Hanoi in 3 Days: A Practical Itinerary
The Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ho Chi Minh complex and the temples, the French quarter and the famous street food — a practical three-day Hanoi plan with Maps links, budgets and where to stay.
Hanoi is Vietnam's old soul — a dense, atmospheric Old Quarter of narrow trading streets, lakes ringed by temples, tree-lined French-colonial boulevards, and street food that's reason enough to come. Three days is enough to walk the historic core, see the big sights, and eat your way from pho to egg coffee without rushing.
This three-day plan keeps you on foot through the Old Quarter and around Hoan Kiem Lake, takes a morning for the Ho Chi Minh complex and the Temple of Literature, and leaves the evenings for the street-food streets and a coffee on a tiny plastic stool. Every stop links straight to Google Maps.
At a glance
Your day-by-day Hanoi route
A 3-day Hanoi route
The Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake on foot, the Ho Chi Minh complex and the temples, then the French quarter and the street-food streets — the historic core by day, the food by night.
Old Quarter, Ba Dinh + West Lake, then the Ha Long Bay day trip (an overnight cruise is even better if you have the time).
Day 1Old Quarter lanes, cathedral & prison
- Old Quarter (36 Streets)Old Quarter
- Dong Xuan MarketOld Quarter
- Bún chả (grilled pork & noodles)Old Quarter
- St Joseph's CathedralOld Quarter
- Hoa Lo Prison MemorialOld Quarter
- Chả Cá (turmeric fish, Thang Long) MICHELINOld Quarter
- Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son TempleHoan Kiem
If it rains Hoa Lo Prison + Dong Xuan are indoor.
Add if you have time A water-puppet show.
Day 2Ba Dinh monuments & West Lake
- Phở (Hanoi style)Citywide
- Temple of LiteratureBa Dinh
- West Lake & Tran Quoc PagodaTay Ho
- Bún Chả Hương Liên MICHELINHai Ba Trung
- Thang Long Water Puppet TheatreHoan Kiem
If it rains Temple of Literature + the indoor theatre.
Add if you have time Tay Ho cafés.
Day 3Ha Long Bay day trip
- Ha Long Bay (day trip / cruise)Day trip
- Ha Long Bay (day trip / cruise)Day trip
- Bún chả (grilled pork & noodles)Old Quarter
- Old Quarter & lakeside rooftopsOld Quarter
If it rains Cruises run in light rain; in a storm, swap for an in-city museum-and-food day.
Add if you have time Upgrade to an overnight cruise.
Route last checked 2026-06-14 — verify hours and bookings before you go.
Want this as an interactive guide you can reshape by length, budget and pace — with the maps, food and a one-tap PDF?
Get the Hanoi Destination Pass · S$16.90 Or build a free planWhere to stay in Hanoi
The Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem) is the classic first-timer base — you wake up inside the street-food maze and walk to the lake. The French Quarter is grander and quieter, while West Lake (Tay Ho) is leafy and calmer but further from the action. Hanoi offers great value at every level.
Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem)
First-timers; in the thick of it, walkable
French Quarter
Grander colonial hotels, quieter streets
West Lake (Tay Ho)
Leafy, calmer, lakeside cafés (further out)
By budget
- Budget — S$15–37 · Hostels, Guesthouses, Budget hotels
- Mid-range — S$60–145 · 3–4 star boutique hotels
- Comfortable — S$200–520 · 5-star and landmark colonial hotels
- Stay in the Old Quarter for a short trip to walk to everything.
- Choose a room set back from the street — the lanes are loud and early.
- If you plan an overnight Ha Long cruise, you only need a city hotel for the other nights.
Rates and availability change constantly — confirm with the hotel or a booking site before paying.
What to budget for Hanoi
Per person, per day, excluding flights. A rough guide only — your costs depend on season, area and pace.
Budget
- Accommodation: Hostel / guesthouse / budget hotel in the Old Quarter (VND 250,000–650,000).
- Meals: Street food and Bib Gourmand bites — Phở Bát Đàn, bún chả, bánh cuốn (VND 30,000–80,000/meal).
- Transport: Walk the Old Quarter; Grab motorbike for longer hops.
- Attractions: Cheap museum/temple entries; the mausoleum grounds are free.
- Evening: Bia hơi on Ta Hien, a lake walk, the weekend walking street.
Mid-range
- Accommodation: 3–4 star boutique hotel in the Old/French Quarter (VND 1,000,000–2,500,000).
- Meals: Mix of street food and Bib Gourmand/known sit-downs — Bún Chả Hương Liên, Chả Cá (VND 80,000–300,000/meal).
- Transport: Grab car + walking.
- Attractions: Add the water-puppet show, the prison memorial and a day-trip cruise.
- Evening: Chả Cá dinner, a water-puppet show, a rooftop sunset.
