Itinerary · Hanoi · Vietnam
One day in Hanoi
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Hanoi, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. Day 1: Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple and Weekend walking street and night market. Base yourself in Old Quarter.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Old Quarter
- Book ahead
- Water puppet show
Day by day
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.
Morning
Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple
Walk the 1.7 km circuit at about 6am to see morning exercises, then return on a weekend evening for the car-free streets. Allow 1–2 hours.
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. Allow 2 hours.
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.
Afternoon
St Joseph's Cathedral
The interior is usually open around Mass times; outside those, enjoy the façade from a café across the square. Allow 30 minutes.
Late afternoon
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. Allow Half a day.
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.
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
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, food lovers and nightlife
Old Quarter
Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–10 hours of visiting over one day, 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
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Hanoi?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. How many days Hanoi needs.
+What should I book before visiting Hanoi?
Water puppet show.