: 1 Tràng Tiền, Phan Chu Trinh, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
   Hours: Open daily from 8am – 12pm, 1:30pm – 5pm
   Cost: 40,000VN or about $1.50
2. Vietnamese Women’s Museum: Learn about the roles of Vietnamese women and the stories of how they have contributed to the country of Vietnam and its culture.
   Location: 36 Ly Thường Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
   Hours: Open daily from 8am – 5pm
   Cost: 40,000VND or about $1.50

After your museum visit, head over to Trang Tien Ice Cream across from Hoan Kiem Lake. Kem Trang Tien has been around since 1958 and is a must-try place in Hanoi. Get ready for the most unique ice cream flavors ever.

You could choose a normal ice cream flavor like chocolate and strawberry but are you brave enough to try green bean ice cream? Yep, that’s an option!

• Location: 35 Tràng Tiền, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
• Hours: Open daily from 7:30am – 11pm

Afterwards, head back to your hotel room for a little rest and to get ready to go out for the evening.

Water Puppet Theater

One of the most popular and unique attractions in Hanoi is visiting the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater.

NOTE: The site is in Vietnamese. To translate it to English, just right click on the white area at the top and choose “Translate to English”.

The show has been going on for over 50 years now in one form or another. The water puppets perform ancient cultural stories to traditional Vietnamese instruments. The show is 50 minutes long and it’s a must-visit during your 3 days in Hanoi.

• Location: 57b Dinh Tien Hoang – Hoan Kiem – Ha Noi
• Schedule: 5 shows, 7 days a week at 3pm, 4:10pm, 5:20pm, 6:30pm and 8pm
• Cost: 100,000 – 200,000VND or $4-8, depending on the seat.

Book your skip-the-line Water Puppet Show

Hanoi Beer Street

Try to make either the 5:20pm or 6:30pm show. Afterwards either pick a place for dinner or head straight to Beer Street where you can buy cheap beer and have a variety of bars to visit and some also serve food. You have to visit it for at least one drink!

There aren’t any plans that you have to wake up early for tomorrow so enjoy the night!

Day 3: Hanoi Attractions

Cafe Giang – Egg Coffee

Today is your last day in Hanoi and if you’re a coffee lover then you HAVE to try Hanoi’s famous egg coffee. Don’t worry, there aren’t bits of egg in the coffee. They take egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk and whisk them together until it becomes frothy. That’s what goes on top of the coffee.

There are a lot of places where you can get an egg coffee but for the original, you’ll need to head to Cafe Giang. Egg Coffee was created in the 1940’s by Nguyen Van Giang and the cafe is still run by his family. You can’t visit Hanoi without stopping for an authentic egg coffee.

Temple of Literature

First place on the final day of your 3 days in Hanoi is a visit to the Temple of Literature, where Vietnam’s first university opened. Enclosed by a brick wall, the Temple of Literature has five beautiful courtyards and showcases traditional Vietnamese architecture. It’s one of Hanoi’s most significant cultural and historical sites.

The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, dedicated to the philospher Confucius. In 1076, Vietnam’s first university, the “Imperial Academy” was established at the temple to educate royalty, Vietnam’s bureaucrats, and other members of the elite. That university stayed open until 1779.

• Location: 58 Quoc Tu Giam Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi Vietnam
• Hours: Open daily from 7:30am – 5:30pm
• Cost: 20,000 VND or about .75 cents

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

There are several other places you can visit in Hanoi if you’re up for it or you can just take it easy and explore more of the Old Quarter or hang out in a cafe.

If you haven’t had enough of Vietnam’s history you can visit the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was built in the 11th century and was the hub of Vietnamese military power for over 1000 years.

It’s a very large complex so if you do visit, prepare for a lot of walking. There are ongoing archaeological excavations of the area so you’ll get to see hundreds of artifacts.

The Imperial Citadel is located across from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

• Location: 19 Hoang Dieu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi Vietnam
• Hours: Open Tuesday – Sunday from 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Cost: 70,000 VND or about $2.70

Long Bien Bridge & Phung Hang Mural Street

Another place to visit is the Long Bien Bridge which was designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel. You can walk along the bridge (it’s long) or visit the Serein Cafe & Lounge for great views of the bridge. Be warned: the drinks are quite pricey here but you can still go up to the top and take photos without buying a drink.

In 2018 a plain street was transformed into a stretch of murals which are pretty amazing. This public art space called the Phung Hang Mural Street showcases Hanoi’s history and daily life. It’s a great place to get a few more photos in before you leave.

Cooking Class or Street Food Tour

If you’ve loved your Vietnamese meals and want to learn to cook them when you get home (the ultimate souvenir), you can take a Hanoi Market Visit & Cooking Class. You’ll shop for the ingredients before learning how to make several dishes.

If you don’t want to cook but just want to eat, you can take an evening Hanoi street food tour. Your guide will take you to the best street food stalls in Hanoi. There’s a morning and evening street food tour to choose from. Also included is a visit to Train Street. Trust me, you can’t visit train street enough.

