2 days in Hanoi

Day by day

1. Day 1: Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple and Weekend walking street and night market

   Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple, Weekend walking street and night market, St Joseph's Cathedral and Old Quarter guild streets, then Water puppet show in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple

      The small Turtle Tower stands on an islet, and the red Thê Húc bridge leads to Ngọc Sơn Temple, which displays a preserved giant turtle from the lake. At dawn locals practise tai chi and dance along the shore.

   2. Late morning

      Weekend walking street and night market

      Families play traditional games, buskers perform, and a night market of clothes and snacks runs north along Hàng Đào towards Đồng Xuân Market.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Beef phở

      Specialist phở shops in the Old Quarter, especially around Bát Đàn and Lý Quốc Sư streets; most open early and close once the broth runs out.

   4. Afternoon

      St Joseph's Cathedral

      The square in front is lined with cafés where young Hanoians sit on stools drinking lemon tea (trà chanh).

   5. Late afternoon

      Old Quarter guild streets

      The restored tube house at 87 Mã Mây shows how merchant families lived, and Ô Quan Chưởng is the last surviving gate of the old city walls.

   6. Evening

      Water puppet show

      Book a show a day ahead in busy periods and sit a few rows back; the front rows can get splashed.

2. Day 2: Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square

   Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square, One Pillar Pagoda and Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, then Hanoi Opera House in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Temple of Literature

      Its five courtyards hold lotus ponds, gateways and 82 stone stelae mounted on turtles that record the names of doctoral laureates from the 15th to 18th centuries.

   2. Late morning

      Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square

      Visitors file past in silence under military guard. The grounds also include the yellow Presidential Palace, his simple stilt house and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bún chả

      Street-side grills across the Old Quarter at lunchtime, and on Lê Văn Hưu street south of the French Quarter, where Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate it in 2016.

   4. Afternoon

      One Pillar Pagoda

      First built in 1049, it was destroyed in 1954 and rebuilt the following year. It is next to the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

   5. Late afternoon

      Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long

      The Hanoi Flag Tower from 1812 stands nearby.

   6. Evening

      Hanoi Opera House

      Check the programme for an evening performance; it is the best way to see the auditorium.

Before you go

• Water puppet show: Shows sell out in peak season; buy tickets at the box office or online a day in advance.

If it rains

• Swap in Hỏa Lò Prison (French Quarter): Allow time for the audio guide; the exhibits are grim but give important context to the French colonial era.
• Swap in Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (Cầu Giấy): Allow at least half a day; it is about 8 km west of the Old Quarter, so take a Grab or taxi.
• Swap in Vietnamese Women's Museum (French Quarter): Start on the top floor with the fashion and textiles and work down.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Walking. Most central sights are within 20–30 minutes' walk of Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

More or fewer days

• One day in Hanoi
• 3 days in Hanoi
• 4 days in Hanoi
• 5 days in Hanoi
• 7 days in Hanoi

Questions travellers ask