3 Days in Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi is a great city to base yourself in, or start, your exploration of northern Vietnam. With it's bustling streets, nonstop motorbikes, and vibrant markets, it's a great introduction to city-life in Vietnam.
Beloved Vietnamese dishes are aplenty on the streets of Hanoi, along with northern Vietnamese grub only found in Hanoi. Try a frothy egg coffee, sweet and savory bún chả, or the unexpectedly delicious phở trộn (dry phở) to get a sense of what's to offer here.
It's no wonder that Vietnam has climbed to the top of many traveler's bucket list in recent year, with its warm locals and rich history.
For more information about the Ha Giang Loop, check out:
And if you need help planning a two week trip to Vietnam, check out:
Day 1
Hanoi is a great place to start your trip to Vietnam, and it's a great launching point for many other parts of Vietnam. We stayed here before taking a sleeper bus to start the Ha Giang Loop (our favorite activity in Vietnam!). You can also do day trips from Hanoi, like to Ninh Binh, incense field, Ha Long Bay, etc. However - before you start off on your other adventures, get acquainted with this fantastic city!
To start off your trip, choose a walking tour with a local. I particularly like to do this as one of my first activities so that I can get recommendations and tips from the guide to fill in the gaps of my itinerary. Most of the walking tours will take you through the Old Quarter and the French Quarter of Hanoi.
You've probably heard of train street in Hanoi - it's an alleyway that's just large enough for the train to run through, with maybe a few feet of extra space. With the rush of tourism, the rules for train street have gotten much more strict. You have to be invited by a business owner that has a storefront on the street, and go in about an hour before the train comes through. The train schedule is available online, but the rules are constantly changing so do some research beforehand!
Train Street
After all your busy touring, treat yourself to a massage. There are endless places to choose from, and prices are incredibly cheap compared to the United States. Be sure to leave a tip!
To celebrate your first day in Hanoi, end with a toast at one of the fabulous bars in the city:
Day 2
Take a day trip somewhere of your choosing - some popular options include:
-Ninh Binh - Including Mua Cave, Trang An, Bai Dinh
-Ha Long Bay - Doable in a day, but some people choose 1-3 day tours
-Quang Phu Cau Incense Village
If you still have energy left from your day and want to get some shopping done, check out the following:
Day 3
Start your morning with some delicious local coffee, recommendations below:
After caffeinating, tour some of the beautiful temples, pagodas, and lakes around the city:
My favorite activity we did in Hanoi was a food tour - our guides (Jenny & Lucky) were locals and had fantastic recommendations, were extremely charismatic, and the tour was very well organized. The link to the food tour is here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g293924-d12878612-Small_Group_Hanoi_Street_Food_Tour_with_a_Real_Foodie-Hanoi.html
End the day with a water puppet show! It's adjacent to a busy square where you can grab dinner and drinks before or after the show.
Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
Hotel Recommendations
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