Day Trips from Hanoi

There are a lot of great places to visit in northern Vietnam and Hanoi is the perfect “home base” to see it all. Some of these could be visited on a day trip but if you have the time, you should consider spending a few days at each of them.

Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh was one of my favorite places in Vietnam and it’s definitely worth visiting for more than a day but if you can only swing one day then you should go for it.

Ninh Binh is nicknamed “Halong Bay on Land” with it’s large limestone karsts. You can take boat rides through rice fields and caves, climb 500 steps to the top of a mountain with a stone dragon, and visit a 3 story pagoda built into a mountain.

You can take an all day Ninh Binh Tour, leaving all the travel details to someone else or you can easily catch an early train to Ninh Binh, just 2.5 hours away.

Book your Ninh Binh Tour from Hanoi

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay is about 1.5 hours from Hanoi so you can definitely take a day trip there but it really is one that should be done as an overnight trip. It’s actually a 2 day, 1 night trip and if you want the full experience of what Ha Long Bay has to offer then this is it.

You’ll stay aboard a 5 star cruise that includes all of your meals and your entry tickets for excursions. You can swim, kayak, fish, and take a boat through caves. Halong Bay is a must-visit place in Northern Vietnam.

Book your Halong Bay Tour from Hanoi

Sapa, Vietnam

Sapa is a mountain destination located about 6 hours from Hanoi so this one would definitely require you to spend a few nights there. Sapa is known for it’s rice terraces and ethnic villages and is a really popular place for trekking through the local hill tribes.

You can take a bus or train to Sapa from Hanoi on your own but it’s really best to book a tour and let them handle all of the logistics.

Book your 2-Day Sapa Trekking Trip

Practical Information For Hanoi

Now that you know about all the amazing places to visit during your 3 days in Hanoi, it’s time to start figuring out the logistics of what you really need to know to make this trip a reality.

How to get to Hanoi

Hanoi is located in northern Vietnam and most people will fly into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). It’s the largest airport in Vietnam and is about 30-45 minutes north of the city. After you arrive you can take a taxi, Grab, or the public bus (# 86) from T1 Terminal Gate.

If you are traveling from another city in Vietnam then flying might still be your best option but you can also take a train or bus to get to Hanoi. They are very affordable but just remember that Vietnam is a very long country so you’ll need to figure out which option is best.

Getting Around Hanoi

Once you’ve checked into your hotel and are ready to get out and explore, you can walk, take a taxi, a Grab, or a touristy cyclo. I think Hanoi is fairly walkable (although the sidewalks will have motorbikes on it) so that’s always my first option. It doesn’t cost anything and you get some exercise.

Where to stay in Hanoi

Hotels in Vietnam are very affordable, even in the touristy locations, so I recommend staying in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. You’ll be close to everything minimizing your need to walk even further or paying for rides.

Best time to visit Hanoi

Hanoi isn’t as hot and humid all year like it is in the southern city of Ho Chi Minh City, but during the summer it’s VERY hot, humid, and rainy. If none of that bothers you then summer will be the cheapest time to visit Hanoi.

The overall best time to visit Hanoi for weather will be the spring (March & April) with the fall months (September & October) a close second.

Tips for Traveling in Hanoi

If you’ve never traveled to Vietnam, or really anywhere in Asia, then get ready for a little culture shock. Knowing exactly what to expect will lessen that culture shock so here’s some tips for surviving Hanoi.

Cultural Tips

When you visit a temple, please dress appropriately. Yes, they are mostly outdoors and it might be sweltering hot but you cannot wear tank tops and shorts into a temple. You have to think of temples being equivalent to a church. If you wouldn’t wear it to church then don’t wear it to a temple.

When you go shopping for souvenirs, haggling is expected. The price will already be pretty low but unless you’re in a nice store (you’ll know), then they will expect you to offer to pay less. A good starting point is offering half of the asking price. They will go up from your offer, you’ll offer a little less, and you’ll agree on a price.

What to wear in Hanoi

Hanoi is pretty laid back so you can wear your usual clothing, including shorts and tank tops. Just bring something to cover your knees (wrap around skirt or light pants) and shoulders for when you’re visiting temples.

Bring your lightest and most breathable clothing because no matter what, it will likely be hot. But, if you’re traveling between November and March, you’ll also want to bring a light sweater or jacket for the evening. It does get chilly at night.

Local Transportation

You’ll find taxis everywhere in Hanoi but be sure to download the Grab app (Asia’s version of Uber) before you leave home. Grab will be cheaper than a taxi and it doesn’t hurt to have another option for getting around Hanoi.

Crossing the street in Hanoi

Crossing the street in Vietnam can be daunting but it’s much easier than it looks. As soon as you see any kind of opening, even if you still see motorbikes coming, you just step into the street and start walking.

The motorbikes will slow down or go around you. Just start walking and keep walking to the other side at a consistent pace. Don’t stop or run and don’t speed up your walk. Just walk normally and you’ll get to the otherside in one piece. 🙂