3 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 and St Joseph's Cathedral, then Water puppet show in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple

      The 'Lake of the Returned Sword' takes its name from a legend in which a golden turtle reclaimed Emperor Lê Lợi's magic sword.

   2. Late morning

      Weekend walking street and night market

      Arrive around 7pm for the liveliest atmosphere and keep a close hold on phones in the crowds.

   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

      Completed in 1886, Hanoi's neo-Gothic cathedral has twin square towers inspired by Notre-Dame de Paris.

   5. 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: Old Quarter guild streets and Long Biên Bridge

   Old Quarter guild streets, Long Biên Bridge and Đồng Xuân Market, then Hanoi Opera House in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old Quarter guild streets

      Walk it in the morning when shops open and traffic is lighter, and look up to see the narrow façades above the shopfronts.

   2. Late morning

      Long Biên Bridge

      Built by French engineers between 1899 and 1902, this steel cantilever bridge of more than 2 kilometres over the Red River was bombed repeatedly during the American War and patched up.

   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

      Đồng Xuân Market

      Explore the food stalls at the back and the produce sellers in the surrounding lanes in the morning.

   5. Evening

      Hanoi Opera House

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

3. Day 3: Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square

   Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square and One Pillar Pagoda, then Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Temple of Literature

      Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this walled complex housed Vietnam's first university, the Imperial Academy.

   2. Late morning

      Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square

      Arrive early in the morning, dress with shoulders and knees covered, and leave large bags at the check-in; the mausoleum closes on some days and for maintenance periods, so check before you go.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chả cá Lã Vọng

      Restaurants on and around Chả Cá street in the Old Quarter.

   4. Afternoon

      One Pillar Pagoda

      A small wooden shrine set on a single stone pillar in a lotus pond, designed to resemble a lotus flower rising from the water.

   5. Evening

      Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến

      The Old Quarter's 'beer street', packed with low stools, bars and street food, especially on weekend nights.

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

With 3 nights, Old Quarter keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Hoàn Kiếm Lake ($$$) suits first-timers, families and couples. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–17 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

More or fewer days

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

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