Comfortable
- Accommodation: 5-star or landmark colonial hotel (VND 3,500,000–9,000,000).
- Meals: Good restaurants plus one Michelin-starred dinner — Gia (book ahead) (VND 300,000–3,000,000/meal).
- Transport: Grab/private car where convenient.
- Attractions: Add an overnight Ha Long cruise, a private day-trip car, a spa.
- Evening: Starred Vietnamese dinner, then a smart rooftop bar.
When to visit Hanoi
Weather varies year to year. Unlike the south, Hanoi has a real winter. Treat this as general guidance and check a forecast close to your dates.
Spring Feb, Mar, Apr
Mild, roughly 17–25°C, often with grey drizzle and high humidity early in the season.
Keep indoor backups (museums, the water-puppet theatre, cafés) for grey-drizzle afternoons.
Look out for: Tết flower markets, Mild walking weather
Summer May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Hot and very humid, often 30–38°C.
Front-load outdoor sights in the morning; use museums, the prison memorial and malls for the afternoon heat and rain.
Look out for: Lush day-trip scenery
Autumn Sep, Oct, Nov
The best season — mild and dry, roughly 20–28°C, with crisp clear days.
Ideal for everything; make the most of day trips and lakeside walks.
Look out for: Golden autumn light, Clear Ha Long days
Winter Dec, Jan
Cool to cold, roughly 10–18°C, often grey and damp.
Lean into hot soups, egg coffee, museums and the water-puppet theatre; Ha Long can be cold and hazy in winter.
Look out for: Hot pho weather, Quieter sights
Common Hanoi mistakes to avoid
- Visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in the afternoon — it's morning-only and closed some days.
- Hesitating mid-road when crossing — keep a steady pace.
- Rushing a Ha Long Bay day trip — it's a long round trip; an overnight cruise is far better if time allows.
- Only eating in tourist spots — Hanoi's best food is at hole-in-the-wall stalls.
- Underestimating winter — Hanoi gets genuinely cold and grey (unlike the south).
Good to know in Hanoi
Getting around
- The Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem are best on foot — most of the experience is in the lanes.
- Use Grab (car or cheaper motorbike) for Ba Dinh, West Lake and museums.
- Crossing the road: walk at a slow, steady pace and let the motorbikes flow around you.
- For traditional taxis, use a reputable company and insist on the meter.
Use the Grab app for cars and motorbikes (metered, cashless). Hanoi has opened a metro line — check current routes and ticketing. There's no tourist transit card culture.
Money & connectivity
- Cash (VND) for street food, markets and small shops; cards and QR pay increasingly accepted in restaurants and malls. Carry small notes.
- Cheap tourist SIMs/eSIMs at the airport; reliable 4G. Free Wi-Fi in nearly every café and hotel.
- Not traditionally expected; appreciated for good service in tourist areas — rounding up is kind.
Local etiquette
- Crossing the road: walk slowly and steadily so the motorbikes can flow around you.
- The Old Quarter's tiny plastic stools are the real dining rooms — sit low and eat.
- Dress modestly at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and temples; the mausoleum has strict rules.
- Bargain politely at markets; keep it good-humoured.
Police: 113 · Ambulance: 115 · Fire: 114 · Keep your hotel address written down (Vietnamese) for drivers.
Hanoi — frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
3–5 days is the usual recommendation for Hanoi. The plan here runs to 3 days, and the full guide builds routes from 1–7 days — so you can shorten or extend it to fit your trip.
What food is Hanoi known for?
Hanoi's highlights include Bún chả (grilled pork & noodles), Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn, Bún Chả Hương Liên, Chả Cá (turmeric fish, Thang Long), Gia (modern Vietnamese) and more. Each is linked to Google Maps in the route above; famous spots queue at peak times, so go off-peak or pick a neighbouring stall.
Where should I stay in Hanoi?
Good bases include Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem) (First-timers; in the thick of it, walkable); French Quarter (Grander colonial hotels, quieter streets); West Lake (Tay Ho) (Leafy, calmer, lakeside cafés (further out)). See "Where to stay" above for the full breakdown by budget.
How much does Hanoi cost per day?
Roughly around S$35–65 a day on a budget, S$65–120 mid-range, S$120–260 comfortable per person, excluding flights and accommodation swings. See "Budget" above for what each tier covers.
When is the best time to visit Hanoi?
Weather varies year to year. Unlike the south, Hanoi has a real winter. Treat this as general guidance and check a forecast close to your dates. See "When to go" above for the month-by-month detail.
Do I need a visa for Vietnam?
Vietnam's visa rules (e-visa, exemptions and durations) vary by passport and change. Confirm your own requirements on the official Vietnam immigration / e-visa website before booking.
Plan Hanoi your way
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